The Residents of Hudson Deserve Better Than This! Especially The Children!

So far this year, the water in the swimming area at Oakdale Lake is as unwelcoming as I have ever seen it.  Even as hot as it has been lately, I have had no desire to jump in to cool off.  I'm thinking that I am not the only one who feels this way.

Almost all of the algae on the surface of the lake is concentrated in the swimming area in front of the beach, most of it very close to the beach.  No one seems to be trying to clear the algae to make the lake look more inviting to swimmers and be more pleasant to be in, and the ropes on the surface are preventing the algae from getting out of the swimming area to the outlet, especially after a rain.   With a little more effort and a smart approach, the lake could look a lot better and attract more swimmers and those looking to cool down without being covered in algae and other gunk. ***

The Hudson Youth Department is responsible for the maintenance of the park, including the beach and the lake.  THE HUDSON YOUTH DEPARTMENT!

Why would anyone want to swim here?

Outside the designated swimming area

I used to swim in Oakdale Lake regularly and tell people it was great, even after a common response such as, "You swim in there, Bill?"  Not anymore.  Last year while swimming in the middle of the lake, the water literally smelled like rotten eggs.

Apparently, the NY State Department of Health (DEC?) tests the water at Oakdale every year before it opens up to the public, so I'm assuming there are no health concerns for swimmers.  Still, somehow all that algae has got to go!  It's not leaving on its own!

To compound the problem, often a short stick or two will partially clog the outlet, trapping algae in the lake days after a rain that could have washed all or most of it out.  When the surface of the lake at the outlet is clogged, the surface water of the entire lake does not move, allowing algae to accumulate.  This is a result of poor maintenance and no well-considered approach to keeping the lake as clean as possible for swimmers. Can we blame the Youth Department for not taking care of the lake?  No. Will the Youth Department make an effort to clean up the swimming area in time for summer camp? I hope so.  But if they do, one has to ask, "Why didn't you do this months ago?"

Over two years ago, I heard Mayor Kamal Johnson say that he was doing his best to create a Hudson Parks Department.  That was the first and last time I heard him mention this.  

*** Algae that does not get flushed out of the lake eventually dies and sinks to the bottom where it consumes oxygen, further killing the lake.  This is happening in Oakdale as a result of human intervention, not at all naturally.