Despite having a goal that was twice what it was last year, the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance has reached its funding objective.

In a news release, the alliance announced it has reached its foundation funding goal of $600,000 that will fund 15 member-led projects to protect and improve water quality on Chautauqua Lake and in its watershed.

The Chautauqua Region Community, Gebbie, Lenna and Sheldon foundations all provided funding support to the alliance.

During the last alliance meeting Jan. 9, Vince Horrigan, interim alliance executive director, said the alliance had received $500,000 from two foundations. He said the Sheldon Foundation granted $300,000 and the Lenna Foundation funded $200,000 toward the alliance. He added the alliance was still waiting to hear from other foundations for funding support.

According to the news release, the 15 projects in the lake and watershed will include stormwater and erosion mitigation; education; nutrient and macrophyte monitoring; invasive species monitoring and management; equipment acquisition; targeted herbicide treatments (pending DEC permits); and lake-wide harvesting and near-shore cleanup. All of the projects that were awarded funding through the alliance align with its five-year implementation strategy for Chautauqua Lake and its watershed; promote Chautauqua County Memorandum Of Agreement partners; increase data collection; and focus on unity of effort.

The number of projects funded this year increased from eight in 2019 to 15 and the total amount of funding awarded increased from $300,000 to $600,000.

During the alliance’s November meeting, Horrigan gave a presentation that summarized the 15 member-led projects that were submitted as part of the 2020 alliance consolidated foundation funding grant request. The projects or programs in the lake and watershed ranging in value from $4,000 to $257,000. The consolidated foundation grant request was approved at the alliance’s board in October.

A complete list of projects and funding allocations will be posted on the alliance’s website — chautauquaalliance.org– pending final approval by the alliance board.