News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
It was windy and cold out on the lake today.(Click image for larger view.)
Yes, I know. It’s been quiet here on the Huletts Current for about a week. It’s been busy in Huletts and I will be getting caught up with some posts but there’s nothing I can do when the Internet goes down. You see we arrived last week but our phone and Internet have been “iffy.” Lots of work has been going on so don’t give up stopping by. I’ll be getting caught up in the next few days. See you soon!!
Rep. Elise Stefanik (right) is shown how invasive species can get into different places of a boat.
Rep. Elise Stefanik met this week with officials from the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board, the Fund for Lake George, the Adirondack Park Agency and other community leaders to discuss the threat that invasive species pose, and what steps are being done to mitigate their spread. She visited a boat washing station to get a first hand look at their operation to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Boat washing is a critical process to prevent inadvertent transport of aquatic invasive species such as watermilfoil, zebra mussels, and water fleas from waterbody to waterbody.
An aerial view over the wetlands of Amy’s Park, which is a major part of the Indian Brook watershed. The peak in the middle is Pole Hill; on the right is High Nopit, and on the far left is Walnut Ridge. Walnut Ridge is part of the New York state Pole Hill Pond Forest Preserve, and the future Isabel La Roche Godwin Preserve lies adjacent, to the east. (View southeast toward Bolton, (near side of lake) and Diamond point, (opposite side of lake).(Click image to see full-scale.)
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has acquired one parcel and expects to close on another within the Indian Brook watershed in Bolton. The lands, totaling 245 acres, include wetlands, a large section of stream corridor, and scenic and recreational value.
The acquisitions are part of a larger effort to protect Indian Brook, which is a major tributary of Lake George. The protection of this important tributary provides a safeguard against excess storm water and stream bank erosion, further protecting the lake’s water quality.
In January, the LGLC purchased 130 acres on North Bolton Rd from the University at Albany Foundation. Once used as an observatory for the school, the property contains important wetlands and hundreds of feet of stream corridor, representing the confluence of the two main branches of Indian Brook. The proceeds of the sale will be dedicated by the University at Albany for scholarships for its Biodiversity, Conservation and Policy, M.S. program.
The LGLC expects to close shortly on a 115-acre property on Padanarum Rd. The land will become a public preserve, with a 0.6-mile trail that could connect the neighboring NYS Pole Hill Pond Preserve and the LGLC’s Amy’s Park. Named the Isabel La Roche Godwin Preserve by the sellers, the preserve includes views of High Nopit and Pole Hill. The trail system is anticipated to be in place mid-summer.
The LGLC is in the process of engaging residents of the Indian Brook Conservation Area in discussions about the lands surrounding the brook and their impact on the lake’s water quality. A recent round-table meeting included Bolton Town Supervisor Ron Conover and several others who voiced concern about stream corridor protection as a priority. The LGLC created this focus group in order to better understand and appreciate the needs of the community, and to focus its efforts to efficiently address storm water and erosion issues within the Indian Brook watershed based on recommendations from the group.
The Lake George Park Commission recently announced the completion and release of the 2015 Lake George Recreation Study. This comprehensive study, a year in the making, reviews the recreational activities and trends on Lake George over the past decade. Lake George is one of the most pristine and treasured waterbodies in the Northeast if not the country, and it is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of recreational use trends on Lake George which will aid in long-term planning initiatives and public safety efforts on the water. This study, jointly funded by the Lake George Park Commission and the Lake George Association, was conducted by the LA Group in Saratoga working with the Sienna Research Institute.
This study was specifically designed to be clear and readable for the interested public. Key findings of the study show a trend in marinas towards increased boat rentals on the lake and a decrease in seasonal berthing slips, shifts in boating patterns around the lake, boating trends that follow economic ups and downs and much more. The summary report can be found here and the full report is online at the Commission’s website, at www.lgpc.state.ny.us.
Kristen Rohne, of the Lake George Association.
Kristen Rohne, the Lake George Association’s Director of Education, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the New York State Federation of Lake Associations.
The election took place at the Federation’s recent annual conference in Hamilton, NY.
“NYSFOLA is delighted to welcome Kristen to our Board of Directors,” said Nancy Mueller, Manager of the New York Federation of Lake Associations. “Her professional experience at the Lake George Association and deep connections with many Adirondack region lake associations makes her a valuable member.”
“We are stronger together,” said Rohne. “Our lakes don’t exist in a vacuum, so it is important to share the message of water protection and share tips to make that happen so we are all protected and knowledgeable. NYSFOLA is a powerful tool that allows us all to collaborate, share knowledge and share experiences. I am proud and humbled to be elected to the Board.”
Like the Lake George Association, NYSFOLA members focus on protecting and improving water quality in hundreds of lakes throughout the state. NYSFOLA helped develop the groundbreaking Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program and is actively involved in many other lake management issues. It is the New York State chapter of the North American Lake Management Society.
“NYSFOLA was incorporated in 1983, largely through the efforts of the Lake George Association, and we have a long history of collaboration,” Mueller said. “Kristen will be the fourth LGA representative on the NYSFOLA Board, and we look forward to her contributions.”
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is hosting a three-day effort to eradicate invasive shrubby honeysuckle from the Cook Mountain Preserve in Ticonderoga, June 7-9, 10 am to 6 pm.
The forest of the Cook Mountain Preserve has become overtaken by invasive shrubby honeysuckle, a non-native aggressive plant that overtakes forest understories, pushing out native plants that are needed to provide shelter and nutritious food for wildlife. Their growth is often so dense that no other plants grow beneath its branches, leaving the ground bare.
Volunteers are invited to help cut and pull these aggressive shrubs so that native plants can move back in and restore the forest to a healthier place for wildlife. No RSVP required – volunteers may stop by the preserve any day, any time between 10 am and 6 pm and stay as little or as long as they can. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring work gloves and branch clippers, and wear sturdy shoes, long sleeves and pants, and insect repellent to protect against scratches and ticks.
The Cook Mountain Preserve is located on Baldwin Road in Ticonderoga, 1.4 miles from Alexandria Ave. For more information and specific directions, go to lglc.org, call 518-644-9673, or email shoffman@lglc.org.
Lake George Association Executive Director, Walt Lender (right), handing Lake George Park Commission Executive Director, Dave Wick (left), a $30,000 check.
In the first year of a new era in Lake George water protection, the Lake George Association has followed through on its commitment to provide necessary financial support for the Lake George Park Commission’s Mandatory Boat Inspection Program.
Following the Park Commission’s recent adoption of permanent regulations for the Mandatory Boat Inspection Program, Lake George Association Executive Director Walt Lender presented Park Commission Executive Director David Wick with a check for $30,000 – the first installment of the LGA’s three-year commitment.
“Aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to the waters of Lake George and can cause significant detrimental impacts to the ecology and economy of the Lake George Park,” Lender said. “Having worked with the Park Commission for decades, we know this investment made by the LGA on behalf of its members and donors is going to be put to good use to protect Lake George’s water quality.”
The LGA is one of a number of organizations – nonprofits and municipalities – to share the costs of the program so that trailered vessels arriving at Lake George can be inspected to ensure they meet the “Clean, Drained and Dry” standard and be decontaminated if necessary at no charge to them.
The Park Commission’s two-year pilot boat inspection program that concluded in 2015 successfully processed 48,081 boats through the seven inspection stations and decontaminated 2,895 vessels.
As far as the LGA is concerned, that’s 2,895 very good reasons to support the Mandatory Boat Inspection Program.
The LGA’s investment of $30,000 in the Lake George Park Commission’s Mandatory Boat Inspection Program follows on the announcement earlier in the spring that the Lake George Association is doubling its investment in milfoil removal in 2016 – to $100,000 from $50,000.
The milfoil removal project is coming into the third year of a three-year intensive effort to remove as much milfoil as possible in Lake George. That project also includes nonprofits and the Lake George Park Commission.
The Lake George Association is the guardian of Lake George water quality, and has been for more than 130 years. Founded in 1885, our membership is composed of thousands of residents, visitors and business owners who help the LGA with our mission to protect Lake George from the perils that face modern lakes.
This photo, taken in February 2016, shows the flooding that was occurring in the Post Office parking area due to the repaving of County Route 6 last year.
Now that things are getting warmer, work is beginning on a number of projects in Huletts Landing. Over the past two days, the county installed a dry well off of County Route 6 to alleviate some flooding that was occurring in the Post Office parking area due to the repaving of County Route 6 last year.
A hole was dug on the side of County Route 6, near the Post Office flag pole.
The completed hole once the dirt was removed.
Great care was taken to see that the Post Office parking area remained open while the work progressed.
The dry well was brought in and lifted into place.
The final placement of the dry well.
Stone was added as back-fill to improve the drainage.
The almost completed work as of Thursday afternoon.
The county will return over the next few days to restore the paving and re-seed the grassy area. (Click all pictures to see larger version.)
The Lake George Park Commission voted today to make its boat inspection program permanent. The vote came after a two-year trial period and after accepting public comments on making the program permanent. Read more in the Post Star.
The Pinnacle, on the lake’s west shore in the town of Bolton, is one of the many trails highlighted in the LGLC’s new pocket guide. (Click image to see larger view.)
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) was recently awarded a $3,000 grant from the Glens Falls Foundation in support of its Hike Lake George campaign.
The Hike Lake George campaign was launched in 2015 in order to promote the parks, preserves and trails managed by the LGLC as important recreational and economic assets throughout the Lake George region. The Foundation’s grant will enable the LGLC to expand the campaign’s reach by increasing its presence in regional publications and media outlets.
The LGLC is a non-profit land trust that works to protect the water quality of Lake George through land conservation. These efforts also result in the establishment of parks and preserves that are opened to the public; the LGLC currently manages 18 parks and preserves that are open to the public year-round or by special request with nearly 35 miles of trails for hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and, at some preserves, hunting and snowmobiling.
In order to promote Hike Lake George, the LGLC created a Pocket Guide to LGLC Parks and Preserves handout that will be updated each spring and widely distributed at hospitality businesses, tourism and visitor centers, and at all LGLC trailheads. This summer, the Guide and its message to “Hike Lake George” will also reach a broader audience, thanks in large part to the Foundation’s support, in the form of full-page advertisements in regional newspapers and other media outlets.
The cover of the LGLC’s Pocket Guide to Parks and Preserves.
“We are exceedingly grateful for the Glens Falls Foundation’s support of this initiative,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “The Hike Lake George campaign is a huge project that benefits everyone who is looking for opportunities to get out and enjoy the peace and beauty of Lake George. Thanks to the Foundation, we’ll be able to expand our reach and show that it’s easy to find a trail for every hiker.”
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.
A fisherman caught a 35″ salmon in Lake George recently that weighed in at 15 lbs 4 oz!
Jay Vander Plaat, Chief of the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Department, was kind enough to provide an update about some winter training activities.
Wanted everyone to know that on the Saturday of Super Bowl weekend, Jim Leghorn brought up two donated ice rescue suits. We now have four and we can practice rescues. Now it’s not as hard to find someone to play the victim. It doesn’t take a lot to get it started and by 2:00 pm on Saturday there were ten of us on a dock in Indian Bay.
So, Terry Storms and his wife, Lee, Jim Leghorn and his wife, Cathy, John Delucca and his wife, Robin, Barb Semcken, our medical person, (just in case), Jay Vander Plaat, Luke Smith and Sandy Stragnell all made our way out onto a dock in Indian Bay. Some ice, some open water, perfect conditions to refine our skills. No one expected that the ice would be thick enough to support us. It takes two people about three minutes to get someone into a suit.
While that was going on, some practiced throwing our rescue bags and some practiced repacking them so they could be thrown again. Everyone in the water is tied off with a rescue line. People on shore have special life preservers on. Everyone needs to have an understanding of what’s happening and what happens next.
Our teamwork continues to improve. Every time we try this conditions are different; old ice 12 inches thick that you cannot walk on, new ice less than two inches thick that you can sit on the edge and dangle your feet in the water, or no ice where we just practice simple skills like what happens when you lose your balance and turn over on your back like a turtle. With practice you can defeat the instant panic on not being able to get your feet back underneath by rolling onto your stomach. It’s all good.
Everyone has a real commitment to community service and the fellowship is next to none. Looking forward to seeing everyone again in the summer.
A screen shot of the temperature in Huletts at 6:45 am on February 14, 2016.
Hopefully you are someplace warm this morning because it’s definitely not that in Huletts.
Issued by The National Weather Service
Albany, NY – 5:32am EST, Sun Feb 14
… WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON…
* LOCATIONS… ALL OF EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.
* HAZARD TYPES… LIFE THREATENING WIND CHILLS.
* WIND CHILL READINGS… 25 TO 60 BELOW ZERO AT TIMES. THE COLDEST WIND CHILL VALUES WILL BE ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS AND SOUTHERN GREEN MOUNTAINS.
* TIMING… THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON… WITH THE COLDEST WIND CHILL VALUES THIS MORNING.