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Harmful Algal Bloom - be watchful
Elizabeth Thomas <supervisor@ulysses.ny.us> Jul 15, 2018 4:24 PM
Posted in group:town-of-Ulysses
Hello Ulysses Residents,
Unfortunately Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), aka cyanobacteria, have once again been spotted on Cayuga
Lake. Understanding the blooms is complicated, and they do come and go, but while they are occurring, and
for about a 24-hour period of time after they have disappeared, they can be very dangerous, especially for
dogs or other pets drinking the water. Taughannock Park beach was closed over the weekend.
There are several helpful educational websites below with information about these blooms. There are still
some gaps in the research needed to completely understand HABs, but it does seem that excess nitrogen
and phosphorus are necessary ingredients in the complicated biological mix that enables HABs to occur.
Keeping stormwater water runoff from entering ditches and streams is a key goal, and keeping septic
systems in good working order, especially for houses near water bodies, is important too.
We'll try our best to keep you posted on the locations of the blooms, but since they can quickly come and
go, and occur in different locations, it's hard to make general statements about which areas are safe, and
which are not. The most up to date website I use is hosted by the Community Science Institute in
conjunction with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. It is here . A HUGE thanks to these not-for-profit
organizations who do so much work on our behalf. Also very helpful is the NYS DEC website.
Other sites:
http://www.cayugacounty.us/Community/Health/Environmental-Health/Blue-Green-Algae
http://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health/eh/water/algae.
https://ithacavoice.com/2018/07/taughannock-closed-weekend-due-suspected-harmful-algal-bloom/
If you have questions, we'll do our best to answer, or find the answer, if there ARE answers.
Be watchful. Be safe.
-Liz
--
Elizabeth Thomas
Town Supervisor, Town of Ulysses
10 Elm St.
Trumansburg, NY
(607) 387-5767 ext 232
(607) 279-0675 cell
supervisor@ulysses.ny.us
Alternate: liz.graeper.thomas@gmail.com
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