Right, Dave McCoy, Chautauqua County watershed coordinator, discussing the herbicide application in Chautauqua Lake this year with the Chautauqua County Legislature Planning and Economic Development Committee Wednesday. McCoy said the herbicide application earlier this year has been a success. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

MAYVILLE — The herbicide application in Chautauqua Lake earlier this year is being called a success.

On Wednesday, Dave McCoy, Chautauqua County watershed coordinator, said the herbicide application in Burtis Bay earlier this year has shown good results.

“This is the best the lake has looked in many years,” he said.

McCoy said for the first time in years people are able to water ski in Burtis Bay. He said he took a tour of the lake with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and saw very little floating vegetation. He added people are thrilled with the results of the herbicides, with the probability of the same fish kill that happened last fall very low.

Last fall, McCoy said a 1,500-foot wall of weeds killed a lot of fish in Burtis Bay. He, along with other Chautauqua County officials, worked with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to apply herbicides in the lake this spring. He said the DEC’s plan is to apply the herbicides in three different areas of Burtis Bay during the next three years.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.

When asked what has been the biggest surprise from the use of herbicides, McCoy said seeing everyone involved in the lake, from organizations to municipalities, working well together.

Legislator Pierre Chagon, R-Bemus Point and Chautauqua Lake Protection and Rehabilitation Agency chairman, said next month the third-party, independent monitoring report will be released by Princeton Hydro. The report will detail what the lake was like before, during and after the herbicide application.

“Hopefully we learn a lot from what we did this year,” he said.