While data and observation show that Owasco Lake is steadily deteriorating, the experts say it's not too late to save the lake.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
Fred Kraft, of Dryden, scoops out weeds along his lakeshore property in the hamlet of Southeast Owasco. Kraft said he comes to his cottage twice a week and each time he has to remove the weeds around his dock, “It's a never ending process,” he said.
Fred Kraft, of Dryden, scoops out weeds along his lakeshore property in the hamlet of Southeast Owasco. Kraft said he comes to his cottage twice a week and each time he has to remove the weeds around his dock, “It's a never ending process,” he said.
“Yes, the conditions are worsening, but we still have time to prevent an extremely bad situation,” said Marion Babyszak, director of the Finger Lakes Institute, an organization that studies conditions of all the Finger Lakes and recently deemed Owasco the worst. “Remediation is possible if it's taken seriously now.”
State Sen. Mike Nozzolio held a heavily attended meeting to gather information from stakeholders about the lake's conditions in Emerson Park on July 6. Since then, Nozzolio has secured $425,000 in state funding to address critical problems of Owasco Lake. Nozzolio has also created a plan addressing several lake issues that he is working with local groups and officials to implement.
At the root of the efforts is attacking the problem of high phosphorous levels in the lake, which have caused a plentiful amount of weeds and algae to grow, cutting off oxygen to other life in the lake.
“We are seeing nutrient levels consistently increasing in the lake,” Babyszak said.
After years of trying to implement plans locally to save the lake, Al Kozlowski, president of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association, and long-time Owasco Lake advocate, is pleased with the sudden proactive actions since the meeting. OWLA is a citizen-based organization created to support leadership on issues relating to Owasco Lake and its watershed.
“We are finally at a healthier point of discussion. People are realizing they can help,” Kozlowski said.
Since July, Nozzolio has created a long list of issues to tend to in order to fix the conditions of the lake.
Nozzolio first worked with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to ensure the village of Groton properly treats sewage at its plant on the Owasco Inlet, which feeds the lake.
Groton is currently conducting a six-week pilot study on chemicals that will reduce the amount of phosphorous dumped into the lake. Once testing is completed in mid-September, the better phosphorous reducing chemical will be used consistently at the plant, said Bruce Natale, of Cayuga County environmental management and engineering services.
Currently, there are no rules regarding releasing phosphorous from the Groton plant because it is located far enough from the lake, Natale said.
“After we address the Groton issue, we can begin trying to figure out other non-point sources of phosphorous,” Natale said.
Non-point sources, difficult to identify unlike a sewage plant, will be easier to find if the county can obtain a computerized geographic information system called OWaLiS. The OWaLiS system is a special computer system that attracts data relevant to the lake, Nozzolio said. A part of Nozzolio's funding will purchase some of this equipment.
It is a Web-based system that will be accessible to any person, Kozlowski said.
“It will develop a nutrient budget for the lake. Then we can go back to the problem the system points out and limit the release of nutrients at that location,” Kozlowski said.
New state funding also will allow the Finger Lakes Institute to continue studies finding nutrient discharge sources in the lake.
“Once we get this system up, we will actually be able to see how much phosphorous the lake can really handle,” Kozlowski said.
If the OWaLiS system is purchased for the county, OWLA will work with local officials to implement plans to create two lake steward positions for the county.
Stewards would not be bureaucrats, Kozlowski said. The job will entail the two employees actually going out into the field to research the lake on a daily basis.
“A steward would be the eyes and the ears of issues for lakes,” Natale said. “Then they could address the issues to the public.”
Natale thinks steward research could aid in the restructuring of lake regulations.
Some county officials, however, have opposed such a post, saying it would simply add to the county's budget without having an impact on lake quality.
Nozzolio does not agree.
“I'm hoping to support the implementation of stricter lake regulations that could be implemented by lake monitors,” Nozzolio said.
Nozzolio said to ensure good water quality, better enforcing of the rules and regulations is important.
“We need a stricter structure like Skaneateles Lake. We also need lake stewards because you can't have strict rules without strict enforcement,” Nozzolio said.
By Nozzolio's request, the Finger Lakes Institute will research what methods Skaneateles Lake has used to ensure the high quality of the lake.
“We are solely interested in the science and will be honest about our findings,” Babyszak said.
Additional studies will include pinpointing sources of phosphorous and then reducing the larger sources' outflow, Babyszak said.
The state money will do more than fund more studies, though. About $100,000 will go toward increasing weed harvesting, both from the lake water and near the lake.
“I'm going to work hard to implement and fund the plans, but a lot of this can't be done with the state and federal government,” Nozzolio said. “We're going to need additional meetings and community and local official interaction.”
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
State Sen. Mike Nozzolio held a heavily attended meeting to gather information from stakeholders about the lake's conditions in Emerson Park on July 6. Since then, Nozzolio has secured $425,000 in state funding to address critical problems of Owasco Lake. Nozzolio has also created a plan addressing several lake issues that he is working with local groups and officials to implement.
At the root of the efforts is attacking the problem of high phosphorous levels in the lake, which have caused a plentiful amount of weeds and algae to grow, cutting off oxygen to other life in the lake.
“We are seeing nutrient levels consistently increasing in the lake,” Babyszak said.
After years of trying to implement plans locally to save the lake, Al Kozlowski, president of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association, and long-time Owasco Lake advocate, is pleased with the sudden proactive actions since the meeting. OWLA is a citizen-based organization created to support leadership on issues relating to Owasco Lake and its watershed.
“We are finally at a healthier point of discussion. People are realizing they can help,” Kozlowski said.
Since July, Nozzolio has created a long list of issues to tend to in order to fix the conditions of the lake.
Nozzolio first worked with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to ensure the village of Groton properly treats sewage at its plant on the Owasco Inlet, which feeds the lake.
Groton is currently conducting a six-week pilot study on chemicals that will reduce the amount of phosphorous dumped into the lake. Once testing is completed in mid-September, the better phosphorous reducing chemical will be used consistently at the plant, said Bruce Natale, of Cayuga County environmental management and engineering services.
Currently, there are no rules regarding releasing phosphorous from the Groton plant because it is located far enough from the lake, Natale said.
“After we address the Groton issue, we can begin trying to figure out other non-point sources of phosphorous,” Natale said.
Non-point sources, difficult to identify unlike a sewage plant, will be easier to find if the county can obtain a computerized geographic information system called OWaLiS. The OWaLiS system is a special computer system that attracts data relevant to the lake, Nozzolio said. A part of Nozzolio's funding will purchase some of this equipment.
It is a Web-based system that will be accessible to any person, Kozlowski said.
“It will develop a nutrient budget for the lake. Then we can go back to the problem the system points out and limit the release of nutrients at that location,” Kozlowski said.
New state funding also will allow the Finger Lakes Institute to continue studies finding nutrient discharge sources in the lake.
“Once we get this system up, we will actually be able to see how much phosphorous the lake can really handle,” Kozlowski said.
If the OWaLiS system is purchased for the county, OWLA will work with local officials to implement plans to create two lake steward positions for the county.
Stewards would not be bureaucrats, Kozlowski said. The job will entail the two employees actually going out into the field to research the lake on a daily basis.
“A steward would be the eyes and the ears of issues for lakes,” Natale said. “Then they could address the issues to the public.”
Natale thinks steward research could aid in the restructuring of lake regulations.
Some county officials, however, have opposed such a post, saying it would simply add to the county's budget without having an impact on lake quality.
Nozzolio does not agree.
“I'm hoping to support the implementation of stricter lake regulations that could be implemented by lake monitors,” Nozzolio said.
Nozzolio said to ensure good water quality, better enforcing of the rules and regulations is important.
“We need a stricter structure like Skaneateles Lake. We also need lake stewards because you can't have strict rules without strict enforcement,” Nozzolio said.
By Nozzolio's request, the Finger Lakes Institute will research what methods Skaneateles Lake has used to ensure the high quality of the lake.
“We are solely interested in the science and will be honest about our findings,” Babyszak said.
Additional studies will include pinpointing sources of phosphorous and then reducing the larger sources' outflow, Babyszak said.
The state money will do more than fund more studies, though. About $100,000 will go toward increasing weed harvesting, both from the lake water and near the lake.
“I'm going to work hard to implement and fund the plans, but a lot of this can't be done with the state and federal government,” Nozzolio said. “We're going to need additional meetings and community and local official interaction.”
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are 4 comment(s)
Steve wrote on Aug 22, 2006 9:54 AM:
Dave wrote on Aug 22, 2006 7:10 AM:
Future Owasco resident wrote on Aug 21, 2006 4:45 PM:
DAN wrote on Aug 21, 2006 2:36 PM: