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A New Approach: Chautauqua Lake Partnership Challenges Status Quo

A poster documenting an algae bloom from autumn 2016. The jars in the foreground contains weed die-off that has accumulated at the bottom of the lake and propagates the growth of new weeds. P-J photo by Remington Whitcomb

BEMUS POINT — Discontent with current weed management practices and fear of future weed proliferation has led to the reformation of the Chautauqua Lake Partnership.

On Saturday, elected officials, Bemus Point residents and concerned citizens of Chautauqua County gathered at the Village Casino in Bemus Point to hear the newly reformed CLP’s strategic plan to battle invasive aquatic vegetation, beginning in Bemus Bay.

Although potential hurdles, financial limitations and legislative difficulties were all a part of the conversation during Saturday’s event, the main message from the partnership was clear: The status quo isn’t working, the decline of the lake is not an inevitability and the future health of the lake is in our hands.

“The methods of the past 25 years are not working to our satisfaction, and it’s time to try something new,” said Jim Cirbus, CLP president. “Over the past five or six years, there has been a plan called the macrophyte management strategy developed by the county and various lake organizations. It outlines (different) ways to take care of the weeds in the lake. It describes eight different ways to manage (the weeds,) and so far we’ve been using one. That one (management practice) isn’t working sufficiently, and we’re ready to look at some of the others.”

One such management practice, albeit controversial to some, is the use of herbicides. Cirbus acknowledged those concerns and asked for open-mindedness.

“We need a willingness to try alternative solutions,” Cirbus said. “There has been one solution used so far, and it hasn’t been a satisfactory solution. We need visible and vocal support from all those who are unhappy with the current lake situation, as most of you here right now likely are. We need you to write your county and state representatives and let them know you’re unhappy with the way the lake is.”

Cirbus said the CLP has met with some officials from the state, including state Sen. Cathy Young. Several other local officials and representatives were present at the rally, including County Executive Vince Horrigan, Assemblyman Andrew Goodell and Ellery Supervisor Arden Johnson.

Horrigan and Goodell expressed their support for a balanced approach to controlling invasive lake vegetation, and Johnson referred to the lake as a “pot of gold that needs to be protected,” and vocalized full support for the CLP.

Cirbus outlined a few problems with the current management practice of harvesting invasive vegetation in the lake. Apart from harvesters not having the capacity to discriminate between invasive and native species, the practice of harvesting creates a cycle that not only potentially spreads invasive vegetation farther down the lake, but also promotes the growth of dangerous algae.

“Weed fragments that are caused by (harvesting) accumulate on the shore, and eventually the bottom of the lake,” Cirbus said. “Eventually, all that stuff dies … and accumulates to form a rotting sludge. The sludge creates a horrible smell that only gets worse as the season progresses. The big thing with the sludge is that it accumulates and floats like a net — it facilitates the growth of blue-green algae, which we all worry about all summer.

“It creates Cyanobacteria, which releases toxins that can poison the liver and harm skin. It’s a major health problem — which is a whole different issue, but it stems from (weed fragments).”

Jim Wehrfritz, CLP vice president, spoke about the preliminary plan to utilize herbicides as well as other management practices to deter invasive aquatic vegetation — preliminary due to the fact that any implementation would need to be approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which has not yet happened, but applications have been submitted.

Wehrfritz also spoke about the support the CLP has received from area residents who deal with the consequences of invasive lake vegetation. He referenced a survey conducted in 2012, which showed that twice as many surveyed lake residents favored herbicidal use over harvesting.

“We have strong community foundation and government support,” Wehfritz said. “Residents and local foundations are providing significant funding and (fundraising) has been very successful. We are very encouraged.”

Specifically, the CLP’s plan for herbicidal treatment would be contracted through SOLitude Lake Management, that specializes in large-lake management needs.

With regard to the herbicide, SOLitude prefers a compound known as 2, 4-D, or brand name Navigate. According to Wehrfritz, Navigate has been shown to be effective against Eurasian Milfoil while limiting impact upon native species. Additionally, SOLitude provides services such as: noxious weed and algae treatment, harvesting, bathymetric mapping, nutrient remediation, biological assessment, plant mapping and surveys, benthic barriers and containment curtains, water quality monitoring and testing and diffused air aeration systems.

Going forward, Wehrfritz said it is the CLP’s intention to file for an emergency authorization permit for all six Bemus Bay macrophyte management strategy zones. If necessary, it will also challenge a 1986 DEC/Chautauqua Lake Association agreement that established special requirements for herbicide use in the lake.

According to Sara DeMink, fundraising for the CLP has been strong, but more funding is still needed.

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