ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) has issued a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Recreational Watch on Friday for parts of Lake Hartwell.
Water samples collected by field teams confirmed that cyanobacteria algal bloom with the potential to produce cyanotoxins was present in the lake. They are currently low and below state recreational criteria, SCDES said.
Reports of the algal bloom have come from the following areas:
- Eighteenmile Creek lake arm and adjacent areas
- Tugaloo River lake arm near Chickasaw Point
- The cove south of Providence Church Road in Anderson
The algae bloom resembles spilled green and blue paint or appears streaky yellow, officials said.
SCDES gave the following recommendations to anyone planning to visit the lake:
- Survey the area before swimming or recreating
- Avoid direct contact with lake water in areas where the HAB is seen
- Keep pets and animals from swimming in or drinking from the lake in areas where the HAB is seen
A similar HAB event took place in 2025…