Western NYers are being warned to avoid contact with outbreaks of harmful algal blooms at a number of waterways, including Hyde Park Lake in Niagara Falls, Tonawanda Creek, and Ellicott Creek. Some of these sites are in close proximity to dog parks, which means that pets would also be at risk.
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper has been keeping a closer eye on on these algal blooms in hopes of warning people of the dangers. Waterkeeper recently identified cyanobacteria at Hyde Park Lake (lead image). The Parks Department and the DEC were both notified, in order to warn park-goers (and their dogs) of the dangers of entering the water.
“We had 2 citizen reports of a potential bloom on Tonawanda Creek near the Bark Park. We have seen this in the past, but not this extreme. This was a euglena bloom (in various life stages). We are also notifying Parks about this one and will be following up with the admin folks of the Facebook group for the Bark Park to notify pet owners of the potential risk and to always avoid discolored water.” – Waterkeeper
Waterkeeper reported that Ellicott Creek has been experiencing multiple euglena blooms this year, which have been documented via this Water Reporter Map Specific. WNY residents can also visit bnwaterkeeper.org to learn more about the blooms that are now an ongoing problem in the region. Heavier and more frequent algal blooms are due to increasingly warmer, and stagnant, waters.
Learn more: bnwaterkeeper.org/harmful-algal-bloom