Song Lake algae bloom status

Song Lake algae bloom history

New York's Department of Environmental Conservation listed Song Lake as having a harmful algal bloom in 13 of the 14 years from 2012 to 2025.

In 5 years, a bloom here was confirmed with high toxin levels, the most serious category the state recorded (tracked from 2012 to 2018).

Blooms were confirmed by state staff in 13 years; in the other years they were reported as suspicious but not confirmed.

That puts Song Lake 10th of the 352 New York lakes on this site for the number of years with blooms.

When do algae blooms happen at Song Lake?

At Song Lake, reports are most often logged in May, June and July.

About 100% of reports fall between May and September, when warm, calm, sunny weather lets blue-green algae multiply.

Blooms can appear, move with the wind and fade within hours or days, so the time of year is only a guide.

Recent Song Lake algae reports

New York publishes one entry per lake for each season it appears on the bloom list, showing when it was first and last listed and its highest status.

What the New York results mean

New York sorts each bloom by how far it has been checked.

Suspicious bloom

Reported to the state but not yet confirmed as blue-green algae.

Confirmed bloom

State staff confirmed blue-green algae from photos or a sample. Avoid contact where the bloom is.

High toxins

Toxin levels high enough to be a health concern. Recorded separately from 2012 to 2018.

Is Song Lake safe for dogs?

Dogs are at the greatest risk from toxic algae. They swallow water while swimming, eat scum on the shore and lick algae off their fur afterwards, and a small amount can kill a dog within hours. With blooms recorded in 13 different years here, take particular care at Song Lake in May, June and July.

• Keep your dog on a lead near water that looks green, scummy, foamy or discoloured, and away from algae washed up on the shore.
• If your dog gets in, rinse it straight away with clean water and don't let it lick its coat.
• Call a vet immediately if your dog vomits, drools, has diarrhoea, staggers, shakes or seems weak after being near the water.

Health effects of toxic algae

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can produce toxins that affect the liver, nervous system and skin. Swallowing water during a bloom can cause stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. Skin contact can cause rashes, and breathing spray from the water can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Children are at higher risk because they are smaller and more likely to swallow water.

How to spot a bloom

Toxic blooms can look like pea soup, spilled paint or green streaks on the surface, and they can also be blue, brown, white or red. Scum often collects along the shore downwind. If you can't see your feet in knee-deep water, or you aren't sure, stay out.

Don't drink untreated lake water, and don't boil it to make it safe: boiling doesn't destroy algal toxins. If you feel unwell after contact with the water, contact a doctor or Poison Control on 1-800-222-1222.

Nearby lakes with algae reports

• Tully Lake1 km away, 13 reports, last in 2025
• Otisco Lake14 km away, 9 reports, last in 2025
• Casterline Pond14 km away, 3 reports, last in 2022
• Lake Como17 km away, 4 reports, last in 2025
• Skaneateles Lake18 km away, 12 reports, last in 2025

All Cortland County lakes with algae reports

Questions about Song Lake

Is there algae in Song Lake right now?

Song Lake was on New York's harmful algal bloom list on 14 September 2025, with confirmed bloom status (1 report). New York publishes its data once a year, so for today's conditions check the NYHABS map and the signs at the shore.

When was the last algae bloom at Song Lake?

The most recent entry in New York's data is from 14 September 2025: a confirmed bloom.

Has Song Lake had toxic algae before?

Yes. Blooms are recorded in 13 of the 14 years from 2012 to 2025, most often in May, June and July.

Can dogs swim in Song Lake?

Keep dogs out of the water whenever a bloom is reported or the water looks green, scummy or discoloured. Dogs are the animals most often killed by algal toxins because they swallow water and lick their fur. If your dog swims in water that might have algae, rinse it with clean water and call a vet if it vomits, drools, staggers or seems weak.

Can you eat fish caught in Song Lake during a bloom?

If you keep fish caught during a bloom, health agencies advise removing the guts and liver and rinsing the fillets in clean water before cooking, because toxins collect most in the organs. Some agencies advise not eating fish from an active bloom at all, so follow local guidance.