The blue green algae levels at Milford Lake have intensified and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has recommended that the entire lake be placed under a warning status for the upcoming week.

R.J. Harms, Corps of Engineers Project Manager explained that the levels across the lake have increased significantly, and the two locations at the north end of the lake had the highest cell counts KDHE has ever recorded in the last four years of monitoring blue green algae under the Harmful Algae Bloom program.

“It’s been elevated all summer but for whatever reason this week those two sites at the north end of the lake, and that’s at the Timber Creek boat ramp and the City of Wakefield boat ramp, those two sites were really off the charts and high this week,” says Harms.

The cell count at the Timber Creek boat ramp was 11,919,600 with a microcystin level of 130. The cell count at the City of Wakefield boat ramp was 19,884,630 with a microcystin level of 250.

KDHE recommends that a warning status be put into place when cell counts exceed 100,000.

The other three locations also reported substantially higher cell count levels and microcystin levels.

The Corps of Engineers and State Park will be closing their beaches under the warning and is putting extra caution on the north end of the lake.

“If anyone is using that body of water, now again it’s open for boating and fishing, but we would really caution folks to keep a keen eye on things especially on the north end of the lake.”

KDHE will be back out to test the lake again on Monday.