Project & Programs

Our Focus: Science, Stewardship, and a Cleaner Seneca

Pure Waters leads a variety of programs designed to monitor, protect, and improve the health of Seneca Lake. From tracking algae blooms and invasive species to promoting lake-friendly living and supporting stream and watershed projects, these initiatives are the heart of our mission to keep the lake clean, safe, and sustainable.

Our Projects & Programs

CSLAP

The Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) is a lake monitoring and education program that is managed cooperatively with the DEC. Through this program four sites are monitored 4 times each season, near surface and at depth. Water quality degradation is seen over time from oligotrophic (pure and clear) to mesotrophic (more productive with more algae and weeds). Sampling helps identify long term trends and evaluate lower water quality areas of the lake.

HABs

Our Harmful Algae Bloom (HABs) program is in place to protect the safety of lake users. Over 120 dedicated volunteers monitor more than 80% of our shoreline for algal blooms from May through October. This program supports:

  • An on-line alert system and information on our senecalake.org website
  • Weekly water quality updates with bloom information published weekly during HABs season
  • Partnerships with Finger Lakes Institute and Hobart for research programs

LAKE FRIENDLY LIVING

The Lake Friendly Living (LFL) program provides education and resources for residents to apply lake-friendly practices at home. This program includes:

  • Lawn signs to show support
  • Outreach to communities to help implement LFL techniques
  • Partnership with the Lake Friendly Living Coalition of the Finger Lakes
  • Annual LFL Awareness month in May with a variety of webinars and outreach to the Finger Lakes region

INVASIVE SPECIES

We partner with the Finger Lakes Institute to monitor for invasive species in numerous locations around Seneca Lake. This is primarily done through “Rake Toss” sampling and boat launch stewardship. Both allow us to collect plant life that represents the ecological balance of the lake. This program provides us with an ongoing database of invasive and natural plant species. Our primary concern at the moment is Hydrilla, now a major problem in Cayuga Lake.

SEDIMENT & NUTRIENT REDUCTION PROGRAM

The SNPR program for Pure Waters encourages “best management practices” – or BMPs –  in our watershed on agricultural and municipal properties. The program relies on generous giving to offer matching dollars for grants.

Much of the work in this program is ongoing with support from county Soil & Water Conservation Districts, our Seneca Lake Watershed Steward, and watershed municipalities.

STREAM MONITORING

Because of Seneca Lake’s volume, it can be challenging to observe small changes in water quality. Our stream monitoring program allows us to monitor the quality of the water flowing into the lake.

Volunteers identify local issues, track the success of remediation projects, and measure bacteria and nutrient levels. This is particularly important after storm events. The stream data we collect is made public through a partnership with Community Science Institute.