Jason West, Wallkill River Watershed Alliance Director, 845-532-7584, wallkillalliance@gmail.com

Dan Shapley, Riverkeeper Water Quality Program Manager, 845-797-2158, dshapley@riverkeeper.org

NEW PALTZ – The Wallkill River Watershed Alliance and Riverkeeper have documented potentially Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in a section of the Wallkill River. Harmful algae may produce toxins that could pose a risk to people who come into contact with the water.

The public is urged to avoid contact with amy floating mats, scum or discolored water, particularly water that appears bright green or has bright green streaks.

Harmful algae of the genus Microcystis was first documented August 15 and 16, after analysis by Jillian Decker, Ph.D., of SUNY Rockland, and John Gotto, Ph.D., of SUNY Ulster. A bloom observed August 24 and today has the same visual appearance, and after consultation with Department of Environmental Conservation August 25, Wallkill River Watershed Alliance and Riverkeeper are warning the public to avoid contact with the water where bright green algae is visible.

Microcystis is one of three genera of freshwater cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) that are being tracked widely as sources of harmful algal blooms, such as those that have made headlines this summer in South Florida. Some strains of these harmful species can produce toxins that may be harmful to people, dogs or other pets, livestock and wildlife from ingestion, skin contact or inhalation. If people or pets are exposed to potential HABs, they should be rinsed off with clean water immediately. Health effects may include skin irritation, gastrointestinal problems or serious illness.

The algae bloom was visible from bank to bank in the vicinity of New Paltz, including Sojourner Truth Park and at the Carmine Liberta (Route 299) Bridge reconstruction site. It has been visible as far upstream as Gardiner and as far downstream as Rifton. Other public access locations within this section include the Village of New Paltz boat launch on Springtown Road, the Wallkill River Valley Rail Trail bridge crossing, the DEC boat launch in Town of Rosendale, Perrine’s Bridge Park in Town of Esopus, and several informal access sites used by anglers.

A similar harmful algal bloom was identified last year at this time. Conditions that lead to algae blooms such as this include high temperatures, slow or stagnant water, and excess nutrients in the water from sewage (both treated and untreated), and runoff of fertilizers from farms and lawns.

The Wallkill is used by the public in this region for a variety of recreation.

If you observe a suspicious algal bloom on the Wallkill River , please photograph it and send photos to wallkillalliance@gmail.com, and use the Wallkill River Watershed Alliance’s Harmful Algal Bloom reporting form to document and report it: https://www.riverkeeper.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wallkill-River-Watershed-Alliance_Harmful-Algal-Bloom-Monitoring-Program.pdf

The community science projects that made these Wallkill River observations possible are funded in part by the Environmental Protection Fund, via the Hudson River Estuary Program.

Riverkeeper blog posts on recent Wallkill River algae blooms:

Department of Environmental Conservation Harmful Algal Bloom page:

Department of Health Blue-Green Algae Page

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page on Harmful Algal Bloom-Associated Illnesses

Environmental Protection Agency page on Harmful Algal Blooms:

Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect the environmental, recreational and commercial integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries, and to safeguard the drinking water of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents.

The Wallkill River Watershed Alliance exists to restore the ecological health of the Wallkill River and its watershed. We want a Wallkill one can swim in, a Wallkill one can fish, and a Wallkill free of pollution. http://www.wallkillalliance.org/