07/10/2025
Let’s Talk About Algae at Lake Frances
We’ve received a few questions about algae at Lake Frances, so we wanted to provide some helpful info and peace of mind!
What you may be seeing on the surface of the water right now is normal pond algae—and it’s actually an important part of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. This type of algae helps feed fish and oxygenate the water.
✅ What it is NOT: Blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria).
Our Natural Resources team conducts regular inspections of all water bodies on the Greenway and has found no trace of blue-green algae in Lake Frances as of July 10, 2025.
🌊 What to know about Blue-Green Algae:
Despite its name, blue-green algae isn’t really algae at all—it’s a type of bacteria that can produce toxins under certain conditions. It looks very different from typical pond algae: think bright teal, paint-like scum or “alien goop” floating on the water’s surface. If you don’t see that, it’s not blue-green algae.
💡 Our team has been proactively pre-treating Lake Frances to help prevent harmful algae blooms (HABs), and those efforts have been successful so far this season. While HABs can happen suddenly (even from something as simple as a bird transferring spores from an infected lake), we are monitoring closely and ready to respond.
As always, thank you for being such attentive and caring members of the Mary Warner Mack Dog Park community. Your pups' health and safety remain a top priority!
If you have questions or see something concerning, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Guest Services team at 803.547.4575 or [email protected].
—The Greenway Team
