SCHROON LAKE ASSOCIATION
PROTECTING
OUR
WATERS
By Glen Repko
New York State Federation of Lake
Associations (NYSFOLA) presented its
33rd Annual Conference April 29 through
May 1, 2016 at the White Eagle Conference
Center in Hamilton, NY. Glen and Sue
Repko of the Schroon Lake Association
attended the conference aimed at “assisting
lake associations and watershed groups by
providing updated information” on the
ever changing “challenges to water quality
preservation”.
We know that lakes throughout New York
State are faced with water quality issues
from Eurasian Milfoil, Asian Clams, Spiny
Water Flea, Water Chestnut, fertilizers and
pesticides, and the new threats of Harmful
Alga Blooms (HABS) and Micro Beads
and Fibers. The NYSFOLA Conference
offered numerous workshops providing
information and suggesting ways to deal
with these water issues. As part of
NYSFOLA and NYSDEC, Citizens
Statewide Lake Assessment Program
(CSLAP) provided training and refresher
courses on sampling lake water for purity
and clarity. The Schroon Lake Association
is a member of CSLAP and performs water
sampling of the north and south basins of
Schroon Lake 8 times a year from June
through September. You can check our
website www.schroonlakeassociation.com
to review the report that charts water
quality for 20 years.
Additional training was offered on
Watercraft Inspection and
Decontamination stressing “clean, dry, and
drained” boats, bilges, and sumps, iMAPing
Invasives, Invasive Species Management
Plans, Septic Tank Inspection Programs,
Energizing Your Lake Associations, and so
much more valuable information.
The conference stressed the continued
need for volunteer organizations like the
Schroon Lake Association and the East
Shore Schroon Lake Association to
continually monitor our beautiful lake.
In addition to water quality challenges
new threats have evolved. Harmful Alga
Blooms (HABS) are blue-green algae
that may appear along the lake shore.
There is not a lot of information known
about the blooms so it is important to
report any sightings to these groups in
order to chart and sample them. Some
blooms are harmless but others can cause
a myriad of problems to humans and
pets.
Micro beads, those tiny colored beads
found in facial and body scrubs, as well
as many toothpastes, and micro threads,
remnants of disposed plastics, are finding
their way into our lake, fish, wildlife, and
yes, eventually in to our bodies.
Although micro beads can no longer be
manufactured after July 1, 2017 or sold
after July 1, 2019, their presence is being
monitored, sampled, and discussed to
find ways to contain the spread of them
into our waters.
NYSFOLA sums it up appropriately, “It
is hoped that these ideas can be shared
and simultaneously new approaches will
be found. Involvement and participation
on the part of the lake association will
always result in improved water quality
stability.”
We need volunteers from our
membership and the public to help with
our sampling and education programs.
Let’s all work together to keep our lakes
clean and beautiful. It is not our job. It is
our responsibility.