Anglers hoping to fish Anderson Lake in Jefferson County during Saturday's trout season opener will have to find another lake. The state just announced that Jefferson County Public Health and Washington State Parks have closed public access to the lake due to the presence of toxic algae.

Here is the rest of the release:

Jefferson County Public Health has determined that algae blooms in Anderson Lake are producing a dangerous neurotoxin, which poses a risk to public health, said Thom Johnson, district fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"Because the health department has advised the public to stay completely away from the lake, anglers will need to choose another place to fish on Saturday’s opener," Johnson said. "This is disappointing because Anderson Lake is very popular with local anglers, but the health risk is too high."

Jefferson County Public Health also has advisories for nearby Leland and Gibbs lakes. "The presence of algae blooms has caused the health department to warn against swimming, drinking the water or eating any fish caught in those lakes," Johnson said. WDFW will continue to communicate with the health department and parks to track the situation at the lakes and keep the public informed, he said.

Johnson reminded anglers that other lakes in east Jefferson County have been stocked with trout for opening day and throughout the season. Several lakes include Horseshoe, Ludlow, Sandy Shore, Silent, Tarboo and Teal. There are also many good fishing opportunities on opening day in nearby Kitsap, Mason and Clallam counties, Johnson said.

This WDFW Web site provides information on locations, dates and number of trout stocked in lakes throughout the state.

From Olympic National Park:

Environmental analysis for rehabilitation of the Graves Creek and South Shore Roads in the Quinault Valley of Olympic National Park has been completed and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been released.

An Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluating alternative proposals to repair the two roads was released in September 2008; both roads sustained heavy damage during a major storm late in 2007. Based on input provided during the public comment period, a combination of two of the alternatives will be implemented, with the goal of restoring and providing sustainable access to the Graves Creek and South Shore roads with the addition of selected improvements that incorporate protective measures for habitat restoration.

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The North Cascades Highway, Highway 20, is expected to reopen today at 8 p.m., according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Crews have been able to take advantage of the warm weather that has sped the melting of snow to clear Rainy Pass (4,855 feet) at milepost 157.5 and Washington Pass (5,477 feet) at milepost 162.5.

Each winter, the state closes the highway on the west at milepost 134, east of Diablo, and on the east at milepost 170, 14 miles west of Mazama.

Opening of the highway allows drivers to again travel the Cascade Loop, a 400-mile driving tour through the Cascades.