NYSFOLA Conference

As in years past, the New York State Federation of Lake Association’s held it’s annual conference at the White Eagle Conference Center in Hamilton, N.Y.. Jay and Susan Hoy-Crawford attended this years three day conference on behalf of the Lake Mahopac Park District. The NYSFOLA conference is a great opportunity to gather with representatives of other lake associations, and park districts to share ideas, issues and best practices for successful lake management. Representatives from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, (DEC), Cornell University and other knowledgeable limnology experts were in attendance.

Top issues discussed this year’s NYFOLA conference were as follows:

• Based on the latest computer modeling predictions from the National Oceanagraphics and Atmospheric Administration, NY State should expect a 20 year period of not only increased rainfall, but also a period of increasing rainfall intensity (a high rate of rainfall over a short period of time, what is referred to as a 100 year storm) These conditions will challenge the normal ground absorption of water and traditional river and stream channels to deal with the volume of water. This will result in an increased potential of flash flooding of rivers, streams and other water effected areas.
• The DEC has proposed new dam safety regulations that will effect many of the 3000 NY dams and other water regulating structures. Implications, if any, for the Lake Mahopac sluice gate have yet to be determined under the proposed regulations. The committee will stay informed on this subject as the regulations pass through public hearings and ultimately the NY Senate for passage into law.
• A new virus is attacking NY lake and river fish called VHS or Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia. This serious pathogen attacks fresh and salt-water fish, causing internal hemorrhaging and death. VHS has been identified in fish kills in Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair (MI), Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and Conesus Lake (Western NY). There is no evidence that VHS will effect lakes in our area but the DEC and the local lake associations will be vigilant.
• The DEC has been tracking salt levels in NY lakes and waterways and has reported that salt levels have been slowly rising since the 1940’s when road crews started using salt on winter road surfaces. Several approaches to improving this situation were presented including state of the art devices for  controlling and metering salt application and the use of a liquid salt that binds to the road surface and will not get plowed or rinsed away.

More information about New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc at http://www.nysfola.org/.