A strange green patch showed up months early on Cayuga Lake, and it has scientists puzzled, according to The Ithaca Voice.
Experts confirmed it as a harmful algal bloom—specifically cyanobacteria—weeks before the usual summer season. The early timing breaks records and caught monitors off guard, since routine tracking typically doesn’t start until July.
The unexpected bloom has officials rethinking their approach. Monitoring will now begin earlier, and residents are urged to avoid contact with suspicious water, since most tested blooms carry dangerous toxins.
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