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Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
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| Yates Association |
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Our Fresh Water Heritage |
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January 2, 2002 Winding up the year causes one to reflect on where we were, where we are, and where we want to go in the future. Sometimes we get dragged along following the least path of resistance. Not too long ago, I sat on a large rock on the shore of Lake Ontario. From left to right all I could see was water. It was a beautiful setting. Lake Ontario is; of course, huge compared with our Finger Lakes. Then the thought occurred to me that we, that is mankind, have so polluted this big body of water that it is unsafe to eat a few ounces of certain fish from its waters. And not only Ontario but most of the other Great Lakes as well. If the Great Lakes can go down this route, our smaller Finger Lakes are also vulnerable. When one thinks of the watershed running from Lake Superior in Minnesota and emptying in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the Atlantic seaboard it is one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world. This is a terrific natural resource. Yet in a just a few short generations we have managed to contaminate it. The Iroquois federation had the seat of their great council fire along the shores of Onondaga Lake. Onondaga was once considered the gem of all the lakes in New York. You can see this lake from I90 just west of Syracuse. It is a beautiful lake. Until recently, it was recommended by the State Department of Health to eat no fish from its waters. Now fishermen can eat carp and catfish from Onondaga once a month, but no walleye can be consumed. Contaminants of concern are Dioxin, PCBs, and Mercury. The big questions are can we safely clean it up without letting a monster loose in the process. Another question is who will pay for it? We are truly blessed. Although our own Finger Lakes; Keuka, Seneca, and Canandaigua each carry health advisories for fish consumption, the lakes are clean enough to be drinking water sources and some data shows a decline in contaminant levels. If we want to pass the heritage of clean water to our grandchildren and great grandchildren, we must learn to do our lawn, gardening and farming with best practices to control, if not eliminate harmful runoff. This includes privately own septic systems as well. Every single one of us lives on a watershed. The water from Yates County lands drains into Seneca Lake, Keuka Lake, Flint Creek or, Canandaigua Lake, and eventually into Lake Ontario. What can we do to help preserve our fresh water heritage? Plenty! Agricultural chemicals, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and fertilizers, should only be used when needed following label directions to the letter. Insecticides should be used sparingly only when a specific pest has been identified and its damage is unacceptable. It doesn't matter whether the problem is a single rose bush in the back yard or a couple hundred acres of farm crops. We back yard gardeners and farmers are in the same boat. Some people are beginning to use Integrated Pest Management techniques to reduce chemical dependencies. If you are uncertain about the need or the use of any garden chemical contact the Master Gardeners. They are trained to assist you with up to date information. Fertilizers are often necessary to boost yields. A soil test will reveal just how much fertilizer and what composition is needed along with amount to use. Lawns are sometimes heavily fed and if overdone, the excess winds up in the water shed. Fertilizing lawns makes them grow faster which means more mowing. A soil test can be arranged for a small fee from the Cooperative Extension office. Looking around Yates County shows that many of our farmers understand the importance of using effective soil conservation practices to their advantage in controlling soil and chemical run-off. They are to be commended. Preservation of our fresh water heritage is all our responsibility. If you are on a private septic system that hasn't been recently checked, how about scheduling an inspection in early spring with a septic system contractor? In our county, a big threat to lake pollution comes from private septic systems. Residential lake development as well as in other areas near our lakes effects clean water as septic systems age and perhaps breakdown. Most
of us are very proud to live where we live. Our proximity to wonderful
clean lakes makes our communities desirable to raise our families.
Let's do all we can to ensure this clean fresh water heritage is around
for generations to come. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
