What Is A Lake Management Plan?
(Click Here to See the 2022 Paradox Lake Management Plan)
A lake management plan is a living document developed by a group of concerned citizens along with local, state, and federal agencies, businesses, non-profits, or academic institutions. The process is usually initiated by a visible problem on a lake with the goal to improve the lake.
The group uses the plan to organize, focus and coordinate efforts, consider a wide range of social, economic, political, and cultural aspects, define the desired results, determine what needs to change and what steps are needed to achieve the desired results.
A successful lake management plan will:
assess lake conditions
identify the water quality problems
determine management actions that will address short-term issues and long-term causes of lake problems
build local support to address lake issues
develop a funding base to support the implementation of these management actions
educate lake residents, user groups, and other stakeholders about the lake
Monitoring
A good lake management plan is based on data collected to measure water quality conditions, assess lake uses, and evaluate lake perception by lake residents, users, and others affected by the lake.
Lake associations collect bacteria data, conduct invasive species surveillance, survey lake association members, and conduct sampling in cooperation with the DEC. Monitoring data forms the basis for comprehensive water quality assessments.
Lake Management Actions
Lake assessments provide a basis for beginning and evaluating lake management actions, prioritizing lake association activities and educating lake residents and lake association membership.
Education and Stewardship
A key component to a successful lake management plan is community support.