CAZENOVIA — On Saturday, Dec. 2, the Cazenovia Lake Watershed Council (CLWC) sponsored its annual Lake Summit at the Cazenovia Public Library.

The CLWC is a cooperative organization made up of two members of the Cazenovia Town Board, two Village of Cazenovia Trustees, and one representative of the Cazenovia Lake Association (CLA), which is a group of residents, homeowners, business owners, and elected officials that works to protect the environmental and recreational sustainability of the lake.

This year’s summit focused on the key challenges facing Cazenovia Lake and ongoing and upcoming initiatives.

Town update

Cazenovia Town Councilor Jimmy Golub, who serves as the liaison to the CLA, informed the summit attendees that the town’s lake-related responsibilities include operating the weed harvester, serving as the lead agency when acquiring the permits required to treat the lake for Eurasian watermilfoil, and partnering with the village to spearhead certain initiatives related to preventing the introduction of invasive species into the lake.

The town is currently exploring options for helping to prevent the introduction of the invasive aquatic species hydrilla, which is more virulent and difficult to control than milfoil.

“We have spent literally millions of dollars trying to keep milfoil in control,” Golub said. “Milfoil is manageable, but Hydrilla may not be. We don’t have really good answers for this, and we don’t have unlimited resources either. . . . We need to be proactive.”

According to Golub, the town is looking into purchasing a waterless boat cleaning station for the Lakeland Park boat launch. The approximately $40,000 system would be paid for with grants and by the town. The town also aims to work with the village to improve boat inspections and to encourage boaters coming from other bodies of water to use the Lakeside Park launch.

Eurasian Watermilfoil management

CLA Vice President Sam Woods discussed Cazenovia’s ongoing Eurasian watermilfoil management efforts and the results of an August 2023 rake toss study.

The lake has been chemically treated six times with the herbicide Renovate, which was typically applied every other year.

In 2021, with financial assistance from the CLA, regions of the lake were treated with the newly approved herbicide ProcellaCOR EC.

Each year, a rake toss study is conducted to monitor the impact of the chemical treatment on species richness and the amount of milfoil in the plant community.

“The rake toss study that we do every year [looks] at over 300 sites on the lake,” said Woods. “It really is just what it sounds like. They take a rake, they toss it out, they bring it back up onto the boat, and each weed is actually counted, and the type of weeds [are recorded].”

According to Woods, the rake toss studies conducted from 2009 to 2023 have shown that Renovate and ProcellaCOR have not harmed the native plant species within the lake.

The late summer surveys have also shown that ProcellaCOR is more effective at reducing the amount of milfoil than Renovate.

In 2021, following the ProcellaCOR treatment, only 25 out of the 302 sampling points showed evidence of milfoil.

The rake toss study performed shortly after the most effective Renovate treatment showed evidence of milfoil at 86 of the 302 sites.

In 2022, the year after the ProcellaCOR treatment, there were 114 occurrences of milfoil.

“That was actually about equivalent to what we got on treatment years with Renovate,” said Woods. “. . . [ProcellaCOR is] very, very effective. Of course, this summer, it [was] bouncing back like crazy.”

The 2023 rake toss showed evidence of the plant at 229 sites.

“You’re never going to eradicate that plant; you’re going to knock it down,” said Woods.

According to CLA President Dave Miller, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permits 190 acres of the lake to be treated at once, and the southwest end of the lake is not chemically treated.

The next ProcellaCOR treatment is scheduled for 2024 and will cost around $200,000.

“We think that next year and the following year are going to be pretty darn good, but then we are going to have to play catch up with the harvester in 2026,” said Woods.

Hydrilla

Hydrilla is one of the most difficult aquatic invasive plants to control and eradicate in the United States. The plant can produce very dense mats of vegetation, and infestations can have negative impacts on boating, fishing, swimming, tourism, native flora and fauna, and waterfront property values.

Hydrilla spreads by seeds, buds, tubers, and fragments. The plant can be introduced to new locations by waterfowl and boating activities. Fragments of the plant, which are easily caught and transported by boats and boat trailers, can sprout roots and establish new populations.

While it has typically been found in the southern U.S., Hydrilla has started moving northward, and it is now in Cayuga Lake, Twin Lakes in Connecticut, and the Connecticut River.

To demonstrate the threat posed by hydrilla, Miller showed the video “Invading the CT River – The Spread of Hydrilla,” which can be viewed for free on YouTube.

Following the video, Woods stated that there is currently no herbicide available that controls hydrilla without also killing native plants.

Miller added that, because it is shallow and there is a lot of sediment at the bottom, Cazenovia Lake would be an ideal habitat for hydrilla.

“The key is that there is not a 100 percent sure proof method to keep it out of the lake,” said Miller. “We have multiple launch access points, there are a lot of ways it could get into the lake. However, I feel like our responsibility is to do what we can in order to prevent it and to take whatever measures we can to do so. It can’t just be the CLA, the town, and the village; it has to be everybody.”

According to Miller, the cleaning station that the CLA, village, and town are considering is essentially a big vacuum. The stewards at the Lakeside Park boat launch would ask that all boats coming from other bodies of water be cleaned before entering the lake.

CLA project updates

CLA board member Bob Crichton provided updates on three projects that are part of the CLA’s five-year plan.

According to Crichton, the CLA’s water quality monitoring project is aimed at detecting changes over time that might be early indicators of a potential problem, monitoring the food chain to determine the health of the lake ecosystem, and alerting entities of areas to avoid if a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) is present.

The organization intends to compile a four-year summary report on its findings in mid-2024.

The CLA’s sampling program involves plankton and invertebrates sampling three times per year at three locations on the lake, water sampling one to two times per year at the 12 highest inflow tributaries, sampling potential HABs as they occur, and testing for zinc.

The zinc testing was initiated late last year in response to the artificial turf field installation project at the high school. The goal is to ensure that the zinc that leaches from the rubber infill on the artificial turf does not get into the lake.

“I’m not saying that there are no filtration systems in the system that is being put in at the high school,” said Crichton. “They claim to have a very state-of-the-art one that will collect a lot of this information, but we want to make sure it’s not getting down to the lake.”

The zinc testing will continue into 2025.

Upstate Freshwater Institute performs the lab work for the chemical analysis, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry does the zinc work and HAB identification, Cornell does the zooplankton identification, and Cooper Research Labs does the invertebrate analysis.

Crichton next discussed the Mill Street Dam Removal Project, which is aimed at addressing backflow issues at the south end of the lake.

There are two dams downstream of the lake outlet. The lake dam or upper dam is located near Carpenter’s Pond. Mill Street dam (lower dam or creek dam), which was built to serve the Erie Canal system, is located a little further downstream. Both are owned and operated by the New York State Canal Corporation.

Just east (downstream) of the lake dam, Chittenango Creek meets the water flowing out of the lake to form a single channel.

When the water level between the dams is high, a significant precipitation/snow melt can cause the water to flow the wrong way; instead of moving downstream, water backflows over the lake dam and into the lake, carrying with it significant amounts of sediment and pollutants.

Crichton reported that there have been at least 12 documented backflow events since 2020.

The CLA found that the water entering the lake during the black flow events had much higher concentrations of phosphorus, suspended solids, and nitrogen than the water at any of the tributaries coming into the lake.

The phosphorus values were 1.8 to 6.6 times higher than the tributary values collected in 2021, and the suspended solids were 5.5 to 11.4 times higher.

Crichton said the canal corporation is in favor of the removal of the Mill Street dam, but the project is complex because there are multiple parties involved.

“The [Canal Corporation] has kept the water lower between the two dams,” Crichton said. “Two of the three sluice gates were open all summer, but there was a situation back in October where Tuscarora Lake had to lower their [water level] seven feet in order to do some work on the dam. Well, that flows into Chittenango Creek, so that coupled with an inch and a half of rain that we had, caused a backflow event.”

Last year, the engineering company Ramboll conducted a study for the CLA on the downstream effects of the partial or full removal of the Mill Street dam.

With help from the Cazenovia Area Community Development Association, the village has secured a grant for $67,000 plus matching funds for additional design work targeting backflow elimination using hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of both the creek and the lake. The firm Gomez and Sullivan has been selected to conduct the study.

“The funds are still with the department of state,” said Crichton. “They should be released hopefully soon, and then [Gomez and Sullivan], weather permitting, can start doing the work the village has commissioned them to do. We hope by the third quarter of 2024, we have some feedback from their study.”

The study will help define the next steps of the project.

Miller added that one of the goals of the dam removal is to restore the stream between the dams to its natural, pre-Erie Canal state and appearance.

Crichton concluded his report with an update on a recently purchased custom-built electrofishing boat.

An electrofishing boat uses an electric field to temporarily stun fish that can then be collected with long-handled dip nets for identification. Data collected from electrofishing can be used to determine the abundance, density, species composition, and health of fish populations.

Before Cazenovia College closed, the CLA partnered with the institution to purchase the electrofishing boat.

Once the college closed, the CLA instead teamed up with Madison County to cover the $88,667 purchase and move forward with the acquisition of the boat.

The CLA contributed $63,667 with money from its non-treatment fund plus individual contributions directed specifically towards the purchase.

The county stepped up to secure a $25,000 grant from the Finger Lakes – Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance on behalf of the CLA.

The county owns the equipment per an agreement with the CLA.

In addition to modernizing Cazenovia’s fish tracking abilities and providing better data on fish populations, the boat has also created a new relationship with the SUNY Morrisville Environmental Biology Department.

Since the boat was delivered in July, SUNY Morrisville and Dr. Thad Yorks — a senior planner with the Madison County Planning Department and an adjunct professor at SUNY Morrisville — have held on-water workshops. SUNY Morrisville began a 2023 fish study in October.

“You’ll [typically] see it out there at night,” said Crichton. “You’ll see a bunch of lights. You’ll see some things hanging off it. That’s the boat that does the fish studies for us, and It’s pretty cool.”

Village update

Village Trustee and Parks Commissioner Tom Tait provided updates on Lakeland Park and Lakeside Park.

This year, the village completed a project to reconstruct the historic stone wall along the lake and the northern side of the canal.

The village is now in the initial planning phase for some additional work around the swimming area and the pier.

To operate the swimming area, the village must comply with all Madison County Department of Health mandates, which include a requirement that there must be four lifeguards on duty whenever the swimming area is open.

“The availability of trained lifeguards is becoming very problematic,” said Tait. “To make things worse, we are competing with Green Lakes and others that pay a few dollars more per hour. So, the village has committed to acquiring the best-trained lifeguards for that area and to pay the going rate, so we can all [safely enjoy] that asset that we have.”

Swimming formally ended this year in the middle of August, about a week earlier than usual, due to funding and lifeguard availability.

In 2024, the village will strive to have a June 24 through Aug. 23 swimming period, which would be a week longer than usual.

The 2024 Cazenovia Joint Youth Recreation Program will run from July 8 through Aug. 2.

Lakeside Park is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The stewards’ last shift ends at 8 p.m.

The boat launch, which is owned, operated, and maintained by the village, opened this year on April 22 and closed on Oct. 21.

According to Tait, the park’s four stewards are currently paid less than minimum wage. To offer them a competitive hourly rate, some fees will be raised.

“Their role is absolutely critical in reducing the likelihood of invasive [species] entering Cazenovia Lake through the boat launch,” said Tait.

The stewards will be given updated job descriptions in advance of the 2024 season that will place their sole focus on the boat launch. Currently, they also oversee the pavilions and ball fields. Anyone interested in serving as a boat launch steward should contact Tait at [email protected].

The village will likely eliminate its $10 one-day launch passes, which were used this year 136 times.

“This obviously has proven to be not fair to people who are paying $75 to access the lake, and the $10 in no way covers the expenses associated with both the clerical work and the stewards,” said Tait.

The village is also considering eliminating the hotel passes, which allow hotel guests free passes to get on the lake.

Tait said the village is not likely to approve the use of Lakeside Park for fishing tournaments as recent applicants required most or all the available parking spots for the weekend and the events place stress on a sizeable number of fish.

The fees to rent the park’s two pavilions will be raised. For groups of 12 or fewer, there is no need to reserve the pavilions. When renting the pavilions or any permitted village space, the village will now request a one-day beer and wine permit or liquor license through the New York State Liquor Authority if alcohol is to be served at an event. Small, informal gatherings will not be held to this requirement.

Largemouth bass analysis

During the final presentation of the summit, William Snyder, professor of natural resource conservation at SUNY Morrisville, presented data from a cursory analysis of Cazenovia Lake’s largemouth bass population.

Based on data collected through trap-netting and electrofishing, Snyder concluded that the largemouth bass population appears healthy and well-fed. He also found that the Proportional Stock Densities, which are measures of species size structure, are exceptionally high, either due to low harvest pressure or a sampling bias towards larger fish.

He recommended increased comprehensive sampling during the summer at night, stomach content analysis on apex carnivores, and documentation of fish age and growth via hard parts analysis.

Snyder announced that he is developing a research project for a student to complete as part of a new bachelor of science degree at SUNY Morrisville.

“Possibly I could have a student who would be available all summer long to conduct [additional] research out there,” Snyder said.

Snyder also stated that as the lake has aged and become more nutrient-rich and heavily vegetated, it has become less of a walleye habitat and more of a largemouth bass habitat.

According to Woods, New York State tried to restock Cazenovia Lake with walleye several times, but they did not survive.

“They want open, vegetation-free water and little silvery fish that slide down easy,” said Snyder, who also noted that walleye are not effective predators of small sunfish.

Snyder also commended the Cazenovia Lake Association for all the work it does to learn about and protect the lake.

“I’ve been involved with a lot of lakes, and I’ve been asked my opinion by a lot of lake associations, and I don’t know if I have ever seen an organization where everybody is working together and [where] all your efforts and the angles of your research are so comprehensive. You folks are doing a marvelous job, and I’m impressed.”

At the end of the summit, Miller pointed out that only about 50 percent of the approximately 250 homes on the lake donate to the CLA.

“If we could push that number up to 60 percent or 70 percent, that would help a lot,” said Miller. “We get a lot of donations from people in the town. Any donation we are thankful for, believe me. The lake benefits the whole town. Our school taxes are lower because of the lake, our quality of life is a lot better because of the lake, obviously, so it’s not just a lakefront owner issue.”

To donate to the CLA and learn more about its work, visit cazlake.org or email [email protected].