A long-planned stream restoration project along the Owasco Inlet in the Town of Locke has cleared a major hurdle after receiving final permit approval from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council Executive Director Dr. Adam Effler announced that project partners have completed the permitting process required to move forward with the Critical Streams Restoration Project.
The project is designed to stabilize sections of the Owasco Inlet streambank and reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients entering Owasco Lake, a critical drinking water source for the region.
Effler said the project has been listed on the DEC website and was also published locally to allow for public comment. Final approval arrived this week.
“We are ready for project implementation later this summer,” Effler said.
The Watershed Management Council plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the project through ongoing monitoring efforts that have been conducted in the watershed for several years.
“We have a tributary monitoring program that has been facilitated over the last several years, and we expect will be ongoing for the next couple of years that will be leveraged to measure performance of that particular project with both upstream and downstream monitoring locations,” Effler said.
According to Effler, one of the project’s primary objectives is reducing sediment and nutrient loading into Owasco Lake. Researchers hope monitoring data collected before and after construction will demonstrate measurable improvements in water quality.
The restoration project is part of broader efforts by the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council and its partners to protect water quality throughout the watershed using what Effler described as a science-based approach.
“The Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council uses a data-driven approach, leveraging data and science to make management decisions for the protection of the watershed and the lake,” he said.
Construction on the Critical Streams Restoration Project is expected to begin later this summer.
