The Solar Eclipse from Huletts
A picture taken this afternoon in Huletts of today’s solar eclipse.
It was a beautiful sunny day with a wonderful view of the eclipse for the hearty folks who watched it today from Huletts.
The next time a total solar eclipse will be visible again from the contiguous United States will be August 22, 2044. Today’s event is now preserved here!
Thoughts on April
I’ve always thought April is such a good month. The worst of winter is usually over, and the world begins to wake up again. While it can be a little damp and rainy at times – the old axiom; April showers bring May flowers always holds true.
When we were children, we would always come to Huletts for our Spring Break. My grandmother would recite Longworth’s, Paul Revere’s Ride, from memory because it happened on the evening of April 18, 1775. Both my grandparents would tell us that rote memorization was a big part of their education as children. They would recite poems that were emblazoned in their memories as children.
Work would begin again on things that couldn’t be done in the winter and the lake’s ice would usually melt in April. (I always remember the sound the ice would make as it creaked and groaned in the winter.) Birds would start singing in the morning again as they returned from their winter migration.
My parents and my grandparents would always talk about the ideas of community, faith and family. I’ve sensed a greater longing for community and family in these tumultuous times where there seems to be a greater loneliness and anxiety loose in the world.
These discussions on the ideas of faith, family, and community still resonate with me today. My grandfather would say that the most important commission in the bible was Christ’s admonition to Peter; “to strengthen the brethren” which is also, at times, translated as “strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32)
Hopefully, you have weathered the winter and April finds you enjoying the longer days and soon to be warmer weather. May you hear birds singing in the morning as we all look forward to returning to Huletts.
March Sewer Board minutes
Here is a link to the draft minutes of the March 25th meeting of the Sewer Board. This meeting took place after the special meeting of the Town Board on March 25th. The Town Board approved two resolutions at the Town Board meeting but the minutes from that special meeting have not been made available yet.
DEC Forest Rangers in the News
Town of Greenwich
Washington County
Wildfire: On March 18 at 2:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call for Forest Ranger assistance for a wildland fire on Lick Springs Road. The fire had started in a garage and spread into the woods. By 4:20 p.m., Rangers contained the fire to half an acre.
Dresden Town Board Approves Sewer District # 1 Pipe Burial Project
On Monday, March 25th, the Dresden Town Board approved borrowing up to $200,000 for the relocation of two sewer lines which presently cross Foster Brook. The proposed relocation would run the lines under Foster Brook.
The town is anticipating a 10-year loan at approximately 5% to pay for the project.
To learn more about the project, the town has posted this report on their website.
Lake George Land Conservancy Awarded $4.15M for Water Quality Protection
This pond in the Town of Bolton will soon be permanently protected by the LGLC with support from the recently announced grants from NYS DEC.
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded grants totaling $4.15 million for land acquisition for source water protection from the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
The LGLC will use $3.5 million of the grant funds to permanently protect over 700 acres in the Indian Brook sub-watershed region of the Town of Bolton. Maintaining forested buffers around the streams and wetlands of this area will prevent erosion, filter sediment and pollutants from stormwater, and aid with flood resiliency.
The remaining grant funds will be directed toward the purchase of a 73-acre forested property in the Town of Lake George. This property contains 1,545 feet of streams with a healthy vegetated buffer that will further safeguard the water quality of Lake George, a drinking water source, and the surrounding watershed.
LGLC Executive Director Michael Horn said, “We are grateful to New York State and Governor Hochul for supporting our work to protect Lake George by protecting the land around it. By keeping our forests healthy and whole, we’re allowing the land to do what it does best – filter water, reduce pollution, and prevent stormwater issues downstream.
“With these grants we will be able to advance a number of projects over the next few years, but there is still much work to be done, including raising the more than $1 million in required matching funds.”
Land conservation is an efficient, cost-effective tool for protecting water quality. By focusing efforts on the most sensitive wetlands, streams, slopes, and shoreline, it can prevent costly issues that may arise from poorly designed development, non-porous infrastructure, and severe weather events.
These grants are part of a $166 million total announcement by NYS DEC for 187 projects statewide that will help protect drinking water, update aging water infrastructure, combat contributors to harmful algal blooms, and improve aquatic habitat.
Lake George Land Conservancy Receives $86k Grant to Manage Invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on Protected Land in Putnam
An infested hemlock branch showing the woolly masses of hemlock woolly adelgid, found at the LGLC’s protected Clark Hollow Bay Preserve in Putnam.
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $86,215 to support the LGLC’s rapid response and management efforts to control the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) on its Clark Hollow Bay Preserve in the Town of Putnam. The LGLC’s Land Steward discovered an infestation of HWA at its recently acquired 60-acre Clark Hollow Bay property in the spring of 2023. This was the first time HWA had been found on LGLC protected property, and is at the northern frontier of the HWA infestation at Lake George and in the Adirondack Park.
Hemlock trees play an important role in the forests where they grow, preventing soil erosion and providing habitat for both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Left alone, HWA will kill hemlocks within five to ten years, making early detection critical to effective management.
Hemlocks are a dominant tree species in much of the forest surrounding Lake George, making HWA especially dangerous for the preservation of water quality and health of the whole lake ecosystem.
This summer, LGLC staff identified 108 trees with known HWA infestations on the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve; the actual number of infested trees is estimated to be at least doubled, when taking into account those trees that were inaccessible for evaluation.
Dr. Mark Whitmore of the New York State Hemlock Initiative joined LGLC staff in 2023 to confirm the presence of hemlock woolly adelgid at the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve.
The LGLC’s HWA management plan for the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve includes the use of both biological controls for long-term management, and chemical controls in the short-term. In partnership with the New York State Hemlock Initiative (NYSHI), the LGLC released Laricobius nigrinus beetles on the property in fall of 2023. The beetle is native to the Pacific Northwest and preys exclusively upon HWA. Highly controlled chemical application was also conducted on the property with help from the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP).
The grant will fund three years of additional monitoring and management activity at the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve.
LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn said, “With this funding we are able to combat hemlock woolly adelgid on this important protected property. We are grateful to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as the resources and expertise provided by NYSHI and APIPP, for making this work possible.”
This grant is part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Invasive Species Grant Program, which provides funding for aquatic and terrestrial invasive species spread prevention, early detection and rapid response, lake management planning, research, and education and outreach.
The Invasive Species Grant Program is supported by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and administered by the Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health in DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests. For more information, please visit DEC’s website.
Lake George in January
Lake George Land Conservancy Receives Donation of Land in South Basin
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has been given a donation of 4.4 acres of undeveloped land in the Town of Lake George. This property borders the LGLC’s 12-acre East Brook Preserve and includes more than three acres of wetlands and 600 feet of forested steam corridor that help to naturally protect water quality.
The “East Brook Addition” donation was gifted to the LGLC by Karen Azer and her late mother Helene Horn.
“I am glad the parcel will remain forever wild,” said Karen Azer, “not only benefitting water quality but also protecting habitat for wildlife.”
LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn (no relation to Helene Horn) said, “We are incredibly grateful to Karen and Helene for their generous donation of land for conservation. Their gift creates a legacy that will forever work to protect Lake George.”
In total, the newly expanded East Brook Preserve includes more than 1,100 feet of East Brook, one of the top ten tributaries of Lake George, and is heavily forested with some impressive hemlock, white pine, ash and sugar maples scattered throughout.
The original 12-acre East Brook property was protected in 2018 with a bargain sale from the McPhillips family, who desired to see the land protected. Around the same time, the LGLC helped to protect the 317-acre McPhillips Preserve on neighboring French Mountain, in partnership with the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury. More than 2,000 feet of seasonal streams flow down the steep slopes of the McPhillips Preserve and join with East Brook far below.
Since Lake George flows north, protection of its headwaters in the south, including tributaries like East Brook, is imperative to its overall health. This region of Lake George is also facing intense development pressure, creating all the more urgency for conservation of key areas like streams, shoreline, and sensitive, steep slopes that are susceptible to erosion. For this reason, the LGLC’s South Basin Conservation Initiative focuses on key lands such as the East Brook Addition as important for long-term protection of the lake’s water quality.
To date, the LGLC has protected a total of 2,736 acres within the south basin. In addition to its important water quality protection, these properties provide significant recreational opportunities. The LGLC plans to open a trail on the East Brook Preserve which will include educational signage. Once completed, this trail will link to the Lake George Elementary School’s extensive nature trails. A crosswalk on Bloody Pond Road will ultimately connect the East Brook Preserve to the McPhillips Preserve. The Town of Lake George is working to create a multi-use trail system on the McPhillips Preserve. The finished trail system is expected to include several miles of challenging trails for hiking and mountain biking, and offer a clear view of Lake George’s south basin, including Prospect Mountain on the opposite side.
Storm Raises Lake Level Significantly
This picture, taken on December 19, 2023, shows the water surface level of the lake reaching its highest peak in the last year after the storm at the beginning of the week.
This week’s storm has passed and things are beginning to dry out. At approximately 1:00 pm on December 19, 2023, the lake reached its highest level during the past year.
I use the USGS site here to check every once in awhile.
Recent DEC Forest Ranger Actions
Illegally dumped trash discovered in Washington County
Illegal Dumping – Washington County
On October 28, 2023 the Washington County Sheriff’s Department contacted Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Krug about illegal trash dumping along the Champlain Canal at Lock 8. A canal employee observed a U-Haul dumping household garbage and managed to get a license plate number and subject description to pass along to law enforcement. Deputy John Latour identified a subject hired to clean out a foreclosed property in the town of Hartford and linked the same subject to illegal dumping incidents in two other locations. The subject, who is currently on parole, received seven appearance tickets to Argyle, Kingsbury, and Fort Edward town courts for illegal disposal of solid waste and the unlawful disposal of medical waste, among other charges.
Now for Some History: 1963
Jean Cooper poses with a bobcat. February 1963. (Click image for large view.)
Stec Bill to Combat Invasive Species Signed Into Law
Legislation sponsored by Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) and Assemblymember Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake) to address and better combat aquatic invasive species statewide has been signed into law by Governor Hochul. Senate bill S5836/Assembly bill A5801 enables town boards to further address and combat invasive aquatic invertebrate species, as they are currently only able to address invasive plants under state law.
“Stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species requires vigilance and providing our communities with the flexibility to take them on,” said Stec. “This bi-partisan legislation Assemblymember Woerner and I sponsored and helped pass provides town boards with the flexibility to control invasive aquatic invertebrate species, such as Asian clams or Zebra mussels, that aren’t covered by current law. I’m pleased that the governor has signed this important quality of life bill into law, which helps to ensure our region is now better equipped to manage aquatic invasive species.”
“Invasive aquatic species cause harm to our environment, health, and recreation economy by negatively effecting the natural habits of fish and wildlife in our beloved lakes,” said Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. “I am grateful Governor Hochul has signed legislation that better enables our community leaders to reduce their rapid and damaging spread.”