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 currently open every day, weather permitting, from 11am to 7pm through Monday Sept. 1st , 2025

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:

Facts

  • The lake is safe for recreation. There is nothing “wrong” with Oakdale Lake.

  • Like many small lakes, Oakdale Lake is “eutrophic,” which means too rich in nutrients, leading to fast-growing aquatic plants and algae. It needs care to stay healthy.

  • Almost all algae in the lake is not harmful. In 2024 we had a harmful algae bloom, as did many lakes in the region. We monitor for this and will alert the public to any risk.

How we know

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.

Outcomes

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

  • Even with last summer’s harmful algae bloom, algae levels were lower over the last two years than during testing in 2020.

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

Next Steps

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.

Conclusion

Oakdale Lake is safe to swim in and worth protecting. Eutrophic lakes can be balanced with care and attention. With continued community support and management, Oakdale Lake will remain a healthy, thriving place to swim, fish, and enjoy.

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