8/15/2024
WT Staff
 August 15, 2024 1126 am EDT
Village of Cato under BWA after a water main break
Cayuga: The Cayuga County Health Department issued a Boil Water Advisory for the Village of Cato after a water main break Tuesday. Village of Cato operates a community water system serving 601 residents from a groundwater well source. According to the EPA, the water facility had its last complete sanitary inspection in October 2021 with no deficiencies or recommendations noted. Matters of non-compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act have been found in seven of the last twelve quarters, all resolved. The non-compliance matters include monitoring and reporting Stage 2 disinfectants and the by-products of disinfection, lead and copper. One instance of non-compliance with the Revised Total Coliform rule was noted in July 2023, since resolved. There are no significant violations on the inspection record for the last 12 quarters.
Hazardous Weather Outlook issued 331 am Aug 15 by NWS Binghamton
Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms possible this afternoon with heavy rain and strong gusts being the main hazards in portions of Central New York and northeast Pennsylvania.
Thunderstorms with gusty winds and heavy rainfall are possible
Saturday and Sunday.
Impacting Northern Oneida-Madison-Southern Oneida-Chenango-Otsego-Delaware-Sullivan Counties in New York
WT HAB Tracker - Lake Champlain bluegreen algae extreme high concentration in the northeast
from the satellite monitoring program of the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science(NCCOS) and State sources where available
New York
The latest image of Lake Champlain was snapped August 14, a clear image of the transboundary water body in the USA and Canada. Northeast Baie Missisquoi appears full of bluegreen algae at extreme high concentration 1 to 3 million cells per 100 ml on both sides of the international border. This bloom reaches south as far as the channel from North Hero Island to Isle la Motte, the south portion of the bloom at 900 thousand cells per 100 ml. St Albans Bay HAB is partially cloud obscured, we see the inner shoreline edge at 1 million cells per 100 ml. Lake Carmi appears clear with no HAB activity; Shelburne Pond is still rocking 2 million cells concentration in Vermont. See our latest report here.
One hundred and seventy-one active HABs are confirmed in New York Thursday morning, down from 182 yesterday, the decline overnight owing to a transfer of HAB reports made prior to Aug 1 hitting the archives. New reports were confirmed yesterday for Chautauqua Lake, Oneida Lake, Harlem Meer and Waneta Lake, all experiencing a second wave of bluegreen growth, some of these water bodies coming out of the 2024 archives.
Bluegreen algae impacted water bodies are listed here.
Lake Erie west basin
The latest image from NCCOS was captured August 14 at a low surface wind speed 4.3 mph as stunning as the prior picture, here.
Another clear view of the western basin of Lake Erie HAB shows the expanded surface area of the bluegreen bloom has reached a new high, approximately forty by twelve nautical miles, sporting a massive hot spot in open water more than 25 nm square, from 2 million cells per 100 ml up to 6 million cells in the center of the hot area. Maumee Bay State Park is socked in with bluegreen, three to four million cell count laying right up on the shoreline. WTOH has reached out to the NCCOS for more information. As of this report, there are no Ohio beach advisories issued for Maumee Bay State Park, we have requested the status of testing for microcystins from state officials, more to follow.
From our last conversation with Richard Stumph, Program Manager for NCCOS HAB monitoring, extreme high concentrations often build up where HAB mats are stacked by wind and trapped along a sheltered shoreline. The curved shoreline on the west side of Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge at the east end of Maumee Bay State Park provides such a sheltered location. After three weeks of elevated concentration in this same location last year, a water sample returned a microcystins level 85 times the EPA guidelines for recreational water safety.
Maumee Bay at Toledo is also full of bluegreen, 1 to 2 million cells per 100 ml. Sandusky Bay HAB appears to have broken up and dissipated, the dense bluegreen mat now parked outside Sandusky Bay at a moderate concentration 200 thousand cells above the primary raw water intake for Sandusky City. Get a look at the Lake Erie HAB here.
Louisiana: The latest upload from the NCCOS was captured August 14 at low wind speed 2.9 mph, here.
Lac des Allemands remains the high concentration HAB leader, the hot spot most prominent in the west bay along shore up to 3 million cells. Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas are remarkably clear, no HAB activity observed. Lake Fields is showing a high concentration HAB, 1 million in the north half and 2 million cells in the south half. Check out the latest satellite image from NCCOS here.
California: The new bluegreen bloom report expected Friday afternoon head of the weekend, not yet available as of this update Thursday. WTCAL connected with Director of EPA for Big Valley Pomo Tribe for an update on Clear Lake, more to follow.
The latest HAB Recent Bloom report is dated August 2, seven water bodies are posted with DANGER level advisories, including Lago Los Osos, Lake Chabot, Lake Anza, Discovery Bay, Contra Loma Reservoir, Big Break Regional Shoreline and Copsey Creek. Three water bodies have been posted with HAB Warning level advisories, including Discovery Bay, Tahoe Keys and San Luis Reservoir's Dinosaur Point Boat Launch. Caution advisories have been activated for another 31 sites. See the California HAB tracker report with advisories by watershed region, HAB DANGER and WARNING advisories are pinned to the map with bluegreen tags, the full list is here.
Georgia: from Coastal Health Region
There are 56 Beach Advisory signs posted along the Georgia coast at popular access points on Tybee, St. Simons, and Jekyll Islands. These signs show the current advisory status of a beach based on the result of the most recent water sample. Our data has shown that elevated bacteria levels are frequently associated with specific weather events, especially heavy rains and strong winds. Significant levels of rainfall increases runoff from surrounding uplands and may contribute to elevated bacteria levels in adjacent waters. Similarly, high winds along with heavy surf conditions will often resuspend sediment loads in the water column and may increase bacteria levels.
To report stranded dolphins, whales, sea turtles or other marine wildlife, call 800-2-SAVE-ME
To report conservation law violators or poachers, call 800-241-4113 or *DNR from an AT&T mobile phone.
A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM OF U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Coastal Resources Division along with
Georgia Department of Public Health - Coastal Health District
No new information has been found pertaining to bluegreen algae reports in Georgia since our last update. Georgia Environmental Protection Division does accept reports from the public of suspicious algal blooms. As we receive updates from EPD, the results will be found here.
Flood Tracker
Forty-three reference sites in the monitored streamflow network of the USGS are still in active flood mode Thursday including seven in WT coverage area in south Georgia. Drinking water infrastructure is often impacted by weather and climate events, see yellow tags on the maps for boil water advisories.
Watch for water advisories in your local area whenever water service has been disrupted or the water pressure drops for any reason. Flush stagnant water from the lines by running the water for several minutes after service is restored. As a precautionary measure for drinking water, maintain water for minimum of one minute at a rolling boil to sanitize potential microbiological contamination.
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