Finally, DEC lowers Groton STP discharge limit!

We couldn't have said it better, "OWLA recieves 20th Anniversary gift from the the state on friday" said the Syracuse Post-Standard in its Saturday morning edition.

Yes, it is true! After years of pressure by OWLA and local government agencies, the DEC has announced it will be limiting the phosphorus discgarge at the Groton sewage treatment plant to 2lbs. per day. This was half of the originally proposed DEC limit.

We want to give a big thank you to all the folks who have been involved in trying to wake up the DEC to push for tougher stands on water quality. State Senator Michael Nozzolio has been one of our biggest supporters on this issue. Locally, the Cayuga County WQMA, with the technical leadership of Bruce Natale, and Eileen O'Connor of the CC Health Dept., among many others.

Al Kozlowski, Dick Coalson, Charlie Greene, Paul Lattimore and Joe Wasileski, with support from other members, have poured literally hundreds of hours into this issue over the last four years. They did a great job researching this issue and bringing it to the forefront. A special thanks to Al for his leadership to the OWLA team during a long fight. Thanks guys!

This is just another example of the difference that can be made if people get involved in protecting our "Jewel", Owasco Lake.

Don't forget this Tuesday July 1st is Owasco Lake Day! Come out and celebrate with us at Emerson Park from 5-7pm.

Don't forget: Owasco Lake Day July 1 at Emerson Park

Senator Nozzolio and the Owasco Watershed Lake Association will host Owasco Lake Day at Emerson Park onTuesday, July 1, at 5 PM in the Pavilion.

Come celebrate our Lake and OWLA's 20th anniversary!

On the agenda:
- Senator Nozzolio will discuss protecting Owasco Lake
- The Finger Lakes Institute will be issuing the final results of their studies in Owasco Lake and its tributaries
- The DEC's draft permit for Groton will be coming to a head
- OWLA will be putting forth an action plan for all stakeholders around the lake
- OWLA will celebrate two decades of safeguarding the Lake with a 20th anniversary cake and a special membership offer.

Also; displays by Cornell Coop. Ext. of CC, IAGT, OWLA and others....

This will be our third summit. Let's make it standing room only. It's time to act!

Owasco Lake Buoy Weather Information Now Available

Owasco Lake Buoy Weather Information Now Available!


With the help of the Upstate Freshwater Institute (UFI) in Syracuse, NY, current weather conditions on Owasco Lake are available in “near real time” on the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology’s (IAGT) web site. The information can be accessed from their home page (http://www.iagt.org/) using the “Owasco Lake Buoy Data Feed” button on the right side of the page. If you prefer, the full URL for the page is http://www.iagt.org/owascolakebuoy/ . There are also links on the page to the water quality and weather trend data collected daily by UFI, and OWLA’s web site as well.


For any of you interested “techies” out there, the data is uploaded from the buoy via cell phone system to UFI, where it is processed and then sent on to IAGT’s servers via FTP and then posted on the web site. As a result, the weather information on the web page is updated every 20 minutes, but the actual time of the reading may be as much as 40 minutes old when viewed.
For more area weather information, IAGT also maintains a land based weather station with more detailed information for conditions in Auburn, NY: www.iagt.org/weather .
Questions? Contact David Carr, IAGT: 315-283-9421, dcarr@iagt.org.

Canoe/Kayak Trip up the Owasco Inlet 0n Sat. 7/26

The Owasco Flats Nature Reserve is sponsoring a Canoe/ Kayak Trip up the Owasco Inlet with Mark Whitmore, Cornell University, Natural Resouces Dept. When: Sat. July 26th Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm "Ecological Communities of the Owasco Flats"

- see the full FLLT report at http://www.fllt.org/news/index.php?id=37

Program on Control of Eurasian milfoil in Owasco Lake

The Owasco Lakefront owners are sponsoring a talk on Saturday June 28th at the Cascade Restaurant. Firelane 1, west side of Owasco Lake, in the Town of Moravia.

Owasco Flats Nature Reserve's Jean Siracusa and Bob Johnson of Cornell Ponds will be presenting their work on Biological Control of Eurasian watermilfoil, an aquatic invasive species in Owasco Lake. TIME: 1pm - needs to be confirmed!

UPDATE: Owasco Lake Day July 1st at Emerson Park

Owasco Lake Day July 1 at Emerson Park

Senator Nozzolio and the Owasco Watershed Lake Association will host Owasco Lake Day at Emerson Park on

Tuesday, July 1, at 5 PM in the Pavilion.

On the agenda:
- The Finger Lakes Institute will be issuing the final results of their studies in Owasco Lake and its tributaries
- The DEC's draft permit for Groton will be coming to a head
- OWLA will be putting forth an action plan for all stakeholders in the lake

And - OWLA will celebrate two decades of safeguarding the Lake with a 20th anniversary cake and a special membership offer.

This will be our third summit. Let's make it standing room only. It's time to act!

Report on Groton STP due out soon!

The Syracuse Post-Standard is reporting this morning that the DEC has stated that the draft permit for the Groton Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) should be done in late June or early July. The long awaited draft permit announcemnet will commence a 30 day public comment period. The Groton STP has been identified as a major contributor to high phosphorous counts in the Owasco Inlet and Owasco Lake.

OWLA, local officials and State Senator Mike Nozzolio have been pushing the NYSDEC for over a year to enact a more stringent phosphorus limit on the Groton STP. OWLA is urging the NYSDEC to enact a 2 lb. per day limit on phosphorous in the effluent dumped from the STP into Owasco Inlet.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Groton STP situation!

Link to article:
http://www.syracuse.com/cayuga/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1213433863123231.xml&coll=1

Owasco Lake Day! Tues. July 1st

Come out and celebrate Owasco Lake Day at Emerson Park!
Tuesday July 1st from 5-7pm,

Guest Speakers:

- State Senator Michael Nozzolio - Protecting Owasco Lake and its Watershed, Update on Groton STP SPEDES Permit

- Prof. John Halfman - Finger Lake Institute at Hobart William Smith College - State of Owasco Lake

- and hear OWLA' s action plan for the future of the Owasco Lake Watershed

Also come see various environmental displays from local groups and agencies.

Afterwards, stay for a celebration of OWLA's 20th Anniversary!

More details to follow.

Please e-mail us if your group would like to participate or if you have questions at owlanews@gmail.com.

We hope to see you on Owasco Lake Day!

Owasco Flats Father's Day Canoe/Kayak trip - June 14th

Bruce Natale, Naturalist, Environmental Engineer and Father will be leading a canoe/kayak trip on Saturday afternoon, June 14th at 1:00pm. Bruce will share with you the History of the Owasco Flats and the bird life found in this beautiful natural area. Bring your binoculars, sunscreen and bug juice and come check out the new canoe launch! Just be aware of the poison ivy on the ground and on tree trunks.
There are bathroom facilities at the Southshore Marina.

Please meet Bruce and his daughter at the Owasco Flats canoe launch by 1:00 pm.

Directions: Take Route 38 (west side of Owasco Lake) to Cascade (approximately 5 miles north of Moravia) to Firelane 1 and Cascade's Restaurant. Pass the restaurant, and proceed slowly past several homes and straight into the stone driveway (Owasco Flats). Take the stone road to the end. You can load/unload your canoe/kayak at the loop and then park your vehicle on the side of the road. Try to carpool if you can. If you would like to rent canoes or kayaks, you can do so at the marina at the south end of the lake. Southshore Marina.

Please pass this along to anyone that would be interested.

Thank you on behalf of the Owasco Flats Nature Reserve, Inc.

Sandie Doran, Chairperson

UPDATE: If you need further information Contact Jack Phillips at 315.730.3881 or 315.282.7568

July Fireworks and Syracuse Symphony on the Lake!

July 3rd Fireworks and Syracuse Symphony Performance
Site Location: Emerson Park - Owasco Lake
Date(s) of the event: July 3rd
Hours of the event: Symphony 8:00pm- 9:45pm+-
Fireworks 9:45pm+-
Admission Fee: $5.00 per car, handicap and senior citizens free
Description of the event: Syracuse Symphony performs on the lawn at Emerson Park, immediately followed by a large fireworks show along the shore of Owasco Lake. Alcohol not permitted in park.


Syracuse Symphony Performance
Site Location: Emerson Park - Owasco Lake
Date(s) of the event: July 9th and July 17th
Hours of the event: 8:00 pm
Parking Fee: $2.00 per car, handicap and senior citizens free until 8:00pm
Description of the event: Syracuse Symphony performs on the lawn at Emerson Park,


Get more information on Emerson Park - Owasco Lake at their web-site:
http://co.cayuga.ny.us/parks/emerson/index.html

How are we doing?

It has been two months since we started this blog to help people keep informed on Owasco Lake Watershed issues and happenings.
How are we doing?
What do you think?
Are we covering topics and news that is pertinent to you?
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Do you have Lake/Watershed information to share? If so, send it along.


Please e-mail us at owlanews@gmail.com and let us know what you think.