Rain, high temps put heat on park beaches
Sites closed by weather-related algal blooms
The beach at Moreau Lake State Park is back in business after being closed by potentially harmful algal blooms.
Crowds have been slow returning, which is fine by Rob Saltus and his young daughter, Hayden, of Wynantskill, who had the entire place to themselves Tuesday morning.
The peace and quiet was welcome, with no one around to disturb them.
“We come up every year,” Saltus said. “I’ve never seen it like this.”
The lake was closed last Friday for the second time this month. Water was put off limits a week earlier on Friday, Aug. 3 as well.
“The weather is causing it,” said park Manager Peter Iskenderian. “It’s the hot weather and rain. Algae is in every body of water in New York state in small levels. When you get weather like this, it makes it bloom, which is what we’ve got.”
At least a half-dozen state parks across New York have experienced similar problems this summer, although this is a first time algae has affected lakes in the CapitalSaratoga Region, he said.
“So it’s all new to us,” Iskenderian said. “Verona Beach, on the east side of Oneida Lake, had been closed all summer with it. They just opened back up this past weekend. They finally got a
clean test. But there’s six or seven other parks all over the state that have been closed, including one in the 1000 Islands.”
The National Weather Service in Albany says daynight temperatures have averaged 76.5 degrees since July 1, which is 4.7 degrees above normal. Plus, precipitation since Aug. 1 alone has totaled three inches, or 1.42 inches above normal.
Rain pulls nutrients on land into the lake, which promote algae, especially when water is warm.
There’s a possibility of thunder storms on Wednesday, and Friday is expected to be wet, too. But there’s at least some relief in sight as the weekend forecast calls for high temperatures in the mid- to high-70s, and clear skies.
The state Health Department urges people to avoid swimming, fishing or boating where algae blooms are present, and to rinse off if exposed to one.
“It does have health risks with it,” Iskenderian said. “It’s more risky for animals. Humans have to drink the water to really have a problem. But dogs don’t know any better. They drink the water, they lick themselves, so it’s more of a concern.”
Pet owners are urged to keep dogs leashed and not let them wade in lakes where algae blooms are present.
Iskenderian said the water is checked each morning. The beach reopened Saturday and two bus loads of children visited the park Monday for swimming.
Moreau Lake is one of the state’s busiest campgrounds, so Iskenderian is hoping for strong numbers the next few weekends to close out an otherwise good summer season.
The park’s beach is closed after Labor Day. But a new state policy was adopted last year that allows people to swim at their own risk, anywhere they want to in any state park body of water.
“People here swim off boats now, off paddleboards, at the boat launch,” Iskenderian said. “We have a camper’s beach across the lake, too.” GROWING AGAIN Later this year, the 4,500acre park is expected to grow by an additional 1,061 acres. Plans call for the Open Space Institute to purchase 900 acres on Butler Road in Moreau from Finch Paper LLC. The land, which includes a mile of Hudson River frontage, will then be transferred to the state.
This parcel will likely be used for bike and equestrian trails, once a master plan is developed and approved in the next couple of years.
In addition, the state recently purchased another 161 acres on top of Spier Falls Mountain with a goal of protecting the Palmertown Range. This property will become part of Moreau Lake State Park, too.
Previously, several hundred acres of Palmertown Range land was added to the park after nearby Mount McGregor Correctional Facility was closed.