Air Quality
Drinking Water
Environmental Response and Remediation
Waste Management and Radiation Control
Water Quality
Executive Director’s OfficeReport a Bloom
24-Hour DEQ Environment Incidents Line: (801) 536-4123
Call Utah Poison Control Center
If you believe you or your pet have been exposed to a harmful algal bloom, call (800) 222-1222.
Update November 2, 2020
The Warning Advisory for Yuba Lake has been removed as a result of the end of the sampling and monitoring recreation season.
The Utah Division of Water Quality’s water recreation season runs from May 1 through October 31. At this time, no further monitoring or sampling for harmful algal blooms or waterborne pathogens at priority water bodies will be conducted until May 2021.
This does not mean that the potential for harmful algal blooms or waterborne pathogens has ceased. Please remain aware while recreating in or near water bodies and for information on how to keep yourself, your family, and your pets safe, please visit:
Update August 24, 2020
Central Utah Health Department has issued a Warning Advisory for Yuba Lake and is working with the State Park to post signs.
Sampling Update: On 08/21/2020, the DWQ HABs monitoring team visited Yuba Lake. The monitoring team observed a harmful algal bloom at North Beach, East Beach, and Oasis Campground that appeared as green water and globules on or within the water surface. Cyanotoxin and toxigenic cyanobacteria cell count densities samples were taken.
Results delivered from UDAF Lab and Phycotech show the presence of microcystin and high cell count densities.
At East Beach (Eagle View), cell count densities were 111,380 cells/mL, which is above the DWQ/DOH recommended recreational health warning advisory threshold of 100,000 cells/mL. Cell counts at North beach were at 44,887 cells/mL and 5,307 cells/mL at Oasis Campground. All contained mostly the cyanobacteria species microcystis, which can be a high toxin producer.
Microcystin was found to be >5.0 ug/L at both North Beach and Oasis Campground. Further quantitation from UDAF Lab is pending.
Monitoring Update: In addition to DWQ’s visit on 08/18/2020, on 08/19/2020, a recreator visited Yuba Lake and observed a harmful algal bloom at Oasis Campground that appeared as grass clippings on or within the water surface.
Update August 14, 2020
- August 5 cyanobacteria cell count results: 2219 cells/ml
Update July 9, 2020
Yuba Lake is under a Health Watch after a recreator observed decaying harmful algal bloom (HAB) material in the water and along the shoreline near the North and West Beaches on July 8, 2020. A Health Watch is not a formal advisory level but rather an indicator that a bloom may exist or become more severe based on available information from the DEQ Division of Water Quality (DWQ) and Department of Health. Indicators can include visual reports. The Central Utah Public Health Department and Utah State Parks have been notified.
DWQ plans to sample Yuba Lake within the next seven days.
