The Bemus Point Stow Ferry is one of many ways to enjoy all that Chautauqua Lake has to offer during the summer. Photo by Jay Young

On behalf of the Alliance and our members, we hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable July 4 holiday on and around the waters of Chautauqua Lake. Now sitting at the peak of the summer season, we wanted to take a moment to highlight the wide range of services and information available from Alliance member organizations. While we often focus discussion on the programs aimed at lake and watershed maintenance, our broad membership also works hard to engage, entertain, and support the public in other ways.

The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau is a great resource for seasonal visitors and residents alike. Their website offers an easy-to-use calendar of events and programs from around the county. The Visitors Bureau also collects important information on tourism, which can be used to inform local economic programs and strategies. Information on dining, shopping, music, outdoor activities, lake access, educational events, and local attractions can all be easily accessed at www.tourchautauqua.com/.

Of course many of these events and things to do can be found on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, which opened its season in late June, kicking things off with the 2025 Chautauqua Lake Conference. Information on all of the events, concerts, and amenities available on the Institution grounds is available at www.chq.org/, as well as access to a wide range of digital programming throughout the season. The Institution also offers many ways to enjoy the lake’s waters including its beaches, central dock, shoreline green spaces, and John R. Turney Sailing Center.

The state’s bass season opened in June, and the lake has been loaded with anglers heading after other favorites including muskie, walleye, and crappie. The Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association in Celoron provides great information for anglers through their Facebook page, including news on upcoming tournaments and events. No matter where you like to fish on the lake the towns, villages, and state offer many public access points to launch a boat or throw a line in the water.

Supporting so much of the activity and summer fun around the lake are local governments, and their staff and elected officials. The Towns of Busti, Chautauqua, Ellery, Ellicott, North Harmony; as well as the villages of Bemus Point, Celoron, Lakewood, and Mayville do an excellent job of facilitating enjoyment and safety on an around the lake year-round. The same can be said for the Chautauqua County government, including the Sheriff’s Department Marine Division who keep the lake safe and enjoyable for all. We encourage you to visit your town or village website for more information on summer events, and visit the county website for updates as well. Attending public meetings and visiting municipal websites are great ways to stay informed about all your community has to offer.

In addition to the annual lake and watershed programs of groups like the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua Lake Association, and Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, there is also a great deal of background work done by Alliance members. The Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Board of Realtors works hard to support our lake’s robust real estate market, which of course benefits from reliable utilities and infrastructure. This is where the efforts of local sewer and utility districts come into play. Properly functioning utilities aren’t just needed for the everyday activities of residents, visitors, and businesses, they are also essential to the lake’s water quality. In recent years a huge amount of funding and work has been committed by the county and utility districts to upgrade treatment facilities, and extend public sewers around the perimeter of the lake, which will provide benefits for years to come. The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities also serves a key role in helping regulate lake levels at the Warner Dam.

It bears repeating that so much of this work is made possible by the generosity of those who fund it. These investments have been made not just this year or last year, but often over decades. They are crucial to maintaining the lake as a recreational and environmental resource. Projects ranging from new parks, to new lake maintenance equipment, to stream stabilization all depend on local support that we are fortunate to have.