A key waterway may soon reshape how Cayuga Lake gets protected, according to the Finger Lakes Times, after new data linked the canal directly to pollution flowing into the lake.
Researchers found the Cayuga-Seneca Canal carries nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen into the lake, fueling harmful algal blooms. Seneca County leaders now want the state to officially include the canal in the lake’s watershed.
That change could open the door to major funding. Officials say it would make canal-side communities eligible for grants to improve water quality and tackle contamination sources.
The proposal heads to the full Board of Supervisors next month, with local leaders pushing for broad support to strengthen their case.
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