Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Quality topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Researchers report no long-term increase in Lake George surface chlorophyll
Summary
Researchers with a long-term monitoring program told the park commission that surface chlorophyll — their proxy for algal biomass — shows no clear multi-decade upward trend in Lake George, with 2024 values in line with the long-term average.
A researcher from a freshwater research institute told the park commission that Lake George shows no long-term increase in surface chlorophyll, a standard proxy for algal biomass, and credited decades of local protections for maintaining water clarity. "There is no trend in chlorophyll in the lake," the presenter said, noting long-term summer chlorophyll averages around 1.5 micrograms per liter and that the 2024 field season mean was about 1.4 µg/L.
The presenter cautioned that surface stability does not mean the lake has no risk: the south end of the lake shows higher nutrients and nearshore differences, and the institute's depth-resolved sensors reveal much algae is concentrated in deeper layers. He said long-term monitoring since 1980 and newer sensor data together shape the institute's view of lake condition and help target future work.
