WATER QUALITY UPDATE

August 20, 2022

Harmful Algae Blooms: No Blooms Reported

Average Secchi Disk Water Clarity: 6.0 meters

Average Surface Water Temperature: 76.0 F

Lake Level: 687.89  feet above sea level (desired level 688.46)  Main gates have been closed all summer and feeder canal is at minimum required flow.

Canandaigua Lake made it on the map this week, with the first bloom of the season reported on the morning of Tuesday, August 16th. The initial report came in by a member of the community through the HABs@canandaigualakeassoc.org email address, accompanied by a photo. In response to this report, a CLWA trained volunteer surveyed the area and took a sample. The sampled bloom location was off the west side of the City Pier near Sutters Marina, and was large but localized. This area has little water movement and a lot of plant fragments, and streaks of cyanobacteria were observed mixed in with some of the plant fragments in this area (see image, below).

Trained volunteers and watershed staff submitted 57 reports from around the lake this week, and the 8/16 bloom has so far been the only bloom reported.

Based on bloom activity across the Finger Lakes region this past week, we know that the potential for isolated blooms to pop up is increasing. Please continue to use your visual indicators when recreating in the lake – conditions may change daily, if not hourly, so look for signs of surface streaking of algae, surface scums, or green/discolored water. See images at the bottom of this email for examples. These areas should be avoided.

Have a nice weekend everyone!