Submitted by
The Chautauqua Lake Partnership Board of Directors
The Chautauqua Lake Partnership (CLP) is a not-for-profit, 501 (c)(3), organization that wants Chautauqua Lake to be a healthy lake that can be enjoyed by all for fishing, swimming, and boating. The organization is managed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors who are concerned about Chautauqua Lake water quality; especially the proliferation of weeds and algae near shore and along the shoreline. The CLP uses science and facts to make decisions regarding actions that are needed to address the two most alarming issues in the lake: invasive weed (curly leaf pondweed and Eurasian milfoil) and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Since 2017, the CLP has worked closely with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) to determine what areas of the lake would benefit from the prudent application of safe herbicides.
More recently, another issue has been added to the focus of the CLP – Wetlands. In 2022, New York’s Freshwater Wetlands Act (Environmental Conservation Law Article 24) was amended to increase application fees and make several important changes to the way the program will be administered. In addition, a goal of 1 Million acres of newly designated wetlands was established by the New York Governor. NYS DEC is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the new regulations.
The NYS DEC has made it clear that they consider areas of Chautauqua Lake will be designated as wetlands. The south basin of the lake is particularly vulnerable to the newly written regulations; however, the north basin littoral areas will also have the same regulations applied. In January 2025 the current NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps will no longer limit DEC regulatory jurisdiction to wetlands depicted on those maps. Instead, maps will become informational, and any wetlands that meet the applicable definition and criteria will be regulated by DEC and subject to permitting, regardless of whether they appear on the informational maps. In January 2028, the default size threshold of regulated wetlands will decrease from 12.4 acres to 7.4 acres.
The CLP respects the need for wetlands protection; however, the CLP does not believe that freshwater lakes should be designated as wetlands. Wetlands are protected areas that limit the application of herbicides and weed cutting. There will be extensive permitting required to expand or restore existing buildings in the 500-foot buffer of any wetland. Essentially the areas designated as wetlands will become swampy areas that limit recreation use and significantly reduce lake front property values. The impact will result in reduced tourism and reassessed property values, which will result in increased taxes for non-lakefront home owners.
The CLP is working diligently to limit the impact of the new wetlands regulations on Chautauqua Lake.
Keep the Lake a Lake!