The Town of Caroga has been pre-notified that of a pending grant award in the amount of awarded $65,000 for invasive species prevention.
The project is being funded through a funded by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund through a competitive grant administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Invasive Species Program.
The funding will be used over a three-year period (4/15/26-4/14/29/27).
The program will provide inspections of watercraft at convenient locations and free decontaminations of boats at risk of transmitting aquatic invasive species. This will help boaters comply with the state law passed in 2022 requiring boats to be clean, drained, and dry and certified as free from invasive species by.
Such invasive species threaten the recreational viability of many lakes and streams in New York as they are easily spread through boat bilge, engine cooling water, bait wells, and trailers.
The Town program utilizes trained stewards to inspect watercraft and a hot water high-pressure decontamination station to aid in removal.
The Town partners with DEC, and the Adirondack Watershed Institute to assist boaters seven days a week from Memorial Day through Columbus Day.
They anticipate educating 4,500 visitors, inspecting over 2,700 watercraft, and decontaminating over 250 watercraft each season.
The project will inspect boats at the DEC launches at West Lake (Canada Lake) and East Caroga Campsite, at Caroga Marina. The local system also provides a free boat inspection and a decontamination station across from the Town Hall for the convenience of area residents and visitors.
The Caroga region is a gateway not only to local lakes but to the Southern Adirondacks via Routes 10 and 29A.
Town Supervisor John Glenn noted that, “For decades the Town has battled Eurasian Milfoil infestations in the East and West Caroga Lakes and fought to keep the surrounding lakes free of invasive species. We have made tremendous progress in removing the milfoil and we don’t want to move backwards.”
Marcus Harazin, Co-Chair of the Caroga Lakes Management Committee wrote the grant application.
He noted that, “The proposal was a true community effort. Preventing invasive species infestations is extremely challenging. The project proposal would not have been possible without strong continued support from the Town and the assistance of the Canada Lakes Conservation Association and support from project partners including lake associations from Canada Lake, West and East Caroga Lake, Stoner Lake, Pleasant Lake, and Pecks Lake, and the Town of Stratford, Caroga Marina, Canada Lake Marina, area businesses, the Adirondack Watershed Institute, the Fulton County Soil and Water District, the Adirondack Park Invasive Species Plant Program, and the Adirondack Lakes Alliance.”
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