After experiencing the coldest February on record in Chautauqua County, we are patiently waiting for the ice to melt. Perhaps by the time that this letter arrives, docks will be starting to be installed (or at least be in the process of being readied for installation)! Thankfully, our crew has been indoors all winter overhauling each piece of our equipment.
We are ready to go, be it for early summer storm clean-up or for regular summer harvesting. Our contracts are in place for the annual summer scientific lake monitoring activities and we have everything ready to meet Chautauqua Lake’s harvesting needs, big or small. We’ve historically demonstrated that we can meet plant maintenance needs when we are fully funded. This where you come in.
Your financial contribution determines the level of services that we will provide. All donations go to servicing Chautauqua Lake. We have no other purpose. Our ability to provide services has come from our collaborative fundraising method. Your donation is combined with that of other individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments to allow for lake maintenance to occur. No other entity provides lake maintenance services. Each funding sector is important and we trust that you will be a part of the funding success story. This year we will be welcoming another collaborative partner to the table. We have high hopes that the formation of the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance will bring in funding from new sources outside of the local community that we have yet been able to identify.
Our collaboration with other local groups benefits Chautauqua Lake. Our collaboration with the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy has been the most crucial. Their important land conservation and watershed education work has helped to address out-of-lake needs which will reduce in-lake maintenance costs. Lake maintenance, land conservation, and watershed pollution mitigation will benefit water quality improvement in the long term.
The CLA will continue to monitor the lake’s water quality conditions in addition to giving serious effort to dealing with the harmful algal conditions that can develop.
Your financial support is needed today to enable us to determine the size of the workforce that we will hire and the quantity of equipment that we will launch. The last two years two harvesters and a barge have remained dry docked. Your involvement will determine this year’s action plan.
To make a donation, click here.
