2014 Toxic Blue-green Algae
and Bacteria Sampling Results

The current Beach Information / Harmful Agal Blooms is now located at:
https://deq-iis.ne.gov/beach

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 this year.

Lake NameLake # -- County- Last Updated - Microcystin (ppb) - E.coli Bacteria
Hide details for Current Lake(s) on Health AlertCurrent Lake(s) on Health Alert
Big Indian Creek Lake 2Gage10/02/201428.630
Kirkman's Cove21Richardson 10/02/201431.44196
Hide details for High E.coli Bacteria LevelsHigh E.coli Bacteria Levels
Branched Oak Lake5bLancaster10/02/20140.871300
Conestoga Lake9Lancaster10/02/201401986
Pawnee Lake34aLancaster10/02/20143.451120
Hide details for Other Lakes SampledOther Lakes Sampled
Bader Park Swimming Lake 1Merrick10/02/201401
Bluestem Lake3Lancaster10/02/20141.2315
Box Butte Lake4Dawes10/02/201406
Branched Oak Lake5aLancaster10/02/20140.2613
Bridgeport Middle Lake6Morril10/02/201401
Calamus Lake7Garfield10/02/201403
Carter Lake8Douglas10/02/201405
Cottonwood Lake (Yankton)10Cedar10/02/2014033
Cub Creek Lake # 12A11Jefferson10/02/201402
Cunningham Lake12Douglas10/02/20140.11
Davis Creek Lake13Sherman10/02/201404
Enders Lake at East Beach14Chase10/02/201400
Fremont Lake # 1015Dodge10/02/201409
Fremont Lake # 2016aDodge10/02/201401
Fremont Lake # 2016bDodge10/02/201401
Fremont Lake # 917Dodge10/02/20140.341
Ft. Kearney Lake No. 750Buffalo10/02/201400
Harlan Lake18Harlan10/02/2014015
Holmes Lake19Lancaster10/02/20144.4127
Iron Horse Trail Lake47Pawnee County10/02/20144.410
Johnson Lake20Gosper10/02/20140142
Lake North22Platte10/02/201403
Lewis and Clark Reservoir23Knox10/02/2014015
Lone Star Lake24Fillmore10/02/20142.213
Louisville Lake SRA No. 225Cass10/02/20142.051
Maloney Lake26Lincoln10/02/201409
Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake49Colfax10/02/201402
Maskenthine Lake27Stanton10/02/20140.694
McConaughy Lake28Keith10/02/20140.234
Medicine Creek Lake29Frontier10/02/2014019
Merritt Reservoir30Cherry10/02/20147.490
Minatare Lake31Scotts Bluff10/02/2014052
Mormon Island Lake32Hall10/02/20140.473
Oliver Lake33Kimball10/02/2014026
Pawnee Lake34bLancaster09/04/20144.5936
Red Willow Lake35Frontier10/02/2014021
Rockford Lake36Gage10/02/20144.382
Sherman Lake37Sherman10/02/201400
Sutherland Lake38Lincoln10/02/2014025
Swan Creek Lake # 5A39Saline10/02/20147.049
Swanson Lake40Hitchcock10/02/201402
Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 441Douglas10/02/201405
Valentine Mill Pond42Cherry10/02/2014065
Victory Lake43Dodge10/02/201404
Wagon Train Lake44Lancaster10/02/201405
Willow Creek Lake45Pierce10/02/20145.730
Windmill Lake No. 551Buffalo10/02/201405
Wirth Brothers Lake46Johnson10/02/201402


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 Ft. Kearny Lake No. 7 Windmill Lake No. 5

The links below will take you to the sampling results taken during the recreational seasons ( May through September) for 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007.

Updated information regarding 2014 toxic blue-green algae and bacteria sampling will be posted on the page staring May 9, 2014

2013 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2012 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2011 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

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