PRESERVE. ENHANCE. PROTECT.2020 Report to the Community

WHO WE AREThe Upper Saranac Foundation (USF) is a nonproft, science-guided advocacy organization addressing

priority threats that jeopardize the natural character, environmental quality, and recreational enjoyment of the Upper Saranac Lake watershed. We seek to preserve, enhance, and protect the natural beauty of the watershed through selective support of projects consistent with these objectives. Your financial support is critical to our role in

protecting the water quality of the watershed we live in.

WHAT WE DOUSF promotes and advocates projects by appealing to and educating the

Upper Saranac Lake community through targeted communications, including campaigns to:

RAISE AWARENESS of water quality issues and the role of these projects in preserving water quality.

EDUCATE the community about relevant laws and regulations (state and local) and how these apply to them.

PROMOTE attitudes of compliance, stewardship, and responsible use in order to preserve the lake and its watershed for future generations.

ESTABLISH beneficial relationships with state and local governments and agencies as a means to better achieve USF goals.

COMMUNICATE to the lake community the Foundation’s reliance on their support and donations.

MONITOR progress toward our goals and seek to continuously improve operational strategies to best achieve them, and communicate progress to the lake community.

Donations to the Upper Saranac Foundation are used for projects that benefit the watershed, protecting water quality for now and future generations.

Even though the world has changed for all of us due to COVID-19, USF has continued its full range of programs to achieve our mission of maintaining and protecting the pristine beauty of Upper Saranac

Lake and the surrounding watershed.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSTom Swayne, President • Eric Kuhn, Treasurer • Michelle Brown Garcia, Secretary

Lee Bailey • Koko Bickford • Terry Birdsong • James Bodnar • Philip R. Forlenza • Paul LeitnerAlexander Packard • Lynne Perry • Jim Schoff • Curt Stiles • Pam Werner • Ross Whaley • Barry Wolfe

CONTACTGuy Middleton, Lake Manager • PO Box 564, Saranac lake, NY 12983 • (518) 796-1052

lakemanager@usfoundation.net • Facebook & Instagram • usfoundation.net

AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) pose a major threat to the Upper Saranac Lake (USL) watershed.

They hurt the environment, reduce property values, hamper recreational activities, and have the potential to disrupt tourism. USF continues to be a leader in the fight against AIS, on both the local and national levels. USF’s Watershed Stewards continue to work collaboratively with the NYS Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention program and the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) Stewardship Program. With support though donations, USF expanded its AIS prevention measures in 2020. Watershed Stewards were posted at the Back Bay Boat Launch on Upper Saranac Lake and at the Fish Creek Boat Launch in the Fish Creek Campground.

Stewards helped prevent the spread of AIS by performing careful inspections of watercraft being launched and retrieved. They interacted with visitors, inspected boats, and removed plant and animal fragments, all while increasing visitor understanding about AIS. Last year alone, stewards inspected 3,835 watercraft, educated 7,809 visitors and intercepted 15 watercraft carrying AIS.

Elsewhere, USF implemented the use of an AIS decontamination unit. The equipment, located at the Back Bay boat launch, provides boaters with high-pressure, hot-water treatment of vessels and

equipment considered a risk to spread AIS. In 2020, a total of 200 decontaminations were performed, the seventh-most utilized non-mandated station in the Adirondacks. 2020 also saw USF increase its educational and outreach campaign through the AIS Prevention Partnership Program with private boat launch owners. The program encourages visitors to take the appropriate steps to meet the Clean, Drain & Dry standard of AIS spread prevention by visiting boat wash and decontamination locations prior to arriving at the USL watershed. Owners were provided informational signage and publications to be distributed to users of their launches.

USF coordinates AIS surveys to identify new invasive introductions. Second to prevention, the best defense against infestation is early detection. In 2020, the USL watershed was surveyed for various aquatic invasive plants and animals that could invade the watershed. Each August, for the past seven years, volunteers have been surveying for invasive Asian Clams. Last year, 20 volunteers took nearly 700 sediment samples and dedicated over 15 hours looking for Asian Clams — fortunately, none were found.

USF continued hand-harvesting milfoil in USL last year. Annual poundage removed from the lake has decreased from 18 tons in 2004 to an all-time low of under of 109 pounds in 2020. A total of 11,038 pounds of milfoil were removed from the USL watershed in 2020, including upstream tributaries. One of those tributaries, Follensby Clear Pond, saw 6,600 pounds of milfoil hand-harvested in 2020, thanks in large part to a $15,000 grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. With AIS propagating through fragmentation, Follensby Clear’s AIS infestation, located next to the pond’s outlet and near the newly enlarged culvert, was considered a major threat to USL.

After successfully removing 24 tons of milfoil from the Fish Creek Campground ponds between 2016 and 2019, USF received a $19,000 grant in 2020 from the Environmental Protection Fund’s Parks & Trails New York program to continue the work, upstream from the campground into the tributary, with over 3,700 pounds of milfoil removed.

USF also works to mitigate terrestial invasive species. By replacing non-native and invasive plants at bioretention sites at the USL boat launch with flowering pollinators, USF was able to remediate the stormwater runoff catch basins and create a thriving habitat for monarch catepillars and butterflies.

AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES

BARTLETT CARRY DAM

USF acquired the Bartlett Carry Dam in 1993 and has maintained it since. This critical structure maintains water levels for USL and supports recreation, wildlife preservation, fishing, and navigation. As owners, USF complies with all dam safety standards and required protocols, including routine maintenance, annual certification, inspections, and an Emergency Action Plan.

Following 2018 repairs to stabilize and rebuild the north embankment, evaluation found that future improvements were necessary. In preparation for the Bartlett Carry Dam improvement project, USF invested over $11,000 in upgrades in 2020 for work crew access. Extensive road enhancements will provide heavy equipment access for upcoming improvements to the dam.

HOW WE SPEND

For more information on USF finances, including audited financial statements, please send an email to:info@usfoundation.net.

Note: Maintenance includes routine annual expenses for the Bartlett Carry Dam. Resources for the dam’s rennovation are not included.

MORE 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

WATER QUALITY MONITORING: With support from our donors, USF partners with the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) to collect and analyze data on water conditions. This data is used to recognize trends, identify potential problems, and, if necessary, make changes. Data received though monitoring provides important information used in lake management decisions, fostering collaborations, and engaging citizens in lake issues.

LAKE MANAGEMENT PLAN: USF furthered development of an updated Watershed Management Plan in 2020, thanks to continued support from a three-year, $68,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. USF partnered with AWI for bathymetric lake bottom mapping, and conducted and analyzed user surveys to collect information on land use development, recreational use, water quality, and threats and risks to the watershed. The plan will identify water quality issues and define action plans for addressing them.

NEW WEBSITE: USF launched of a new, updated, and exciting website in 2020, offering real-time lake data, webcam photos, access to water level and temperature, ice-in and ice-out data, information on how watershed users can help protect water quality, and more. It not just a web site: it’s an interactive educational tool. Check it out: usfoundation.net.

AIS Prevention & Management: 46%

Communications: 3%Fundraising: 2%

Watershed Management: 35%

Maintenance: 1%

Administration: 11%

Water Quality: 2%

HOW WE DID IT: OUR DONORS

Please excuse any errors or ommissions. For more information, email lakemanager@usfoundation.net.

GovernmentNew York State DECTown of Santa Clara

FoundationsLake Champlain Basin ProgramNew England Interstate Water

Pollution Control CommissionParks & Trails New York

$10,000 and upAnonymousArthur Loeb FoundationJack BrennanJames & Deborah Loeb BriceKelley & Michelle MaggsBruce McLanahanTimothy & Melissa MoriarityJames & Anne SchoffThompson & Susan SwayneHoward & Wendy Tuthill

$5,000 to $9,999 Lynn & Terry BirdsongAnne & James BodnarMichael & Catherine DeManeMichael ElitzerMr. & Mrs. James Elrod, Jr.Colleen Connor & Brian KelahanPaul & Martha LeitnerWill & Leslie MainTom & Gretchen OatmanCharles & Sally Svenson

$2,500 to $4,999AnonymousLee Bailey & Linda RosenstockJohn & Joy BeatyDr. Nadine Case & Jeff BeamishCharlie & Rene ChiaraNancy & Larry CohenDouglas and Kathleen ColsonOtto C. & Barbara Doering IIILynn & Marc GitlitzGeorgia GosnellThe Hagner FamilyBob HolumPatricia & Lawrence KochEric & Greyson KuhnJon & Gina LandsbergMark & Jane OravecPhilip & Anne PetronisMichael & Sally RitchieMinney & Ted RobbLynn & John SavareseEllen W. Starr & Geoff Fitzgerald

Tom ValesDorothy Ritchie Valhouli & Robert DeVoreFrancis & Sally WardJudith WeberDavid & Katherine Welch

$1,000 to $2,499Tim & Susan AbreschLance Balk & Margaret DetermanTerry BeatyMichael & Ellen BettmannEdward & KoKo BickfordWilliam & Anne BiddleStephen & Sandy BillingsJames & Mary BillingsJan L. BlomstrannPeter & Beth BrennanJohn & Jean BrennanDean & Janice ButtsDaniela ChiaraJim & Chris CraneSteve & Susan CrossGreg Dickson & Sue HearnJeff Dickson & Cheryl JoyceDavid & Tracy FinnTom Van Essen & Bobbie FishmanForestcraft Company, LLCNevill & Amy GatesSaranac Inn Golf ClubJed & Emily HarrisTony HoltzmanSteven HoltzmanMatthew and Rebecca HudsonPeter Klementowicz & Cindy RosenwaldRobert & Mary KoegelNeil & Beverly KolskyJack & Lisa LauroeschDr. Airlie LennonRobert & Judith LievenseMichael & Wendy LincolnChristopher Magadini & Jamie ShenkmanStephen & Andrea MaikowskiMarsh, Norton, and Leonard FamilyDr. Paul & Leah McAfeeJudith Meagher Raymond & Tamara MoatsJay & Miriam MonahanTyler and Mary MontgomeryRick & Betsy NalleZander & Alison PackardBen & Julie PackardDavid & Lynne PerryDavid PowellMary Ann RandallDoug Roode & Susan O’BrienJames & Vida RothschildNancy & Larry RussellKevin & Julia SchnuppCharles M. Sheerin

Cary & Lorne SherenRichard & Pamela SimonsLaurel & Michael SkarbinskiPeter & Dale SkivingtonKatherine and Gary SmithE. Michael SpechtMarsha Stanley & Tom CurleyCurt & Susan StilesFrank J. & Nora TuttleDavid WeberDoug & Pam WernerLarry and Kathy Wooters

$500 to $999Dorothy & Larry AltemusRichard & Karin BeatyGregory & Geraldine BebernitzBurden FamilyKathleen Cavanagh & James HudspathWilliam & Natalya DavisCarolyn & Andrew DonatelloSchoolhouse RenovationsJohn & Stephany GlessnerMichael and Maria GsellCharles & Carolyn HartSolveig Holum & Trey LyfordAntonia B. LairdLorant Leopold & Kristina FejaJoseph & Susan Dunlap LynchFlorence & Paddy MahoneyAlexa ModelOwen and Ashley NalleDonald & Noreen OslanderRonald & Sandra OttenStephen & Nicole RitchieCraig & Ruth SmithPaul & Polly SpenglerNan Starr & Phillip MarshallRoss & Beverly WhaleyBarry and Margie WolfeBob & Catherine Wray

$200 to $499John Abrams & Cynthia FordDebra Becker & Karl LegregniDale & Zoe BondChris Cohan & Rita WongJames H. DalheimRobert DavisPeter & Kate DeManeBo & Ann DixonRick and Margaret DubaDavid & Rita Litton-EllertsonGene & Michelle Brown GarciaDeborah WilsonAnne-Marie GlennJohn Gorman & Lisa CostelloJonathan & Betsy GriffithsJames GulinoJerry Hacker

Continued on next page

Jeffrey and Sandra HaidingerLynn HarrisonPhyllis & James Hart IIIKay & George HeydweillerPeter & Pamela HolranEagle Island Inc.Jay & Deborah KapolkaStuart R. & Charlotte T. LyonHarold & Eleanor MahonyWilliam & Eileen MansfieldElizabeth McLanahanBob and Ellen MillerChris & Richard MosesonKate Nathanson & Andy OchrochPapes Family, LLCAngela PohlmannDavid and Michele RhodaMichael & Eileen RicherAlan & Ginny SchwartzAnne Sheerin & Joel KolkerLise Reno & Will StarrSally Stevens & Phili KokotailoRod and Miriam SwensonMichael Vadney & Regina TestaJames & Andrea Van NessKaren Julich VanSantvoordRich & Alexia WalkaMarc Wanner & Judy RushGeorge & Bonnie WeidertSarah Weidert Gallagher

& Brian GallagherRussell & Jackie WinchesterBilly and Beth Wooters

$199 and underRonald & Susan BackerBernard & Lois BarrettBob & Bonnie BirkKarim & Allison BotrosRobert & Michele BynoJude M. CapalboEd & Susan CarrollJohn D. & Sue CharlesBrian H. ChollarGeoffrey Clark & Suzanne SmithRyan and Amy ConnellRichard Coursen Jr.Alexander W. & Carleen CrispoThomas & Catherine F. DevlinElizabeth DixonGreg & Sandy DrechselAleandra DubaGil & Judy DukenDonald Duley and Donna WalshDrs. Dorothy & Jay FedermanDavid & Jill FraczekJackie & Jerry GailorTim & Karin GalePaul & Mary GalibThe Gentile FamilyRev. Dr. Newton and Vivian GreinerDolores C. GriecoKathy Healy & John MaronaElizabeth Perry & Tom HessRichard HibbitsChris Hildebrand

Ginny HildebrandTara Hart & Stephen HorvathBirch Island ClubDr. Barry & Stephanie KilbourneRichard & Christine KirscheCraig & Sandra KominoskiPhillip & Amy LairdEmily Laird & John CreechAl & Hilda LewisLarry & Diane LoebellJames & Barbara MarascoKristine and David MarrGuy MiddletonGeraldine MiddletonAlan Miller & Linda SzotPenny & Sam MorganMichael & Lynn MurphyJane Noble-MaxwellDr. M. Jane ParmingtonRobert ParsonsEd & Nancy PattishallLouis & Celia PellegrinoThree Trees CampPamela PierriJoseph RollinsJim and Jess RoodeMichael and Tamra RyanNancy SangsterWilliam & Ellen-Marie SedorJack Semler & Mary MoranBruce - Lynn SetterLorin & Janet SodellGeorge & Mary Jane StaufenbergSusan StorchBridget StutchburyJennifer SwainE. Thompson & Maria ThayerThomas & Joan TroppLyle Van VrankenJack and Robyn Van YperenRoger & Karen WalcottThomas & Melissa WaltersPamela Wataha & Bonnie BurcawMatt & Diana WebsterKaren Weidert & Kent NewmanColleen Whitmore & Raymond SchuchColleen WoodsJeffrey Woods & Julie O’ShaughnessyRuth Zamoyta

Camp contributionsIn an effort to recognize and promote camps that have multiple donors, we have listed below those that are currently combining their resources to be recognized as a camp donation at $1,000 and above.

$10,000 and up26 Pinewood Lane711 Bartlett Carry RoadBartlett Carry ClubCamp of the WindsCamp SandanonaForestcraftWenonah

$5,000 to $9,999761 Bartlett Carry Road94 Moss Rock Road

$2,500 to $4,999121 Frog Lane5138 State Route 30864 Deer Island (B.A.)Sunset Camp

$1,000 to $2,49910 County Route 4663 Edgewater Lane7 Deerwood Lane701 Bartlett Carry RoadCamp GricoqCamp SansSouci

Memorial giftsIn memory of Jay M. Cohan:Jennifer Swain

In memory of Marjory Cohen:John Abrams & Cynthia Ford

In memory of Walt & Pat DeManeMichael & Catherine DeManePeter & Kate DeMane

In memory of Al & Mary Gentile:Tom & Shelley GentilePamela PierriDeborah Gentile Wilson

In memory of Joseph Grieco:Dolores Grieco

In memory of Maeve Leonard:Marsh, Leonard & Norton families

In memory of Anna Pugliese:David & Michele Rhoda

In memory of Edmund & Nancy Thayer:E. Thompson & Maria Thayer

In memory of John Watson:Jay & Miriam Monahan

In memory of Bob & Ruth Wray:Sarah Weidert Gallagher

& Brian GallagherKaren Weidert & Kent Newman

In memory of Robert Wray:George & Bonnie Weidert

Honorary gifts:In honor of Amelia Lu Duba:Alexandr DubaRick Duba

In honor of James Marshall Family:Schoolhouse Renovations

Now more than ever, people are taking to the outdoors to find peace, comfort, and experiences that enrich mental and physical health. Getting outside and enjoying the natural world is important, but it also puts wild places at risk. Increased use can lead to harmful negative impacts on the environment.

By working together, we can preserve and protect the Upper Saranac Lake watershed while also promoting it as a place to spend time outside with friends and family.

Your donations to the Upper Saranac Foundation help eradicate invasive species that hurt fish and wildlife habitats and negatively impact recreational activities and property values. Your support also helps USF track water quality data, monitor and maintain vital infrastructure, and educate locals and visitors.

If you live for the lake, please consider making a gift to support USF’s mission. Donate online at usfoundation.net/donate or by mail at Upper Saranac Foundation, PO Box 564, Saranac Lake, NY 12983.

You live for the lake.You can help us make sure the lake lives for you.