How preserving land protects Lake George’s waters

Lake George Land Conservancy’s $4M state-funded initiative to protect over 700 acres in Indian Brook watershed and 73 acres near town of Lake George

By Zachary Matson

More than 700 acres in Lake George’s Indian Brook watershed and 73 acres near the Town of Lake George are nearing permanent protection from the Lake George Land Conservancy, thanks to more than $4 million in state money.

The land conservancy was awarded a pair of grants last month under a state water quality program to purchase undeveloped land that contains important water resources. By preserving the land in its natural state, the conservancy aims to maintain the benefits of a stream buffered by undisturbed surrounding land.  

We asked LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn about the projects: 

How did LGLC identify these properties and why are they worth conserving?  

The LGLC routinely works with landowners who may be interested in conserving their land. As we analyzed the conservation benefits of these properties, they stood out as offering tremendous benefits for water quality protection, making them a strong fit for New York State’s water quality programs. We should also note, one of these grants provides funding for the LGLC to conserve additional properties that meet program criteria, but have not yet been identified.

Describe the properties and what makes them special

The grants will allow us to permanently protect about 850 acres of natural land, including 504 acres identified and committed that feature over 8,635 feet of Class-AA Special stream and 58 acres of wetland. One property includes 2,500 feet of lake shoreline. Most of these water features have a natural riparian buffer with a width of 300 feet or more, the highest standard. Beyond the water quality benefits, these lands protect natural habitat for plants and animals, protect the scenic beauty of Lake George and provide natural flood resilience.

What are the next steps to completing the conservation of these properties?

We need to take steps to make sure that title is in good order, get a survey, and perform an environmental inspection on each of these properties to be sure there are no possible contamination issues, which would be rare on undeveloped lands. This due diligence is reviewed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and once approved we can move forward with the acquisition. We’ve been working with landowners for each of the identified properties and are grateful for their patience and willingness to work alongside us throughout this process.

How does conserving land support water quality in Lake George?

Contaminants threatening the water quality of Lake George fre­quently enter the lake through storm­water runoff, ground seepage and the many streams that feed the lake. Land, when kept intact and in its natural state, is our greatest partner in protecting the Lake George water­shed. These natural lands absorb stormwater and filter contaminants before they reach the lake.

What risks exist if LGLC were not able to preserve these properties?

The specific risk of these properties is that they might be heavily logged or converted to residential use. Given the natural features of these lands, these activities would be detrimental to water quality by introducing impervious surfaces, pollutants, erosion, and so on. These properties have more than 8,000 feet of streams that are currently protected by healthy vegetative buffers. Any disturbance to these buffers and the streams would directly impact the quality of the water as it flows downstream and into Lake George. The additional benefits of intact habitat and scenic beauty would also be lost.

Combined, the state awarded LGLC $4.15 million to acquire the properties. How much more will the LGLC invest in their protection?

These grants are exclusively for land acquisition, and they require a 25% match. In accepting these awards, LGLC is committed to raising over $1 million in matching funds from our donors to make these projects happen. Our donors should feel great that their investment in land conservation at Lake George is being supported by the state in a big way.

What will become of the properties once acquired: How will they be managed and will there ever be public recreation opportunities associated with them?

The properties will be kept in a natural state and managed primarily to protect water quality, fulfilling the purpose of the grant program. We do not have immediate plans for public recreation, and any recreation in the future would need to be designed such that water quality benefits are maintained, keeping away from sensitive wetlands and avoiding stream corridors as much as possible. 

Photo at top: The Lake George Land Conservancy plans to purchase undeveloped land so that it can preserve important water resources in the Lake George basin.