Harmful algae blooms caused a public health crisis in central New York in fall 2017, and they could become a problem again this summer.

Greg Boyer, a chemistry professor at SUNY-ESF, said this year’s unusually hot summer has provided ideal conditions for the algae to grow in upstate New York lakes. But because HABs have so far lacked a source of nutrients, the blooms have not been growing yet.

Boyer said citizens should expect to see more blooms in late July and early August because heavy rains in mid-July will have washed nutrients into the lakes. The HABs will receive those nutrients with continued hot weather.

As of July 16, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has only reported one suspicious, small localized bloom in Onondaga County at Hiawatha Lake. One reported bloom in the Jamesville Reservoir was recently reported to have ended. The neighboring counties of Cortland, Madison and Oswego each have one confirmed bloom.

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Last September, Skaneateles Lake in Onondaga County saw HABs in the form of a blue-green algae and higher-than-normal levels of toxins in the water. The lake is a source of drinking water for Skaneateles, Syracuse and other cities in the county.

HABs are most likely to occur at water temperatures between 60 and 86 degrees, according to the New York Sea Grant, a cooperative program of the State University of New York and Cornell University, with administrative offices at Stony Brook University. The blooms appear foamy and most often look like spilled paint. More than 100 beaches in New York state were closed because of HABs last summer.

Skaneateles Lake is a source of drinking water for Syracuse. Sabrina Koenig | Staff Photographer

Boyer said HABs are a type of bacteria, also referred to as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae.

“They are naturally found in every water body in the state, but under conditions where you get bright sunshine, calm conditions and lots of food in the form of nutrients — nitrogen and phosphorus — they can grow to very thick densities which are called blooms,” Boyer said.

Only about 40 of 8,000 species of cyanobacteria produce toxins, according to the NYSG. Boyer said the New York State Department of Health has advised people to stay out of all blooms for their protection.

The blooms are especially toxic to dogs, which are attracted to the blooms’ odors. Boyer said the blooms can be limited by controlling the nitrogen and phosphorous levels, which are the nutrients for the algae.

Humans can contribute to phosphorus nutrient pollution by using detergents and soaps with phosphate, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Improper disposal of pet waste or failure to pump out septic systems annually can also contribute to nutrient pollution.  

Toxic blooms cannot always be immediately detected. Jesse Lepak, a Great Lakes fisheries and ecosystem health specialist at NYSG, said without testing, it’s not possible to tell if a bloom is toxic. Blooms can also become toxic faster than researchers can obtain test results, he added.

“Algal blooms occur naturally, and they have been around far longer than any monitoring program in place today,” Lepak said. “But the frequency and severity of these events has increased in some areas, and there are growing concerns about the potential negative impacts on the ecology, economy and health of the Finger Lakes region, the Great Lakes basin, and beyond.”

In December 2017, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed a $65 million initiative to combat HABs in upstate New York. The proposal identified 12 lakes, including Skaneateles, as critical sources of drinking water that must be protected against algae blooms.

Published on July 24, 2018 at 10:41 am

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