Residents Concerned About Health of Chautauqua Lake Encouraged to Attend Lake Rally on Saturday

The Village Casino in Bemus Point, on Chautauqua Lake, will be the location of a Chautauqua Lake Rally on Aug. 23, 2014. (Photo from Chautauqua County Government website)

BEMUS POINT  Residents wanting to get an update on the health and status of Chautauqua Lake will want to be in Bemus Point tomorrow morning.

The Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance will be holding a Chautauqua Lake Rally Saturday, Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Village Casino in Bemus Point.

According to county economic and planning officials, the event will include opening remarks from the County Executive Vince Horrigan and other local government leaders, exhibits and displays from numerous lake-based organizations, and presentations about the positive initiatives currently underway to address the health of Chautauqua Lake.

Presentations include:

• 10 a.m.– Mark Geise, Deputy Director of Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development; Randy Sweeney, Executive Director of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation; and Linda Barber, President of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Board of Directors, will discuss the formation of the new Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance.
• 10:30 a.m. – Doug Conroe, President of Chautauqua Lake Association, will speak about the causes and impacts of algae on lake ecosystems.
• 11 a.m. – Michael Manning and Janelle Chagnon from O’Brien & Gere Engineering will discuss their work in preparing the Integrated Sewer Management Study.
• 11:30 a.m. – Geise and Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy will speak about the status of the Marcophyte Management Strategy currently being developed.

Representatives from the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, Chautauqua Lake Management Commission, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and others will also be available to answer any questions the public may have about the Lake.

The Chautauqua Lake Rally is co-sponsored by the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, and the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development. The rally is free and open to the public and a light breakfast will also be provided for attendees.

For more information regarding this event, please contact Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy at (716) 661-8915.