On Sunday, June 17th, Cyanobacteria was found in the channel leading from Halls Bay.

The Vermont DEC was consulted and a crew was dispatched to contain the bloom with containment booms.

The Vermont Department of Health has posted signs to make property owners in that channel aware:

Until we are given the all-clear, please keep pets and children out of the water in the channel.

We have been told that it is naturally occurring - and that conditions were perfect for it to bloom there: lack of rain, temperature, water depth and lack of water movement.

We will keep you informed with any updates.

Additional information from the Vermont Department Of Health on Cyanobacteria can be read here: "CYANOBACTERIA (BLUE-GREEN ALGAE)". Please let us know immediately if you spot some.

From Vermont DEC Environmental Scientist, Angela Shambaugh:

"So long as there is visible cyanobacteria in the water, both in the inlet stream and anywhere along the lake shore where it empties into St. Catherine proper, everyone should be avoiding contact with them. Pets are also vulnerable, so owners should be keeping their pets out as well.

It is difficult to predict how long the bloom might persist in the stream. Lake surface blooms typically dissipate when wind and waves thoroughly stir the water. They can last for a matter of hours or for several days or weeks, depending on the conditions. Blooms in streams typically are moved out by increased flow. It doesn’t sound like you received much rain as a result of the storms earlier this week, so this bloom may persist until there is more water movement.

...I have no records of blooms on St. Catherine, so this may be an unusual event as a result of the dry and then hot weather we’ve experienced for the last few weeks."