2011 Toxic Blue-green Algae
and Bacteria Sampling Results


NDEQ conducts weekly or bi-weekly sampling for toxic blue-green algae and bacteria at a number of public recreational lakes across Nebraska from May through September, and these results are updated weekly. Samples are typically collected on Monday and posted on the web site on Thursday or Friday.

At the top of the table below is a list of all Current Lake(s) on Health Alert for toxic blue-green algae. Lakes that have been placed on Health Alert must subsequently have two consecutive weeks of low readings before the alert is ended. Samples above 20 ppb microcystin are placed on alert.

For more information about health alerts and what to look for, go to
Precautions and Facts Regarding Toxic Algae at Nebraska Lakes.

For more information about the history of toxic algae sampling in Nebraska, go to
Cyanobacteria: The Nebraska Experience

The next category, High E. Coli Bacteria Readings, lists lakes that showed unusually high readings of bacteria in the most recent sampling, which can also be a health concern. Samples above 235 counts/ 100 ml water are considered high.

Click here for more information about bacteria and its potential health effects.

The last category, Other Lakes Sampled, lists the results for lakes which are not under Health Alert for toxic algae, and their most recent sample results for bacteria are considered low.

Click on any lake name on the table below to view a chart of that lake’s sample results for toxic algae (Microcystins) and E.coli bacteria for the 2011 recreational season

Lake NameLake # -- County- Last Updated - Microcystin (ppb) - E.coli Bacteria
Hide details for Current Lake(s) on Health AlertCurrent Lake(s) on Health Alert
Merritt Reservoir30Cherry09/29/201145.036
Rockford Lake36Gage09/29/2011242
Hide details for High E.coli Bacteria LevelsHigh E.coli Bacteria Levels
Wirth Brothers Lake46Johnson09/22/20110.01517
Hide details for Other Lakes SampledOther Lakes Sampled
Bader Park Swimming Lake 1Merrick09/29/201100
Bluestem Lake3Lancaster09/29/2011.322
Box Butte Lake4Dawes09/29/20111.711
Branched Oak Lake5aLancaster09/29/20110.9016
Branched Oak Lake5bLancaster09/29/20110.7530
Bridgeport Middle Lake6Morril09/29/20110.015
Calamus Lake7Garfield09/22/20112.02
Carter Lake8Douglas09/29/20110.072
Conestoga Lake9Lancaster09/29/20110.291
Cottonwood Lake (Yankton)10Cedar09/29/201102
Cub Creek Lake # 12A11Jefferson09/29/20110.0256
Cunningham Lake12Douglas09/29/2011.34
Davis Creek Lake13Sherman09/22/20110.140
Enders Lake at East Beach14Chase09/29/20112.081
Fremont Lake # 1015Dodge09/29/20110.034
Fremont Lake # 2016aDodge09/29/20110.024
Fremont Lake # 2016bDodge09/29/20110.001
Fremont Lake # 917Dodge09/29/20111.681
Harlan Lake18Harlan09/29/20110.1218.9
Holmes Lake19Lancaster09/29/20112.563
Iron Horse Trail Lake47Pawnee County07/28/2011No Samples1
Johnson Lake20Gosper09/29/20110.3610
Kirkman's Cove21Richardson 09/22/20110.204
Lake North22Platte09/29/20110.071
Lewis and Clark Reservoir23Knox09/29/2011010
Lone Star Lake24Fillmore09/29/20113.862
Louisville Lake SRA No. 225Cass09/29/20110.147
Maloney Lake26Lincoln09/29/20110.11
Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake49Colfax09/22/20110.243
Maskenthine Lake27Stanton09/22/20110.5016
McConaughy Lake28Keith09/29/20110.581
Medicine Creek Lake29Frontier09/29/201105
Minatare Lake31Scotts Bluff09/29/20110.03119
Mormon Island Lake32Hall09/29/201106
Oliver Lake33Kimball09/29/20110.0133
Pawnee Lake34aLancaster09/29/20110.229
Pawnee Lake34bLancaster09/29/20110.329
Red Willow Lake35Frontier09/29/20110.0612
Sherman Lake37Sherman09/22/20110.0713
Sutherland Lake38Lincoln09/29/20110.187
Swan Creek Lake # 5A39Saline09/29/20113.124
Swanson Lake40Hitchcock09/29/20110.021
Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 441Douglas09/29/20110.0310
Valentine Mill Pond42Cherry09/29/201109
Victory Lake43Dodge09/29/201101
Wagon Train Lake44Lancaster09/29/201101
Willow Creek Lake45Pierce09/22/20113.272


The map below shows the locations of the lakes referred to in the table above

Bader Park Lake Big Indian Creek Lake Bluestem Lake Box Butte Lake Branched Oak Lake Bridgeport Middle Lake Calamus Lake Carter Lake Conestoga Lake Cottonwood Lake (Yankton) Cub Creek Lake Cunningham Lake Davis Creek Lake Enders Lake Fremont Lake Harlan Lake Holmes Lake Johnson Lake Kirkman's Cove Lake North Lewis and Clark Reservoir Lone Star Lake Louisville Lake Maloney Lake Maskenthine Lake McConaughy Lake Medicine Creek Lake Merritt Reservoir Minatare Lake Mormon Island Lake Oliver Lake Pawnee Lake Red Willow Lake Rockford Lake Sherman Lake Sutherland Lake Swan Creek Lake # 5A Swanson Lake Two Rivers SRA Lake Valentine Mill Pond Wagon Train Lake Willow Creek Lake Wirth Brothers Lake Iron Horse Trail Lake Ed Zorinsky Lake Maple Creek SRA Lake

The links below will take you to the sampling results taken during the recreational seasons ( May through September) for 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007.

Updated information regarding 2011 toxic blue-green algae and bacteria sampling will be posted on the page staring May 5, 2011

2010 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2009 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2008 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2007 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results



Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
1200 "N" Street, Suite 400
PO Pox 98922
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
(402) 471-2186