Chemicles on chautauqua!

[Killingourlake]

What do you think about the chemicals and weed killing on Chautauqua Lake. Will you even fish next year on chautauqua? Are you happy with outcome? This is for Chautauqua county to see. Lets let them know.

[SalmonSniper]

I am very disappointed with the Department of Environmental Recreation (formerly known as the Department of Environmental CONSERVATION) for issuing these permits.  I used to make about 20 trips a year to Chautauqua from Buffalo, including renting a place on the lake for the Walleye opener.  Last year was my last trip for the Walleye opener and I will not be fishing Chautauqua Lake this year.  

Phosphates may be considered pollution, but it is a fertilizer we use for our food. It is not dangerous to our health, outside of stimulating toxic algae blooms which have only been a minor issue.  The DEC and other agencies are taking a pure and healthy lake that has little to no industrial or other chemical pollution and dumping harmful chemicals into the lake and calling it a solution.  We are actually regressing in our efforts to protect our natural resources and it is a shame.

The lake's biosystem WAS the healthiest I have seen it in 30+ years.  I agree that in areas weeds were getting out of control, but there are better ways to address this.  The reports showed two main sources of Phosphate load: 1.) farm run-off (contributes to new phosphate load) 2. phosphate load in the sediment (historical accumulations).

There was an argument that addressing the farm runoff will not address the issue, since the majority of the phosphate load is in the sediment.  This is poor logic since it is years of farm run-off that would have caused the sediment load.  You have to stop the bleeding before you can sew up the wound.  Once the farm run-off is addressed the weed harvesting will slowly address the sediment load since the weeds will consume the phosphates in the sediment and the nutrients will be removed as part of the weed harvesting.  This progress could potentially be expedited through a 5 year dredging program to remove the top layer of sediment containing phosphates in the shallow water where there is weed growth.

Our issue is that people do not accept a 5 year plan that maintains the integrity of the lake and puts restriction on farm run-off.  Instead they want to pollute a healthy lake in order to have a solution now and not have to restrict farm run-off.  Solving the issue of excessive nutrient load by dumping chemicals into the lake is a very unsophisticated and socially irresponsible response.  The DEC and Governor Cuomo should be ashamed for agreeing to solve the lakes issue of high phosphate levels with an even more harsh pollutant.  The lake is still polluted because we are not removing or reducing the phosphate, but now there are additional and more harsh pollutants we are introducing. 

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by SalmonSniper

[mostlymuskies]

Then the words "Drift","Wind" & "Current" do not relate to CLP Chemical Treatment. Only "Soluble"! So if you Chemical Treat waters by I-86 bridge and weeds are gone down the South Basin to the Cribs,how did that happen without "Drift","Wind" & "Current"? They keep saying "Soluble"! If you took a bowl of water and an eyedropper of Koolaid and dropped 1 drop,it would spread in a circle.With their theory of "Soluble" the weeds would be killed in a big circle.Well not the case at all ,clean sweep down the South Basin.So what good is an MOA if they do not follow it.150 ft from shore max with 6 ft max depth, but all the 7ft to 14ft deep weeds the fish habitat,are gone.
I have asked for last summers Seine Report done on South Basin looking for young of year fish spieces,I still have not recieved it,could it be we lost the whole year class from Chemical Treatment in early May during Spawn!
Other pages here have a Petition to control Spot Chemical Treatment ,Please sign it!

Sent from my SM-G960U using Lake Erie United Mobile App

[mostlymuskies]

https://www.gopetition.com/pet...chautauqua-lake-fisheries.html

Sent from my SM-G960U using Lake Erie United Mobile App

[Beth Ferrari]

I grew up on that lake and when they sprayed for weeds in the mid 60’s & 70’s the fish used to float up to the shore dead bloated and slimy. I believe they didn’t know the later affects of the chemicals used back then. It is my belief whatever they used caused all different kinds of cancer in people and those chemicals are still in the mud. Instead of testing the foliage dig down deep in the mud and you will see it’s poison and will remain in that mud and lake for yrs.

[Beth Ferrari]

Just now, Beth Ferrari said:

I grew up on that lake and when they sprayed for weeds in the mid 60’s & 70’s the fish used to float up to the shore dead bloated and slimy. I believe they didn’t know the later affects of the chemicals used back then. It is my belief whatever they used caused all different kinds of cancer in people and those chemicals are still in the mud. Instead of testing the foliage dig down deep in the mud and you will see it’s poison and will remain in that mud and lake for yrs.

And the EPA can’t even find the documentation of it being sprayed back then 

[Beth Ferrari]

1 minute ago, Beth Ferrari said:

And the EPA can’t even find the documentation of it being sprayed back then 

And that’s Chautauqua lake so many people died at a young age from any kind of cancer you can think of