Big Lake Algal Bloom Monitoring 2018

 See USDA Forest Service

Report 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.

Big Lake, located at approximately 9300 feet elevation on Monroe Mountain in the Fishlake National Forest, is a popular area for fishing.

Update July 25, 2018

The Central Utah Health Department received a report on July 16, 2018, of a possible cyanobacteria bloom on Big Lake. Local health department staff and the DEQ District Engineer visited the lake and observed that it was quite low with no water coming in or out of it. They observed cyanobacteria throughout the lake, but it was thicker on the north side. Toxin test-strip results were non-detect for microcystin and 0.04 micrograms per liter (µg/L) for anatoxin-a. The anatoxin-a level exceeds the recreation health-based threshold for primary contact with the water.

The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) collected samples on July 19, 2018, for lab testing for anatoxin-a and cyanobacteria cell count concentrations and taxa identification and are currently waiting for those results.