April 19, 2023
The increasing pressure on the water quality of our Lake calls for increased protection, said LGA president Eric Siy during an Earth Week interview with News10 ABC on April 18, 2023. The Lake Protector initiative, created by the LGA in 2022, addresses this mounting need.
Three years ago, we received our first red flag in the form of a harmful algal bloom (HAB) spotted in the Lake. “It’s a collection of algae that is very visible,” Siy explained. “It’s green, not crystal clear and blue like the Lake we love. That was the canary in the coal mine that we need to do more to protect our Lake.”
The waters of Lake George are both a draw for visitors and the primary drinking water source for the area. “Lake George enjoys the highest designation for water quality that the state of New York gives. It’s a Class AA-Special Lake. Very few water bodies in the state have that designation. And it deserves special protection because of that,” said Siy.
The biggest threat to the Lake’s water quality is the billions of gallons of contaminated stormwater runoff that enter the Lake each year as a result of climate change. The LGA has and continues to develop solutions to fight against Lake water contamination, but, as Siy said, “it will take everyone to succeed.”