The Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy (NDEE) has added a new interactive mapping tool to its Beach Watch webpage to help residents visualize which lakes are on health alert for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).
The Beach Watch webpage provides updates on the results of public beach sampling for 56 lakes during the May to September recreation season. NDEE and its partners collect weekly sampling for microcystin, a toxin produced by HABs, and E.coli bacteria.
Exposure to HABs can irritate the skin and cause illness when ingested. Lakes that exceed 8 parts-per-billion of microcystin are placed on health alert, and designated swimming beaches are closed.
In addition to this map, NDEE, in partnership with the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission and Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, issues joint press releases when lakes are placed on health alert, and shares information through its email listserv and social media pages.
On July 1, NDEE and the state Department of Natural Resources will officially merge to become the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, & Environment.
