Cladophora in Seneca Lake
Cladophora is a type of stringy (filamentous) algae that grows on rocks, wood, logs, and other hard underwater surfaces in freshwater ecosystems, including the Great Lakes basin and Seneca Lake. While Cladophora serves beneficial ecological purposes in natural amounts, excessive growth can occur under certain conditions and result in undesirable or nuisance conditions. When a large amount of Cladophora detaches from the lake bottom, it can wash up along the shoreline and begin to decompose, potentially leading to unpleasant odors, an environment suitable for the growth of bacteria, and an unfavorable recreational experience.
What We’re Doing
Over the years we have received reports of nuisance Cladophora washing up along the shoreline. Often this has to do with the wind direction, and the areas where it washes up are not necessarily where it was growing.
Cladophora growth and distribution in the nearshore waters of the Great Lakes is being assessed by U.S. and Canadian agencies and researchers under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. This includes the role that nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and invasive Dreissenid (zebra and quagga) mussels play in promoting the growth of Cladophora.
Cladophora is a concern on the Great Lakes and the NYSDEC has a monitoring program for reporting it. We decided to start a reporting program for Seneca Lake as well, modeled after the DEC program. DEC staff met with us and was very helpful in sharing their resources and materials. We have developed a very similar survey tool for use here on Seneca Lake.
Seneca Lake Cladophora Survey
Learn how to identify cladophora and then fill out our simple online survey to help us trck its growth and locations around Seneca Lake.
Click here to view the PDF with step-by-step instructions on how to submit your Cladophora survey.
