Kinderhook Lake Corporation

Over the past few years, members have expressed concerns over increasing weed growth in the lake. Weeds are both unsightly and annoying to those who fish, boat and swim. Weed growth is fed by nutrients coming from septic systems leaching into the lake as well as rotting leaves and other plant matter raked into the water. We have encouraged shoreline residents and adjacent property owners to clean their septic systems every other year and asked that leaves not be raked into the lake bed, but it is simply not enough. Weed growth is also spread by motor boats that run through the weed beds (especially milfoil), as the cuttings drift and seed new growth elsewhere. Every KLC member and lake user needs to do their part to help curb the spread of weeds, the KLC cannot do it on its own. This year we are asking for help from our members, and have arranged for 2 weed pulling events.

Saturday, May 30th. Members and other lake users are being asked to help pull water chestnuts (rain date Sunday, May 31st). Although the KLC’s weed cutter boat does a good job taking care of the water chestnuts, it cannot reach into the shallows at the north end of the lake. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9:00am at the north end of the lake. Please come by kayak, canoe, rowboat, or any other vessel that can navigate shallow water. Bring rubber gloves, maybe a small rake, and perhaps some garbage bags or laundry baskets.

Saturday, June 6th. Shoreline residents are being asked to rake weeds from their waterfront on “Weed Pulling Saturday” (rain date Sunday, June 7th). Many of the weeds will not yet be visible upon the surface, but the smaller plants are less firmly rooted and therefore more easily extracted. It is suggested that property owners utilize either a long-handled rake or a boat towing chains and weights to pull the unwanted weeds via the roots. Or, you can simply wade out into the water and pull at will. Pulled weeds must be brought to shore and tossed in the trash or mulched for use in your garden; they must not be allowed to float free or they will simply re-root and spread the invasive plant.

Together we can make a difference.

Every year around October 15th, the sluice gate in the dam is fully opened 500+ turns to allow water to drain down the Valatie Kill and Kinderhook Creek until our lake is about 33-inches below the main spillway, about 4.5-feet below average summer levels. This lower depth is permitted by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to protect shorelines and docks from erosion and damage due to winter ice and potential spring flooding from rapid snow-melt and rain. The added benefits of the drawdown are to (1) expose shorelines to freezing temperatures, which kills some of the lake weeds (milfoil and curlyleaf pondweed), and (2) permit residents to cleanup and repair shorelines and docks.

Please remember that raking leaves into the lake and/or burning leaves in the lake bed is not permitted, as doing so adds nutrients for future weed growth. Also, lake residents are urged to clean shorelines in front of and adjacent to their properties and make any necessary repairs to shorelines and docks this fall, as snow-melt and rain can often raise water levels quickly, making access to the lake bed more difficult in the spring.

If you haven’t pulled your boats from the lake yet, it’s time to hustle.