On a breezy afternoon in Lansing’s Salt Point Park, Sue Ruoff walks the shore of Cayuga Lake, keeping her eye out for streaky green clumps along the water’s surface.
She’s looking for harmful algal blooms, the worrisome substances that have appeared in Cayuga Lake and other bodies of water across New York since the beginning of summer.
So far this year, over 500 confirmed harmful algal bloom conditions have been reported statewide, affecting dozens of water bodies, according to state data. Though that data may occasionally double-count blooms that float to different areas in the same waterbody on the same day, the high number remains concerning to environmentalists.
Harmful algal blooms can cause a variety of health problems for humans and animals, ranging from mild skin rashes to severe illnesses, according to the CDC. When blooms appear, officials shut down swimming holes for days or weeks at a time.
The problem is particularly stark in the Finger Lakes region, where several bodies of water have been plagued by harmful algal blooms this year. Even as the state invests in keeping the Finger Lakes' water clean, some advocates say that effort fails to address the severity of the problem.
On Cayuga Lake, Ruoff and other volunteers with the Ithaca-based Community Science Institute have documented dozens of harmful algal blooms since summer began. Ruoff has monitored the lake for blooms for the past four years, but she said the high number of sightings this summer has been alarming.
“It appears that they are getting more frequent and worse,” said Ruoff. “Just being one of the many people that are just trying to keep their eyes out for what's happening on the lake, it's been eye-opening, and sad.”
A growing problem
Algal blooms have occasionally appeared in the Finger Lakes and other New York bodies of water for decades. But in recent years, sightings in the Finger Lakes have become common, coming earlier in the year too, according to monitoring data and reports.
Harmful algal blooms are made up of a naturally-occurring organism, called cyanobacteria, that can grow out of control in freshwater and clump on the surface. They thrive amid high levels of fertilizer nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can run off into lakes from farms and other industries.
Those nutrients act “like Miracle Grow,” said Alyssa Johnson, who runs the Cayuga Lake harmful algal bloom monitoring program at the Community Science Institute.
Johnson said it’s vital that people stay out of the water when beaches are closed because of an algal bloom, and keep their pets out of the water too. She said it’s difficult to make sure people understand the risk, especially on sunny days when families have gathered to go swimming.
“I understand the frustration,” said Johnson. “But it's such a dire problem across the entire state.”
Research indicates climate change could make algal blooms worse. Cyanobacteria multiply during hot days, which are becoming more frequent. They also thrive when there are lots of fertilizers in the water. More intense storms from climate change could push more farm runoff into lakes.
“It's just a horrible — but perfect — storm,” said Johnson.
Tackling the issue
Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced an investment of $42 million to protect and enhance water quality in the eastern Finger Lakes region. The funding includes money to help farmers reduce water pollution and create better methods to manage storm runoff.
To date, New York has put more than $428 million towards projects meant to help address the state's harmful algae bloom problem, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. The department is also working on creating new guidance for how much phosphorus should be in freshwater.
But to Walter Hang, who runs the Ithaca-based environmental advocacy and research group Toxics Targeting, the effort falls short.
“New York is now inundated with these harmful algal blooms,” said Hang. “Throwing a little bit of money at it, even hundreds of millions, isn't going to solve the problem.”
Hang has led a campaign for the past several years to introduce stronger and enforceable regulations to limit the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that can enter bodies of water. Last year, local environmental groups and officials signed onto his letter calling on Hochul to adopt stronger regulations.
To help limit harmful algal bloom growth, the DEC recommends New Yorkers who live near freshwater limit fertilizer use, and opt for low-phosphorus options. Maintaining septic tanks and reducing erosion and stormwater runoff can also help limit the amount of nutrients in the water.
If you think you see a harmful algal bloom on Cayuga Lake, you can report it to the Community Science Institute.
Elsewhere in New York, you can learn more and report an algae bloom on the DEC's website.