The July 4th weekend was an “Absolute Nightmare” on Chautauqua Lake for Burtis Bay, Sherman Bay, Ellicott and Fluvanna residents as broadcast by Channel 4 WIVB Buffalo to all of Western New York. Several broadcasts followed from impenetrable weed-choked areas of the lake now designated wetlands by the DEC. Those same weeds are now protected and more weed growth is encouraged by the New York State (State) Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) new wetlands regulations. The County and most municipalities are silent, “Asleep at the Wheel”.

This “Nightmare” can be solved in three steps: (1) ongoing and increasing litigation challenging the DEC’s new wetlands regulations, (2) a Chautauqua Lake “Centralized Lake Authority” to effectively manage the Lake, and (3) use of a Chautauqua Lake-specific Lake Management Plan for the Authority’s Lake management. These are critical, challenging, and will not happen overnight. But all three are necessary. The alternative is more of the same…worsening Lake conditions and falling property values.

The DEC had not designated wetlands in Chautauqua Lake before the Chautauqua Lake Partnership and the Towns of Ellery, Busti, and Ellicott and the Chautauqua Lake Association began 2025 weed management planning with them. Then, and only then, did the DEC designate those areas planned for weed management as wetlands and require wetlands permits. You heard right! There weren’t wetlands until these organizations told the DEC where they needed to work. Only then did the areas “become” wetlands following a DEC process not included in the new regulations and with no time or an opportunity for appeal. Our state senator and County Executive are mistaken when they defend the DEC saying the regulations did not slow weed management and did not contribute to the “Absolute Nightmare”. That’s just not the case.

The same state senator and county executive continue to blame lake organization infighting for Lake problems. But that is only a symptom of the real problems and a distraction which takes our “eyes off the ball”. The real problems are decades of inattention by our State government and DEC and non-existent local Lake management.

The DEC’s mission is to conserve, improve, and protect our Lake, not designate parts of our Lake a swamp to hide their negligence. Lower value “Swamp Front Property” is already replacing higher value “Lake Front Property” while our State, County, and most municipality officials watch.

Lower property values, higher County-wide tax rates, and tourism and economic decline are sure to follow.

No one manages Chautauqua Lake. The Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance (Alliance), a county agency pretending to be a 501c3 non-profit, operates in secret with no direct input from taxpayers while it doles out millions in foundation, State, and County funding to its members.

The Alliance is an expensive but failed experiment which makes us believe things are under control when they certainly are not. After several attempts over the years, it is clear the Alliance cannot be repaired. It admits it has no authority to manage the lake and has failed to improve conditions after twelve years and many millions of dollars spent.

There is no Chautauqua Lake management plan. The County-run Alliance funded development of the “Long-Term Management Plan for Submerged Aquatic Vegetation at Chautauqua Lake” which was completed by North Carolina State University in June 2024. But the Alliance refused to adopt this Plan, changed its name to “Strategy” from “Plan”, and put it on the shelf with 50-60 Chautauqua Lake “studies”. Then they changed the title of the “Lake Manager” they planned to hire to “Lake Consultant”, further acknowledging their lack of management authority.

The solution is a “Centralized Lake Authority”, simple in concept but, in reality, requires real county and municipality leadership. Such an authority was attempted in 2004 and reintroduced in 2019. The 2004 attempt failed when the Town of Chautauqua opted out. The 2019 effort failed when a new County Executive was appointed and dropped the ball. As a distributor of county and state taxpayer funds, the “Centralized Lake Authority”, would consist of only Chautauqua Lake-side town supervisors, village mayors and county legislators, all elected at the polls. The authority would be responsible to both year-round and seasonal residents, taxpayers, and would by law, operate transparently…as it should.

Some of our legislators have said that the State won’t allow a Centralized Lake Authority for our Lake. We don’t believe that and request supporting documentation. But if true, if the state is refusing to manage the lake and then refusing to allow local government to do so. Such a ridiculous position must be challenged. Would our County lead this challenge? Or would a volunteer-only, resident-funded non-profit, such as the Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association, be left to challenge the State once again?

We ask all who care about our lake and our county to encourage our County Executive, County Legislators, and town and village leaders to “Grab the Wheel” and take on these difficult but worthwhile challenges.

They must fight the DEC overreach, create the Centralized Lake Authority, and adopt the NCSU Lake Management Plan. Our local governments’ legacy is currently an “Absolute Nightmare” when it comes to Chautauqua Lake and the time to act to change that is now.

Jim Wehrfritz is president of the Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association. Other board members are Jeff Moore, vice president; Dan Smith, secretary/treasurer; Kathy O’Brien and Tammy Schack.