SLA News Update on HABs by Paul Torrisi
Following the detection and reporting of the recent Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) on Skaneateles Lake in September, the SLA continued to take the lead in organizing a plan of action to “control the controllables”.READ MORE
Fran Rotunno
If a student came home with a report card that indicated she/he had received a grade of 92% on the high school physics regents, I would imagine the parents would be very happy. Hopefully, they would also be aware that that grade came with a lot of hard work and commitment on the part of their child and maybe even take a little (rightfully deserved) credit for giving the child the foundation for the work ethic it took to get that 92%.READ MORE
The season thus far has given us some challenges with the weather, but we are pleased to be able to report some significant progress in our workplan for the season.
John Menapace put his giant sewing machine to work to complete the assembly of the additional acre of matting that we wanted to have. READ MORE
by
Bob Werner
Skaneateles Lake Association
Over the last two weeks we have suffered some seriously heavy rainfall in the Skaneateles Lake watershed. The City of Syracuse gauges at the south end of the lake recorded 5.2 inches from June 30 to July 2 and 3.54 inches from July 13 to 15. During these rainy periods the rain fell heavily during a very short period of time, reaching nearly an inch of rainfall over approximately 20 minutes in one case. READ MORE
By Buzz Roberts
The SLA watercraft steward program is progressing well this summer. Our stewards, Elyse Dubois, Will Thomas, Griffin Dunn, Jeremy Castle, Sara Signorelli, Alex Frank, and Anna Denhoff, inspect boats entering Skaneateles Lake to ensure they are “Clean, Dry, and Drained” prior to launching. READ MORE
By Paul Torrisi
This year, Bill and Janet Stinson were the hosts for the SLA Annual meeting at their spectacular home and barn in the highlands of Niles, with wonderful views of the lake. Plenty of delicious food and beverages donated by most of our local restaurants, stores and wineries was enjoyed by the hundreds of people enjoying the near perfect weather on a Sunday evening from 5-7PM on July 9th.READ MORE
Fran Rotunno Fish
Last week while Bob Werner was surveying the lake for areas of milfoil which could be included in the matting done next year, he and SLA Board Member, Bill Dean, had the opportunity to talk with a number of people who live on the lake. We received much positive feedback during those conversations in regard to the work we have done and the progress we have made in controlling the presence of milfoil. READ MORE
In a few days our 6th year as the Skaneateles Lake Association will begin its efforts to keep the water of Skaneateles Lake Association clear and pure.
Our Milfoil Team is in place and the pontoon workboats are ready to go with the motors purchased last year with a grant from the Onondaga County Legislature.READ MORE
Our televisions and print and electronic media are all inundating us with news about the upcoming elections – town, county, and Federal. But before you say you are tired of hearing about it all, please consider another upcoming election that could significantly affect the Skaneateles Lake Community.
Right now the Board of Directors of the Skaneateles Lake Association is looking at its on-hand funds which are available to make commitments in regard to the work for which we can contract next year – that’s right work we will do in 2016. At this point in our membership campaign for 2015 (which predominately funds the work we can do in 2016) we do not have the funds we need to carry out the same level of effort we have in 2015. So it is time for the Skaneateles community to vote.
Our community members have several options for their vote. They can:
The voting procedure is very easy.
Doing nothing is a vote for option 1, 2, or 3 (doing less).
To vote in favor of the SLA continuing and maybe expanding its efforts to help keep Skaneateles Lake clear and its water pure:
Go SkaneatelesLake.org and registering as a member; or
Call 315-685-9106, ask for a registration form to be mailed to you, complete the form and mail it with your check to the Skaneateles Lake Association P. O. Box 862 Skaneateles, NY 13152; or
Use the registration slip on the bottom of this summer’s SLA newsletter, complete the form and mail it with your check to the Skaneateles Lake Association P. O. Box 862 Skaneateles, NY 13152.
Our voting procedure is simple…..and your vote counts!
The SLA thanks the following individuals for their additional donations in support of the Milfoil Boat and the Lake Stewards.
Milfoil Boat Sponsors: Aug 17 & 18 Beecher Graham & Jonathan Brodack; Aug. 19 Skaneateles Country Club; Aug. 20 Greenfield Lane Association; Aug. 21 Lousia & John Cohlan; Aug 24 Donna & William Davis; Aug 25 Salli & Jim Tuozzolo; Aug 26 Johanna & Gianfranco Frittelli; Aug 27 Pamela Preston & Jason Slottje; Aug 28 Janet and William Allyn; Aug 31 Noreen & Michael Falcone, Tacie & Roland Anderson; Judy & John Varney, Alice 7 Neil Houser; Sept 1 Ursula & David Hutton, Carl & Alex Protasiewicz, Shadowlawn Lakeshore Corporation, Helga & Henry Beck, Sept. 2 Katherine & Joseph Compagni; Sept 3 Ellie & Chet Benoit, George Ann & Edwin Bock, Jackie & Steve Miron, Colleen Plimpton; Sept 4 Kathy & Paul Leone
Steward Sponsors: Aug 14 Pam & John Pidhirny; Aug 15 Jennifer & Bill Mayo; Aug 16 Theresa & Mark Potenza; Aug 17 Virginia & Jeffrey Stannard
Source: Skaneateles Press
Paul Torrisi
The Skaneateles Lake Association, Inc. through its membership and generous donors has been fighting the invasion of Eurasian Milfoil in Skaneateles Lake since 2007. Nine years and over $2,000,000 later the potential environmental, recreational, and economic negative impact it would have created has been at least controlled. Although the invasive weed will never be completely eradicated from the ecosystem we feel with continued annual work (and money) we will be able to maintain the status achieved to date.
Not so with Hydrilla, if it ever enters and establishes a foothold in Skaneateles Lake! This invasive weed, originally from Korea, outcompetes native submerged aquatic vegetation and can quickly fill a pond or lake, growing in deep water up to 20 feet, thus choking off the near shore for swimming, boating, fishing and other recreational uses! It’s been located in the nearby Cayuga Lake inlet where it’s being treated with chemical herbicides the past few years and hopefully being contained. It is next to impossible to permanently remove otherwise. Because the Tubers or roots grow transversely under the lake bottom soil they are very difficult to hand pull by divers and resistant to current methods of benthic matting, such as the SLA is using for Milfoil control. We certainly can’t resort to chemical treatment in our precious water supply!
Hydrilla Matted Over a Lake Water Surface
Hydrilla has been battled for years in Florida and elsewhere where many millions have been spent to eradicate and control, relatively unsuccessfully! It can grow very rapidly, up to a foot a day, and form dense mats under water and on the surface, potentially turning the pristine near shore area of a lake like ours into a smelly swamp with growth and decay of the vegetative matter!
SLA has ramped up its Stewardship Program in three short years, currently employing 8 staff to monitor various launch sites around the lake. Using inspection and educating techniques these dedicated young people are promoting prevention and control. Boaters are learning to CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY their boats and gear and anything that comes in contact with water!
We need to continue to escalate our Stewardship efforts and to keep Hydrilla and other invasives OUT of Skaneateles Lake. This takes money and lots of it!!
Increasing our annual renewed membership to SLA from about 600 the past two years to over 1,000 would be a terrific step in the right direction so we can continue to increase our support of these vital programs to help keep the lake “clear and pure!”
Go to SkaneatelesLake.org to renew or start your membership and support, immediately!
The SLA thanks the following individuals for their additional donations in support of the Milfoil Boat and the Lake Stewards (names with an asterisk are those whose annual memberships and additional donations or a matching donation were received in the last few months of 2014):
Milfoil Boat Sponsors: July 17 Deborah & Joseph Paduda, Mark Allyn, Goffe Cottage, Mary Jane & Gary Lowery; July 20 John MacAllister & Lauren Moranz; July 21 Heather & David Wheat, Jane & Mason Howard, Demetra Vounas, Carolyn kaye & Donald Babcock; July 22 Christine Larsen & Vincent Dopolis; July 23 Deborah & Richard Hole, Ann Kilian, Jaime Tuozzolo , Joyce & Robin Jowaisas; July 27 Lori & James Ranalli, Patti & Marvin Langley, Lynne Boles & John Priest, Jennifer Sutherland; July 28 Candace & John Marcellus; July 29 Sara & Robert Neumann; July 30 Julie Scuderi, Deborah & James Tifft; July 31 Kathy & Paul Leone.
Steward Sponsors: July 16 Judy and Doug Robertson*; July 17 Mary Anne & John Winfield; July 18 Grace & Dan Labeille; July 19 Anonymous 3; July 20 Jill & Todd Marshall; July 21 – July 29 Jeannie & Henry Slauson.
Source: Skaneateles Press 7/29/15