OWLA Meeting Wed. Nov. 4th, 2015

Owasco Watershed Lake Association Meeting

November 4, 2015

Springside Inn at 7:00 PM

Draft Agenda

Welcome Members and Guests

Call to Order
 
I.        Roll Call Sheet

II.      Approval of October 7, 2015 Minutes - Gilda Brower

III.    Financial Report - Jeff Trescot
       
IV.    Committee Reports

            A.  Ad Hoc Notification Group - Bill Phillips; Bob Brower
            B.  Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council - Jim Beckwith
                  1. Owasco Lake Management Plan - Jim Beckwith; Bob Brower
            C.  Water Testing/Monitoring- Ken Kudla; Drew Snell
            D.  Strategic Planning Effort - Bob Brower
                      (Set date for planning meeting)
              E.  Membership Update - Rosemarie Romano
                  1. Cove Captains; Watershed Kit - Jean Canizzo; Linda Vitale
                  2. Membership Assistance

V.      Old Business

              A. Update on Grants including Dutch Hollow and "Ask" - Bob Brower
              B.  March to Lake Day 2016
              C. Whole Farms Best-Practices

VI.    New Business

              A.  County Budget Meetings - Jim Beckwith; Rick Nelson
              B.  Meeting with County Manager - Jim Beckwith
              C.  Other

VII.  Wrap-up (next meeting; assignments; agenda planning items)

Adjourn
We value your opinions and ideas regarding OWLA and encourage you to participate in OWLA meetings.

Large amounts of Foam on Owasco Lake this fall

Many times we observe "foaming" conditions on Owasco Lake. This year seems to be especially active for large amounts of it. In the fall, dropping water temperatures can accelerate decomposition of plant life and algae which causes the creation of foam. Andrew Snell; Owasco Watershed Inspector has a nice article describing the situation in the Auburn Citizen Newspaper this week.

Take a read of the full article here: http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/eco-talk-owasco-lake-foam-caused-by-seasonal-decomposition/article_c7d02b6d-391c-5156-81d8-ad45992dcfb1.html

OWLA Meeting Wednesday October 7th, 7pm

Owasco Watershed Lake Association Meeting

October 7, 2015

Springside Inn at 7:00 PM

Draft Agenda

Welcome Members and Guests

I.        Roll Call Sheet

  

II.      Approval of September 2, 2015 Minutes - Gilda Brower

  

III.    Financial Report - Jeff Trescot

         

IV.    Committee Reports

  

            A.  Membership Update - Rosemarie Romano

                  1. Cove Captains; Watershed Kit - Jean Canizzo; Linda Vitale

                  2. Membership Assistance

B.  Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council - Bob Brower

                  1. Owasco Lake Management Plan - Bob Brower

            C.  Water Testing/Monitoring- Ken Kudla; Drew Snell

            D. Strategic Planning Effort - Bob Brower

  

V.      Old Business 

              A. Update on Grants including Dutch Hollow and "Ask" - Bob Brower

              B.  Ad Hoc Notification Group

              C. Whole Farms Best-Practices

  

VI.    New Business

              A. March to Lake Day 2016

              B. Other

  

VII.  Wrap-up (next meeting; assignments; agenda planning items)

  

Adjourn

We value your opinions and ideas regarding OWLA and encourage you to participate in OWLA meetings.

Owasco Lake Water Quality Buoy

Photo by John Halfman - FLI

For the second year in a row Owasco Lake has had a water quality monitoring buoy recording important water quality data. If you are on the lake you can't miss the yellow platform located about half way down the lake between Burtis and Koenig points. The buoy that was placed and maintained by the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart William Smith College, provides seasonal monitoring of several key water quality parameters.

Owasco Lake has been facing more water quality impairments in recent years. The water quality buoy provides much-needed daily measurements critical to understanding the environmental processes within the lake. This information will be used to recommend best management practices and develop watershed management strategies focused on improving water quality in Owasco Lake.

Read the complete buoy story at:  https://flihappenings.wordpress.com/2015/09/14/exploration-and-education-water-quality-monitoring-goes-high-tech-on-owasco-lake/

Owasco Watershed Lake Association Meeting - September 2nd

Owasco Watershed Lake Association Meeting

September 2, 2015

Springside Inn at 7:00 PM

Draft Agenda

Welcome Members and Guests

 
Call to Order

Presentation:
    Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District Advanced
    Agriculture Technologies
      Presenter:  Jason Cuddeback, Conservation Tec/Grazing Specialist
   
I.        Roll Call Sheet
II.      Approval of August 5, 2015 Minutes - Gilda Brower
III.    Financial Report - Jeff Trescot    
IV.    Committee Reports
            A.  Membership Update - Rosemarie Romano
                  1. Cove Captains; Watershed Kit - Jean Canizzo; Linda Vitale
                  2. Membership Assistance
B.  Communication - Carolyn Hiza
            C.  Organizational Committee Reports
            D.  Water Testing/Monitoring- Ken Kudla; Drew Schell
V.      Old Business
              A.  Lake Levels - Ed Wagner
  B.  Asian Clams - Ed Wagner        
              C.  Dutch Hollow project - Charlie Greene
VI.    New Business
              A.  Strategic Planning effort
              B.  Ad Hoc Notification Group
              C. Whole Farms Best-Practices          
VII.  Wrap-up (next meeting; assignments; agenda planning items)

Adjourn

We value your opinions and ideas regarding OWLA and encourage you to participate in OWLA meetings.

Watershed Restoration Project stalled

The Auburn Citizen is reporting today that Dutch Hollow Brook Watershed Restoration Project has been stopped pending release of funds by NY state. This project is hoped to have significant effect in preventing nutrients from entering Dutch Hollow Brook and Owasco Lake. We hope our state Leaders will act quickly to complete the funding for this important project.

Read the full article here:
http://auburnpub.com/news/local/dutch-hollow-watershed-restoration-project-stalled-until-state-funding-appears/article_9dfa5b28-212c-5d2c-928b-cd08d6490324.html

Link to the original project funding announcement article from April 2014:
http://auburnpub.com/blogs/eye_on_ny/seward-visits-owasco-announces-grant-for-dutch-hollow-brook-restoration/article_1d2813f3-0ef8-51e2-9841-aefa82b78fae.html

New Algae Bloom found in Owasco Lake

A blue-green algae bloom has been found on the west side of Owasco Lake. The bloom was confirmed on Friday (7/10/15) by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, was found on the west side near Peterson Point in Fleming, which is close to the intersection of state Route 38 and Stone School Road.

Blue-green algae blooms produce toxins that could pose a health risk to people and animals. Consuming water containing high levels of blue-green algae has been associated with damaging effects to the liver and nervous system in pets, livestock and people, according to the Cayuga County Health Department.

Some guidelines from the Cayuga County Health Department for dealing with blue-green algae:

      - People should suspect that blue-green algae could be present in surface water that is visibly discolored or that has surface scums.

       - People and pets should not swim in surface water that is discolored or has surface scum. If contact does occur, wash with soap and water or rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove algae.

         - Avoid bathing, showering or washing dishes in untreated surface water that is experiencing an algae bloom.

      -  Do not let your pet drink water experiencing blue-green algae blooms.

If you suspect a blue-green algae bloom, call the Cayuga County Environmental Health Division at (315) 253-1405.

See the entire Citizen article at: http://auburnpub.com/news/local/health-department-blue-green-algae-bloom-found-on-west-side/article_457d9cf9-8b29-5871-886a-e37e7d38eb8d.html

OWLA - July 1st meeting

Owasco Watershed Lake Association Meeting

July 1, 2015

Springside Inn at 7:00 PM

Special Meeting Agenda

Welcome Members and Guests
Call to Order


I. Roll Call Sheet

II. Approval of June 3, 2015 Minutes - Gilda Brower

III. Financial Report - Jeff Trescot

IV. Proposal for Owasco Flats / Finger Lakes Land Trust- Jim Beckwith

V. Identification of Invasive Species and Training: Guest Speaker:
Michele Wunderlich, Associate Planner,
Cayuga County Department of Planning and Economic Development

VI. Removal of Invasive Species: Lance Robson, New York State Fish and Wildlife Management Board, Chairman

VII. Committee Reports
A. Membership Update - Norma Leone; Rosemarie Romano
1. Report on Pilot Program - Jean Cannizzo and Linda Vitale
B. Communication - Carolyn Hiza
C. Lake Day June 24, 2015 Follow-up - Rick Nelson
D. Water Testing/Monitoring- Ken Kudla; Drew Snell
VIII. Wrap-up (next meeting; assignments; agenda planning items)

Adjourn
We value your opinions and ideas regarding OWLA and encourage you to participate in OWLA meetings.

Owasco Lake Day on June 24th at Emerson Park

 The Owasco Lake Watershed Association and several co-sponsors will host the 8th annual Owasco Lake Day on Wednesday, June 24th from 2- 7 PM, “rain or shine”, in and around the Pavilion at Emerson Park in Owasco, New York.

 The event will once again include free admission and parking, free guided pontoon boat rides, a variety of family activities and children’s games, and many hands-on educational exhibits. The pontoon rides will launch and recover at the Park’s boat launch area. The family and children activities will be located under-cover on the south porch of the Pavilion. They have been expanded to include pottery painting, backyard bass fishing, animal pelts, fossils, bean bag toss game with prizes, making food chain bracelets or pin-on badges to wear, and looking at the Lake’s water under a microscope, as demonstrated by several Auburn High School students.

 The Resource Fair, inside the Pavilion, has over twenty environmental and water related organizations committed to displaying detailed information about their missions.

A welcome and introductions from OWLA President Jim Beckwith will start verbal presentations at about 5 o’clock.

Following these words, our first speaker will be: Dr. John Halfman, from the Finger Lakes Institute at the Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He will present his annual analysis of the condition of Owasco Lake based on the results of the data from the 2014 sampling. He will pay particular attention to the accelerated aging of the lake (expanding weed growth and blue-green algal blooms) that are likely caused by excessive nutrients (phosphorus) from human activities throughout the watershed. Dr Halfman has been guiding the study of Owasco Lake for many years. His work is supported by the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency, the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council (OWLMC), and the Owasco Watershed Lake Association (OWLA).

more info: http://www.owla.org/composite%20lake%20day%20info.pdf