About Us

A message from C. Walter Lender, LGA Executive Director

The Lake George Association was formed in 1885 by a small group of individuals who shared a common passion- fishing at Lake George. These individuals gathered together to initiate an Association of people who would lead others by their example for the betterment of the lake. Their goal was a simple one- to give back to the lake what it was giving to them. Their first project was to plan, finance, and carry out a program to restock the lake with the species of fish they enjoyed catching.

See Photo of the Meeting Minutes from the First Meeting on August 20^th, 1885

Recognizing that the health of the fishery depended on the quality of the lake water, members of the Association soon began to address the more obvious sources of pollution. In the days of the Great Estates, most food and supplies were produced locally. Due to the mountainous terrain, pigpens and livestock yards drained downhill to Lake George. LGA members encouraged and helped local farmers clean things up. In essence, they were initiating what we now call a “non-point source control program”.

As the larger land holdings began to be subdivided and lakeside populations expanded, more people began using the lake as their primary source of drinking water. Concerns about water purity demanded action. Again the Association took action. On behalf of the local towns, the Association retained sanitary inspectors to encourage replacement of outdoor privies with more sophisticated sanitary facilities. In the 1960’s, the Association advocated and achieved a ban on phosphate detergents, the first in New York State. Later they advocated construction of community sewage treatment plants for the most populous areas, a program that continues to this day.

Communications with government leaders at all levels has helped LGA advance proactive management of actions to protect lake water quality. In the 1940’s, LGA leaders influenced the state legislature to undertake the first series of technical studies of the lake. These studies are compiled in a book titled “Lake George” Complete Report of the New York State Joint Legislative Committee On Lake George Water Conditions. This report influenced several important initiatives, among them the establishment of the Lake George Law. More recently, state leadership has authorized the development of long-range plans for improved management of the watershed and the lake. Following two years of work with lake-based organizations, the “Plan for the Future of Lake George” was published in 1987. Currently in progress is the “Lake George Plan for the Next Century.” While the planning proceeds, the level of state and local participation in designing and constructing environmental remediation projects to improve Lake George is increasing significantly.

Rampant development reached the Lake George watershed when regulatory controls were in their infancy. The LGA supported promulgation of municipal planning and zoning programs, and members began monitoring local review processes. Faced with numerous large subdivisions and condominium proposals in the 1980’s, LGA sometimes resorted to legal action to ensure the inclusion of effective stormwater controls and wastewater treatment systems in development plans.

Eurasian Milfoil alerted lake users to the dangers of nuisance species infestations. The first milfoil beds were discovered a few months after the LGA’s 100^th birthday celebration. Within two months, LGA produced a workshop on state of the art weed control techniques, bringing much-needed information and expertise to decision makers, community leaders, business owners and residents. LGA continues to bring nuisance species experts experienced in using safe and effective control methods to Lake George.

Zebra Mussels were discovered in December 1999 offshore near Lake George Village. Bateau Below and Darrin Fresh Water Institute teamed up to remove them. LGA sought out the experts to provide the foundation for action. At the 2000 LGA Annual Meeting, representatives of U.S. Sea Grant and DFWI described the national and local situation to a crowd of lake users. LGA also began producing and distributing zebra mussel information and identification cards throughout the watershed. The program led to the creation of a Zebra Mussel Task Force, a coordinating committee of involved organizations that continues to expand with increasing voluntary participation.

Since 1957, LGA has produced its Newsletter to promote awareness of Lake George issues and to encourage voluntary participation in action-oriented problem solving. The LGA newsletter is distributed to government agencies, municipalities, legislators, and of course to its 5000 members. Recent issues of LGA News can be viewed on this site.

In the 1990’s, LGA moved to expand its programs on two fronts: to provide participatory educational programs for lake users and to undertake tangible Lake Saving Projects to remedy known environmental problems.

LGA’s Floating Classroom, which is provided annually to over 1000 local school children, is augmented by a community outreach geared to helping property owners undertake lake-saving projects at home. New in 2001 is an introduction of a volunteer stream monitoring program for students and adults.

Lake-saving projects presently include stabilization of eroding stream banks, pond reclamation for stormwater retention, installation of roadside stormwater catchments, wetland enhancement, and planning for delta reduction projects. These projects often are undertaken in cooperation with local communities and neighborhood groups. Financing is accomplished with the help of public and private grants as well as support of LGA members. LGA assists local municipalities by developing and following-up on grant proposals, and also provides assistance with project management services.

Today’s LGA is active on many fronts stemming from our mission of education, advocacy and broad-based community involvement. Examples of LGA’s recent involvement include:

• Leading participant in New York State’s Oversight Committee to develop the “Lake George –Planning for the Next Century”
• Active participant in stormwater and wastewater management planning and remediation
• Driving force behind 40+ recent remediation projects aimed at reducing runoff and sediment from entering Lake George
• Strong advocate for effective control and eradication of Eurasian watermilfoil. Helped initiate statewide Coalition of Lakes Against Milfoil (COLAM)
• Initiator of zebra mussel awareness program, including damage prevention strategies
• Member of New York State Federation of Lake Associations and North American Lake Management Society
• Developer of “Floating Classroom” program on lake ecology and history for area students
• Proactive monitor of land use management processes employed by local municipalities
• Promoter of improved wastewater management through education, construction, and maintenance of effective treatment facilities
• Recipient of grants from New York State Environmental Protection Fund, Froehlich Foundation, Glens Falls Foundation, Lake Champlain Basin Program, and others, for projects dealing with storm water impoundment, sediment reduction, nuisance species control, community education, and other lake-saving projects
• Membership of over 5,000 voluntary caretakers of the lake, enhanced by a year-round professional staff

The Lake George Association is a non-profit membership organization that was created in 1885 to protect and preserve Lake George and its surrounding environs.  LGA Board and Executive Committee are elected by the membership at LGA Annual Meetings. The 24 member Board makes policy and major decisions, and oversees program implementation. These are carried out by committee members who volunteer their time, expertise and support and by LGA’s year-round staff. LGA’s programs and special projects are supported primarily by the voluntary contributions of its membership and by grants from corporations and private foundations. Registered by IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization, all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law