CANANDAIGUA — Two state agencies have approved a plan designed to reduce the amount of phosphorous going into Canandaigua Lake.
State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos and Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez announced their endorsement of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Nine Element Plan for Enhanced Phosphorus Management a little more than a week ago.
“The Canandaigua Lake Watershed Nine Element Plan will help DEC, the Department of State and our local partners better understand the unique characteristics of the Canandaigua Lake watershed that are critical to helping identify projects that promote the lake’s management, protection and overall improvement,” Seggos said in a press release.
In recent years, the lake has experienced water-quality challenges, including harmful algal blooms associated with the availability and transport of phosphorus, a key nutrient for plants and algae. Land use, climate change, and natural processes across the watershed can impact the lake’s phosphorus levels. Officials say the need to understand and manage phosphorus inputs from the watershed to the lake is essential for protecting it.
That led to the development of the Canandaigua Lake 9E Plan to identify focused strategies to ensure that the lake’s water supply, aquatic habitat and recreational uses are protected.
DEC and DOS experts guided the plan, which state officials said is consistent with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency framework for watershed-based plans consisting of nine key elements for water body protection and stakeholder engagement. The watershed plan aims to reduce phosphorus into the lake through the implementation of short- and long-term projects.
It was a collaborative effort led by the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council, with input from the Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Commission, the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association, Cornell University, and project consultant Ecologic LLC.
With state approval of the plan, the community can utilize additional state and federal grants to implement it.
“This intermunicipality-led effort continues our long history of partnership-based approaches and projects to proactively protect Canandaigua Lake for generations to come,” said Gorham Supervisor Fred Lightfoote, co-chair of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council
Canandaigua Mayor Bob Palumbo said the Watershed Council is grateful for the state grant assistance to help develop the nine-element plan “and looks forward to working with the state to help us fund the implementation of key initiatives identified in the plan.”
“Canandaigua Lake is the heart of our community and draws people from around the nation and world to enjoy its clean waters and scenic views,” added Jared Simpson, Canandaigua town supervisor. “Education is one of the most important parts of this process. The Nine Element Plan will be a guide for communities throughout the watershed as we all strive to do our part to protect Canandaigua Lake.”
The plan was paid for through the state’s $400 million Environmental Protection Fund, which provides money for critical environmental programs and projects such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species protection and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality improvements, climate change resilience and environmental justice.
To date, the state has awarded more than $371 million in grants for projects designed to reduce the frequency of HABs by targeting phosphorus and nitrogen pollution.
See the plan at dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/9ecanandaiguawatershed.pdf.