Are you planning a day at the lake?  Did you know you can check on the water quality before you head out?

Water quality is monitored at 51 public recreational lakes each week from May through September by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and its partners. Samples are analyzed for E. coli  and Harmful Algal Blooms.  If the samples exceed the safe thresholds for a Harmful Algal Bloom, a lake is put under Health Alert.  Signs will be posted recommending people avoid full body contact activities such as swimming, wading, skiing, jet skiing, etc. Non-contact activities such as boating, fishing, and camping are OK. 

Health alerts are not issued for high levels of E. coli because bacteria levels can change quickly, while HABs are more persistent. NDEE provides all sample results on its website so swimmers can make informed decisions before entering the water.

The results from this weekly sampling are available online at the NDEE Beach Watch website.  You can also subscribe to a listserve at the same link and get an email each time the results are posted.  

More information on Harmful Algal Blooms