Milford Lake algae bloom history
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has tested Milford Lake 594 times since 2011, usually after someone reported a possible bloom. 309 samples (52%) reached at least Watch level, and 196 reached Warning level or higher.
10 samples reached Hazard level, KDHE's highest, where it recommends closing all or part of the lake.
The highest microcystin result was 30,000 µg/L, about 3,750 times KDHE's Warning threshold of 8 µg/L.
That puts Milford Lake 4th of the 145 Kansas lakes on this site for the number of years with blooms.
- 2011 55 samples, Warning
- 2012 24 samples, Watch
- 2013 16 samples
- 2014 95 samples, Hazard
- 2015 83 samples, Hazard
- 2016 95 samples, Hazard
- 2017 72 samples, Warning
- 2018 None
- 2019 None
- 2020 5 samples, Warning
- 2021 51 samples, Warning
- 2022 80 samples, Hazard
- 2023 18 samples
When do algae blooms happen at Milford Lake?
At Milford Lake, reports are most often logged in July, August and September.
About 90% of reports fall between May and September, when warm, calm, sunny weather lets blue-green algae multiply.
Blooms can appear, move with the wind and fade within hours or days, so the time of year is only a guide.
Recent Milford Lake algae reports
| Date | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.27 µg/L |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.18 µg/L |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin not detected, 1,574 cyanobacteria cells/mL |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.17 µg/L |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.28 µg/L, 42,369 cyanobacteria cells/mL |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.25 µg/L |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.16 µg/L |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.18 µg/L |
| 12 June 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.38 µg/L |
| 22 May 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.3 µg/L |
| 22 May 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.47 µg/L, 16,532 cyanobacteria cells/mL |
| 22 May 2023 | Not given | Below advisory levels · microcystin 0.32 µg/L |
What the Kansas results mean
KDHE sets each advisory from lab results or what staff see at the lake. Samples on this page are labelled with the level their results reached.
- Watch
- A bloom is visible, microcystin is above 4 µg/L, or there are more than 80,000 cyanobacteria cells per mL. Avoid algae and keep people and pets from swimming near it or drinking the water.
- Warning
- Microcystin above 8 µg/L, more than 250,000 cells per mL, or heavy surface scum. Avoid all contact with the water, including fishing and boating.
- Hazard
- Microcystin above 2,000 µg/L or more than 10 million cells per mL. KDHE recommends closing all or part of the lake and sometimes the shore nearby.
Is Milford Lake safe for dogs?
Dogs are at the greatest risk from toxic algae. They swallow water while swimming, eat scum on the shore and lick algae off their fur afterwards, and a small amount can kill a dog within hours. With blooms recorded in 9 different years here, take particular care at Milford Lake in July, August and September.
- Keep your dog on a lead near water that looks green, scummy, foamy or discoloured, and away from algae washed up on the shore.
- If your dog gets in, rinse it straight away with clean water and don't let it lick its coat.
- Call a vet immediately if your dog vomits, drools, has diarrhoea, staggers, shakes or seems weak after being near the water.
Read the full guide to toxic algae and dogs: symptoms, what to do in the first minutes and how vets treat it.
Health effects of toxic algae
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can produce toxins that affect the liver, nervous system and skin. Swallowing water during a bloom can cause stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. Skin contact can cause rashes, and breathing spray from the water can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Children are at higher risk because they are smaller and more likely to swallow water.
How to spot a bloom
Toxic blooms can look like pea soup, spilled paint or green streaks on the surface, and they can also be blue, brown, white or red. Scum often collects along the shore downwind. If you can't see your feet in knee-deep water, or you aren't sure, stay out.
Don't drink untreated lake water, and don't boil it to make it safe: boiling doesn't destroy algal toxins. If you feel unwell after contact with the water, contact a doctor or Poison Control on 1-800-222-1222.
Nearby lakes with algae reports
- Gathering Pond10 km away, 92 reports, last in 2026
- Riverwalk Landing Pond18 km away, 3 reports, last in 2021
- Jerry Dishman Lake24 km away, 2 reports, last in 2026
- Tuttle Creek Lake27 km away, 10 reports, last in 2025
- River Park Pond30 km away, 28 reports, last in 2025
Questions about Milford Lake
Is there algae in Milford Lake right now?
Kansas has no current advisory for Milford Lake. The most recent sample, on 12 June 2023, was below advisory levels (microcystin 0.27 µg/L). This site checks KDHE's advisory list every day, but lakes are only sampled after a bloom is reported, so for today's conditions check the KDHE algae bloom map and the signs at the shore.
When was the last algae bloom at Milford Lake?
The most recent entry in Kansas's data is from 12 June 2023: a sample below advisory levels (microcystin 0.27 µg/L).
Has Milford Lake had toxic algae before?
Yes. Blooms are recorded in 9 of the 13 years from 2011 to 2023, most often in July, August and September.
Can dogs swim in Milford Lake?
Keep dogs out of the water whenever a bloom is reported or the water looks green, scummy or discoloured. Dogs are the animals most often killed by algal toxins because they swallow water and lick their fur. If your dog swims in water that might have algae, rinse it with clean water and call a vet if it vomits, drools, staggers or seems weak.
Can you eat fish caught in Milford Lake during a bloom?
If you keep fish caught during a bloom, health agencies advise removing the guts and liver and rinsing the fillets in clean water before cooking, because toxins collect most in the organs. Some agencies advise not eating fish from an active bloom at all, so follow local guidance.
About this data
This page uses official records from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), which updated as samples come in, with advisories reviewed through the April to October season. Reports are grouped by waterbody, and Milford Lake combines reports from Clay County and Geary County. The site was last rebuilt on 24 October 2026.
States only test some lakes, some of the time, so a lake without a recent report hasn't necessarily been checked. This page is independent, isn't affiliated with the State of Kansas, and isn't health advice. View the source data.