Chautauqua Lake is one of the most important assets our region has.

We all want the quality of the lake to improve. The condition and use of the land around our lake are what have most dramatically impacted the quality of our lake water. Chautauqua Lake water quality began to decline over 200 years ago due to deforestation and industrial activities. Formal water sampling began here 88 years ago due to water quality concerns. More than 25 years ago, Chautauqua Lake was placed on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s “impaired waters list” due to excessive levels of phosphorus.

Phosphorus is naturally present in soils around Chautauqua Lake and also highly present in sewage that has ended up in the lake over centuries of time. The first sewage treatment plant on Chautauqua Lake was installed over 132 years ago (1893) at Chautauqua Institution, followed by systems for the Villages of Lakewood and Celoron 85 years ago (1940s). The North Chautauqua Lake Sewer district in Mayville was constructed over many years beginning around 75 years ago.

Forty-five years ago the South Center and Chautauqua Lake Sewer District plant in Celoron was constructed. Under the leadership of our previous and current County Executives and Legislators, incredible progress has been made to construct sanitary sewers all the way around the lake, including current projects around the north basin along Route 394 and soon, along Rt. 430. All of these projects incrementally improve the quality of the water that ends up in Chautauqua Lake and should reduce the amount of excessive weed growth and algal blooms that we are experiencing, but these results won’t be immediate.

Researchers have also found substantial quantities of phosphorus pouring into Chautauqua Lake from the soil in stormwater runoff. This runoff is what is feeding the algae and in-lake weeds. For 71 years mechanical harvesting has been conducted regularly during summers and helps maintain growth of in-lake weeds, but requires substantial labor, equipment and funding. Herbicide applications also have occurred over the past seven years to eradicate in-lake weeds. Both of these actions are accepted lake-maintenance approaches, and both are short-term solutions treating symptoms of an advancing long-term problem.

So far, these actions have not improved the water quality as fast as we would have hoped. Current lake management plans available through the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance (CLWMA) continue this short-term approach and some of these actions must continue, responsibly, for appropriate and ecologically safe, short-term lake maintenance.

The CLWMA, along with Chautauqua County and some municipalities, are also responsibly engaged in projects that incrementally provide long-term solutions to mitigate excessive nutrient loading through shoreline and tributary soil stabilization.

Constructed rain-gardens, wetlands, natural plantings and responsible stormwater management projects appear to be the best solution to mitigate the long-term problems in our lake. This long-term work must continue with patient urgency and adequate resource allocation.

It’s understandable that our community wants immediate solutions to the lake quality issues and we all wish for the same thing. Contrary to a few loud and impatient voices, our valuable lake groups are all working together (not always in lockstep, but always trying to move in the same positive direction) for Chautauqua Lake and the people of our region. The work must and will continue through the “noise” of impatience to continue to maintain our lake for the short-term, while most importantly pushing hard to make long-term impacts that will improve the quality of our lake for generations to come.

John Shedd is a Lakewood resident.