Lake conditions have generally been improving over the last week, with fewer reported blooms. The blooms that have been reported have been more localized. Today, we received a cyanoHAB report from Vine Valley and the volunteer from that region collected a sample for further analysis. All other reports submitted today have indicated no visible signs of blooms.
The official volunteer CyanoHABs monitoring program concluded yesterday, October 3rd, and this is our last official Friday Water Quality Update of the season. However, we still have many engaged volunteers who will continue to keep eyes on the lake and report conditions, so information can continue to be accessed via the interactive map on the CLWA website or our Facebook page.
In years past, we have seen blooms pop up well into October. In 2023, our last reported bloom was on October 26th! This reminds us that we need to remain vigilant – lake conditions can change quickly.
It’s important to remember that the cyanoHABs issue isn’t just unique to Canandaigua Lake. This has been one of the most intense cyanoHABs seasons on record for our Finger Lakes region, and other lakes around the county are also experiencing an uptick in blooms. Even Lake Superior—the deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes—has been affected by algal blooms for the first time in history, as highlighted in this recent article: Climate change is causing algal blooms in Lake Superior for the first time.
We want to thank you for staying engaged, spreading awareness, and supporting the many volunteers who contribute to these efforts. CLWA is stronger because of community involvement, and we need that support to continue beyond bloom season. Keeping the impacts of HABs at the forefront with state agencies, elected officials, municipalities, and all our lake stakeholders is vital for identifying and implementing long-term solutions.
As the bloom season winds down, we will be receiving more of our sample results and will be putting together a season-end report for the community. Stay tuned!