Is Spar Lake safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Spar Lake in Lincoln County, Montana carries a swim caution. Satellite imagery measured 59,421 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.0 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Spar Lake is a lake in Lincoln County, Montana covering about 0.6 sq mi, the 97th-largest of the 124 lakes SwimZone monitors in Montana. Satellite imagery measured 59,421 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold.

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, Spar Lake has not reached a blue-green algae advisory level. Conditions can still change quickly, so check the current read before you swim.

Is it safe to swim in Spar Lake right now?

Spar Lake carries a swim caution today. Satellite imagery measured 59,421 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

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

Low levels. Satellite monitoring measured 59,421 cells/mL at Spar Lake on July 19, 2026, below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Keep an eye out for surface scum, which can concentrate quickly.

Can dogs swim in Spar Lake?

Use caution. Blue-green algae at Spar Lake are elevated (59,421 cells/mL on July 19, 2026). Dogs are far more sensitive to cyanobacteria than people, so keep them out of the water and away from surface scum.

How often does Spar Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Spar Lake has not reached a blue-green algae advisory level. Conditions can still change quickly, so check the current read before you swim.

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

Today, 19 Montana waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 2 more warrant caution, out of 135 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Spar 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 Spar Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.