Grant County Healthy Lakes Tracker

Beginning in July 2023, GCHD launched the Healthy Lakes Tracker Pilot Project. The pilot project covers Moses Lake and was developed in coordination with the Columbia Basin Conservation District and Moses Lake Watershed Council. GCHD will coordinate with CSCUM, our volunteer group, to go out every week to 13 observation sites around the lake which can be seen on the maps linked below. The observation sites are at popular public access areas such as parks, swim areas, and boat launches. Volunteers check for harmful algae blooms and upload photos of the lake at each site.

Observations started in July and will go through early September. During those months, volunteers will go out each week to make observations. 

You can view the photos and see current advisories on the Healthy Lakes Tracker.

Harmful Algae Bloom Advisory Zones for Moses Lake

In 2023, GCHD conducted a pilot project to divide Moses Lake into six public health advisory zones for HABs. With the help of CSCUM volunteers that pilot was successful! When cyanobacteria blooms occur with toxins above the recreational threshold, a warning advisory will be posted for the zone where the bloom is located. This is a change from previous years when a public health advisory was issued for the entire lake when there was a bloom anywhere on the lake.

To make this possible, CSCUM volunteers are needed to go out every week to observation sites. There is at least one observation site per zone. Please click on the maps below to see the advisory zones and observation sites.

Current Advisories for Grant County

There are no current advisories.

Please click here to see the latest toxin testing results.

Want to Volunteer?

This project is only possible with volunteers! If you are available to make observations, please sign up! Each week volunteers are assigned a zone of Moses Lake to do observations. All you need is a little time and a smart phone. The observations are turned into the Healthy Lakes Tracker by filling out a quick survey and uploading 2 photos.

Cyanobacteria Surveillance by Citizens, Users, and Managers (CSCUM) is a volunteer group that coordinates with GCHD to check for cyanobacteria blooms at predetermined observation points. Volunteers are provided training from GCHD and are given all the materials they need to take samples when they are needed. Volunteers go out on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday to make observations. The data collected will get uploaded to the Grant County Healthy Lakes Tracker so anyone can see lake conditions and any posted advisories.