What We Do

We have four standing committees that cover current and potential threats to our watershed.

Education and Public Awareness:

• Concern -- That many families living in the watershed are unaware of the threats to the lake and how the quality of their life may be altered.



• Efforts-- Tri-County, working with educational institutions in the watershed, can be the tool of education.



• Solution -- Join/Support Tri-County in its efforts. Attend and participate in educational programs.

Lake Ecology:

• Concern -- A variety of exotic species have invaded Skaneateles Lake in recent years. The most troubling is Eurasian water milfoil, a plant that has the potential to significantly change the lake and how we use it.



• Efforts -- Raise awareness of this potential impact of milfoil and inform people of various control methods. Also, work with local governmental authorities to work out a strategy to deal with milfoil.



• Solution -- Manage the current milfoil population to keep it at low controllable levels in the short term and in the long term work to reduce its habitat by reducing the input of silt and nutrients to the lake.

Watershed:

• Concern -- The majority of troubling materials entering the lake come from the watershed, including silt, nutrients and pesticides. Reducing the levels of such materials in the lake requires careful management of the watershed.



• Efforts -- Educate residents of the watershed about techniques for reducing inputs of material into the lake. Work with local government in developing comprehensive watershed management plans. Support the Farm Management Plan.



• Solution -- Continued vigilance and effort to make sure that plans are implemented and that the input of silt, nutrients and pesticides into the lake are reduced.

Governmental Relations:

• Concern -- A lack of consistent enforcement of rules and regulation will result in poor land use and development in the watershed.



• Efforts -- In 1996 the Town and Village of Skaneateles adopted a Master Plan along with zoning laws as well as a watershed overlay provision.



• Solution -- Encourage the other towns in the watershed to adopt and enforce common zoning laws.

Hazardous Waste Truck Traffic:

• Concern -- As truck traffic increases along the shores of the watershed the potential for a serious spill becomes more likely.



• Efforts -- Pressure on local law enforcement to have strict patrols on all trucks traveling in the watershed.



• Solution -- Combine efforts with all of the other Finger Lakes water management associations as well as commerce agencies to pressure the Governor to restrict truck traffic to interstate highways.