Learn about Cayuga Lake’s Ecosystem
Watershed Monitoring
Discover More About Cayuga Lake
Ensuring the health of our local ecosystem
Our work generates a good deal of basic data on lake water and biological trends. We also participate in several collaborative lake monitoring programs. However, we are primarily an educational organization. A number of excellent data resources and organizationals are listed below and we invite you to join us for one of our weekly LAKE MONITORING CRUISES throughout the season!
MACROPHYTE (LARGE PLANT) MONITORING AND EDUCATION
In 2011, Floating Classroom interns discovered Hydrilla verticillata growing in the Cayuga Inlet. Hydrilla has become a major concern in the Finger Lakes due to it’s invasive characteristics. Our crew has conducted numerous training events over the years, to educate Finger Lakes residents not only to the presence of invasive species, but also to encourage familiarity with all of our lake plants, both native and introduced. Our interns created a handy macrophyte plant ID booklet, suitable for printing and laminating. This is a series of two sided, 3 x 5 ID cards, one for each species. We put the cards on keyrings to make them easy to use when you’re out on the lake.
CITIZENS’ STATEWIDE LAKE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CSLAP)
Every year, dedicated volunteers conduct season long, biweekly assessments at five locations on Cayuga Lake. This is a true, scaled collaboration supported by NYS Department of Conservation, organizations at the regional level like the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, and individuals who care about our lake. DCL sponsors one of these CSLAP monitoring sites, at teh south end of Cayuga Lake, as an opportunity to get local youth and adults engaged in this important project. Click on the images below to see 2019 reports from far north, north, midlake, south and south shelf monitoring teams.
HAZARDOUS ALGAE BLOOM (HABS) MONITORING
DCL collaborates with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and Community Science Institute to support nearly 100 volunteers actively monitoring around Cayuga Lake!
DISCOVER CAYUGA LAKE
Lake Monitoring Cruise
If you really want to know more about the state of the lake, these cruises are for you. Each week, we’ll assess lake conditions and conduct sampling to tell the story. This is an opportunity to join citizen scientists (or become one!) and meet professionals from our partner organizations. Best suited for ages 13 and up.
Sundays at 2pm leaving from the Ithaca Farmer’s Market.
Call us for more details at 607-327-5253
Great Experiences with Discover Cayuga Lake
Our Mission
At Discover Cayuga Lake, our mission is to cultivate informed and equitable relationships between people and the watersheds upon which they depend and we do all this while providing memorable, breathtaking family, friend, and community experiences on the beautiful Cayuga Lake.
We’d Love to hear from you!
Connect
with Us
For Cruises & Charters:
booking@discovercayugalake.org
For Educational Programs:
education@discovercayugalake.org
HOME DOCK:
1000 Allan H. Treman Marina Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
OUR OFFICE:
110 N. Tioga St., Suite 303
Center for History & Culture
Ithaca, NY 14850