Watershed Management Plan

Conesus Lake was added to New York State’s 303(d) list of impaired waters for phosphorus impairment in 2002 followed by a listing in 2006 for dissolved oxygen impairment. The Conesus Lake Watershed Management Plan was approved in 2003 to guide the implementation of water quality improvement projects throughout the watershed to address the 303(d) list impairments. The plan delineates water quality improvement projects into key recommendations. Each year the Conesus Lake Watershed Council publishes an Annual Report Card which tracks recommendation implementation progress and associated water quality monitoring efforts.

Implementation


Implementation projects range from zoning updates and invasive species prevention to shovel in the ground streambank and road ditch remediation.

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Before (top) and after (bottom) photos of ditch remediation efforts on Rosebrugh Road in the Town of Groveland.


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Long Point Creek exhibiting bank undercutting and erosion near Creekside Lane prior to remediation in 2010.

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View facing downstream from upper limit of project reach, Creekside Lane is on the left. The floodplain on the right has been graded to handle flooding during high flows, thereby erosion potential along the left bank and Creekside Lane.

Water Quality Monitoring


The framework in the Management Plan calls for a three-year rotation among lake monitoring, watershed-wide monitoring, and specific stream segment or subwatershed monitoring. The framework was crafted to balance resources between the lake and watershed. Monitoring tracks the progress and effectiveness of the implemented watershed management plan recommendations.