Bluestem Lake under health alert for second straight week

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Officials said Friday that Bluestem Lake still has harmful algal blooms.

It’s the second straight week that the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has issued a health alert for the lake in southwest Lancaster County.

Samples taken this week found that the lake had more than 8 parts per billion of microcystin, a toxin released by some blue-green algae.

Swimming beaches are closed during health alerts.

Boating and fishing are allowed, but the department said to avoid exposure to the water, especially any activity that could lead to swallowing water.

You should not let pets get in the lake or drink from it, officials said.

The health alert for Big Indian Lake in Gage County has been removed, the department said.