CLEARWATERS: Regional partnerships for Oneida Lake watershed

Water resource management frequently extends beyond county and agency boundaries, often making regional collaboration an absolute necessity. Partnerships established among key decision-makers often serve as a fundamental building block for successful environmental strategies.

In our case, the Oneida Lake Task Force, consisting of agencies and organizations throughout the watershed, has served as a guiding influence in building and maintaining momentum with the Oneida Lake Watershed Management Plan. These groups have effectively looked beyond county and agency borders to collaborate on regional water resource issues.

Four years ago the Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board (CNY RPDB) launched a project, funded by NYSDEC, to develop a strategy for the southern area of the Oneida Lake watershed. The goal of this project was to initiate a watershed management planning process, and we started in the most populated portion of the watershed. The southern region extends the full width of the lake, from the southern shoreline to Route 5.

An important first step in this initiative was to identify the major stakeholders. We consequently developed the Oneida Lake Task Force, a partnership of the primary decision-makers throughout the watershed, including agencies, organizations, nonprofit and homeowner groups.

These partnerships have formed the foundation of our work and have contributed to the success of the Oneida Lake watershed program to date. As a result of these collaborations, many groups are working together to identify common goals and to share resources and talents. For example, representatives of the soil and water conservation districts, county and regional planning agencies, the Tug Hill Commission and other groups are currently collecting information for the State of the Lake and Watershed Report and are developing a regional strategy for incorporating agricultural priorities in the Management Plan.

Issues of concern

The issues in the Oneida Lake watershed are challenging and diverse. Cormorants, zebra mussels, and water chestnut are relatively recent uninvited guests that have dramatically modified the lake's biological composition and chemistry. Oneida Lake enjoys a reputation as a fishing treasure, providing anglers with more fish per acre than any other lake in the Northeast. With a recent decline in walleye and yellow perch populations, fisheries management has become a focus of the Oneida Lake Association and the science community. Additional issues include the overuse of the lake resources from boating, jet skiing, and other recreational opportunities.

The 800,000-acre watershed has diverse ecological characteristics, geology, and human influences. Urban and agricultural land use in the southern portion of the watershed has led to a decision by the Task Force Technical Committee to select sediment and nutrient runoff as the central focus of the 1999 tributary monitoring program. The extent of this monitoring will be expanded in 2002.

Plans for the future

CNY RPDB recently secured grants from USEPA—thanks to the efforts of Congressmen Walsh and Boehlert—and from NYSDEC's Environmental Protection Fund. This funding has allowed us to expand our efforts from the southern region project to a full, six-County watershed management plan. CNY RPDB is collaborating with the Herkimer-Oneida Counties Comprehensive Planning Program, Cornell Cooperation Extension of Onondaga County, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and many additional groups to achieve several primary goals over the next three years, including:

As we approach the management planning process, the Oneida Lake watershed community is following in the footsteps of many other New York State lake communities that have completed their own management plans over the past 20 years. Numerous challenges are anticipated in the months to come. Watershed municipalities and stakeholders are encouraged to take a leading role in the planning process to ensure that the project remains a grassroots initiative. This is an ambitious task, as the watershed covers portions of six counties and sixty-nine municipalities.

A multi-county, basin-wide tributary monitoring program will also be implemented this winter through a unique partnership between the CNY RPDB, a county planning department, two county soil and water conservation districts, a county health department, the Cornell Biological Field Station, and the NYSDEC. The monitoring program will involve laboratory and on-site analyses of samples collected at the base of each primary tributary. Two years of water quality data will help us to prioritize the tributaries that contribute the greatest amount of nonpoint source pollution loading to Oneida Lake.

The success of these projects will be based on continued regional partnerships. The CNY RPDB is strengthening alliances with influential watershed organizations and municipalities to achieve our program goals. We will take one step at a time—committed to cooperation, communication, and teamwork—as we forge ahead with the management plan.

What we hope to accomplish

The development of a watershed management plan is a critical step in long-term protection of local water resources. The plan will provide a unique opportunity for all interested parties to identify the key water resource issues of concern, to rank these issues, and to discuss specific plans for the protection and improvement of Oneida Lake and its tributaries

Planning for the future is more than just common sense; in most lake communities, enhanced partnerships, local-level participation, and a well-orchestrated strategy for watershed management also provide greatly improved opportunities for State and Federal funding.

As part of this process, information about the natural environment and cultural influences will be summarized in one comprehensive report that can then serve as a convenient reference for local decision-makers. With a bit of work, program efficiency will also be strengthened, and communication among watershed stakeholders will be nurtured as we work together for a common goal.

Our combined efforts are designed to reduce nonpoint source pollution. High quality water and the protection of critical areas such as wetlands, fish spawning areas, and wildlife habitat, will help to maintain land values, boost recreational opportunities, and strengthen the local economy. In addition, our knowledge of water chemistry and stream characteristics will be enhanced through the continuation of tributary water quality monitoring.

Lessons learned along the way

We are at the early stages of a long-term process, but we have already learned a number of important lessons along the way. The following summary of "guiding principles" will continue to shape our management strategy:

Look beyond your borders In watershed planning, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, regional cooperation can hold more weight than the efforts of a single municipality. Watershed management is based on hydrologic, not political boundaries. Progress can be enhanced with regional partnerships, interagency cooperation, and intermunicipal strategies. When tackling water resource issues, a regional approach simply makes more sense.

Maintain a healthy respect for economic potential Environmental protection yields a greater return when presented as a package with an economic twist. A well-respected principle is that comprehensive, long-term planning for a healthy lake environment will attract business, tourism, and recreation dollars to strengthen the local economy.

Two heads (or more) are better than one Encourage participation among all watershed stakeholders. Volunteer participation on the Task Force committees has served as the backbone to the success of this project. We hope this will also be the case when the municipalities and other stakeholders take on a more dominant role. Our continued strategy is to renew and nurture relationships among all watershed organizations to enhance the management plan.

Keep the program planning at the local level Top-down management is much easier in the short term but frustrating and ultimately not worth the effort in the long term. The greatest potential for watershed protection lies with the local elected officials and stakeholders who will ultimately make the water resource decisions affecting their municipalities.

Water runs downhill It is very difficult to manage only one segment of a stream or only one portion of the watershed. How can sedimentation issues at the base of a tributary be dealt with effectively when the problem originates with land use practices in the upstream communities? Watershed planning, water quality monitoring, and homeowner education are much more effective when approached from a watershed or sub-watershed basis.

Plan, implement, evaluate, communicate, communicate, communicate Success in program planning and implementation is based on careful budget analysis, attention to detail, shared resources for maximum program efficiency, and constant evaluation of successes and obstacles along the way. Make a conscientious effort to ensure that all key players are well informed when new projects are implemented.

It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness Think positively! Nurture your committee "sparkplugs" and encourage their continued participation. Stay flexible. Be patient. And listen to team partners who are not afraid to dream. Encourage the forward-thinkers who can transform a mediocre plan into a positive experience with diverse widespread benefits.