Lone Star Lake algae advisory holds after Sept. 14 test; next KDHE retest set for Sept. 28
Boating and fishing remain safe at the watch level
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Sign up freeSwimmers are still being warned off Lone Star Lake in southwest Douglas County, where a state algae Watch Advisory in place since July 24 survived Sept. 14 testing and will not be reassessed until Monday, Sept. 28.
According to a Douglas County notice published Thursday, Sept. 17, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment discourages swimming, wading and water skiing near visible blooms and says pets and livestock should not drink from affected water.
The advisory covers blue-green algae, which KDHE says can form blooms that may be harmful to humans and animals. The agency says boating and fishing are safe under a Watch Advisory, though inhaling spray from the water may affect some individuals. KDHE also says fish should be cleaned well with potable water and only the fillet portion eaten. The agency recommends avoiding areas where algae has accumulated and not letting people or pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
That leaves the lake under the same guidance for nearly two months of the county's summer and early fall. Citizen Journal reported the advisory in force on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10, before the most recent sampling. KDHE says blooms are unpredictable, can develop rapidly and may move across a lake with wind or water currents.
The agency says people or animals that develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, irritated eyes, seizures, breathing problems or other unexplained illness after exposure to harmful algae should contact a doctor or veterinarian. KDHE is scheduled to retest the water Sept. 28 and provide an update, and more information is available on the agency's harmful algal blooms page. In the meantime, KDHE says visitors should use their best judgment at the water's edge.
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