If you use weed mats or are considering...please read. The DEC is attempting to implement an onerous permit process that will significantly limit weed mat use and flexibility, and allows DEC uncontrolled access to your property. Individual comments are crucial in stopping this. If you know people on other lakes, please forward. The deadline for you to write your opposition to this is 10/20! We have included a paragraph that you may cut and paste to your email at the bottom of this notice. Thank you
Conesus Lake Association Position Paper re: Weeds and use of Benthic Mats
Position: Conesus Lake, like most lakes, has portions of the shoreline where dense aquatic vegetation significantly hampers dockside recreation. In addition, the vegetation creates stagnant water which provides a haven for organisms potentially harmful to humans and promotes the growth of undesirable filamentous algae. It is paramount to the health of the lake and the satisfaction of our lake residents that we have a weed control method that is readily available, effective, and easy to use. We believe that Benthic Weed Mat use, uncontrolled by regulations, is that solution.
Over the years residents have used many techniques in an attempt to control dockside vegetation including: cutting, hand pulling, ripping by rakes, roto-tilling, dredging, suction harvesting, mechanical harvesting, benthic barriers, and many other creative methods.
It should be noted that several of these techniques are not only ineffective, but create numerous water quality issues for the lake. Any effort to cut, pull or harvest results in floating weeds and/or shoreline aggregation of rotting weeds which not only are unsightly and smelly, but encourage the growth of bacteria and other harmful conditions to the lake.
A study of the available science has convinced the CLA that benthic barriers provide a significant environmental improvement over these traditional techniques, while having little negative environmental impact. “Diet for a Small Lake” (published by the DEC and NYS FOLA), page 129, describes benthic barriers as.... “among the safest and least detrimental in-lake physical control technique (for aquatic vegetation) and often offers the greatest public satisfaction”. Additionally, Conesus Lake has had a high utilization of benthic mats for well over a decade, with no noticeable impact to the fishery or ecology of the lake.
Please voice your opposition by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and in the Subject line, reference the Proposed changes to the Benthic Mat Regulations BEFORE October 20th!
You can copy and paste the following: