(KLZA)-- The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and its partners have begun weekly sampling of 50 public recreational lakes across Nebraska.

Weekly sampling will occur throughout the state from May through September. The sampling will test for microcystin - a toxin produced by harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae - and E. coli bacteria.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and NDEE will issue joint Health Alerts for HABs when test results indicate the toxin microcystin are at levels above 8 parts-per-billion.

NDEE said Lake samples are typically collected on Mondays and results are posted to NDEE- website on Fridays.

NDEE- sampling partners include the Nemaha NRD and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.