Category: Uncategorized

Septic Workshop in October

Helping to keep our lake clean begins with you! Your septic system, if not maintained, can provide runoff into the lake. This provides nutrients for the plants (weeds) to grow and increases our costs to manage them. 

Cortland County Soil and Water is running a series of septic system workshops this month. If you sign up and attend, you will receive a $100 coupon to use for cleaning/maintaining your septic system. 

One session will be conveniently held at the Preble Calvary Baptist Church, S.Rt. 281, on Thursday, 10/13 at 7pm. See details below for this and other sessions. Call SWCD at 607-756-5991 to register!

Fall Meeting & Picnic 9/17

We’ve had a busy summer at Little York Lake and now is the time to review what we’ve accomplished and begin to plan for 2023.

Please join us Saturday, 9/17, at 11:00 a.m. at Preble Park to learn all that has been happening on the lake and what our plans are for 2023.  We’ll also discuss the implementation of the lake protection district.

Please click on this link to indicate if you plan to attend and what you would like to bring for the picnic. We need a good headcount to provide enough hot dogs!

The meeting will be followed by a dish-to-pass and BYOB picnic.  The LYLPS Board will provide hot dogs, cutlery, plates, napkins and cups.  

We are also collecting dues of $25 for our 2022/23 membership year. There are 3 easy ways to pay:

  • Send a check to P.O. Box 56, Little York, NY 13087
  • Pay online at littleyorklake.com
  • Bring your payment to the meeting on the 18th.

We need your support to continue our efforts at improving the lake.

Pondweed Treatment 5/26

LYLPS has scheduled the first of three summer treatments for the morning of Wednesday, May 26th. This treatment is targeting curly-leaved pondweed, an invasive species, with Aquathol-K.

There is a 24-hour restriction on swimming. There are no restrictions on fishing, livestock watering, irrigation, or fish consumption. Potable water use is restricted from the treatment day until water testing is completed. We will announce completion on this website.

See the following for details:

Macrophyte Survey In Progress

If you see a boat out on the lake today or tomorrow driving, stopping and then driving again with some people throwing something over the side at each stop, they’re not crazy. It is the Cortland County SWCD conducting a macrophyte survey of Little York Lake.

Macrophytes are the plants and algae that occupy the lake. We often refer to them as “weeds.” Some are native and some are invasive, particularly the variable leaf milfoil and the starry stonewort. We’re trying to remove or control the invasives and let the native plants reassert control.

Samples are being taken at 50 meter interavals in a grid pattern covering the entire lake. A double sided rake is thrown over the side of the boat, hauled up, and the “catch” examined, identified and documented. Goodale Lake, feeding into Little York Lake, has been mapped as well. 

The macrophyte survey will produce a map showing us what plants we have and where they are located. Combined with work that LYLPS has done in past years, this will give us a road map to navigate our management plans. 

The survey is being funded by a grant from the Finger Lakes PRISM to Cortland SWCD with support and input from LYLPS. Thanks to our boat captain volunteers: Lindy Vangeli, Dean and Gerri-Ann Hartnett, Don Fisher and Jarrett Regard plus our mappers, Kathy McGrath and Hannah Whalen. And thanks to Amanda Barber for securing the grant.

 

Starry Stonewort Treatment 7/17

Our treatment for Starry Stonewort has been scheduled for Friday morning, July 17th with a rain date of July 24th. Riparian owners will receive notifications by U.S. Mail as well. The treatment area is outlined in this map as areas E,F and G.

Starry Stonewort

The only water use restriction during this treatment is for drinking water. We will be conducting water testing following the treatment (as we do for every treatment) and will update the community when this restriction is removed. Note that lake water should never be used as drinking water in any case.

Solitude Lake Management is performing the treatment for us using Captain XTR.

If you have any questions or concerns, 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.

Boat Parade, Luminaires and Fireworks highlight Independence Celebration

Little York Lake held its annual Boat Parade with a number of exciting entries. Congratulations to Kevin Fergosi and crew for their winning entry of “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”.

Lakefront properties were festooned with luminaries, which made a return this year. LYLPS raised $150 selling them and they were sold out. Plan on continuing this tradition next year.

The evening concluded with our annual fireworks show, which was as spectacular as ever.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to another great holiday event.