Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Lake George update

putnam

Lake George Park commissioners today got an update on a pair of initiatives that could have a major impact on the future of the lake.

A set of draft regulations to create a new septic inspection program around the lake is awaiting state approval before going up for public comments in the coming weeks. The proposed rules would establish a requirement that thousands of homes near the lake and its tributaries submit to a septic pump and inspection every few years.

Commission officials said they expected to be holding public hearings on the septic rules sometime this fall, possibly in October. The park commission will host a public information session on the program early next month.

Allison Gaddy, a senior planner with the Lake Champlain Lake George Regional Planning Board also updated the park commission on a forthcoming Lake George Watershed Plan. The plan will include an assessment of existing local ordinances, codes and planning documents, as well as an overall review of the condition of the lake, surrounding natural areas and development. It covers a range of issues, including septic issues, land acquisition and conservation, invasive species, climate resiliency, road salt impacts and more.

Focused on water quality, the plan will also outline proposed projects around the lake, providing a source of ideas for future grant applications.

Gaddy said a draft could be available to the public as soon as August or in the next couple of months. The public will have a chance to offer comments on the plan.

Also: the commission’s annual boat steward program has seen a slight uptick in boater contacts compared to the same time last year and has intercepted over 100 instances of invasive species, including two quagga mussels, which have not yet established in Lake George.

I will keep an eye out for more details on all of these topics.

OTHER READS:

Photo: The Clark Hollow Bay property in Putnam as seen from Lake George. Provided by Lake George Land Conservancy

Editor’s note: This first appeared in Zach’s weekly “Water Line” newsletter. Click here to sign up.

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Zachary Matson has been an environmental reporter for the Explorer since October 2021. He is focused on the many issues impacting water and the people, plants and wildlife that rely on it in the Adirondack Park. Zach worked at daily newspapers in Missouri, Arizona and New York for nearly a decade, most recently working as the education reporter for six years at the Daily Gazette in Schenectady.




2 Responses

  1. Without septic pumping, the sludge will eventually build up and cause two serious issues. First, the sludge can start to block the drainage from the home and begin to back-up the sewer lines. This will clog sinks and drains and send terrible odors into the home. This is why septic pump is very essential.

  2. Ellie wall says:

    Keep up your good work by providing important information on what is happening in the park and how various entities are affecting The outcomes. We the taxpayers in New York State have a right to comment and have an impact too.

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