Category: Lake George

The Lake George Association and the Lake Champlain/Lake George Regional Planning Board are distributing a free 18″ x 24″ four-color poster entitled Rain Garden. Designed and illustrated by Sheri Amsel, the poster depicts a rain garden design for a home in the Adirondacks, including 10 native plants. Teachers, gardeners, municipalities, and people who are interested in lake-friendly landscaping are encouraged to call the LGA to receive their free copy.

Rain gardens are landscaped depressions that are designed to capture and filter stormwater from roofs, driveways and other hard surfaces. “By collecting water and allowing it to slowly soak into the ground, rain gardens reduce the potential for erosion and minimize the amount of pollutants flowing from your lawn into a storm drain, and eventually into our lakes, rivers and streams,” said Emily DeBolt, the LGA’s director of education. “Planting your rain garden with native plants not only enhances the beauty of your yard, but also provides valuable habitat for birds and butterflies,” she said.

Funding for the project was provided by the Champlain Watershed Improvement Coalition of New York, the LGA, and the Lake Champlain/Lake George Regional Planning Board. Funding for printing and a paper donation were provided by the International Paper Foundation.

In coordination with the poster’s release, the LGA is offering talks about rain gardens for public groups, both children and adults. People interested in scheduling a talk can contact Emily DeBolt at the LGA at 518-668-3558 or info@lakegeorgeassociation.org

Click on the above image to see a larger version.

Hello,

I’m writing to inform you that the Lake George Coliform Monitoring and Bathing Beach Assessment Program has not been funded for the 2011 season. The original sponsor, the FUND for Lake George, while still supporting the efforts of this program, is unable to fund this program due to other committments. The FUND for Lake George has contributed more than $300,000 in cost sharing for this program over the past 25 years. The LGA has also indicated that while they support the goals of the project, have financial committtments which preclude them from underwriting this effort. We continue to believe that this program provides a valuable service to the Lake George community through assurance of water quality at our public bathing beaches and by instigation of corrective actions when septic or sewer leaks are discovered. I have provided a brief description of the value of this project to the residents and visitors to the Lake George region. I would ask that you encourage some level of water quality testing at the public bathing facilities within your towns or villages and encourage regular inspection and testing of septic or sewer systems serving your community. I would be happy to discuss services that the Darrin Fresh Water Institute could provide.

Lake George Coliform Monitoring Program

Bacterial water quality is evaluated at sites with chronically high levels of coliform bacteria, areas with the potential for drainage related problems (e.g. elevated water tables, poor soils, exposed bedrock etc.), or areas with excessive growth of algae or fungi. Excessive bacterial levels serve as indicators of the presence of animal or human waste, and suggest that potentially disease-causing protozoans, bacteria and other microorganisms may be present in the water. In addition to pathogens, wastewaters contain high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, the primary agents responsible for declining water quality. The Lake George Coliform Monitoring Program is designed to be a proactive water quality program. Prompt identification and remediation of wastewaters entering Lake George is one of the most efficient ways to protect water quality. Working with local and regional regulatory agencies on a regular basis insures a good working relationship. With semi-monthly distribution of interim reports, the program also serves as an educational tool to remind local authorities and individuals of the importance of proper septic and sewer maintenance. Evaluation of bathing beach water quality provides a reminder that water quality is not guaranteed and proper maintenance and surveillance is critical.

In the last few seasons, the Lake George Coliform Monitoring Program has provided direct support to regulatory agencies in the correction of 2 sewer leaks in the Town of Bolton, correction of one leaking septic system and ongoing investigation of a second in Dresden, capping of a contaminated drainage pipe in Lake George, and correction of a gray water/stormsewer cross connection in Lake George. In addition to direct action, recurring identification of bacterial contaminants and long-term datasets instigated stormwater runoff management in several sub-watersheds; including Prospect Mountain Brook (Sheriffs? Dock Stormsewer), Lake Avenue Beach drainage (Vortechs Stormsewer System), West Brook, and Foster Brook. An improved small community sewer system was installed in Huletts Landing as a result of identification of chronic sewage spills, with additional districts added annually over the past few years.

Thank you for your consideration.

Larry
Lawrence Eichler
Research Scientist
Darrin Fresh Water Institute
5060 Lakeshore Drive
Bolton Landing, NY 12814
Ph (518) 644-3541
Fax (518) 644-3640

I received this flyer in the mail from the Lake George Land Conservancy announcing their art raffle. For more information you can Helen Barton Benedict, the Conservancy’s Development Manager, at hbartonbenedict@lglc.org or 518-644-9673.

The Lake George Association has released a report for the public with findings from the 2010 Lake Steward program. The Lake George Lake Steward Program is a critical part of protecting the water quality of Lake George and preventing the spread of invasive species between waterbodies by boaters throughout the Lake Champlain Basin and the Northeast. While dozens of different aquatic invasive species reside nearby, only four are currently found in Lake George.

In 2010, Lake Stewards were posted at four launches around Lake George: Norowal Marina, Mossy Point, Hague Town Beach and Rogers Rock. Lake Stewards inspected a total of 2,538 boats at these sites, and educated boaters about the threats of Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels, curly-leaf pondweed, and the Lake’s most recent invader, the Asian clam. Thirty-six samples of Eurasian watermilfoil were removed during the season. Nine samples of curly-leaf pondweed were found, three samples of zebra mussels, and five of water chestnut, an invasive that is not currently found in Lake George.

In addition, the program collects data on the body of water most recently visited prior to Lake George within the past 2 weeks, and whether spread prevention steps were taken prior to launch. In 2010, 65 boaters stated that the body of water they visited prior to Lake George was Lake Champlain, a lake with 49 documented invasive species. Thirty-three boaters had most recently visited the Hudson River, a waterbody with 91 invasives. Ninety-five percent of the boaters reported that they had taken spread prevention measures prior to their launch. Stewards also inspected bait buckets and educated boaters about New York State’s new baitfish and firewood regulations.

The 2010 Lake Steward Program was funded by the Bolton Local Development Corporation, the town of Hague, the town of Ticonderoga, the Lake George Park Commission, the Helen V. Froehlich Foundation, and the NYS Department of State with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund. The program was originally conceived by the Invasive Species Task Force of the Lake George Watershed Coalition and is currently coordinated by the LGA.

The entire report can be viewed at: http://www.lakegeorgeassociation.org/documents/2010LakeStewardReport.pdf