The 2022 Follensby Clear Pond Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management Project Report is now available to the public. The report summarizes data, management techniques, and program highlights for the Follensby Clear Pond AIS Removal Project (FCAISRP). This project was made possible through three consecutive $15,000 grants from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission.
Over the first three years of the project, the Upper Saranac Foundation (USF) has dedicated 847 dive hours and has removed 14,652 pounds of Eurasian watermilfoil from Follensby Clear Pond. While the ultimate objective is to eradicate the aquatic invasive species from the 495-acre pond, USF has established a clear track record of long-term management of AIS. Each successive year of management will yield less AIS plant growth from the pond and a year-to-year decline in total area and amount of plant material removed.
As part of the project, sonar bottom data collection was performed completing recordings of the entire pond. Maps were generated characterizing bottom contours, vegetation, and bottom hardness. Plant surveys, mapping, and project monitoring was completed throughout the project to provide data on the efficacy and success of this project and detect changes over time.
The expansion of management at Follensby Clear Pond prevents the export of AIS downstream toward USL, protecting shore owners’ investments from infestation. A planned third-year effort to “front load” intensive AIS harvesting management in 2023 will reduce AIS infestations to manageable levels. USF is committed to supporting additional management efforts in subsequent years, ensuring the long-term sustainability of this project.
Click here to view the complete report.
The FCAISRP is part of a larger watershed protection program, developed by USF, that uses a combination of AIS prevention, monitoring, management, control activities, and education to inhibit AIS spread.