Report an Algae Bloom
If you see a suspected algae bloom, please take a photo and describe what you see and where and contact King County and the Ames Lake Community Club Board so we can coordinate the best way to get a sample to the lab.
Chris Knutson Water Quality Planner/Project Manager at chris.knutson@kingcounty.gov
206-477-4739 (office)
206-247-8035 (cell)
Normally algae blooms are not toxic but there is no way to know for sure without testing, so please take an appropriate level of caution and if you see something, report it so it can be tested!
In general, for you and your pets:
Avoid contact with algae. Avoid swallowing water while swimming. Take a bath or shower with warm soapy water after coming into contact with the lake water.
How you can help prevent algae blooms:
2020 Water Testing Report
The key takeaways from the 2020 monitoring season were:
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Ames Lake continued to have fairly clear water, with low nutrient concentrations and algal growth.
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An algal bloom was sampled for toxin testing in August 2020. No algal toxins were detected in the samples.
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"Nitrogen-to-phosphorus (N:P) ratios were above 25 for most of the monitoring season. This indicates a low likelihood for the algal community to be dominated by cyanobacteria (which have the ability to produce toxins)."
