If you spot a suspicious bloom or potential HAB: avoid it and report it! Anyone can make a report. The form will guide you through each step. Close-up and wide-view photos are required.  HABs can change dramatically within hours due to wind, weather, and water movement. Reporting a bloom as soon as possible gives the monitoring team the best opportunity to review conditions and, when appropriate, collect a sample.

What Happens After You Report?

Your report will be reviewed by Community Science Institute’s HABs Monitoring Program Coordinator who will:

•  Review your photographs to confirm if your observation is a HAB
• Contact you for additional information if needed

If they can confirm your report is a HAB based on the photographs, the Coordinator will:

• Add your observation to CSI’s public Cayuga Lake HABs database
• Share your HAB report with the New York State HABs reporting system
• Call on a trained volunteer to collect a water sample for laboratory analysis if the HAB is in a priority zone (determined by the local county health department)

Not every report will result in field sampling, but every report helps improve our understanding of bloom conditions around the lake.

Remember: When in doubt, stay out.

Because there is no visual way to determine whether a bloom contains toxins, always avoid contact with suspicious blooms.

If you or your pet comes into contact with a suspicious bloom:

• Rinse immediately with clean tap water.
• Contact a healthcare provider or veterinarian if symptoms develop.

Questions?

For questions about bloom reports or HAB monitoring, contact:

Community Science Institute
Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program
HABsHotline@gmail.com