Water Quality Update for September 17, 2021

In this issue:

  • Water Quality Update for 9/17/2021
  • Reminder to Clean, Drain, Dry!  
  • Reminder: DEC Gill Netting 

 

So far this week: 

  • 33 surveys performed 
  • 2 Confirmed Blooms (occurred on September 13th, September 14th) 

Welcome to the 12th edition of your Friday Water Quality Update!  These updates are crafted in partnership with CLWA and the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council (intermunicipal watershed organization consisting of the fourteen watershed and water purveying municipalities). 

Current Water Quality Status 

Overall, water quality conditions remain pretty good for this time of year, with no blooms reported today. Secchi disk readings that have come through this week have ranged from 5.5 – 6.9 meters of clarity. Surveys performed today have shown clear water conditions and the vast majority of the lake remains clear of concentrations of algae.
We did have a few isolated blooms pop up earlier this week. Volunteers collected samples earlier this week (Monday, September 13 and Tuesday, September 14) from areas where suspicious reports came in – one in the Crystal Beach area, and another about 500 ft offshore from Pelican Point – both on the east side of the lake. The two samples were brought to the Finger Lakes Institute in Geneva for analysis on the fluoroprobe – instrumentation that measures levels of blue green chlorophyll. Both samples came back above the DEC’s threshold for confirmed bloom status (25 micrograms per liter of blue green chlorophyll).
Samples results are as follows:

We have not had confirmed blooms since these two reports earlier in the week. 

September still has the potential for isolated blooms to appear, especially when conditions are just right  – calm, sunny weather. Please continue to use your visual indicators and look for signs of a HAB before swimming or letting pets into the lake. 

The six Canandaigua Lake water purveyors (the City of Canandaigua, the Village of Newark, the Village of Palmyra, the Village of Rushville, the Town of Gorham, and Bristol Harbour) continue their routine testing of both raw (untreated) and finished (treated) drinking water for microcystin (the toxin that may be produced by cyanobacteria / blue green algae).  All results to date have come back as non detects. Results are uploaded weekly on the CLWA website. 

Volunteers and watershed staff will be continuing daily observations throughout September and we will communicate any significant changes in bloom activity through our weekly email updates, on our website, and on our facebook page. 

If you have a question on a suspected bloom, please feel free to send in a photograph to HABs@canandaigualakeassoc.org.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

Please Continue to Clean, Drain, Dry! 

This time of year, we are seeing an abundance of aquatic plant growth. Therefore, it is critically  important to continue our clean boating practices through the end of the season to limit the opportunity for transport of aquatic invasive species (AIS)  across our Finger Lakes. 

When at the boat launch, please work with a Watercraft Steward to check for and remove aquatic plant and/or animal material from your boat, trailer, prop, anchor, and other equipment. Even the smallest fragment can be moved between lakes and can easily establish in a new location. Once AIS are established, eradication is almost impossible. Many invasives may have a direct impact on boating and fishing areas, raising the concern of reduced water quality, reduced property values, and impacts on tourism. So prevention is key in limiting the overall impact of AIS in our region. 

This summer, we were pleased to work with our partners at the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council to secure a grant through the the Finger Lakes PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) to install new AIS billboard signage at the Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park Boat Launch, and a new portable trailered billboard that has been moved around at various locations this summer. This signage serves to remind residents and visitors to our area of the Clean, Drain, Dry guidelines while boating this summer. We hope you may have noticed the signs! 

For more information on how you can help prevent Aquatic Invasive Species, please check out the following resources. 

Invasive Species Guide for Canandiagua Lake

Clean, Drain, Dry Video for Canandaigua Lake