According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, water quality in much of Cayuga Lake is good and meets standards for drinking and recreational uses. The exception, however, is the shallow south end of the lake.
It has sediment and nutrient loads, including phosphorus, from various sources that result in weed and algae growth. The DEC said current water quality standards for water supply use of the lake are being met, but this use is considered as “threatened.”
The lake and watershed have been the focus of ongoing monitoring and study by a number of groups, including the Finger Lakes Institute and the Community Science Institute.
