For the past three weeks the blue green algae conditions at Milford Lake have continued to improve.

Last week the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommended a lake wide advisory be issued. This week that advisory has been lifted from all areas south of Farnum Creek, but will remain in place for all areas north of Farnum Creek.

“This week KDHE basically is considering the southern half of the lake, those areas below Farnum Creek, to be clear with no restrictions in place, and leaving a partial advisory level for the areas north of Farnum Creek,” said R.J. Harms, Operations Project Manager for the Corps of Engineers.

In areas that an advisory has been issued direct water contact is discouraged but not prohibited.

Harms said that he believes that the weather over the past few weeks and the general life cycle of the algae bloom have been the cause for the improvements.

“I think that it intensified in early July and mid July and then now I think what were seeing is just kind of a decline in that. Hopefully between the life cycle and maybe some moderate temperatures we’ll continue to improve.”

With the partial advisory status for the lake, KDHE will again collect samples next Monday to closely monitor conditions with the hope that BG cell counts will continue to improve and toxin levels will remain low.