On Wednesday the firm SOLitude Lake Management began treating DEC-designated areas of the lake with the chemicals Aquathol K and Navigate, which are intended to kill lake vegetation.

The firm is hired by Chautauqua Lake Partnership along with the participating municipalities, including the villages of Celoron and Lakewood and the towns of Ellicott, North Harmony and Ellery.

About 400 acres is being treated. The application of the chemicals began Wednesday morning and will continue through the day Friday, weather permitting.

The CLP has said that herbicide treatments are meant as a last resort to manage invasive weed species Eurasian milfoil and curly-leaf pondweed.

Despite concerns from some county residents and other lake groups regarding the negative health and environmental impact the herbicides may have on people, wildlife and the environment, the state DEC moved forward at the start of this month to grant permission for the herbicides to be used.

Residents are advised not to swim during the treatments and 24 hours after they finish. In addition, Lake water should not be used for irrigation until 21 days after treatment is completed.

A map highlighting the areas of Chautauqua Lake authorized for herbicide treatment beginning May 15, 2019 and continuing until no later than May 22, 2019.

LAKEWOOD – The organization involved with overseeing the herbicide applications on Chautauqua Lake has offered more details on when the process will take place and what residents and visitors should know when it comes to safety measures.

The Chautauqua Lake Partnership says that SOLitude Lake Management will begin applying herbicides Aquathol K (endothall) and Navigate (2,4-D) in lake waters starting next Wednesday, May 15 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Applications may take three to six days to complete and must be finished by May 22 according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Areas expected to be treated include those in the Town of Ellicott including the village of Celoron, in the village of Lakewood, the Town of North Harmony, and the Town of Ellery.

The time frames for restrictions on water use start as soon as the treatment has been completed. Information on water use restrictions, including when those restrictions are lifted, will be posted on the website of each Town that undertakes the application of herbicides. In addition, signs will be posted around the Lake and along downstream waters notifying users of the water use restrictions. When the swimming/bathing, irrigation, and potable use water restrictions are lifted, posted signs will be removed. After the treatment is completed, information on the status of the restrictions may be obtained on each applicable Town or Village’s website or by contacting the Town or Village Clerks.

Warning signs containing the following restrictions will be posted around the Lake and at public access points along downstream waters on or before the affected areas on the day(s) of treatment and shall remain posted as long as the restrictions are in place:

• Swimming: During Treatment and 24 hours after
• Irrigation: 21 days or < 100 ppb of 2,4-D
• Domestic Water use: < 50 ppb
• Potable Water Use: < 50 ppb
• Other Use Restrictions: None

The permits and a map of the application sites and affected areas are available at the respective Town and Village Halls and may be viewed during each’s normal business hours. Office staff will assist you in answering your questions regarding the treatments.

For all technical questions regarding the herbicides and treatment plan, please contact Glenn Sullivan, 1-908-310-8775 at SOLitude Lake Management during business hours.

The Herbicide product labels are available at https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/product-labels-new-york-2018

The herbicide treatment comes after the state DEC announced its approval of herbicide use last week.

In a statement, the DEC said it has issued permits to five municipalities authorizing herbicide treatment in 245.3 acres of the lake. There will be no applications north of Long Point, along undeveloped shoreline, or in areas containing critical fish spawning and nursery areas. In addition, areas treated in 2018 will not be treated this year because DEC typically does not authorize herbicide treatment in the same location two years in a row.  DEC issued a letter on May 6, 2019 clarifying several items, including noting that chemical amounts listed in the permit are approximate and explaining that Burtis Bay will be treated in thirds with the first treatment planned for this year. The remaining two thirds will be treated in subsequent years, one third at a time.  Additionally, DEC is in the process of issuing revised permits today which change allowable treatment zones within Lakewood and Ellicott and widens the navigation channel in Ellicott to 60 feet.

The actual amount of lake area that will be treated in the authorized areas will depend on each individual municipality and large based on available funding to cover the cost of treatment.

Last week the Chautauqua Lake Partnership with SOLitude and supervision from the Department of Environmental Conservation concluded herbicide treatment on a small portion of the lake, including areas of the Towns of Busti, North Harmony, and Ellery.

However, Lakewood officials had voted against the use of herbicides in waters adjacent to the village. Because one of the boats that was being used to apply the herbicide was spotted off the village shore during the treatment process, Lakewood officials have asked the water to be tested.

Should any Town undertake the application of herbicides consistent with the permit granted by the NYSDEC, the application of treatment will take place June 11 and 12, 2018 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m..  Notification of the application of the treatment will be posted at public access points on or before the day(s) of the application.

The timeframes for restrictions on water use start as soon as the treatment has been completed. Information on water use restrictions, including when those restrictions are lifted, will be posted on the website of each Town that undertakes the application of herbicides.  In addition, signs will be posted around the Lake and along downstream waters notifying users of the water use restrictions. When the swimming/bathing, fishing, animal consumption, and potable use water restrictions are lifted, posted signs will be modified to reflect that only the irrigation restriction remains in place.  After the treatment is completed, information on the status of the irrigation restriction may be obtained on each applicable Town’s website or by contacting the Town Clerks at the numbers below.

Warning signs containing the following restrictions will be posted around the Lake and at public access points along downstream waters on or before the affected areas on the day(s) of treatment and shall remain posted as long as the restrictions are in place:

Swimming:                              During Treatment and 24 hours after
Irrigation:                                120 days or < 1 ppb of triclopyr
Domestic Water use:               <50 ppb
Potable Water Use:                 <50 ppb
Livestock Watering:                24 hours
Animal Consumption:             During treatment and 24 hours after
Fishing:                                   During Treatment and 24 hours after
Other Use Restrictions:           None

The permits and a map of the application sites and affected areas are available at the respective Town Halls and may be viewed during each Town’s normal business hours.  Office staff will assist you in answering your questions regarding the treatments.  For all technical questions regarding the herbicides and treatment plan, please contact Brad Bowers, 1-888-480-5253, or Glenn Sullivan, 1-908-310-8775 at SOLitude Lake Management during business hours.

The Herbicide product labels are available at https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/product-labels-new-york-2017.

During the past several months the Chautauqua Lake Partnership has spearheaded the effort to get the required permits and funds needed to treat invasive vegetation on the lake with herbicides.

According to the Post-Journal, the State Department of Environmental Conservation recently issued revised herbicides permits to the CLP for about 190 acres of the lake.  Because the permits were revised, the participating towns and villages will have to sign off on them before treatment can begin.  The DEC has granted approval for herbicide use only during the designated time period between June 4 and June 8.

The revised permits allow the CLP and the lake management company SOLitude to apply herbicides to 191 acres of the lake. The group had sought permits for 989 acres.

While permits are in place, the group is still trying to secure about $300,000 in funding to help pay for the treatment. It had requested help from the county, but the legislature last week balked at the request with none of the 19 members willing to sponsor a funding resolution for the effort.