lake george association january 2014 newsletter

Community hasn’t been working on it. In fact, some good forward progress has been made. In 2007 some basic data about salt usage within the Lake George Watershed was gathered. There are 680 miles of county, local, state and federal roads within the Lake George watershed that need to be maintained during the winter. The average application rates of sand and salt in tons per year per lane mile are 42 and 13 respectively. That translates into an estimated 29,000 tons of sand and 9,000 tons of salt applied on roads within the Lake George Watershed annually! Now that we know what we are facing, we can work on decreasing the amount of sand and salt used each winter on our roads.

Last April, a Municipal De-Icing Best Practice Forum was held in Lake George for local Highway Superintendents and their spreader crews. The Forum was sponsored by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and organized by staff at the Lake Champlain – Lake George Regional Planning Board, the Lake George Association and the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District. Over 65 local Highway Superintendents and staff from 21 municipalities attended. Also in attendance were NYS DOT employees from Warren, Washington, Clinton, Essex and Hamilton Counties.

The Forum covered the latest information on Best Management Practices and how to reduce salt usage on our roads. It also provided info on many of the initiatives already underway. The Village of Lake George has already been using alternative products for a few years now and

reports that it has been working well, allowing them to decrease the amount of salt they have to use. The Town of Bolton is working on a new storage shed that will hold an alternative deicing product, allowing them to use an alternative product as well. In 2011

The Official Newsletter of the Lake George Association

Winter Water Quality Issues: A Low Salt Diet for the Lake

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Lake George Association • www.lakegeorgeassociation.org LGA • 518-668-3558 • January 2014 • page 1

P E O P L E P R O T E C T I N G L A K E G E O R G E S I N C E 1 8 8 5 • JANUARY 2 0 1 4

Well, it is already the beginning of a new year believe it or not. And while the ice and snow might be keeping us off the Lake right now -

that doesn’t mean there isn’t work to be done. Yes - that’s right - there is no time of year when lake protection isn’t on our minds! And in the winter time, that means thinking about snow, ice, salt, and water quality impacts.

Water quality impacts from road salt in the winter has unfortunately been a problem for a while. For decades the balancing of municipal budgets and road safety with the environmental impacts of salt has been a challenge nation-wide. The bottom line is that salt is cheap and effective when it comes to keeping winter roads safe for driving. The New York Times ran a great Opinion piece in November of 1987 titled “A Salt Substitute for America’s Roads”. The article reviewed the environmental and economic impacts of salt use and work to find suitable alternative products, concluding: “Salt, an increasingly anachronistic element of 20th-century travel, deserves a 21st-century replacement.” We couldn’t agree more.

However, unfortunately the salt problem is still largely the same today as it was thirty years ago. That doesn’t mean that the Lake George

NYSDOT began using alternative deicing materials on Route 9, 9N, and 9L in the Lake George watershed. And they repeated their efforts again in 2012.

Larry Eichler from the Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI) in Bolton Landing presented on the environmental impacts of salt on the Lake George Watershed at the Forum. Thanks to the data collected by DFWI we know that salt levels have more than doubled in the Lake over the past 30 years.

Road salt is most commonly made up of sodium and chloride (NaCl). There are some alternative products available that use calcium, magnesium, or potassium as the positive ion instead of sodium, but they all cost more up front. The idea is that alternative products cost less in the long run because they allow you to use less since they are more effective than just plain salt. But highway departments aren’t always able to take such a gamble with their budgets.

Not all alternative products are created equal. For example,

Winter Water Quality Issues: A Low Salt Diet for the Lake contd.

Participants at the Forum heard from local, county and state highway officials as well as scientist Larry Eichler from the DFWI, Duane Amsler from the Cornell Local Roads Program, and Paul Brown from Massachusetts DOT. Copies of the presenter’s PowerPoints can be found on the LCLGRPB’s website (www.lclgrpb.org).

Both chloride and sodium levels in the Lake have more than doubled over the past 30 years. This graph was part of the presentation given by Larry Eichler

from DFWI on the impacts of de-icing salt on the Lake George Watershed at the Municipal De-Icing Best Practices Forum held last April in Lake George.

calcium chloride is an alternative that helps reduce the amount of sodium getting into the water. Sodium levels in drinking water are a concern for people with a salt restricted diet. However in Lake George’s case the calcium would be of concern for the Lake from an invasive species standpoint (our low calcium levels have kept zebra mussels under control so far - more calcium could mean more zebra mussels in our case). So even though CaCl works better than salt at low temperatures (below 20 degrees F), allowing less salt to be used, it is not necessarily a good choice for our watershed. Other alternative products made out of by-products such as molasses or beet juice may have high levels of phosphorus in them. So while they are decreasing the salt, they are becoming a new source of phosphorus that can get into the water, which is also something that we should probably best avoid.

So what’s in store for the future? The main outcomes identified during the municipal panel at the Forum held last April were the need for pavement temperature sensors, education of municipal officials, and education on calibrating equipment. The pavement is often warmer than the air, so applying salt based on the air temperature can lead to more salt being applied than necessary. New technologies that make spreading salt much more efficient are available, but they cost money, so those in charge of budgets need to be educated about the importance of the issue. And the people using the equipment on a daily basis need up-to-date training so that they can calibrate the equipment that they do have to make it work as efficiently as possible. As a follow-up to the Forum, the LCLGRPB has written grants to apply for funding for temperature sensors and educational activities for some of the towns in the Lake George Watershed. This would be a great next step if the funding can be secured - so be sure to stay tuned.


Scan here to learn more about road salt on the LGA website.

Winter Water Quality Issues: Safe Driving on Winter Roads

Do your part to help protect the Lake. Slow down and drive carefully. This will help the highway departments be able to use less salt to keep the roadways safe.

Here are some tips for safe driving on winter roads.

Certain plants are more susceptible to road salt than others. Conifers such as hemlock and white pine as well as deciduous trees including red and sugar maple are sensitive to road salt and are not necessarily good choices for planting in areas close to salted roads or that

receive heavy salt spray in the winter. In our next newsletter - we will cover some of our great native plants that are salt tolerant - so that as you start thinking about gardening this spring - if you have an area near the road, you can select salt tolerant species for your landscape.

Oaks have high salt tolerance.

• Space out! Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and others. It takes more time and distance to stop your vehicle in adverse weather conditions, so use your brakes carefully. Brake early, brake slowly, brake correctly, and never slam on the brakes.• No Cruising! Avoid using cruise control in winter driving conditions. You need to be in control of your speed based on road conditions — don’t let the cruise control make a bad decision for you.

• Reduce your speed. Slow down for wet, snowy, or icy conditions; when visibility is poor; or when conditions are changing or unpredictable; no matter what type of vehicle you drive. Even an SUV with four-wheel drive may not be able to stop any faster, or maintain control any better, once you lose traction.• Watch for Black Ice. Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These are all candidates for developing black ice - a thin coating of clear ice that can form on the pavement surface that may be difficult to see.

Remember: Winter conditions call for different driving tactics. Ice and snow, take it slow—slower speed, slower acceleration, slower steering, and slower braking. Safe driving info courtesy The Salt Institute.

Lake Friendly Living: Salt Tolerant Native Plants


What a busy year it has been!


Membership Events

Summer Gala

In addition to our annual events such as our Summer Gala in July and Membership Meeting in August, our Membership staff was hard at work this summer

coming up with other creative ways for our members to support the LGA. Thanks to some great local businesses, we had some fun events such as a Margarita Night at Fountain Square Outfitters in conjunction with Patagonia’s 1% For the Planet Program and a Clambake at the Boathouse Restaurant - and raised funding to support our Lake Saving Projects and Programs at the LGA. If you missed out this summer, be sure to join us next year!

Every year the Summer Gala is the party to be at! And this year was no different! Thanks to Event Chair Cheryl Lamb and an amazing committee -

as well as numerous volunteers and sponsors of the event. The weather was beautiful - and we had a great time! Next year’s event will be Friday July 11th - so go ahead and mark your calendar now!

With great membership events, education programs, and the first ever Festival for the Lake, we were hard at work protecting the Lake

last year; and we are already working hard on planning for this year! It may be cold out now - but here are a few highlights from this past summer when it was nice and warm!

What a busy year it has been!


128th Annual Meeting

We had a great turn out at the Annual Membership Meeting this year. We said good bye to board members John Schaninger and Salim Amersi and thanked them for their dedicated service to the LGA. We also welcomed new members Bruce Ashby, Dan Behan Jr., Michael Della Bella, Sr., and Peter Menzies and

returning members Daniel Davies and Thomas Jarrett to the board. The staff gave great updates on all the exciting programs and projects underway and then we all enjoyed a delicious lunch on the deck with a beautiful view of the Lake. Next year’s meeting will be on Friday August 22 - so be sure to mark your calendar now!

Education and Outreach


Bolton Conservation Park

The Secret Life of a Lake

The LGA and the Lake George Lake Conservancy hosted author and Union College

Professor Peter Tobiessen to discuss his book, The Secret Life of a Lake: The Ecology of Northern Lakes and their Stewardship on August 13 at the LGA office. Peter signed copies of the book after his talk. We had a packed house for a very fun and educational evening.

Project WILD Teacher Workshop

On November 6, certified Project WILD facilitators from the LGA and the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board (LCLGRPB)

conducted a workshop for teachers. Project WILD is a supplementary, interdisciplinary environmental education program that emphasizes wildlife. Eleven area 5th-8th grade teachers from Ticonderoga, Whitehall, Putnam, Fort Ann, Queensbury, Lake George, and Bolton are now trained and equipped to teach Project WILD (Wildlife in Learning Design) in their classrooms.

The LGA continued it’s volunteer efforts at the Bolton Conservation Park. Last summer, the LGA had taken a volunteer group from Beckett-Chimney Corners to help cut some of the trails. This summer, one group helped install signs in July and a second group helped mulch the trail in August. The LGA received a grant from

the International Paper Foundation for Interpretive Trail Signs for the newly constructed Nature Trail at the Bolton Conservation Park. Working with Barry Kincaid and Ted Caldwell from Bolton, LGA staff created 9 signs covering topics including Pond Life, Eastern Hemlock Forests, Succession, Bogs, and Fisheries. The LGA partnered with The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) on a sign about Cat and Thomas Mountain - a prior preserve of the LGLC which is now owned by the State - which can be viewed from the trail. If you haven’t taken a walk at the Park yet and seen the signs, be sure to add it to your ‘to-do’ list for next summer!

Our Summer schedule was jam packed with programs and activities this past summer. From volunteer events to teacher workshops - and some

exciting programs as part of our partnership with The Hyde Collection - our education and outreach staff are still recovering!


Education and Outreach: Floating Classroom

Academy of Lifelong LearningAdirondack CampArgyle Central SchoolBethlehem Central Lab SchoolBurnt Hills- Ballston Lake Central SchoolBolton Central SchoolMinerva Central SchoolCorinth Central SchoolDorothy Nolan Elementary SchoolEagle Point Elementary SchoolEast Shore Schroon Lake AssociationGirl Scouts of Northeastern NYGranville Central SchoolGreenwich Central School

2013 Participants

This summer we had another great Floating Classroom season. We conducted a total of 20 trips throughout July and August. There were 507 people (227 students and 280 adults) that took

part in these programs. The majority of the participants were from the 11 public programs that we conducted on Wednesdays through July and August.

Our fall Floating Classroom season began in September. We conducted 36 school trips from September 1 through October 11. A total of 711 students from 14 schools learned about Lake George and water quality through their fall Floating Classroom field trip.

Between the spring and fall school programs and summer programs, a total of 2,228 people took part in a Floating Classroom program in 2013. It was the most participants we have ever had take part in the program since it began in 1992!

Hartford Central SchoolHudson Valley ConsortiumHunter-Tannersville Central SchoolLake George Central SchoolLake Pleasant Central SchoolNortheast Parent & Child SocietyQueensbury SchoolSouth Glens Falls Central SchoolSt. Mary's School TiconderogaStony Creek Summer CampTakundewideTiconderoga Boy ScoutsWhitehall Central School

Thanks to all of our great participants from this year’s programs.

This was the 6th year that the LGA has sponsored a Bookmark Contest for students in grades 4-7 from schools located within the Lake George Watershed. The contest helps connect art with the science of protecting Lake George. The bookmark theme this year was My Summer Place in support of The Hyde Collection’s exhibition

Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George, June 15 – September 15, 2013. Students were asked to combine O’Keeffe’s artistic style and vision of Lake George with the importance of keeping the water of Lake George clean for the future. Out of 95 entries, the winning design was created by Abbie Persons, a 7th grader at Bolton Central School, and features a scenic Lake George design with the slogan “Don’t Litter - Save the Critters.” LGA’s Education Coordinator Kristen Rohne attended the school’s award ceremony in June to present Abbie with her award. The bookmarks are printed and distributed to the area schools and libraries each summer to support summer reading.

Education and Outreach: Partnership with The Hyde Collection

Bookmark Contest

Family Days at Wiawaka and The Hyde

T his past summer, the LGA was excited to have partnered with

The Hyde Collection on programming in collaboration with their summer exhibit Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George. The exhibition was the first to explore the formative influence of Lake George on the art and life of Georgia O’ Keeffe. As part of our

partnership with The Hyde Collection this summer, the LGA took part in The Hyde Family Fun Days at the Wiawaka Holiday House in July (picture at left) and at The Hyde Collection in August (picture above). Wiawaka was another partner with The Hyde Collection for the Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit this summer. We were on hand to answer questions about Lake George at both events and even brought some of Lake George’s life with us! Visitors at the events got a look at some of Lake George’s aquatic plants, zooplankton, and macroinvertebrates and drew pictures of what they were looking at to take home. We had a great time partnering with these organizations this summer, and even though this specific partnership program is over, we hope to continue to work with them on other projects in the future as well.


‘My Summer Place’ Floating Classroom

‘My Summer Place’ Talk with Erin Coe

New for the summer of 2013, the Lake George Association partnered with The Hyde Collection to offer four unique Floating Classrooms that mixed lake ecology, history,

and art. The My Summer Place Floating Classroom trips were a collaboration with The Hyde Collection’s summer exhibit, Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George, where participants got the opportunity to sketch Lake George from Georgia O’Keeffe’s perspective, and also got a hands-on look at how the lake works. There were 76 people who were able to experience these unique trips.

In June, Erin Coe, the Chief Curator at The Hyde Collection and the curator of the exhibition Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George visited the LGA office to discuss

this first-of-its-kind exhibition. The 20 people in attendance had a lovely evening with Erin learning about the influence of Lake George in the art and life of Georgia O’Keeffe.



Invasive Species: Lake George Lake Steward Program

This was the sixth year that the LGA has coordinated a Lake Steward Program on Lake George and this past summer the program

provided the most coverage to date for the Lake.

Since 2008, the LGA’s lake stewards have inspected over 32,000 boats at high traffic launches around the Lake, removed 490 aquatic invasive species (AIS) samples from boats, and have educated more than 75,000 boaters about invasive species spread prevention.

Besides the more apparent benefits of the program – removing AIS from boats and educating boaters about AIS spread prevention, the data gathered by the program helps define how invasive species are spread, and the pathways that exist between other regional waterways and Lake George. This data has been critical in recent efforts to increase Lake George’s protection against AIS by instituting a new mandatory boat inspection program.

In 2013, Lake Stewards were posted at six launches around Lake George: Dunham’s Bay, Hague Town Launch, Mossy Point, Norowal Marina, Million Dollar Beach and Rogers Rock. Over the 2013 season: • Stewards inspected 7,087 boats and interacted with 17,288 boaters. • Boaters reported having come from 163 unique waterbodies in 13 different states and 1 Province in Canada within 2 weeks prior to arriving at Lake George. • Other than Lake George itself, the next most frequently visited waterbodies in 2013 were the Hudson River, closely followed by Lake Champlain. Both of these nearby waterbodies are known to have many nonnative and invasive species. • Lake stewards collected 213 aquatic organism samples from 153 boats and trailers, and identified 83 samples to be an invasive species.

Above: Boaters reported having come from 163 unique waterbodies in 13 different states and 1 Province in Canada within 2 weeks prior to arriving at Lake George. Below: Boaters most frequently had visited lakes in New York State prior to launching in Lake George. 3,449 boats had been in one of 68 waterbodies located in New York State within the prior two weeks.

2013

2013


• Five different invasive species were identified: Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, water chestnut, zebra mussels, and quagga mussels. (Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and zebra mussels are known to already be in Lake George, however water chestnut and quagga mussels are not. ) • While 86 percent of boaters reported having previous interaction with a lake steward, only 47 percent of boaters reported taking at least one spread prevention measure. Spread prevention measures include but are not limited to washing the boat, draining the bilge, and inspecting the boat for plants and animals.

8th Annual Adirondack Park Invasive Species Awareness Week July 7-13, 2013

Once again the LGA staff coordinated displays about invasive species at the Lake George Visitor Center during the 8th annual

awareness week. This is a great opportunity to talk to people about invasive species that might not otherwise attend a formal talk or presentation on the topic. LGA Staff and Lake Stewards as well as staff from NYSDEC and Warren County Cornell Cooperative Extension were also on hand with educational materials as well. This was our 7th year participating in the event organized by the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP).

Thanks to additional funding provided by the Lake George Park Commission (LGPC) through the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) the Lake Steward Program was expanded in 2013 beyond previous year’s efforts. The program started earlier and went later than in years past – and stewards covered more hours at launches during the core summer months as well. The program typically runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, however this year Lake Stewards were on duty as early as May 3rd and as late as October 13th, Columbus Day Weekend. The increased coverage afforded by the expanded funding made available this year resulted in an enhanced program – and enhanced protection for the Lake. A complete report of all the 2013 data and all past reports are available on the LGA website.

Above: 213 samples were removed from 153 boats. 83 samples, or 40%, were invasive species. The most commonly found invasive species was Eurasian watermilfoil, followed by Curly-leaf pondweed. While quagga mussels were only found in one instance, this was the second year that quagga mussels were found on a boat. Below: A Lake Steward at Mossy Point Boat Launch in Ticonderoga talks to a boater as they arrive at the launch.

Invasive Species: ISAW

Lake Saving Project: Foster Brook

Last summer on July 11th, the residents living along Foster Brook in Huletts Landing were surprised by a sudden raging brook that was caused by a beaver

dam breach upstream. The upstream pond held back by the dam was estimated to be about 9-acres in size prior to the event and was basically entirely drained after the dam washed away.

The resulting flood downstream caused significant damage to parts of Foster Brook as well as some damage to homes and roads along the brook’s path. One of the locations in the stream severely impacted by the high intensity flow of the flooding waters was the previously constructed offline sediment basin located along Foster Brook near the Mountain Grove Church. The flooding brook came down the mountain severely eroding its streambanks and the rock vane that was constructed in that basin last year to address the chronic streambank erosion issues that occur along this section of the stream.

We thought that the rock vane constructed last year would hold up to an Irene-like storm, but the beaver dam breach proved to be too big for it. It probably did at least help to lessen the damage to the banks along the basin initially, until the system was overwhelmed. As the stream rose into the upper levels of the banks, it began to cut in behind the rock vane and that is when it started to really erode into the downstream bank. Fortunately the event was over fairly quickly and the water retreated to a manageable level.

This past August, utilizing grant money from the Helen V. Froehlich Foundation, an outstanding donation of stone from Jointa Galusha and design input from Washington County Soil and Water, the LGA got back out there and cleaned out and repaired the basin and also installed two small cross vanes. The cross vanes are designed to concentrate the water flow into the center of the stream channel and keep the banks from eroding again. The large cap stone rocks utilized for the project were selected for this project as they were bigger than any of the material previously used. It should hold strong if the brook receives another event like that of beaver dam breach.

Foster Brook Streambank Stabilization

Aerial photo of the pond that drained and flooded downstream. Photo courtesy LGPC/NYSDEC/State Police.


MDB porous pavement

Lake Saving Projects: Foster Brook contd.


We would really like to thank Jointa Galusha for the stone they donated to the project. Bigger stone was needed to make this project work, and without the donation we wouldn’t have been able to afford it. This area of the stream has had recurring erosion problems over the years, and we are hoping that with this latest work completed we can now focus our efforts on other sections of the stream that also need stabilization.

The basin work took about 3 days to complete. The cost of materials and labor was just under $6,000. JVP Landscaping completed the work under a general permit issued through the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District. The LGA and Washington County Soil and Water provided project oversight.

Invasive Species: Asian Clam

Dirt and debris washed into the Lake during the flood event that happened on Foster Brook last July.

Last September staff from organizations around the Lake and volunteers completed a lake-wide survey to look for new sites of Asian Clams. Unfortunately, 5 new sites were found, including a second site in the North Basin of the Lake.

Sites were found in the north end of the Lake near Glenburnie, and on the south end of the Lake in the south side of Basin Bay, off Cotton Point, in Sandy Bay, and off Million Dollar Beach. This brings the total number of Asian clam sites around the Lake to 13 since the initial site was found in Lake George Village in August of 2010 (see map at right).

Only the new site at Glenburnie is being treated this fall. Divers installed mats in early November that will stay in through the winter. About one-half acre was matted with 93 benthic barriers weighted down with 1,000 sand bags and 2,500 pieces of rebar (see photo below).

Initial results last spring showed great success from the last fall/winter treatments. However, follow-up survey work at those same sites this past fall found evidence of young adult clams in the general area. It appears that the adult clams had likely already reproduced last year prior to the matting treatment, releasing microscopic juvenile clams that were not able to seen during earlier survey efforts – and so were not able to be treated. The Task Force may be able to kill the adult clams that can be found, but the clams appear to be reproducing and spreading faster than they

In between all of our projects and programs this past summer, LGA staff found some time to educate some of our local politicians about what is going on here on Lake George and what help we could use.

On August 14 Congressman Bill Owens visited Lake George to learn more about aquatic invasive species and had the chance to visit a Eurasian watermilfoil management site aboard the Floating Classroom. Top Right: Andrew Lewis (co-founder of Aquatic Invasives Management - AIM) explained the harvesting process to the Congressman.

Just a few weeks earlier on July 30th, Secretary of State Cesar Perales and Department of State staff visited Lake George. The Secretary toured the Charles R. Wood Park and the stormwater wetland that his office helped fund. Following a press conference at the site, the visitors boarded the Floating Classroom for a tour of Lake George where they heard from LGA educators, toured a site where Eurasian watermilfoil was being harvested, and took part in a hands-on experiment of capturing and observing microscopic zooplankton. Bottom Right: Secretary Perales was joined by Senator Betty Little, Bolton Town Supervisor Ron Conover, Village of Lake George Mayor Bob Blais, and Assemblyman Dan Stec aboard the Floating Classroom.

On June 24th, LGA’s Project Manager Randy Rath was asked to join local officials at a very exciting announcement at the NYSDEC’s Million Dollar Beach. Randy joined Senator Betty Little, Assembly Dan Stec, LGPC Chairman Bruce Young, NYSDEC Region 5 Director Bob Stegemann, Town of Warrensburg Supervisor and Chairman of the Warren County BOS Kevin Geraghty and Lake George Town Supervisor Dennis Dickinson as the NYSDEC announced that they would also be paving their section of Beach Road with porous asphalt to better protect the south end of the lake from stormwater runoff. Warren County already paved their section of the road last year, and the State is now set to pave the rest this upcoming year. Historical artifacts found at the site this fall during the initial phase of work have delayed the project a bit, but once these important historical artifacts are safely removed, work is planned to continue.

Government Relations: Building Support for Lake George


can be found and treated. Based on these new findings, it became apparent to the members of the Asian Clam Task Force that some of the knowledge gaps in just how the Asian clams reproduce in Lake George were impacting the long term success of management efforts, so the Task Force decided to ask the Darrin Fresh Water Institute to conduct some additional research. Initial results from this new research is informing this fall’s treatment efforts and will hopefully inform future treatment efforts in 2014.

Invasive Species: Asian Clam contd.

Mats installed at Glenburnie on the northern end of the Lake this past November will stay in throughout the winter and be removed in the spring.

LGA BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident Victor Hershaft (Bolton Landing) Executive Vice President Michael Dier (Queensbury)

Vice Presidents Matt Finley (Diamond Point) Cheryl Lamb (Bolton Landing)

Treasurer Robert de Buys (Hague) Secretary Catherine Aiken LaBombard (Huletts Landing) Directors Bruce Ashby (Bolton Landing) Dan Behan (Bolton Landing) James N. Casaccio (Diamond Point) Daniel Davies (Dunham’s Bay) Michael Della Bella, Sr. (Assembly Point) Michael Grasso (Lake George)

H. Thomas Jarrett, PE (Kattskill Bay) Karen Larkin (Cleverdale) Peter Menzies (Bolton Landing) Emeritus Board Dr. Barbara Chick (Queensbury) Alison Craig (Hague) Buzz Lamb (Bolton Landing) John Lynch (Lake George) George Singer (Ticonderoga)

Advisory Board George Beaudoin (Hague) Keith Ferguson (Bolton Landing) Robert Flacke (Lake George)

Ray Freud (Putnam) Andrea Maranville (Bolton Landing) Douglas Smith (Hague)

The LGA is proud to produce this publication using Forest Stewardship Council certified printing & paper.

Project/GIS ManagerRandy G. Rath

Education CoordinatorKristen Rohne

Educator Jill Trunko

Office ManagerMona Seeger

Legal Counsel Matthew F. Fuller, Esq.

The Lake George Association, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

STAFFExecutive Director C. Walter Lender Director of Membership DevelopmentNancy Cobb-Zoll

Outreach CoordinatorEmily M. DeBolt

Development Assistant Alicia Nichols

We are pleased to welcome so many new and returning members!

Outreach: Sharing Our Expertise

Tracy K. AbbottMr. Dale M. AbrahamsonAdmiral MotelAnneliese and Heidi BricknerRobert S. BryantJohn ChambersJames H. CollierBob and Linda CurleyLeonard and Carolyn DarianoBarb and Dekkers DavidsonRichard DickinsonMs. Kate DuffyConstance and Harvey GilmoreKeith and Karen HanchettJean M. HoffmanStephen and Cindy HughesLake George Auto/Marine

Mary Leonard LandenbergerMr. George B. Leckonby IIIThe LemmasMr. Wesley MastenLinda M. NeilsonMary W. NorthRussell and Karen NorthRandy and Mariann RappleMr. Richard RendertMary A. Schneidenwind and E. Ann BidaF. Sanford Straton FamilyDiana Strock-LynskeyMatthew and Sherry WestChristopher White

Education Coordinator Kristen Rohne talks about the Lake George Lake Steward Program at the Adirondack Regional Lake Steward Program Training held at Paul Smiths College in May 2013.

Executive Director Walt Lender provides opening remarks at last year’s North Country Stormwater Tradeshow held in Lake George in October.

LGA staffers Emily DeBolt and Mona Seeger discuss our work here on Lake George with visitors from Lake Hopatcong.


With such a long history, the LGA is looked to as a leader in the field of conservation by many other lake associations and groups.

LGA staff is often asked to talk about LGA projects and programs to share our insights, experience, expert knowledge and lessons learned at events locally and across the state.

Sometimes groups even come to visit us! This past summer, a group from the newly formed Lake Hopatcong Foundation in New Jersey visited to learn about our many programs and projects underway. We had a great day showing them around the Lake and we wish our new friends at Lake Hopatcong the best of luck!

Lake George AssociationP.O. Box 408Lake George, NY 12845

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage PAID

Permit No. 511Glens Falls, NY

LGA’s MISSION Working together to protect, conserve, and improve the beauty and quality of the Lake George Basin.

This past summer Secretary of State Cesar Perales and Senator Betty Little joined us aboard the LGA’s Floating Classroom to learn about Lake George, including looking at zooplankton from the Lake under a microscope.

The LGA helped out at the First Annual Festival for the Lake in Lake George Village on September 27-29, 2013. The festival raised over $21K to support protecting Lake George from aquatic invasive species! LGA staff was on hand all weekend with educational information and samples of invasive species. If you didn’t make it last year, we hope to see you in 2014!

lake george association january 2014 newsletter

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