It was gorgeous weather this week for boating - IF you haven't had to take your boat out already due to the unusually low water levels for this time of year.

The Lake This Week

While it sure was a beautiful week was sunny weather - unfortunately that same sunny weather was ideal for HAB formation - and we had a number of HABs reported this week. The average lake temperature and clarity didn't change much this week - both slightly decreasing - and the lake level continued to go down as the abnormally dry conditions continued. Many members have had to take their boats out early due to the low water levels before their boats got stuck in their hoists. (If you missed the explanation about lake level two weeks ago - you can find it here.)

HABs Update

We had a large jump in the number of reported HABS - starting over the weekend and continuing through the week - with 26 blooms reported - bringing our total for the season from just 6 to 32 very quickly. You might remember that this is the same time of year that we had a significant large scale bloom in the north end of the lake last year. The reported blooms this year have been small and localized for the most part, often not lasting all day. So even though we just had a large jump in the number of blooms - compared to last year - we are still having a much better year. Why so fewer HABs this year? It might very well have to do with the dry weather and lack of stormwater bringing pulses of nutrients into the lake this summer - but we can't say yet for sure.

Above is a comparison of HABs on Canandaigua Lake from 2018-2024. While we may very well still have more HABs this year - with 32 HABs to date - we are on track to have a year closer to years past - and luckily are not having a repeat of last season.

HAB on Sept 18th along shoreline in Crystal Beach area of Canandaigua Lake.

HAB on Sept 16th along the shoreline in the Vine Valley area of the lake.

Our volunteers are still out there monitoring the shoreline. We have submitted a few samples to the lab at FLI in Geneva for toxin analysis as well and will have results to share later this year. Luckily - the main swimming season has passed as the lake's temp has definitely been cooling off this month. It is still important to steer clear of anything looking suspicious when boating - and to keep pets away from discolored water as well. At the end of this email is our reminder about HABs safety and how to identify a HAB. As always - when in doubt - stay out!

HABs, Drones, and Planes Oh my!

SUNY-ESF researchers working on applying remote sensing technologies to help our lakes were back at the lake again this week working with our citizen science team.

We were so lucky to have such a great crew out on the lake: Bahram Salehi, PhD, Assist Prof of Remote Sensing & Student Coordinator, Sina Jaharhizadeh, PhD candidate, Dominique Derminio, PhD, and Sajad Familsamavati, PhD candidate. Thank you also to our citizen science volunteers Lynn Klotz, Sally Napolitano, and Joel Pasternack for being ready and able to head out and help gather this data.

Last time the remote sensing team was here they were using drone imagery to compare to samples collected. This time they were here to collect data determining whether predictive modeling can work using hyperspectral imagery from an airplane! Bahram and his team collected water samples coordinated with an aerial fly-over with pilots involved in the ROCX workshop - an international gathering to collect, compare and share data via digital imaging and remote sensing (https://www.rit.edu/dirs/ROCX2025).

They will be analyzing the water samples to better understand if the hyperspectral cameras on the plane at 9,000 feet could corroborate the presence of cyanobacteria. While our volunteers and the researchers were out on the lake collecting samples - the plane was flying overhead taking images of the lake. This took a fair bit of coordination to say the least - and as usual, our volunteers went above and beyond to make it happen. This is such exciting cutting-edge research and we are so lucky to have these researchers working on our lake!

CLWA citizen scientists Joel Pasternack and Sally Napolitano joined PhD candidate Sina Jaharhizadeh collecting water samples from 50 locations around the lake while Lynn Klotz joined Professor Bahram Salehi to collect HABs samples from the shoreline.

What is hyperspectral imaging?

Hyperspectral imaging captures detailed light information for every pixel in an image, letting us identify materials by how they reflect or absorb light. It gives much more detail than regular color or multispectral images. Stay tuned for the results of this exciting research at a later date.

Mollusk Mayhem Part 2

Last week we asked what three invasives were shown in the above photo.

Congrats to Quinn M. for being the lucky winner of our drawing and knowing what all three invasives were!

The three invasive species pictured were zebra mussels, quagga mussels, and Asian clam. All three have invaded Canandaigua Lake - with their shells commonly washing up along the shoreline reminding us of their presence. All three invasives are also playing a role in HABs.

Quagga (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are small but destructive aquatic invasive species that originally come from eastern Europe. These mussels get their names from the striped, zebra-like patterns on their shells. They are usually no bigger than a fingernail, but don’t let their size fool you—both species reproduce quickly and can cling to almost any surface in freshwater, from rocks and docks to boats and water pipes. These mussels are able to selectively reject phytoplankton that they aren’t interested in eating, typically cyanobacteria. Zebra mussels eat favorable, harmless green algae and allow cyanobacteria to grow, persist, and potentially produce HABs.

Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) are invasive freshwater clam that spreads quickly and cause problems for both people and the environment. They can form dense clusters of over 5,000 clams per square meter, dominating the benthic community and altering the benthic substrate. The clams release phosphorus and nitrogen into the water through burrowing, feeding from the sediment, and their waste. The elevated concentrations of nutrients can cause increased algal growth, making potentially hazardous cyanobacteria blooms more likely to occur. 

From left to right: Asian clam, zebra mussel, quagga mussel.

Be Septic Smart

This past week was SepticSmart Week - led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this national campaign highlights the importance of septic care and lake stewardship—and CLWA invites you to join in.

While many watershed residents are on public sewers - many are not - and instead are responsible for properly maintaining their own septic system. Maintaining your septic system helps prevent costly backups at home and protects the lake. Failing systems can leak nutrients and bacteria into the water, fueling harmful cyanobacteria blooms and other water quality issues.

Here are some tips to start off the week for how to maintain your septic tank from inside your house. You can learn more about septic care and maintenance here.

Cooler temps are the perfect time to think about adding native plants to your landscape!

Trees, shrubs, and perennials are all great to plant now as the cooler temps reduce plant stress while the warm soil temps promote root growth - helping plants establish a stronger root system before winter dormancy. This gives plants a significant jump start compared to planting in the spring - making them more resilient to heat and drought stress next season. Yes it is dry out - but hopefully rain is coming next week - so you can most definitely still think about planting this fall. Natives are hardy and it is by no means too late to still plant!

Winterberry- Ilex verticillata - is a great native shrub to consider adding to your landscape this fall. It is deer resistant and not only does it provide some winter interest in the garden - but it is also an important food source on chilly winter days for birds such as robins, bluebirds, and cedar waxwings. An adaptable shrub - you can use it in a rain garden or shoreline planting, as well as foundational plantings around your house. Just be sure to plant both male and female plants in order to get the berries as winterberry is dioecious - meaning it has separate male and female plants. Its been so dry this summer you can see mine is looking a bit crispy around the edges at this point of the year - but its still hanging in there just fine. 

Learn more about other ways to Live Lake Friendly here.

Upcoming Events

Heron Hill and CLWA Collaboration Tasting Event

During this event you will also enjoy:

• A short welcome presentation by Heron Hill and CLWA
• Live music by the duo High Strung
• A tour of the gorgeous Cabernet Franc vineyard
• Delicious treats donated by Julie Woloson
• Light snacks to enjoy with your drinks
• The opportunity to speak with Heron Hill's amazing staff and wine makers
• The opportunity to learn more about how you can get involved and help in lake protection efforts

Chardonnay:

A bright golden straw colored wine with powerful aromatics of lemongrass and green apple skins balanced with minerality. The palate is bracing, but balances with medium to full body.

Cabernet Franc:

Rich and exciting with plum, blackberry, mint, and clove aromatics. On the palate the wine shows tremendous strength with ripe tannins, seamless acidity and wonderful fruit and herbal tones leading to a long finish. This is a wine that will do well over the next 8-12 years in the cellar as well.

WHERE DO THE GRAPES COME FROM?

Ingle Vineyard, situated on the west side of Canandaigua Lake, is the largest vinifera vineyard on the lake. Owned and maintained by the Ingle family for over 50 years, the vineyard is rooted in sustainability, free of herbicides and pesticides, and for using environmentally responsible practices. All grapes are hand-harvested to ensure only the finest fruit is selected.

$24 Per Case is donate back to CLWA. Preserve the Lake, One Bottle at a Time!

When: Friday, September 26th, 10:00AM-12:30PM and 1:30-4:00PM

Where: Great Hill Preserve, 4756 S Hill Rd, Middlesex, NY 14507

*Meet location will be Clark’s Gully parking area because parking is a bit tricky at the preserve. We will then carpool to the preserve.*

Please wear appropriate attire for trail work and bring plenty of water and a snack if you’d like. We will be working on cutting switchback along the trail. We will take a lunch break mid-day. You can plan to join us for the morning, the afternoon - or both!

*Registration is required so we know how many volunteers to expect. Register at the link below. Thank you!*

Chipotle Fundraiser to Benefit CLWA - Mark Your Calendars!

New York State Federation of Lakes Association (NYSFOLA) Western Region Conference

When: Saturday, October 25th, 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Where: The Woods, 6021 State Route 21, Naples, NY 14512

Join NYSFOLA for its 32nd Annual Western Regional Conference at this gorgeous location with breathtaking views of the Lake. During this conference, you will have the opportunity to learn from water quality experts on current lake and watershed issues facing our region, and have the chance to connect with fellow lake lovers involved in surrounding lake associations.

You will find further conference details, including the cost and agenda at the registration link below. We hope you can join us for this fabulous event.

Photo by The Woods

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 Sept 19 shown below.

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.

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.

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.