Water Quality > Freshwater Algae Control Program >Public Health Concerns

Public health concerns with blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms

What are blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

Discover why cyanobacteria can be a problem in Washington's lakes.

Cyanobacteria identification

Technical information about how to identify the following cyanobacterial genera.

• Anabaena
• Aphanizomenon
• Gleotrichia
• Microcystis
• Oscillatoria
• Glossary of cyanobacterial terms

Washington Department of Health Website

This site provides information about toxic cyanobacteria and symptoms of cyanobacterial toxin poisonings.

Statewide Recreational Guidance

The Washington Department of Health has developed statewide recreational guidelines for toxic cyanobacterial blooms.

• Recreational guidelines for Microcystin and Anatoxin-A.
• Recreational guidelines for Cylindrospermopsin and Saxitoxin.

Algae Database

Search the new improved database to see which Washington water bodies experience toxic algae blooms.

Join Ecology's Freshwater Algae Program Listserv

Ecology has set up a listserv for freshwater algae. The Freshwater Algae Program Listserv will act as an information exchange and discussion forum about freshwater algae in Washington. A listserv is a program that allows people to send email to one address, which automatically resends that message to all of the other subscribers on the list. If you would like to join the list, click here for directions on how to subscribe to the list.

Information about Cyanobacterial Blooms from California Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management

This California site provides links to cyanobacterial programs in other states and the World Health Organization. 

North American Lake Management Society Blue-green Algae Pages

This site provides an overview of cyanobacteria, their toxins, and other problem algae.