A Watershed Management Plan for Saratoga Lake Executive Summary March 2002 1 A Watershed Management Plan for Saratoga Lake March 2002 The US Environmental Protection Agency has provided funding for this project under the Wetland Development Grant Program. This report was prepared by: The LA group, P.C. 40 Long Alley Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 518-587-8100 www.thelagroup.com For Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District This report is available on-line at www.sara-lake.org abbreviations & glossary of terms NYSDEC New York State Department of Chlorophyll a A compound that produces food in a plant Environmental Conservation Milfoil Eurasian watermilfoil; a nuisance NYSDOH New York State Department of Health aquatic plant species NYSDOT New York State Department of Nitrogen Plant nutrient Transportation Phosphorus Plant nutrient NYSOPRHP New York State Office of Parks, Non-point Source Water runoff from land (street runoff) Recreation & Historic Preservation Point Source A pipe discharge from a factory or NWI National Wetlands Inventory sewage treatment facility PDR Purchase of Development Rights Secchi Depth Measure of water clarity made by SEQRA State Environment Quality Review Act observing an 8” black and white disk SLA Saratoga Lake Association lowered into the water SLPID Saratoga Lake Protection and SONAR Fluridone Improvement District SONAR AS Fluridone aqueous solution SLWAC Saratoga Lake Watershed Advisory SONAR PR Fluridone precision release herbicide Committee SONAR SRP Fluridone slow release pellet USEPA United States Environmental Watershed Land that drains to a waterbody Protection Agency WQCC Water Quality Coordinating Committee 2 Saratoga Lake Watershed Boundary Map Municipalities in the Saratoga Lake Watershed of Saratoga County Town of Ballston Town of Milton Village of Ballston Spa Town of Providence Town of Charlton Town of Saratoga Town of Corinth City of Saratoga Springs Town of Galway Town of Stillwater Town of Greenfield Town of Wilton Town of Malta 3 executive summary Introduction The Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District (SLPID) received a grant in 1999 from the US Environmental Protection Agency under the Wetland Development Grant Program to prepare an update to the Saratoga Lake Diagnostic Feasibility Study and Management Plan completed in 1983. The 1983 plan focused primarily on in-lake water quality improvement techniques. An important outcome of the 1983 Plan was the adoption of NYS legislation that created the Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District (SLPID) and a taxing district to fund an aggressive and long-term weed control program for Saratoga Lake. The new plan summarizes information about plant in the watershed and the dramatic curtailment of the lake since 1983 and takes a broader look at wastewater flows from material manufacturing. conditions throughout the watershed. It broadens the An inventory of biological resources focusing on the scope of the 1983 Plan by examining changes in land Upper Hudson River watershed was conducted in uses as they have influenced water quality across the 1932. This analysis was more of a biological survey, Saratoga Lake’s entire 244 square mile watershed. but did contain some information on the physical and Over the past two years, this watershed project has chemical quality of Saratoga Lake. focused on working with local governments in the There are five municipal entities that represent watershed to implement strategies designed to Saratoga Lake interests: the City of Saratoga Springs, the improve and protect its water resources. SLPID has Towns of Malta, Saratoga, and Stillwater and the County worked extensively on managing problems in the lake of Saratoga. In addition, there are two organizations that itself and examining watershed issues on a case by have a direct interest: the Saratoga Lake Association case basis. As recommended in the 1983 Plan, in-lake (SLA), a private, nonprofit organization; and the Saratoga management to date has focused primarily on the Lake Protection and Improvement District (SLPID), a control of invasive Eurasian watermilfoil. public agency created by the New York State Legislature. The first water quality study of Saratoga Lake The two organizations have been well represented in the occurred in 1899. This study ultimately led to the development of this report and have provided valuable construction of the first municipal sewage treatment input on many levels. Watershed Approach The Saratoga Lake watershed covers a 244 basin in which all water that lands in the basin square mile area representing nearly one-third of eventually ends up in a single delivery point, in this Saratoga County. As a result, land use activities case, Saratoga Lake. Actions that are based on throughout the watershed have had a direct impact on watershed boundaries rather than municipal water quality in Saratoga Lake. The removal of boundaries can better target the pollution point and municipal sewage out of the watershed and the non-point sources that are in need of mitigation. The elimination of septic systems adjacent to the lake watershed approach also offers a unique opportunity during the 1980’s logically leads one to conclude that for citizens to get involved in the process. It is a non-point sources are the leading cause of nutrient method for communities to link together to develop loading to Saratoga Lake and the primary cause of its innovative ways to solve pollution problems within water quality degradation since the 1980’s. their local watershed boundaries. It is hoped that this watershed planning approach will encourage local The watershed-based approach to water quality communities and their organizations to take action planning and management considers Saratoga Lake together thereby giving this effort the best chance for and its entire drainage area as a whole, interconnected long-term success. complex system. A watershed is defined as a catch 4 Community Participation Numerous agencies and organizations are currently This public participation plan has directed the involved in various initiatives to manage and protect effort to provide outreach and to receive public input Saratoga Lake and its watershed. Implementation of regarding the watershed planning process. Four the Saratoga Lake Watershed Management Plan relies newsletters have been widely distributed to residents upon these groups to continue these successful efforts within the Saratoga Lake Improvement and Protection and expand their capabilities through the formation of District, the watershed and to community leaders. watershed partnerships. Approximately 1,500 newsletters were mailed. The final newsletter in the first quarter of 2002 provided The Saratoga Lake Watershed Advisory an executive summary of the Watershed Management Committee (SLWAC) was formed in June 2000 to Action Plan. In addition, special presentations have represent interest groups and communities within the been made on a regular basis to all municipal planning watershed. SLWAC met from June 2000 through boards within the watershed to make them aware of December 2001. Topics covered included water- the watershed planning efforts and Advisory based recreation, water quality, land use and growth Committee activities. The project has a web site trends, aquatic plant management strategies, and (http://www.sara-lake.org) where it posts all the stream corridor protection. The meetings provided an meetings, meeting minutes, reports, newsletters, opportunity to take an in-depth look at watershed issues newspaper articles and other relevant materials for from which the Advisory Committee developed the goals, easy public access. objectives and the recommendations that comprise the Saratoga Lake Watershed Management Plan. The Physical Setting Saratoga Lake, located in Saratoga County, New York, is in the southern foothills of the Adirondack Mountains approximately 21 miles north of Albany. The lake is approximately 4.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, and has 6 square miles of surface area or 3,840 acres and 23 miles of shoreline. Average water depth is 25 feet with a significant shallow shoreline zone out to a distance of 1,500 feet around most of the lake. The deepest point is located in the north central portion of the lake and is 95 feet with a smaller well of approximately 51 feet deep located in the southern portion of the lake just west of Snake Hill. Thick beds of Eurasian watermilfoil are prevalent in Saratoga Lake and are crowding out native aquatic plants and interfering with recreational pursuits. Manning’s Cove remains predominantly free of milfoil and is an extremely popular mooring spot. Kayaderosseras Creek is the largest tributary to northwest portion of the watershed that consists of Saratoga Lake. There are 14 direct tributaries to steep slopes and irregular terrain. The highest Saratoga Lake, however, only four are significant in elevation in the watershed is 1,997 feet. The average terms of size and contribution to Saratoga Lake. elevation of Saratoga Lake is 203 feet above sea level. These include Mill Branch, Drummond Creek, Soils in the watershed vary greatly depending on Kayaderosseras Creek, and Coffey Creek. location and range from highly erodible to very stable. Kayaderosseras Creek has its origin in the Town of Most drinking water supplies in the county are derived Corinth before it flows through the towns of from aquifers within the unconsolidated deposits of sand Greenfield, Milton, and Malta, eventually entering the and gravel or from the underlying