The FUND for Lake George has released the State of the Lake: Chief Concerns as Revealed by Science and the Fate of the Lake: A Blueprint for Protection.

The two-volume publication focuses on the threats that face Lake George, including invasive species, rising salt levels, and declining water quality and clarity.

The FUND is calling for “an unprecedented commitment to reversing present trends and preventing Lake George from slipping into a state of irreversible decline.”

As summarized in the 12-page State of the Lake, 30 years of water quality monitoring (conducted by Rensselaer’s Darrin Fresh Water Institute and underwritten by The FUND) argues that invasive and introduced species are stressing the lake’s native species and food web; there has been a threefold increase in salt concentrations from road de-icing; measurable declines in water clarity with ensuing impacts on key species including the lake’s Nitella meadows, considered vital to maintaining clarity; increased nutrient loading from stormwater runoff, wastewater, fertilizer use, and land disturbance; and a significant rise in chlorophyll concentrations reflecting increases in algal growth.

The 12-page Fate of the Lake Blueprint for Protection, illustrated with a series of infographics, takes on each of the primary problems threatening lake health and argues for specific measures including partnerships, innovation, and investment.

The State of the Lake/Fate of the Lake can be viewed and downloaded at fundforlakegeorge.org.

The FUND for Lake George is a privately funded not-for-profit organization formed in 1980 and dedicated to the protection of Lake George.  For more on the FUND’s work, visit fundforlakegeorge.org.