Rushford Lake Recreation District

Announcements:

• The RLRD has raised the lake level 4 inches to force water and algae over the top of the dam spillway.
  
  The water from Caneadea Creek (west) and Rush Creek (South) naturally flows to the dam. This forces the algae over the spillway and out of the lake. This will not remove algae that is in stagnant waters.

• The NYS DEC was contacted regarding algae blooms reported on Friday, July 11, 2025. The DEC provided the following guidance:

Don’t swim in the algae blooms, it can cause rashes and can otherwise irritate skin. 

Do not allow pets to drink from the lake water until the algae blooms pass, typically 24-48 hours. 

The Allegany County Department of Health is responsible for closing swimming areas at their discretion and thus far has not closed the public beach. 

See the links provided by the NYS DEC for additional information. 

https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms