Cyanobacteria advisory (harmful blue-green algae) reported, Jul 15, 2026

Advisory active · Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard, record lake-towhee-20260715, updated by the source Jul 28, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT, retrieved 2026-11-02 21:20 UTC · Read the original notice

Current status from this report

This report does not set a map status as of Nov 2, 2026, 4:26 PM EST. Check its dates and the status rules.

A report is not a test of the water. See how we assign statuses.

Read the original notice · Report an error

1. Reported wastewater outlet

Operator named in the record: not named. Outlet: not stated. Location: 40.47921, -75.26735; location source: given in the source record.

Outfall: a pipe or outlet where wastewater enters a water body.

2. Waters named in the notice

The notice names: “Lake Towhee”. DirtyWaterWatch links this report to Lake Towhee, PA. Match basis: the water named in the report.

3. Estimated downstream stretch

We estimate routes only on rivers before they become tidal. We do not estimate routes through tidal water or lakes.

Map sources: water outlines and launches from OpenBoatLaunch and OpenStreetMap contributors (Open Database License); wastewater outlets from EPA and state records; downstream estimates by DirtyWaterWatch using U.S. Geological Survey maps and flow data. Base map: OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.

Open on the main map

When it happened and when it was reported

Event and notice times use Eastern Time (EST or EDT). Retrieval times use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Started: Jul 15, 2026, 11:54 AM EDT
Ended: not reported
Detail provided by the source: Times known to the minute
Reported to the source: not given
Published: not given
Source last updated: Jul 28, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT
Last retrieved by DirtyWaterWatch: 2026-11-02 21:20 UTC

What and how much

Type: Cyanobacteria (harmful blue-green algae) can make water unfit for contact; the issuing authority decides when its advisory ends.
Status in the record: Advisory active
Material: “cyanobacteria (harmful algal bloom)”
Volume: volume not reported (not stated whether estimated or measured)
Volume as reported: none

Advice from Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard

“Advisory (Yellow) (highest Department of Health response level in this period)”
Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard

Advice period: This report does not state a period. See the rule DirtyWaterWatch applies and its source.
Basis: not stated

Status history from this report

Discharge or advisory reported Lake Towhee: Official advisory in effect, Jul 15, 2026, 11:54 AM EDT to Aug 11, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT
No current status shown Lake Towhee: Advisory not re-confirmed by its source recently, Aug 11, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT to Oct 13, 2026, 11:54 AM EDT

Source: DirtyWaterWatch calculations using this report and the published status rules. Updated 2026-11-02 21:26 UTC.

Source and versions

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard
Source record number: lake-towhee-20260715
Original notice: Read the original notice
Earlier version: None: this is the first record
Later versions: None

Record details

Record details
Record identifier	pa-doh-habs:lake-towhee-20260715
Source identifier	pa-doh-habs
Source record number	lake-towhee-20260715
Earlier version	Not provided
Type	Cyanobacteria advisory (harmful blue-green algae)
Status in the report	Advisory active
Sewer operator identifier	Not provided
Sewer operator	Not provided
Federal wastewater discharge permit (NPDES)	Not provided
Outlet number	Not provided
Outlet name	Not provided
Water named in the report	Lake Towhee
Linked waters	lake-towhee-pa
How this report was linked to the water	the water named in the report
Latitude	40.479
Longitude	-75.267
Location source	given in the source record
Location accuracy, in metres	Not provided
Started	Jul 15, 2026, 11:54 AM EDT (2026-07-15T11:54:00-04:00)
Ended	Not provided
Detail provided by the source	to the minute
Reported to the source	Not provided
Published	Not provided
Source last updated	Jul 28, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT (2026-07-28T12:30:00-04:00)
Last retrieved by DirtyWaterWatch	Nov 2, 2026, 4:20 PM EST (2026-11-02T21:20:31Z)
Material	cyanobacteria (harmful algal bloom)
Volume, in gallons	Not provided
Volume as reported	Not provided
How volume was determined	not stated whether estimated or measured
Authority	Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard
Advice	Advisory (Yellow) (highest Department of Health response level in this period)
Advice period, in hours	Not provided
Basis of the advice period	Not provided
Original notice	https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health/programs/environmental-health/habs-dashboard

Original source data

{
  "samples": [
    {
      "sample_time": "2026-07-15T11:54:00-04:00",
      "Sample_reason": "Routine Sampling",
      "Cyano_BOL_c1st": 1143,
      "Anatoxin_A_C1st_BoL": 0,
      "Cylindrospermopsin_c1st_BOL": 0,
      "Microcystin_C1st_BOL": 0.5,
      "Saxitoxin_C1st_BoL": 0,
      "sample_year": 2026,
      "str_Cyanobacteria_ID_GIS_Key_ID": null,
      "Latitude": 40.47921,
      "Longitude": -75.26735,
      "Survey123ID": null,
      "GlobalID": null,
      "ID": null,
      "hour": 11,
      "mins": 54,
      "time": 1793375640000,
      "newdateobs": "15JUL2026:11:54:00",
      "hour_char": 11,
      "mins_char": "54",
      "TIME_OF_SAMPLE": "11:54",
      "Survey_date": null,
      "Sequence_Num": "202",
      "Sample_Type": "WaterSample",
      "sample_year_Char": "2026",
      "Response_Level": "Advisory (Yellow)",
      "dateobs": 1784088000000,
      "sample_month": "Jul",
      "Waterbody": "Lake Towhee",
      "ObjectId": 445
    },
    {
      "sample_time": "2026-07-28T12:30:00-04:00",
      "Sample_reason": "Routine Sampling",
      "Cyano_BOL_c1st": 16199,
      "Anatoxin_A_C1st_BoL": 0.3,
      "Cylindrospermopsin_c1st_BOL": 0.08,
      "Microcystin_C1st_BOL": 0.5,
      "Saxitoxin_C1st_BoL": 0.04,
      "sample_year": 2026,
      "str_Cyanobacteria_ID_GIS_Key_ID": null,
      "Latitude": 40.47921,
      "Longitude": -75.26735,
      "Survey123ID": null,
      "GlobalID": null,
      "ID": null,
      "hour": 12,
      "mins": 30,
      "time": 1793377800000,
      "newdateobs": "28JUL2026:12:30:00",
      "hour_char": 12,
      "mins_char": "30",
      "TIME_OF_SAMPLE": "12:30",
      "Survey_date": null,
      "Sequence_Num": "188",
      "Sample_Type": "WaterSample",
      "sample_year_Char": "2026",
      "Response_Level": "Advisory (Yellow)",
      "dateobs": 1785211200000,
      "sample_month": "Jul",
      "Waterbody": "Lake Towhee",
      "ObjectId": 310
    }
  ],
  "lifting_samples": null,
  "sampling_days": [
    "2026-07-15",
    "2026-07-28"
  ],
  "highest_level": "Advisory (Yellow)",
  "episode_rule": "The samples of one day count at the day's highest level; the advisory runs from the first day at Yellow or Red to the next day whose samples all read 'No HAB issue detected'.",
  "water_placement": {
    "name": "Lake Towhee",
    "notes": [],
    "sample_centroid": [
      -75.26735,
      40.47921
    ]
  },
  "level_note": "Response levels are the Department of Health's; its dashboard says thresholds are based on risks of illness associated with exposure while swimming, and the data are not real time (updated Wednesdays and Fridays)."
}

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard, record lake-towhee-20260715, updated by the source Jul 28, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT, retrieved 2026-11-02 21:20 UTC · Read the original notice

Staff names, email addresses and phone numbers are removed from source data before it is stored.