Upper Saranac Foundation

You are here: Home / Newsfeeds / What We Accomplished in 2021

What We Accomplished in 2021

by

While many of us are struggling with the world’s prolonged state of uncertainty, we at the Upper Saranac Foundation (USF) can be considered a consistent beacon for environmental protection with a focus on water quality.

Reflecting back on some of what was accomplished in the Upper Saranac Lake (USL) watershed, here are just a few of our 2021 highlights:

  • Received over $50,000 in grant funding for the protection of the watershed
  • Continued the reduction aquatic invasive species (AIS) on Upper Saranac Lake to record low levels — from 18 tons in 2004 to a rare plant in 2021, and to levels not seen since its discovery in the early 1990’s
  • Continued the reduction of AIS in Fish Creek Campground – from 9.5 tons in 2016 to 213 pounds in 2021
  • Prevented over 3,000 pounds of AIS from floating downstream past the Fish Creek containment booms
  • Decreased AIS found on boats being taken out of the water at Fish Creek campground by 92% over the last five years through harvesting efforts in and around the campground launch
  • Harvested 7,038 pounds of AIS from Follensby Clear Pond, totaling 13,638 pounds over the past two years
  • Harvested 7,000 pounds of AIS from Fish Creek tributary, upstream of the campground
  • Collected input from nearly 300 individuals to guide and develop a watershed management plan
  • Developed a draft watershed management plan that includes seven primary goals and 58 action items
  • USL and Fish Creek Campground Watershed Stewards inspected 3,936 boats and educated nearly 8,000 visitors about AIS
  • Watershed Stewards performed 186 boat decontaminations at USF’s AIS decontamination station on USL
  • Watershed Stewards intercepted 15 confirmed AIS on boats and trailers
  • Expanded the pollinator gardens at the USL Boat launch
  • 23 volunteers participated in the annual Asian Clam survey, taking nearly 700 sediment samples assuring that these invasive mollusks are not present in USL
  • Maintained the lake’s water levels to a fluctuation of less than 6 inches throughout the summer
  • Actively pursued state funding through grants for the improvement of the Bartlett Carry Dam

To learn more about the Upper Saranac Foundation, visit our web page at usfoundation.net.