Owasco Watershed Lake Association
Owasco Lake lies at the heart of our Finger Lakes community. The lake anchors our sense of place and our economic and community health depends on the lake. Join OWLA Now!Renew Membership
“Speak on behalf of the lake for she cannot speak for herself”
About OWLA
The Owasco Watershed Lake Association exists to protect Owasco Lake. We are a citizen-based, 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation founded in 1988. Our guardianship extends beyond the lake basin across 208 square miles of watershed, the land area where every drop of falling, flowing water eventually reaches Owasco Lake.
OWLA commits itself to facilitating the strategies and activities that are designed to restore our watershed and improve water quality for both drinking and full recreational use of Owasco Lake and its watershed.
OWLA was at TOMATOFEST 2023!
OWLA Boat Ride Signup Volunteers
\Watershed Model Demo TomatoFest
Watershed Model Table at the 2023 TomatoFest
Volunteers and riders at the Boat Launch
Another boat load of folks going out on Owasco Lake
Volunteers getting riders ready
Riders going out on Owasco Lake
Boat Tour, thank you Owasco Marine
Owasco Lake is threatened!
We Need your help!! Harmful Alga Blooms and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid invasion is threatening our lake’s health!
Harmful Algal Blooms
The frequency and intensity of HABs are increasing
OWLA is Leading the Efforts
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
The tiny bug that’s a giant threat
OWLA is working with the Rotary Clubs of Auburn & Moravia to Inform and Involve the Public!
Participate! Volunteer! Become involved:
Why Join OWLA?
• OWLA works best with more members to raise our voice loud and clear.
• Owasco Lake, as an economic engine of our region, needs ALL of our support!
• Become part of the solution with an “annual” OWLA membership. You will be doing your part to protect the vitality of the region – water is vital to our economic success!
How well do you know OWLA?
- What is OWLA?
- What are OWLA’s Mission and Values?
- What Isn’t OWLA?
- What has OWLA done in the past?
- What new projects is OWLA looking forward to?
- What organizations are OWLA’s partners?
We’ve put together an informative article answering all of these questions!
The Latest News & Updates
Auburn Citizen Article: “Brower: TomatoFest grateful to OWLA for free boat rides, activities”
GILDA BROWER Special to The Citizen On Sept. 9, 2023, free boat rides were given to CNY TomatoFest participants, compliments of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association. Thanks to the Owasco Marina and others who donated and drove their boats from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. —...
Auburn Citizen Article: “OWLA: Raise your hand for Owasco Lake!” by Julie Lockhart
JULIE LOCKHART Special to The Citizen Owasco Lake needs your help. If you are a regular reader of The Citizen, you know that news concerning the lake’s water quality frequently appears in these pages. Human use of the land around the lake and upstream (its watershed),...
Auburn Citizen Article: “Owasco Watershed Lake Association: An invitation to join us” by LINDA VITALE
LINDA VITALE Special to The Citizen Do you drink the water of ... recreate in ... profit from tourism connected to ... or live on or near Owasco Lake? If you answered yes to any of the above, the Owasco Watershed Lake Association invites you to join in protecting,...
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Owasco Watershed Lake Association
We actively participate in ongoing strategies that are designed to protect Owasco Lake and watershed.
Good Morning Everyone,
No flow changes planned for today as of this morning. We are expecting around an inch of rain today which will bring the lake level up but we plan on making increases in the flow starting Monday morning. The City will keep an eye on things today and if conditions warrant we can change our current plan. The target goal of 710 by the end of this month is still The City’s intention.
OWLA embraces this message every day. Be a stone thrower! Join OWLA and help make a difference for all generations!
owla.org/join/
#owla #owascowatershedlakeassociation #owascolake #auburnny #watershed #Habs #HWA
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This Giving Tuesday we take a moment ask you to consider donating to OWLA for use in our efforts on behalf of keeping Owasco Lake healthy.
We are a volunteer organization, When you donate, 100% of your tax deductable donation goes to help OWLA's efforts:
- HABs Monitoring and Testing
- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment
- Emerson Park Community Rain Garden
- Ditch Stabilization Program
- Sample the lake and its tributaries to assess changes to water quality
- Teach watershed stewardship classes in local schools, libraries and elsewhere
- Other projects to help protect Owasco Lake!
To donate go to: owla.org/donate/
#owascolake #cayugacounty #owla #emersonpark #owascowatershedlakeassociation #HWA
OWLA gets things done!
- In response to OWLA’s urgent calls for action about the increasing presence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Owasco Lake, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) launched a pilot citizen shoreline surveillance program on Owasco and Seneca Lakes in 2016. Today, this program helps monitor HABs in water bodies across New York State.
- OWLA works with other water protection agencies to gather public and political support of Cayuga County’s proposed new Watershed Rules and Regulations
We need your help!
Meet the OWLA Board of Directors
OWLA is a membership organization run by volunteers!
Research. Mitigation. Outreach.
OWLA works best with more members to raise our voice loud and clear. If you live near the lake, recreate on the lake, depend on it for your drinking water, or need water to keeping your business flowing, we need your membership and your voice!
OWLA supports our partners!
Take the Lake Friendly Living Pledge
Take action today to better care for Owasco Lake and its watershed! If you live in the watershed, tens of thousands of people who depend on Owasco Lake for drinking water need YOU to do your part. Auburnians, who live downstream of the Owasco Lake watershed, are part of the larger Oswego River/Finger Lakes watershed that other communities depend on for clean, safe water. Learn more about the Lake Friendly Living Pledge that people are taking across the Finger Lakes Region, and consider taking the pledge.
HABs Reporting in Owasco Lake
The OWLA HABs Program Volunteers monitor their assigned shoreline zones once a week from July through early October.
KNOW IT – AVOID IT – REPORT IT
Learn More about HAB reporting:
YOU Can Help OWLA!
DONATE TO OWLA
We need help funding our 2023 programs!
- HABs Monitoring and Testing
- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment
- Community Rain Garden
- Ditch Stabilization Program
- Other projects to help protect Owasco Lake!