Raquette Lake is one of the most beautiful natural lakes in the Adirondack Park. RLPF’s number one priority is to do our best to prevent the introduction of invasive and harmful aquatic plants and animals into our waters. We also will strive to increase public awareness about invasive species and to facilitate research on prevention and control methods for invasive species. Lake Management Plan
Fu
nding through NYSDEC Environmental Protection Fund – 2019 Invasive Species Grant Program, Town of Long Lake and members of RLPF. A Plan to Protect Raquette Lake from Invasive Species
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Background
Raquette Lake, Lake Management Plan – DRAFT
Forward
The Raquette Lake Preservation Foundation (RLPF) welcomes the reader to Raquette Lake, a very special and unique place in New York’s Adirondack Park. Raquette Lake is a vital and significant natural resource. It hosts diverse aquatic habitats, provides important environmental benefits, and is a basis for activities that drive the local economy. Invasive species represent a threat to the lake’s health and economy. Because so many Raquette Lake properties, businesses and functions are dependent on water-based access and activities it is imperative we prevent the introduction of invasive species and not allow them to inhibit lake use or displace native species. We must do our best to maintain Raquette Lake’s water quality and variety of aquatic habitats so that future generations may continue to enjoy its many recreational opportunities, cottaging on the lake, and its wildness. In September 2019, through a grant from the NYS DEC Environmental Protection Fund, RLPF hired Northeast Aquatic Research (NEAR) to develop a Lake Management Plan to combat Invasive Species. It has been a long arduous process. NEAR has studied our Water Quality, our past control efforts and looked into what may lie ahead in the future. It is RLPF’s hope that this report, for the management of aquatic invasive species in Raquette Lake, is the foundation for future actions necessary for the protection of this unique and valuable resource. We, the Board members of the RLPF, want to tell you about our lake and many of the aspects not covered in the report, but which nevertheless, add to the importance of having a science based road map forward. Raquette Lake is the largest natural lake in the Adirondacks. Much of its shoreline is undeveloped and part of the NYS Forever Wild Forest Preserve, as are the surrounding woods and mountains. The lake size is 5,263 acres. With many inlets from area streams Raquette Lake is part of the 82,000 acre St. Lawrence River Drainage Basin. The lake is the source for the Raquette River which flows north to the St. Lawrence River and is the second longest river in New York State. Downstream of Raquette Lake includes Forked Lake, Long Lake and Tupper Lake. The lake is about five miles in length with numerous bays and nineteen islands creating many miles of shoreline. Maximum depth is almost 100’ at the north end. This provides a large zone of cool water and is home to a native strain of Lake Trout which are important for fisheries management in the Adirondacks. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) collects eggs from these Lake Trout to raise in their hatcheries, with eventual stocking in Adirondack lakes and ponds. The many shallow bays and shorelines provide excellent habitat for warmwater fishes. Raquette Lake provides a perfect setting for dozens of nesting Loons, and their calls are a reminder of the lake’s wildness. Osprey, Bald Eagles, Kingfishers, Mergansers, ducks, geese, and other water birds are frequently seen. During spring and fall the lake provides a stopover for migratory birds. The water quality in Raquette Lake in generally excellent and has been monitored for years by the RLPF and Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District. Over one hundred years ago wealthy industrialists recognized the beauty and serenity found at Raquette Lake and several Great Camps were built or owned by the names of Durant, Carnegie, Stott, Collier and Huntington. Around the same time two churches were built, one on St. Hubert Island, and St. Williams on Long Point – both water accessible only and still in use. Today over three hundred and fifty homes and cottages dot the shoreline. Most of these require a boat trip for access as there is no road around the lake. Being a large lake, float planes also utilize Raquette Lake. The State University of New York College at Cortland operates two large educational facilities at Raquette Lake, providing an important experience for several degree programs. One of the facilities is boat access only. For over one hundred years Raquette Lake Camps have operated summer girls and boys camps, the boys camp being accessible only by boat. NYS DEC operates two very popular campgrounds on Raquette Lake. Golden Beach Campground is at the east end of South Bay and Tioga Point Campground is in the northern area of the lake and is water accessible only. Raquette Lake provides a diverse number of opportunities for visitors and is a popular area for tourists. Scenic excursions and dinner cruises are available aboard the W.W. Among accommodations available are: local cottages to rent, the two DEC campgrounds, and lean-tos and primitive tent camping on the Forest Preserve. All kinds of watersports are available along with excellent fishing for bass and trout. Boating, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, water skiing and swimming are common activities. Raquette Lake is part of the water routes for both the 700-mile Northern Forest Canoe trail from New York to Maine and the Adirondack Canoe Classic – 90 Miler Race from Old Forge to Saranac Lake. With so many properties and facilities on Raquette Lake being water accessible only there are several marinas that provide the necessary sales, service and docking. And of course, the Raquette Lake General Store is very busy in the summer providing groceries and supplies to cottagers, campers and tourists. The RLPF monitors aquatic vegetation changes in the lake and has taken aggressive action to remove tons of the invasive plant, variable leaved milfoil (VLM), where it is problematic to recreational use of the lake. RLPF has been proactive in preventing the introduction of invasive species to the lake and sponsored one of the first boat launch steward programs in the Adirondacks to inspect watercraft for invasives and to educate boaters on what they can do to prevent the spread of invasive species. RLPF is active in addressing other invasives like purple loosestrife. To repeat for emphasis, it is clear Raquette Lake is a vital and significant natural resource. It hosts diverse aquatic habitats, provides important environmental benefits, and is the basis for activities that drive the local economy. Background
The Raquette Lake Preservation Foundation (RLPF) is a not-for- profit organization whose primary mission is to help protect and enhance Raquette Lake. In 2019, RLPF received a $25,500 grant to develop a Lake Management Plan (LMP) to combat invasive species. Once completed, the LMP will specify science-based strategies to:
help prevent new introductions; and,
provide cost-effective management alternatives to control Raquette Lake’s only invasive aquatic plant at this time, Variable Leaf Milfoil (VLM). The LMP will also qualify RLPF for future State grants. How is an LMP Developed? RLPF will focus on six key areas to develop the LMP. The consulting firm, Northeast Aquatic Research (NEAR), was hired to help with the process. Assess Current Conditions – NEAR will summarize a historical record that dates back to 1932 on Raquette’s water quality and aquatic plants. Trends and gaps in the data will be identified. NEAR will also evaluate current practices used at Raquette to prevent new introductions of invasives as well as how to best manage the current VLM population. Educate & Solicit Feedback from Stakeholders – A public meeting had been planned for summer 2020, but COVID-19 happened. An educational presentation was held in August 2020* and RLPF distributed a survey** to measure perceptions towards water quality and invasive species. Public feedback weighs into the LMP’s recommendations.
* View the educational video here. In this video our President Gail Morehouse covers the history and objectives of our Lake Management Plan and then turns the presentation over to our contractor, Northeast Aquatic Research, to review the work completed through August 2020.
** Download the survey results here. Develop Cost-Effective Management Strategies – Once all the data are collected and analyzed, NEAR will recommend strategies to RLPF. Identify Funding Mechanisms – NEAR will evaluate potential outside funding mechanisms to help implement the LMP. Create a Lake Management Plan – NEAR will write the LMP and RLPF will review and approve. A draft LMP will be presented to the public summer 2021. Educate the Public about the LMP – This will be an ongoing process by the RLPF Board of Directors and its members. Keeping the Community Informed
As the LMP is developed over the next two years, we hope to provide ways for all members of the Raquette Lake community to keep informed about the LMP process. For instance, during the summer of 2020, NEAR is scheduled to:
Assess the effectiveness of past efforts to control VLM (hand- harvesting & benthic mats). Assess practices currently used at Raquette Lake to prevent new introductions (boat inspections). Conduct an aquatic plant survey and create a detailed map of Raquette Lake’s aquatic plant community. Controlling Variable Leaf Milfoil
We are certified through the Adirondack Park Agency and the NYSDEC Volunteer Stewardship Program to manage aquatic invasive species in Raquette Lake using benthic barriers and hand harvesting techniques. RLPF uses these two techniques to help manage Raquette Lake’s only current invasive plant, Variable Leaf Milfoil. Our management policy for VLM is to prevent it from expanding in the lake and to minimize its impact on recreation and navigation. In the past four years our volunteers have deployed benthic barriers and hand harvested more than 50 acres of VLM along the shores of Raquette Lake and the Marion River. To date, this program has spent $50,000 on this effort which is funded by the Town of Long Lake and RLPF members. For more background:
Read a short history of VLM in Raquette Lake. View a map showing the general locations of VLM in Raquette Lake. Monitoring Lake Quality
RLPF’s Lake Monitoring Program
We currently collect water samples, as well as run some basic water tests, for two water quality monitoring programs. The first is Paul Smith College’s Adirondack Lake Assessment Program (ALAP) . On its website, ALAP describes itself as “a research and monitoring collaboration between scientists and volunteers.” Trained volunteers collect samples from participating lakes, which are sent to Paul Smith’s Adirondack Watershed Institute for analysis. Samples are collected monthly during June, July and August. Key water quality variables, like nutrients and pH, are tested. Our volunteers have participated in the ALAP program since 2003. As a result, the water quality record for Raquette Lake has matured to the point that trends can now be detected with greater accuracy. For instance, during each sample outing, we measure the transparency, or clarity, of Raquette Lake. Our data suggest that Raquette Lake’s transparency has been decreasing. A similar pattern has been observed in other lakes in the Adirondacks. These decreases are related to a concurrent increase in the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in these lakes. DOC is responsible for a lake’s yellow to brown color. It is well documented that higher levels of color (DOC) result in lower transparencies (clarity). The Adirondack Watershed Institute suggests that there are two popular hypothesis for the increase in DOC in some lakes: 1) reduction in acidic deposition (Montieth et al. 2007) and, 2) increased precipitation from climate change (Shindler et al. 1996; Pace and Cole 2002; Gaiser et al. 2009). A key benefit of a long-term water quality record is that trends can be detected and appropriate actions taken to define, and possibly mitigate, negative impacts. You can view the most recent ALAP water quality report here. The annual cost for ALAP is $300. Our second water quality monitoring program is the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP). CSLAPis a volunteer lake monitoring and education program that is managed by the DEC and the New York State Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA). We decided to participate in CSLAP in 2019 because its monitoring protocol was more extensive than ALAP’s, and all testing is done by a NYSDOH certified laboratory. This latter point will prove beneficial whenever we apply for grants from New York State. As long as we have volunteers willing to do the work, we plan to continue to participate in both programs. You can view the most recent CSLAP water quality report here. The annual cost for CSLAP is $450. Other organizations also monitor the water quality of Raquette Lake including State University of New York at Cortland, Lebanon Valley College and Hamilton County Soil and Water District (HCSWD). At times, we have worked cooperatively with both of these groups. SUNY Cortland and Lebanon Valley College have surveyed aquatic plants in sections of Raquette Lake since 2005. In 2019, HCSWD released their report “The State of Hamilton County Lakes: A 25-Year Perspective”. This is an excellent report that provides insights on long-term trends. It also permits a side-by-side comparison of water quality with Raquette Lake’s watershed neighbors – Blue Mountain Lake and Long Lake. Another great aspect of HCSWD’s report is that it includes vertical profile data for key variables like dissolved oxygen and temperature measured at one meter intervals from the surface to the bottom of Raquette Lake. One of the first tasks we identified for our consultant for Raquette’s Lake Management Plan was the need to summarize the historical record on water quality. This past winter (2020) our consultant provided the board with a draft summary for our review and comment. The draft LMP, which should be available by spring 2021, will include a discussion on water quality trends and recommendations for future testing. Annual Loon Census
The New York Annual Loon Census is held on the 3rd Saturday of July each year from 8:00-9:00 am to provide an annual “snapshot” of the breeding loon population in the state. Results of the census over time provide valuable information regarding the status and trends in New York’s summer loon population. The census was initiated in 2001, and has been held annually since then. RLPF provides coordination for the Loon Census volunteers on Raquette Lake. Watch for the spring RLPF newsletter for information on how to participate. Below are the Census results for past years:
YEAR ADULTS CHICKS
2021 17 2
2020 17 3
2019 16 2
2018 16 2
2017 20 2
2016 19 2
2015 14 2
2014 20 3
2013 22 5
2012 12 0
2011 12 0
2010 12 2
People all across New York are invited to participate in the census, and submit their observations from any lake in New York. Observations are conducted from a boat, canoe, or kayak to help enable volunteers to observe larger areas of the lake. Binoculars also help and enhance your experience. You can sign up and find out more information on the census and on the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation at adkloon.org.
