The 2022 Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) notification season has ended, and the Department of Environmental Conservation posted the summary of this year’s HABs notices to the HABs Archive webpage.
During 2022, 198 waterbodies statewide were listed with “Confirmed HABs” on the NY HAB System (NYHABS). Over 1,600 HAB reports were collected, and of these, over 1,000 met criteria for a Confirmed HAB. The reports ranged from a single observation to widespread blooms that were persistent throughout the season.
Blooms have been spreading around the state, especially in the Adirondacks. Blooms were confirmed on Lower Saranac Lake, Lake Colby, and Moose Pond for the first time. Mirror Lake had an almost lake-wide bloom for the second time in the past two years. Confirmed blooms were reported 13 times on Lake Champlain this season.
Members of the public, the Citizen Statewide Lake Assessment Program and the DEC Lake Classification and Inventory Program contributed to HABs reporting. In addition, as in previous years, the Department of Health, the Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation, Stony Brook University, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and other agencies and organizations were instrumental in documenting HABs in New York State in 2022.
Historical HABs data through 2021 is available on Open NY, which provides public access to digital data. (Search the “Data NY” portal for “Harmful Algal Blooms”.) View historical water quality monitoring data, including HABs information, at the DOW Monitoring Portal. Both sources will be updated with 2022 HABs data over the coming months.
HABs may occur on waterbodies throughout the year, although fewer blooms occur as water and air temperatures decrease. DEC recommends avoiding contact with floating mats, scums and discolored water at any time – Know it, Avoid it, Report it!
Leave a Reply