Summary
How to read this report:
This goal of this report is to answer the common question, “How is
Canada Lake doing?” As there is more than one way to answer this
question, the report has been broken down into six sections, described
below, to give a comprehensive understanding of the waterbody’s
condition.
For a detailed summary of the data sources and analyses used to
generate this report, see the 2023
Lake Reports Data Sources and Analyses.
For information on water ecology, monitoring, and management
throughout New York State, see Diet
for a Small Lake: The Expanded Guide to New York State Lake and
Watershed Management.
Evaluated Data
New York State lakes are classified to reflect their best uses (e.g.,
water supply, recreation, and/or fishing) and data are evaluated against
water quality standards to determine if water quality conditions support
these best uses. The assessment of the lake is published in the
waterbody
segment factsheet and the select data used to derive this evaluation
are reported in the Evaluated Data tab of this report.
Trophic State
Trophic state refers to the overall biological productivity of a
waterbody. Very productive waterbodies can have plants, animals, and/or
algae that grow to nuisance levels. Therefore, trophic state is a
measure of lake water quality used worldwide. The trophic parameters are
reported in this tab and contextualized with trend calculations and
statewide distribution plots.
HABs
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a concern in freshwater systems
worldwide. Several types of HABs also have the ability to produce toxins
which can pose health risks. Exposure to any HABs can cause health
effects in people and animals. This is true regardless of toxin levels.
This tab summarizes the occurrence and frequency of public HAB reports
to NYHABS on this waterbody.
Invasive Species
Introduced, non-native organisms can pose a nuisance to human use
and/or harm ecosystem health of a waterbody. This tab provides a
comprehensive list of invasive species, reported to iMapInvasives, for this
waterbody.
Depth Profile
A depth profile is a set of in-situ measurements collected vertically
at the deepest point of the waterbody. Depth profiles are a valuable
tool used to understand how conditions change with depth. Vertical
profile plots are given in this tab for each profile parameter collected
in this waterbody.
Other Parameters
Additional parameters are analyzed in order to understand properties
of the waterbody that aren’t related to the topics above. These may
include other nutrients, minerals, and salt that do not have applicable
water quality standards. Results from these parameters are reported in
this tab and contextualized.
Data
All data available for this waterbody are reported in the Data tab.
The first table provides a comprehensive list of all the locations that
have been sampled. The second table provides the parameter data
collected at these locations. Finally, the third table provides a
complete list of public HAB reports for this waterbody.
Evaluated Data
Each lake in New York State is classified to reflect the best uses of
the lake. The NYSDEC water quality assessment determines whether these
best uses are being supported by the lake’s water quality conditions.
The lake’s assessment is published in the
waterbody
segment factsheet . Assessments are updated during even years and
the most recent published assessment considers data collected 2011-2021.
Data collected after 2021 are not reflected in this tab.
The following plots display the NYSDEC data evaluated according to
the (NYS
Water Quality Standards). These evaluations are used to determine
the waterbody assessment according to the (Consolidated
Assessment and Listing Methodology).
How to read these plots: Each circle represents a
single observation on the waterbody, unless labeled annually averaged.
Black points are excursions of the
Water
Quality Standards and grey points are not. The plots are split into
four sections for each parameter; from left to right: the first section
shows annual data; the next section shows seasonal data; the next
section shows the statewide distribution with the median for this lake
displayed as a horizontal bar; the last section of text explains the
legend for that plot, a brief description of the parameter, the median
measurement, and a decadal trend statement. Asterisks indicate
statistical significance (p<0.05). The title on the y axis, tells
which group each parameter belongs to. The x-axis describes the year of
observation on the left, and the month on the right. The parameters
sampled may vary from year to year depending on the focus of the
sampling program.
Fishing
There are no data to complete an assessment of the Fishing use for
Canada Lake. Parameters sampled by NYSDEC to evaluate this use are
dissolved metals (aluminum, arsenic, copper, nickel, and zinc as well as
hardness for specific standards calculations), nutrient parameters
(ammonia, Total Nitrite dissolved solids, as well as pH and temperature
for specific standards calculations), and in situ parameters (dissolved
oxygen, pH) according to SOP
203. Although this is the standard sampling suite used by NYSDEC, it
is not a comprehensive list of all water quality standards applicable to
fishing best use.
Trophic State
Trophic state refers to the overall biological
productivity of a waterbody. Nutrient supply, light availability,
regional climate, watershed characteristics, and lake morphology
influence a waterbody’s trophic state. Based on the amount of overall
productivity, waterbodies are classified into three main categories:
oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and eutrophic. Chlorophyll A, total
phosphorus, and secchi depth are used as
indicators to determine trophic state classifications according
thresholds defined in SOP
203.
The trophic state of Canada Lake is
Oligotrophic.
Oligotrophic lakes carry low levels of nutrients and
have less productivity. These lakes are often clear, cold, and have high
oxygen levels.
Mesotrophic lakes are an intermediate classification
between oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes. They contain a moderate amount
of nutrients and support a healthy, diverse population of aquatic
plants, animals, and algae.
Eutrophic lakes carry high levels of nutrients and have
high productivity. These lakes may support an overgrowth of aquatic
plants and/or algae. They are typically murky, warm, and have low oxygen
levels.
How to read these plots: Each circle represents a
single observation and is colored to highlight oligotrophic (green),
mesotrophic (yellow), and eutrophic (red) conditions. The plots are
split into four sections for each parameter; from left to right: the
first section shows annual data; the next section shows seasonal data;
the next section shows the statewide distribution with the median for
this lake displayed as a horizontal bar; the last section of text
explains the legend for that plot, a brief description of the parameter,
the median measurement, a decadal trend statement, and a statement over
the entire data record. Asterisks indicate statistical significance
(p<0.05).



HABs
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a
concern in freshwater systems worldwide. They generally consist of
visible patches of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, and may produce
toxins. Under conditions with adequate nutrient availability, warm
temperatures, and calm winds, cyanobacteria may multiply rapidly and
form blooms that are visible on a waterbody’s surface. Regardless of
toxin presence, HABs may pose health risks to people and animals through
pathways of ingestion, skin contact, or inhalation. NYSDEC documents the
occurrence of HABs through a public reporting platform called the New
York Harmful Algal Bloom System or NYHABS. Reports of HABs are confirmed
through visual confirmation by NYSDEC staff and published on this
platform. The NYHABS reporting platform opens to the public each
year in May and typically closes in November. Though this is the HAB
monitoring season, blooms may occur other times of the year. To
learn more about HABs visit NYSDEC’s HABs
page. To report a HAB during the HAB monitoring season visit the NYHABS
Notifications Page.
How to read this plot: The plot is a summary of HAB
reported observations. Each circle represents a confirmed HAB report and
the colors coincide with the observer estimated geographic extent of the
bloom. The season on the y-axis proceeds in an upward direction,
typically from June (bottom) through October (top).
There are no reported HABs in Canada Lake. Typically, a plot
describing bloom events and locations would be reported here.
Invasive Species
Invasive species refers to introduced, non-native
organisms that negatively impact an ecosystem. Rooted aquatic plants,
algae, animals, bacteria, viruses, and insects can all be invasive
species. The introduction of these organisms can adversely affect the
environment or human health. Predators, parasites, and diseases that
exist in these organisms’ native habitat control the fast-paced
reproduction and spreading that tend to occur in their introduced
habitat. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to New York
State’s biodiversity. They can be introduced and spread from
international trade, connected waterways, aquarium releases, boaters or
anglers who do not clean, drain, and dry their equipment correctly,
dumped bait, and a variety of other ways. To learn more about invasive
species visit NYSDEC’s Aquatic
Invasive Species page.
Invasive species have been reported in Canada Lake. This is the
specific list of observations in this waterbody. Some species may have
been eradicated since last reported. To report invasive species
observations, please visit
iMapInvasives.
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
Type
|
Brittle Naiad
|
Najas minor
|
Plant
|
Depth Profile
Depth profiles are measurements collected using an
in-situ probe across the vertical profile of a waterbody and typically
at the deepest location. The initial recording is taken at the surface
and is then lowered by a meter for each subsequent observation. A
measurement is taken at each interval until the probe is one meter off
the bottom. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, ORP, specific
conductivity, turbidity, chlorophyll A, and
phycocyanin measurements are collected through this
process. The data collected are a valuable tool used to understand how
conditions change with depth.
How to read these plots: Each colored line
represents readings collected on a specific date. Each circle on the
line represents a single observation collected from the profile of the
water column that day. The plots start at the surface (0 meters) and
work their way down the water column, with an observation at roughly
every 1 meter. The title on the x axis represents each parameter
collected from the depth profile.
Depth profiles were not collected from Canada Lake. Typically, the
vertical profile plots would be reported here.
Other Parameters
Additional parameters are analyzed to understand properties of the
waterbody.
How to read these plots: Each circle represents a
single observation on the waterbody. The plots are split into four
sections for each parameter; from left to right: the first section shows
annual data; the next section shows seasonal data; the next section
shows the statewide distribution with the median for this lake displayed
as a horizontal bar, if applicable; the last section of text explains
the legend for that plot, a brief description of the parameter, the
median measurement, and a decadal trend statement. Asterisks indicate
statistical significance (p<0.05). The colors of points within each
plot are specific to each parameter; refer to the descriptions on the
right-hand side of each plot for more information.












Data
Sample Locations
Results reported in the data tables were collected from the following
locations:
HAB Reports
There is no HAB data from Canada Lake. Typically, all data from
NYHABS for this waterbody would be reported here.