Keuka Lake Looking Ahead

Abstract

Keuka Lake Looking Ahead-1996 was developed as part of the Keuka Lake Watershed Project; a project funded by the Keuka Lake Association since 1991. This document was prepared by the Watershed Project Committee utilizing the Watershed Planning Handbook for the Control of Nonpoint Source Pollution, a guide to assist communities in developing comprehensive plans for managing nonpoint sources of pollution within a watershed area and the State of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed-1994. The purpose of this report is to provide information to citizens, businesses, elected officials, and community planners for implementing actions to protect the integrity of the watershed. The information can be used to make decisions regarding land and water resources and the "hows" and "whys" of land and water use protection and regulation. Finding solutions to nonpoint source pollution problems is not a simple task. There are, nevertheless, certain logical steps leading to the preparation of a nonpoint source water pollution control plan that contains specific solutions or strategies for addressing problems. Keuka Lake Looking Ahead is intended to be a guide, not a prescription, for understanding and protecting water quality. The KLA has identified additional nonpoint source areas that require further investigation and analysis . For example, the need for a more comprehensive stream monitoring program was identified by this project. Keuka Lake Looking Ahead contains an enormous amount of detailed information and analysis that needs to be released and discussed by a broad range of watershed users or stakeholders. This document presents the required information to develop a watershed implementation plan to remediate existing nonpoint source problems and/or prevent new problems from occurring. The release of this document is an enormous step forward in providing the necessary documentation and rationale for a formal watershed management plan. For the first time, a comprehensive watershed report has been prepared for Keuka Lake that inventories and evaluates sources of pollution and their impact on the lake. While the need for additional assessment has been identified, Keuka Lake Looking Ahead provides sound rationale for the implementation of nonpoint source pollution prevention techniques, such as stormwater management and soil erosion and sedimentation control. Effective watershed management requires a concerted, cooperative effort by the entire community - homeowners, business, farmers, developers, foresters, environmentalists, and local officials. All members of the watershed community share in the benefits of a high quality water resource which is critical to a community 's health, aesthetic appeal and economic wellbeing. Together, the watershed community can protect the watershed integrity for present and future generations.