Public hearing on the budget meeting on Wednesday, November 18th at 6:00 PM,

November 15, 2015

Dear Members of OWLA,

We need OWLA represented at the  on the 6th floor of the Cayuga County Office Building so we can prove to the County that there is support for Owasco Lake. County legislators are making budget decisions at that meeting. If you can not attend this meeting, please send an email or letter to your County legislator, demanding support.

The County is cutting funding to Owasco Lake through the Soil &Water Conservation District budget, Cornell Cooperative Extension budget, and Planning; Health Department budgets. These cuts will affect Owasco Lake because all four departments spend part of their budgets on helping Owasco Lake survive. It is imperative that we let legislators know the importance of funding to protect Owasco Lake.

To reach your legislator click here: Cayuga County Legislators

For additional information from a story in The Citizen, click here: Citizen article

We also remind you that the next public meeting of the Manure Management Group is on Monday, November 16th at Cayuga Onondaga BOCES, 1879 West Genesee Street, Auburn, NY, 13021, at 7:00 pm.

Thank you for your continued support.

James L Beckwith, President
Owasco Watershed Lake Association

OWLA meeting this Wednesday!

Don't forget the OWLA meeting this Wednesday, May 2nd - 7pm, at the Springside Inn on West Lake Rd. in Fleming.

The public is invited!

YMCA takes over Camp Rotary on Owasco Lake

Great news this week that Camp Rotary, the Boy Scout Camp on Owasco lake will remain accessible by young campers in Cayuga County. After several years of litigation, local interests negotiated the successful transfer of Camp Rotary to the Auburn YMCA. The camp will be added to the adjacent YMCA property in the Town of Niles.

This is an important property on Owasco Lake and keeping it as a camp, is a big win for the youth of Cayuga County and the future of Owasco Lake.

Thanks to the Owasco Camp Association and local leaders who have advocated for this important settlement with Boy Scouts of America Longhouse Council ( former Hiawatha Council).

Read more in the Auburn Citizen article: http://auburnpub.com/news/local/article_eefc7ace-1014-11e1-9b60-001cc4c03286.html

OWLA April meeting change

The OWLA meeting has been changed to, Wednesday 4.13.11. We are most fortunate to have David Decker (Director of the Lake George Coalition) speaking at the OWLA’s April meeting on April 13th.  The Lake George Watershed has long been supported by active watershed stewardship, and the Lake George Coalition is currently mounting an active response to a significant increase in that Lake’s Asian clam  population. Come learn about how Lake George is responding to this new invasive that has also been recently found in Owasco Lake.

Please note the change - April OWLA meeting will be at the Springside Inn on 4.13.11 at 7pm.

It's Spring and the ice is out on Owasco Lake!

The lake ice broke up with yesterday mornings winds. This ended a 56 day run of ice on the entire lake north to south (since 1/24/11). The lake ice sheet had begun to shrink around the edges about two weeks ago. It has been an old fashioned winter here in CNY. Skier's and snowmobiler's have enjoyed one of the best seasons in years. Syracuse presently stands at 174.2" of snow fall so far this season.

The boats won't be far behind. It's time to start thinking about summer on the lake!

- Lakeman

Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council formed

Wednesday night at Emerson Park, three municipalities voted to form the Owasco Lake Management council. The Cayuga County Legislator, City of Auburn and Town of Owasco became the founding members. They hope to add the other towns and villages of the Owasco Lake Watershed to the council very soon. The purpose of the council is to oversee watershed protection in the 208 square mile watershed. Owasco Lake is the major water supply for over 50,000 people in Cayuga County. The group also hopes to apply for grants and federal funding to address water quality issues in the watershed. The groups first efforts will be to create its by-laws and a budget.

The Owasco Watershed Lake Association has been pushing for a cooperative approach by all watershed municipalities for many years. We are very hopeful for active participation in the council by all of the government bodies in the watershed.

Read the Auburn Citizen article at the following link:
http://auburnpub.com/news/local/article_6a05efae-034e-11e0-a844-001cc4c002e0.html

Senator Valeski to speak at OWLA meeting

Message from OWLA President Joe Wasileski:

Hello OWLS!!

Greeting from Joe!!!

We are having an OWLA meeting this Wednesday November 4th at 7 PM at The Springside Inn.

Our guest will be Senator David Valesky. He is coming specifically to hear our concerns about the water quality of Owasco Lake, and what he might do to help OWLA and it's Mission. Please come to meet him and also weigh in on your concerns and solutions. Senator Valesky wants very much to help us, and wants to be known as a Finger Lakes advocate! We have been working on putting together specific propositions that he might choose to HELP us achieve. Please come, and bring your friends, to meet him and see if we can move forward to achieve our goals. A strong turn out, will definitely help our cause. This is not a political event, but merely one additional effort to try to help OWASCO LAKE!

Thanks Joe

The "Owasco Lake News" is one year old!

Yes, this month the Owasco Lake News blog is one year old!

We set up this blog as a communications tool to help inform our membership, and for that matter the world, on the latest happenings and news about OWLA and Owasco Lake.

A few statistics about the blog (during the last 12 months).....…….
- we have had over 1,846 visits to the blog
- we have had over 3,223 page views
- we average betwwen 6-10 visits to our blog daily, depending on the season
- we have written and posted 70 blog articles
- we have over 24 links to other "lake related" web sites
- about 25% of our visits come from our link on our web-site OWLA.org, ~25% from direct entries, and ~50% from search engine search results re-directions (like Google)
……….not too bad for the blog not being publicized very well!

We have had a lot of great comments from folks who have been enjoying the content.

What do you think?
What could we be doing better or add to the blog to keep our members and the public more informed?
What topics would you like see discussed?
Do you have news, meeting information or interesting topics we can discuss on the blog?

Please send us your comments and ideas to our contact e-mail address at owlanews@gmail.com.

We really need your help to give us suggestions, provide content and to publicize the blog site.

If you print or send out any mailings, newsletters, and other information to our membership, please add the Owasco Lake News blog URL (http://www.owlanews.blogspot.com/), as well as the OWLA web-site URL to your documents and help spread the word. Also tell your friends, family and colleagues who love the lake to please check us out.

Thanks for everyones support!

Also, Thanks to CELESTE for being our first registered "Follower"

- Tony (aka - Lakeman)

"Improve Your World"

"Improve Your World" is a "green" television program developed by SUNY ESF to present environmental issues affecting our region and the world. I caught an episode yesterday morning on WSYR Channel 9.2 (TWC 890). I found it to be quite informative and relavent to what is happening here in the Fingerlakes. Segment topics such as "next generation" septic system techologies and how NY City is working to protect its watershed in the Catskills were both very educational.

The program is produced locally by Syracuse University, and is very well done. If you get a chance, tune in next Sunday morning at 11:30am on WSYR ch. 9.2.

For more information; check out the Syracuse University "Orange Televeision" website at http://orangetv.syr.edu/showdetails.aspx?showid=13

Finally! NYSDEC announces help for Owasco Lake

The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation announced Tuesday that it had come to an agreement on the Phosphorus discharge limits for the Groton Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).

After many years of debate, The DEC has finally come up with a reasonable approach to the ongoing problems with phosphorus discharges to the Owasco Inlet from the Town of Groton STP. The new permit will eventually limit the amount of phosphorus the plant can discharge into the Owasco Inlet to .5 milligrams per liter, or approximately two pounds per day. This is the level that OWLA has been lobbying for several years. Higher phosphorus levels have been associated with increased weed growth and algae blooms in the lake. Groton will be required to meet the new limits in 14 months; June, 2010.

The Auburn Citizen had a nice article outlining the final terms of the agreement and OWLA's position on the announcement. Our President ; Joe Wasileski was quoted as follows: "....... the organization is pretty happy about these regulations after eight years of fighting. Every pound of phosphorus can lead to 500 pounds of weeds in the lake, he said.“(Two pounds per day) is a big start,” Wasileski said. “This whole thing has just been dragging on so long.”

Read the entire article at this Link:
http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2009/03/04/local_news/news02.txt

Proposed Ban on Phosphorus fertilizer

There is a very interesting article in today's Syracuse Post-Standard detailing a proposed law in Cazenovia to ban fertizlizers with Phosphorus. Ten years ago there were not very many alternatives to phosphorus laden fertilizers. Today it is much different. Most home centers and hardware retailers carry Zero-phosphorus fertilizers. In Cayuga County, you can contact the Soil and Water Conservation District for a ZERO-phosphorous fertizlizer for your lawn. We encourage you to try them.

Cazenovia is one of the first CNY municipalities to consider an outright ban on Phosphorus based fertizlers. It will be interesting to watch what the community's response will be.

Phosphorus run off to Owasco Lake is documented as one of our biggest issues relating to water quality. What do you think about the proposal? Should we try it in the Owasco Lake Watershed?

Get out and enjoy the snow....
- Lakeman

Link to Post_Standard article:
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/cazenovia_seeks_to_ban_use_of.html

Link to the proposed law:
http://townofcazenovia.org/content/Generic/View/26

Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District's Fertilizer offer:

Watershed Friendly Fertilizer
The Cayuga County Soil & Water Cons. District has available at a reduced price, a ZERO-phosphorous fertizlizer for your lawn. 50 lb. bags are only $10.00 The formulation will provide sustained color and hardiness while eliminating the potential negative effects that excess phosphourus has on water quality. A great way that you can help improve water quality in our watershed.
Contact the CC Soil & Water Cons. Dist.
at 315.252.4171 ext. 3 for more information.

Happy New Year!

We hope you all had a nice Christmas and Holiday season. I had a nice break from work and other obligations, with plenty of time to spend with fanily and friends.

The new year is here and we want to get off to a strong start. Our Next OWLA Board of Directors Meeting to kick off 2009, will be held on Wed. evening February 4th, 7pm at the Springside Inn. The meeting is open to the public, so come and see what we are all about.


(I'll post an agenda from Dr. Joe Wasileski later in the month)


REMINDER - No January Meeting! (Get out and enjoy the snow! - we are!)

Take care,

Lakeman

News from the Finger Lakes Institute

We recently recieved an e-mail from Sarah Meyer with the latest happenings from the Finger Lakes Institute:


January 2009 Happenings at the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Education Outreach
- Science on Seneca Database Project
- SOS Lesson Plan: Invasive Mussels

Community Outreach and Public Service

HWS Alternative Spring Break- An Act of Conservation
- Recruiting HWS Students for March 2009 Trip
Finger Lakes Institute supports HWS Community Based Research Projects
-Sarah Holland WS’09, Green Space In Geneva
-Susan Kridler WS ’11, Geneva Biking Initiative
Studying and Maintaining the Quality of Syracuse’s Drinking Water –Skaneateles Lake
-Soni Pradhanhang, SUNY ESF, presents in January

FLI Events :

January 8: Monitoring and Modeling: Assessing Best Management Practices in the Skaneateles Lake Watershed

January 29: FLOW: How Did a Handful of Corporations Steal Our Water -Movie Showing and Discussion


Sincerely,
Sarah A. Meyer

Community Outreach Coordinator
http://fli.hws.edu/
Office:(315)781-4382

Finger Lakes Institute
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
601 S. Main Street
Geneva, NY 14456


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A look back at the past year!

It has been a very busy year for OWLA and the movement to further protect Owasco Lake. Where has the time gone?

2008 was definitely a year of change. OWLA transitioned to a new President; Joe Wasileski. We also welcomed a whole new group of active members as well as adding several new Directors to our Board. The organization has also seen a large resurgence of membership participation this year, we hope it will keep growing. Another change this year was the loss of Owasco Lake's longtime advocate, Congressman James Walsh, who decided not to run for an additional term. Jim will be greatly missed by the protectors of Owasco Lake. His legacy of bringing back funding and sponsoring legislation to protect the Fingerlakes will be hard to ever match. Stay tuned for another separate blog to celebrate all of Jim's accomplishments over the years. Thanks Jim!

In April, we started this blog with the intent to get more timely information about what was going on in the watershed to our membership and the public. We hope we have met that goal and possibly exceeded it.

The spring began with a major push to bring some closure to the Groton Sewage Treatment plant issue. There was quite a bit of discussion between the Board and legal advisers on how the organization should proceed to drive some kind of response from the NYSDEC. At the same time our water testing team began preparations for the upcoming season of water sampling on the lake and watershed streams.

By summer the retoric on the Groton STP situation had intensified and OWLA members put together the "First Annnual Owasco Lake Day", where it was announced that the New York State DEC had finally released a draft permit with a tighter limit for Phosphorous that would be dumped into the Owasco Inlet. Local environmental groups set up displays and local Representatives spoke about protecting Owasco Lake. Joe Wasileski also introduced a call for action, with very specific goals for us to go after. (see the OWLANEWS blog link: http://owlanews.blogspot.com/2008/07/owasco-lake-day-great-success.html)

It was also OWLA's 20th Anniversary and was celebrated at Emerson Park on the Owasco Lake Day. A lot has happened in 20 years. As I wrote a series of blogs about our first 20 years, I was reminded of all of our great accomplishments and the quality of people who had volunteered to make them all happen (see the OWLANEWS blog link: http://owlanews.blogspot.com/2008/05/owla-is-20-years-old-this-summer-part-1.html).

Our membership committee also launched a large membership campaign which included several waves of mailings to people around the lake and in the towns served by Owasco Lake's drinking water. Our membership team has been quite creative and is really getting organized. We can't wait to see what they have planned for 2009.

Well there were many other OWLA happenings during 2008, too many to list here. Please feel free to browse back through the past months blog stories to better understand all great things going on to protect Owasco Lake and our environment. All-in-all, I believe it was a very positive year for the organization. Stay tuned for another article very soon, that will outline where we might be headed for 2009 and beyond.

As 2008 winds down I would like to thank all of our members for their efforts and support this year! I can't begin to say enough about the time our volunteers dedicate to protecting Owasco Lake. Thanks Team!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

- Lakeman

Contrasts of Two Local Lakes!

Many folks turned out at the Auburn Public Theatre this past Wednesday for the OWLA and IGAT presentation of "Beauty and the Beast - A Tale Of Two Lakes" a documentary produced by Peter Cramer. The film contrasts Ononondaga and Skaneateles Lakes and the story of how one was neglected and the other protected.

A crowd of over 50 people attended the showing to show support for the protection of Owasco Lake and to learn more how how they might get involved. OWLA has even talked about helping to produce a documenatry to highlight the present environmental concerns on Owasco Lake. We hope if you were not able to attend, that you might show your support and consider a donation or better yet, by joining OWLA to help continue the efforts to protect Owasco Lake.

See the complete story from the Auburn Citizen: http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2008/12/04/local_news/news05.txt

Compromise proposed on Truck Plan in the Fingerlakes

The NYS DOT is reporting a possible compromise in the proposed ban on Heavy truck traffic in the Fingerlakes. The popular "short-cuts" for big rigs would become illegal and would only be allowed if these trucks have pickups/drop offs on the route. The ban would cover Routes 38, 41, 41A, 89, 90, 96 and 96A. This would also indirectly cover Rt. 38A by the Rt. 38 and Rt. 41A ban.

Truck traffic has increased steadily in last ten years over these routes as rising fuel prices have moved truckers to look for short-cuts between Rt 81 and The NYS Thruway. At the same time increased traffic has raised pollution risks to the Fingerlakes watersheds. I personally have witnessed two NYC garbage haulers overturned on Rt. 41A in the last 5 years. One of those landed in a tributary to Skaneateles Lake less than a mile upstream of the lake. Citizens have also complained of the speed and noise of the trucks in residential areas.

Thanks to our local leaders and state representatives who have finally got this problem on the track to resolution. Thanks specifically to Town of Owasco leaders Barb Clary and John Klink who have helped lead the efforts to resolve this complicated situation.

I've got an even better idea for the garbage going to Seneca Meadows - lets haul it from NYC to Seneca Meadows by railroad and save fuel and our roads. Existing railroad tracks exist within one mile of the landfill. What do you think?


see associated article in the Auburn Citizen: http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2008/11/08/local_news/news01.txt

Fish Derby Oct.4th - Cancelled!

The OWLA Fishing Derby set for Sat. October 4th on Owasco Lake has been cancelled!

We regret to announce that arrangements for this fishing derby did not work out.

Thanks to everyone who worked to arrange or supported this project.

Seaplane Fly-In at Emerson Park, Owasco Lake, Sunday Sept. 14th

There will be a Seaplane Fly-In at Emerson Park on Sunday Sept. 14th. Come see water equipped Airplanes landing on the waters off the north shore of beautiful Owasco Lake. If you haven't seen a seaplane plane land or take off on the water before, this is a pretty cool opportunity to see these planes up close. This event is conducted after Labor Day each year , when the Emerson Park beach is closed and boat traffic has slowed for the season.

Hours are from 11:00am -3:00pm.

(picture from authors collection, all rights reserved - 2008, [2002 Emerson Park fly-in])

link to Emerson Park events:http://co.cayuga.ny.us/parks/emerson/events.html

Owasco Watershed Viewer Training

Owasco Watershed Viewer Training

The Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT) will be holding the next training session for the Owasco Watershed Viewer on September 17, 2008 at 7 pm in the GIS Lab at Cayuga Community College in Auburn. The training and software are free. The session will take about an hour and will cover the proper use of the included data, installation of the Viewer and its operation.

IAGT developed the Owasco Watershed Viewer to give watershed stewards, local officials and others a new way to view and understand the Owasco Watershed. The notion is that this will lead to a more holistic view and understanding of issues affecting the health of the lake and watershed, and in turn better informed decisions can be made.

The viewer runs on most PC's and features a 3D view of the terrain as well as common base layers and watershed data that can be turned on and off as needed. The application does not require an Internet connection, but there is a web based version available.

If you're interested in attending (or have questions) please RSVP to David Carr, IAGT - 315-283-9421 or 315-252-8669; dcarr@iagt.org. We are limited to about 15 people at a time for training, but would love to schedule additional training sessions if needed, so please spread the word!

OWLA Fishing Derby set for Sat. October 4th-CANCELLED!

Sorry the event has been cancelled!


Fish for FISH, Not Phosphorus!


.......is the theme of the Fall Owasco Lake Fishing Derby, with proceeds going to OWLA.


Sat. October 4th from 7am - 3pm

Check-in at either Emerson Park or South Shore Marina 7-8am

Weigh-in is at Emerson Park 3pm sharp!

Cash Prizes for the top three places! ($200, $100, $50)


Plus many prizes from the following sponsors:


Absolute Repair

Bass Pro Shop

Cascade Grill

Denny's Restaurant

Handy's Bait Shop

Owasco Marine

Shore Products

South Shore Marina

The Fur Shed


For more information call 255-2363, ask for Shawn