Hague Brook, where the Lake George Association plans to stabilize the stream bank. (Click image to see full-scale.)
The Lake George Association has been awarded a total of $47,908 in grants by the Lake Champlain Basin Program for programs, projects and equipment for 2016. The grants will allow the Lake George Association to continue to protect Lake George water quality and to provide education for the future.
The largest of the grants totals $19,608 and will be used for major stream repairs – the LGA’s 2016 Project Focus. The two streams targeted with this grant money are Hague Brook and Jenkins Brook – both in the town of Hague. The work that the LGA is planning with our partners is expected to stabilize stream banks in order to prevent sediment and other material from entering Lake George and degrading the lake’s water quality. The stream repairs are also expected to improve fish habitats in both areas and allow fish to move farther upstream than is currently possible.
“Stream health is very important to Lake George,” said Randy G. Rath, Project Manager for the Lake George Association. “Maintaining or repairing the paths of streams and brooks – and stopping stormwater from eroding streambanks – keeps Lake George clear of runoff, sediment, and debris that can contaminate the Lake.”
The second grant – $14,300 – will help to pay for two Invasive Species Spread Prevention Education Interns. With a long history of educational outreach on invasive species, the Lake George Association plans to hire two interns for the season who will help educate visitors and the community about the threats of invasive species – and about ways the public can help prevent the spread of invasive species both on land and in the water.
“The Lake George Association understands the importance of spread prevention education,” said Kristen Rohne, Director of Education for the Lake George Association. “It’s something we have been doing for a long time as part of our mission
“We realize that the more visitors and residents know about the threats, the better they will understand how their everyday actions can protect the Lake as well as protect all of the surrounding water bodies,” Rohne said. “We expect that in addition to their own work, our invasive species interns will supplement the outreach and informational work being done by Lake George Park Commission’s Boat Inspection Program. The interns will be able to interact with visitors and residents away from the boat launches and increase awareness before the visitors even get to the shoreline,” she added.