Wyandotte County Lake at Warning Level Due to Algal Bloom

Published on April 28, 2022

Today, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) provided test results from water samples taken from Wyandotte County Lake on April 27, 2022. The results indicate higher-than-normal levels of microcystin that are well above KDHE’s threshold. It is recommended that Wyandotte County Lake be placed at the “Warning” level. 

What does this mean?

While at a Warning level, KDHE has advised the Unified Government Parks and Recreation Department that no water contact or recreation, including direct contact or splashing, should take place. Because it is the species Planktothrix rubescens it is a red-brown bloom, which is a little different than our usual blooms (you can see some similar photos of Planktothrix blooms in the ITRC visual guide here). They prefer colder water, hence being more commonly seen early in the season.

Signage will be posted to caution the community of the harmful algae, the potential to make people and animals sick, and provides guidance on the lake’s status at this time. The following are some of those guidelines:

•  No water contact, swimming, or wading
•  No pets or livestock
•  If people or pets contact lake water: wash with clean, potable water afterward
•  Avoid areas of algae accumulation
•  Do not let people or pets eat dried algae or drink untreated water
•  Clean fish well and discard guts

Next Steps

Steps being taken by Unified Government Parks and Recreation Department include:

•  Supplying informational signage all around the lake include access/entry points, high trafficked areas, and the marina
•  Continuing to communicate and to work closely with KDHE to monitor the lake levels with continuous sampling
•  Updating guidance for the lake users and community as information becomes available

Please stay tuned for more information.