This summer, the Community Science Institute (CSI) will again be leading the Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) Monitoring Program in collaboration with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network (CLWN), Discover Cayuga Lake (DCL), and many dedicated HABs Harrier volunteers around the lake! Through this program, CSI rapidly reports and analyzes HABs that occur on the Cayuga Lake shoreline during the summer months. All blooms that occur on Cayuga Lake are reported on CSI’s Cayuga Lake HABs Reporting Page in near-to-real time and the results of laboratory analyses – including the concentration of microcystin toxin in the bloom – are updated within one to three days. In addition, weekly updates are published by CLWN to keep the community informed about recent and current HABs occurrences. This fast and accurate information about HABs helps lake-goers make safe decisions about recreating on the lake and betters our shared understanding of the risk these blooms may or may not present.
This year, we hope you will join us as a HABs Harrier volunteer and help increase shoreline coverage! As a HABs Harrier volunteer, you will be responsible for the following:
– Attending a two-hour HABs identification and sampling workshop (virtual) in June.
– Surveying a length of shoreline for HABs once per week from July through September.
– Collecting HABs samples and transport them to the CSI lab for further analysis.
– Being available to respond to HABs sightings reported by the general public near your shoreline zone.
Monitoring HABs is a fun way to spend time on the lakeshore and participate in an important community science effort! To sign up, please email the Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program Coordinator, Nathaniel Launer.
To learn more about HABs, the Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program, and findings from the past three years of HABs monitoring, please visit the CSI website.
