Walterville Pond algae bloom history
The Oregon Health Authority has issued 3 advisories and precautions for Walterville Pond since 2012, covering every year from 2012 to 2014.
3 were recreational use health advisories, issued when toxins or cyanobacteria are above Oregon's guideline values for people.
Blooms have been recorded every year for the last 3 years in the data.
- 2012 1 advisory
- 2013 1 advisory
- 2014 1 advisory
Recent Walterville Pond algae reports
| Date | Details | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 5 August 2014 to 2 October 2014 | Microcystis, 53,000 cells/mL | Health advisory |
| 13 September 2013 to 3 October 2013 | Microcystis, 46,000 | Health advisory |
| 27 July 2012 to 23 August 2012 | Anabaena flos-aquae, 800,000 | Health advisory |
What the Oregon results mean
The Oregon Health Authority issues two kinds of notice for waterbodies it monitors.
- Health advisory
- Toxins or cyanobacteria are above Oregon's recreational guideline values for people. Avoid swimming and water activities that could make you swallow water, and keep pets and children out.
- Precaution
- Toxins are below the guidelines for people but still above Oregon's guideline values for dogs. Keep pets away from blooms and avoid foamy, scummy or paint-like water.
Is Walterville Pond 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 3 different years here, take particular care at Walterville Pond.
- 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
- Dexter Reservoir16 km away, 4 reports, last in 2013
- Dorena Reservoir34 km away, 5 reports, last in 2018
- Fern Ridge Reservoir39 km away, 3 reports, last in 2025
Questions about Walterville Pond
Is there algae in Walterville Pond right now?
Oregon's archive has no advisory for Walterville Pond in 2025. The last was a health advisory in 2014. Oregon publishes its data once a year, so for today's conditions check the OHA current advisories page and the signs at the shore.
When was the last algae bloom at Walterville Pond?
The most recent entry in Oregon's data is from 5 August 2014 at Microcystis, 53,000 cells/mL: a health advisory.
Has Walterville Pond had toxic algae before?
Yes. Blooms are recorded every year from 2012 to 2014.
Can dogs swim in Walterville Pond?
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 Walterville Pond 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 Oregon Health Authority (OHA), which published as a yearly advisory archive; this season's advisories are on the OHA advisories page. Reports are grouped by waterbody. 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 Oregon, and isn't health advice. View the source data.