The Upper Saranac Watershed Boat Launch Stewards intercepted aquatic invasive species (AIS) 10 times last summer, preventing the spread of these threats. The stewardship program includes coverage at two New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) public boat launches: Upper Saranac Lake at Back Bay and Fish Creek Public Campground.
In 2023, stewards discussed AIS spread prevention measures with 5,673 launch users and educated them about spread prevention practices. They conducted 3,004 surveys and decontaminated 391 high-risk watercraft using the Upper Saranac Foundation’s (USF) high-pressure hot-water decontamination unit located at the Back Bay launch. The Upper Saranac Lake decontamination station was the highest-performing station for non-mandatory sites in the Adirondacks.
Funding for the Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) Watershed Stewards program comes from NYSDEC and is supplemented through a $20,000 grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission in a collaborative effort with the USF and the Town of Santa Clara.
The Upper Saranac Watershed Stewardship Program is an integrated AIS spread prevention program seeking to reduce or prevent the spread of AIS from entering and departing the watershed. This is accomplished by inspecting individual watercraft and hand-removing plant and animal materials, and indirectly by raising public awareness of AIS concerns.
One of the most successful accomplishments of the USF’s AIS management program is supported by data retrieved from the stewards at the Fish Creek launch. There was a 94% decrease in the number of boats found to have AIS when being retrieved or taken out of the water from Fish Creek between 2016 to 2023. This is attributed to USF’s AIS harvesting management in Fish Creek Campground.
The report also identifies where watercraft are coming from before entering the Upper Saranac Lake watershed. There is a wide range of previously visited water bodies, many of which have a high abundance of AIS. Without the last line of defense from our stewards, our lake is vulnerable to AIS invasions — some potentially more harmful than milfoil.
USF’s 2023 Watershed Stewardship Report is now available on our website and can be found by clicking here.