The stock market has been going up and many investors now find that selling stocks or mutual funds will entail a large tax expense. One common way to avoid that expense, and get a full charitable deduction (if applicable), is to directly gift highly-appreciated securities to a qualified charity. 

To qualify, securities must be held for more than one year and it is best if they are common, publicly held shares. Donating the securities in this way avoids incurring capital gains taxes that would occur if one sold the securities and then donated the proceeds. The charity receives more money. In addition, if the donor itemizes deductions (beyond the standard deduction), the full value of the securities is tax-deductible. 

Pure Waters now has an account with Morgan Stanley that is capable of accepting securities as contributions. If you have questions, please contact Pure Waters Director, Kaitlin Fello, at Kaitlin@Senecalake.org.  To make a direct donation, contact our Morgan Stanley account manager, Steve Finewood, at Stephen.m.finewood@morganstanley.com or 315-787-3013. Tell him that you wish to donate to Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association and he will provide the instructions for you and your securities broker. 

This is a great way to help Seneca Pure Waters preserve, protect, and promote Seneca Lake water quality. 

For more information try https://advisor.morganstanley.com/the-alexander-group/documents/field/a/al/alexander-group/Tax-Advantaged_Giving.pdf or similar sites.

Seneca Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes, containing as much freshwater as all the remaining Finger Lakes combined. In addition to supplying drinking water to over 100,000 residents, the majestic lake and its watershed drive our local economy through agriculture, wineries and breweries, tourism, and recreation.  A healthy lake is essential for all of this to occur, not just for us, but for generations to come. We are the stewards of the lake and have a responsibility to keep threats facing the lake to a minimum. 

The mission of Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association is to preserve and protect Seneca Lake. By being a Pure Waters member, you are directly supporting our water quality activities and educational programs. 

Seneca Pure Waters: 

• identifies various contamination and pollution threats to the lake and its watershed

• supports research studies

• develops watershed management plans in collaboration with a network of partners, and

• informs municipal and citizen practices to preserve and protect the lake and its watershed.

Over 200 Pure Waters volunteers conduct water quality efforts that:

• monitor Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

• detect levels of increased bacteria and nutrient loads in the watershed

• collect samples as part of the statewide Citizen Science Lake Assessment Program (CSLASP) that monitors lake health and its trophic status, and

• survey aquatic plants as part of New York State’s Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) program. 

If you are already a member, we hope you will continue your support. If you are not a member, please join today . 

You will be among the hundreds of Pure Waters members who care about the health and beauty of Seneca Lake!

As summer sets in and long holiday weekends are enjoyed with friends and families around Seneca Lake, the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association is proud to partner with Wegmans Food Market of Geneva, NY, to bring residents a new Lake-Friendly LED flare option. 

Wegmans across the Finger Lakes will sell both 2-packs and 6-packs of LED Flares, and will donate $1 per flare to a local Lake Association Between June 10^th and September 25, 2021.

These flares provided a clean solution to the standard chemical flare that leaves a pollutant residue in or beside the lake after one use.  They are battery operated and are great to keep in your car or boat for emergencies, and of course for family gatherings on holidays and throughout the year!

Click Here to let us know if you plan to purchase LED flares at Wegmans this summer to support Seneca Lake health and Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association!

Read more about the LED Flare initiative across the Finger Lakes and about the inventor from Canandaigua Here.

Prepared by Kaitlin Fello

Listen in to the June Radio show with Finger Lakes News Radio's Ted Baker and Seneca Pure Waters' Membership and Fundraising Chair, Peg Focarino.

In the middle of our Membership Campaign, Peg discusses the importance and benefits of membership, and hopes for all watershed residents to join!

2021 June - Radio Recording Peg Focarino.mp3

Invasive Species Awareness Week 2021 in the Finger Lakes 

Written by Hilary Mosher, Finger Lakes PRISM Coordinator 

Join us in celebrating NY Invasive Species Awareness Week!

• Do you want to paddle and learn about aquatic invasive plant species?
• How about a guided invasive species hike in the Canandaigua watershed or map invasive species at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge?
• Can’t leave your desk? Then join our Finger Lakes National Forest Botanist for a webinar on ecological landscaping to promote native plants
• Visit our tabling events at Watkins Glen State Park, Cayuga Nature Center, and the Museum of the Earth

We look forward to celebrating this special week with you and our partners. Keep your eyes open for our event lineup on social media and our website. We look forward to ‘seeing’ you next week! 

Sunday, June 6

• “Owasco Paddles and the Finger Lakes PRISM presents an in-depth look at the plants on Owasco Lake.” Just rent your kayak or SUP and our staff will teach you to identify and report the plants you find. BONUS- you get an additional half hour rental free! TIME: 9am-12pm. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/43wwu3fs  or email Megan Harris at mharris@hws.edu for more information

• “What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

Monday, June 7

• “What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

Tuesday, June 8

• ‘NYISAW Training – How to identify and report the top invasives in the region!’ Finger Lakes PRISM staff, TIME: 11am. Register here: https://hws.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJclcumsrjsrHNC96Jeyvu2W8lv1jwuUeQcV or email mosher@hws.edu for more information

• ‘Ecological Landscaping with Native Plants’ webinar presented by Marybeth Hanley, Consulting Botanist & Coordinator, Upper White River Cooperative Weed Management Association (CWMA) and Seasonal Botanist, Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forest. TIME: 5:30pm, Register here: https://hws.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0scu6pqjwjGtF1UI9dUgYV_6ARzij8UFgt or email mosher@hws.edu for more information

• What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

Wednesday, June 9

• “Invasive Species Mapping” at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, TIME: 9am. Contact Nicholas_Vermeulen@fws.gov or call 315-568-5987 to register

• ‘A Lake Association’s Experiences with Chemical Treatment of starry stonewort.’ Webinar. TIME: 10am, Email David Carr @ dcarr@hws.edu for more information or to register.

•  “Join our FORCES folks at Watkins Glen State Park to talk all things invasive!” NYS Parks and FORCES staff will be tabling from 10am – 3pm with handouts and giveaways. 

•  “What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

Thursday, June 10

• “Invasive species:  Identification and Local Prevention and Control Programs.” Join Cayuga County Department of Planning for this deep dive into current programs to prevent the spread and impact of invasive species. TIME: 10am. Register here: Join the meeting  Join the meeting https://8x8.vc/cayuga/michele.wunderlich) To join by phone instead: +1 209-844-4600, 97535640#

• “iMapInvasives Training with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County.” Join Camille Marcotte who will be providing a detailed look into observing and reporting invasive species in the Finger Lakes. TIME: 11am. Register: https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEtcO-rpj4pGdMYsU87fqV_M58RaCfyw8gl

• “What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

Friday, June 11

• “NY State Citizen Science Programs across the state.” Join us for an in-depth discussion about the different programs the PRISMs offer throughout the state. Hilary Mosher, Coordinator for the Finger Lakes PRISM will present on the eight regional partnerships and offerings. TIME: 11am. Register here: https://hws.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvcuuvrDMrG92Anen7YA-EnO_1Aab4bN2B or email mosher@hws.edu for more information

• “Guided Invasive Species hike with Canandaigua Lake Association.” We will be leading a guided hike/workshop where participants can learn firsthand how to identify and remove invasive species that threaten our natural ecosystems. Learn to use the iMapInvasives tool so you will be equipped to continue to report species as you enjoy your own hikes all year long. TIME: 10am. Parking can be found along NY-245, in front of the DEC building near Naples Community Park. We will gather on the South side of NY-245, adjacent to the creek at 10:00 am.

• “What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

• “What's in the Water? Aquatic Plant Sampling Tour on Keuka Lake.” Take a paddle with us and learn about AIS in your waters then head over to Steuben Brewery for a follow-up discussion and Q/A. TIME: 10am-2pm
• “What You Can Do at Home about Ithaca's Invasives.” Join the Ithaca Conservation Board to manage invasive species on their landscape while learning about the importance of controlling these species. Facebook postings daily from the homes of Conservation Board members in the Town of Ithaca. Like us on Facebook to join the program!

2021 May - Radio Recording Kaitlin Fello.mp3

2021 April - Radio Recording M.Toole M.Creamer.mp3

A great success on Saturday at the Earth Day protest to oppose the Greenidge Generation Bitcoin Mining Operation. Thank you to Committee to Preserve the Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake Guardian, A Waterkeeper Affiliate, Vinny Aliperti, Michael Warren Thomas, and other organizers who brought concerned citizens together to show the Town of Torrey Planning Board that the Greenidge expansion should wait for an environmental study.

Seneca Pure Waters President, Jake Welch, spoke at the rally (8:20), which can be viewed entirely here.

In addition, a case study of Greenidge Power Plant was developed ahead of the Town of Torrey decision on Monday night, by a group of Hobart and William Smith Colleges professors, and can be viewed below.

Prepared by Martin Roeck, Thomas Drennen, John Halfman

Click the slide above to view full case study.

Written by Kaitlin Fello and Rich Adams

Photo by D.E.C.

It’s Spring in the Finger Lakes, and has felt like it now for almost two months.  Of course, we can never really be sure when a winter day will find us again, at least until May arrives.  With 2021 being one of the warmest Spring we’ve seen in years, nuisance algae will hit Seneca Lake shores early this year and will begin to let off the foul smell we sometimes refer to as “rotten eggs”.

There are many species of this filamentous, attached algae, but the most prevalent in Seneca Lake are known as Cladophora and Spirogyra.  These species of algae are different from the floating (or “planktonic”) forms of algae in that their cell assemblage structures are long and fibrous (can be several inches long), and they are attached to hard bottom lake surfaces, like rocks or wood. This algae is not invasive, but when it proliferates, it can be quite a nuisance. 

In most summers, we see this nuisance algae detach from hard surfaces and wash ashore in late June or July, but you may see it early and in abundance this year.  When the filamentous algae does reach your shores and begins to build up, the anaerobic conditions causes the conversion of sulfur compounds into smelly sulfides and other compounds, similar to anaerobic sewage. Although these conditions are temporary, lasting until the muck washes away in vigorous storm or wind events, they are a definite annoyance.  Also, anaerobic conditions in water can harbor unwanted bacteria, so contact in these muck zones should be avoided.

There are a few ways to deal with this stinking issue quickly and quietly on your own property.  One option is to rake the shoreline piles away from the water, spreading it out so it will dry rapidly, which will break the foul smell. These algae are also great for compost!  They are full of the nutrients your compost needs to break down other organics in your compost pile. Proper layering of algae in composting is important, so be sure to learn more before moving ahead with this option.  If you don’t have a compost pile to nurture, you might consider using algae as a fertilizer! Algae is made up of living organisms and breaks down quickly when added to soil, adding phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium.

Please visit the NYDEC Cladophora webpage to learn more about this nuisance algae.

Consumers Encouraged to Follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Disposal Directions to Prevent Spread of Harmful Invasive Species

Pet Stores Urged to Remove Moss Balls Immediately

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is urging pet and aquarium stores and consumers to immediately remove and properly dispose of commercially purchased "moss balls" for aquariums after invasive zebra mussels were discovered inside and on some of these products, as reported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Consumers should be advised that moss ball products purchased from PetSmart and Petco may be subject to a voluntary product recall.

Read the rest of the D.E.C. article HERE