Welcome to the Otsego Lake Association
Our Mission
The mission of the Otsego Lake Association is to educate, advocate, and actively participate in protecting the health, beauty, and well being of Otsego Lake by facilitating the implementation of the Otsego Lake Watershed Management Plan.
Real time data from the
Automated Monitoring Buoy located offshore near 5-mile point. OLA helps support the buoy project.
Between around November and April, data below does NOT reflect the current condition of Otsego Lake. Data may be transmitted sporadically for near-shore data collection and/or equipment testing.
Disclaimer: Yokota Lab at SUNY Oneonta/Biological Field Station is providing this data "as is," and Yokota Lab and its affiliates cannot be held responsible, nor assume any liability for any damages caused by inaccuracies in this data or documentation, or as a result of the failure of the data or software to function in a particular manner. Yokota Lab and its affiliates make no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or utility of this information, nor does the fact of distribution constitute a warranty. Real-time data have not been subjected to quality control or quality assurance procedures. Timely delivery of data and products through the Internet is not guaranteed. Before using information obtained from this applet, special attention should be given to the date and time of the data and products being displayed.
Update (11 Apr 2023):
Thanks to the BFS Volunteer Dive Team and OLA, despite two major challenges that were dished out to us at the last minute including the continued unavailability of the 37-foot BFS pontoon Anodontoides, the Otsego Lake Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy (CLMB) was deployed on 7-9 April 2023. The lack of a large vessel with a flat deck meant that we had to break up the work over 3 days, and the SCUBA divers had to work harder for a longer time in cold water. The newly acquired Airmar 200WX weather station is now reporting wind direction and speed, thanks to the generous funding by OLA and the School of Sciences at SUNY Oneonta. If you are enjoying the real-time Otsego Lake data applet above, please consider supporting the operation and maintenance of the CLMB for the 2023 season and beyond through OLA. Due to the recent buoy system upgrade, starting in 2024, Yokota Lab will need to maintain a $1500/year data service subscription to keep this buoy data applet available to the public, and we are exploring funding sources.
Water samples were collected on Tuesday, Aug. 27 from both mid-lake/open water and shoreline locations for Total Microcystins analysis. Results are provided below for informational purposes; the BFS is not an ELAP-certified laboratory.
Background Information: Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can produce compounds that are toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. Microcystis aeruginosa is the cyanobacteria currently causing intermittent bloom conditions in Otsego Lake; toxins of the class Microcystins have been detected in association with its growth (learn more here:
https://www.epa.gov/.../learn-about-harmful-algae...). We have received questions about the toxin concentrations we report and what they mean; explanation of Dept. of Health, Dept. of Environmental Conservation and US EPA guidance are included below. See the respective agency websites for complete information.
In summary: Isolated shoreline bloom conditions were reported several days this week, forming later in the afternoons at locations along the western shore and north end of Otsego Lake. Toxins are present lake-wide (open water and near shore) and have increased slightly since last week in most areas, reflecting the continued growth of the cyanobacteria in the surface layer of the lake. General precautions are given below. If you see suspicious conditions, report it to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation HABs Program via the online report tool.
Results Update: Total Microcystins in micrograms per liter, or parts per billion (ppb)
Open Water (Mid-Lake) Sites
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Site & Depth
MC (µg/L)
Near Data Buoy (TR4-C) Surface
0.51
- 4m / 13 ft
0.42
- 8m / 26 ft
0.26
West of Hyde Bay (TR5-C) Surface
0.54
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
MC (µg/L)
Fairy Springs Swim Dock
0.60
Lakefront Village Dock End
0.20
Cooperstown Country Club Dock
- -
BFS Main Lab
- Dock End
0.22
- Dock, South side
0.30
Three Mile Point Swim Dock
- -
Otsego Sailing Club
- Swim Dock, South side
0.42
- Swim Dock, North side1
0.50
5 Mile Point
- Dock, East end
0.27
- Between shore & docks
0.22
BFS Thayer Boathouse
- Dock End
0.43
- Slight Surface Accumulation
0.43
Springfield Public Landing
- Swim Dock
0.27
- Shoreline debris patch2
0.32
1surface debris and foam
2patch brown; seems to be dead Microcystis
Analytical Method: Total Microcystins ELISA (ADDA) via CAAS Cube, according to EPA Method 546. Method detection limit 0.1 µg/L.
General Precautions:
Avoid discolored or cloudy water, green streaks, foamy accumulations, etc., as these areas may contain cyanobacteria and the associated toxins. Pets are particularly vulnerable. Lake users should use caution and check the water conditions prior to use, as bloom conditions are known to change quickly. Keep watch along the shoreline and at the surface in protected areas (boat slips, small coves, etc.). Do not use untreated surface waters for domestic use; during blooms, surface waters treated with individual home treatment systems should not be used for domestic use (see the Dept. of Health page
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2849/index.htm).
Perspective on Toxin Concentrations: Total Microcystins Guidance
Recreational Contact: In New York State, Regulated Swimming Beaches are closed based on visual indication of a bloom and can be re-opened after the bloom has dissipated (visual assessment) and the total microcystin concentration is less than 4 µg/L in a sample collected the following day. Link to Dept. of Health Bloom Response and Regulated Beaches page.
Drinking Water Health Advisory Levels for Microcystins (Based on US EPA Guidance).
Adverse health effects are not anticipated to occur over 10-day exposures when concentrations in drinking water are less than:
-Bottle-fed infacts & pre-school children: 0.3 µg/L
-School-age children and adults: 1.6 µg/L
For More Information:
Holly Waterfield, CLM
SUNY Oneonta Cooperstown Campus
Biological Field Station Main Laboratory
5838 State Hwy 80
Cooperstown, NY 13326
INFORMATION ON OTSEGO LAKE AND CYANOBACTERIA
Background Information: Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can produce compounds that are toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. Microcystis aeruginosa is the cyanobacteria currently causing intermittent bloom conditions in Otsego Lake; toxins of the class Microcystins have been detected in association with its growth (learn more here:
https://www.epa.gov/.../learn-about-harmful-algae...). We have received questions about the toxin concentrations we report and what they mean; explanation of Dept. of Health, Dept. of Environmental Conservation and US EPA guidance are included below. See the respective agency websites for complete information.
Summary for Week of Aug. 26: Isolated shoreline bloom conditions were reported several days this week, forming later in the afternoons at locations along the western shore and north end of Otsego Lake. Toxins are present lake-wide (open water and near shore) and have increased slightly since last week in most areas, reflecting the continued growth of the cyanobacteria in the surface layer of the lake. General precautions are given below. If you see suspicious conditions, report it to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation HABs Program via the online report tool.
General Precautions:
Avoid discolored or cloudy water, green streaks, foamy accumulations, etc., as these areas may contain cyanobacteria and the associated toxins. Pets are particularly vulnerable. Lake users should use caution and check the water conditions prior to use, as bloom conditions are known to change quickly. Keep watch along the shoreline and at the surface in protected areas (boat slips, small coves, etc.). Do not use untreated surface waters for domestic use; during blooms, surface waters treated with individual home treatment systems should not be used for domestic use (see the Dept. of Health page
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2849/index.htm).
Perspective on Toxin Concentrations: Total Microcystins Guidance
Recreational Contact: In New York State, Regulated Swimming Beaches are closed based on visual indication of a bloom and can be re-opened after the bloom has dissipated (visual assessment) and the total microcystin concentration is less than 4 µg/L in a sample collected the following day. Link to Dept. of Health Bloom Response and Regulated Beaches page.
Drinking Water Health Advisory Levels for Microcystins (Based on US EPA Guidance).
Adverse health effects are not anticipated to occur over 10-day exposures when concentrations in drinking water are less than:
-Bottle-fed infacts & pre-school children: 0.3 µg/L
-School-age children and adults: 1.6 µg/L
For More Information:
Otsego Lake Clean-up
Thank you to everyone that made this event possible.
Annual Gathering Saturday August 10th, 2024
HAB's Detected
From the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station.
A bloom of cyanobacteria (“blue-green algae”) was detected on Otsego Lake at the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse (~6 Mile Point, near Sunken Island) around 9:30 am on July 10, 2024, reported by Paul Lord. It was later confirmed by Kiyoko Yokota to be composed of Microcystis aeruginosa, the same species as in the 2022 and 2023 cyanobacterial blooms or cHABs (cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms) in Otsego Lake. Samples have been collected for in-house microcystins (a type of toxins produced by cyanobacteria) testing at BFS, results will be available on or after July 15.
Lake users should use caution and check the water conditions prior to use, as bloom conditions are known to change quickly. Keep watch along the shoreline and at the surface in protected areas (boat slips, small coves, etc.). Avoid discolored or cloudy water, green streaks, foamy accumulations, etc., as these areas may contain cyanobacteria and the associated toxins. Pets are particularly vulnerable. At the time of shoreline sampling HAB conditions were present or developing at 5 Mile Point and the Thayer Boathouse in protected areas around the docks and shoreline.
If you see suspicious conditions, report it to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation HABs Program via the online report tool.
For context with regard to swimming areas, according to the Department of Health, Regulated Swimming Beaches are closed based on visual indication of a bloom and re-opened after the bloom has dissipated (visual assessment) and the total microcystin concentration is less than 4 ug/L in a sample collected the following day. Link to Dept. of Health Bloom Response and Regulated Beaches page.
Boat Parade
Another great boat parade on July 3rd! We estimated that over 20 boats actually participated in the parade with many more just observing.
Thank you for everyone that participated.
The winners are as follows.
Photo credit: Tina Claiborne (daughter of Scottie Baker).
1st place. The Mohican
2nd place. Barb LaCorte
3rd place. Melissa Barry
4th. The Chase Family.
No-Wake Zone Buoys
SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station (BFS) Volunteer Dive Team, with support from Otsego Lake Association, Cooperstown, NY (OLA) and the Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) successfully completed the spring deployment of no-wake-zone buoys (NWZBs) around Otsego Lake shoreline on May 24 2024 (Fri), before the anticipated heavy boat traffic over the Memorial Day weekend. These buoys are important for the safety of swimmers and paddlers as well as the reduction of shoreline erosion that washes sediment and associated nutrients into the lake, which can fuel harmful cyanobacterial blooms. SCUBA divers removed the cone-shaped, ice-resistant winter spar buoys from the underwater anchor chains and re-attached the bigger and heavier marker buoys.
Please watch out for these NWZBs marking the 200-feet no-wake-zone from the shore. The 200-feet band encircles the entire Otsego Lake.
If you observe any damage to the NWZBs (marked with "SWCD"), please contact SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station immediately at 607-547-8778 or email mailto:Kiyoko.Yokota@oneonta.edu
The Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy (CLMB) on Otsego Lake was re-deployed on May 14-15, 2024 after a delay due to some parts being on backorder since January. This work was made possible by the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Volunteer Dive Team and Otsego Lake Association, Cooperstown, NY (OLA). The BFS barge (the Anodontoides) is back in service this year and supported this deployment. Weather and water temperature data at 15-min intervals will remain visible to the public this season at https://otsegolakeassociation.org/ and http://employees.oneonta.edu/yokotak/YokotaLimnoLab/ , thanks to the generous grant from the Otsego Lake Sustainability Fund of Community Foundation of Otsego County. The general operation of the buoy is supported by the School of Sciences, SUNY Oneonta, OLA, Cooperstown Rotary Club, and the four municipalities that make up the Otsego Lake Watershed Supervisory Committee (Towns of Middlefield, Otsego, and Springfield, and the Village of Cooperstown).
Boaters - please watch out for this important research buoy, which provides high-frequency data for the Otsego Lake Nine Element Plan https://dec.ny.gov/.../water/water-quality/clean-water-plans , a long-term lake and watershed management plan as well as global lake and climate research projects.
Photo credit: Kiyoko Yokota
Photo credit: Peter Regan
Photo credit: Peter Regan
Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program
(CSLAP)
Happy to report that OLA’s inaugural 2023 CSLAP season was successfully completed on Tuesday 9/12 with the 8th and final sampling.
In addition to contributing to the NYSFOLA and DEC effort to survey NYS lakes the data collected fulfills part of what UFI specified in the Monitoring QAPP as needed for the CE-QUAL-W2 in lake modeling scheduled to commence in 2024.
An added bonus of the 8 sessions was that Kiyoko was able to join us and collect additional scientific data that will assist in the assessment of water quality in the lake.
Kindest personal regards,
Doug, Rhonda & Kiyoko
Ditching Presentation
Great presentation on "Erosion, Ditches, and Storm Sewers" here.
Before and After Harmful Algal Blooms: Long-Term Monitoring and Modeling in Otsego Lake
July 16th, 2023.
Annual “WE LOVE OUR LAKE” Decorated Boat Parade - Mon, July 3rd, 2023
By K. Wayne Bunn
Wow – another great boat parade on July 3rd! We estimated that about 30 boats actually participated in the parade with many more just observing. This year’s theme was “Our Glimmerglass Shines”. Despite the weather prediction of severe thunder storms just before the start of the parade, which kept many more boats from participating, we had the right combination of things again this year – no rain, warm temperatures, overcast skies, and no wind. Bagged candy, plus a decontamination kit with instructions on how to clean your boat, were given out to each boat in the parade. An OLA tote bag with OLA merchandise inside was given out to the top five winners as determined by the judges. The 2023 winners were Robert Nelsen and Van Ramsey, the Ed and Joan Badgley family, the Tom and Kathy Chase family, Barbara LaCourt, and Goeff Nye in his “flying boat”. The parade was led again this year by the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station’s barge, the “Anodontoides”, captained by OLA Board member Paul Lord. It was out of service last year for major repairs. A very special highlight this year was local resident Goeff Nye’s “flying boat” called the Buccaneer. It was our grand finale and created much excitement before, during, and after the parade.
The parade started at 3:00 PM off Three Mile Point and proceeded slowly down the westerly side of the lake and ended at Lakefront Park in Cooperstown at about 3:45 PM with many people observing from various locations along the shoreline. Go to OLA’s website (www.otsegolakeassociation.org) for photos of this year’s boat parade plus past boat parades.
We thank everyone who participated in the parade with special thanks to The Freeman’s Journal, allotsego.com, and The Daily Star for their wonderful coverage and photographs of the parade – both before and after the parade. We also thank the Otsego County Sheriff Department’s Marine Patrol for observing the parade for safety issues.
We look forward to another family oriented, fun-filled “We Love Our Lake” Decorated Boat Parade in 2024.
Around Springfield (Images of America) Book
The book can be purchased any Thursday morning between 10 and 12 at the Historical Society in the Springfield Community Center. And folks can see related exhibits!
Also, by mail. Send check ($30, includes shipping) to Springfield Historical Society, PO Box 57, Springfield Center, NY 13468.
Also available on the Arcadia website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble.
The book will also be available at OLA's 2023 Annual Gathering (see Events).
OLA's photo in the book is courtesy of Scottie Baker/Natura Productions. Photo by David Baker.
Here is the back story, just for fun: Somehow, National Geographic magazine heard about our antique wooden canoe interest and sent Peter Essick, N.G. photographer for a photo shoot for their issue on water. That was about 1983+-. It was decided that Goodyear Swamp with vintage canoe at sunrise late summer/early fall would be a good backdrop. The image is me in" Feather' my 1898 solo canoe on a very chilly morning. The shoot was to have lasted only a few minutes when the conditions were perfect. It so happened it lasted about an hour because the fog and light kept morphing into one gorgeous scene after another. It was upper 40's and my feet were literally frozen!! My husband Dave was shooting photos over the shoulder of Essick, and this is one of them. (We did not make it into the water National Geographic issue, but the experience was epic). Later in 2003 Scottie and Natura Productions produced the photo in poster/print format.....'and a light canoe floats like a feather' which were from the words of George Washington Sear's "Nessmuck".
New HABS Safety Website
BFS, Lake Organizations Announce
Otsego Lake HAB Testing Strategy
In addition to the BFS testing, the Otsego Lake Association announced it has joined the Citizens
Statewide Lake Assessment Program, run by the DEC and the New York State Federation of
Lake Associations. The partnership will provide Environmental Laboratory Approval Program certified water quality data to prepare a DEC Nine Element Plan for comprehensive lake and
watershed management. OLA members Rhonda and Doug Willies participated in the all-day
Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) volunteer training at Lake George in May and successfully completed preliminary
Otsego Lake sampling on June 5.
Read the entire article here.
Find out more about CSLAP here.
NYSFOLA annual newsletter contest.
Great news! OLA's "Our Glimmerglass" has won 1st Place in this year's NYSFOLA Newsletter contest for Medium Size Lake Associations at the Lake George conference - two years in a row! Congratulations to everyone who has made this possible. Remember you can read all of OLA's past newsletters on the publications page.
More News
Back to top.
