You might be wondering: leaves are natural, so how can they be considered "litter" in our lake? When leaves fall in the woods, they naturally decompose and restock the soil with nutrients and organic matter. But what happens when those leaves land on hard surfaces like your streets and driveways, where they can’t be naturally absorbed by the soil? Here’s the short answer: They litter Swains Lake with excess nutrients. The Problem with Leaves and Runoff Without any natural soil to soak into,...

A cyanobacteria bloom has been observed at Swains Lake, please see below for details.     Waterbody Swains Lake, Barrington Status REPORT Issued 9/18/2025 Bloom Description (photos attached) Green flecks and ribbons of accumulations along the shoreline Cyanobacteria Taxa Dolichospermum Cyanobacteria Density (cells/mL) 106,800 Notes Bloom conditions were first observed along the southwestern shoreline on 9/16.   Please report through the Bloom Report Form if you observe bloom conditions...

Recently, we received some intriguing photos of "Green Filamentous Algae" from a resident of Mica Point. These photos were initially...