Toxic Blue-Green Algae Closes Verona Beach

UPDATE 8/27/2020: NY State Parks reports Verona Beach is back open for swimming.

The Verona Beach State Park Swimming Area is closed until further notice.

On Wednesday, August 19th, the swimming area at Verona Beach was closed and will remain closed until further notice due to poor water quality with toxic levels of blue-green algae.

Latest Beach Results, Monday, August 24, 2020, in Central New York:

State Park beaches are closed under one of two categories when there is a known or anticipated risk to public health or safety. Parks.NY.Gov has listed Verona Beach as a category 1 health risk.

• Beaches with low rates of exceedance, satisfactory resample results within 24 hours, and/or wet sampling results. If these beaches are subject to an exceedance, they are immediately resampled. If other water quality factors are satisfactory at the time of resampling, the beach will remain open, and the closure decision will be deferred until the resample results are obtained. The beaches are closed following an exceedance if other water quality factors (such as current weather or beach water conditions) are not satisfactory.

Blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), is most abundant during hot weather in mid- to late-summer months. It grows and colonizes to form “blooms” that give the water a blue-green appearance, and it only takes a few mouthfuls of algae-contaminated water to kill people, pets, and livestock. Exposure to high levels of HABs and their toxins can cause diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, skin, eye or throat irritation, and allergic reactions or breathing difficulties. All blooms should be considered toxic.

The Verona Beach State Park's last failed its water test on July 21 for E.coli but remained open with a warning. After exceeding acceptable levels on July 22, the beach was closed but was cleared to re-open on Sunday, July 26.

Go here for the latest beach water test results.