UPDATE 8/13/20
The City of Monroe conducted testing for the presence of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in Lake Tye this week. The results came back that no cyanobacteria are currently present in the water. Please report any new sightings of algae or lake scum in the lake to Public Works at: 360-794-7400.
8/8/20:
In response to reports of algae blooms and swimmer’s itch at Lake Tye, the City of Monroe is coordinating water quality testing and has notified the Snohomish Health Department. The city posted cautionary signage at the lake per standard protocol. Cercarial dermatitis, also known as “swimmer’s itch”, is a short-term allergic reaction on the skin that can be caused by algal blooms found in lakes during warm weather. The algal blooms (also known as cyanobacteria/blue-green algae) occur when lake temperatures rise and in addition to being a skin irritant, can also be toxic to drink for both humans and pets.
Testing will be conducted at Lake Tye this Monday to monitor the algae levels; it is recommended to refrain from swimming in the lake or letting pets drink the water until the algal toxicity levels are measured.
If high levels of toxins are identified during testing, alerts will be posted on this page and the lake public access sites. Until algal toxicity levels are known, it is recommended to exercise caution. If you see an algal bloom in other city water, please report it to the stormwater compliance coordinator Vince Bertrand. Additional information can also be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/swimmersitch/.
When in doubt – stay out.