Author: littleyorklake_5bxuky

Community Q&A on 5/20

As mentioned in our last email, we are planning a community Q&A session on Wednesday, May 20th at 7 p.m. Due to ongoing restrictions we will hold the meeting using a Zoom call. 

Please register for the meeting by clicking here. Note, we will send the Zoom invitation to registrants at 5 p.m. on the 20th. This invitation will include a phone number if you prefer to listen.

We continue to make progress on collecting donations and preparing for our treatment, but we need all the support we can get. If you haven’t already, please visit littleyorklake.com/beattheweeds and make your donation today.

Chip in and Beat the Weeds

We hope everyone in your household is safe and sound during this pandemic.

Our lake association board has continued to work on the planned summer treatment program during the NYS on Pause and this post is intended to give you an update and ask for your donation.

We are planning to treat new areas for variable leaf milfoil and begin treatment for Starry Stonewort, the green mat-like plant that covers large stretches of the lake. For details click here.

In mid-March we submitted our permit applications to DEC and mailed notification letters to all riparian owners in the affected area. If you are a property owner at the lake or downstream to Cortland you should have received the notification letter which explains the treatment and the potential water use impacts.

It is important to continue this work even during the pandemic. The “weeds” are still growing and there will be life after we figure out this virus.
Please send your donation by check to LYLPS, P.O. Box 56, Little York NY 13087 or donate online at littleyorklake.com/beattheweeds no later than May 10th.

Register Now for 2020 Weed Treatment

Individual letters were mailed to all lake property owners on 2/29 explaining the treatment plan and individualized costs. Since everyone is benefiting from the lake improvements, we are asking everyone to donate.

The treatment plan with the updated treatment maps can be found here. If you are in the treatment area (as stated in your letter) we are asking you to register here to confirm your interest and commitment to have your lake front treated.

If you don’t receive a letter by 3/6 please email us at [email protected] or call us at 607-218-2550 and we will provide further details.

We will be following the same notification process as last year. You will receive a letter identifying the specific herbicide/algaecide, planned treatment date(s), water use restrictions (if any), and the time period within which you may express any objections and/or questions.

For any additional questions, please contact us at [email protected]

2020 Work Plan Released

The LYLPS board has had a busy fall reviewing last summer’s milfoil treatment as well as other efforts. We have developed and approved a work plan for 2020  and are in the process of briefing various public entities. This includes the County Ag & Planning and Highway Committees as well as the Soil and Water Conservation District.

Here is a short summary of the plan:

  • Prevention
    • Support the installation and roll-out of the boat decontamination station at Dwyer Park
    • Continuing support, through C-OFOKLA, of the boat steward program, CCStoptheInvasion.org
  • Monitoring
    • Monitor the lake through CSLAP
    • Conduct regional CSLAP training on May 8th
    • Expand the monitoring by joining the Finger Lakes PRISM macrophyte program
  • Treatments
    • Treat variable leaf milfoil in previously untreated areas
    • Test treating starry stonewort
  • Management
    • Support new drawdown permit process
    • Establish shorescaping program in collaboration with SWCD
    • Continue support of septic education program
  • Organizational
    • Continue to build community
    • Maintain the lake management plan

As you can see, we have a lot on our plate, but all of it is important and part of our ongoing efforts to restore and maintain the lake.

                       Bed of Starry Stonewort

Of course, one of the more visible components is conducting additional treatments for variable leaf milfoil as well as addressing another major invasive species, starry stonewort. Our treatment plan can be found here.

We issued an RFP in January and received two bids. We have decided to move forward with Solitude Lake Management, the same firm we used for our treatment last year.

We plan to treat milfoil beds in areas where we didn’t treat last year. We plan to conduct the treatment during the early growing season, in May. This year we intend to use a different herbicide, Procellacor.  It has been in use for several years in other states and was registered for use in New York last year. This herbicide has been demonstrated to have even less impact on the environment than Navigate and we will use less of it. 

Starry stonewort is an algae and requires an algaecide. We are working with the Starry Stonewort Collaborative of the Finger Lakes Institute, Solitude, and DEC to determine the best approach. Treatment will likely occur in July. More information will be provided shortly.

We will follow a process similar to last year:

  • File for a permit in late February
  • Notify all affected riparian owners of our intent to treat and approximate dates
  • Conduct a public meeting to discuss any concerns 
  • Raise money to cover the treatements
  • Complete the treatments

Of course there are many additional steps involved, but this presents the main points.

One of the key benefits of our treatment program last year was the reduced amount of milfoil floating on the lake. This benefited everyone. This year we are going to ask everyone to donate to support the cost of treatment. We are also going back to the county with a request that they pay for their share once budgets have been finalized.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please email us at [email protected]

3rd Annual Docks Out Day October 6th

Our 3rd Annual Docks Out Day is scheduled for Sunday, October 6th at 10:00 a.m. If the prediction is for totally-lousy-can’t-deal-with-it-weather we’ll move it up to Saturday, 10/5. The annual lake drawdown is planned to begin 10/4.

If you have stuff that needs to be taken out of the lake, we’re pooling our resources and helping each other out. Oh, there might be some beer along the way (and after).

So email [email protected] if you want to help and receive some help. Exact schedule TBD so also include any time restrictions.

Fall Meeting and Picnic 9/22

Our fall meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 22 at noon followed by our fall picnic at 1 pm. All festivities take place at the main pavilion in Dwyer Park (where CRT plays).

In addition to our normal reports, our fall meeting will feature a discussion of this year’s herbicide treatment as well as initial ideas for next year’s efforts. Please be sure to complete our treatment survey by Wednesday morning the 18th so that the board has your input as we prepare plans for next year.

Following the meeting we’re having our first annual fall picnic. LYLPS will provide hot dogs, rolls, condiments, iced tea, lemonade and paper products. Please bring a dish to pass and any other beverages you would like. Music will be provided by Tribal Revival. Thanks to the Nortons for organizing this including the music.

Please RSVP by Thursday, September 19 so that we know how many hot dogs to provide. Click on this link to let us know if you will or will not be attending.

Annual Meeting

Our Annual Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 8th at 10:00 a.m. in the Dwyer Memorial Park main pavilion.

All are welcome to attend and encouraged to join our Society.

Get a printable version of our agenda here as well as a copy of last year’s minutes here.

The meeting will feature an update on the lake management plan including our herbicide treatment as well as news on futures plans. YOUR INPUT IS CRUCIAL as we move forward in restoring our lake.