7/19/2024
WT Staff
 HAPPENING NOW
Friday, July 19 2024
Lake Champlain HAB expanding southward from Baie Missisquoi
July 19, 2024 updated 1138 am EDT
Streamflow Situation from the network of monitors of USGS NY Water Science Center
Northwest streamflows have slowed down considerably overnight, the majority of recorded streamflows in the range of 76-90th percentile from Niagara River - Lake Erie, Lake Ontario minor tributaries west and central sections, Genesee River watershed and Oswego River - Finger Lakes watershed. Northeast drainage remains much above normal to high through the Lake Ontario east watershed, Black River, St Lawrence River and Lake Champlain River watersheds. Central drainage Hudson River down to Long Island Sound has also slowed to seasonal normal to above normal levels. South draining surface area runs seasonal normal. As of this report there are no active floods and no low flows. Black River watershed has one site recording a 99th percentile flow, Beaver River is out of action stage at Croghan, still rated extreme high. See blue tag on the map to the right for water volume and depth updated daily.
WT HAB Tracker from state sources and where available, the satellite monitoring program of the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
New York
The latest upload of Lake Champlain was snapped by Copernicus-Sentinel III satellite July 18, this image shows Baie Missisquoi HAB creeping down the northeast arm as far as Big Bluff and Clark Point, filling the open water of the arm well past Alburg Center. The HAB mass at the south end matches the concentration scale for 700 thousand cells per 100 ml. Inside Baie Missisquoi, the widespread HAB continues to fill the bay with two hot spots in the center now appearing conjoined, 1 million to 1.5 million cells per 100 ml.
From the NYS HABs reporting center, ninety-two HABs are confirmed in the interior freshwater lakes Friday morning, down from ninety-five yesterday at this time. A new HAB report has been confirmed for Putnam Lake, bringing the Putnam County water body back to the active HAB list. This is the second HAB of the season, Putnam Lake was cleared from the impacted water bodies list, back on as of the confirmation of this July 17th report. See bluegreen tags on the map to the right, the full list of water bodies impacted is found here.
Louisiana: The latest upload from the NCCOS was caught July 18 at surface wind speed 8.2 mph. This image is clear, the HABs in southeast water bodies are visible even at the high wind speed. An open water HAB spotted in the north half of Lake Pontchartrain July 17 remains in roughly the same position in open water approximately 5 nm from the north shore between Madisonville and Mandeville, larger than its last appearance, still at a moderate concentration around 200 thousand cells per 100 ml. Hot spots visible in this latest image remain as earlier in the week, Wetland Watchers Park takes top honors for concentration above 2 million cells per 100 ml. The waters south of Lake Palourde are completely cloud obscured in this new upload, the last clear image we have of the Avoca Island cutoff July 15 showed widespread HAB at 2 million cells per 100 ml. Southeast LA water bodies at are captured in a wide angle pass by the Copernicus-Sentinel III satellite, with Lake Pontchartrain to Avoca Cutoff to Black Bay and Chandeleur Sound in frame. The last HAB report for Louisiana is available here.
California: A media announcement from the Lahontan Water Board and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection shows toxin levels for South Lake Tahoe Eldorado and Nevada Beaches at "non-detect", based on water samples collected July 8 and 10th. On the Nevada side of the border, a shallow pond in the vicinity of Nevada Beach, not connected with South Lake Tahoe tested positive for the HAB neurotoxin "saxitoxin". The pond is partially fenced off, a recommendation has been made for local authorities to complete the fencing to prevent access by people with their pets. The latest weekly report from California Water Boards has Danger and Warning HAB alerts posted for multiple sites in Discovery Bay and Clear Lake, for Lake Temescal, San Antonio Lake and Forbes Creek. Beach signage for HAB DANGER or HAB WARNING feature the caption "Toxins from the algae in this water can harm humans and kill animals", followed by a string of safety measures. For the latest report, click here.
Ohio: Lake Erie west basin HABs latest image from NCCOS was captured July 18 at a surface wind speed 9.5 mph. This image is clear, the large HAB mass in Lake Erie appears to be breaking up, the extent seen in this image encompasses West Sister Island, the concentration appears lower, the majority looks to be moderate 200 thousand cells per 100 ml with a hot spot persisting in North Maumee Bay over 1 million cells per 100 ml. Inner Maumee Bay continues to appears clear of HABs, the Maumee Bay HAB mass shifted toward open water several days ago. Sandusky Bay bloom has pushed in further toward the main shore Pickerel Creek outlet at high 900 thousand to 1 million cells per 100 ml. Updates to the map tags and report are in progress. The last Ohio HAB report is available here.
Georgia: Jekyll Island's South Dunes Beach has been cleared of a Temporary Beach Advisory posted for elevated bacteria levels. Samples taken on July 16 show the enterrococcus levels at 2 colony forming units per 100 ml water sample, down from the 100 cfu results that prompted the advisory earlier in the week. Scant information is available information on the presence of HABs in Georgia. USGS HAB research indicates GA is one of six states with no known anecdotal reports of HAB poisonings. Georgia Environmental Protection Division takes reports on suspicious algal blooms from the public and from the Shoreline Managers of the Power Lakes. One HAB report was made to Georgia EPD in all of 2023. The Georgia Healthy Beaches program of Coastal Public Health tests beaches for bacteria, posting permanent and temporary advisories to warn the public. The latest Georgia beach advisories are available here.
Drinking Water Advisories
Jefferson: A boil water advisory is in effect for the Town of Champion following a loss of pressure in the system after yesterday's storm. Approximately one hundred customers connecting in Champion Heights are impacted by this boil order. The Town of Champion is located below Fort Drum in Jefferson County. Champion WD 1 serves Great Bend 400 residents, and a separate facility operating under another SDWA permit Champion WD 2, 4 and 5 serves 650 residents. These facilities source water from groundwater wells.
See the North American drainage basin map here, scroll all the way down to see how surface water moves across the continent into the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Arctic Oceans. WT Media Group tells the story of water in three countries, Canada, USA and Mexico. See the drinking water advisories, hazardous spills, floods, drought and harmful algal blooms plotted on the maps, as the water flows. Check out the CrimeBox for historic prosecutions under the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act box for details on public drinking water facilities, interviews with the scientists and tech developers on the leading edge of clean water technology here.
As many drinking water facilities are supplied from surface water reservoirs, the streamflow situation is pertinent to both drinking water supply and quality. High flows can stir up sediment and cause turbidity in the reservoirs, requiring additional treatments to render the water potable. Low flow volume is linked to warmer temperatures in the reservoir and can be an issue for water quality where HABs are present. WT tracks streamflow trends with an eye to the impacts on drinking water supply and quality in each of the state's watersheds. Check the watershed layer on the map to see the direction of flow and streamflows that may be impacting drinking water today.
USGS Provisional Data Statement
Data are provisional and subject to revision until they have been thoroughly reviewed and received final approval. Current condition data relayed by satellite or other telemetry are automatically screened to not display improbable values until they can be verified.
Provisional data may be inaccurate due to instrument malfunctions or physical changes at the measurement site. Subsequent review based on field inspections and measurements may result in significant revisions to the data.
Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it for decisions that concern personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or operational consequences. Information concerning the accuracy and appropriate uses of these data or concerning other hydrologic data may be obtained from the USGS.
Harmful Algal Blooms: WT follows the movement and growth of harmful algal blooms (HABs) as provided by the satellite monitoring program of the NCCOS for New York's Lake Champlain, Ohio's Lake Erie and Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain and surrounding area. Interpretation of satellite images is best in clear conditions at wind speed less than 4 mph, where the appearance and extent of HABs is reliably matched to a color scale for concentration. HABs are known to produce algal toxins of concern for raw drinking water sources and recreational water bodies. Plan beach access to avoid HABs and consider carrying a rapid test kit to detect the toxin microcystins.
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