BEATRICE – The state of Nebraska has named an area lake to the alert list for water quality, while another has been removed.

A health alert for toxic blue-green algae had been put in place for Bluestem Lake in Lancaster County….and it remains on alert for the second consecutive week.

State officials say Big Indian Lake in southern Gage County has now been removed from the alert list.

Samples taken at Bluestem Lake measured above the threshold of 8 parts per billion (ppb) of total microcystin, which is a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae.

Signs are posted to advise the public to use caution, and designated swimming beaches are closed during the alert. Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but the public is advised to use caution and avoid exposure to the water...and avoid letting pets get in the water or drink from the lake.

Weekly sampling at 55 public lake sites will continue through the end of September. The state's monitoring is conducted at public lakes with swimming beaches and high public activity. Algae blooms may also be present in other lakes in Nebraska that are not tested, so the public should use caution if they see signs of them.