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 20th, 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 100th 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 501c, 3 organization, all contributions are tax-deductible to the
extent allowed by law
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