Is China Lake safe to swim?

As of July 23, 2026, China Lake in Kennebec County, Maine is clear to swim. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 21, 2026. Rainfall over the past week totaled 2.0 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

China Lake is a lake in Kennebec County, Maine covering about 6.2 sq mi, the 39th-largest of the 319 lakes SwimZone monitors in Maine. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 21, 2026. Larger, warmer waters like this can hold a bloom for weeks once nutrients and calm weather line up.

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.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, China Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 3 of them, most recently in September 2022. Its highest recorded reading was 344,971 cells/mL in September 2022.

It is currently peak season for blue-green algae, when warm, calm water lets blooms form fastest. This lake has bloomed in 3 of 7 monitored summers, historically peaking around September. Early summer, before the water fully warms, has generally been the safer window here; check the current read before you go either way.

Is it safe to swim in China Lake right now?

China Lake is clear to swim today. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 21, 2026. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does China Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

No blue-green algae bloom is detectable at China Lake as of July 21, 2026 (below the satellite's roughly 10,000 cells/mL detection limit). Cyanobacteria can still appear within hours in warm, calm, nutrient-rich water, so look before you swim.

Can dogs swim in China Lake?

No bloom is detected at China Lake 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 often does China Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, China Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 3 of them, most recently in September 2022. Its highest recorded reading was 344,971 cells/mL in September 2022.

How many Maine lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 15 Maine waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 41 more warrant caution, out of 457 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is China Lake'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 China Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 23, 2026.

• Blue-green algae and dogs→
• What does blue-green algae look like?→
• When is algae season?→