DEC Encourages Anglers to Put Safety First When Ice Fishing
It’s always sad to see the lake draining to winter levels, but remember how much fun you had on the lake this past summer and that next summer will be here before you know it. Fall is usually a beautiful time of year and is also time for a few important reminders:
- Remember to complete any shoreline projects this Fall, as the water can rise quickly in the Spring depending on snowmelt and rain. Plus, our DEC Drawdown Permit requires that we raise the lake back to summer levels as soon as the ice is off the lake in the Spring.
- Please do not rake leaves into the lake bed, as rotting leaves will become nutrients for future weed and algae growth. Also, if you can, please rake fallen leaves out of the lake bed.
- Please do not throw brush or branches into the lake, as they end up at the dam clogging the sluice gate debris rack and inhibiting control of the water level.
******* WARNING *******
Copper Sulfate will be applied to Kinderhook Lake
Monday morning, August 7th
See the FAQ page for information and warnings
about Copper Sulfate treatment for algae control
******* WARNING *******
Copper Sulfate will be applied to Kinderhook Lake
Thursday morning, July 20th
See the FAQ page for information and warnings
about Copper Sulfate treatment for algae control
The weather was perfect this year for the long July 4th weekend. The lake was crowded with boaters enjoying time with family and friends. Here are the results of the July 4th events.
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About 30 kayakers participated in the Kayak Rally to collect tickets from around the lake. Nicole Farmer won $50 in KLC merchandise, Jen Dubray won $30 in KLC merchandise, and Megan & Justin Carhart won $15 in KLC merchandise.
The Boat Parade was huge – more than a dozen decorated boats participated. Pat Tanner and Family won $50 in KL merchandise for the Most Patriotic Boat. The Kirk and Vennard families won $50 in KL merchandise for the Most Original Boat. Scott Langer and Family/Friends won 4 tickets to Family Day at Wicked Good Foods for the Funniest Boat.
The Annual Ring of Fire took place after dark, even on One Tree Island. |
Saturday, April 22, is Earth Day. Known as the Blue Planet due to its abundance of water, the Earth is an incredibly complex and vibrant ecosystem, where living organisms interact with each other and their environment to create the ideal conditions for life. It is much like the vibrant ecosystem that creates ideal conditions for life in Kinderhook Lake. Earth Day as a day to celebrate and preserve the natural environment. Let’s use Earth Day to clean up the environment around us. Clean up our properties. Clean up our shoreline. Clean up our lake. Make Earth Day a valuable day for our environment.
We want to thank our KLC members, neighbors, and friends who have already stepped up to help our effort to battle the invasive weed problems in Kinderhook Lake. Since February 1st, we have impressively raised nearly 75% of the funds needed to purchase the ECO-Harvester.
At a recent meeting with DEC, our harvesting permit was assured for this coming summer. When the harvester arrives at Kinderhook Lake around June 1st, the final payment will be due. We are close to reaching our $76,000 goal and remind those who have not yet had the opportunity to contribute to please help us get there. All ECO-Harvester donations will be dedicated to the cost and operation of the harvesting equipment. Please remember that all donations are tax deductible.
Please go to the MEMBERSHIP page to make your donation.
A last minute reminder. In accordance with our latest DEC draw-down permit, if there is no ice on the lake, the lake will be brought back to summer level shortly after March 21st. If you have any remaining shoreline projects, please get them done quickly.
The Winter 2017 KLC News is now available online HERE or on the NEWSLETTERS page.
See articles about how you can help us fight nuisance aquatic invasive species, the annual notice of copper sulfate treatment, 2016 KLC accomplishments, aquatic species continue to lurk under the ice, a reminder about ice safety, and more.
Weeds! Weeds! Weeds! Do you find yourself trapped by weeds? Weeds wrapped around your propellers? Weeds clogging your jet ski motor? Floating weeds trapped around your dock or shoreline? Unable to get away from your shoreline without passing through weeds? Tangled in weeds while swimming, paddling or sailing? Fishing lines tangled in weeds? Embarrassed to show off your lake to friends? Worried about your property values? Weeds! Weeds! Weeds!
Aquatic weeds are essential to a healthy lake ecology and are important to the spawning and growth of our fish population. Weeds have always grown in Kinderhook Lake. However, due to the recent infestation of aquatic invasive species, along with a warm winter and spring in 2016, the quantity of invasive and native weeds has exploded. Exploded!
During the summer of 2016, over 70 acres of dense invasive aquatic weed beds were mapped in Kinderhook Lake. This includes 65 acres of Eurasian milfoil mixed with curly-leaf pondweed and 5 acres of water chestnuts. In addition, approximately 15 acres of dense nuisance native weeds, water star-grass, were observed but not mapped. Boating and recreational activities in 2016 were virtually impossible in these dense weed beds all around the lake.
So, what’s the answer? After a year of considerable research, the KLC Weed Committee has recommended weed harvesting using an ECO-Harvester.
Different from the common weed harvester, which simply cuts the top of the weeds off like a lawn mower, the ECO-Harvester pulls out the entire weed along with its roots. The Committee’s research has shown this is the best approach to a long-term, effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable weed management program. Implementing a weed management program with a new ECO-Harvester in the spring of 2017 may avoid a potentially catastrophic summer for boating and recreational activities.
Recent capital improvements at the dam and annual copper sulfate purchases to keep the lake free of blue-green algae have put a considerable strain on KLC’s financial reserves. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of membership gifts and donations. However, to keep this weed invasion manageable, we need to react right away, and once again have to ask for your support.
Our goal is to raise $76,000 to cover the cost of an ECO-Harvester. Our goal can be achieved through donations by everyone who loves and uses Kinderhook Lake and wants to see it thrive in the future.
To reach our goal and help save our lake from being overtaken by weeds, we request your support and donations in one of the following categories.
- Patron: $200-$399
- Golden Patron: $400-$649
- Eagle: $650-$999
- Golden Eagle: $1,000-$1,499
- Diamond: $1,500-$2,400
- Platinum Leader: Over $2,500
Think about it this way, the ECO-Harvester is expected to operate for at least 10 years. If you donate $1,000, your one-time Golden Eagle donation would be equivalent to $100/year. Certainly, you would agree that it’s worth $100/year to save our lake from the destruction that will be caused by the continued expansion of invasive and native weeds. And if you are lucky enough to own property on the lake, you would also agree that it’s worth $100/year to assure your property values continue to rise.
Please help us reach our $76,000 goal to start our weed management program this coming spring.
Simply click this link ECO-Harvester Donations (or the green bar at the top of the page) to easily make your donations online using a credit card or PayPal. Online payments are processed through PayPal for security purposes. If you prefer, you may mail a check in the amount of your donation to the Kinderhook Lake Corporation, PO Box 53, Niverville, NY 12130.
Thank you for helping to preserve Kinderhook Lake.
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