Home / Environment / Volunteers Wanted: Spot Toxic Algae Blooms
Volunteers Wanted: Spot Toxic Algae Blooms
26 May
Summary
- Volunteers will monitor Otsego and Canadarago Lakes for harmful algal blooms.
- Algal blooms pose health risks to humans, pets, and wildlife.
- Monitoring program runs from June through October for lakes.
A new shoreline monitoring program is being established this summer for Otsego Lake and Canadarago Lake, aiming to detect Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). The Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) is partnering with several organizations, including SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, to enlist community volunteers.
Volunteers will "adopt" a shoreline section and conduct weekly surveys for HABs, reporting findings via an online form. Confirmed blooms will be logged in the New York Harmful Algal Bloom System. Harmful algal blooms are caused by excessive algae or cyanobacteria growth, which can release toxins harmful to humans, pets, and wildlife through various exposure routes. This initiative aims to enhance early detection and reporting, crucial due to increasing bloom prevalence linked to warming temperatures and nutrient runoff.
The monitoring program is scheduled from early June through October for Canadarago Lake and mid-July through October for Otsego Lake. Canadarago Lake's shallower, warmer waters typically see blooms appear earlier. OCCA will provide training materials, and no prior experience is necessary for volunteers. Those interested can sign up via occainfo.org.
