New numbers about toxic algae at Grand Lake St. Marys just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
As many people gear up to hit the water for the holiday those going to the lake will see some familiar signage.
Teresa Embry and her family have been camping at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park for years.
"I just love it," she said.
Since toxic algae showed up in the lake three years ago they've stayed out of the water.
"You wouldn't let your kids in it? No, no way, not even their toes, no," Embry said.
Toby Hertenstein and his family are in the same boat.
"We're not going to get in it this year," he said.
Despite many people's views the algae problem is getting better. New results show microcystin levels vary between 10 and 11 parts per billion.
"A couple years ago when our lake had its troubles the World Health Organization established a benchmark of 20 parts per billion and that shut our lake down quite frankly," Milt Miller, Manager of the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission, said.
The Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission sees the recent numbers as a positive sign, but Ohio's benchmark is six parts per billion, so this weekend you'll see warning signs up around the lake.
The orange signs are simply a warning about the algae giving lake-goers the option to swim at their own risk.
"We're spreading the news the lake is wide open, come and enjoy it," Miller said.
Terry Thomas says he doesn't need scientific numbers to tell him when the lake is clean. He just looks at it.
"The color of the water, and by some of the algae sitting on the top of the water in some parts of the lake," he said.
Until they think it's clean he and his family plan to stay on dry land.
"If I was to fall out of the boat or something I wouldn't panic but it is still a little bit scary," Embry said.
"We let our kids swim before this all happened and you know they'd like to play in it and they'll still stick their feet in it every once-in-a-while, but we just make sure we wash them right away," Hertenstein said.
Results for phosphorus levels at the lake come out later this summer. A high phosphorus level means the algae problem is getting worse.
