Water Quality Update for Friday, September 26th 2025

We had reports covering many areas of the shoreline along both the east and west sides of the lake this week. Photo by Emily DeBolt on the east side south of Deep Run Park.

The Lake This Week

Well Fall officially arrived to start the week and we have finally gotten some much needed rain at the end of this week - however the lake level continues to be very low. Earlier this week on Tuesday many sections of shoreline along both sides of the lake had HABs reported and a few more reports have come in throughout the week. The average surface temp and clarity haven't changed significantly from last week.

HABs Update

We had a large jump in the number of reported HABS again this week - with 21 reports coming in bringing our total reports to date to 52. They were mainly along the shoreline still - with a few areas showing them a bit farther out - before blowing into shore. Still nothing like the lake-wide bloom we saw last September with the HABs in open water as well as the shoreline. We received reports from both sides of the lake - however as usual the east side seemed to get the worst of it due to the prevailing wind.

While it is worse along the shoreline - see how you can see the Bloom a bit farther out as well in this picture. photo by Emily DeBolt

Thanks to our dedicated volunteers - we collected 7 samples on Tuesday from various locations around the lake and sent them to the Finger Lakes Institute in Geneva for testing.

All samples came back with very high cyano-chlorophyll levels - as was expected. (Well above the threshold of 25 ug/L for 'bloom status'). The toxin testing takes a bit longer - so we don't have those results to share yet. We are keeping track of the chlorophyll and toxin levels as part of our long term HABs monitoring program so we can potentially identify long term trends.

Samples collected on Tuesday and sent to FLI for analysis.

Map showing reports HAB locations along the lake to date for the 2025 season. There were some additional HABs on the west side this past week as well that we know about but don't have added to the map yet.

Our volunteers are still out there monitoring the shoreline. Our program officially goes for one more week but we will still be keeping an eye on the lake after that. Last year we had HABs reported into November.

Even if it might be too cold for swimming now for most of us - It is still important to steer clear of anything looking suspicious when boating - including kayaking - 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!

What's on my anchor?

photo of sampling rake full of Chara just south of Kershaw Park where its a bit deeper.

If you have anchored south of Kershaw where its a bit deeper (or other areas of the lake as well) - you might have pulled up your anchor and found it covered in 'smelly weeds'. There is a large bed of Chara growing in this area (and other locations in our lake as well). You will know its Chara by its smell!

Chara - commonly known as Muskgrass due to its strong musky odor - is actually an advanced form of algae known as a macroalga- often mistaken for a plant. It's a complex, multicellular growth resembles a higher plant, with a main stemlike structure and branchlets or "leaves" that grow in whorls from nodes along the stem.

Chara has many ecological functions in our lake. It stabilizes bottom sediments and provides food for waterfowl and cover for fish. Chara also supports insects and other small aquatic animals, which are important foods for trout, bluegills, small mouth bass, and largemouth bass.

Chara can be identified by a strong musky odor when crushed and a gritty feeling texture due to calcium deposits on the surface. It can also sometimes be confused with a not so good plant - starry stonewort - which is an invasive macroalgae that has made its way into our lake. Next week we'll talk a bit about starry stonewort, what it looks like, and how to tell the difference between it and Chara.

Educating the Next Generation of Lake Stewards

In just these last two weeks CLWA staff has educated over 370 students about protecting our lakes!

Last week we had a great day educating over 130 6th graders as part of the Yates County Conservation Field Day! We teamed up with our friends at Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association to teach students about aquatic invasive species and how they can protect all of our lakes by practicing “Clean, Drain, Dry.” They even had a chance to try their hand at being a boat launch steward and inspecting a boat.

Thanks to the Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County for inviting us to be part of this year’s Conservation Field Day!

This week we had a great two days educating over 240 6th graders as part of the Ontario County Conservation Field Days! We taught two stations - one about macroinvertebrates and stream health - and one about invasive species.

Thanks to the Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County for inviting us to participate again this year as well.

Winter Weather Predictions!

Yes- even though it just became Fall this week - the winter weather predictions are already out! While we would like to just continue to enjoy this weather and the Fall before we start to think about it getting cold and snowy again - for those of you thinking about the winter weather - here are the forecasts.

How to “Read” the Woolly Bear Caterpillar

Did you know that woolly bear caterpillars can predict the coming winter? The longer the black bands on a caterpillar, the colder and snowier the season is expected to be. A wide brown band in the middle suggests a milder winter.

The position of the black bands is also said to matter: a dark head indicates a harsh start to winter, while a dark tail points to severe conditions at the end.

These woolly bears are in agreement for a mild winter. photo by Emily DeBolt

Emily found these two woolly bears in her backyard while working outside. They seem to be saying that while we might have a bit of a cold snap to start - overall the winter will be mild.

Ok - so it might just be folklore and about as accurate as Punxsutawney Phil's predictions - but hey - we will see.

You can learn more about Woolly Bears and their history of predicting the weather here.

The Old Farmer's Almanac

The Old Farmer's Almanac has released its extended winter weather forecasts for this coming winter. Here is the forecast for our region. And while it looks like it could be close and we are right on the edge - the woolly bears just might be onto something!

Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse (Lower Lakes Region)

Forecast: Mild winter with below-average precipitation and patchy snow
Temperatures: Above normal
Coldest periods: December, late January, early February
Snowiest periods: Mid- to late November, most of December, early/late January, early February, early to mid-March
Snowfall: Near or just below normal

Read the entire article about the winter forecast from the Democrat and Chronicle here.

image courtesy The Old Farmer's Almanac

Winter isn't Here Yet!

There is still plenty of great planting weather this fall. 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. Natives are hardy and it is by no means too late to still plant!

Emily went shopping right in Canandaigua at Mayflower's Nursery and Garden Center last week - who happens to be one of CLWA's long time Business Supporters - and found an amazing deal on some great native plants! Emily didn't buy them all (mainly because they wouldn't all fit in her trunk) but here is a list of what she did buy to give you some ideas for your own fall planting.

Butterflyweed - Ascelpias tuberosa
Blue Lobelia - Lobelia siphilitica
Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis
Blue Flag Iris - Iris versicolor
Purple Lovegrass - Eragrostis spectabilis
Dwarf Bazing Star - Liatris microcephala
Harebell - Campanula rotundifolia
Blue-eyed Grass - Sisyrinchium angustifolium 'Lucerne'
Threadleaf Bluestar - Amsonia hubrichtii
New York Aster - Aster novi-belgii 'Wood's Light Blue'
Nodding Onion - Allium cernuum
Culver's Root - Veronicastrum virginicum
Blue False Indigo - Baptisia australis
Cananda Anemone - Anemone canadensis
Golden Alexander - Zizia aurea

All of these native plants can help protect water quality, support pollinators, and look beautiful while doing it. Talk about a win-win-win!!

Learn more about other ways to Live Lake Friendly here.

Upcoming Events

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 26 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