Thurston County issues toxic algae advisory for Lake Lawrence

Thurston County has issued a toxic algae advisory for Lake Lawrence near Rainier after microsystin, a liver toxin, was found at an unsafe level.

The lake was tested Wednesday; the finding was announced Friday, according to a news release.

The county recommends the following:

▪ Do not drink the lake water.

▪ Avoid contact with water containing algae. Do not swim or water ski in areas with algae.

▪ Keep pets and livestock away from areas where algae blooms are present.

▪ When fishing, use only catch-and-release of any fish caught during an algae bloom.

▪ Do not eat fish that come from the lake during an algae bloom.

▪ Avoid areas of scum when boating.

Thurston County Environmental Health will collect weekly samples until the algae bloom clears.

For more information, go to nwtoxicalgae.org or call 360-867-2626.

This story was originally published October 13, 2019 at 12:26 PM.