Beach · Valdez-cordova County · AK
Is O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) safe to swim?
Recent heavy rain may have spiked bacteria since the last clear sample.
Updated July 19, 2026 · Alaska beach program (EPA BEACON)
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What's in the water at O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) right now
As of July 19, 2026, O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) in Valdez-cordova County, Alaska carries a swim caution. Blue-green algae are not currently monitored at this water. No fecal-bacteria advisory is posted (state beach program). Rainfall over the past week totaled 4.2 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.
Blue-green algae at O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor)
O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) is a lake in Valdez-cordova County, Alaska. Blue-green algae are not currently monitored at this water.
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.
Frequently asked: swimming in O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor)
- Is it safe to swim in O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) right now?
- O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) carries a swim caution today. Blue-green algae are not currently monitored at this water. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.
- Does O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?
- Blue-green algae are not currently monitored at O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor). Watch for green, blue-green, or paint-like scum and avoid the water if you see it.
- Can dogs swim in O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor)?
- No bloom is detected at O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor) today, but dogs are much more vulnerable to blue-green algae than people, and blooms can form within hours. Always keep dogs away from water that looks green, scummy, or discolored, and rinse them off after swimming.
- How many Alaska lakes and beaches have swim advisories today?
- Today, 0 Alaska waters are under a swim advisory and 89 more warrant caution, out of 203 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.
- How is O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor)'s water quality measured?
- SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors O'Brian Creek (Boat Harbor), and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 19, 2026.