President of Save Our Sodus Dave McDowell discusses pressing issues for SOS:
– Water Level in Lake Ontario and Plan 2014
– East Breakwall separating Lake Ontario from Sodus Bay repair status
– Water quality in Sodus Bay
Updated September 15, 2017
Three ingredients necessary for the blue-green algae blooms:
Nitrogen and Phosphorous flowing into Lake and the Bay
We got plenty of it flushed from the flooded lawns, in addition to the rain-caused run-offs
Lots of Sun and Heat
We had some, but as the summer is “still young”, and we will be getting lots of both
Lack of Wind
The jury is out on that one, but the No Wake zone in the bay prevents the water from being stirred by boaters (and disrupting the algae growth)
Greg Boyer, a biochemistry professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, and his team have been monitoring water quality in Sodus Bay for a few years. This recent report card gives you a quick summary of state of Blue-Green Algae on Sodus Bay.
We will be sharing the new reports as they become available.
Blue-green algal toxins level in Sodus Bay is back to NON-DETECT
A couple of reasons Blue-Green Algal Toxins are down. One is the windy weather we had recently, which allowed to stir up the bay, and the second – the temperature was below 80F, for the most part.
September 13th, 2017 Report Summary
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August 18th, 2017 Report Summary
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Blue-green algal toxins level in Sodus Bay now registers at a LOW level, UP from non-detect.
August 11th, 2017 Report Summary
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What Can You Do To Reduce Algal Blooms?
Even though a lot of measures were taken over the years to reduce the flow of nutrients from farmlands to Sodus Bay watershed, the higher-than-normal rainfall in the spring and early summer of 2017 washed a lot of nutrients from the lawns and farms into the Bay, making it conducive to algal blooms.
Blue-green algal toxins level in Sodus Bay now registers at a LOW level, UP from non-detect.
The situation is always worse around the tributaries and in stagnant places around the bay.
If you or your business is on the waterfront, installing and continuously running a submerged aeration systems (bubblers) helps prevent accumulation of nutrients that could lead to excessive algae growth.
Aerators increase diffused oxygen in the water, which in turn supports and encourages the growth of beneficial aerobic bacteria. This beneficial bacteria break down organic matter and consume excess nutrients and that helps to balance and improve water quality and reduce algae blooms. The benefits of aeration are higher at night, so running your aeration continuously is highly recommended.
The benefits of aeration are higher at night, so running your aeration continuously is highly recommended.
Important Things to Know sbout Harmful Algal Blooms
- If you see it – avoid it and report it!
- People, pets, and livestock should avoid contact with water that is discolored or has algae scums on the surface. Colors can include shades of green, blue-green, yellow, brown or red. If contact does occur, rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove algae.
- Never drink untreated surface water, whether or not algae blooms are present. Untreated surface water may contain other bacteria, parasites or viruses, as well as cyanotoxins that could cause illness if consumed.
- People not on public water supplies should not drink surface water during an algal bloom, even if it is treated, because in-home treatments such as boiling, disinfecting water with chlorine or ultraviolet (UV), and water filtration units do not protect people from HABs toxins.
- Stop using water and seek medical attention immediately if symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, skin, eye or throat irritation, allergic reactions or breathing difficulties occur after drinking or having contact with blooms or untreated surface water.
- Please report any health symptoms to your physician and NYS Department of Health at harmfulalgae@health.ny.gov orWayne County Health Department contact person (as listed on the DEC site, not verified by SOS) is Diane M. Devlin,(315) 946-5749 ddevlin@co.wayne.ny.us Wayne County Public Health Service 1519 Nye Road, Suite 200 Lyons, NY 14489
- For answers to other frequently asked questions go to the DEC HABs FAQ page.
- If you suspect that you have seen a HAB or you, your family, or pet has been in contact with a bloom, please report the bloom to the DEC. Fill out and submit a Suspicious Algal Bloom Report
- Form (PDF, 764 KB). Email the completed form and, if possible, attach digital photos (close-up and landscape to show extent and location) of the suspected bloom to HABsInfo@dec.ny.gov.
The Good News – We aren’t on the DEC Harmful Algal Blooms list as of 8.7.2017
The Good News – We aren’t on a Harmful Algal Blooms list yet.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (the DEC) keeps a list of water bodies that have registered Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Sodus Bay is not on that list.
Wayne County Health Department contact person (as listed on the DEC site, not verified by SOS) is Diane M. Devlin,
(315) 946-5749 ddevlin@co.wayne.ny.us Wayne County Public Health Service 1519 Nye Road, Suite 200 Lyons, NY 14489
August 2nd, 2017 Report Summary
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July 19th, 2017 Report Summary
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July 6th, 2017 Report Summary
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June 15th, 2017 Report Summary
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The worst of the Flood of 2017 is over for Sodus Bay and its community. The residents and businesses still have a lot of issues to deal with. Save Our Sodus’ President Dave McDowell, a local resident, answers some of the frequently asked questions in the videos below.
“When is the water going to go down in Sodus Bay?”
“Are we going to have a blue-green algae bloom this year?”
“When is Idle Only restriction on Sodus Bay will be removed?”
Blue-Green Algae can cause a lot of harm and grows particularly well during hot summers like the one we had in Upstate New York this year. Many lakes in the area have reported problems with blue-green algae this summer.
So far this year Sodus Bay has been spared blue-green algae toxic blooms.
We continue to have the benefit of weekly reports from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) team that indicate that bloom activity has been minimal this season. Given this, we thought it might be a good idea to sit down with Dr. Greg Boyer who supervises Sodus Bay Water Quality Monitoring Team from ESF, to get his perspective on what’s happening in the bay.
Interview with Dr. Greg Boyer
Have we had any blue-green algae blooms this year?
Dr. Boyer:
Our ESF team has continued weekly sampling and analysis of results since early June of this year. So far, the results have been generally very positive. While there have been a couple of small BGA blooms in late July, they were brief in duration and toxicity was undetectable or at minimal levels.
Did these algae blooms represent a health risk?
Dr. Boyer:
As always, blue green algae may pose a risk from compounds other than the measured toxins and therefore all blooms should be avoided. However, the small size and short duration of the blooms detected this season would not be considered a serious concern.
Many other lakes around the area are experiencing BGA bloom activity – – – why does our experience appear to be better?
Dr. Boyer:
This is difficult to answer. Over many years of sampling and testing it is fair to say that phosphorus levels in the bay have remained generally consistent and in sufficient levels necessary to support bloom activity.
What has declined over recent years is the level of chlorophyll, an indicator of algae presence. Also, toxicity has declined to virtually undetectable levels over the last two years of measurement. While these are very positive indicators, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of the recurrence of serious BGA bloom activity.
We are dealing with a multiplicity of variables involved in the creation of a bloom, almost all of which are uncontrollable, it is therefore extremely difficult to predict or prevent the occurrence.
Does this mean we are totally at the mercy of Mother Nature and we are unable to affect the conditions?
Dr. Boyer:
No, that would be the wrong conclusion. In fact, over the years there have been multiple projects under the direction of the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District to improve tributary stream banks that reduces the amount of sediment contribution.
Also, there are an increasing number of farm operations employing best practice techniques to reduce nutrient loading. In addition, the marinas and retail businesses around the bay are using bubblers as a means of maintaining water flow to lessen the bloom conditions.
We know these actions are helpful and are reducing the opportunity for bloom activity. We just can’t quantify in precise terms the direct effect of the actions.
Is there any study being done to improve our understanding of prediction and /or prevention?
Dr. Boyer:
Yes, in fact an hydrological model has been developed by Joe Atkinson at SUNY Buffalo that we are now experimenting with.
For example, we can “ask” the model questions like: “If we reduce the loading from our tributaries by 25%, what is the resulting level of Phosphorus in the water column; in the bottom sediment? ”
While these are theoretical questions, they help us understand the relationship of the variables in the bloom equation. We are currently in the process of applying and testing the model against actual conditions at the time of high bloom activity.
Fortunately, the many years of data collection and observation have given us the capability to develop the model. I believe it will become a very effective tool for the future.
What can we expect for the rest of this season?
Dr. Boyer:
Hopefully the positive indicators we are seeing will continue.
But, as I’ve already discussed, prediction is a risky business. Certainly we have had one of the hottest summers on record that would normally be a big factor in bloom formation. This may have been offset by wind conditions that keep the water moving.
The best thing for the watershed community to do is keep its attention on best practices for nutrient management. In the end, phosphorus levels are what the community can have a direct impact on.
Save Our Sodus Invites You to Sodus Bay Water Quality Work Party and Expo on September 17th.
September 17 from 8.30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Sodus Point County Park (The Beach)
Beach Cleanup – 8-30 till 10-30 am.
Expo – 8-30 till 11-30 a.m.
Celebration and Lunch 11-30 to 1 p.m.
The Food (FREE TO THE PARTICIPANTS!) will be: Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Mac Salad, Salt Potatoes, Soda and water.
Watch Dr. Boyer, Director of the Great Lakes Research Answer Our Questions
Water Quality of Sodus Bay, as of August, 2016
Sodus Bay Water Quality Monitoring Buoys
How Much do Sodus Bay Water Quality Monitoring Buoys Cost?
Vandalized Buoy in Sodus Bay
Attention Sodus Bay residents and guests:
A very slight toxic bloom near the shore of Oak Park Marina was recorded last week.
As a precaution it is recommended that people and pets avoid contact with visible algae.
Please click on a link to open a report prepared by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Sodus Bay Blue-Green-Algae Report 07.29.16 (a pdf file)
If you would like to request a visual and blue-green algae toxin analysis at SUNY ESF you can submit a sample with a filled-out request form.
Click to download Request FormData Collection Instruments in the Bay
Save Our Sodus (SOS) has purchased data collection instruments that monitor the water quality of the Bay. The data can provide us and our partners at SUNY ESF with information that we can possibly predict when blue/green algae might appear. If you are out in the Bay you will see the monitoring instruments at various locations on the Bay.
The blooms appear when the organism multiplies very rapidly over a short period of time, usually in calm, warm water.
Blue-green algae is concerning because has toxins when there is a high level of algae in the water. Contact with it may result in side effects including itching, rashes, fever, headache, upper respiratory symptoms, vomiting and diarrhea.
People are advised to not drink or use the lake water for cooking; any swimming, wading or other forms of direct contact with water containing blue-green algae should be avoided. Pets should also be kept away from the water.
We Need Your Support
SOS relies solely on donations from stakeholders in the effort to Preserve, Protect and Improve Great Sodus Bay. Please join us in making Sodus Bay the Great Bay that it is – DONATE!
READ Sodus Bay Algal Bloom Q & A prepared by Wayne County Emergency Management Office
CLICK to read Q&A Document
Have you seen buoys around Sodus Bay? They help predict toxic algae blooms. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) monitors water quality of the Bay. Watch this video to learn more.
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A crisp, clear spring morning when sunlight sparkles off the water might seem like an odd time to think about toxic algal blooms that coat the water in a thick blue-green film, but it’s precisely when researchers start water monitoring.
Toxic blue-green algal blooms in the northeastern United States typically form during the hot days of August. By keeping an eye on the water chemistry throughout the summer, researchers might be able to predict when a potential bloom is coming.
Michael Satchwell, senior research support specialist at ESF, and undergraduate Matt Blake deployed three buoys in Sodus Bay in early May to monitor water conditions in the bay. The solar-powered buoys measure the basic water chemistry, including temperature, pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen levels, chlorophyll and phycocyanin, a pigment specific to blue-green algae. The central buoy houses a complete weather station and also records water levels. This data is being used to produce models of water movement within the bay.
“If we see a spike in phycocyanin levels we know a potential bloom may be coming,” said Satchwell. Data from the buoys is transmitted in near-real time to the Great Lakes Research Consortium’s website where anyone can access the data. It is also being used by researchers at the University of Buffalo to build a better predictive model for the occurrence of harmful algal blooms.
“If we get them (blue-green algal blooms), we get them typically in the late summer,” said Ed Leroux, a resident of Sodus Bay who assists the ESF team.
The bay experienced a major bloom in 2010 that shut down businesses two weeks before Labor Day, delivering a blow to the popular tourist area. “No one was in the water, no one was in the restaurants,” Leroux said. “It woke the community up. We had to find out why it happened and how it happened because it had a serious economic impact on the community.”
Blue-green algae blooms, or cyanobacteria, can be harmful to humans and fatal to pets. Exposure to the algae can result in diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; skin, eye or throat irritation; and allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.
Save Our Sodus, a group dedicated to addressing challenges to the quality of Sodus Bay, asked Dr. Greg Boyer of the ESF Department of Chemistry to look into the matter. Boyer, director of the Great Lakes Research Consortium and member of Save Our Sodus, has studied algal blooms in numerous water bodies in the Northeast and China for more than three decades.
Boyer began random water sampling in the bay in 2011 and has been collecting data, sometimes on a weekly basis every since. This information forms the basis of a weekly report that appears on the Save our Sodus website to inform the general public about conditions on the bay. The buoys were installed in 2011 to automate the process with funding from a number of sources, including a grant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Great Lakes Restoration initiative, New York Sea Grant and funding from the Great Lakes Observing System.
“To date, data shows chlorophyll has dropped off while phosphorus levels vary up and down, and toxicity is down; but that doesn’t necessarily mean things are getting better. Phosphorus levels have to be in check and we have to be able to predict the toxicity levels,” said Boyer.
Blooms are known to form in tight corners and areas with little water circulation, such as marinas, so the town installed blowers – normally used to keep ice from forming – to help keep the water moving in the summer, Leroux said.
So far, researchers have not identified a “smoking gun” that identifies what precisely triggers the toxic blooms. However work with the University of Buffalo strongly suggests that water movement in and out of the bay may be an important contributor.
Fortunately for the merchants and tourists in Sodus Bay, algal blooms have not been troublesome over the last few years. “There hasn’t been a significant bloom since 2010,” noted Satchwell.
“If you keep studying it, it won’t come back,” Leroux said, somewhat tongue in cheek. “So we’re going to study it to death.”
~~~~~~~ The story first appeared at http://www.esf.edu/communications/view.asp?newsID=5361 ~~~~~~~~~~
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 07/07/2016 02:05 PM EDT
DEC Seeks Help from Anglers in Preventing Spread
The invasive algae didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) was recently confirmed in Clear Creek, a popular trout fishing stream in Cattaraugus and Wyoming counties, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reported today.
“This is the first documented finding of this aquatic nuisance species west of the Catskills in New York State,” said DEC Region 9 Director Abby Snyder. “Clear Creek is one of our region’s most popular wild brown and rainbow trout streams. Given its connectivity to Cattaraugus Creek and proximity to other nearby trout streams, we ask anglers to be especially vigilant in helping to prevent this species from spreading.”
Samples taken and examined by DEC recently confirmed the algae’s presence in Clear Creek at Jones Road in the Cattaraugus County portion of the steam. The finding was confirmed after a concerned angler contacted DEC with a potential sighting.
Didymo, also known as “rock snot,” can produce large amounts of stalk material that form thick mats on stream bottoms. During blooms, these mats may completely cover long stretches of stream beds. Its growth can alter stream conditions, choking out many of the organisms that live on the stream bottom. The resulting disturbance to the stream’s food chain can negatively impact trout and other fish populations.
Once introduced to an area, didymo can rapidly spread to nearby streams. Wading anglers and other water recreationalists such as kayakers, canoeists, boaters and jet skiers can easily and unknowingly spread didymo by transporting the cells on boats and other gear, especially if moving from one waterway to another in a single day.
DEC strongly encourages all anglers and boaters in the region to play a role in preventing the spread of didymo by following the precautions below:
Check
Before leaving a river or stream, remove all obvious clumps of algae and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the affected site. If you find any later, do not wash them down drains; dispose all material in the trash.
Clean
Treatment varies depending on what needs to be cleaned. Be sure that the solution completely penetrates thick absorbent items such as felt-soled waders and wading boots. Felt-soles, due to their ability to absorb didymo cells and to stay damp for prolonged periods of time, are a major vector in spreading didymo and require special treatment (prolonged soaking in disinfectant).
Dry
If cleaning is not practical, after the item is completely dry to the touch, wait an additional 48 hours before contact or use in any other waterway. Check thick, absorbent items closely to assure that they are dry throughout. Equipment and gear can also be placed in a freezer until all moisture is frozen solid. NOTE: If cleaning, drying or freezing is not practical, restrict equipment to a single water body.
DEC Fisheries staff will monitor Clear Creek and nearby waterways throughout the summer to check for the spread of this algae, and encourages anglers to report any potential didymo sightings and locations. For more information on didymo, visit DEC’s website.
At the end of June, 2016 blue-green algae was spotted at the south end of Conesus Lake, according to the Livingston County Department of Health.
Blooms of potentially toxic blue-green algae are continuing to pop up along the eastern shore of Conesus Lake.
The Livingston County Department of Health warned that algal blooms, possibly accompanied by harmful toxins, have been observed at various locations on the eastern shore of the lake, located about 20 miles south of Rochester.
Since then the problem has spread, with blooms appearing and dying off in a number of spots.
End of June is earlier than normal for blue/green algae bloom in our region.
With warm weather algae blooms are showing up at the Second Creek and other areas of Sodus Bay.
If you would like to request a visual and blue-green algae toxin analysis at SUNY ESF you can submit a sample with a filled-out request form.
Click to download Request FormData Collection Instruments in the Bay
Save Our Sodus (SOS) has purchased data collection instruments that monitor the water quality of the Bay. The data can provide us and our partners at SUNY ESF with information that we can possibly predict when blue/green algae might appear. If you are out in the Bay you will see the monitoring instruments at various locations on the Bay.
Non-toxic algae bloom, Second Creek, Sodus Bay, July 3, 2016
To date, none of our weekly samples have shown any b/lue-green algae.
Blue-green algae is concerning because has toxins when there is a high level of algae in the water. Contact with it may result in side effects including itching, rashes, fever, headache, upper respiratory symptoms, vomiting and diarrhea.
People are advised to not drink or use the lake water for cooking; any swimming, wading or other forms of direct contact with water containing blue-green algae should be avoided. Pets should also be kept away from the water.
We Need Your Support
SOS relies solely on donations from stakeholders in the effort to Preserve, Protect and Improve Great Sodus Bay. Please join us in making Sodus Bay the Great Bay that it is – DONATE!
READ Sodus Bay Algal Bloom Q & A prepared by Wayne County Emergency Management Office
Click to Read Q&A Document
Blue-Green algae toxicity reports running late but bring good news:
The most recent b/g toxicity report indicates that the three samples taken around the bay on 6/25 indicated low levels of b/g algae and minimal toxicity. A citizen sample from the N/E corner of Leroy Island taken on 6/19 from an apparent bloom indicated Anabaena and minimal toxicity. All four samples were well within the World Health Organization’s drinking water standards. Sodus Bay 062714
SOS Expo. door prize awarded:
The Seaweeder weed rake donated by Bill Kramer and available at both Wolcott Building Supply and at Seaweeder.com has been delivered to lucky winner Miriam Derivan of Sodus Point.
SOS Expo. vendors make donation to SOS:
Each of the four major vendors at the Citizen Self Help Expo. chose to donate their $100.00, refundable deposit to SOS for the furtherance of its work. They have been appropriately thanked and the SOS mission advanced. They were well prepared for the myriad questions they received.
- Aqua Cleaner Environmental, Inc.
- Consolidated Treatment Systems, Inc.
- Norweco, Inc./ Randall Excavating
- Onsite Sales & Service
Instagram Pictures of #SodusBay
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My first time at the Sodus Lighthouse (finally!) and while the waves weren’t as choppy as I hoped for a photo, I did score this incredible reflection in a puddle, so I’d count that as a win!
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