Students sampled the lake this week during CLWA's Water and Wildlife Summer Camp. Stay tuned for more great details about the camp in next week's update.

The Lake This Week

Well it sure was hot and dry this week. Even the trees are starting to take notice - leaves are already starting to turn yellow on some that are more stressed. If you are a gardener I bet you are ready for some rain. Despite the warm temperatures - we only had one small, localized bloom reported on Tuesday in the Crystal Beach area. Overall, in lake conditions are very similar to last week in terms of lake temp and clarity. The wild fire haze has cleared up some and we have finally had some blue sky - although it is still not totally clear out there.

HABs look-a-likes

A few weeks ago we talked about HABs look-a-likes - watermeal and duckweed. In the spring pollen can sometimes be confused for HABs. Later in the season - watermeal and duckweed can be mistaken for them. From a distance these small plants floating on the surface are bright green and can look suspicious for sure. But up close - you can see they are just that - tiny plants - and not HABs.

This past week these plants have been collecting in areas and looking awfully alarming. CLWA's Director Emily DeBolt took these photos earlier in the week down off the pier. Luckily there is nothing to be alarmed about - but we are glad to know that people are out there looking and reaching out to us when they see something suspicious! It's always better to be safe than sorry so please don't hesitate to reach out to us at HABS@canandaigualakeassoc.org.

Citizen Science Volunteers - Our Eyes on the Lake!

Canandaigua Lake Fishery

Canandaigua Lake has a two-story fishery - meaning there are both warm water fish like bass and perch and cold-water fish such as Trout. Canandaigua Lake supports important fisheries for lake trout, brown trout and rainbow trout.

"Lakers" and "browns" are both maintained by annual stocking, but the rainbow trout fishery is sustained entirely by natural reproduction, mostly in Naples Creek and its tributaries. 12,100 yearling and 24,100 fingerling lake trout are stocked annually while 7,140 brown trout were stocked this past spring.

Invasive alewife were introduced in the 1950s as baitfish. When lake trout consume alewives, an enzyme in alewives (called thiaminase) prevents the lake trout from producing a vitamin called thiamin necessary for egg development, reducing the amount of young that survive. Annual fisheries surveys by the NYSDEC confirms that natural reproduction of lake trout remains low and so stocking is needed to maintain their population in the lake. You can check out the 2024 Canandaigua Lake Trout fishery survey for more details here.

August is Water Quality Month - Make A Splash!

We're well into August and what better way to support water quality awareness than with a donation or a new reusable bag from Wegmans to support Canandaigua Lake!

Upcoming Events

The Ring of Fire celebration that is held on Canandaigua Lake every year, this year landing on August 30th, is quickly approaching. The celebration starts on Bare Hill at 9 PM where the first fire is lit. Following the lighting of the fire on the hill, shoreline residents then light their flares, creating the ring around the entire lake! This is a wonderful event to witness and be a part of.

If you haven't made the switch already, please consider switching to LED flares instead of the traditional chemical/combustible flares.



• It is an environmentally-sound alternative to the longstanding use of combustible road flares without disrupting meaningful community celebrations
• LED flares emit neither fumes nor leave chemical residue onshore or in the lake
• Are visible longer than traditional flares (each flare runs on three AAA batteries; please remember to dispose of dead batteries properly)
• LED flares have multiple uses ~ can be kept in auto or boat for emergencies

You can buy your flares from Cele-Brite on Amazon, who will donate $1/pack sold to CLWA to help support lake protection efforts. Thank you Greg for your continued generosity and support in this effort! Please use the QR code to purchase from Cele-Brite.

Thank you to everyone who has already made the switch! Let’s make it a 100% conversion to LED flares this year!!

Stay informed so you can enjoy Canandaigua - or other New York Lakes - safely and confidently this summer.



We have a map on our website homepage for Canandaigua Lake reported blooms.

NYHABS Map

The link below leads to the NYHABS interactive map and displays the location of HABs in New York State. Each blue dot outlined in black represents a HAB reported in the past 2 weeks. There may be other waterbodies with HABs that have not been reported to DEC. All reports through our monitoring program are shown on our own map on our website. CLWA staff uploads all HABs report to the NYHABs database that we receive through our trained volunteers. You can also upload a HABS report directly to DEC here.

Visit NYHABS map here NYHABs map on Aug 15 shown below.

Remember - conditions can change rapidly. Please use caution when out on the lake and look for characteristics of HABs including water that looks like:

• Pea soup, spilled paint, surface streaks or scum
• Color's that are typically green, blue-green or yellow but can also be brown, red or purple
• Typically found along shorelines or coves

For images and more information on HABs, refer to the section below.

Please, to keep yourselves and pets safe, avoid any water conditions that appear to be bloom-like. Don't hesitate to reach out to us at 585-394-5030 with any questions or email us at HABS@canandaigualakeassoc.org if you are concerned about water quality. Sending us photos of the water is strongly encouraged. Have a wonderful weekend and stay tuned.

About HABs

Cyanobacteria, sometimes referred to as blue-green algae because of their color, are among the oldest organisms on Earth. They are naturally occurring in our lakes, generally in low numbers. 

When triggered by the perfect storm of conditions - such as heavy rains followed by a few days of warm weather with calm winds - cyanobacteria may begin to increase, forming “blooms”. HABs can appear quickly and persist for hours or days, or they can disappear almost as quickly as they formed.

Since previous research informs us that high levels of toxins (microcystin) may accompany the blooms, humans and our pets should avoid coming into contact with the water when an active bloom is observed.

How to identify blooms

Use visual cues to identify potential blooms. They can appear like pea soup, spilled paint, surface streaks or scum. The color is typically green, blue-green, or yellow, but can also be brown, red, or purple. When blooms are discovered, they are usually found along shorelines or in cove areas. They are most often seen along the stretch of shoreline that is impacted by the prevailing winds. However, during significant bloom events, sometimes they can be found in open water areas. 

Visit the NYS DEC website to learn more about identifying blooms.

What should you do if you suspect a bloom

When in doubt, stay out! 

• Don't swim, wade, jetski, waterski or tube in a bloom.
• Shower if exposed to bloom conditions. Wash pets off if they have gone into bloom-infested waters.   
• Don't consume fish from the lake during blooms.
• Do not use PRIVATE water drawn from the lake during a bloom. Public water supplies have safeguards in place and can be utilized unless you are otherwise notified.
• Report the bloom to the NYSDEC NYHABs portal: on.ny.gov/habform 

HABs Links and Resources

Further reading on HABs and their impacts on human and pet health

NYS Department of Health HABs Website

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation HABs Website

Dogs and HABs

Drinking Water and HABs

Information for Surface Water Drawers during HAB Season

Article on the Contributing Factors to HABs in Canandaigua Lake

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to HABs@canandaigualakeassoc.org.