Category: Lake George

The Lake George Association is nearing completion of a major project at the Gull Bay Beach, north of Huletts Landing. The following is reprinted with permission from the Lake George Association’s Newsletter.

The area where the work was done can be seen on the above map. (Click all images to see larger scale.)

Multiple Problems Call For
Multiple Solutions In Gull Bay

When we say that the Lake George Association puts a lot into protecting Lake George, sometimes that actually involves taking things out of Lake George.

In this case, taking things out allowed better access around the boat launch and docks in Gull Bay, and removed material that could contain nutrients that feed algae or harbor invasive species. And what was actually taken out of Lake George was about 45 cubic yards of sediment (about 4.5 dump truck loads) from around the docks.

All that work leads to one of the most important benefits of the project: Preventing thousands of gallons of untreated stormwater from running into Lake George. Untreated stormwater is by far the greatest human contributor to water quality decline in Lake George.

Each step of this long-term project represents a piece of protection, and together they will help to slow runoff and protect Lake George water quality now and for the future. Just like the LGA has been doing for more than 133 years.

The sediment removal was the middle step of a long-term project undertaken by the LGA and the Town of Putnam.

The step required a few years of planning and preparation to ensure the permits were properly acquired and the work had long-lasting effects.

Back to the Beginning

The Gull Bay Beach shown in 2017. After just one rainstorm, the channels from rain water runoff can be seen clearly.

Going back to the beginning, what had become painfully clear over the last few years in Gull Bay was that the stormwater runoff was decreasing the ability for anyone to use the Town of Putnam’s boat launch because of how shallow the water had become.

Stormwater runoff containing nutrients combined with the natural siltation process and eroded material from the beach and nearby streams filled in the area all around the docks and boat ramp.

The first step in solving the stormwater runoff problem (thereby protecting water quality) and in providing better access was to slow or stop the stormwater runoff from getting into the Lake from areas upland and upstream.

A Year of Planning to Stop Stormwater

In late fall 2017 (after nearly a year of planning), LGA Project Manager Randy Rath and Putnam Highway Superintendent Gary Treadway worked with Morrissey Construction to replace a 200-foot non-functional stormwater catchment across the top of the entire beach on Gull Bay.

Originally installed in 1996, the stone-filled trench with a 6” drain pipe inside (to capture stormwater and channel it away from the beach and stop erosion) had become fully plugged with sediment from the runoff and needed to be replaced and restored to working condition.

The project was performed in late fall because that was the most efficient time and most efficient way to ensure it was done to support lake protection.

Collaboratively, the three organizations worked over the course of a few days to safely dig up and remove the non-operational drain (after removing the boardwalk that covered it) and installed a new pipe and stone into the new drain area the next week.

The drain was checked during and after storms to ensure it was functioning properly and capturing the stormwater effectively.

Since the drain was replaced, excess runoff from the beach into the Lake has stopped, protecting the water quality and slowing the growth of the access issue at the docks. The replacement should function for twenty years or more, like the last one.

A new boardwalk was built in early 2018 to cover and protect the structure. The work was completed at a cost to the LGA of $3,200 and hours of work from LGA staff. The Town of Putnam Highway Department offered in-kind assistance with equipment and personnel. The money for the project came from LGA members and a Water Quality Improvement Project grant through the Champlain Watershed Improvement Coalition of NY.

Restoring Access to Docks

Years of runoff created a problem for boaters. The LGA dredged years of accumulated sediment from around the docks by the beach.

The second action toward solving the access and water quality issue was the more noticeable and ambitious one: to dredge the accumulated sediment from around the dock, and conversely fill in the trench that had formed at the end of the launch with material that wouldn’t wash away and create another problem.

Treadway and Putnam Supervisor John LaPointe asked Rath for help getting permitting and moving forward with the project, knowing the Lake George Association had authored the documents on safely dredging in Lake George approved by the DEC in 2004, and the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, approved by the DEC in 2014. The statements determine how dredging can be done in Lake George so as to minimize the potential for adverse impacts immediately and over the long term.

The LGA paid about $3,000 to bring in the equipment used to dredge around the docks as well as materials to repair the launch area and staff time for the permitting and the oversight of the project. The Town’s investment totaled nearly $7,600 including staff time, materials and equipment.

The project required silt curtains to be installed in the Lake during the course of the project to prevent suspended sediment from floating away during the dredging.

The depth of the lake was returned to its natural state near the beach’s two docks.

Those silt curtains came from the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District and the contractor (Adirondack Waste Management).The curtains were returned at the end of the project.

The Town of Putnam removed the 45 cubic yards of sediment and restored the site. The material was taken back to the Town’s highway garage to be reused on other projects, according to the permit. Work was done in late fall to provide access to boaters and not disturb a thriving benthic environment.

The completed project on the Gull Bay Beach with the new baordwalk installed, and no evidence of runoff.

Last Step Happens in Spring

The third action will come this spring.

After collaborating with the Town about what needs still have to be met, the Lake George Association will spend $3,000 to purchase three small catch basins, similar to what the LGA and Washington County Department of Public Works installed on Route 6 in Huletts Landing, a winding road that leads from the Lake shore to Route 22 on the west side of the Lake.

The three catch basins will be installed by Putnam Town Highway crews on Gull Bay Road to further capture stormwater and keep it from carrying pollutants, nutrients, salt and sand into Lake George.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently acquired 13 acres along the edge of the Warner Bay wetlands south of Cleverdale in the Town of Queensbury.

On January 15, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) closed on the conservation of 13 acres along the edge of the Warner Bay wetlands in the Town of Queensbury. The strip of land adjoins the larger 1,400-acre Dunham Bay Marsh owned and protected by New York State (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) since 1980.

The 13-acre property was held by Warren County for unpaid taxes; instead of taking it to auction the County approached the LGLC with the offer of donating the land for conservation purposes.

“We are grateful to the County Supervisors for this generous donation of land,” expressed LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, “and for entrusting the Lake George Land Conservancy with its care. Protecting wetlands such as these is the most efficient and cost-effective way to protect the water quality of our special lake.”

Located on the south side of Ridge Rd/Rt 9L, the strip of land follows the edge of the wetlands south of Warner Bay, providing a buffer to the sensitive wetlands that can now be monitored by the LGLC to prevent possible dumping or other causes of pollution into the wetlands ecosystem.

The property is 100% freshwater forested/shrub wetland, a portion of which is a specific natural community identified by the NYS Natural Heritage Program as a Black Spruce-Tamarack Bog, which is home to several rare plant and animal species.

Because Lake George flows north, the quality of the water entering the lake through these wetlands is especially important on the health and quality of the lake as a whole.

Photo of the view from the newly protected French Mountain property, looking west over the southern end of Lake George. © Alexander Novick, LGLC (Click image to see large view.)

On October 18, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) closed on the purchase of 317 acres on French Mountain, which lies within the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury, for $525,000. The LGLC will sell the property subject to a conservation easement to the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury; these transactions are expected to take place within the following months. The conservation easement will not only ensure that the land is protected, but also create a permanent relationship between the towns and the LGLC.

The protection of the land offers direct water quality protection. More than 2,000 feet of seasonal streams flow down the steep slopes of the property and join with East Brook far below. Zoning of the property would have allowed for the development of up to 15 new houses, potentially visible from I-87, Million Dollar Beach, resorts along Lake Shore Drive, and many other locations on the lake. In addition, these houses would have contributed to the runoff that flows into East Brook, and then into the south basin of the lake. Although the LGLC is not anti-development, the benefits to the watershed from protecting this particular land and retaining its natural state outweigh the possible value from development.

The property also offers another positive benefit: recreation. The towns plan to create a multi-use trail system on the property, which the LGLC will help to maintain. Because of its historical use for logging, the property has skidder trails throughout that could be used for hikers and mountain bikers. Although the trails would have a steep incline, the view from the lookout area will prove to be worth the effort. From the lookout area, those who have made the climb will be able to sit under the shade of the forest and catch their breath, taking in the expansive views of the lake, the village below, and the surrounding Adirondacks.

The property also provides a great link to the neighboring East Brook Preserve, which the McPhillips family sold to the LGLC earlier this year through a generous bargain sale. The Preserve contains wetlands and over 500 feet of the main branch of East Brook. The LGLC plans to develop a trail system and install educational signage at the property to explain how important land protection is to ensuring clean water in Lake George for generations to come.

The French Mt. project became the LGLC’s second great demonstration of how a land trust can successfully partner with municipalities for land conservation, and the shared goal of protecting Lake George. Similar to the LGLC’s partnership with the Town of Bolton to protect The Pinnacle in 2015, the LGLC brokered a cooperative agreement that benefits the lake as well as our partners’ communities.

LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown said, “This project could not have happened without everyone involved being fully committed and dedicated to its success. We are grateful to the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury and to the McPhillips family, and look forward to other partnerships like this that will protect the land that protects the lake and create wonderful community resources.”

Queensbury Supervisor John Strough said, “The creation of a 317-acre jointly-owned French Mountain Park, is huge. This effort initiated by Lake George Town Supervisor Dickinson and LGLC’s Jamie Brown is going to be a boon for both Lake George’s water quality and our area’s recreational offerings. A beautiful property with beautiful views—flora, fauna, visitors and locals will love it.”

Bernice McPhillips, whose family owned the French Mountain property for over 90 years, expressed support for the land to be used as a recreational resource for the community. “The partnership with the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury and the hiking and biking trail system will have a very positive impact for the economy year round,” she said. “The beautiful view from the top is from the village straight up the lake and will most definitely be appreciated by the hikers and bikers using the trail system.”

A map of the parcel can be found here.