Summary of Objectives and Major Findings, Skaneateles Lake
- This approach measured HAB indicators at multiple open-water and nearshore locations through visual observations, discrete sampling, and vertical water quality profiles to investigate HAB patterns over time using data from the current study and additional data from established surveillance and monitoring programs;
- Traditional lake monitoring strategies focusing on the open water areas in the deepest part of a lake are useful for understanding and communicating about HABs in low-nutrient lakes, especially when paired with shoreline observations;
- During the study, low levels of cyanobacteria concentrations were detected in the open water before shoreline blooms were reported;
- Sampling multiple times throughout the season is important to evaluate changes in chlorophyll levels and to document the changes in phytoplankton community over time;
- There were no significant differences in the seasonal chlorophyll or cyanobacteria averages over the 2017-2021 period. The only year with a large, widespread bloom in Skaneateles was 2017 - which was the only year where the phytoplankton community was made up of more than 50% cyanobacteria in at least one sample.
Summary of Major Findings, Canandaigua Lake
- Monitoring tools currently exist to monitor HABs in large, low-nutrient lakes but the approach used in this study was logistically challenging.
- The integration of data from this study and existing, volunteer and agency monitoring programs was critical to meet study objectives;
- The combined study datasets provided insights into the magnitude, duration, frequency, and timing of HABs in 2019, including impacts in the deeper waters;
- Cyanobacteria developed in low concentrations in surface waters and measurements of cyanobacteria in the lakeโs open areas were observed prior to nearshore and deeper in the water column;
- Impacts lower in the water column were influenced by:
(1) cyanobacteria concentrations in the upper waters,
(2) depth of sample and
(3) thermocline depth;
Data Products and Publications
Data Release:
Data available at the NYSDEC DOW Monitoring Data Portal:https://nysdec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=692b72ae03f14508a0de97488e142ae1
Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts:
Clinkhammer, A. C. Distribution of Phytoplankton and Microcystin Concentrations in Skaneateles Lake and the Representativeness of a Long-Term Monitoring Location. In development.
Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts:
Prestigiacomo, A. R., G., Gorney, R. M., Hyde, J. B., Davis, Courtney, & Clinkhammer, A. C. (2023). Patterns and impacts of cyanobacteria in a deep, thermally stratified, oligotrophic lake. AWWA Water Science (2023).DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1326
Additional Publications
In addition to the direct publications and products from the Pilot, additional works relating to HABs research or publications that have used data from this study are presented below.
Foster, G.M., Graham, J.L., Bergamaschi, B.A., Carpenter, K.D., Downing, B.D., Pellerin, B.A., Rounds, S.A., and Saraceno, J.F., 2022, Field techniques for the determination of algal pigment fluorescence in environmental watersโPrinciples and guidelines for instrument and sensor selection, operation, quality assurance, and data reporting: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 1, chap. D10, 34 p.,https://doi.org/10.3133/tm1D10.
Gifford, S., Stouder, M., and Beaulieu, K., 2023, Imaging Flow Cytometry Data for Live and Preserved Phytoplankton Samples from Owasco and Seneca Lakes, Finger Lakes Region, New York, 2020: U.S. Geological Survey data release,https://doi.org/10.5066/P9D0QAB1. (in approval)
Gifford, S.R., St. Amand, A., Graham, J.L., Foster, G.M., Sauve, C., Clark, D., and Schroeder-Larkins, H., 2023, Comparison of Imaging Flow Cytometry and Traditional Microscopy for Freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom Detection Submitted to Lake and Reservoir Management. (In Journal Review).
Johnston, B.D., Graham, J.L., Foster, G.M., and Downing, B.D., 2022, Technical noteโPerformance evaluation of the PhytoFind, an in-place phytoplankton classification tool: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2022โ5103, 36 p.,https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20225103.
Legleiter, Carl J., Tyler V. King, Kurt D. Carpenter, Natalie C. Hall, Adam C. Mumford, Terry Slonecker, Jennifer L. Graham, Victoria G. Stengel, Nancy Simon, and Barry H. Rosen. "Spectral mixture analysis for surveillance of harmful algal blooms (SMASH): A field-, laboratory-, and satellite-based approach to identifying cyanobacteria genera from remotely sensed data." Remote Sensing of Environment 279 (2022): 113089.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2022.113089
Stouder, M.D.W, Boyer, G.L., Carpenter, K.D., D'Angelo, E., Gorney, R.M., and Rosen, J.J., 2024, Cyanotoxin Concentrations in Extracts from Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking (SPATT) and Diffusive Gradients in Thin-Films (DGT) Samplers in Owasco Lake, Seneca Lake, and Skaneateles Lake, Finger Lakes Region, New York, 2019: U.S. Geological Survey data release,https://doi.org/10.5066/P9OZR89E. (In Review).
Stouder, M.D.W., Rosen, J.J., Gorney, R.M., Carpenter K. D., Boyer, G. L., Graham, J. L., May, A. N., Finkelstein, K.M., Beaulieu, K.M., and Stelzer, E.A. 2023c. Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking as an Indicator of Cyanotoxin Occurrence in the New York Finger Lakes. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report. (In Development.)
