Welcome to your Friday Water Quality Update!
So far this week: • 33 surveys performed • 5 suspicious blooms reported this afternoon (Friday 8/20)
This afternoon, we received 5 reports of streaking of cyanobacteria (blue green algae) in the northern section of the lake. Volunteers are reporting areas of light surface streaking and suspended algae in the water column (“dots in the water”). We wanted to make the public aware that the calmer, sunnier conditions may allow for concentrations of cyanobacteria to accumulate in isolated areas along the shoreline, or even out on the lake.
The recent intense rain events on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning (Hurricane Fred) have resulted in high water levels and areas with reduced clarity. While Canandaigua Lake does not have an active boating advisory in effect issued by the Sheriff, we strongly encourage boaters to use caution with their wake and to be aware of the potential for floating debris and tree limbs that may have washed into the lake. The southern end of the watershed experienced more runoff therefore has a higher potential for debris. Neighboring Finger Lakes like Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga were also hit hard by these storms and have seen areas with significant flooding and damage to shorelines.
Now that we’ve had a few bloom reports come in this afternoon, conditions may be right for more observations of cyanobacteria in the coming days, so please continue to use your visual indicators to look for signs of active bloom conditions. As recommended by the DEC, if you see it, avoid it.
If you have a question on a suspected bloom, please feel free to send in a photograph to HABs@canandaigualakeassoc.org. This email address is monitored by CLWA and Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council staff. We may be able to assist with identification though a clear photograph.
Volunteers and watershed staff will be continuing daily observations throughout August and September and we will communicate any significant changes in bloom activity through our weekly email updates, on our website, and on the Associations facebook page.
Enjoy your weekend!
Welcome to your Friday Water Quality Update! So far this week: · 30 surveys performed · No blooms reported This week’s update will be short and sweet. There have been no blooms reported this week by CLWA volunteers or watershed staff. We have been seeing an overall increase in the weekly average water clarity as reported by Secchi Disk volunteers. There was a meter increase in the weekly average up from last week!
Comparing the secchi disk readings from this time last year (2nd week in August), we saw better average clarity by more than 2.5 meters. In 2020, the weekly average clarity the second week in August was 4.37 meters, and in 2021, it was 7.02 meters. It will be interesting to closely track changes in clarity in the coming weeks as we transition into the season where we have historically seen bloom events (late August / early September).
Conditions can change quickly in August, so please continue to use your visual indicators to look for signs of active bloom conditions. As recommended by the DEC, if you see it, avoid it. Volunteers and watershed staff will be continuing daily observations throughout August and September and we will communicate any significant changes in bloom activity through our weekly email updates, on our websites, and on the Association's facebook page. To report suspicious blooms, use HABS@canandaigualakeassoc.org. This email address is monitored by CLWA and Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council staff. Enjoy your weekend!
Welcome to your Friday Water Quality Update!
Routine monitoring began this week as part of the Volunteer Shoreline Harmful Algae Bloom Program. For the next 9 weeks, 70 CLWA volunteers will be submitting “bloom” and “no bloom” reports throughout the week, and in some cases collecting samples for analysis at the Finger Lakes Institute. The data collected, along with professional watershed staff surveys performed by the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council, is providing us with a good overall assessment of lake conditions.
Water Quality Update : Current Conditions
Three suspicious blooms were reported this week by trained volunteers - two on Thursday (8/5) and one this morning (Friday, 8/6). Volunteers observed areas of suspended algae in the water column and very light surface streaking. In an effort to provide the most up to date information available, a sample was collected this morning from a suspicious bloom in Crystal Beach and brought to the Finger Lakes Institute in Geneva for analysis. Results indicated that the CyanoChlorophyll (measurement of cyanobacteria, or blue green algae) did not exceed the DEC bloom threshold, meaning this was not a bloom.
While this is good news, we may be setting up for heavier concentrations of cyanobacteria when the conditions are just right - mainly on calm, dry, sunny days. Overall, water quality conditions have been looking pretty good this week, with secchi disk readings bouncing back into the mid 6 meter range, indicating better clarity.
A general assessment of this summer's conditions thus far.
The mid July storm (3+ inches of rain in some areas over a 36 hour time period), generated substantial runoff from the watershed land area into the lake. This can add nutrients to the lake that can increase the potential for algae blooms. There are also internal ecosystem dynamics in the lake that favor cyanobacteria (blue green algae) which may form harmful algal blooms at high concentrations. Factors at play include the changes in our lake ecosystem brought on by invasive quagga and zebra mussels, and increasing lake temperatures.
Conditions can change quickly in August, so please continue to use your visual indicators to look for signs of active bloom conditions. As recommended by the DEC, if you see it, avoid it.
Volunteers and watershed staff will be continuing daily observations throughout August and September and we will communicate any significant changes in bloom activity through our weekly email updates, on our websites, and on our the Association's facebook page. To report suspicious blooms, use HABS@canandaigualakeassoc.org. This email address is monitored by CLWA and Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council staff.
Enjoy your weekend!
