Aquatic Invasive Species Surveys & Monitoring 2024
We are continuing our Aquatic Invasive Species Survey & Monitoring program in the summer of 2024!
Conservancy staff and volunteers will take to the water several days each month from June to September at various locations around Chautauqua Lake to re-survey areas where aquatic invasives have been previously reported and to survey potential new sites for them as well. If any invasives are found, we’ll report them through the online reporting portal iMapInvasives (www.imapinvasives.org), and then carefully remove and dispose of them.
The public is encouraged and welcome to join us for these surveys! (Note: participants will need to bring his/her own kayak or canoe and life jacket.) Our survey dates and locations for 2024 (weather permitting) are:
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UPDATE #1: The location of the August 25th survey has been changed from Greenhurst to Mayville, with a launch site of Lakeside Park near the Chautauqua Belle.
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UPDATE #2: The location of the September 7th survey has been changed from Ashville Bay to Mayville, with a launch site of Lakeside Park near the Chautauqua Belle.
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UPDATE #3: The location of the September 12th survey has been changed from Prendergast Bay to McCrea Point/Celoron, with a launch site of the McCrea Point Park kayak launch.
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UPDATE #4: The location of the September 21st survey has been changed from Mayville to Celoron, with a launch site of Celoron Park.
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UPDATE #5: The September 26th survey (originally listed as TBD) will be of the Long Point area of the lake with a launch site of the Long Point State Park boat ramp.
If you’re interested in joining us for any of these surveys (or have questions), let us know by emailing ais@chautauquawatershed.org with your name, contact info, and date/s you would like to participate. Though participation is free, registration helps us to know how many people we can expect to have on hand and better “map out” our surveys.
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We're also offering an informational presentation on Monday, June 17th at 4pm where you can learn what invasive species are, how and why they pose a threat to our local ecosystem and economy, and which invasives have been identified in Chautauqua Lake to date. You’ll also hear about our ongoing efforts within the community to prevent the arrival of new invasive species and manage the ones that are already present.
Those interested in the presentation can attend either in person at our office at 71 East Fairmount Avenue in Lakewood or online via Zoom. To attend in person, RSVP to info@chautauquawatershed.org or 716-664-2166. Due to limited seating, in-person attendance is limited to 15 individuals. To attend via Zoom, use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81308749122?pwd=v966QPXa6TmfPW1xfjnrRqoaVpoPCb.1
More information on our AIS Survey & Monitoring program (and an AIS reporting form) can be found here.
This program is partially funded by the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance.
