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Sunday August 4, 2024 Honeoye Lake Water Quality
Surface Water Temperature: ~80.6 F
Water Clarity: ~7.6 Feet
Lake Level: HVA lake level device out of service. Expect it back in service early August.
Observations: Sunday (8/4/24), Water clarity was ~7.6 feet about 3.6 feet higher than last week. There was less algae visible in the open water column as compared to last week increasing the water clarity. The surface water temperature was 80.6 F an increase of ~1.1 F from last week. It was a very nice day to be out on Honeoye Lake!
We checked 10 near shore locations around the lake for blue-green algae blooms today. We visually could see what appeared to be Anabaena (Dolchospermum) in varying intensities from very light to heavy in the water column at most the near shore and open water sites we checked today. A few near shore sites we checked today looked very clear. The locations that were down wind had the heaviest concentrations of blue-green algae. Since there is 10 miles of Honeoye Lake shoreline there is likely to be several other locations currently experiencing blue-green algae blooms this week. Please regularly check the DEC HABs alert map for more detailed updates on Honeoye Lake HABs alerts:
We did not find any Gloeotrichia (lots of small spikes) and Aphanizomenon (looks like a leaf) today both in near shore areas and open water. Their blooms may have ended. Anabaena (Dolchospermum) (looks like a spring) has become the dominate blue-green algae species. Also, found a lot of Ceratium (looks like a small spaceship) a dinoflagellate species today. Ceratium is not a blue-green algae species and is considered harmless. See the image on the left: Expect to see Anabaena blooms lake wide over the next few weeks particularly when we have 80-90 F days with calm winds. More information on Anabaena can be found at: https://www.honeoyelakewatershed.org/habs
Several research studies have found that most of the phosphorus that fuels Honeoye Lake’s blue-green algae blooms is released from the lake bottom sediments when the lake’s dissolved oxygen level goes below 0.50 mg/L in the deeper parts of the lake. The dissolved oxygen (DO) level near the lake bottom at ~7.0 m (~23 feet) was ~0.28 mg/L today. So, phosphorus may currently be released from the bottom sediments. This potential release of phosphorus from the bottom sediments could fuel blue-green algae blooms of Anabaena, Microcystis and other blue-green algae species, which depend on phosphorus being in the water column, when the lake mixes again. The lake has stratified again at 6 m (~20 feet). Today’s temperature and dissolved oxygen graphs are on the left.
You can easily see on the above Dissolved Oxygen graph that we had a partial mixing event in late July between 4-6 m (~13-20 feet deep) which mixed some amount of possibly nutrient rich water with the surface water potentially fueling the increase in blue-green algae on late July. Will not know for sure until we get our lab results back in a few weeks.
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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DEC Update on Honeoye Alum treatment:
We are continuing to monitor the lake and collect further information, and will evaluate it over the coming months.
The follow-up evaluation will look at all aspects of the project, including water quality results, design assumptions, material quality control, and response of lake water and sediment quality to the alum application.
The evaluation is expected to be completed in 2024 and will supplement the water quality and biological diversity monitoring in the lake to help understand long-term implications of the inactivant treatment.
The output of the review will be a report highlighting lessons learned and areas of improvement for future nutrient inactivant applications.
DEC plans to provide water quality monitoring results and the evaluation results in an information session in early 2025. Participants will be able to engage with DEC staff to ask questions and provide comments and feedback on the project during the information session.
Any and all additional questions can be directed to HoneoyeAlum2022@dec.ny.gov or to 518-402-8179 at central office.
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The Town of Richmond has posted an update on their plans to address the Mill Creek and Outlet Creek issues on their town web site. The Mill Creek Master Plan Phase 1 construction has started. You can read their update by clicking on the link below:
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Click on the link below to see the June Muller Field Station Newsletter:
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Click on the link below to see the Honeoye Lake Watershed Task Force 2024 Winter Newsletter:
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DEC Big Panfish Initiative (BPI)
The Big Panfish Initiative (BPI) was developed to create destination fisheries for larger size panfish in select waters including Honeoye Lake. The BPI is an experimental program that is being conducted to determine the impacts of lower harvest and minimum size limits on sunfish population age and size structure in select lakes throughout New York and to evaluate the level of angler satisfaction with this management strategy. It also includes an assessment of crappie population age and growth characteristics in select waters to determine if those waters have the potential to yield larger fish under more conservative harvest regulations.
Review complete details in the Big Panfish Initiative Study Plan, 2021-2026 (PDF)
DEC BPI Study Updates can be found on the links below:
2021 BPI Study Report Cards (PDF) | 2022 BPI Study Report Cards (PDF)
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New York Safe Boating Class Certificate will be required of all boaters on this schedule:
If born on or after: You will need boating safety certificate to operate motorized vessel in:
January 1, 1988 2022
January 1, 1983 2023
January 1, 1978 2024
All operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, will need a boating safety certificate by January 1, 2025.
Click on the link below for more information and the schedule of local NYS Safe Boating classes:
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- Click on this link to see the new HLWTF Honeoye Lake Watershed Storm Water Took Kit if you are planning any storm water projects on your property:
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Click on the blue outlined box that says "Log in / Sign up" in the upper right-hand corner of this page to sign-up to be notified when we update our weekly Honeoye Lake water quality blog.
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