In 2021, the Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) Monitoring Program received over one hundred reports of HABs on the shoreline of Cayuga Lake. Many concerned community members are taking action to help monitor and document the seemingly ever-increasing presence of HABs on the shoreline during the summer months. Below are pictures taken by ‘HABsRead more
With the 2021 Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) Monitoring Season coming to an end, please help us reach our HABs fundraising goal by sharing this fundraiser with you friends and neighbors! Your donation will help support the efforts of our dedicated ‘HABs Harrier’ volunteers who make this program possible, and our rapidRead more
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Community Science Institute, After 20 years of leadership, vision, and rigorous work to monitor and protect our local streams and lakes, CSI’s founding Executive Director, Dr. Stephen Penningroth, is preparing to transition away. The Managing Co-Director position is described, in brief, below and is now open for applications. TheRead more
Comments submitted by CSI Executive Director Stephen Penningroth, Ph.D., to NYSDEC (Comments on Draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Phosphorus in Cayuga Lake, New York, submitted on July 2, 2021; available on our Public Events and Presentations page) address the amounts of dissolved and particulate phosphorus that the Draft Total Maximum Daily LoadRead more
Have you seen or heard of harmful algal blooms (HABs)? These toxic blooms of cyanobacteria can present a risk to those who use and enjoy Cayuga Lake! In response to this water quality threat, the Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program was developed by the Community Science Institute (CSI) in collaboration with the Cayuga Lake WatershedRead more
The Community Science Institute presents an online Water and Community event:Patterns of Harmful Algal Blooms and Associated Toxins in Cayuga Lake: Findings from Three Years of Bloom Monitoring Saturday, February 27th 1:00 – 2:30 PM Free Online Webinar Registration is required. To register, email nathaniel.launer@communityscience.org Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) on Cayuga Lake are causing swimmingRead more
CSI is excited to present the Fall 2020 Edition of The Water Bulletin: The Newsletter of the Community Science Institute This edition of the newsletter highlights the work of CSI and a dedicated group of “HABs Harrier” volunteers who we have partnered with for each of the last three years to monitor harmful algal bloomsRead more
Our 2020 Membership Goal Read more
The Community Science Institute (CSI) is releasing a free 30 page booklet that guides kids and their families through exploring water quality in streams by looking at aquatic life. This “Water Quality Report Card” is intended to serve as both a field guide to recognizing some of the most common organisms found in streams, andRead more
2020 marks the third year that the Community Science Institute (CSI) has led the Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) Monitoring Program in collaboration with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network (CLWN) and Discover Cayuga Lake (DCL). The program is made possible by our dedicated volunteer HABs Harriers who monitor assigned lengths of shoreline for bloomsRead more
Join the Community Science Institute (CSI) for Fun and Educational Water Science Activities for Kids! To Sign Up for an Event, please Fill out the Form at the Bottom of the Page Stream Biomonitoring Fun at Upper Treman State Park Date: August 6 Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM Reservations are required and spaceRead more
Dear Volunteer Partners and Supporters, In the midst of COVID-19 cancellations and concerns, we would like to let each of you know CSI’s plans for cleanliness and community safety. In order to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend practicing social distancing, hand hygieneRead more
Last week, Biomonitoring Coordinator Adrianna Hirtler traveled around Cayuga Lake to collect samples of phytoplankton including cyanobacteria for analysis at CSI’s certified water testing lab. The ongoing survey is helping CSI build a better understanding of Cayuga Lake’s natural cyanobacteria populations, the photosynthesizing bacteria that form harmful algal blooms. During the survey, Adrianna traveled toRead more
Check out this new radio series presented by WRFI Community Radio! Entitled The Ripple Effect, this series investigates issues impacting water in the Finger Lakes region such as climate change, flooding, invasive species, and harmful algal blooms. It features CSI and the dedicated volunteers we partner with who help us monitor and protect water. YouRead more
The Northeast Chapter of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas (DSA) will be hosting its 2020 Dragonfly and Damselfly Nymphfest here in Ithaca! This day-and-a-half long event will include presentations from odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) experts, nymph identification workshops, and trips into the field to demonstrate nymph collection. The keynote speaker will be Marla Garrison,Read more
