We noticed today, Thursday October 1st, 2020 that the lake had about the same amount of algae in the water column and water clarity at our open water monitoring site as last Monday. We did not see any algae surface scum today. The hill sides surrounding the lake are starting to get their beautiful fall color:
Today, Thursday October 1st, 2020, the lake was still isothermal. Isothermal means the water column has uniform water temperature from top to bottom. The water temperature dropped about 1 degree C (1.8 F) from last Monday due to colder weather this week. The dissolved oxygen level is still relatively high and well mixed from top to bottom. This means that currently no additional legacy phosphorus is being released from the bottom sediments.
1 meter (m) = 3.3 Feet and 1 Degree Centigrade ( C ) = 1.8 Fahrenheit (F)
Always use your own visual assessment before making contact with the lake water at this time of year as the blue-green algae situation can change daily if not hourly. Please regularly check the DEC HABs alert map for more detailed updates on Honeoye Lake HABs alerts:
September 28, 2020 Honeoye Lake Update (Click Here)
Town of Richmond and Ontario County Soil & Water Conservation District obtained DEC & Army Corp of Engineers permits to remove shale and sediment from the Honeoye Outlet Creek just South of the 20A bridge that was obstructing the flow of the Outlet Creek draining Honeoye Lake and the wetlands in Sandy Bottom Park. Work started last Monday September 21st. They have made rapid progress as the pictures below show:
Surface Water Temperature: 67.1 F
Water Clarity: 6.7 Feet
Lake Level: 803.3 Feet above sea level
Lake Level Relative to Weir: -0.2 Feet
Observations: Monday (9/28/20), Today the amount of algae in the water column was visually less than last Monday. However, there still is Anabaena and Microcystis (blue-green algae) visible in the water column. We did not see any algae surface scum. We took the pictures below today at our dock to show you how the algae in the water column is dissipating:
Water clarity increased 1.2 feet to 6.7 feet over the last week. This is about normal water clarity for late September (Water Clarity Ave. ~6.6 Feet). Surface water temperature increased about 1.3 F to 67.1 F. Lake level was 803.3 feet above sea level a decline of 0.1 feet from last week.
Today, Monday September 28, 2020, the lake was still isothermal. Isothermal means the water column has uniform water temperature from top to bottom. The water is warmer than last Monday due to the last four days of 80 F weather. The dissolved oxygen level was also relatively high and well mixed from top to bottom in the water column. This means that currently no additional legacy phosphorus is being released from the bottom sediments given the relatively high dissolved oxygen level near the bottom.
1 meter (m) = 3.3 Feet and 1 Degree Centigrade ( C ) = 1.8 Fahrenheit (F)
Anabaena and Microcystis are a species of blue-green algae that we see starting usually after a lake mixing (turn over) event. Anabaena and Microcystis have the potential to produce toxins that can be harmful to people and pets. We strongly urge you to follow the DEC guidelines of “Know it, Avoid it, Report it” For more info go to: https://www.honeoyelakewatershed.org/habs
Always use your own visual assessment before making contact with the lake water at this time of year as the blue-green algae situation can change daily if not hourly. Please regularly check the DEC HABs alert map for more detailed updates on Honeoye Lake HABs alerts:
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