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Harmful algal blooms found in several WNY lakes

Posted at 6:18 PM, Jul 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-11 18:18:13-04

“I love it here,” said Noble Corp of Java Lake in Arcade. Corp's made a lot of memories on the lake over the years. “This is beautiful. This is what I come down here for.”

He said harmful algal blooms have plagued the lake for years. This year included. Although he doesn't let it stop him from going for a swim. “I've never been sick from the water. It's a lake. I mean, you come here to swim. That's been lost in the world,” he explained.

The harmful blooms looks similar to pea soup, spilled paint, or a bubbling scum. Experts said you should avoid contact if you see it. Otherwise, contact can result in a skin rash, or stomach irritation. 

Last week, harmful algal blooms were also detected in Chautauqua Lake in Chautauqua County. But the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said the blooms haven't been found in any other lakes in the area. That includes Lake Erie where it has never been detected on New York’s shoreline since the D.E.C. began tracking the data in 2012. Although, representatives said the harmful blooms are possible there. “Certain weather conditions like hot days, calm weather, non-windy days are conditions where you’re likely to see a bloom appear,” Rebecca Gorney explained. She heads the Harmful Algal Bloom Program statewide.

Once present, the D.E.C. said they typically go away on their own as temperatures cool or it rains.
It doesn't post any warning signs if the harmful blooms are detected. Instead, it relies on its website to inform the public. For more information, click here.