About Adirondack Explorer

The Adirondack Explorer is a nonprofit magazine covering the Adirondack Park's environment, recreation and communities.

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  1. Chris Foote says

    This article contradicts itself. The author goes on and on about development runoff causing higher silt content in the water. Yes! 110% true, along with other factors miles upstream; poor farming practices, govt agencies constantly digging ditches when township workers are bored, other development(parking lots, roofs, sidewalks) that increase the speed of water thereby grabbing more sediment as it flows downstream. But when they go on to say that the development is the largest factor eroding the shoreline it is just not true. By the time water has reached the actual shoreline it is too late to regulate, you need to stop the runoff before it crosses that last 100′ threshold. This is only possible if we regulate upstream, for now though a seawall or bulkhead is the best option for preventing erosion caused by water originating upstream. As for the biggest threat to the environment, when building “hard” seawalls/bulkheads it is actually the decrease in water access for aquatic mammals and reptiles. Keeping that in mind, installing a seawall with adequate wildlife access in a non tidal area, is actually a good thing. It will greatly decreases land recession and erosion caused by wave action.

    New York State as a whole needs to take a long look at ALL development in and around our water ways. Major irreversible changes are taking place and we need to hold each and everyone creating these changes accountable.

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