State ends advisory against recreational use of Ohio River, maintains advisory for Briggs Lake Near Russellville

The state has ended the recreational public-health advisory it issued Sept. 26 due to harmful algal blooms in the Ohio River. "Results from recent water samples collected throughout the advisory area from the McAlpine Dam near Louisville to the Greenup Dam near Greenup are below the recreational advisory threshold for microcystin toxins," the Division of Water and the Department for Public Health said in a news release.

The advisory was issued when water samples indicated the presence of toxin-producing algal blooms. "Although the advisory is being removed, the DOW and DPH advise there are always risks associated with recreating in natural waters, especially with the incidental ingestion of water, and recommend avoiding contact with waters that have visible algal blooms," the release said.

An advisory remains in effect for Briggs Lake, off Duncan Chapel Road northeast of Russellville. The Division of Water has a webpage about harmful algal blooms in Kentucky. All current HAB advisories in Kentucky are at http://watermaps.ky.gov/HABs.