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DEC Announces Opening of Algal Bloom Reporting DEC Announces Opening Of HABS Reporting

By Raven Brink

ANCHOR: THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION HAS OPENED ITS ONLINE REPORTING AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS.
OUR RAVEN BRINK EXPLAINS WHAT THESE BLOOMS ARE AND WHY YOU MAY WANT TO BE AWARE OF THEM.

BRINK:XYZ GOOD EVENING – THE RAIN SHOWERS AND LIGHT WINDS IN THE FORECAST ARE THE PERFECT STORM FOR THESE BLOOMS – NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SKANEATELES LAKE AND HOW THESE BLOOMS CAN IMPACT OUR DRINKING WATER.

SKANEATELES LAKE HAS BEEN SYRACUSE’S MAIN DRINKING WATER SOURCE SINCE 1894. AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SKAN LAKE ASSOCIATION FRANK MOSES SAYS
THESE ALGAL BLOOMS NOT ONLY POSE A THREAT TO OUR DRINKING WATER BUT ALSO OUR RECREATION.

FRANK MOSES: Microcystin that can be found in the algal blooms is of concern as a liver toxin

BRINK: NOW SKANEATELES HASN’T EXPERIENCED A LAKE-WIDE BLOOM SINCE 2017, BUT MOSES SAYS THE WARMER WINTERS AND SPRINGS ARE CREATING A BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR THESE BLOOMS. AND SAYS REPORTS OF THESE BLOOMS ARE COMING IN EARLIER EACH YEAR.

MOSES: and impacting quality of life and more importantly the drinking water quality for the safety of folk.

BRINK: THE REPORTING SYSTEM FOR THESE BLOOMS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A DECADE – BUT NYS HABS MEMBER AJ SMITH SAYS THE PUBLIC REPORTING THE BLOOMS IS A VERY IMPORTANT FIRST STEP.

AJ SMITH: it dictates the next response so for a water body like a water supply – something like Skaneateles lake out in the Syracuse area that info is given to the dept. of health and makes sure the water supply is fine.”

BRINK: THIS LAKE SUPPLIES WATER TO OVER 200 THOUSAND PEOPLE AND THE DEC SAYS THEY WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE UP TO DATE ON THESE BLOOMS SO EVERYONE CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON WATER USE AND RECREATION.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Department of Environmental Conservation opened it’s online reporting system for harmful algal blooms. These blooms have been a topic of conversation for the Skaneateles area since 2017, when a lake wide bloom was cause for major concern.

Skaneateles Lake is a huge draw for water sports and activity during the summer, but this isn’t the only thing these blooms impact. The lake serves as Syracuse’s main water source.

According to executive director of the Skaneateles Lake Association Frank Moses these blooms can have a toxin that’s harmful if ingested.

“Microcystin that can be found in the algal blooms is of concern as a liver toxin,” Moses said.

When these blooms are found on the lake, both Moses and AJ Smith with the DEC said it’s for the best that they get reported and have even made it easy to report from your phone.

“It dictates the next response so for a water body like a water supply – something like Skaneateles Lake out in the Syracuse area that info is given to the dept. of health and makes sure the water supply is fine,” Smith said.

The lake supplies water for over 200,000 people and the light winds and rain storms in the forecast are the perfect situation for these blooms to form, but the chiller temperatures also help keep them away. But, if residents do see one, it is important that they report the bloom so everyone can stay safe.

 

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