The Cayuga County Health Department informed the public this week that the beaches at Wells College and Camp Casper Gregory on Cayuga Lake are closed due to the presence of harmful algal blooms (HABs).
The Wells College beach was closed on Friday and the bathing beach at Camp Casper Gregory was closed Monday.
The Health Department monitors the water quality at public beaches routinely and closes swimming areas when a potential hazard is identified. When the HABs abate at these beaches, water samples from the swimming area will be collected and sent for analysis. If the results are satisfactory, the beaches will be re-opened. They do encourage the public who are heading out to a public bathing beach to contact the beach operator prior to arriving to determine if it is open for swimming.
HABs tend to occur in lakes on warm days when the water is calm. Bodies of water that are discolored with a paint-like or filmy appearance or floating scum should always be avoided, as they are potentially harmful. Images of these types of blooms, as well as non-harmful blooms, can be viewed by clicking here.
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