The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks updated their public health advisory for lakes affected by blue-green algae on Sept. 12, adding one lake to the state's Warning list and three lakes to its Watch list, according to the health department's advisory page.
Warnock Lake in Atchison County was added to the Warning list on Sept. 12. Atchison City Lake No. 7, also in Atchison County, Colwich City Lake in Sedgwick County, and Trexler Lake in Graham County were added to the Watch list the same day. Advisories were lifted at Butler State Fishing Lake in Butler County, Ottawa State Fishing Lake in Ottawa County, River Pond at Tuttle Creek State Park in Pottawatomie and Riley counties, and Wilderness Lake in Overland Park.
As of the Sept. 12 update, thirteen Kansas water bodies were under Warning-level advisories, including Atchison City Lake No. 9, Atchison County Lake, Atchison State Fishing Lake, Fossil Lake in Russell County, Frazier Lake in Grant County, Gathering Pond in Geary County, Hodgeman State Fishing Lake, King Lake in Lyon County, Lake Afton in Sedgwick County, the Melvern Outlet River Pond and Melvern Outlet Swim Pond in Osage County, Peter Pan Park Pond in Lyon County, and Warnock Lake. Ten additional water bodies were listed under Watch, including Lake Shawnee in Shawnee County and Marion County Lake, alongside the four new Sept. 12 additions.
Under a Warning advisory, contact with the waterbody should be avoided. Signage is posted at public access locations, lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock, and areas with visible algae accumulation should be avoided. Anglers may still keep and eat fish caught under a Warning advisory, provided the fish are rinsed with clean water, only the fillet portion is consumed, and all other parts are discarded. Pets should not be allowed to eat dried algae from the shore. If lake water contacts skin, it should be washed off with clean water as soon as possible.
Under a Watch advisory, boating and fishing are considered safe, but swimming, wading, water-skiing, and jet-skiing are discouraged near visible blooms, and direct contact with water should still be avoided. Blue-green algae toxins can be absorbed through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation of aerosols, and reported symptoms include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headaches. Kansas's active harmful algal bloom response program runs from April 1 through Oct. 31, and advisories are updated as cell densities and toxin concentrations change. Advisories are lifted when conditions dissipate to levels below Watch thresholds.
