Cyanobacteria advisory (harmful blue-green algae) reported, Aug 5, 2026

Advisory active · Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health HAB dashboard, record speedwell-forge-lake-20260805, updated by the source Aug 24, 2026, 10:48 AM EDT, retrieved 2026-11-02 21:20 UTC · Read the original notice

Current status from this report

No current status shown on Speedwell Forge Lake: Advisory not re-confirmed by its source recently. Current rule period ends Nov 3, 2026, 9:20 AM EST. This is not a water-quality test.

Why this status: No current status: no report we track sets a status on this water outline now.

How long each status lasts, and why

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: 40.20874, -76.31721; 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: “Speedwell Forge Lake”. DirtyWaterWatch links this report to Speedwell Forge Lake, 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: Aug 5, 2026, 10:20 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: Aug 24, 2026, 10:48 AM 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 Speedwell Forge Lake: Official advisory in effect, Aug 5, 2026, 10:20 AM EDT to Sep 7, 2026, 10:48 AM EDT
No current status shown Speedwell Forge Lake: Advisory not re-confirmed by its source recently, Sep 7, 2026, 10:48 AM EDT to Nov 3, 2026, 9:20 AM EST

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: speedwell-forge-lake-20260805
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:speedwell-forge-lake-20260805
Source identifier	pa-doh-habs
Source record number	speedwell-forge-lake-20260805
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	Speedwell Forge Lake
Linked waters	speedwell-forge-lake-pa
How this report was linked to the water	the water named in the report
Latitude	40.209
Longitude	-76.317
Location source	given in the source record
Location accuracy, in metres	Not provided
Started	Aug 5, 2026, 10:20 AM EDT (2026-08-05T10:20:00-04:00)
Ended	Not provided
Detail provided by the source	to the minute
Reported to the source	Not provided
Published	Not provided
Source last updated	Aug 24, 2026, 10:48 AM EDT (2026-08-24T10:48:00-04:00)
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": "2026-08-05T10:20:00-04:00",
      "Sample_reason": "Routine Sampling",
      "Cyano_BOL_c1st": 579,
      "Anatoxin_A_C1st_BoL": 0,
      "Cylindrospermopsin_c1st_BOL": 0,
      "Microcystin_C1st_BOL": 0.82,
      "Saxitoxin_C1st_BoL": 0,
      "sample_year": 2026,
      "str_Cyanobacteria_ID_GIS_Key_ID": null,
      "Latitude": 40.20874,
      "Longitude": -76.31721,
      "Survey123ID": null,
      "GlobalID": null,
      "ID": null,
      "hour": 10,
      "mins": 20,
      "time": 1793370000000,
      "newdateobs": "05AUG2026:10:20:00",
      "hour_char": 10,
      "mins_char": "20",
      "TIME_OF_SAMPLE": "10:20",
      "Survey_date": null,
      "Sequence_Num": "206",
      "Sample_Type": "WaterSample",
      "sample_year_Char": "2026",
      "Response_Level": "Advisory (Yellow)",
      "dateobs": 1785902400000,
      "sample_month": "Aug",
      "Waterbody": "Speedwell Forge Lake",
      "ObjectId": 366
    },
    {
      "sample_time": "2026-08-24T10:48:00-04:00",
      "Sample_reason": "Routine Sampling",
      "Cyano_BOL_c1st": 1587,
      "Anatoxin_A_C1st_BoL": 0.3,
      "Cylindrospermopsin_c1st_BOL": 0.08,
      "Microcystin_C1st_BOL": 0.5,
      "Saxitoxin_C1st_BoL": 0.35,
      "sample_year": 2026,
      "str_Cyanobacteria_ID_GIS_Key_ID": null,
      "Latitude": 40.20874,
      "Longitude": -76.31721,
      "Survey123ID": null,
      "GlobalID": null,
      "ID": null,
      "hour": 10,
      "mins": 48,
      "time": 1793371680000,
      "newdateobs": "24AUG2026:10:48:00",
      "hour_char": 10,
      "mins_char": "48",
      "TIME_OF_SAMPLE": "10:48",
      "Survey_date": null,
      "Sequence_Num": "144",
      "Sample_Type": "WaterSample",
      "sample_year_Char": "2026",
      "Response_Level": "Advisory (Yellow)",
      "dateobs": 1787544000000,
      "sample_month": "Aug",
      "Waterbody": "Speedwell Forge Lake",
      "ObjectId": 670
    }
  ],
  "lifting_samples": null,
  "sampling_days": [
    "2026-08-05",
    "2026-08-24"
  ],
  "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": "Speedwell Forge Lake",
    "notes": [],
    "sample_centroid": [
      -76.31694111111112,
      40.20879111111111
    ]
  },
  "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)."
}

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