Work continues to form starry stonewort group
Trending
As of September, a starry stonewort technical assistance group is still waiting to be finalized.
Randall Perry, executive director of the Chautauqua Lake Watershed and Management Alliance, told board members recently in response to a question from board member Andrew Goodell that the list of proposed Technical Assistance Group members is still being finalized by GEI Consultants, the alliance-hired consultant for Chautauqua Lake, and that other details about the group, including how their meetings might be structured, are still being developed. According to minutes of the alliance's September meeting, board members also discussed the importance of local groups working on starry stonewort having access to the assistance group and its recommendations.
Starry stonewort is an invasive algae that functions like a plant but forms in dense stands that choke out native plant and fish populations. It has been seen sparsely in Chautauqua Lake since 2009, but has been seen more often in recent years, specifically in the towns of North Harmony and Chautauqua at Ashville Bay and Prendergast Point.
The recommendation comes after A.J. Reyes, project lead for GEI Consultants, presented a recap of the group's 2025 work to alliance board members during a recent meeting. The starry stonewort plan Reyes is proposing would be a priority work item for 2026, according to meeting minutes posted on the alliance's website, and include achievable goals, thresholds and milestones; utilize a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) made up of experts; and provide feedback to service providers and stakeholders.
GEI has been working on the technical assistance group, which will include local officials and outside experts.
Earlier this summer, Reyes said preliminary survey data from GEI’s starry stonewort bulbil density sampling at Ashville Bay and Prendergast Point work areas, which shows a significantly higher number of bulbils at the Prendergast site relative to Ashville. Reyes said that GEI’s 2026 will focus on questions related to management effectiveness; including how well current management actions are working. He said the state DEC has expressed a desire for this type of long-term analysis and review of past and present data. Starry stonewort management via diver assisted suction harvesting and mechanical removal is slated to begin sometime in July. Diver-assisted suction harvesting involves manual removal of the algae via suction hoses, which greatly reduces the chances of spread and comes with relatively few environmental concerns.
In other business, the Chautauqua Watershed and Management Alliance board approved $1,250,000 in requests to three local foundations as part of the foundation's 2027 Consolidated Local Funding program.
There was also discussion of the board's 18 seats expiring on Jan. 31. This is the first year of a new board structure for the alliance, with two-thirds of the board comprised of elected officials from towns and villages surrounding Chautauqua Lake and one-third of the board made up of representations from the Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake Partnership and Everwild Land Trust. Except for the seats held by Chautauqua County officials, the rest of the seats will require a new appointment by the member's governing body by Jan. 31.
Board discussion occurred related to the town and village government funding provided to, or under consideration for, the Chautauqua Lake Association and Chautauqua Lake Partnership. Board discussion occurred related to the CLP's efforts to coordinate the 2027 herbicide program with the lakeside municipalities and the CLP's request for responses to the letters they mailed out.
Board discussion occurred related to the Mobitrac that is parked at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, including how it was purchased; who owns and maintains it; DEC permitting requirements for its use; and the possibility of integrating it into the Town of Chautauqua Mobitrac fleet.