Water samples were collected on Tuesday, Aug. 27 from both mid-lake/open water and shoreline locations for Total Microcystins analysis. Results are provided below for informational purposes; the BFS is not an ELAP-certified laboratory.
Background Information: Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can produce compounds that are toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. Microcystis aeruginosa is the cyanobacteria currently causing intermittent bloom conditions in Otsego Lake; toxins of the class Microcystins have been detected in association with its growth (learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/.../learn-about-harmful-algae...). We have received questions about the toxin concentrations we report and what they mean; explanation of Dept. of Health, Dept. of Environmental Conservation and US EPA guidance are included below. See the respective agency websites for complete information.
In summary: Isolated shoreline bloom conditions were reported several days this week, forming later in the afternoons at locations along the western shore and north end of Otsego Lake. Toxins are present lake-wide (open water and near shore) and have increased slightly since last week in most areas, reflecting the continued growth of the cyanobacteria in the surface layer of the lake. General precautions are given below. If you see suspicious conditions, report it to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation HABs Program via the online report tool.
Results Update: Total Microcystins in micrograms per liter, or parts per billion (ppb)
Open Water (Mid-Lake) Sites
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Site & Depth
MC (µg/L)
Near Data Buoy (TR4-C) Surface
0.51
- 4m / 13 ft
0.42
- 8m / 26 ft
0.26
West of Hyde Bay (TR5-C) Surface
0.54
Shoreline Sites
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
MC (µg/L)
Fairy Springs Swim Dock
0.60
Lakefront Village Dock End
0.20
Cooperstown Country Club Dock
- -
BFS Main Lab
- Dock End
0.22
- Dock, South side
0.30
Three Mile Point Swim Dock
- -
Otsego Sailing Club
- Swim Dock, South side
0.42
- Swim Dock, North side1
0.50
5 Mile Point
- Dock, East end
0.27
- Between shore & docks
0.22
BFS Thayer Boathouse
- Dock End
0.43
- Slight Surface Accumulation
0.43
Springfield Public Landing
- Swim Dock
0.27
- Shoreline debris patch2
0.32
1surface debris and foam
2patch brown; seems to be dead Microcystis
Analytical Method: Total Microcystins ELISA (ADDA) via CAAS Cube, according to EPA Method 546. Method detection limit 0.1 µg/L.
General Precautions:
Avoid discolored or cloudy water, green streaks, foamy accumulations, etc., as these areas may contain cyanobacteria and the associated toxins. Pets are particularly vulnerable. Lake users should use caution and check the water conditions prior to use, as bloom conditions are known to change quickly. Keep watch along the shoreline and at the surface in protected areas (boat slips, small coves, etc.). Do not use untreated surface waters for domestic use; during blooms, surface waters treated with individual home treatment systems should not be used for domestic use (see the Dept. of Health page https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2849/index.htm).
Perspective on Toxin Concentrations: Total Microcystins Guidance
Recreational Contact: In New York State, Regulated Swimming Beaches are closed based on visual indication of a bloom and can be re-opened after the bloom has dissipated (visual assessment) and the total microcystin concentration is less than 4 µg/L in a sample collected the following day. Link to Dept. of Health Bloom Response and Regulated Beaches page.
Drinking Water Health Advisory Levels for Microcystins (Based on US EPA Guidance).
Adverse health effects are not anticipated to occur over 10-day exposures when concentrations in drinking water are less than:
-Bottle-fed infacts & pre-school children: 0.3 µg/L
-School-age children and adults: 1.6 µg/L
For More Information:
NYS Dept. of Conservation Harmful Algal Blooms Page: https://dec.ny.gov/.../water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms
NYS Dept. of Health:https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2849/index.htm
US Environmental Protection Agency Harmful Algal Blooms Page:https://www.epa.gov/habs
Holly Waterfield, CLM
SUNY Oneonta Cooperstown Campus
Biological Field Station Main Laboratory
5838 State Hwy 80
Cooperstown, NY 13326
607-547-8778
INFORMATION ON OTSEGO LAKE AND CYANOBACTERIA
Background Information: Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can produce compounds that are toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. Microcystis aeruginosa is the cyanobacteria currently causing intermittent bloom conditions in Otsego Lake; toxins of the class Microcystins have been detected in association with its growth (learn more here:https://www.epa.gov/.../learn-about-harmful-algae...). We have received questions about the toxin concentrations we report and what they mean; explanation of Dept. of Health, Dept. of Environmental Conservation and US EPA guidance are included below. See the respective agency websites for complete information.
Summary for Week of Aug. 26: Isolated shoreline bloom conditions were reported several days this week, forming later in the afternoons at locations along the western shore and north end of Otsego Lake. Toxins are present lake-wide (open water and near shore) and have increased slightly since last week in most areas, reflecting the continued growth of the cyanobacteria in the surface layer of the lake. General precautions are given below. If you see suspicious conditions, report it to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation HABs Program via the online report tool.
General Precautions:
Avoid discolored or cloudy water, green streaks, foamy accumulations, etc., as these areas may contain cyanobacteria and the associated toxins. Pets are particularly vulnerable. Lake users should use caution and check the water conditions prior to use, as bloom conditions are known to change quickly. Keep watch along the shoreline and at the surface in protected areas (boat slips, small coves, etc.). Do not use untreated surface waters for domestic use; during blooms, surface waters treated with individual home treatment systems should not be used for domestic use (see the Dept. of Health page https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2849/index.htm).
Perspective on Toxin Concentrations: Total Microcystins Guidance
Recreational Contact: In New York State, Regulated Swimming Beaches are closed based on visual indication of a bloom and can be re-opened after the bloom has dissipated (visual assessment) and the total microcystin concentration is less than 4 µg/L in a sample collected the following day. Link to Dept. of Health Bloom Response and Regulated Beaches page.
Drinking Water Health Advisory Levels for Microcystins (Based on US EPA Guidance).
Adverse health effects are not anticipated to occur over 10-day exposures when concentrations in drinking water are less than:
-Bottle-fed infacts & pre-school children: 0.3 µg/L
-School-age children and adults: 1.6 µg/L
For More Information:
NYS Dept. of Conservation Harmful Algal Blooms Page: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms
Otsego Lake Clean-up
Thank you to everyone that made this event possible.
Annual Gathering Saturday August 10th, 2024
HAB's Detected
From the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station.
A bloom of cyanobacteria (“blue-green algae”) was detected on Otsego Lake at the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse (~6 Mile Point, near Sunken Island) around 9:30 am on July 10, 2024, reported by Paul Lord. It was later confirmed by Kiyoko Yokota to be composed of Microcystis aeruginosa, the same species as in the 2022 and 2023 cyanobacterial blooms or cHABs (cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms) in Otsego Lake. Samples have been collected for in-house microcystins (a type of toxins produced by cyanobacteria) testing at BFS, results will be available on or after July 15. Lake users should use caution and check the water conditions prior to use, as bloom conditions are known to change quickly. Keep watch along the shoreline and at the surface in protected areas (boat slips, small coves, etc.). Avoid discolored or cloudy water, green streaks, foamy accumulations, etc., as these areas may contain cyanobacteria and the associated toxins. Pets are particularly vulnerable. At the time of shoreline sampling HAB conditions were present or developing at 5 Mile Point and the Thayer Boathouse in protected areas around the docks and shoreline. If you see suspicious conditions, report it to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation HABs Program via the online report tool. For context with regard to swimming areas, according to the Department of Health, Regulated Swimming Beaches are closed based on visual indication of a bloom and re-opened after the bloom has dissipated (visual assessment) and the total microcystin concentration is less than 4 ug/L in a sample collected the following day. Link to Dept. of Health Bloom Response and Regulated Beaches page.
Boat Parade
Another great boat parade on July 3rd! We estimated that over 20 boats actually participated in the parade with many more just observing. Thank you for everyone that participated.
The winners are as follows.
Photo credit: Tina Claiborne (daughter of Scottie Baker).
1st place. The Mohican
2nd place. Barb LaCorte
3rd place. Melissa Barry
4th. The Chase Family.
No-Wake Zone Buoys
SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station (BFS) Volunteer Dive Team, with support from Otsego Lake Association, Cooperstown, NY (OLA) and the Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) successfully completed the spring deployment of no-wake-zone buoys (NWZBs) around Otsego Lake shoreline on May 24 2024 (Fri), before the anticipated heavy boat traffic over the Memorial Day weekend. These buoys are important for the safety of swimmers and paddlers as well as the reduction of shoreline erosion that washes sediment and associated nutrients into the lake, which can fuel harmful cyanobacterial blooms. SCUBA divers removed the cone-shaped, ice-resistant winter spar buoys from the underwater anchor chains and re-attached the bigger and heavier marker buoys.
Please watch out for these NWZBs marking the 200-feet no-wake-zone from the shore. The 200-feet band encircles the entire Otsego Lake.
If you observe any damage to the NWZBs (marked with "SWCD"), please contact SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station immediately at 607-547-8778 or email mailto:Kiyoko.Yokota@oneonta.edu
Photo Credit: Paul Lord
The Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy (CLMB) on Otsego Lake was re-deployed on May 14-15, 2024 after a delay due to some parts being on backorder since January. This work was made possible by the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Volunteer Dive Team and Otsego Lake Association, Cooperstown, NY (OLA). The BFS barge (the Anodontoides) is back in service this year and supported this deployment. Weather and water temperature data at 15-min intervals will remain visible to the public this season at https://otsegolakeassociation.org/ and http://employees.oneonta.edu/yokotak/YokotaLimnoLab/ , thanks to the generous grant from the Otsego Lake Sustainability Fund of Community Foundation of Otsego County. The general operation of the buoy is supported by the School of Sciences, SUNY Oneonta, OLA, Cooperstown Rotary Club, and the four municipalities that make up the Otsego Lake Watershed Supervisory Committee (Towns of Middlefield, Otsego, and Springfield, and the Village of Cooperstown). Boaters - please watch out for this important research buoy, which provides high-frequency data for the Otsego Lake Nine Element Plan https://dec.ny.gov/.../water/water-quality/clean-water-plans , a long-term lake and watershed management plan as well as global lake and climate research projects.
Photo credit: Kiyoko Yokota
Photo credit: Peter Regan
Photo credit: Peter Regan
Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program
(CSLAP)
Happy to report that OLA’s inaugural 2023 CSLAP season was successfully completed on Tuesday 9/12 with the 8th and final sampling.
In addition to contributing to the NYSFOLA and DEC effort to survey NYS lakes the data collected fulfills part of what UFI specified in the Monitoring QAPP as needed for the CE-QUAL-W2 in lake modeling scheduled to commence in 2024.
An added bonus of the 8 sessions was that Kiyoko was able to join us and collect additional scientific data that will assist in the assessment of water quality in the lake.
Kindest personal regards,
Doug, Rhonda & Kiyoko
Ditching Presentation
Great presentation on "Erosion, Ditches, and Storm Sewers" here.
Before and After Harmful Algal Blooms: Long-Term Monitoring and Modeling in Otsego Lake
Otsego Lake Association Annual Gathering
Annual “WE LOVE OUR LAKE” Decorated Boat Parade - Mon, July 3rd, 2023
By K. Wayne Bunn
Wow – another great boat parade on July 3rd! We estimated that about 30 boats actually participated in the parade with many more just observing. This year’s theme was “Our Glimmerglass Shines”. Despite the weather prediction of severe thunder storms just before the start of the parade, which kept many more boats from participating, we had the right combination of things again this year – no rain, warm temperatures, overcast skies, and no wind. Bagged candy, plus a decontamination kit with instructions on how to clean your boat, were given out to each boat in the parade. An OLA tote bag with OLA merchandise inside was given out to the top five winners as determined by the judges. The 2023 winners were Robert Nelsen and Van Ramsey, the Ed and Joan Badgley family, the Tom and Kathy Chase family, Barbara LaCourt, and Goeff Nye in his “flying boat”. The parade was led again this year by the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station’s barge, the “Anodontoides”, captained by OLA Board member Paul Lord. It was out of service last year for major repairs. A very special highlight this year was local resident Goeff Nye’s “flying boat” called the Buccaneer. It was our grand finale and created much excitement before, during, and after the parade.
The parade started at 3:00 PM off Three Mile Point and proceeded slowly down the westerly side of the lake and ended at Lakefront Park in Cooperstown at about 3:45 PM with many people observing from various locations along the shoreline. Go to OLA’s website (www.otsegolakeassociation.org) for photos of this year’s boat parade plus past boat parades.
We thank everyone who participated in the parade with special thanks to The Freeman’s Journal, allotsego.com, and The Daily Star for their wonderful coverage and photographs of the parade – both before and after the parade. We also thank the Otsego County Sheriff Department’s Marine Patrol for observing the parade for safety issues. We look forward to another family oriented, fun-filled “We Love Our Lake” Decorated Boat Parade in 2024.
Around Springfield (Images of America) Book
The book can be purchased any Thursday morning between 10 and 12 at the Historical Society in the Springfield Community Center. And folks can see related exhibits! Also, by mail. Send check ($30, includes shipping) to Springfield Historical Society, PO Box 57, Springfield Center, NY 13468. Also available on the Arcadia website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble.
The book will also be available at OLA's 2023 Annual Gathering (see Events).
OLA's photo in the book is courtesy of Scottie Baker/Natura Productions. Photo by David Baker. Here is the back story, just for fun: Somehow, National Geographic magazine heard about our antique wooden canoe interest and sent Peter Essick, N.G. photographer for a photo shoot for their issue on water. That was about 1983+-. It was decided that Goodyear Swamp with vintage canoe at sunrise late summer/early fall would be a good backdrop. The image is me in" Feather' my 1898 solo canoe on a very chilly morning. The shoot was to have lasted only a few minutes when the conditions were perfect. It so happened it lasted about an hour because the fog and light kept morphing into one gorgeous scene after another. It was upper 40's and my feet were literally frozen!! My husband Dave was shooting photos over the shoulder of Essick, and this is one of them. (We did not make it into the water National Geographic issue, but the experience was epic). Later in 2003 Scottie and Natura Productions produced the photo in poster/print format.....'and a light canoe floats like a feather' which were from the words of George Washington Sear's "Nessmuck".
New HABS Safety Website
OLA partnered with Otsego County, OCCA, SUNY Oneonta and CLIA to put together the HABS Safety Website for HAB's.
BFS, Lake Organizations Announce Otsego Lake HAB Testing Strategy
In addition to the BFS testing, the2 Otsego Lake Association announced it has joined the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program, run by the DEC and the New York State Federation of Lake Associations. The partnership will provide Environmental Laboratory Approval Program certified water quality data to prepare a DEC Nine Element Plan for comprehensive lake and watershed management. OLA members Rhonda and Doug Willies participated in the all-day Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) volunteer training at Lake George in May and successfully completed preliminary Otsego Lake sampling on June 5.
Read the entire article here.
Find out more about CSLAP here.
Be Informed Lecture Series-What is a Healthy Lake?
Be Informed Lecture Series-What is a Healthy Lake?
Clark Sports Center, Community Room Wednesday June 21 @ 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Dr. Kiyoko Yokota, an associate professor in limnology at SUNY Oneonta will speak on June 21st at 7 pm giving a talk entitled, “What is a Healthy Lake?” She will cover basic lake ecology, covering both physical and biological factors that determine the quality of water found in a waterbody. Yokota’s research interests include phytoplankton (incl. cyanobacterial bloom) dynamics, microplastic-phytoplankton interaction, biogeochemical cycling, and the impact of climate change on lakes. She also serves as the Technical Advisor for the Otsego Lake Association and is current President of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS).
https://occainfo.org/calendar/be-informed-lecture-series-what-is-a-healthy-lake/
NYSFOLA annual newsletter contest.
Great news! OLA's "Our Glimmerglass" has won 1st Place in this year's NYSFOLA Newsletter contest for Medium Size Lake Associations at the Lake George conference - two years in a row! Congratulations to everyone who has made this possible. Remember you can read all of OLA's past newsletters on the publications page.
2023 Events
2022
Todays Raffle Drawing
Due to today's rain the Raffle drawing has been moved to the front of the Village Hall/Library (22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326) at 12 noon today.
1958 Map of Otsego Lake
Credit line:
Map of Otsego Lake, Village Printer, 1958, map, Courtesy of the Fenimore Art Museum Research Library, Cooperstown, New York. Ephemera OLHC006.
Otsego Lake Association Raffle
Drawing will be held on Monday September 5th, 2022 at the Cooperstown Village Lake Front Park buffer strip at the lake end of Pioneer Street at 12 noon. You will also have a last minute chance to buy raffle tickets starting 11:30am on Monday September 5th at the Cooperstown Village Lake Front Park Buffer Strip lake end of Pioneer Street.
Harmful Algal Blooms
The NYS Department of Health and the Dept. of Environmental Conservation provide guidance and information to the general public via the Harmful Algal Bloom page. According to the DEC, HABs may be present in all or parts of a waterbody, thus we wanted to share this information with you all. People and animals should avoid discolored water and surface scums. Toxins may or may not be present.
The algae in a bloom look like specks mixed throughout the water; wind can concentrate the algae along the shoreline, especially in protected bays. Bloom conditions in a given location can change rapidly – particularly with changes in wind direction or speed. Some portions of the lake may be impacted while others remain safe for full contact recreation. Check the conditions before allowing children and pets to play.
Useful links:
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation Harmful Algal Bloom page:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/77118.html
New York State Department of Health’s information brochure: https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/6563.pdf
SUNY Oneonta Biological FIeld Station News Updates
https://suny.oneonta.edu/biological-field-station
If you or your business maintains a shoreline area for guests and algal accumulations form, you can print and post the NYS DOH’s HAB Warning Sign (https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/6637.pdf ).
Otsego Lake Association Annual Gathering
Over 40 boats participated in this year's parade with many more observing from boats and along the shoreline. Thank you to everyone who made this all possible. Most boats received a bag or two of candy and the six winners received an OLA towel. The winners were the Batista family, Reese family, Leahy family, Heneghan family, Tyler family, and the Cooperstown Rotary Club. Photos can be viewed here.
OLA donated the following children's books to the Cherry Valley, Springfield & Cooperstown libraries.
Good Night Lake
The Lake is Calling and I Must Go
Water is Water
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean
Fishing with Daddy
The Little Book of Camping
Let’s Go Fishing
One Frozen Lake
Bear Came Along
Pond Circle
Good Morning Loon
The books can be checked out at the above libraries or requested through the four County library system here. Additionally, the adult book Life and Death of Great Lakes was donated and is available at the Springfield and Cherry Valley libraries.
June 20TH, 2022.
Mark your calanders for this years Otsego Lake Associations "Our Lake's a Treasure" themed Boat Parade on Sunday July 3rd. 3:00pm.
April 14TH, 2022.
From the New York State Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA) Executive Director, Nancy J. Mueller. "Congratulations! The Otsego Lake Association's "Our Glimmerglass" was the winner in the Medium Lake Association category for the 2022 NYSFOLA Annual Newsletter Contest." Remember you can read all of OLA's past newsletters on the publications page.
2021
December 19TH, 2021.
Please keep an eye out around the lake for our Springfield Landing No-wake Zone buoy which is missing with a replacement cost greater than $400. The buoy will be marked “No wake,” “SWCD,” and “607-547-8778” and has a solar light on its top. If anyone should see the buoy, email Paul H. Lord at paul.lord@oneonta.edu or text him at 607-435-4989 or call and leave a message at 607-436-2818.
Incase you missed our 2021 Annual (Virtual) Gathering, it is now avaialble on youtube.
2021 Lake Citizen Award went to
K. Wayne Bunn is recognized for his decades of involvement with, and the protection of, Otsego Lake. He started fishing for Otsego Bass and lake trout on the lake at age 10 with his Dad, spent summers at his neighbor's camp while growing up, enjoyed Fairy Spring and Three Mile Point while in high school, rented a cottage at Aalsmeer on the lake for many years, owned and kept various boats on the lake over the years, and now owns a year-round camp on the lake and spends the entire summer season there each year. Wayne joined OLA as a charter member in 2002, was appointed Director at Large in 2004, elected President in 2008 through 2013, appointed Director at Large again in 2013, appointed Secretary in 2015 (continues to serve in both positions today), started and produced the original OLA newsletter for the first several years, planned and conducted the OLA twice a summer membership meetings for several years, originated the OLA boat parade many years ago and still serves as Chairman, and represents OLA at the annual conference of the NYS Federation of Lake Associations each year. He has conducted engineering reviews of various projects and subdivisions in the lake watershed for the Town of Otsego planning board, serves with the SUNY Oneonta BFS Volunteer Dive Team as a dive tender and boat driver, assists Dive Master Paul Lord with the training of new divers, continues to fish for lake trout and monitor conditions on and around the lake, promotes the mission of OLA to non-members and encourages them to join. And, most importantly, Wayne is recognized for his genuine interest and dedication to ensure the health, well being, water quality, and future of Otsego Lake- truly a local treasure we all love.
Event Reminder: Saturday August 14th is the Annual Gathering (Virtual). Click for more details.
The BFS Volunteer Dive Team lead by Divemaster Paul Lord retrieved a sunken danger buoy this afternoon from the north end of the lake.
The SCUBA divers did not observe anything that warrants a danger buoy at the location where it was found. The buoy was likely deployed somewhere else and then moved by shifting ice or other natural elements. The mussel attachment above the water line indicates that it has been underwater for an extended period.
Photo credit: Peter Regan.
Photo credit: Kiyoko Yokota.
Sunday's Boat parade was a huge success with dozens of boats and spectators present. Special thanks to everyone involved who makes this a fun annual event. Pictures from this years boat parade can be viewed here.
Photo credit: Debra Creedon.
Due to Saturday's forecast of rain all day, this year's Boat Parade has been moved to Sunday July 4th, 3pm at 3-mile point. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Mark your calanders for this years Otsego Lake Associations "Here Comes the Sun" themed Boat Parade on Saturday July 3rd. 3:00pm.
Otsego ice out is here, spring is just around the corner. The SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station's docks took a beating with the high winds and ice flows today.
Photo credit: Unknown
2020
Become a member or renew your membership today.
Dear friends of Otsego Lake,
What a splendid sheet of water we share! Its surface and nearly half of its shoreline barely changed from Fenimore Cooper’s description. If you fish it, or if you sail it, swim in it, dive under it, ski on it, cruise it, tee off alongside it, soar over it, bike beside it, If you photograph it, paint it, or if you study it, if you skip smooth shale stones across it, If you dwell on its shores, if you dine along its edges, if your business relies on it, If you get your drinking water from the lake.
WHAT IS IT WORTH? If you haven’t before, it is time for you to join your Otsego Lake Association to help us preserve our clean, healthy lake. If you already are on our team, thank you! Be sure to stay with us! We are the only 100% volunteer organization devoted exclusively to the well-being of Otsego Lake! We are on a mission to defend the Lake’s essential values. Together, we pay attention to the lake day by day, always alert to emerging threats. We share information and create educational opportunities. We conduct research. We also “get our feet wet” building shoreline buffer strips, maintaining navigational buoys, inspecting at boat launches and so much more.
Automated Monitoring Buoy removed for Winter
The Volunteer Dive Team & tenders recovered the Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy & deployed the winter temperatures recording array today. The weather was better than it was last year & we improved our procedure while incorporating social distancing into our work. Tenders today were Wayne Bunn, Peter Regan, David Turner, Dawson Wilsey, & Professor Kiyoko Yokota. Divers were Lee Ferrara, Sarah Coney, Jim Vogler, & Paul H. Lord.
Photo by Paul Lord
Feared Quagga Mussel Invades
BFS Researchers Locate Invasive Worse Than Zebra, Researcher Says
Find out more here.
Please view the video put together by OLT and CRISP about how to Clean Drain & Treat your boat and equipment before launching on Otsego Lake at Brookwood Point.
There have been a few cases of Swimmer's Itch in the lake this year. Please view the document here to learn more about this non-contagious parasite.
Incase you missed our 2020 Annual (Virtual) Gathering, it is now avaialble on youtube.
Presentations from the 2020 Annual Meeting can be viewed on YouTube.
Thwarting Aquatic Invasive Species in Otsego Lake by Jared Stauss
European Frogbit in Otsego Lake by Sierra Stickney
Hybrid Pondweed Project 2020 by Mary Keefe
Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy (CLMB) What's that contraption in the lake? by Kiyoko Yokota
New stylish merchandise is now available. Find all our lines of clothing and accessories on the merch page.
Despite being in the middle of a pandemic the "Let's Celebrate - It's the 4th of July" Annual Decorated Boat Parade was well attended. 50+ boats and numerous shoreline spectators had a blast as boats slowly rode along the west shore from 3-mile point to Lake Front Park in Cooperstown. Boaters showed their "true colors". Special thanks to those who participated, and everyone involved in organizing the event.
By: Jim Kevlin
Sign of Summer: No Wake Buoy In
Practicing social distancing, Paul Lord, who teaches at SUNY Oneonta and the Biological Field Station on Otsego Lake, places the no-wake buoy yesterday off Cooperstown’s Lakefront Park, a spring ritual and sign that summer isn’t far behind.
http://www.otsegolakeassociation.org/documents/newspaper-articles/All-Otsego-18May20.pdf
2019
We are in possession of a lost paddleboard that was found during the fall of 2019. If you lost a paddleboard on Otsego Lake this fall then please email us with the description and if yours, we will return it to you. info@otsegolakeassociation.org
The Red, White and Blue it's the 4th of July Boat Parade was well attended. Numerous boats and shoreline spectators had a blast as boats slowly rode from Lake Front Park in Cooperstown to 3-mile point on the west shore. Boaters showed their "true colors". During this year's 6th annual Boat Parade, we gave out 4 prizes to some wonderfully decorated boats. In no particular order.
"Pinwheels" - Van Ramsey & Robert Nelson
"Gone to the Dogs" - Richtsmeier Family
"Covered Wagon" - Chase Family
"Deep Blue Fishing"
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
DRIVE, BIKE, PADDLE OR SWIM TO THE ANNUAL SUMMER MEETING OF THE OTSEGO LAKE ASSOCIATION! SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 at The Village of Cooperstown’s Fairy Spring Park!
Otsego Land Trust is having their annual Brookwood Point spring cleanup on Saturday May 4th, 1-4pm, Brookwood Point, 6000 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, NY. They are searching for volunteers to help them prepare for the upcoming season. Please consider helping them out this spring. For more information and to RSVP contact Becky Talbot becky@otsegolandtrust.org.
The Fly Creek Philharmonic's March 2019 performance "Water, Water Everywhere" about water garnered a unanimous decision among the troupe to honor the Otsego Lake Association. OLA is awarded a portion of the profits from the show to help continue the good work of educating, advocating and participating in the health and well-being of Otsego Lake.
Tickets on sale now at the Fly Creek General Store and at Riverwood in Cooperstown! Don't miss your chance to see the celebrated Fly Creek Philharmonic live March 15 and 16.
2018
Kiyoko Yokota was on hand at the Biological Field Station dock on Otsego Lake yesterday for the removal of what Paul Lord, standing at left, who leads the BFS diving team, termed a “monster buoy.” The Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy (CLMB) just completed its second-year tracking conditions deep in the lake, which can be compared with CLMBs around the national and world, to allow the local researchers to prepare for changing conditions caused by global warming. Dr. Yokota, an assistant professor of biology at SUNY Oneonta and BFS researcher, said the CLMB noted numerous more days above 26 degrees Celsius this summer than the year before. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Glimmerglass Film Days, a showcase for powerful films reflecting humanity’s complex relationships with the natural world, will take place November 8-12, 2018 in Cooperstown, New York. The festival features screenings of several award-winning films, as well as encounters and collaborations with internationally known artists, activists and aficionados in a 5-day series enlivened by local food tastings, and optional trail hikes and bike tours, all designed to celebrate the natural and historic resources of the Cooperstown region. OLA is proud to sponsor "Leaning into the Wind" this year. For more information visit Glimmerglass Film Days.
This storm drain is located in front of Stagecoach Coffee on Pioneer Street. It's a nice reminder that our storm drains in Cooperstown flow into the local waterways.
Dear NYSFOLA Members
This is the time of year to search for the most invasive aquatic plant found in NY waters.
Would you do one last favor for your lake this summer and take some time to search the shoreline, boat launch areas, swimming areas. and any other places you can look for this plant? Recruit as much help as you need. Use the DEC/NYSFOLA AIS Shoreline Protocol to guide your hunt: http://nysfola.mylaketown.com/uploads/tinymce/nysfola/AIS%20protocol%202016.pdf, but just get out there and look!
Here's how to ID the plant. https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/aishydrillaidsheet.pdf Note the serrated leaf, turion on the stem, and tuber in the sediment are key to the ID of this plant.
If you think you've found hydrilla, please send digital photos (close up of leaves, tuber, and other identifiable parts on a white background please) with the location found to nysfolanancy@verizon.net. Please include follow-up contact information. Save a sample just in case.
We can't stress enough how important it is to catch this invasive plant early. Known locations are in the NYS Canal System near Tonawanda, the Croton River, Central NY (including a large population in Cayuga Lake). So, it could be anywhere.
Also, please let us know if you looked and how much of your lake you surveyed even if you didn't find the plant. Keeping track of where this plant "isn't" is just as important as knowing where it is.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We will also communicate the results to the regional PRISMs (Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management).
Thank you everyone.
Nancy Mueller, Manager
(800)796-3652
A note from Yu Chen at NYSDEC.
This is Chen and I’m the Head of the Ecotoxicology Section in the Bureau of Ecological Health, Division of Fish and Wildlife at NYSDEC. We are currently conducting a study evaluating the status of benthic community in relation to aquatic herbicide treatment. The study was initiate to provide scientific support for an ongoing discussion on potential changes in the regulation of aquatic herbicide within the state. We have selected a number of lakes based on the ecological significance, public interest, and history of aquatic herbicide use. We are interested in Otsego Lake because as far as we know, it has had no use of copper-based aquatic pesticides and we would like to use it as a reference site. We are planning on accessing the lake from the public boat launches. I just want to let you know about our intentions and I would be happy to talk to you about the specifics if necessary. Looking forward to hearing back from you. Cheers, Chen
Yu Chen, PhD.
Research Scientist, Division of Fish and Wildlife
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
A note from Chip Northrup. The Lions Club (John Rowley), Otsego Sailing Club, Biological Field Station Divers (Paul Lord) and several newly filthy volunteers cleaned debris out of the Susquehanna River Saturday from the lake to the Mill Street weir for the first time in recorded history, meaning probably ever.
Among the archival flotsam and jetsam were approximately 30 tires, a half dozen paint buckets, pipes, traffic cones, an oil drum, a rather nice fishing rod and reel, dozens of apothecary bottles, cinder blocks, a WayFair carpet, baby carriage, Price Chopper shopping cart, what appears to either be Jimmy Hoffa's left femur or that of a deer, a whaling ship anchor, and a Pete Rose Hall of Fame T shirt.
Many thanks to the Lions, Sailors, Biologicals and all the soon-to-be-clean-again volunteers! 
Photo Credit: Chip Northrup
Butch Weir, Cooperstown, left, looks on as Matt Chisdock and Doug Perry haul an old 50-gallon drums aboard the Otsego Sailing Club work Barge this morning during a river clean-up behind Bassett Hospital. The clean-up was a community service project headed by The Lions Club with help from the OCCA and the SUNY Biological Field Station volunteer dive team. Read the full article here.
Photo Credit: Ian Austin of The Freemans Journal
At the Otsego Lake Association’s 25th annual meeting Saturday at the Glimmerglass Festival, Paul H. Lord, Biological Field Station dive master, left, congratulates Master Scuba Diver Dale E. Webster, who received the OLA’s
2018 Diver Commendation Award. In the center is Leslie Orzetti, executive
director, Otsego County Conservation Association, who received the Lake Citizen Award. The program, “Winter on Otsego Lake,” was presented by Tom Heitz. (Paul Donnelly photos for AllOTSEGO.com)
Otsego Lake was briefly mentioned by Kiyoko Yokota in the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Societies recent newsletter. Read the full article here on page 8.
We now have an "OLA Welcomes You to Otsego Lake" flyer, for all renters staying on/near Otsego Lake (To All Motel Guests, Bed & Breakfast Guests, Camp Renters, Dreams Park Guests, Opera Guests, Seasonal Lake Residents, and Other Visitors). See the flyer here.
Despite nearly triple digit heat index, there was proof that "We love our Lake". Boaters showed their "true colors". During this years "2nd to none" Boat Parade we gave out 5 prizes to some wonderfully decorated boats. In no particular order.
"Have a Ball on Lake Otsego" - Van Ramsey & Robert Nelson
"President Kennedy & Jackie Kennedy" - Nick Preston & Gary Cassinelli
"Wild West Wagon" - Chase Family
"Cinco De Mayo" - Mary & Jonathan Eibs
"Otsego Lake has Everything" - Sever Family
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
Please see the below announcement of a talk that Kiyoko Yokota (SUNY Oneonta Professor, Technical Advisor for OLA) will give
about the temperature monitoring buoy at 6pm on June 27 at the Clark
Sports Center. Hope some of you can attend.
Don't forget this boating season to CLEAN DRAIN TREAT.
Kudos to the Village of Cooperstown for installing permeable surfaces as part of the Main Street sidewalk project in 2015. This educational sign is located on Main Street just west of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
The Otsego Lake Continuous Lake Monitoring Buoy (CLMB) has been deployed for the 2018 season. Professor Kiyoko Yokota, Researcher Paul H. Lord, and graduate student Sarah Coney were assisted by volunteers from OCCA, Leslie Orzetti & Danny Lapin, and BFS Dive Team volunteers, Lee Ferrara, Bjorn Eilertsen, and Wayne Bunn. Tom & Leslie Breiten facilitated our success as well. The buoy is streaming data here and we can watch Otsego Lake warm. The surface temperature today was 43° F.
Photo credit: Kiyoko Yokota
The Otsego Land Trust is hosting two volunteer spring cleanup days in May at two of their properties: Brookwood Point and Fetterley Forest. They are searching for volunteers to help them prepare both sites for the upcoming season. Please consider helping them out this spring.
Photo credit: Wayne Bunn
Lee Ferrara, Sarah Coney, Thomas Franzem, & Paul H. Lord deployed summer season no-wake zone buoys in Otsego Lake at Lake Front Park, 3-Mile Point, Bayside Inn, & Springfield Landing in Otsego Lake on Sunday, the 22nd. They were ably assisted by Wayne Bunn. The air was warm. The water was crisp & clear. Otsego Lake is officially open for summer recreation.
Past president and current Board Member Wayne Bunn sent in this photo today. "Start of Ice Out"
Photo credit: Wayne Bunn
A couple of great videos from the BFS volunteer dive team, filmed in 2015.
Credit: Pat McCormack
Credit: Pat McCormack
Mystery, menace of toxic algae invading NY lakes.
Real-time data now available from the automated monitoring buoy. The real-time data can now be accessed here. During the summer of 2017 you may have noticed a new permanent floating object located in the middle of, and deepest (168 feet) part of the lake, just north of Five Mile Point. This object is the new fully automated research buoy (click here for real-time data) that was installed on July 27th, 2017 by Dr. Kiyoko Yokota, the BFS volunteer dive team and BFS interns. The research buoy will monitor 47 water quality and weather parameters and transmit them every 15 minutes via cell service to a remote server maintained by the buoy manufacturer. The data will then be downloaded and used in the ongoing research on Otsego Lake and to predict future water quality after a major rain or windstorm and to evaluate long term trends in relation with changing climate. The new buoy was funded by a $70,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and will replace the existing research buoy just offshore at Five Mile Point which had to be read manually about every two weeks. Additional funding sources include Otsego Lake Association; SUNY 4E Grant, SUNY Oneonta & Biological Field Station; U.S. Geological Survey -NYS Water Resource Institute.
2017
From Dive Master Paul Lord. "The light snow yesterday did not deter our divers and tenders. Springfield Landing and Lake Front no-wake zone buoys have been replaced, for the winter, with spar buoys. Alex Sessions (SUNY Oneonta undergrad & Advanced Diver) and Lord did the diving at Springfield Landing with OLA Director Wayne Bunn providing solicitous tending. Lee Ferrara (Master Diver) supervised Krista Ransier (graduate student & dive instructor) and Sarah Coney (recent SUNY Oneonta graduate & Advanced Diver) in their dive at Lake Front with Colleen Parker (SUNY Oneonta grad student & certified diver) tending." A short video from today's dive can be found here.
Find out what's been happening in and around Otsego Lake this year in "Our Glimmerglass" newsletter. Read the latest version here.
Additional information about Studying Lakes in WinterKiyoko Yokota, Ph.D., CLM, OLA
- Lac Le Jeune, British Columbia, Canada, as studied by students from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. https://youtu.be/eNTRyzXYXqI or search for “FWR Winter Limnology” on Youtube.com.
- Lammi Biological Field Station, University of Helsinki, Finland – Lake Paajarvi is one of our “sister lakes” in the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON, gleon.org) that has a similar buoy-based data collection program as in Otsego Lake. https://youtu.be/7iRDYS_P04s or search for “Lammi winter limnology” on Youtube.com.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology, USA. They host young students at their Trout Lake Station for the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) project's "Schoolyard," program. https://youtu.be/DbloXdW81ho or search for “LTER schoolyard” on Youtube.com.
- A UW-Madison researcher explaining the vertically elongated ice crystals that form when lake ice is melting. https://youtu.be/KpzkQ2zxXn0 or search for “lake ice candles” on Youtube.com. Therefore, it is especially risky to walk on melting lake ice!
Glimmerglass Film Days, a showcase for powerful films reflecting humanity’s complex relationships with the natural world, will take place November 9-13, 2017 in Cooperstown, New York. The festival features screenings of several award-winning films, as well as encounters and collaborations with internationally known artists, activists and aficionados in a 5-day series enlivened by local food tastings, and optional trail hikes and bike tours, all designed to celebrate the natural and historic resources of the Cooperstown region. OLA is proud to sponsor "LOUISE EN HIVER". this year. For more information visit Glimmerglass Film Days.
Quote from Paul Donnelly "
Volunteers heading out to retrieve buoys at season’s end. Another year of making Otsego Lake a safer place for recreational boating. Bravo!"
Conservationist of the Year
Today we received a special announcement from the director of OCCA. Congratulations to Bob Sutherland.
Hello OCCA Family,
In 1989, OCCA established the Conservationist of the Year award to honor an individual, organization, business, or governmental body that has made a positive difference in environmental protection, preservation or education in Otsego County. I am pleased to announce that Bob Sutherland of The Clark Foundation – Mohican Farm has been named OCCA’s 2017 Conservationist of the Year. We will honor Bob at our first-ever Annual Picnic on Sunday, September 10 at Gilbert Lake State Park.
As manager of Mohican Farm, Bob is a leader in The Clark Foundation’s sustainability efforts and promotes good conservation practices within the organization and the community. He established a composting operation at the farm that recycles thousands of pounds of food scraps and green waste each year, works to control invasive species with minimal pesticide use, and encourages the use of Mohican Farm as an educational resource. In addition, Bob serves on the Otsego Lake Association Board of Directors, volunteers with Growing Community, supports the Cooperstown Elementary School Kid Garden, and is a key member of the committee seeking to establish a county-wide composting facility in Oneonta.
Bob’s active participation in so many different facets of natural resource conservation in Otsego County makes him an outstanding awardee as we enter our 50th year. We hope you will join us as we celebrate Bob’s accomplishments. We’ve moved our annual event outside this year to enjoy the places that we’re all working to protect. You can still buy your tickets online at: https://occainfo.networkforgood.com/events/2944-occa-2017-annual-picnic
Come join us and help celebrate Bob Sutherland.
Hope to see you there!
Leslie Orzetti
Annual Meeting
We had a great meeting yesterday, thank you to Glimmerglass Festival and everyone who attended.
Paul Donnelly a local photographer said the following about yesterday's meeting "This year’s annual meeting was quite a special occasion. Willard N. “Bill” Harman Professor and Director of the BFS talked about the 50-year journey of this remarkable institution. He captured the significant progress which has been made in improving the quality of the lake water. Today, it is by far the best it’s been in the last fifty years. He noted that the Otsego bass as well are now making a comeback. Later in the program, he was given the Lake Citizen Award - 2017 for his many efforts and genuine interest to ensure the future of Otsego Lake. Those attending gave him a well-deserved round of standing applause. Also speaking at this meeting was Bob Sutherland Mohican Farm Director. He talked about Springfield’s Swanswick's and Duke’s Oak Theaters history and their respective impacts being a part of Otsego Lake’s historical past. Nicely done and most interesting."
Annual Meeting
Please consider joining us for our annual meeting on Saturday August 12th at the Glimmerglass Festival (Opera) from 8:30am-11:00am. Free coffee, donuts and other goodies will be available. For more details visit our events page here.
Automated Lake Monitoring Buoy
The monitoring buoy was installed Tuesday on the surface in the middle, over the deepest part of the lake, off 5-mile point. It officially went online and started recording data late last night. The buoy will help in our understanding of the lakes physical and chemical status throughout the year.
Annual "We Love Our Lake" Boat Parade
Special thanks go to the 40 boats and a countless number of shoreline observers who participated in this year's boat parade. The pictures can be viewed here.
The following boats and families received a special prize for being voted one of the best of show.
Carpe diem - Nelson
OLA Fire Boat - Chase
Tioga or Bust - Barone
Wedding Chapel -Marlette
Ice Cream Truck - Harris
with honorable mention going to
Mayflower - Richtsmeier
Take me out to Otsego Lake - Woodhouse
SUNY Oneonta Buoy has gone missing.
If anyone finds the SUNY Oneonta Water Buoy floating around Otsego Lake or on shore, please contact us at info@otsegolakeassociation.org. The buoy is similar to the 200-foot No-Wake Buoys but has "SUNY Oneonta Water Buoy" written on it.
Automated Lake Monitoring Buoy
The SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station and Otsego Lake Association are enthusiastic to announce that Otsego Lake has joined the 21st century in lake monitoring. The monitoring buoy will take a multitude of parameters from multiple depths at pre- set intervals and will be placed on the surface in the middle, over the deepest part of the lake, off 5-mile point. There are only a handful of these devices spread around New York State, mainly in some of the finger lakes and NYC reservoirs. The buoy will help in our understanding of the lakes physical and chemical status throughout the year.
BOAT PARADE
We hope you can join us for our 4th annual "We Love Our Lake" Boat Parade on Monday July 3rd, 2017 3:00pm at 3-Mile point.
BOAT WASH DEDICATION
Over 50 folks attended the Carl B. Good boat wash dedication today. Carl B. Good was an instrumental part of the boat inspection program, he served on the OLA BoD and several committees to preserve the village and its environment. WKTV, Channel 2 of Utica also attended and put together a nice clip of the event, that was aired on tonight's 11:00pm news. Click on the image below for the video and click here for the news article.
EVENT REMINDER: BOAT WASH DEDICATION - Please join us on Friday May 12th 5:00pm at the new Carl B. Good boat wash station located on Fish Road next to Lakefront Park. Carl B. Good was an instrumental part of the boat inspection program, he served on the OLA BoD and several committees to preserve the village and its environment.
Help protect Otsego Lake. HOW? Attend the FREE CRISP (Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership) Watershed Steward Training! Saturday April 29th, 2017 from 9 am to 4:30 pm SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse 7016 State Highway 80, Springfield, NY 13333 ~ 7 Miles North of Cooperstown Learn about:
• Plants & animals that can change your water.
• Laws used to protect against invasions.
• Where these invaders hide & how to sniff em’ out.
Any questions contact Paul at Paul.Lord@oneonta.edu or 607-435-4989, this class will also be available on Friday May 26th, 2017 from 9 am to 4:30 pm SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse 7016 State Highway 80, Springfield, NY 13333 ~ 7 Miles North of Cooperstown
Otsego Land Trust - The Otsego Land Trust is looking for volunteers to help with their annual Brookwood Point spring cleanup event on Sunday May 7th 1pm-4pm located at 6000 State Route 80, Cooperstown, NY. Tools and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to info@otsegolandtrust.org. Additionally, their grand Brookwood Point reopening event will be Saturday May 20th 12pm-5pm with food, music, programs and much more.
BOAT WASH DEDICATION
Please mark your calendars and join us on Friday May 12th 5:00pm at the new Carl B. Good boat wash station located on Fish Road next to Lakefront Park. Carl B. Good was an instrumental part of the boat inspection program, he served on the OLA BoD and several committees to preserve the village and its environment.
Announcement from NYSFOLA.
Greetings NYSFOLA Members!
The DRAFT agenda for the 34th annual NYSFOLA Conference "Lake Ecology and Human Impacts" is now on our website at www.nysfola.org. The conference will be held May 5-6, 2017 at White Eagle Conference Center in Hamilton, NY. We have changed the format this year so that the annual banquet will take place on the evening of Friday May 5th, and we will end the conference Saturday afternoon - with an optional Saturday evening lodging package for those who may need it.
Topics this year, as always, cover a variety of lake related topics including onsite wastewater inspection programs, dam safety, invasive species, lake and watershed management, citizen science, and more!!!
We want to draw special attention to Friday's session designed to help lake associations navigate the rules for not-for-profit organizations. We think that many of our members will benefit from this important discussion.
NYSFOLA Welcomes Carrie Pollack, Esq. from Hancock and Estabrook, LLP to discuss the somewhat confusing rules for NY Not-for-Profits including Lake Associations. We are still working on the details of the session, but here’s what we anticipate:
Corporate Characteristics of Nonprofits – State Perspective
Tax Exempt Status – Federal Perspective
Regulating Agencies – Who They Are & What They Care About
Board Responsibilities – Record keeping responsibilities, Fiduciary duties, What is an officer? What is a director? What is proper role? Committees, Board member orientations
Changes in the Law – Conflicts of interest, Audit requirements.
We look forward to seeing you all once again at our annual gathering. Don't forget to bring something for the Silent Auction!
2016
Five divers and two tenders braved the cold, windy, snowy and icy conditions Saturday to remove the last two (Springfield landing and Cooperstown lakefront) 5mph no-wake buoys from the lake. See all the pictures here.
Maggie Doolin & Colleen Parker (SUNY Oneonta graduate students) assisted Paul Lord in deploying the winter buoys which now hold up Professor Yokota's water monitoring sensors, at 5-Mile apt, in 100' of water.
Find out what's been happening in and around Otsego Lake this year in our Fall "Our Glimmerglass" newsletter. Read the latest version here.
Click image below for a jellyfish video that was taken this summer on Otsego Lake.
Credit: Alex Krstevski & Nathan Schoellig
Glimmerglass Film Days, a showcase for powerful films reflecting humanity’s complex relationships with the natural world, will take place November 10-14, 2016 in Cooperstown, New York. The festival features screenings of several award-winning films, as well as encounters and collaborations with internationally known artists, activists and aficionados in a 5-day series enlivened by local food tastings, and optional trail hikes and bike tours, all designed to celebrate the natural and historic resources of the Cooperstown region. OLA is proud to sponsor the film Rango this year. For more information visit Glimmerglass Film Days.
Photo credit: Zach Piper
We now have a water buoy installed off the shore of 5-mile that will continuously collect water temperature and light intensity data at 15-minute interval at various depths, 24/7. Most of the new system was installed by the BFS Volunteer Dive Team, led by Paul Lord and Jim Vogler (Lecturers of Biology, SUNY Oneonta) and assisted by SUNY Oneonta undergraduates Zach Piper and Alex Sessions. Two BFS interns from Laurens Central School, Kayla Johnson and Connor Lewis March Sr., completed installation of the sensors under supervision by Kiyoko Yokota (Assistant Professor of Biology, SUNY Oneonta). See the press release here.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
Over 60 people joined us at the Mohican Farm for an informative morning of lake-oriented talks. See all the pictures here.
Photo credit: Scottie Baker of Natúra Productions.
We hope you can join us for our 2016 Annual Meeting at the Mohican Farm in Springfield Center on Saturday August 13th, 8:30am Coffee & Donuts, Meeting 9:00am-11:00am. Stay after the meeting for a Tour of Historic Mohican Farm and Spaulding Estate Formal Gardens. Learn more here.
Photo credit: Paul Lord
After many months of hard work by OCCA, OLA, Village of Cooperstown, Local contractors and many others, we now have a fully functioning Boat Wash Station at Lake Front Park in Cooperstown.
The third Annual "We Love Our Lake" boat parade was a huge success. Many thanks to the boat parade committee for all their hard work in organizing the event. Special thanks to the 50+ plus boats that were congregated around 3-mile point and 100+ shoreline spectators who were scattered across 3-Mile Point, Sam Smiths Boatyard/Blue Mingo Restaurant, Otsego Sailing Club, Fenimore Museum, Cooperstown Country Club, Otesaga Hotel, Lake Front Park and a few private residencies. Some pictures of the parade have been uploaded click here. With so many amazingly decorated boats this year it was very difficult for the judges (Scottie Baker, Wayne Bunn, Joan Bunn, Chip Dunn & Timothy Pokorny) to choose just one winner in each category. Congratulations to the following winners.
Antique or classic Boat: "Narra Mattah"- Jane Forbes Clark
Man-powered: no participants, so we had two Humorous winners.
Original or unusual: "Viking Ship" - Richtsmeier family
Patriotic theme: "Flagship" - Barone family
Joyful/party decor: "We Love OLA" - Breese family
Humorous: "Under the Sea"- Hage family
& "Grape-Full for Otsego Lake" - Rees family.
Grand prize/best of parade: "Viking Ship"
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
We hope you can join us for the "We Love Our Lake, Third Annual Boat Parade" this upcoming weekend. The parade is set for Sunday July 3rd, boats are to meet at 3-mile point at 3:00pm. Learn more here.
Find out what's been happening in and around Otsego Lake this year in our Spring "Our Glimmerglass" newsletter. Read the latest version here.
FREE aquatic invasive species identification training and CRISP watershed steward training provided by the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) and the SUNY-Oneonta Biological Field Station is set for May 27th, 2016 9:00am-4:30pm. If you are someone who lives around or enjoys spending time in a small lake or pond, then consider volunteering to be a Watershed Steward which may be a perfect fit
for you! CRISP is looking for individuals to donate a few hours of their time at local lake and river boat launches and access points on weekends throughout the summer season from June
through September.
Find out more here.
Boat Wash available in Springfield. Randy Stocking has agreed to provide requests for boat washing at the Springfield Car Wash on Route 20. Boat owners should call 607-254-9016 or 607-434-3556. Someone will meet the boat owner at the car wash, and they will wash the boat, trailer and vehicle with 160°F water which will kill all known aquatic invasive species that are threatening the local lakes.
Rainbow smelt see resurgence in Otsego Lake.
Read the story here.
The Otsego County Conservation Association received more than $129,000 in grant funds to help combat aquatic invasive species in Canadarago and Otsego lakes. Learn more here.
Plans for the 2016 annual meeting is coming along nicely. This year's meeting will be at the Mohican Farm/Spaulding Estate in Springfield on Saturday August 13th, 2016. Learn more here.
2015
Volunteer divers Paul Lord (board member), Jim Vogler, Lee Ferrara, Chip Dunn and tender Timothy Pokorny (board member) removed the last two remaining 5 mph no-wake buoys from the lake today.
The Otsego Lake Association Board of Directors wishes you and your family a happy holiday season.
As some of you know NYSDEC, SUNY Oneonta and SUNY Cobleskill are currently working on bringing the Otsego Bass (Lake Whitefish) back through spring fry stocking (early May) and constructing spawning reefs. This fall they were successful in capturing 18 adult whitefish. Most of the fish were males in the 20-24” range. SUNY Cobleskill were able to squeeze the 3 females collected, roughly 72,000 eggs with an estimated 80% (57,000 eggs) becoming fertilized. There was a small write-up on the front page of yesterday's Daily Star. Read the story here.
A very interesting article about Lake Whitefish icefishing on Otsego Lake in the 1960's can be found here.
Find out what's been happening in and around Otsego Lake this year in our Fall "Our Glimmerglass" newsletter. Read the latest version here.
At the Board of Director’s meeting today Mickie Richtsmeier presented Carl Good with a framed photo of Otsego Lake for his long-time
association with, and commitment to, OLA. Congratulations Carl!
Glimmerglass Film Days, a showcase for powerful films reflecting humanity’s complex relationships with the natural world, will take place November 5-9, 2015 in Cooperstown, New York. The festival features screenings of several award-winning films, as well as encounters and collaborations with internationally known artists, activists and aficionados in a 5-day series enlivened by local food tastings, and optional trail hikes and bike tours, all designed to celebrate the natural and historic resources of the Cooperstown region. OLA is proud to be part of the sponsors this year. For more information visit Glimmerglass Film Days.
Annual Meeting
This year's annual meeting was another huge success. Special thanks to the Otsego Golf Club for opening their wonderful clubhouse for our meeting. We'd like to thank all the excellent speakers we had this year on Shaping Otsego Lake: Roads, Docks and Dams, Drones Monitoring Mud Flows on Otsego Lake, Anticipated Resurgence of Otsego Bass, Otsego Golf Club: Past, present, future & the new proposed boat wash station at Lake Front Park.
Check out the pictures here.
Annual Meeting
Plans have been finalized for this year's annual meeting.
Main Topic: "Shaping Otsego Lake: Roads, Docks and Dams" presented by Dr. Cindy Falk and Dr. Will Walker of Cooperstown Graduate Program, SUNY Oneonta. This year we are meeting Saturday August 8th at the Otsego Golf Club 144 Pro Shop Drive, Springfield Center, NY 13468 (entrance on State Highway 80).
Photo courtesy of Smith & Telfer Photography Collection, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York
Find out more here.
Brewery Ommegang
Special thanks go out to Brewery Ommegang who made a $1,500 donation to the BFS volunteer dive team. OLA has facilitated the delivery of a contribution from Ommegang Brewery to the Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District for use by the Biological Field Station Volunteer Dive Team for work on Otsego Lake including maintenance and deployment of the no-wake zone buoys that protect Otsego Lake shorelines.
"We Love Our Lake, Boat Parade"
The second Annual July 4th Otsego Lake boat parade was a huge success. Many thanks to the boat parade committee for all their hard work in organizing the event. Special thanks to the 25 plus decorated boats that participated and 125 plus shoreline spectators who were scattered across 3-Mile Point, Sam Smiths Boatyard/Blue Mingo Restaurant, Otsego Sailing Club, Fenimore Museum, Cooperstown Country Club, Otesaga Hotel, Lake Front Park and a few private residencies. Some pictures of the parade have been uploaded click here. With so many amazingly decorated boats it was very difficult for the judges (Scottie Baker, Wayne Bunn, Joan Bunn & Timothy Pokorny) to choose the winners. Congratulations to the following winners.
and 
on our Rules of the Road - Boater Safety brochure. If your photo is used, you get one FREE OLA t-shirt. Limit one entry/photo per person. Entries must be submitted via email by 5:00pm Tuesday September 30th, 2014 to be eligible. Please provide name & additional contact information so we may contact the winner and provide photo credit for the photo used. If more than one photo is submitted only the first photo will be considered for prize. OLA is not responsible for lost or misplaced entries.
Paul H. Lord (right), an OLA board member at the 2013 annual OLA membership meeting, presents outgoing OLA President Wayne Bunn (left) with gifts of appreciation. Wayne served as president from 2008-2013 (Photo courtesy of Paul Donnelly).
Photo credit: BFS Volunteer Dive Team
Antique or classic Boat: "Mobile Lady"- Reese family
Man-powered: no participants, so we had two Patriotic winners.
Original or unusual: Accuweather Not - Dietz family
Patriotic theme: "Lady Liberty" - Violon family
& "God Bless America" - Dykstra family.
Joyful/party decor: "Wizard of Oz" - Harris family
Humorous: "Ivory Soap" floats your boat - Badgley family
Grand prize/best of parade: "Ivory Soap" floats your boat
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
FREE Invasive Species Training - June 26th, 2015.
Learn how to become a steward for your lake. Spend a day with BFS staff learning about aquatic invasive species, how to prevent their spread & boat inspection procedures.
WE NEED TO STOP THEM!
Learn what YOU can do to protect YOUR water bodyHOW? Attend our FREE CRISP Watershed Steward Training! June 26th, 2015 from 9 am to 4 pm
SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse 7016 State Highway 80, Springfield, NY 13333 ~ 7 Miles North of Cooperstown
Learn about:
•Plants & animals that can change your water.
•Laws used to protect against invasions.
•Where these invaders hide & how to sniff em’ out.
Any questions contact Paul @ Paul.Lord@oneonta.edu or 607-435-4989.
Otsego Lakes Festival
Now called the Otsego LAKES Festival, this event is traditionally a day of educational outreach with a focus on water quality. Once a celebration that recognized Otsego Lake and its vital role to the region as the headwaters of the Susquehanna River, the festival focus has been expanded to highlight the importance of Otsego County’s other major water bodies, including Canadarago and Goodyear lakes. This year's event is Saturday July 11th, 2015. 12:00pm (Noon)-4:00pm More details available here.
Plans for 2015 "We Love Our Lake, Annual Boat Parade" have been announced. The grand marshal this year is Paul Lord. Quote: "While I do spend considerable time on and near Otsego Lake, there are so many focused-on Glimmerglass that I was truly surprised by this honor. I only hope that my day of grand-marshalling can bring positive attention to all who work to protect Otsego Lake. I want to highlight the good works of the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station (BFS) and the BFS Volunteer Diver Team. There is much to be done to protect our local gem, Otsego Lake. OLA -- and Otsego Lake -- needs many partners." Find our more here.
BFS Volunteer Dive Team
Paul Lord (right side) & Lee Ferrara (left side) braved the icy waters of Otsego Lake to install a 200-foot No-Wake Buoy.
NEW Boat Transport Law Awaiting Implementing Regulations
We celebrated, on Sept 2, 2014, when Governor Cuomo signed the new Aquatic Invasive Species spread prevention bill. The new law differs from previous regulations in that it applies to "all public waters", not just NYSDEC waters and requires boats and floating docks be cleaned prior to launch. A copy of the law is posted here. NYSDEC didn’t know how the bill might look when passed or if the bill would be signed and, so, did not have implementing regulations prepared. The new law is for launching only and differs from existing DEC regulations. DEC is currently developing draft regulations to implement the new law. The new regulations will contain “a suite of spread prevention actions that watercraft operators can take before launching. They will be released for public comment, likely in early summer, and are expected to take effect in the fall.” OLA has obtained permission from the Village of Cooperstown to build a steam cleaning station in Lake Front Park to help implement the new law on Otsego Lake.
The Volunteer Dive Team had another successful ice dive this winter.
Board of Directors winter meeting. Things are really coming together for 2015. The annual meeting is Saturday August 8th, 201 at the Otsego Golf Club on the north end of Otsego Lake. Another fun filled boat parade will be on Saturday July 4th, 2015. Be on the lookout for new publications and new projects that help protect the lake. Click events to find out more about the boat parade and annual meeting.
2014
The Otsego Lake Association Board of Directors wishes you and your family a happy holiday season.
Ommegang Brewery generously donated $2,000 to OLA to help fund the volunteer dive team. The volunteer dive team is responsible for maintaining the no wake buoys on Otsego Lake.
Glimmerglass Film Days, a showcase for powerful films reflecting humanity’s complex relationships with the natural world, will take place November 7-9, 2014 in Cooperstown, New York. For more information visit Glimmerglass Film Days.
Route 80 road repairs. OLA releases a position paper outlining the reasons for our opposition plus four suggested design alternatives for DOT to re-evaluate and then implement.
Attention photographers!! Submit YOUR best photo of your motorboat playing it safe (i.e. wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) etc.) on Otsego Lake to info@otsegolakeassociation.org. If we choose your photo it will replace these photos
Attention photographers!! Submit YOUR best photo of our Annual Meeting held on August 9th, 2014 at Camp Minnetoska to info@otsegolakeassociation.org. If your photo is used on our website or other OLA promotions, you get one FREE OLA t-shirt. Limit one entry/photo per person. Entries must be submitted via email by 5:00pm Tuesday September 30th, 2014 to be eligible. Submitted photos must be used by December 31st, 2014 to receive prize. After December 31st, 2014 OLA reserves the right to use all photos on our website and/or promotions without awarding a prize. Please provide name & additional contact information so we may contact any winners and provide photo credit to each entry. If more than one photo is submitted only the first photo will be considered for prize. OLA is not responsible for lost or misplaced entries.
Boater Safety Course
Motorboats
New Law Effective May 1st, 2014
All individuals born on or after 5/1/96 are now required to successfully complete an approved course in boater education to operate a motorboat. Approved courses include those offered by NYS Parks, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or the U.S. Power Squadron. Individuals less than 10 years of age may not take this course of instruction. Certain allowances to this law have been made for visitors to New York, persons renting a boat from a livery and persons purchasing a new boat for the first time. Courses are being offered at Glimmerglass State Park on Otsego Lake. Call Bill Hanrahan 518-332-8259 to register or find a course near you on
nyparks.com.
Divers recover boat for church camp.
By Joe Mahoney THE DAILY STAR Cooperstown Crier
It was the summer of 1995 when a 16-foot fiberglass sailboat dubbed Blue Jeans filled with water while being towed to shore, falling to the chilly depths of Otsego Lake near Cooperstown.
The boat belonged to the Pathfinder summer camp operated by the American Baptist Church. When divers made several attempts to locate it, they could find no trace of it.
But an image that appeared to be the lost vessel showed up in a side scan sonar survey funded two years ago, by a professional underwater archaeologist from the Saratoga Springs area, Joseph Zarzynski. He was working in conjunction with the dive team of the Biological Field Station that is an arm of the State University College at Oneonta.
- Read the entire story here.
- Check out the pictures here.
Photo credit: Paul Lord
Press Release - Otsego Lake Assn. Features Otsego Lake Nostalgia at Historic Camp Minnetoska.
Dateline: Cooperstown, NY -- The Otsego Lake Association (OLA) will hold its 2014 annual meeting at historic Camp Minnetoska, a former Girl Scout camp now privately owned by the Clark Foundation, located at 759 County Highway 31 north of the Village of Cooperstown. A full program of topics related to boating on Otsego Lake will be offered free of charge to Association members and non-members on Saturday, August 9, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The Saturday morning events kick off with coffee and doughnuts, prior to the brief business meeting, which will include the election of officers and the presentation of the Lake Citizen Award.
Read more here.
"We Love Our Lake, Boat Parade"
The first Annual July 4th Otsego Lake boat parade was a huge success many thanks to the boat parade committee for all their hard work in organizing the event. Special thanks to Louis Busch Hager Jr. and his boat the Chief Uncas. Very special thanks to the 35 plus decorated boats that participated. Some pictures of the parade have been uploaded click here. With so many amazingly decorated boats it was very difficult for the judges (Scottie Baker, Wayne Bunn & Paul Lord) to choose the winners. Congratulations to the following winners.
Antique or classic Boat: Chief Uncas - Louis Busch Hager Jr.
Man-powered: no participants, so this prize was awarded to the Pirate Ship
Original or unusual: Titanic - William and Mickie Richtsmeier
Patriotic theme: Flags - Catherine and Don Raddatz.
Photo credit for Patriotic theme: Tina Claiborne (daughter of Scottie Baker).
Joyful/party decor: Disney - Tom Chase
Humorous: Santa/Noel - Keith and Kay Additon
Grand prize/best of parade: Gilligan's Island
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
Attention photographers!! Weather you float your boat or view from shore submit YOUR best photo of OUR "We Love Our Lake, Boat Parade" held on July 4th, 2014 on Otsego Lake, NY to info@otsegolakeassociation.org. If your photo is used on our website or other OLA promotions, you get one FREE OLA t-shirt. Limit one entry/photo per person. Entries must be submitted via email by 5:00pm Tuesday July 15th, 2014 to be eligible. Submitted photos must be used by December 31st, 2014 to receive prize. After December 31st, 2014 OLA reserves the right to use all photos on our website and/or promotions without awarding a prize. Please provide name & additional contact information so we may contact any winners and provide photo credit to each entry. If more than one photo is submitted only the first photo will be considered for prize. OLA is not responsible for lost or misplaced entries.
BFS Volunteer Dive Team.
The all-volunteer dive team has deployed all 19 no-wake buoys for the 2014 season.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
BFS Volunteer Dive Team
The all-volunteer dive team needs your help. Certified volunteer divers & dive tenders/boat drivers are needed to assist with BFS projects throughout the summer. If you can volunteer your time, please contact Paul.Lord@oneonta.edu for more information.
Spring BoD meeting
Things are really coming together for 2014. The annual meeting is Saturday August 9th, 2014 at Camp Minnetoska on historic boats. A boat parade with prizes will be on July 4th. Be on the lookout for new publications and new projects that help protect the lake. Click events to find out more about the boat parade and annual meeting. Read the minutes here.
Otsego ice out is here, spring is just around the corner.
Check out the video below.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
OCCA announces Otsego Lakes Festival.
The seventh Otsego Lakes Festival will be held this year on Saturday, July
12 at Lakefront Park in Cooperstown from noon to 5 p.m. Organized under the
aegis of the Otsego County Water Quality Coordinating Committee, the Lakes
Festival offers residents and visitors alike a day full of fun and
festivities celebrating our lakes - educational exhibits, children's
activities, hands-on workshops and lake tours will all focus on the
importance of protecting our waterways and ensuring water quality throughout
our region. OCCA Executive Director Darla M. Youngs serves as WQCC
facilitator and on the Lakes Festival Planning Committee. To make a
financial contribution toward the Lakes Festival, or to register as an
exhibitor or vendor, please contact Youngs at admin@occainfo.org or (607)
547-4488.
Beautiful day on the ice today looking northward.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
Board of Directors meeting. The agenda was packed full of excitement for 2014.
Read the minutes here. We welcomed three new members to the board.
Michael Richtsmeier, Director for the Town of Middlefield.
Bob Sutherland, Director for the Town of Springfield.
Kiyoko Yokota, Technical Advisor.
Read the minutes here. We welcomed three new members to the board.
Michael Richtsmeier, Director for the Town of Middlefield.
Bob Sutherland, Director for the Town of Springfield.
Kiyoko Yokota, Technical Advisor.
2013
Find out what's been happening in and around Otsego Lake these past few months in "Our Glimmerglass” A Newsletter from the Otsego Lake Association - Autumn 2013. We wish you a safe and happy Holiday Season!
Otsego Lake receives 10,000 fall fingerling walleyes. Volunteers from SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cobleskill, NYSDEC and the public helped mark (fin clip) the walleyes before releasing them into the lake.
Photo credit: Photographer Milo Stewart Jr. of Cooperstown, NY
Board of Directors had their most recent meeting. Read the minutes here.
We had some big changes in the Board of Directors.
Mickie Richtsmeier, President.
Scottie Baker, Vice President.
Emily Davidson, Secretary
SUNY Oneonta Volunteer Dive Team
All no-wake buoys have successfully been removed from the lake. Buoys have been stored for the winter awaiting spring.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
Annual General Meeting
Saturday, August 17, 2013 was the annual meeting of the Otsego Lake Association. If you were unable to attend, here is a report. The meeting was held at the historic Camp Minnetoska, formerly the old Girl Scout Camp, at 759 Hwy 31 in Cooperstown. Thanks to the Clark Foundation for providing the meeting venue. Approximately 100 people attended to hear and see “A Morning of Lake Reminiscences and Nostalgia.” This was one of the largest crowds to ever attend an OLA annual meeting. The meeting started at 8:30 am with complimentary coffee and breakfast treats, followed by a formal OLA meeting and programs.
Local newspaper articles about the meeting.
Wayne Bunn receives a framed certificate thanking him for the longest served presidency of the OLA (2008-2013). The certificate also recognized Wayne’s development of programs with relevancy to lake residents. Wayne was then presented with a special OLA T-shirt by Scottie and a framed vintage lake postcard by Mickie. The membership expressed their appreciation for Wayne’s service with a warm round of applause!
AUGUST 4TH, 2013
SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Volunteer Dive Team
The dive team found a wreck 73 Years after it sank. Watch the video here.
OLA funds Eric Coe
Eric Coe (recent SUNY Oneonta graduate) received funding for materials from OLA to construct 2 nuisance invasive species disposal stations for Cooperstown & Springfield boat launch sites. These stations serve as a location for anglers and boaters to dispose of invasive species that may be attached to their fishing and boating equipment. The stations also serve as a reminder to inspect your equipment before leaving a launch area.
Photo credit: Eric Coe
2012
Fall 2012
"Water, Water Everywhere" Photo Contest Results
"Dew on Web"
Elizabeth Falk
Youth Category
| "Hope Restored" Donna Greene Amateur Category |
"Evening Inspiration"
Sam Ross
Professional Category
A special thanks to all the participants, judges and the Otsego Lake Association for sponsoring the prizes. View all the photo submission on the OLT website.
Otsego Lake History and Science Tidbits
By Joseph W. Zarzynski, RPA (Register of Professional Archaeologists)
Later this year, on September 25, is the 20th anniversary of the release in the USA of director Michael Mann’s “The Last of the Mohicans” movie that starred London-born actor Daniel Day-Lewis. The 20th Century Fox motion picture was a film adaptation about Cooperstown’s James Fenimore Cooper’s 1826 novel about the 1757 fall of Fort William Henry (Lake George, NY) during the French & Indian War (1755-1763). Ironically, Mann’s movie was not filmed on location around Lake George or at Otsego Lake. It was shot in North Carolina.
2011
Fall 2011
County Highway 31
Per Kate Gray, (A History of Springfield) the road down the east side of Otsego Lake was built by public subscription in 1795. Burr Southworth remembers when it consisted of two dirt tracks with a strip of grass in between. There was a narrow steel bridge by Pathfinder. There was no winter maintenance. When the road was paved after the war (World War 2, that is) that bridge was replaced. It was re-placed again not many years ago, the county drove pilings to shore up another bridge. Outside of that the road lasted until Irene and Lee happened by.
Photo credit: Paul Donnelly
Buffer Strip News
Following the success of the Buffer Strip at the Lake Front Park, some other organizations have asked for our help to construct buffer strips, namely at Public Landing (Town of Springfield) and The Fenimore Art Gallery (The New York State Historical Association).
2010
Summer 2010
New Life Jacket Law in Effect
A new law in New York State now requires all boaters on recreational watercraft less than 21 feet in length (including motorboats, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and sailboats) to wear a securely fastened, U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (PFD) of the proper size from November 1st to May 1st while on New York State waters. New York State law already required PFDs for all children younger than 12 years old on boats less than 65 feet - with life jackets on board for all others. They must also be worn by anyone in tow, including water skiers and tubers, and by all riders on personal watercraft. It is reported by New York State that immersion in water colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to hypothermia and passing out within 15 minutes.
2009
August 15th, 2009
Otsego Lake Association’s Lake Citizen Award in 2009
The Biological Field Station Dive Team was awarded the Otsego Lake Association's Lake Citizen Award in 2009 which is given each year to an individual or organization that works to protect and preserve Otsego Lake. Congratulations.
Don't "P" in the Lake
When you purchase lawn fertilizer and/or dishwasher detergent for your camp or lakeside home, please think about Otsego Lake and buy phosphorus free fertilizer and dishwasher detergent sold in local garden supply stores, supermarkets, and health stores. Phosphorus (chemical symbol “P”) is a huge food source or nutrient for the algae and weeds in the lake and OLA encourages everyone to do their part to reduce the amount of phosphorus that ultimately may end up in the lake.
2008
January 2008
Dear Friend of Otsego Lake,
If your yearly cycle resembles mine, things slow down, ever so slightly, at this time of the year (except when we are shoveling snow). This letter is intended to focus our attention on Otsego Lake and its protection at a time when many of us are not focused on the Lake. Unfortunately, adverse human impacts continue unabated in this time of the year when few of us are actually enjoying Otsego Lake.
The Biological Field Station (BFS) on Otsego Lake has been monitoring chloride levels in the Lake for decades. These levels are up 30-fold in less than 100 years and continue to rise. It appears the reason is pavement salting. Please compare and note the similarities in the following two graphs.
2007
Fall 2007
Lake Front Park Becomes Lake Friendlier
OLA is hard at work with two major partners, the Lake & Valley Garden Club, and the Otsego Northern Catskills Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), on rebuilding the land-water interface in Cooperstown’s Lake Front Park. Intended to be a pleasant framing for the Lake view offered by the park, the 30 feet closest to the Lake is being replanted with deep rooted plants more appropriate to lakeshore areas frequently flooded by temporarily high water. BOCES scholars grew annual plants, rooted willows hydroponically, and built a boardwalk from OLA provided recycled plastic lumber. The Garden Club purchased and will transplant most of the plants to be used in this Lake buffer strip. This project starts on May 29th and continues through the summer although most of the work will be completed by June 3rd.
BFS Volunteer Dive Team Discover Zebra Mussels in Otsego Lake
Zebra Mussels have found their way into Otsego Lake.
The dive team recently discovered a few adult zebra mussels in the lake. It appears they've been here long enough to reproduce. Although no one knows exactly how they ended up in Otsego Lake they most likely hitched a ride on a lake user's equipment from a nearby infested waterbody.
2006
January 2005
Clarke Pond Dam Repaired
After three years of paperwork, construction repairing the Clarke Pond dam and dredging its sediments was completed in January after four months of actual work. This is an important water quality improvement project and is a major step toward implementing the Plan for the Management of the Otsego Lake Watershed (1998). Clarke Pond, an old mill pond dating back to the late 1700’s, is located near the end of Cripple Creek, just to the northeast of the Lake next to the Otsego Golf Club. The pond, with a laid-up limestone dam built in 1847, has served as a detention basin collecting sediment from the 10,000-acre Cripple Creek drainage basin, which is part of the Otsego Lake watershed. In doing so, Clarke Pond has served to protect the lake. The pond was full of sediment and the old dam had deteriorated. The dam has now been repaired and approximately 8 million pounds of sediment have been recovered.
Photo credit: Timothy Pokorny
2005
December 2005
Cooperstown & Lake Receive Christmas Present
At year’s end, the Village of Cooperstown received a sizeable gift from the State of New York in the form of a $76,000 grant for its Otsego Lake septic system management program.
2004
November 2004
Septic System Inspections
Inspections of septic systems around Otsego Lake will begin in 2005. All systems within 500 feet of the lake and 100 feet of the lake’s tributary streams will be inspected and is in conformance with new regulations enacted in early 2004 under New York State Public Health Law. The new regulations are intended to protect Otsego Lake as a drinking water supply for the Village of Cooperstown and homes around the Lake.
OLA President Dave Sanford congratulated Biological Field Station Volunteer Diver Jerry Munrett after presenting him an OLA T-shirt in recognition of his continuing contributions to the health of the Lake. The OLA President took time out from the October Board of Director’s meeting to present OLA T-shirts to six volunteer divers. There will be more in a future OLA News regarding these volunteers.
2003
June 21st, 2003
Annual Meeting of the Otsego Lake Association
The association received an advanced ruling from the IRS giving us 501 c 3 status. The associations exempt from paying federal taxes. Contributions and membership dues are tax deductible.
Dr. Bill Harmen, Professor & Director of the Biological Field Station gives a talk about "Aquatic Nuisance Species: Much Bigger than Zebra Mussels".
