Citizen Led Environmental Action Network at Silver Lake
The resource and advocate for betterment of water quality at Silver Lake
CLEAN@SILVER LAKE STATE OF THE LAKE MEETING JUNE 6TH
CLEAN@Silver Lake invites you to our 2026 State of the Lake Meeting!
Join us to hear the latest updates and help advocate for projects to improve water quality and reduce nutrient loading and project our lake.
- Date: Saturday, June 6
- Time: 9:00–11:00 a.m.
- Location: Epworth Hall, 20 Janes Avenue, Silver Lake, NY 14549
KEY TOPICS AND SPEAKERS:
Dredging Update — Scott Schrader, Wyoming County Administrator: Pilot program progress, action plan and next steps.
Nutrient Reduction Efforts — Allan Fagan, Wyoming County Soil & Water Conservation District: Strategies to reduce phosphorus and runoff that fuel harmful algal blooms (HABs) and excessive weed growth. These efforts support clearer water, fewer toxic blooms, and a healthier lake for recreation and drinking water.
DEC Representative Tim Walsh
State Boat Launch Update - John Snyder, NYS Parks
Additional Invited Guests
- Rep. Claudia Tenney/Phillip Gow — Federal funding for dredging
- Senator George Borrello
- Wyoming County Supervisor James Brick
- Castile Town Supervisor Stan Klein
- Village of Perry Representative
Your presence demonstrates to our partners and elected leaders that the community is united and committed to protecting Silver Lake.
Attendee Bonuses
- FREE native plants and shrubs
- LED flares for sale for the July 3rd Ring of Fire - Order your flares today below. We have 250th Anniversary Red/White/Blue Flares and traditional Red Flares
ORDER FLARES HERE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
DREDGING UPDATE!
WITH DEC APPROVAL, DREDGIING COULD START NOVEMBER 2026!
- Pilot dredging is planned for late 2026, pending final NYSDEC permits.
- Phase 1 will focus on the north end outlet channel, from Walker Road bridge to the pedestrian bridge.
- $1 million is secured for Phase 1, with additional funding being pursued for future phases.
- Dredged sediment is planned for beneficial agricultural use, reducing disposal costs while addressing phosphorus‑rich legacy sediments.
- Based on successful pilot, future plans will be developed. CLEAN supports following the FX Brown Report – Lake Management Plan to remove heavy phosphorus laden material from the outlet, inlet and north end.
Why this matters: Removing nutrient‑laden sediments improves flow, reduces internal phosphorus recycling, and supports long‑term water quality improvement, including reduction in HABs.
LED FLARES – A Chemical Free Solution with No Pollution!
250TH ANNIVERSARY RED/WHITE/BLUE FLARES AND TRADITIONAL RED FLARES AVAILABLE
MAKE THE SWITCH TODAY - HALF THE PRICE OF AMAZON!
- RED/WHITE/BLUE FLARES 3 FLARES/$10**
- TRADITIONAL RED FLARES 4 FLARES/$15**
Switching to LED flares isn’t about ending a tradition, it’s about strengthening it and our commitment to protecting water quality.
****SUGGESTED DONATION PRICES Exclusive for lake members****
NOTE: Chemical flares produce toxins that negatively impact humans, plants and water bodies. Help keep our lake clean and reduce excess nutrients and toxins in our air by making the switch to LED flares.
NEW TOOLS AT THE STATE LAUNCH
CLEAN@SILVER LAKE has added weed‑removal tongs to the invasive‑species collection boxes. These field‑tested tools are used across NY to help stop the spread of invasives.
Protect the lake we love: CLEAN. DRAIN. DRY. Every launch. Every haul‑out.
Watercraft Inspection Steward Cameron Fiorino will be at Silver Lake Boat Launch starting May 22nd.
Schedule: Friday–Monday, 8:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m
CAMERON will be supporting the CLEAN/DRAIN AND DRY campaign to stop invasive species from entering our lake. Please help us welcome Cameron and support his efforts to:
- Conduct voluntary watercraft inspections
- Identify, remove, and properly dispose of aquatic plants
- Educate boaters and visitors about invasive species prevention
- Distribute educational materials
- Collect and record environmental data
- Support additional stewardship tasks as needed
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE THE 2019 WALLEYE REPORT
CLEAN WORKS TO ERADICATE JAPANESE KNOTWEED AROUND THE LAKE
CLEAN along with Wyoming County Water and Soil will be partnering with both the Silver Lake Golf Course and the Silver Lake Institute this year to address the knotweed in these locations.
- Japanese knotweed along shorelines and tributaries contributes to erosion and nutrient runoff.
- CLEAN supports targeted treatment programs that prioritize containment and long‑term control over disturbance.
- Managing shoreline/watershed invasives helps reduce sediment and phosphorus delivery to the lake.
- Continued targeted treatments are planned in 2026 at the Silver Lake Golf Course and the Silver Lake Institute. If you see knotweed development or areas please notify any member of the CLEAN group.
Knotweed's early spring emergence and dense growth give it a competitive advantage over native plants, enabling it to take over large areas. Its thick rhizomes can extend horizontally through soils for 60 ft. or more. Plants can emerge through concrete and asphalt, with potential impacts on infrastructure.
Eradication:
Knotweed can be very difficult to control, depending on the extent (size) and location of the infestation. A stem injection or foliar treatment with systemic herbicide is the most effective management. Individual plants can be dug, if all pieces of the root are removed. However, keep in mind that knotweed roots extend up to 6 ft. down and very small pieces of roots are able to re-sprout. For the same reason, be mindful when mowing or otherwise cutting knotweeds, as plant fragments transported on mowers, etc., will spread the species. Whether using chemical or manual means of removal, 3-5 years of treatment should be expected.
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT:
Japanese Knotweed – Profile and Resources | Invasive Species Centre
DEC WALLEYE SURVEY 3/25
The DEC is currently managing Silver Lake to produce and maintain a balanced walleye fisher. On the night of 3/25, the DEC conducted an early-spring boat electrofishing survey to evaluate the status of walleye in the lake. The fish are measured, weighed and scales are taken for age determination.
Since 2016, the DEC has been stocking the lake biennially. Click on the picture to read the 2019 DEC report. The 2026 report will be posted when complete.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE THE 2019 WALLEYE REPORT
LAKE WEEDS AND OTHER INVASIVES
DEC AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES UPDATE
Why DEC Conducted This Survey
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are non‑native plants and animals that can harm lake ecology, recreational use, and water quality The NYSDEC Region 9 AIS Monitoring Program, launched in 2022, focuses on early detection, tracking spread, and guiding management decisions in high‑priority inland lakes, including Silver Lake
- Mechanical harvesting can improve navigation and recreation in heavily impacted areas.
- Importantly, harvesting removes plant biomass and bound phosphorus from the lake system.
- Harvesting is considered a management tool, not a cure, and is most effective when integrated with nutrient‑reduction strategies.
- Evaluation of the Weed Harvester program to align with the NYS EPA Aquatic Invasive Report is ongoing.
- European Frog‑bit - recommendations for hand plucking is being investigated
- DEC Permit for Weed Harvesting for 2025 was denied.
DEC ANNOUNCES HAB ROADMAP
LINK: https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2026-03/HABroadmap.pdf
Although significant progress has been made in understanding and managing HABs and their causes and impacts, a deliberate plan is needed to guide DEC in its mission to reduce HAB occurrences. This roadmap provides that guide.
Roadmap Goal Statement: Design and implement monitoring approaches to identify the presence and abundance of cyanobacteria and other HABs or their indicators and support the evaluation of new HAB in-waterbody mitigation and reduction strategies. Develop monitoring approaches to improve data usage for various objectives (e.g., HAB screening,assessment, or modeling) and fill knowledge gaps.
Learn how to identify problematic algal blooms and, if warranted, to report them online through the DEC New York Harmful Algal Bloom System (NYHABS).
https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms/notifications
Ultrasonic Algae Control Systems
- Ultrasonic systems use specific sound frequencies to disrupt algae cell buoyancy.
- These systems do not add chemicals and are considered experimental/short‑term tools.
- Current consensus (including DEC guidance) is that ultrasonics may help locally, but do not replace nutrient reduction as a primary solution.
- Submission for Federal Grant by CLEAN was denied for 2025, plans to submit updated grant application based on feedback.
More information can be found at: MPC-Buoy | Monitor and Control Harmful Algal Blooms - LG Sonic
Other options to prevent blooms are being vetted as well. Go to: 4. Introduction to treatment strategies – HCB-2 for more information.
We look forward to the any progress and strategies DEC's Roadmap can offer to help clean up Silver Lake.
LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM (LWRP)
THE LWRP WILL BE THE GATEWAY FOR FUNDING CRITICAL LAKE/WATERHSED INIATIVES. DREDGING, WEED MITIGATION AND IMPROVEMENTS AT THE STATE LAUNCH ARE CLEAN PRIORITIES!
Th LWRP is a partnership with waterfront communities across NYS to address local waterway issues, improve water quality and natural areas, guide development to areas with adequate infrastructure and services away from sensitive resources, promote public waterfront access, and provide for redevelopment of underutilized waterfronts. The LWRP uses substantial public input and then serve as keys to unlock doors to resources to implement (for CLEAN@SILVER LAKE – dredging and weed mitigation and improvements at the State Launch are the focus). More information on the LWRP can be found at: https://dos.ny.gov/local-waterfront-revitalization-program
The draft for the Phase 1 of the LWRP has been distributed to the WAC committee for review/editin. . Five CLEAN members are on this board and have submitted updates to make sure our priorities are included.
Temperature Array
The temperature array is designed to accurately record depth- and time-dependent data from the lake at 15-minute time intervals throughout the year. These data are used to observe in-lake mixing events / ‘turn over’ in real time. In the warmer summer season, lake-wide mixing events are often precursors to algae blooms (nutrients from sediment in the lake sediment + delivery to the lake surface + sun light = algae growth). August 30, 2025 showed this missing event and the September HAB event was a direct result.