Back Lake Algae Sampling, Testing and Health Alert Advisories
as of October 2014
Sue Davis with Thurston County’s Environmental Health described the processes as follows:
* Thurston County is required to follow the Washington Department of Health testing and alert
protocols.
* When Environmental Health is contacted about an algae bloom, staff take samples in areas with the
highest concentrations of algae.
* The samples are FedEx’ed to a lab in King County. Results are made available in 5 days. The delay
is largely due to the testing process. If the sample shows harmful toxin levels, a Health Alert Advisory
is published.
* Samples are taken and tested once a week following a health alert. When two successive weeks
show toxin levels to be safe (or algae has dissipated), the Health Alert Advisory is lifted.
* The minimum period for a Health Alert Advisory is usually 3 weeks.
* Many areas of the lake where algae is not present are safe during a Health Alert Advisory.
* Areas of the lake with algae should be avoided even when a Health Alert is not in effect.
* Algae testing results for Washington lakes can be found at: https://www.nwtoxicalgae.org/Data.aspx
