Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection and Protection Division

05/01/2026

Harmful algal bloom observed on Cayuga Lake on April 23, 2026. This is the earliest reported HAB for Cayuga Lake. HABs generally start showing up in early July. Keep your eyes open and photo any blooms you may see. You can report them to NYS HABS, CSI Laboratory in Ithaca or send me an email at [email protected]
Below is the link to the news story

https://www.ithaca.com/news/regional_news/earliest-harmful-algal-bloom-on-record-confirmed-on-cayuga-lake/article_32c329e2-cce3-465b-ad48-e438501253e8.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=Ithaca-times-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

04/22/2026

We are having a lake friendly living on May 9th. It includes picking up roadside litter then meeting at Emerson Park to clean the beaches and then lunch. If you can't make it to Emerson Park, email a picture of the litter you collected, and I will put it on a picture board.
[email protected]

02/26/2026

01/07/2026

The importance of the Owasco Lake Watershed's nine-element plan; an article by Bill Foster (OWLA member)

https://auburnpub.com/life-entertainment/article_6662e44b-41bc-4771-8985-6fdcdef3d41c.html

11/07/2025

Owasco Lake Watershed Nine Element Plan for Phosphorous Reduction
This document is an overview of the various programs and projects that have been implemented since the adoption of the 9E Plan
Can be viewed at www.olwmc.org/news

10/23/2025

Water testing assistance program- Look into this if you have any questions about your drinking water.

09/29/2025

09/26/2025

This week on Owasco Lake, HABs were photographed with the typical green color accompanied by a dark brown portion. As if the HABs were not ugly enough before, now some are sporting a new Fall look. I e-mailed these photos to the NYS DEC HABs info for an explanation of the color differences. "The brown in the pictures is likely decaying algae". That is what I figured, the next stage in the life cycle of blue-green algae. Make sure to report your HAB photos at https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms/notifications. If you don't report it, it is like it didn't happen. If you need assistance making the report, I can help; [email protected]

04/01/2025

Moravia Spring Cleanup & Electronics Recycling Events-
Mark your calendars for the upcoming community cleanup events:
Spring Cleanup: April 26-27, 2025 – Help keep our village clean by disposing of unwanted household items.
Electronics Recycling Event: May 3, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM – Drop off old electronics for proper recycling and disposal.

02/05/2025

Registrations are officially OPEN for our 2025 Bob Brower Scientific Symposium. Join us for free at Auburn Public Theater or online via Zoom on Saturday, March 8th from 9am-12pm to discuss "Owasco Lake: At its Tipping Point." We've got an incredible lineup of speakers and are excited to welcome you to learn more about the state of Owasco Lake in plain English! Register for this free event via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-bob-brower-scientific-symposium-tickets-1135511989929