News and Updates

REGISTER FOR OUR 2013 LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE!  The conference will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Resort in Lake George.  Please see the agenda for this year's presenters and register here.   

Lake George Waterkeeper granted party status in LGPC Hearing regarding Jersen appeal of Notice to Deny stormwater Permit.  

A BUFFER LAKE GEORGE initiative has begun thanks to a generous grant awarded to the FUND/Waterkeeper from the Lake Champlain Basin Program. The shoreline buffering grant includes trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcover for 25 properties, with in-kind participation from residents and neighbors. These properties will be a demonstration for homeowners and businesses, and will encourage others to plant a 'ring of protection' around the entire lake within the next several years. The selection of these properties has begun, with the anticipated planting of the shoreline buffers next spring/summer.  Please contact Kathy 668-5913 x303 if you are interested to have your property evaluated for a shoreline buffer and to be included in the initial demonstration.

Lake George Waterkeeper was joined by Mandy's Spring Nursery and Oligny's Country Garden at Up Yonda Farm for "Let's Go Native", 2nd Annual Native Plant Show and Sale on Saturday September 15. It was a great day with a beautiful selection of native plants, information to take home and knowledgeable professionals from the nurseries and a Master Gardener from Cornell Cooperative Extension.  Thanks to Matt and Marcia at Up Yonda for partnering in this event.

The Town of Queensbury has printed and mailed a Stormwater Retrofit brochure to all Waterfront Residential property owners in Queensbury.  This information was compiled and created by the Assembly Point Water Quality Awareness Committee and the Lake George Waterkeeper to illustrate simple solutions to reduce stormwater and pollution from flowing off driveways and hard surfaces directly into the lake.  A challenge has been initiated to all Lake George residents to infiltrate and treat  stormwater onsite and close to its source.

Join the Lake George Waterkeeper and Roger Summerhayes to celebrate Lake George Preservation - Past and Present with clips of the award winning documentary Langmuir's World at the Bolton Community Center Monday, August 13, 2012. 

Thank you for participating in the Keep the Queen Clean - Lake George Cleanup Day 2012 on Saturday August 4.  Your efforts contributed to the huge success and the cleanup of a tremendous amount of litter and debris in and around Lake George.  Over 100 participants registered and received a free t-shirt designed by FUND Board member Susan Weber.  In addition, there were hundreds of other individuals that joined with us to cleanup Lake George.  Please send us information on your cleanup efforts with locations and photos so that we can include you in our appreciation of the day's events. 

Check out North Country Public Radio interview of Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky aired on July 30, 2012.

Lake George Waterkeeper and American Canoe Association host 2012 LOVE the Lake! Paddle on July 20-21, 2012 at Shepard Park in the Village of Lake George.  Check out a Schedule of Events.  Events include a lake-long paddle, kayak races, restoration planting and island cleanup.  Visit the American Canoe Associaton website for more information. 

"Boat inspections are a Must" - Lake George Waterkeeper article in Adirondack Explorer July/August 2012 edition.

Now is a great time to build a rain garden to help improve stormwater management in an attractive and natural way. Read about it in the new Lake George e-Bulletin 32 June 2012.

Sewage Pollution Right to Know Act Passes NYS Assembly & Senate and is off to the Governor's desk!! Lake George Waterkeeper joins other New York State Environmental Organizations in support of Sewage Right to Know Bill. Learn More about Bill.

2012 Lake George Low Impact Development Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at the Holiday Inn Resort in Lake George. Registration is now closed. Please contact us to be placed on a waiting list.

Post Star editorial recognizes Lake George Waterkeeper's concerns over proposed Lake George dredging projects. See editorial.

Town of Bolton ZBA denies variance application for second month in a row!!

On September 12, 2011 the Town of Queensbury Town Board unanimously passes law restricting fertilizer use!! See Post Star article and review Local Law to restrict fertilizer use within 50 ft of Lake George.

The Waterkeeper and the FUND would like to thank Up Yonda Farm and all the vendors and attendees who made the first annual Native Plant Show and Sale on September 10 a big success!!!

Lake George Waterkeeper announces Langmuir Award for Excellence in Development and Stewardship. See Nomination Form for consideration.

The previous 2011 Keep the Queen Clean event can be viewed on POST STAR and Schenectady Daily Gazette with video. Check out the 2011 news story on WNYT - Albany Channel 13.  

NYSDEC issues Final Scoping Document for Finkle Brook, Hague Brook and Indian Brook delta dredging projects.

Lake George Park Commission denies proposed subdivision on Andrews Bay in the Town of Fort Ann.

Waterkeeper submits letter to the Bolton Town Board urging the need for increased public hearings by the Town of Bolton Planning Board. See press release and report from the Lake George Mirror. Bolton lags far behind other towns for allowing public participation.

Waterkeeper successfully urges the Town of Lake George to expand public hearings on projects before the Town Planning Board. APA approves the Local Law to require public hearings on properties within 300 ft of Lake George.

The Lake George Waterkeeper worked with the Lake George Island Campers Association to create an informative brochure to be distributed to all overnight and day use island campers beginning July 4, 2011. DEC supported the distribution of the brochure and hung posters to promote minimizing impacts to the islands, as they agree that protecting our beautiful, fragile Lake George islands is critical to their continued use.

See new Lake George eBulletin #10 for June 2011 on the great success of the May 5, 2011 LID Seminar. Waterkeeper hosted Low Impact Development Seminar on May 5th where leading national and regional experts on Low Impact Development and stormwater management presented. Seminar was free and open to all engineers, review board officials, and the development community. Participants must register. Over 100 attended. Click here for general information about Low Impact Development and see these Lake George Fact Sheets for an Introduction to LID, the Importance of Conserving Natural Resources, Minimizing Impacts, and Maintaining Natural Drainage Patterns. 

TAKE NOTE: ONLY Phosphorus reduced Fertilizers (less than 0.67%) can be applied to lawns in New York State beginning January 1, 2012. In 2010, the Town and Village of Lake George each passed a Phosphorus Free Fertilizer Law. All three of these restrictive laws ban ANY fertilizer application within 20 feet of any surface water, with use of Phosphorus Free Fertilizers beyond that point. In 2011, Queensbury also passed a Local Law establishing Lawn Fertilizer and Pesticide Runoff Control Restrictions. This law is more comprehensive than the others in that no fertilizer can be applied within 50 feet of Lake George, and if Pesticides are used, the homeowner must display a bold sign stating its use.

It is very important that as you and your lawn care specialists plan your summer yard maintainance that you make a conscience decision to avoid use of harmful pesticides that are extremely hazardous to you, your pets, neighbors, wildlife, fish, amphibians and the environment. Pesticides can also contaminate the groundwater that you drink. Information on hazards of the pesticide products used locally in great quantities is linked here.

Several residents living on Echo Bay in Pilot Knob have hired Earth Specialty Products to dredge six inches of the lake bottom within the bay. A permit application was submitted to NYSDEC. The disturbance to Lake George and Echo Bay that dredging will create in order that this shallow area of a wetland bay can become a home to large boats is not warranted. Past construction and clearing of vegetation and trees has contributed to the sediment and excess nutrients feeding algal blooms. Without mitigation on the shoreline, dredging is only temporary. See Waterkeeper comment letter to NYSDEC March 11, 2011 and related attachments.

Town of Bolton fails to schedule hearing for Waterkeeper appeal! Lake George Waterkeeper files Petition for Appeal with Town of Bolton Zoning Board of Appeals regarding approval of Gordon Site Plan. Waterkeeper claims that a setback from lake is required for stormwater controls and a variance must be applied for. This is supported by Lake George Park Commission opinions and recent decision by Warren County Supreme Court Justice Krogman.

See new Lake George Fact Sheet series on Low Impact Development (LID): Fact Sheet 50 LID Concepts, Fact Sheet 51 LID Conservation of Natural Resources, Fact Sheet 52 LID Minimizing Impacts and Fact Sheet 58 on the Importance of Maintaining Natural Drainage Patterns.

NYSDEC determines the need to update the current GEIS on dredging in Lake George, pertaining to three projects at the deltas of Finkle, Smith and Hague Brooks. The Waterkeeper supports a full GEIS and requests scoping meeting to start the process and detail the issues.

Final Stream Assessment Report released. See press release. Report finds many streams significantly impacted from various land use activities. Download a full copy of the report here. See a very informative article on the report in the Sunday Post Star.

Lake George Waterkeeper submits lawsuit against Town of Bolton for failing to adhere to local laws and codes in approval of subdivision that involves Pinnacle ridge in uplands overlooking Lake George. See press release and a copy of the Waterkeeper’s petition. See visual simulation of the road design to access the Pinnacle. See article in the Post Star and Lake George Mirror. See post in the Adirondack Almanack.

See presentation Lake George Water Quality is Changing by Kathy Bozony, based on monitoring algal blooms at many locations around Lake George in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Presentations are free and open to the public. Copies of Do-It-Yourself Water Quality are available at all presentations.

The Waterkeeper monitors proposed development projects throughout the Lake George watershed. View our interactive map to access each municipality’s proposed projects that may impact Lake George and its water quality, or click on the "application submissions" below for each town.

TOWN OF BOLTON - Review See overview of applications and submissions to Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper response and recommendations.

Lake George Waterkeeper submits letters to the Town of Bolton Zoning Board of Appeals regarding Sagbolt (Sagamore Hotel).

Lake George Waterkeeper submits letter to Town of Bolton Planning Board regarding Salamone.

TOWN OF LAKE GEORGE - Review See overview of applications and submissions to Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper response and recommendations.

VILLAGE OF LAKE GEORGE - Review See overview of applications and submissions to Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper response and recommendations.

TOWN OF PUTNAM - Review See overvew of applications and submissions to Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper response and recommendations.

TOWN OF PUTNAM PLANNING BOARD SCHEDULES PUBLIC HEARING FOR HANDLEY TIROGA POINT SUBDIVISION FOR MARCH 14, 2012.

Lake George Waterkeeper submits letter to the Town of Putnam Planning Board regarding Eliopoulos Subdivision.

Waterkeeper submits extensive comment letter to the Lake George Park Commission regarding Stormwater Permit for White subdivision.

Waterkeeper documents improper culvert construction resulting in erosion and sedimentation on Gull Bay Road Extension and notifies Lake George Park Commission.

TOWN OF HAGUE - Review See overvew of applications and submissions to Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper response and recommendations.

Town of Hague Planning Board holds public hearing open on 10 lot Wilson subdivision at the intersection of Summit Drive and Route 8. Waterkeeper submits comment letter regarding possible conditions of approval.

TOWN OF QUEENSBURY - Review See overview of applications and submissions to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper response and recommendations.

APA supports Waterkeeper claim that Town of Queensbury Zoning Administrator misinterpreted Town Zoning Code and should require shoreline setback on patios.

Waterkeeper submits comments to the Town of Queensbury Zoning Board of Appeals regarding J&D Marina.

TOWN OF TICONDEROGA - Review See overview of applications and submissions to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, including Waterkeeper responses and recommendations.

Lake Geroge Waterkeeper comments on the proposed (March 2011) Ticonderoga Land Use and Development Code. A Quality Communities Grant from the New York State Department of State funded the town of Ticonderoga to revise and modernize its zoning law to implement the goals and policies outlined in their adopted 2006 Comprehensive Plan.

TOWN OF FORT ANN - Review See overview of applications and submissions to the Planning Board, including Waterkeeper responses and recommendations.

TOWN OF DRESDEN - Review See overview of applications and submissions to the Planning Board, including Waterkeeper responses and recommendations.

Waterkeeper submits comments to the Lake George Park Commission regarding stormwater management variance for Horicon Holdings, LLC.

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The FUND for Lake George and Lake George Waterkeeper have published Do-It-Yourself Water Quality: A Landowner’s Guide to Property Management that Protects Lake George. This new guide provides extensive information about how a variety of land use practices and management techniques that will help to protect the water quality of Lake George. There are many things that families, individuals and property owners all through the Lake George watershed can do to improve the lake’s water quality.

High praise! FUND for Lake George receives U.S. EPA Environmental Quality Award. FUND and Waterkeeper received the EPA’s highest recognition on April 29th in New York City for its publication of Do-It-Yourself Water Quality: A Landowner’s Guide to Property Management that Protects Lake George. This award honors the FUND’s public education efforts to bring solid information to residents and landowners around the lake about ways to manage lands so they don’t pollute Lake George. See EPA award letter and press release.

Contact the FUND/Waterkeeper office to obtain a copy or to schedule a presentation/discussion group for your homeowner association or neighborhood.

A full copy of Do-It-Yourself Water Quality: A Landowner’s Guide to Property Management that Protects Lake George is now online. Download or read the whole book:

Introduction
How Your Property Impacts Lake George
Plan Your Site Carefully
Build a Rain Garden
Carefully Site and Maintain Your Septic System
Create or Expand a Shoreline Buffer
Create or Expand a Stream Buffer
Protect Wetlands
Minimize the Size of Grass Lawns
Stop Using Fertilizers and Pesticides
Grow Native Species, Stop Invasive Species
Preservation Options for Landowners
Native Plant Sepcies List
Sources
Do-It-Yourself Water Quality Assessment

See Lake George FACT SHEETS on topics central to the Do-It-Yourself Water Quality publication. These FACT SHEETS are easy to access and read and contain a wealth of information:

Rain Gardens Treat Stormwater
Importance of Shoreline Buffers
Importance of Stream Buffers
Importance of Septic System Maintenance
Haulers for Septic System Pump-Outs
Septic System Rules
Septic System Design
Enhanced Septic System Designs
Septic System Operation and Use
Hazards of Fertilizer Use
Hazards of Pesticide Use
Stormwater 101
Algae Blooms 101
Limit Size of Grass Lawns
Lawn Maintenance for Water Quality
List of Native Plants (Perennials)
List of Native Shrubs
List of Native Trees
Low Impact Development 101
Low Impact Development: Importance of the Conservation of Natural Resources
Low Impact Development: Minimizing Impacts

See the entire series of
LAKE GEORGE FACT SHEETS

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West Brook
Conservation Initiative

See new design concepts for the West Brook Conservation Initiative. Click here for illustrations of overall designs for new stormwater treatment systems and new environmental park at the site of the former Gaslight Village.

The West Brook Conservation Initiative is the biggest water quality enhancement project ever to help protect Lake George. Extensive work has been completed to clear the north parcel of various buildings, including the Opera House, Cavalcade of Cars building, and Carousel building with more to follow as the whole lot will be cleared.

Groups applaud RBC Foundation -- USA for $25,000 contribution to the West Brook Conservation Initiative. The support of RBC is a wonderful boost to our efforts to build a new stormwater treatment system and environmental park at the south end of Lake George. See press release.

Groups applaud Stewart’s Shops for $50,000 contribution to the West Brook Conservation Initiative. The support of Stewart’s Shops is vital to our effort to complete the capital campaign. See Press Release thanking Stewart’s.

West Brook Conservation Initiative in the news. Times Union puts the spotlight on efforts to transform the Gaslight Village site into a new stormwater treatment complex and environmental park with support from the state Environmental Facilities Corporation. Project will help protect the environmental health of Lake George.

Learn all about how the transformation of the Gaslight Village and protection of vital upland forests will help Lake George. The FUND for Lake George, the Lake George Association and the Lake George Land Conservancy are working in partnership to transform the dilapidated Gaslight Village area into an environmental park and protect vulnerable upland headwater areas. This $15 million project is the biggest environmental project ever attempted on Lake George. Read how you can get involved.

West Brook Conservation Initiative is a cornerstone project for the environmental health and future of Lake George. Project on same scale as past efforts to protect Prospect Mountain, save Dome Island, preserve Shelving Rock, and permanently protect the Dunhams Bay wetlands, among other splendid and vital projects.

See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that highlight the importance of this project for the protection of Lake George and highlight fundraising successes to date. We’re over 1/2 way to raising $15 million needed to transform the Gaslight Village site into an environmental park and stormwater treatment facility and protect critical headwaters and scenic upland forest areas.

Call us at 668-9700 x300 or email us and we’ll send you a package of information about the West Brook Conservation Initiative -- the most exciting project on Lake George! It’s time for you to join with us and help to restore and protect Lake George.

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See FACT SHEETS on the Fish of Lake George, including the status of Atlantic landlocked salmon, lake trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow smelt, white sucker, American eel, black crappie, round whitefish, fallfish, branded killifish, cisco, and bluegill.

See FACT SHEETS on Lake George Water Quality Issues, including salt pollution and the decline in water clarity, algal blooms, the continuous problems with stormwater as well as about the DEAD ZONE that forms each year in the south basin.

See FACT SHEETS on Invasive Species that Threaten Lake George, including aquatic species Eurasian Watermilfoil, Zebra Mussels, Didymo, Alewife, Spiny Water Flea, Northern Snakehead and Hydrilla as well as Asian Clam. See FACT SHEETS on terrestrial invasive species, such as Purple Loosestrife, Phragmites, Japanese Knotweed and Garlic Mustard. See FACT SHEETS in invasive pests that ravage forest areas Asian longhorned beetle and the Emerald ash borer.

New Lake George Fact Sheet 78 on the importance of making sure your boat is Clean, Drained and Dry before transporting from one lake to another. We need to do more to protect Lake George from aquatic invasive species.

Adirondack Explorer shines the spotlight on the Lake George Park Commission and finds that Commission comes up short in fulfilling its role as the lead state agency responsible for the protection of Lake George.

Press conference at Million Dollar Beach between FUND and local officials calls upon the Lake George Park Commission to develop a new boat inspection and decontamination program to protect Lake George. See reports in the Times Union, on WAMC Public Radio, Post Star, WNYT Channel 13 in Albany and WRGB.

The FUND and Waterkeeper released a special report: Clean Boats Only: The case for pro-active and mandatory boat inspection and decontamination program for Lake George to prevent new aquatic invasive species infestations. The FUND and Waterkeeper are committed to the implementation of a preventative program to minimize the risk of new aquatic invasive species infestations.

See new Lake George Fact Sheet on invasive plant Giant Hogweed.

Read new Lake George e-Bulletins on watersheds and stormwater pollution. Understanding these two concepts are critical for understanding the relationship between land use and degraded water quality.

See new Lake George Fact Sheet about the invasive quagga mussel.

Local governments call upon the Lake George Park Commission to develop a new program for mandatory boat inspections and decontaminations. Lake George Village Mayor Robert Blais called not for more studies, but action. The Towns of Lake George and Ticonderoga pased resolutions calling for speedy action by the Park Commission. The Lake George Mirror editorialized in support of a mandatory boat inspection program.

See new Lake George Fact Sheet on the invasive aquatic plant Water Chestnut.

Article about scientists and regulators from Lake Tahoe who visited Lake George. They emphasized the need to try and eradicate the Asian clam in Lake George, which has infested over 200 acres in Tahoe, and presented information on Tahoe's new mandatory boat inspection and decontamination effort. FUND Executive Director outlines regulatory and financial needs to fully control aquatic invasive species in Lake George and protect the lake into the future in op-ed in the Lake George Mirror.

See new design concepts for the West Brook Conservation Initiative. Click here for illustrations of overall designs for new stormwater treatment systems and new environmental park at the site of the former Gaslight Village.

There are over 40 species of fish that live in Lake George. The FUND and Waterkeeper are working to publish new Lake George Fact Sheets on them all. See information about the first 16 released on lake trout, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill and yellow perch to name a few. See new Fact Sheets published about the White Sucker and American Eel.

Beware of the dangers from invasive forest pests. Importation of firewood from outside Lake George area risks introducing destructive forest pests. More information in the new Lake George e-Bulletin. Firewood is the key vector for spreading invasive pests. See press release. See new Lake George FACT SHEETS on the invasive Emerald ash borer and the Asian longhorned beetle. See FACT SHEET about safe use of firewood to prevent spreading invasive species.

FUND in midst of 32nd season of water quality monitoring on Lake George: Program is one of the most thorough the U.S. Program supported through longstandind partnership with the RPI Darrin Fresh Water Institute in Bolton Landing. See new video on YouTube about the FUND-DFWI partnership to monitor Lake George water quality. See press release.

The FUND completes an environmental retrofit of its office complex to treat all stormwater on-site using pervious pavement and a rain garden: Project eliminates stormwater from exiting the site. See how the pervious pavement area and rain garden were built.  

Save the Streams,
Save the Lake!

They’re back -- finally. Albany signs off on draft stream corridor protection regulations by the Lake George Park Commission. These rules are 23 years overdue. It is expected that the Park Commission will hold a final round of public meetings this summer.

See Myths & Reality statement from FUND and Waterkeeper about proposed stream rules for Lake George to set the record straight against distortions and misconceptions.

See new short video about the importance of stream buffer regulations for the Lake George watershed. Or, see this video on YouTube.

The FUND and Waterkeeper released a special report Clear Choice: The Need for Stream Buffers in the Lake George Watershed about this issue. The FUND and the Waterkeeper are committed to strengthening the new draft rules during the public hearing process.

New educational video released about the Lake George Stream Assessment Project. See new video posted on YouTube about the Lake George Stream Assessment Project. Read a press report about the terrific work of the Waterkeeper Stream Assessment Project as it completes its third field season; 48 streams studied at 65 locations!

Lake Science

2010 marks 31st year of continuous water quality monitoring on Lake George from the Caldwell Basin to Rogers’s Rock through a partnership between the FUND and the RPI Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI). Monitoring work has begun for this season.

See new video on YouTube about the FUND-DFWI partnership to monitor Lake George water quality.

FUND-DFWI research discovered annual formation of a "DEAD ZONE" hypoxic area in the south basin starting in the mid-1980s. See Press Release about 2009 formation and DEAD ZONE Fact Sheet. See press report in the Albany Times Union.

See FACT SHEETS on Lake George Water Quality Issues, including salt pollution and the decline in water clarity, algal blooms, the continuous problems with stormwater as well as about the DEAD ZONE.

See FACT SHEETS on Invasive Species that Threaten Lake George, including aquatic species Eurasian Watermilfoil, Zebra Mussels, Didymo, Alewife, Spiny Water Flea, Northern Snakehead and Hydrilla. See FACT SHEETS on terrestrial invasive species, such as Purple Loosestrife, Phragmites, Japanese Knotweed and Garlic Mustard. See new FACT SHEETS about the Asian Clam, Asian Longhorned Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer.

Excellent new report on the potential impacts to the Champlain Valley from climate change. Written by Curt Stager of Paul Smiths College, it was produced by the Vermont and Adirondack chapters of the Nature Conservancy.

New study from the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smiths College and Adk Action finds environmental problems with heavy salt use on roads during winter months throughout the Adirondack Park.

See Lake George Freeze Chart, 1908-2010.

Watch an absolutely stunning video about Tropical Storm Irene battering and flooding the Village of Lake George.

Donate Online

The FUND for Lake George depends on supporters like for you for its success in protecting Lake George. To join or make an online contribution click here.

Trustees

New information is posted here for the Board of Trustees of the FUND for Lake George.