The city of Auburn keeps a close watch throughout the year on the water level in Owasco Lake.
City must balance interests while following Army Corps of Engineers guidelines
It’s a sometimes complicated process, balancing the city’s interest in the lake as its drinking water source with the interests of people who use the lake for recreation and property owners. Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason says the city can regulate the level of the lake by managing the outflow through the Owasco Lake Outlet Dam, but he says the city must stay within guidelines set by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Department of Municipal Utilities Director Seth Jensen recently made a presentation on the city’s efforts to regulate the lake level to the City Council.
Owasco Lake Elevation Presentation by Ted Baker on Scribd
Related: City of Auburn working with stakeholders to protect Owasco Lake, the city’s drinking water source
How will the 9 Element Plan protect the Owasco watershed?
The Cayuga County Planning and Economic Development Department and other stakeholders will present their draft 9 Element Plan for protecting the watershed at a public hearing Monday at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES at 6 p.m. The plan outlines steps to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake.
If the state approves the plan, it will pave the way for grant money for watershed protection efforts. A 9 Element plan for the Seneca and Keuka Lake Watershed was recently completed and sent to the state.
Listen to my full Inside the FLX conversation with Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason below.
Related: Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council updates Auburn City Council on its efforts
