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LCC: Cyanobacteria monitoring program reports results

Submitted by tim on

WEEK OFJULY 16 CYANOBACTERIA MONITORING RESULTS
Lake Champlain Committee TheLake Champlain Committee(LCC) shares information weekly on its cyanobacteria monitoring program.LCC annually recruits, trains and supports citizen scientist monitors who report on conditions at more than 100 Lake Champlain and inland lake locations. Each week we'll share results from the monitoring program with you along with background information on cyanobacteria and links to helpful resources. We hope you'll join us in spreading the word about conditions and ways people can identify and avoid blooms and reduce their frequency.

This week we received 135 reports for Lake Champlain and inland lake locations. While it's been a week with lots of lovely summer weather, all the sunshine encourages cyanobacteria activity. Alert conditions were reported at Lake Champlain sites at Pt. Au Roche State Park beach and Black Bridge in St. Albans Bay as well as at Lake Carmi, Lake Amherst and Ticklenaked Pond. Most of the blooms have since dissipated (see the detailed listing of reporting results after the picture below). Conditions can change rapidly, particularly if the weather turns hot and still.

Reports filed this week are visible on the VT Dept. of Health (VDH)Cyanobacteria data tracker. The most current reports and conditions can be accessed through the spreadsheet table to the right of the data tracker map. You can either click on a dot to zoom in to a location and see the most recent reporting results in the table or select for a location by town using the drop down menu at the top of the page.Thecyanobacteria tracker mapwill continue to be updated as we receive additional reports so please check it out and pass on the link to others to help keep citizens well informed. Further details about conditions follow along with resource links and background on cyanobacteria and the monitoring program.

The information below represents the results from the latest reporting through late afternoon of Friday July 21, 2017. Reports will continue to come in so pleasecheck thedata trackerfor the most up to date conditions.The high alert bloom reported at Pt Au Roche State Park beach on 7/15 dissipated by 7/17. Low alert conditions at the Black Bridge site in StAlbans Bay on 7/20 were clear by 7/21 afternoon. There were also blooms reports for monitoring sites in Missisquoi Bay that are monitored every two weeks so we don't know if conditions have changed. As of lateFridayafternoon, 7/21,all other Lake Champlain monitoring sites that reported this week were showing good conditions. Based on criteria established by the Vermont Department of Health (VDH), these areas are considered generally safe. Several Vermont inland lakes experienced blooms and further details are provided below. Anyone recreating in these areas should watch for and stay away from blooms.

Lake Champlain Monitoring Sites(113 reports)
Missisquoi Bay– 10 reports - Mixed conditions were reported with low alerts at a VT state long-term monitoring site in Swanton and in Phillipsburg Quebec. Everyone in this area should watch for and avoid cyanobacteria accumulations. (Note these sites are state and provincial research sites and only monitored every two weeks so conditions could have improved well before a change will be noted on the data tracker.)

St. Albans Bay– 12 reports – Mixed conditions reported this week. The Black Bridge area at the north end of the bay had low alert conditions on 7/20 which had cleared by the afternoon of 7/21. No other blooms were reported for other monitoring sites on the Bay. However, conditions can change rapidly so anyone recreating on the Bay should watch for and avoid contact with cyanobacteria blooms.

Inland Sea– 18 reports – all generally safe conditions; no blooms reported.

Malletts Bay– 5 reports – all generally safe conditions; no blooms reported.

MainLake North– 17 reports – Mixed conditions this week. Alert conditions were reported for the Bay second week in a row at Pt. Au Roche State Park. The high alert bloom had cleared by 7/17. Based on criteria established by the VT Dept. of Health (VDH), this area is currently considered generally safe but anyone recreating near the park should be mindful of changing conditions and avoid blooms.

Main Lake Central– 37 reports – all generally safe conditions; no blooms reported.

Main Lake South– 14 reports – all generally safe conditions; no blooms reported.

South Lake– 0 reports.

Other VT Lakes(22 reports)
Lake Amherst – 2 reports – Mixed conditions were reported this week with low alert conditions reported on 7/15 which cleared on 7/16 and no further blooms have been reported. Based on the criteria established by the VDH this area is considered generally safe. However, conditions can change rapidly so everyone recreating on the lake should watch for and avoid contact with cyanobacteria.

Lake Carmi– 9 reports – Mixed conditions were reported this week with high alert conditions reported at North Beach on 7/18 and Dewing Road on 7/20 both of which cleared on 7/21. Conditions can change rapidly, everyone in this area should watch for and avoid contact with cyanobacteria.

Lake Iroquois– 2 reports – no bloom sightings, generally safe conditions.

Lake Memphremagog– 4 reports – no bloom sightings, generally safe conditions.

Lake Morey– 1 report – no bloom sightings, generally safe conditions.

North Hartland Lake– 1 report – no bloom sightings, generally safe conditions.

Shelburne Pond– No reports this week due to work going on at the boat launch. Reporting will resume next week.

Stoughton Pond– 1 report – no bloom sightings, generally safe conditions.

Ticklenaked Pond– 1 report - low alert conditions, anyone recreating in this area should watch for and avoid any contact with cyanobacteria.

Townshend Lake– 1 report – no bloom sightings, generally safe conditions.

Vermont Drinking Water Facilities Report
For the third summer in a row, the VT Dept. of Health and VT Dept. of Env. Conservation are collaborating to conduct cyanotoxin analysis of raw and finished water for the 22 Lake Champlain-sourced water systems. The 12 weeks of testing is funded by the Lake Champlain Basin Program. The tests began last week and will continue through September.Click hereto view results from this week's testing at Vermont Drinking Water Facilities and for a compilation of results from the last week and recent years.

New York Inland Lakes
Point Au Roche State Park beach was closed earlier this week due to cyanobacteria but has since reopened. Check with Park authorities at518-563-0369for current conditions. Cyanobacteria blooms have been reported for some inland New York lakes. For more information and to sign up for weekly notifications of harmful algal blooms in New York, visit theNew York Harmful Algae Blooms Notification Page. The site is generally updated at least weekly.

CHECK OUT THE DATA TRACKER MAP
You can see a full compilation of the monitoring reports on thecyanobacteria tracker maphoused at the Vermont Department of Health.LCCadds reports on a daily basis and they are accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The site is a great resource to learn about conditions throughout the season. You can select a lake segment or lake, zoom in on sites, and find out the status of lake conditions based on the most recent report. Please check out the site and let lake users know about this resource. The vast majority of the reports are provided byLCCmonitors and a reflection of the important role the dedicated citizen volunteers play in assessing conditions.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CYANOBACTERIA
Check outLCC's websitefor more information about cyanobacteria. You'll find additional resources at the links below to help you identify and avoid blooms.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE OR SUSPECT A BLOOM

  • Report it to the Lake Champlain Committee using ouronline form. Clickhere for how to assess conditions.
  • Avoid contact with the water in the area of the bloom.
  • If you've been in contact with a bloom, rinse and shower thoroughly as soon as possible.
  • Keep people (especially children) and pets out of the water.
  • Do not drink untreated lake water. If you suspect a bloom near your intake, don't drink, cook or shower with the water. Boiling water doesnotdestroy toxins.
  • See a doctor if someone gets ill after exposure to a cyanobacteria bloom and have them report bloom-related illnesses to the health department.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CYANOBACTERIA MONITORING DATA?
Lake Champlain Committee monitor reports are recorded on theLake Champlain cyanobacteria tracking maphoused at the Vermont Department of Health. All reports are vetted by the Lake Champlain Committee or our partners at VDH and the VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation before they show up on the tracker. The map will provide data on Lake Champlain sites as well as several inland lakes throughout the season. The vast majority of information provided on the site come fromLCC's cyanobacteria monitors. It's a clear illustration of the critical role these "citizen scientists" play in assessing lake conditions. The weekly reports are also provided to public health, environmental, and recreation agencies and managers and interested citizens.Please pass on this linkto anyone you think might be interested in receiving our weekly emails.

SPREAD THE WORD
Please help spread awareness about the risks of cyanobacteria and actions to take to avoid exposure and reduce bloom frequency. No one should be drinking untreated lake water regardless of whether or not there is a bloom. People who draw water from the lake and suspect a bloom near their intake should not drink, cook, wash dishes or shower with the water. Boiling water doesn't destroy toxins.

Blooms are caused by a combination of warm water temperatures and high concentrations of nutrients in the water, particularly phosphorus. Reducing the supply of phosphorus is key to reducing blooms.LCCurges everyone totake personal actions to protect water qualityand advocate for stringent controls to reduce nutrients flowing into the lake.

BACKGROUND ONLCC's MONITORING PROGRAM
The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) developed a cyanobacteria monitoring program for Lake Champlain in 2003/2004 and has overseen the citizen-based program ever since. The focus of the program is to raise awareness of the issue, build a database of information on bloom frequency, and identify and publicize any potential health hazards. The information gathered will help us better understand the triggers for blooms and aid in the work to reduce their frequency.

LCCcoordinates our monitoring program closely with Vermont and New York health, environmental and recreation agencies. We annually train hundreds of citizens in methods to assess and report on water conditions. We also conduct trainings for state and municipal park staff, town health officers, and public water supply operators.LCCmonitors provide important data on lake health from more than 100 Lake Champlain and inland lake locations.

FUNDERS & PARTNERS
The Lake Champlain Committee's cyanobacteria monitoring program is funded byLCCmembersand the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Key program partners include the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, Vermont Department of Health, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Department of Health, and the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

Source: LCC.July 21, 2017