A rising tide of harmful algal blooms in Cayuga Lake has prompted a community-wide call to action—and a free conference next week will bring together scientists, leaders, and residents to tackle the crisis head-on.
The Cayuga Lake Watershed Network will host its 2025 Community Conference on Wednesday, June 25, from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Canoga. The event will focus on the accelerating impact of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the science driving efforts to protect the lake’s water quality.
“Unprecedented changes in bloom patterns” have been observed across the watershed, according to organizers, making this year’s gathering especially urgent. Attendees will hear from three featured experts working on the front lines of water monitoring and environmental research.
Alyssa Johnson of the Community Science Institute will present “2024 Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom Season in Review: Earliest, Latest, and Most Blooms Ever.” Her analysis is expected to outline the scope and frequency of last year’s outbreaks.
Dr. Lewis McCaffrey of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation will explore the use of satellite imagery to detect HABs in a talk titled “Can We Use Satellites to Identify Harmful Algal Blooms in the Finger Lakes?”
Dr. Michael Schummer of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry will share a data-driven approach to improving water conditions in his presentation, “Microbial Source-Tracking: An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Cayuga Lake Water Quality.”
The conference will conclude with a community networking session and pizza at 6:00 p.m. Representatives from the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, the Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Seneca County Department of Health will be on hand with educational resources and tools.
Admission is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are requested at www.cayugalake.org. No virtual option will be offered, though a post-conference report and presentation slides will be shared with subscribers of the Network’s monthly E-News.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].