A watershed is an area of land that drains into a stream, river or lake. No matter where you live, the water that you use or that runs through your property will eventually end up in a stream, river or lake. Although Owasco Lake is only 10.7 miles long and an average of 1.2 miles wide, its watershed covers 208 square miles.

The watershed is so large, it is in Cayuga, Tompkins and Onondaga counties.

Owasco Lake serves as a drinking source for more than 50 percent of the people living in Cayuga County. Activities that occur within the watershed can have an impact on the water quality, whether they occur directly on the lake or many miles from it.

As the watershed inspector for Owasco Lake, my job is to protect the lake and all of the streams that flow to it.

Under the public health law, there are rules and regulations to protect Owasco Lake, as well as the entire watershed.

These rules and regulations deal with a variety of issues, including septic systems, agriculture, herbicides and pesticides and pollutants.

I hope to help people understand the importance of these rules and regulations and help them minimize their impact on the lake.

Another significant part of my job is to help educate residents about the importance of their watershed and ways in which they can improve it.

Many people ask me if I have cleaned up Owasco Lake yet. Although I know I can make a definite improvement in the quality of the lake, I cannot do it alone.

In order to protect our beautiful lake and drinking water source, we need to protect its entire watershed as well.

Owasco Lake needs everyone living in the watershed to be more environmentally friendly and mindful of how their choices can negatively impact their watershed community.

Together we can improve Owasco Lake and preserve it for future generations.

Want to know if you live in the Owasco Lake Watershed? Visit www.co.cayuga.ny.us/wqma/ and click on maps to view a map of the entire Owasco Lake Watershed.

Also, the Owasco Lake Rules and Regulations can be viewed at www.co.cayuga.ny.us/wqma/projects/wsrules.

On the first Thursday of every month, the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency meets at the Cayuga County Office Building at 10 a.m. At this meeting, I give a brief presentation of the work that I have completed over the past month.

These monthly reports can be viewed on my Web page at www.co.cayuga.ny.us/ wqma/owascoinspector.

If you see an activity within the Owasco Lake Watershed that may be harming the water quality, please call me at 252-4171 ext. 120 during business hours.

To report an emergency during the evening or weekend, call 253-8754, and to report an emergency spill, contact the NYS DEC 24-Hour Spill Notification Hotline at (877) 457-7362.

Jessica Miles is the Owasco Lake watershed inspector.