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Locally, OWLA is a voting member of the Cayuga Water Quality Management Agency, whose mission is 鈥渢o protect and improve the quality of water in Cayuga County.鈥� OWLA is also represented on the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council, which oversees the Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection Program.

This past summer, numerous volunteers recruited by OWLA member Linda Vitale and supervised by Watershed Inspector Timothy Schneider sampled the lake for harmful algal blooms. The data acquired from these samples is being utilized by the state DEC to understand the impacts on water quality of nutrients entering the lake. In addition, OWLA and Cayuga County share the cost of additional sampling supervised and conducted by OWLA volunteers to test for E. coli bacteria, total phosphorous and soluble reactive phosphorous.

In an effort to support local agriculture in promoting best practices and innovative nutrient management strategies that can reduce nutrient runoff and improve water quality, OWLA members are part of the advisory committee to the Cayuga County Manure Management Working Group, and OWLA has joined the Whole Farms Best Practices Partnership, an international consortium promoting 鈥渟ignificant advances in farming.鈥� Dana Hall, an agricultural technical consultant, is a member of OWLA鈥檚 board of directors.

OWLA is a voting member of two regional lake and watershed advocacy groups. The Finger Lakes Regional Watershed Alliance, representing nine lake associations, brings together 鈥渕embers, expertise and desires of the Finger Lakes watershed associations to preserve and protect their watersheds.鈥� The state Federation of Lake Associations represents seven lakes in the region, as well as 200 lake associations from around the state. FOLA鈥橲 mission is 鈥渢o protect the water resources of New York state by assisting local organizations and individuals through public dialogue, education, information exchange and collaborative efforts.鈥�

OWLA endorses the conservation efforts of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, whose purpose is 鈥渢o conserve forever the lands and waters of the Finger Lakes region.鈥� The FLLT's 10 conservation strategies for the Finger Lakes include protection of our lakes, streams and drinking water. Plans to develop buffers between ditches and streams and adjacent crop lands and pastures and create wetlands that will serve as filter traps in areas of significant runoff align with OWLA鈥檚 mission. The FLLT recently purchased 40 acres of bald eagle habitat in the Owasco Flats, and OWLA provided financial assistance to the FLLT in collaboration with the Owasco Flats Nature Reserve to survey property on the east side of the Owasco Inlet for the creation of a conservation easement. OWLA also hopes to assist the FLLT in identifying places where FLLT conservation practices will be most effective.

OWLA also works with state and local government and with philanthropic groups to acquire financial resources required to implement change. Recently, the Owasco Watershed Lake Association received a $20,000 grant from Fox Toyota and the Toyota Corporation. In collaboration with the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District and with matching funds from the Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection Program, numerous watershed improvement projects are underway or awaiting spring. The first, a streambank stabilization project, has been completed at Fire Lane 25 E. Project planning for the $600,000 state grant is currently underway.

Additionally, OWLA continues to recognize and support the efforts of other local groups like Save Owasco Now, who are focused on driving changes to state and local regulations impacting water quality.

With 1,232 members, OWLA is a catalyst for change in the Owasco watershed. Working with our many partners, we hope to make significant and timely progress in improving the waters of Owasco Lake.