Lake Welch Beach To Open Memorial Day Weekend

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Lake Welch in Harriman State Park will fully open for the beach and picnic season this weekend with new measures in place to address harmful algal blooms.

Lake Welch sits within the 48,000 acres of Harriman State Park in the Ramapo mountains. It offers swimming, fishing, picnicking, hiking, boating and camping. Because it is located about 30 miles north of the George Washington Bridge, it is one of the state's most popular day-trip destinations for downstate residents; more than 15,000 people visit the park on peak weekends.

A lakewide HAB occurred at Lake Welch in mid-June last year and persisted until the fall, preventing the lake from being open for swimming or other recreational activities. SEE: Toxic Algae Bloom Closes Lake Welch Beach July 4th

"Lake Welch is in great shape and ready to go for the new season. After the Harmful Algal Bloom caused so much disappointment last year, we are taking proactive steps to minimize or mitigate a reoccurrence again this summer," New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said in the announcement. "While there is still much unknown about preventing HABs, we are hopeful these measures will help us better understand how to keep this popular recreational lake and beachfront safe and welcoming to the public for swimming, picnics and boating for generations to come."

New York has seen an increase in HABs across the state. Fueled by climate change, HABs are more likely to occur as temperatures rise. Warmer water allows the microscopic organisms to move more easily, allowing algae to float to the surface more quickly.

SEE: 'Explosive' Season For Toxic Algae Possible in 2023

The actions at Lake Welch include:

• reinstalling solar powered ultrasonic devices that can minimize or prevent HABs dependent on the bloom type and intensity. The ultrasonic devices also provide continuous monitoring of water quality data that can indicate if conditions in the lake are changing and a bloom may be forming. The devices were reinstalled in early May and will be removed at the end of the season
• installing a 2,100-foot-long boom to minimize the movement of a HAB bloom and allow for targeted treatment to occur. The boom will be removed at the end of the season.
• putting a contractor on stand-by to treat the lake with an algaecide to minimize the potential for a bloom to occur and provide treatment if a bloom does form.

Additionally, OPRHP is in the process of designing improvements to the wastewater treatment plant; stormwater runoff and drainage systems, the dam sluice gate and associated infrastructure to enhance performance, reduce nutrient levels and improve water quality in the lake.

Construction on these improvements is expected to begin soon.

“With summer just around the corner, we are looking forward to a fantastic season of swimming, picnicking, and boating at beautiful Lake Welch in Harriman State Park,” said Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird. “Thanks to significant investments by OPRHP, steps have been taken to reduce the risk of another HAB like the one that closed the Beach in 2022. We are grateful to our State Parks colleagues for recognizing the importance of Lake Welch as a recreational resource for tens of thousands of visitors each summer.”

For hours of operations at Lake Welch, click here.