A couple of weed harvesters are tied up next to the paddle boats on Waverly Lake on Tuesday evening, July 28, 2026.
On a bike ride last week, I could see why people were once again complaining on social media about the condition of Albany’s Waverly Lake.
Which made me stop and deliver this halting monologue:
But then today, Tuesday evening, July 28, 2026, I noticed that the lake was a little clearer. It seemed that way, anyhow.
And the reason may be that once again, the city parks people have engaged a company to use its “aquatic harvesters” to remove as much plant material from the surface of the lake as possible.
The two floating harvesters were tied up in the middle of the lake tonight, along with the city’s yellow duckling paddle boats.
On Facebook, Albany Parks and Recreation said last fall that the plant material covering the lake was not algae but azolla, also called water fern.
The city’s text said:
“Azolla is a nutrient rich plant that floats on the surface of the water that ducks and other birds like to feed on. Given that it floats on the surface, one good rain will likely wash it all out and downstream. In the meantime, this vegetation is providing shade that prevents further warming of the water which helps prevent actual algae blooms.”
This is the fourth summer that the city has hired a firm to clean the surface of the lake mechanically. Sooner or later, someone might come up with a more drastic or longer-lasting solution.
It’s been suggested that an accumulation of nutrients on the bottom of the 10-acre lake is fueling the annual problem with either algae or aquatic plants. In that case dredging might solve the problem, at least for a time. But how likely is it that the city council would budget for something as expensive as that?
In other news, people have noticed that the Waverly Duck is back after being refurbished. Now if only it could swim in a cleaner pool. (hh)
Here was the sprayfoam Waverly Duck on July 24, afloat again after being refurbished.
Well we did have a massive rain and it sure didn’t wash it all down! Just more bologna
I’m quite certain I saw someone wielding a box-cutter, making a 350-foot slash along the bottom of Waverly Lake, thereby damaging this most sacred property. Where is Jeanine Pirro when you need her?
Few years ago I tried to meet with some one in the city to give them some ideas on how they might keep the algae under control with barley straw. But they basically said that it wouldn’t work. Telly Wirth has a field of barley straw that could be available.
Wow…i had know idea it was this bad….maybe Trump will grant some money to claen it up…..never mind…
Hasso. We live on Horseshoe Lake in N. Albany, and we have had recurring problems with Azolla. We hired a firm from Washington, Aquatechnex, who came down and treated it. In the 20 years or so we have lived on the lake, it has been treated twice and seldom recurs. The cost is in the neighborhood of $10,000 per treatment. The city might be advised to look into this service.
Timber linn swan lakes and Waverly are all part of cox creek. Timber linn if 100% free of surface weed. Swan lakes are choked with the same weeds in which flows into Waverly. Therin lies the source of the weeds.
look forward to stories of messy lake. i set calendar by this. always know season of the year and month and nearly same day of month each year. this better than atomic clock to set watch by. thank you hasso and plants in lake. now i know it is summer in albany.
Back then, I suggested dredging the lake to remove the decades of accumulated silt, mud, and vegetation, then properly managing the water inflow and outflow to restore it as a healthy lake. Realistically, however, I understand that such a project would likely be too expensive for the city.
That led me to another thought.
Perhaps the city should consider rerouting the creek and allowing Waverly Lake to transition naturally into a meadow. Instead of continually fighting the lake’s decline, the area could become an attractive public green space requiring far less maintenance than dredging and aquatic vegetation control.
A “Waverly Meadow” could provide a beautiful place for families and visitors to enjoy picnics, walk their dogs, fly kites, toss a Frisbee or football, watch birds and other wildlife, take photographs, or simply relax under the open sky. Children would have room to run and play, and the meadow could include walking paths and benches for those who simply want a peaceful place to enjoy nature.
The city would no longer face the enormous expense of trying to reclaim the lake. Instead, routine mowing and basic park maintenance could create an attractive community gathering place that residents could enjoy for generations.
Since environmentalists promote a “back to nature” aspect to the planet such as dam removals etc. isn’t it morally demanding that we restore it to its original state?
FILL IN THE HOLE!