It was a remarkable scene in December 2010 when three boards of local elected officials 鈥 the Cayuga County Legislature, Auburn City Council and Owasco Town Board 鈥 all met at Emerson Park Pavilion.
They were there to vote on the establishment of the Owasco Watershed Management Council, an inter-municipal board that would have the sole mission to "coordinate actions for protecting and restoring the health of Owasco Lake and its watershed to ensure that Owasco Lake will serve as a source of public drinking water, a recreational asset, an economic driver, and an important natural resource for the well-being of watershed residents and those who benefit from its protection now and for future generations."
When the voting was done, the crowd burst into applause. It was a moment of clear unity for the tens of thousands of residents who rely on the lake.
Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is a filmy, paint-like scum that has been dis…
Almost six years later, the council is now the driving force behind an effort to implement a comprehensive, science-driven approach to restore the lake's purity through an official New York State Nine Element Watershed Plan. At the same time, the council is speaking up loudly for increased state and federal funding along with expert support to help deal with the algae toxin problem that threatens the water supply. In addition to individuals from the founding government boards, representation on the council now includes Fleming, Niles and Scipio, along with ex-officio participation from Cayuga County Soil and Water, Cayuga County Environmental Health, Cayuga County Planning and Economic Development, Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency, Cayuga County Board of Health, the City of Auburn Chief Operator for Water Treatment Plant, and the Owasco Watershed Lake Association.
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The algae crisis that has unfolded in Owasco Lake has made the council's work more important than ever, but it's also brought about a healthy amount of debate among lake advocates, elected officials and others about the best approaches to take going forward.
We encourage that debate, because all ideas need to be on the table and thoroughly vetted. But we also want to urge everyone stepping up to help to also be mindful that we must continue to have that focused team approach that was on display back in December 2010.
In the past week, a new group of lake advocates emerged called Save Owasco Now! that was billed as a SWAT team for the problem. In addition, a longtime and dedicated lake advocate took it upon himself to post 200 "warning" signs on utility poles around the area that provided a vague but alarming message to "avoid all contact with the water," despite scientific testing that shows water quality is currently safe as cold weather has set in and the algae has dissipated for now.
We understand the motivation for these efforts and applaud the passion, but we also urge everyone to remember that not one person or small group can fix this situation. And at a time when we must have the attention of state and federal leaders, it's vital that the message being delivered is both forceful and unified.
