CLA Shares Common Goals with Other Lake Organizations

July 2, 2009

“Loving Our Lake” was the theme of the evening at the opening of the CLA’s annual dinner at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club, Monday, June 29th.

Association President, Chris Yates called the 62nd annual meeting to order and introduced local dignitaries and members of the CLA board and staff. “We have a very caring board of directors that shares a strong bond when it comes to the proper care and maintenance of our lake,” Yates said.

Former President, Tad Wright, cited the many improvements the CLA has accomplished in the past year. “We have made a number of improvements to increase our visibility in the community,” he said. “We have purchased new equipment, including a Hydro-Mate and Bobcat; created two shifts for shoreline clean up covering the entire perimeter of the lake and re-designed our website to include weekly reports on nuisance vegetation removal.”

He said the CLA has also maintained a hands-on relationship with Robert Johnson of Cornell University Research Ponds ensuring a scientific approach to any problems that may arise.

Rick Constantino, Watershed Coordinator at the Chautauqua County Department of Planning, was the keynote speaker for the evening. He is responsible for organizing watershed planning, education and implementation for the protection and restoration of local water resources. These tasks, he explained, are accomplished by networking with agencies, organizations and citizens to develop effective watershed management plans and sustained long-term local efforts aimed at yielding clean lakes, rivers and streams.

Constantino said the benefits of watershed planning include improved surface and ground water quality, reduced risk of flooding, enhanced recreation potential and improved community health.

His presentation entitled “Chautauqua Lake; A Common Vision for the Future,” highlighted facts about the importance of maintaining the lake’s watershed, and mitigating stream and shoreline erosion and flooding. “We all live in a watershed,” he explained We need to create management plans that are cost effective and strategically sound to continue to make improvements.”

Constantino cited various improvements to the watershed including the Goose Creek Stream Bank Stabilization Project and the Town of Chautauqua/Hewes Road Ditch Stabilization. He discussed revenue from lake tourism, estimated shoreline values, and using the lake as a valuable source for drinking water.

In concluding his remarks, Constantino stressed the importance of cooperation between the CWC and the CLA to supply the 14 municipalities along the lake with a standard ordinance for new construction projects. “No one organization is going to solve all of the problems—you have to have collaboration and cooperation from both to make things work,” he said.

A question and answer period between CLA board members and the audience followed the formal presentation. Topics discussed were the access to the new Hydro-Mate, attention to areas with thick nuisance vegetation, use of chemicals and phosphate free detergents and chemical analyses of lake waters.

The Chautauqua Lake Association is a not-for profit 501c organization with more than 1400 members. The group’s mission is to provide effective and efficient lake maintenance services for the benefit of all Chautauqua Lake users. The CLA is committed to initiating and implementing in-lake management activities to protect and improve the quality of Chautauqua Lake. The CLA’s primary goal is to ensure the natural beauty, safety and utility of the lake as a recreational resource.