60 toxic algae blooms reported across New York state

Toxic algae in Skaneateles Lake

A close-up view of blue-green algae at the south end of Skaneateles Lake Sept. 25, 2017, stirred up by a drifting seaplane. A toxic algae bloom was confirmed on Skaneateles Lake Sept. 15. Lauren Long | llong@syracuse.com SYRSYR

Syracuse, N.Y. -- With the peak of the algae bloom season yet to come, 60 blooms have been reported in the past two weeks in New York state.

The blooms were discovered across the state, from Long Island to Western New York, and in water bodies ranging from small park ponds to a bay off Lake Ontario. Some of the blooms were confined to small areas, while others were spread across large bodies of water.

Four Finger Lakes are on the list -- Canandaigua, Honeyoye, Keuka and Otisco. No blooms have been found in Skaneateles Lake, the unfiltered source of drinking water for the city of Syracuse. Last year, all 11 Finger Lakes had a bloom at some point.

The blooms are actually a form of bacteria called cyanobacteria. They secrete toxins that, in large quantities, can sicken humans and kill dogs.

The blooms tend to peak in late August and September, especially when the weather is hot, sunny and calm. Last year, more than 100 water bodies had toxic blooms for some part of the summer or fall.

The chart below lists the blooms reported in the past two weeks to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The DEC cautions that some of these blooms may have dissipated, and that some blooms may have popped up that haven’t been reported.

NY toxic algae blooms, Aug. 20

County Water body Type Size
Albany Beaver pond Suspicious Small Localized
Broome Whitney Point Reservoir Suspicious Small Localized
Broome Whitney Point Reservoir Suspicious Large Localized
Chautauqua Chautauqua Lake Confirmed Not Reported
Chautauqua Chautauqua Lake Suspicious Widespread or Lakewide
Chenango Thunder Lake Confirmed Small Localized
Cortland Casterline Pond Suspicious Widespread or Lakewide
Cortland Song Lake Confirmed with High Toxins Not Reported
Delaware Cannonsville Reservoir Suspicious Large Localized
Dutchess Westage lake Suspicious Small Localized
Genesee Swinging Bridge Reservoir Suspicious Large Localized
Kings Prospect Park Lake Confirmed with High Toxins Widespread or Lakewide
Madison Oneida Lake Suspicious Large Localized
Monroe Irondequoit Bay Suspicious Small Localized
New York Turtle Pond Suspicious Large Localized
Oneida Oneida Lake Suspicious Small Localized
Onondaga Jamesville reservoir Suspicious Small Localized
Onondaga Otisco Lake Confirmed Small Localized
Onondaga Otisco Lake Confirmed Large Localized
Ontario Canandaigua Lake Confirmed Large Localized
Ontario Canandaigua Lake Suspicious Large Localized
Ontario Honeoye Lake Suspicious Large Localized
Ontario Retention pond Suspicious Small Localized
Orange Guymard Lake Suspicious Widespread or Lakewide
Orange Orange Lake Confirmed Small Localized
Orange Orange Lake Confirmed Not Reported
Orange Murray Pond Suspicious Small Localized
Oswego Lake Neatahwanta Confirmed Widespread or Lakewide
Oswego North Sandy Pond Suspicious Small Localized
Putnam Barger Pond Confirmed Open Water
Putnam Lake Carmel Suspicious Small Localized
Putnam Lake Peekskill Suspicious Small Localized
Putnam Long Pond Suspicious Small Localized
Rensselaer Vosburg Pond Suspicious Small Localized
Saint Lawrence Black lake Suspicious Large Localized
Saratoga Moreau Lake Suspicious Open Water
Schuyler Cayuta Lake Suspicious Large Localized
Suffolk Agawam Lake Confirmed Widespread or Lakewide
Suffolk Fort Pond Confirmed Widespread or Lakewide
Suffolk Fresh Pond Confirmed Small Localized
Suffolk Laurel Lake Confirmed Large Localized
Suffolk Maratooka Lake Confirmed Large Localized
Suffolk Roth Pond Confirmed with High Toxins Widespread or Lakewide
Suffolk Roth Pond Confirmed with High Toxins Widespread or Lakewide
Suffolk The Lake in Central Park Confirmed with High Toxins Widespread or Lakewide
Suffolk Wainscott Pond Confirmed Widespread or Lakewide
Sullivan Montgomery Lake Confirmed Widespread or Lakewide
Sullivan Pleasure Lake Confirmed Small Localized
Ulster Seewackamano Lake Suspicious Small Localized
Warren Friends Lake Confirmed Small Localized
Warren Friends Lake Suspicious Large Localized
Washington Champlain Canal Suspicious Small Localized
Westchester Croton River Suspicious Small Localized
Westchester Lake Lincolndale Confirmed Not Reported
Westchester Lake Lincolndale Suspicious Small Localized
Westchester Sheldrake Lake Confirmed with High Toxins Widespread or Lakewide
Westchester Sheldrake Lake Suspicious Widespread or Lakewide
Wyoming Java Lake Confirmed Open Water
Yates Keuka Lake Suspicious Small Localized
Harlem Meer Confirmed with High Toxins Large Localized
New York Turtle Pond Confirmed Large Localized

Source: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation


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