Letter from Chip Northrup
Hats Off to Rhonda, Doug
When the presence of harmful algae blooms was first detected in Lake Otsego, many of the locals, myself included, did their best impersonations of headless chickens in a one-act play, titled “The Sky Is Falling.” No one seemed to know how to respond. Not so Rhonda and Doug Willies. They contacted one of the leading experts on lake science, Kiyoko Yokota, who happens to be a biology professor at SUNY Oneonta, and they, at their own expense and initiative, began collecting samples of suspected “blooms” to send to a certified lab to be tested. When the results came back positive, the Willies came up with a plan of action: to gather the various lake groups and organizations together to devise a state approved and funded plan to address the increasing threat of HABs to the lake’s ecosystem, to wildlife, pets and humans. Including humans that swim in the lake or occasionally fall out of rowing shells.
The conventional wisdom is that, when faced with a crisis, people will rise up to address it. The unconventional truth is that never happens—it’s always someone or some-ones that are wise enough, far-sighted enough, and courageous enough to actually do something. In this case, when Otsego got HABs, we were all fortunate enough to get the Willies to do something about it.
To fund and organize this effort, the Willies recruited Jeff Katz, Harry Levine and the Community Foundation of Otsego County, along with donors Lou Allstadt, Melinda Hardin, Lou Hager, Michael and Cory Moffat, the Howarths, Waldo and Candy Johnston, Nancy Northrup and other folks (including some random dude that occasionally falls out of a rowing shell) that don’t want to see Otsego Lake turn into pea soup. If you prefer your pea soup in a bowl, please donate to the lake fund at the Community Foundation and keep Otsego clear. www.cfotsego.org.
Chip Northrup
Cooperstown
Chip Northrup’s kind recognition of our contributions is greatly appreciated albeit overstated. In short, efforts to protect the watershed that nurtures Otsego Lake has been and must be a community effort. Triggered by the first Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), the Clark Foundation provided funding for the Biological Field Station (BFS) to acquire equipment to test for the toxins produced by cyanobacteria with additional monies raised from the community through the efforts of Sage Mehta and Michael Robinson. Concurrently and since the fall of 2022 the Watershed Supervisory Committee (WSC), comprised of volunteer representatives of the 4 municipalities that encompass the Otsego Lake Watershed, has been laser focused on pursuing a 9 Element Watershed Management Plan (9E Plan)— in addition to our traditional role of monitoring septic systems in the Lake Protection Zone.
The WSC is proud of the progress that we have made but it would not have been possible without the community in the broadest sense actively supporting those efforts. At the risk of omission: SUNY BFS, Otsego Lake Association, Otsego County Soil & Water District, Otsego County Conservation Association and other NFPs, the NYS DEC & DOS as well as our municipalities & county agencies have all played key roles.
Much of what has been accomplished to date has been “below the surface” but we are now entering the public outreach phase and encourage everyone to attend the first public meeting later this summer to learn more about what is being done and, most importantly, what you can do. In the interim and to that end we also encourage you to attend the 2nd Annual BFS Open House at 4pm on July 31st, join the Otsego Lake Association (OLA) & attend the OLA Annual Gathering at 9am on August 9th at the Otsego Lake Sailing Club.
In conclusion, we have always believed that we all share responsibility to be good stewards of the precious resources that nourish us. While the WSC has been successful in securing significant grants to support the development of the 9E Plan, matching funds are required to implement the prescribed best management practices (BMPs), support continuous water monitoring and provide for the ongoing management of the Otsego Lake Watershed and the 9E Plan. We respectfully ask that you join us in taking responsibility and ownership by making a contribution to the Otsego Lake Watershed Sustainability Fund and, if possible, consider making it a five year commitment: https://cfotsego.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1047
Sincerely,
Doug & Rhonda Willies