Oakdale Lake

 
 

Oakdale Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in Columbia County And a wonderful resource for swimming, boating and fishing.

Oakdale Lake is only open for public swimming when lifeguards are on duty. It is now closed for the season and will reopen Memorial Day Weekend, 2026.

Oakdale Lake Water Quality

Since 2019 Friends of Oakdale Lake has undertaken research and environmentally sustainable mitigation techniques to improve Oakdale Lake. Starting in 2025, they merged their work with Friends of Hudson Youth to continue responsible stewardship of the lake and surrounding park.

Friends of Oakdale Lake have raised over $200,000 for beach infrastructure, solar aerators, and water testing. Their in depth findings are available as a full ecological study of the lake and as  a video presentation. Here’s a summary of what we have learned:

The Facts

Oakdale Lake is safe for recreation. Like many small lakes, it’s “eutrophic” – nutrient-rich, supporting fast-growing plants and algae. This is normal and manageable.

Most algae in the lake is harmless. We had a harmful bloom in 2024 (like many regional lakes), but we monitor closely and alert the public to any risk.

How we know THIS

Great Ecology and Friends of Oakdale Lake did four years of seasonal citizen-science water testing and studied the lake’s population of plants and bottom-dwelling creatures. They used AQUATOX, a model that simulates lake health, with data from Oakdale.

What We Found

  • Phosphorus–a nutrient that fuels algae–is high but more stable than two years prior.

  • Even with 2024’s harmful algae bloom, algae levels remain lower than during testing in 2020.

  • The population of plants and creatures suggest a need for more oxygen in the lake.

Key Interventions

  • Solar powered aerators installed to increase oxygen levels

  • Submerged aquatic vegetation harvested to manage plant growth

What’s Next

With continued funding, recommendations include:

  • Adding a fountain to the swim area to increase oxygen and break up algae mats.

  • Exploring future options like green infrastructure and algae treatments, if needed.

  • Ongoing water sampling and monitoring.

The Bottom Line

Oakdale Lake is safe and worth protecting. Eutrophic lakes thrive with proper care and with community support, Oakdale will remain a healthy place to swim, fish, and enjoy.

Major funding to improve Oakdale Lake was provided by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, with technical support from Columbia Land Conservancy and Great Ecology.