Galway Lake Campers' Association Website
On April 1 the GLCA closed the winter control gate on the Dam in order to complete the lake refill process. There is still significant ice on the lake but we anticipate that it will be gone in a few days.
The lake is coming up at a rate of 1.5” – 2” per day and with the increased rainfall predicted the lake should rise at an increased rate during the coming week.
The level of Galway Lake at the control tower is currently 18’ and we will hold the lake level between 18’ and 18.6’ until the ice is gone. Currently, the ice is still rather thick and we estimate it will be another couple of weeks before it is gone.
During the refill process, you may note that there is an outflow of water from the Dam. This is due to weather conditions, the weather forecast, and the daily inflow rate all of which impact total lake volume and the need to closely monitor and adjust the Dam controls to maintain the targeted lake level.
Kurt Ladu monitors the Dam daily, many times more than once a day, during the refill process. He adjusts the Dam controls as needed to maintain lake level targets during this period of time. As soon as the ice is gone Kurt will close the gates and bring the lake up an additional two feet to the summer operating level. Last year the ice left Galway Lake on April 12 and we are hoping for an earlier date this year if the weather cooperates.
We want to remind you that the GLCA is in the process of refilling Galway Lake for the upcoming 2009 season. Galway Lake’s level has risen significantly during the past week. This was made possible by the brief warming period we experienced accompanied by a rain event in the Galway Lake watershed.
This increase in water level has significantly degraded the condition of ice in certain areas throughout the lake. Please remember that we will continue to refill the lake and that the ice condition will be ever changing and thus should be considered unsafe. Anyone who ventures out on the lake does so at his or her own peril.
The GLCA was informed today of the Decision and Order passed down by the Supreme Court, State of New York, County of Saratoga that our requested order to enjoin the Trosans or their agents from removing the chain link fence installed by the GLCA on Lot 22 was granted and the Trosan’s cross-motion was denied.
The Decision and Order has been posted below if you would like to review the Judge’s decision in this matter. This is a positive result and the first step in resolving the two issues which we are currently working on within the legal system.
During the latter part of the 2008 season, the GLCA Board approved the funding of a project to test the use of a weighted Geotextile fabric mat to suppress the growth of Eurasian Milfoil and other weeds. The site selected for the test was West Bay Cove, which has an extremely dense growth of Eurasian Milfoil that impedes all forms of recreational activity.
The objective of this test is to create a relatively weed-free path running the length of the cove to permit the transit of recreational boats. Ed Forner agreed to chair the project and, with the assistance of Andy McPherson, provided for the planning, material acquisition, and installation of the mat.
Ed and Andy completed the installation of the mat during the week of January 5, 2009. The project was scheduled for early January to optimize the chance for a successful installation on the lake bed, but this timing required most of the work to be done in freezing temperatures while wearing snowshoes. The mat measures 12.5 feet wide by almost 900 feet long and is weighed down with 90 PVC tubes filled with rebar that are lashed to the mat every 10 feet.
Ed and Andy deserve a great deal of gratitude for their outstanding efforts on this project and hopefully, we will have a weed-free path for recreational boating in the West Bay Cove during the 2009 season. We will inform you of the results of this project and how it may apply to the treatment of other locations within the lake during the coming season.
The process to refill Galway Lake for the 2009 season has commenced. The lower gate has been closed and the lake will be brought up three feet over the coming weeks. Please be aware that the condition of the ice will be very unpredictable during this period of time and for your safety we advise that you stay off the ice.
Upon retaining this initial water we will continue to fill the lake, at a slower rate, as our focus is a full lake for the 2009 season. This continued fill means the lake level will be unstable and thus the ice will be unsafe.
Kurt Ladu has reported that the 2008 lake drawdown was completed just before the end of November. We will hold the lake at its current level until mid-January to allow for the installation of a weed control measure we are testing in West Bay Cove. In mid-January, we will close the gate and bring the lake up slowly to its proper winter level.
During this time and throughout the entire winter please do not rely on the ice to be safe. We also want to remind all members that ice fishing is not allowed on Galway Lake. As noted on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s website Galway Lake is a private lake and the GLCA does not allow ice fishing.
The GLCA Board of Directors has set November 1, 2008, as the date, this year’s lake drawdown will commence. Please make sure that you have removed all boats that may become stranded due to a lack of water prior to this date.
Please note that the first priority for the lake level committee in the spring is to ensure a full lake for the 2009 summer season. Please do not leave any docks or boat lifts on the lake bottom as they may be damaged by ice during the spring refill.
The GLCA Boat Launch Facility is now open for use by members of the Association. The launch is located on the south side of the Galway Lake Dam and is available by appointment only.
To schedule a time to have your boat retrieved this fall please contact Kurt Ladu at 518.269.0397.
For full information on the use of the launch ramp please review the boat launch procedures on the GLCA site.