Category: Uncategorized

The Lake Preservation Committee is conducting a test to determine if barley straw may help to suppress the growth of filamentous algae growing in North Bay and the West Bay Cove. Barley Straw is thought to have chemical properties that will suppress the growth of algae spores and has been used successfully in other bodies of water.

Jim Lombard from the Harts Section has led an effort to install 4 mesh tubes of loosely packed barley straw measuring 20’ x 2’ in three lake locations impacted by the extensive infestation of Green Filamentous Algae during the 2008 season. The mesh tubes are anchored below the surface of the water with cement blocks and marked with a floating bottle. One of the mesh tubes has been installed in the West Bay Cove and a second tube is in the North Bay Cove. The other 2 tubes are in the shoreline waters in front of Jim’s camp in the northern end of the Harts Section.

The impact of the Barley Straw on the growth of the algae will be evaluated during the 2009 season as well as other research which is currently underway in relation to this issue.

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.

Trosan v. GLCA decision

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.