AUBURN - Owasco Lake is ready for swimming, and Cayuga County officials are working to make sure the beach at Emerson Park cooperates this summer.
The Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District plans to address problems of fecal coliform at Emerson Park's beach by transforming the drainage area behind the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum so it better filters water before it enters Owasco Lake.
"Maybe this has an impact on what is going on at the beach," said Jim Hotaling, the district's executive director, to the county Legislature's Public Works Committee Wednesday morning.
Last summer, the beach was closed for about a month due to increased fecal coliform levels.
Fecal coliform is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. Scientists use it as an indicator for other more harmful bacteria that don't show up as easily through testing.
The district wants to reduce the slopes about 80 feet of stream banks and pond shore in the drainage area and plant more vegetation.
Hotaling envisions more of a marshland for the area rather than an open ditch. More plants in the area could help filter out some of the bacteria before it reaches the lake.
"The key is to get a good vegetation base in there," he said.
Work may start as soon as the end of June and could cost up to $6,000, Hotaling said. That cost is covered through a water quality grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secured by U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Onondaga.
In other news:
- The committee discussed the Auburn City Council's recent deliberations over cutting its contribution to the annual joint county-city fireworks display on July 3.
The county last year raised the price to park for the display to $5 from the regular $2 parking fee per car to encourage carpooling.
But the parking revenue does not completely cover the county's contribution to the display, said county parks and trails director Gary Duckett.
"There's a real misconception that this is a cash cow for us," said Legislator Ray Lockwood, R-Aurelius.
The committee asked Duckett to bring figures on how much the county spends on the display and how much it receives in parking revenue to its next meeting.
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267 or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
"Maybe this has an impact on what is going on at the beach," said Jim Hotaling, the district's executive director, to the county Legislature's Public Works Committee Wednesday morning.
Last summer, the beach was closed for about a month due to increased fecal coliform levels.
Fecal coliform is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. Scientists use it as an indicator for other more harmful bacteria that don't show up as easily through testing.
The district wants to reduce the slopes about 80 feet of stream banks and pond shore in the drainage area and plant more vegetation.
Hotaling envisions more of a marshland for the area rather than an open ditch. More plants in the area could help filter out some of the bacteria before it reaches the lake.
"The key is to get a good vegetation base in there," he said.
Work may start as soon as the end of June and could cost up to $6,000, Hotaling said. That cost is covered through a water quality grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secured by U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Onondaga.
In other news:
- The committee discussed the Auburn City Council's recent deliberations over cutting its contribution to the annual joint county-city fireworks display on July 3.
The county last year raised the price to park for the display to $5 from the regular $2 parking fee per car to encourage carpooling.
But the parking revenue does not completely cover the county's contribution to the display, said county parks and trails director Gary Duckett.
"There's a real misconception that this is a cash cow for us," said Legislator Ray Lockwood, R-Aurelius.
The committee asked Duckett to bring figures on how much the county spends on the display and how much it receives in parking revenue to its next meeting.
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267 or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
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