See green scum on this popular Pierce County lake? Here’s what we know
A smear of green scum swirled by the shoreline of American Lake on Wednesday afternoon, the result of a winter algae bloom the city of Lakewood confirmed this week.
Visitors were advised to “Watch out for toxic algae!” and to not swim, boat or let pets go near the algae, as it could make people and animals sick, per a sign posted by the new boat launch.
City communications manager Kelie Kahler told The News Tribune on Tuesday that Lakewood is working with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department to test the water for possible cyanobacteria and expects test results as soon as next week.
According to the Washington Department of Ecology’s website on freshwater algae control, many types of algae are helpful and important producers of food and oxygen for lakes, but some can produce toxins in ways that are hard to predict.
The popular American Lake is typically in July treated for an invasive aquatic plant called Eurasian milfoil, which appears with a stem and leaves and grows mostly underwater. That is different from the green algal bloom that was seen on the lake this week.
The lake is surveyed for treatment every spring and fall, and the treatment varies from year to year, Kahler said in an email. The last fall survey for milfoil was on Nov. 11, 2025, she said.
American Lake is overseen by a Lake Management District Advisory Committee, which advises the City Council on lake matters. In 2025 the committee had a budget of $23,600 for surveys, invasive aquatic-vegetation control and other administrative costs, according to its annual work plan.
“[Joint Base Lewis-McChord] participates in lake treatment and is billed separately for work done on the base/VA portion of American Lake,” Kahler said.
As previously reported by The News Tribune, in September the city unveiled a new playground, restroom and landscaping at American Lake Park, which also has a swimming beach. It’s one of the city’s most-used parks due to limited access to lakes, something Lakewood is seeking to improve with its street-end project.
