Category: Local Wildlife

While work continues in Lake George Village to smother Asian clams with benthic barriers, a parallel effort to survey other suitable Asian clam habitat for their presence was organized by the Lake George Asian Clam Rapid Response Task Force (LGACRRTF). Survey efforts show over 60 clean sites with no Asian clams and two small infestations in addition to Boon Bay, bringing the known number of infestations in Lake George to four. The survey is still underway.

The infestation at Boon Bay is six miles north of the Lake George Village site. It was found in mid-July by divers contracted by the Fund for Lake George who were managing Eurasian watermilfoil and also keeping an eye out for Asian clams. Survey work in the fall of 2010 after the first discovery at Lake Avenue focused on a 10- mile area of shoreline around the initial infestation, which did not go as far north as Boon Bay. In light of finding additional sites, the Task Force reconvened and decided that before moving forward with controlling the second site, more surveying was needed to determine if other populations of Asian clam exist in Lake George.

Jill Salvo from the Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI) detected the third site at Norowal Marina on July 31st. In response, the LGACRRTF rallied partners and volunteers to ramp up the lake-wide survey efforts. Earlier this month, staff and volunteers from DFWI and the Lake George Association (LGA) surveyed over 60 high priority sites such as marinas, boat launches, and public beaches focusing on shallow, sandy areas – prime Asian clam habitat. A team from the LGA found a fourth infested site on August 2 that includes Treasure Cove Resort and Beckley’s Boat Launch, which are in proximity to each other.

Surveys at Treasure Cove Resort uncovered another non-native species, but one known to be in the Lake Champlain Basin and not known to cause significant harm, the Chinese mystery snail. “I had just been doing some reading on snails the week before to brush up on my knowledge for an aquatic invasive species workshop we were hosting at the LGA office,” said Emily DeBolt, the LGA’s director of education. “As soon as I saw the snails, I had a feeling that that was what they were. They are just so huge – it is really unbelievable when you see them at first.” Emily photographed the snails and sent the images to Dr. Dan Marelli, a mollusk expert, who confirmed the identification. “This is just one more example of how important it is to be out there looking, because you never know what you might find. The more we know about Lake George the better prepared we will be to protect it,” said Walt Lender, the LGA’s executive director.

Many of the high priority areas to survey for clams have been surveyed and no clams have been found; however, many more miles of shoreline remain to be surveyed. “We need additional surveying on as much of the shoreline as possible,” said Dr. Sandra Nierzwicki-Bauer, director of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Darrin Fresh Water Institute. “Before we try to make any decisions about how to deal with the four sites we currently know of, we want to know if there are any other sites that need to be managed.”

The first site where Asian clams were found at Lake Avenue is nearly six acres in size and is still the largest known infested site. Based on preliminary survey work, the Boon Bay site is estimated to be nearly as large at 4-5 acres. The Norowal Marina and Treasure Cove sites are much smaller. “It remains imperative that we complete the full treatment at the Lake George Village site, the results of which will inform us as to the technical, financial, and social feasibility of controlling the clams with benthic barrier mats. The costs incurred to date at that site are roughly $400K and it will cost a few more hundred thousand to complete that treatment. Conducting the lake-wide survey is also a high priority, the results of which will help partners understand the extent of management that we may face,” said Meg Modley, Lake Champlain Basin Program.

At a meeting for elected officials held last month, reports showed over $2.5 million spent on Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussel management in the lake over the past decade as well as close to $170,000 on the Lake George Lake Steward Program for the past four years. Multiple groups around the lake also have strong programs to educate the public about invasive species spread prevention, but legislative help is also needed from the state. Invasive species are still being moved around by people either through recreational or commercial pursuits.

Preventing the spread of invasive species is the most cost effective solution in the long term. “Breaking the pathways of spread of highly invasive and harmful species is necessary, otherwise we are fighting a losing battle. Programs and policies are needed at multiple levels,” said Hilary Smith, director of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program. “Protecting Lake George and other lands and waters from invasive species isn’t a lost cause, it can be done, but we need the state’s help with prevention to tip the balance in our favor,” she added.

On Saturday of July 16, the Wildlife Conservation Society will be conducting an annual loon census with the help of local Adirondack residents and visitor volunteers. This data provides a quick glimpse of the status of the breeding loon population in and around the Adirondack Park and across New York State. The results help guide management decisions and policies that affect loons.

The Lake George Association is coordinating census volunteers for the Lake George region. Potential volunteers Census volunteers will monitor a selected portion of the Lake from 8 – 9 am, and report the number of adult loons, chicks, and immature loons they observe. Similar loon censuses are also conducted in other states throughout the Northeast at the same time on the same day, contributing to a thorough regional overview of the population’s current status.

One of the major findings of the 2010 census: The Adirondack loon population has almost doubled since the last pre-census analysis in the 1980s, and now totals some 1,500-2,000 birds.

If you would like to help count and observe the loons, please contact the Lake George Association at 518-668-3558, or info@lakegeorgeassociation.org

Students at Whitehall High School and Ticonderoga Middle School are raising salmon, through a new environmental education program presented by the Lake George Association (LGA) called “Salmon in the Classroom”.

Kristen Rohne, the LGA’s watershed educator, visited the schools to help set up a 25 gallon tank, chiller and pump, along with testing materials and fish food. Salmon eggs were provided at no cost by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

This winter the students will raise the salmon from eggs to fingerlings. They’ll learn to monitor tank water quality, study stream habitats, and perform stream-monitoring studies to find the most suitable place to release the salmon in the spring. “Our goal is to foster a conservation ethic in the students, while increasing their knowledge of fish lifecycles, water quality, aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity,” said Ms. Rohne. “By working hands-on with the salmon, we believe the students will gain a greater appreciation for water resources and will be inspired to sustain and protect our natural environment,” she said.

This year’s program was funded by a grant the LGA received from the International Paper Foundation. The Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board and the Adirondack Resource Conservation and Development Council are partners in the project. Trout Unlimited, a national non-profit organization with more than 400 chapters, designed the Salmon in the Classroom program.

A new public informational flyer about Asian clam, an invasive species identified in Lake George for the first time this August, has been released. The flyer explains how citizens can help to identify and prevent the spread of this clam. The flyer is available here.

Designed specifically for Lake George, the flyer will help the general public discern the Asian clam from the native mollusks that live in Lake George and pose no threat. The Asian clam is a very small and round bi-valve. It is typically less than 1.5 inches in size, and can spread rapidly. A single clam can reproduce alone, and can release hundreds of juveniles per day. The biggest problem Asian clams have caused in other water bodies is biofouling – or clogging of water intake pipes.

Officially known as Corbicula fluminea, the Asian clam is native to southern Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and Australia. The Darrin Fresh Water Institute found it off Lake Avenue beach in Lake George Village on August 19. Up to 600 clams per square meter were documented, covering an area of approximately 2.5 acres.

Spearheaded by the Darrin Fresh Water Institute, a committee has formed to coordinate response efforts. Representatives from the Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Lake George Park Commission, Lake George Association, FUND for Lake George, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Park Agency, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, and Lake Champlain Basin Program are working together to pool resources and expertise. Their next step is to determine the extent of the spread of the clam, map the extent of the invasion, and then weigh options for eradication or management. The hope is that the infestation has been discovered soon enough to successfully eradicate it.

The public is asked to look for the clams in sandy or gravelly bottom areas of Lake George, in shallow, warm water; this is the clam’s preferred habitat. If a clam is found that matches the description of the Asian clam, citizens are asked to get a sample or take a photograph and call the Lake George Association at 518-668-3558.

In addition, the public can avoid spreading the Asian clam, as well as other invasive species, by following these guidelines whenever leaving a waterway:

Check and remove any visible mud, plants, fish or organisms from boats, trailers, equipment, clothing, dogs, etc.
Clean and eliminate water from equipment. Be sure to drain all water, including live wells and bait buckets.
Do not use Asian clams as bait.
Dry anything that comes in contact with the water.
Never release plants, fish, or other animals into a waterway unless they come from that waterway.
Print out, distribute, and post the informational flyer in your place of business.