The ILPOA Board of Directors continues to keep the safety of our members as our first and foremost priority. On May 14^th, we communicated the results of water testing that came back concerning levels of algae in our lake. That post is available here. As stated in that note, the species of algae that were elevated in the tests from the week of May 10^th tend not to be toxin-producing. The guidelines from our lab partners were to advise members to stay out of the water where there is a visible green and milky surface, and to be cautious with pets and small children.
 
The week of May 24^th, we conducted further testing for Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs). These tests were done under the direction of independent lab PhycoTech and we will continue with this testing regimen every two weeks until further notice.  In this recent round of testing, we increased the number of sample locations from 3 to 6. The locations of the tests were the middle of the lake near the dam, the shoreline between Cove 2 and Cove 3, Cove 7, Cove 1, and the Beach.  While we did see some improvements vs. the tests from 2 weeks ago, we continue to see above benchmark levels of HAB species in our lake.  Our partners at Phycotech have advised for the time being to continue to be cautious where you see a visible green and milky surface and to be cautious with pets and small children. 
 
It is important for us as a board to be transparent and share information regarding these tests with all of you. While our advisor has stated for the time being the lake is OK for activity, there is the presence of harmful algae in our lake, albeit at acceptable levels for now, that our scientist partners believe could produce toxins as we progress through the summer as the lake warms. This is why it is important for us to continue our testing regimen and communicate effectively regarding any health risks to our membership.
 
Last week we also conducted tests for e Coli as part of our normal testing regimen with Ozark Testing. At this time, we do not have any issues with e.Coli in our lake. As a side note, Ozark Testing does not offer comprehensive water testing for cyanobacteria which is why we are using Phycotech to support us as we work to improve the water quality of our lake.
 
We are planning to conduct further testing on the week of June 7^th. In the meantime, please continue to use your discretion and stay out of areas where there are obvious signs of algae and scum.
 
 
ILPOA Board of Directors