Home
Air
Water
Land & Waste
Energy
Environmental Assistance
Publications & Forms
News & Announcements
Agency Information
Emergency / Disaster
Search
Agriculture
▼
Drinking Water
▼
State Revolving Fund
▼
Groundwater
▼
Petroleum Remediation
▼
Surface Water
▼
Wastewater
▼
Water Permitting
▼
Water Quality Planning
▼
Focus On Water Division
2016 Toxic Blue-green Algae
and Bacteria Sampling Results
NDEE 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 2016 recreational season
Lake Name
Lake #
County
Last Updated
Current algae
Health Alert?
E.coli Bacteria
Current Lake(s) on Health Alert
Merritt Reservoir
30
Cherry
9/29/16
25.69
Yes
1
Rockford Lake
36
Gage
9/29/16
10.57
Yes
2
Willow Creek Lake
45
Pierce
9/29/16
19.39
Yes
15
High E.coli Bacteria Levels
Pawnee Lake
34b
Lancaster
9/29/16
6.30
No
308
Other Lakes Sampled
Bader Park Swimming Lake
1
Merrick
9/29/16
0
No
2
Big Indian Creek Lake
2
Gage
9/29/16
13.93
No
4
Bluestem Lake
3
Lancaster
9/29/16
5.11
No
5
Box Butte Lake
4
Dawes
9/29/16
0
No
1
Branched Oak Lake
5a
Lancaster
9/29/16
2.65
No
117
Branched Oak Lake
5b
Lancaster
9/29/16
2.77
No
133
Bridgeport Middle Lake
6
Morrill
9/29/16
0.78
No
0
Calamus Lake
7
Garfield
9/29/16
0.20
No
52
Carter Lake
8
Douglas
9/29/16
0.22
No
4
Conestoga Lake
9
Lancaster
No Samples
No
No Samples
Cottonwood Lake (Yankton)
10
Cedar
9/29/16
0
No
6
Cub Creek Lake # 12A
11
Jefferson
9/29/16
0
No
19
Cunningham Lake
12
Douglas
9/29/16
0.40
No
5
Davis Creek Lake
13
Sherman
9/29/16
0.18
No
0
Enders Lake at East Beach
14
Chase
9/29/16
0
No
0
Fremont Lake # 10
15
Dodge
9/29/16
0
No
39
Fremont Lake # 20
16a
Dodge
9/29/16
0
No
2
Fremont Lake # 20
16b
Dodge
9/29/16
0
No
2
Fremont Lake # 9
17
Dodge
9/29/16
1.24
No
1
Ft. Kearney Lake No. 7
50
Buffalo
9/29/16
0
No
4
Harlan Lake
18
Harlan
9/29/16
0
No
40
Holmes Lake
19
Lancaster
9/29/16
0.65
No
80
Iron Horse Trail Lake
47
Pawnee County
9/29/16
4.55
No
5
Johnson Lake
20
Gosper
9/29/16
0
No
117
Kirkman's Cove
21
Richardson
9/29/16
18.20
No
96
Lake North
22
Platte
9/29/16
0
No
13
Lewis and Clark Reservoir
23
Knox
9/29/16
0
No
44
Lone Star Lake
24
Fillmore
9/29/16
0
No
4
Louisville Lake SRA No. 2
25
Cass
9/29/16
2.55
No
1
Maloney Lake
26
Lincoln
9/29/16
0
No
5
Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake
49
Colfax
9/29/16
0.24
No
40
Maskenthine Lake
27
Stanton
9/29/16
0
No
7
McConaughy Lake
28
Keith
9/29/16
0.20
No
5
Medicine Creek Lake
29
Frontier
9/29/16
0
No
1
Minatare Lake
31
Scotts Bluff
9/29/16
0
No
24
Mormon Island Lake
32
Hall
9/29/16
2.45
No
0
Oliver Lake
33
Kimball
9/29/16
3.51
No
7
Pawnee Lake
34a
Lancaster
9/29/16
5.81
No
13
Red Willow Lake
35
Frontier
9/29/16
0.18
No
4
Sherman Lake
37
Sherman
9/29/16
0
No
29
Sandy Channel Lake 8
52
Buffalo
9/29/16
0
No
2
Sutherland Lake
38
Lincoln
9/29/16
0.46
No
21
Swan Creek Lake # 5A
39
Saline
9/29/16
12.81
No
3
Swanson Lake
40
Hitchcock
9/29/16
0.32
No
0
Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 4
41
Douglas
9/29/16
0
No
21
Valentine Mill Pond
42
Cherry
9/29/16
0
No
52
Victory Lake
43
Dodge
9/29/16
0.20
No
1
Wagon Train Lake
44
Lancaster
9/29/16
0.19
No
2
Windmill Lake No. 5
51
Buffalo
9/29/16
0
No
51
Wirth Brothers Lake
46
Johnson
9/29/16
0
No
199
The map below shows the locations of the lakes referred to in the table above
Beach Watch Listserv Subscribe Instructions
To subscribe to the listserv, send an email to listserv@listserv.nebraska.gov with SUBSCRIBE DEQ-BeachWatch (your name) - in the body of the message (leave the Subject line blank).
Example: Subscribe DEQ-BeachWatch John Smith.
You will receive an email requesting you to confirm your request. When you confirm by clicking the link, you will be added to the listserv .
To unsubscribe, send an email to listserv@listserv.nebraska.gov In the body of the message, type SIGNOFF deq-BeachWatch.
The links below will take you to the sampling results taken during the recreational seasons ( May through September) for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and2011.
2018 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2017 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2016 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2015 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2014 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2013 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2012 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
2011 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results
Contact Information
NDEE Offices
Your Comments
Careers and Employment Information
Report a Problem
Requests for Proposals
Public Records Search
Request Public Records
Public Hearings / Public Notices
Links and More Information
Nebraska.gov
Security, Privacy + Accessibility Policy
Employee Portal
NDEE Private
245 Fallbrook Blvd Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68521 -- PO Box 98922, Lincoln, NE 68509 -- phone (402) 471-2186, toll-free (877) 253-2603