Is Lake Minatare safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Lake Minatare in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska carries a swim caution. Satellite imagery measured 57,759 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

Lake Minatare is a lake in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska covering about 3.1 sq mi, the 6th-largest of the 75 lakes SwimZone monitors in Nebraska. Satellite imagery measured 57,759 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, Lake Minatare has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 2 of them, most recently in September 2023. Blooms here have been occasional rather than annual. Its highest recorded reading was 701,105 cells/mL in September 2021.

Is it safe to swim in Lake Minatare right now?

Lake Minatare carries a swim caution today. Satellite imagery measured 57,759 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 Lake Minatare have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

Low levels. Satellite monitoring measured 57,759 cells/mL at Lake Minatare 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 Lake Minatare?

Use caution. Blue-green algae at Lake Minatare are elevated (57,759 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 Lake Minatare have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Lake Minatare has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 2 of them, most recently in September 2023. Blooms here have been occasional rather than annual. Its highest recorded reading was 701,105 cells/mL in September 2021.

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

Today, 44 Nebraska waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 4 more warrant caution, out of 83 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

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