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Freshwaterways board starts neighborhood monitoring plan, will distribute toxic-algae test kits
Summary
At a June 13 special meeting in Ocean Shores, the Freshwaterways Advisory Board approved assignments for members to monitor canals and lakes and will distribute toxic-algae sampling kits to residents, with county lab shipping requested for Wednesday testing windows.
The Freshwaterways Advisory Board voted on June 13 to assign board members to monitor specific canals and lake areas and to begin distributing toxic-algae sampling kits for citizen-collected tests.
Board member Becky Fast, who led the discussion on monitoring, said the group will mirror the parks board assignment model but adapted for waterways. "We obviously, you guys all know how many canals, and lake area that we have, so it could be a little bit overwhelming," Fast said, urging members to review a map and agree assignments at a later meeting.
Fast emphasized citizen sampling and photo reporting as part of the plan. "And I'll send you guys pictures too of toxic the toxic algae because I'm gonna send you all kits," she said, describing a process for sample collection and submission. Fast said she will request enough kits from the county so every board member can have two to begin with and will try to provide at least one per member if the county limits supplies.
The board discussed logistics for sending samples to the lab. Fast read instructions aloud and noted lab preferences: freeze the ice kit first, label samples with a tracking number, wear protective gloves, avoid skimming the surface, and ship samples overnight. She said the county laboratory requests that samples arrive for testing on Wednesdays and recommended planning sample collection to match that schedule.
Members agreed that not every monitor needs boat access; shoreline observation from public access points and photos can suffice for many reports. Fast said she will provide a PDF with instructions and photos showing toxic-algae indicators and urged members to take pictures or samples when they see obvious blooms or floating weeds.
The board did not adopt a formal ordinance or new city policy at the meeting; rather, it set a framework for member assignments, citizen sampling, and county lab submission timing. The board plans to finalize specific map assignments and distribution logistics at a future meeting.
Board members asked staff to circulate maps and the sampling instructions ahead of the next meeting so volunteers can choose nonoverlapping monitoring areas. The board also discussed sharing results and photos on a board-managed Facebook page and other local outlets to notify waterfront residents.
The board set its next meeting for Monday, July 7, 2025, where members expect to finalize assignments and follow up on kit distribution.
