A couple of anglers navigated the open water on lower Swan Lake on Monday, Sept. 28, 2025.
Like in past years, the back and forth of aquatic growth on Waverly and other Albany lakes has provided fodder for this blog over much of this summer. On a bike ride Monday I noticed yet another change.
The green carpet that covered Waverly Lake in early September was identified as Mexican water fern, a form of the species Azolla, and it was expected to dissipate with the autumn rains. Now that we’ve had a couple of days of light rain, chances are that conditions will soon change.
On Monday, I noticed there was still quite a bit of this Azolla stuff on the Swan Lakes, upstream of Waverly on Cox Creek.
But on Waverly Lake, the plant growth had all but disappeared from the middle of the lake, even before the rain. The Azolla was still concentrated near the shore, especially at the lake’s east and west ends.
In a Facebook post on Sept. 16, Albany Parks and Recreation tried to put the record straight regarding what’s been happening at Waverly Lake. You can look it up here.
Forgive me for dwelling on this subject as often as I do. But Waverly and those other little lakes and their condition are among the more interesting things you can see when touring our town on a bike. (hh)
A fountain kept a little area clear in this corner of upper Swan Lake on Monday, Sept. 28, 2025.
The Mexican water fern (Azolla) that covered Waverly Lake had mostly disappeared from the middle of the lake Monday.
Postscript: On Wednesday the Albany Parks Department reported that the Waverly Duck had broken loose from its anchor and drifted underneath the walkway alongside Salem Avenue. The parks crew planned to rescue it Thursday and store it over the winter, as usual. Parks Commission Chair Sharon Konopa said on Facebook the plastic foam sculpture would need some repair.
The Albany Parks Department posted this photo on Facebook Wednesday.
Love that duck! Hope it lives forever!