Clinton Lake back on Kansas harmful algae watch list

Clinton Lake was back on Kansas’ harmful algae watch list, putting one of Douglas County’s busiest summer recreation spots under a caution flag just as warm-weather use ramps up. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment posted the advisory June 18, alongside a stricter warning for Pomona Lake in Osage County.

A watch is the lowest of KDHE’s three blue-green algae advisory levels, but it still means blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. A warning means a bloom is expected or already present, while a hazard is reserved for cases where a harmful algal bloom is present and extreme conditions exist. That difference matters for Lawrence-area lakegoers because Clinton can remain open under a watch even as the risk rises.

For swimmers, the message is to stay out of water that looks suspicious, especially where algae has collected along shorelines or in coves. KDHE says toxins can be absorbed by swallowing contaminated water, breathing in spray, or even through skin contact. The state lists possible symptoms including rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat and headache. If algae looks like foam, scum or paint on the water, it is a warning sign to back away.

Boaters and anglers can still use the lake, but they are being told to limit direct contact with the water and to wash off with clean water afterward. KDHE says fishing remains allowed with precautions, including rinsing fish with clean water and eating only fillets. The agency also warns that blooms can shift quickly with wind or current, so a clear-looking stretch of water can change by the time a boat reaches the next cove.

Pet owners have the sharpest reason to pay attention. KDHE specifically warns people to keep dogs away from suspicious water and from decaying algae on the shore, since animals can be exposed just by drinking from the lake or licking wet fur after a swim.

The advisory lands at Clinton State Park, a 1,500-acre recreation area on the north shore of Clinton Reservoir with a swim beach, marina, trails, disc golf, kayak and boat rentals, a fish cleaning station and more than 380 campsites. Those amenities draw steady summer traffic from Lawrence and across Douglas County, which is why a water-quality notice can ripple quickly through lake businesses and weekend plans.

KDHE updates harmful algae advisories weekly during the bloom season, which runs from April 1 to Oct. 31 in Kansas. The agency says it began formally tracking lake blooms in 2010 and does not have the authority to close a lake; that decision falls to lake managers. Current advisories can be checked online or by calling the HAB hotline at 855-HAB-LAKE or 785-296-1664.