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PRESERVATION OF THE HEMLOCK-CANADICE WATERSHED IN A NATURAL
STATE
(Photo by Bob Siegel, our
Energy
Chairperson)
The fate of over 7,200 acres of pristine semi-wilderness
Finger Lakes will be decided this year. Sierra Club and most other conservation
and environmental groups in the region are vitally concerned about the
preservation of Hemlock & Canadice Lakes including the Upland Watershed owned by
the City for over 125 years. A new water sharing agreement between the Monroe
County Water Authority and the City is now being negotiated behind closed doors.
These discussions include the possibility of selling Hemlock & Canadice to the
Authority and/or (as reported in the Democrat & Chronicle) possible commercial
sales of Hemlock lands by the City.
There are major issues at stake in these secret negotiations.
For example: will properties the City has maintained in a pristine condition for
over 125 years e developed for private use? Will the public have any in-put,
information or voice in the decision? What role will New York State play?
Is the Spitzer administration willing to seriously consider
working with the City and local governments for preservation of the land? Will
the City continue to receive the pure Hemlock reservoir waters or will they be
used for local development? What will happen to the two nesting pairs of bald
eagles who inhabit the Hemlock Lake shores?
(More photos of the lakes below, click to
enlarge)
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At Canadice Lake
by Russ Maurer
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Hemlock Lake
by Ray Nelson |
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Hemlock Lake
by Russ Maurer
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 Talk
about this issue online at
Hemlock & Canadice: Last Two Undeveloped Finger Lakes Face
Possible Development
&
Hemlock & Canadice: Last Two Undeveloped Finger Lakes Face
Possible Development
 A
CASE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE HEMLOCK-CANADICE WATERSHED IN A NATURAL STATE
-By Stephen Lewandowski
Canadice Lake -
Overview -
Saturday, May 12 - Hugh
Mitchell will lead us on this beautiful four-mile trek
along the shore of Canadice Lake in its wilderness
setting. The trip will offer an historical perspective
of this important source of Rochester’s drinking water.
We will
also gain an understanding of the very current threat to
the watershed as the City of Rochester considers opening
the area to development. Meet at 9:30am at the
First
Unitarian Church parking lot, 220 South Winton Road,
Rochester.
News on this issue:
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DEC chief visits Hemlock, a plus for possible watershed sale—
New York state's environmental commissioner paid an unannounced visit Thursday
to Hemlock Lake, taking in the grandeur of one of the last undeveloped Finger
Lakes. He came away impressed — a development that can only be seen as positive
by advocates of the notion that the state should purchase and preserve forever
the land around Hemlock and Canadice lakes that now is owned by the city of
Rochester. (October 5, 2007)
Democrat &
Chronicle
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MPNnow.com:
New DEC chief wants talks on Hemlock, Canadice watersheds A spokesman
for the city of Rochester insists that it’s not necessarily a sale negotiation.
ROCHESTER — The new head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation
has asked Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy to open negotiations on the future of
city-owned watershed lands around Canadice and Hemlock lakes. A letter to Duffy
from DEC Commissioner Alexander Grannis confirms statements made in April by
state Parks and DEC officials at a Sierra Club meeting in Rochester. (May 21,
07) Messenger Post
Newspapers
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City Council Approves Tax Abatement Plan, Lake Appraisal - 13WHAM.com
The Council has also taken the first step toward selling Hemlock and Canadice
lakes to New York state for use as state park land. The council voted to allow
an appraisal of the property, but only if the city agrees not to sell to private
developers. - 13WHAM.com
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www.whec.com
- City of Rochester and Monroe County Water Authority work on new water
agreement Talks continue between the City of Rochester and the
Monroe County Water Authority on a new water-sharing agreement. The existing
30-year deal expires next year. One of the options on the table is a county
takeover of the city system. Most city residents get their water from the Cobbs
Hill reservoir. It's piped in from Hemlock and Canadice lakes. The county system
gets its water from Lake Ontario. The city and county already share water. In
fact there are more than 50 interconnection points between the city and the
water authority. (May 8, 07)
www.whec.com - Front Page
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ENVIRONMENT: State takeover likely for Hemlock, Canadice - News & Opinion -
Rochester City Newspaper There's been concern that city officials might
sell land around Hemlock and Canadice Lakes to developers. But a stronger bet
may be that the state buys the land. During the Rochester Sierra Club's annual
Environmental Forum on April 19, city and state officials said they want to work
together to preserve the land and lakes by putting them in the state's hands.
(April 24, 07) Rochester City
Newspaper
-
Watershed's future on line - Forum
focuses on finding way to shield Canadice, Hemlock lakes forever —
Environmentalists, city and state officials believe the time is right for
Rochester to sell 7,100 acres of land to the state if the parties can agree on a
price and use of the land — despite the area being an abundant, natural supply
of drinking water for the past 130 years. About 200 people attended a Sierra
Club environmental forum Thursday at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester to
hear about the watershed of Hemlock and Canadice lakes, about 30 miles south of
Rochester. (April 20, 2007)
Democrat & Chronicle
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FINGER LAKES: City would like state to buy Hemlock and Canadice - News & Opinion
- Rochester City Newspaper Could the state become the owner of the
city-owned Hemlock and Canadice Lakes and the land around them? Mayor Bob Duffy
that would be "the best of both worlds." Duffy had hoped to have the properties
appraised, but at their meeting on Tuesday night, City Councilmembers turned him
down. Their concern: that the appraisal might open the door to selling the land
to developers. Duffy said last night that his push for an appraisal doesn't mean
he is rushing to put the prime Finger Lakes real estate on the market. But, he
said, not knowing the value of the city's assets is bad management. (April 19,
2007) Rochester City Newspaper
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Council Rejects Appraisal of City-Owned Wildnerness Land
- ROCHESTER, NY (2007-04-18) A request from Mayor Bob Duffy to find out how much
Rochester's watershed lands might be worth was rejected by City Council Tuesday
night -- after environmentalists worried that it might be a prelude to selling
the city-owned wilderness to developers. The land around Hemlock and Canadice
Lakes in Livingston County has been protected from development by the city for
130 years. The lakes feed the city's water system. The city's protection has
left them the only two of New York's Finger Lakes still in a wildnerness state.
(April 18, 2007)
WXXI NewsRoom
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ENVIRONMENT: Council nixes appraisal of Hemlock-Canadice land - News & Opinion -
Rochester City Newspaper The Duffy administration had hoped to hire a
firm to appraise the city-owned land around Hemlock and Canadice Lakes. But last
night City Council turned down his request, 5-2, citing concerns that in the
future the city might want to sell the land. Mayor Bob Duffy has not said that
he wants to let the land be developed, but some Councilmembers didn't buy the
administration's argument that the city should at least be aware of the
property's value. (April 18, 2007)
Rochester City Newspaper
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City Council rejects watershed appraisal
- Members wary of Hemlock, Canadice development — City Council
rejected an administration request Tuesday to appraise the Hemlock and Canadice
lakes watershed. Some members said they will not consider the question again
unless development is off the table. Mayor Robert Duffy and his staff never have
indicated an interest in development, but have said all options are being
considered as the city reviews its water system. Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri
said that also meant having data necessary to review those options. (April 18,
2007)
Democrat & Chronicle
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MPNnow.com:
Rochester ready to deal on Hemlock, Canadice lakes Environmentalists
think the city will sell its watershed lands to the state, though Mayor Duffy
won't rule anything out. CANADICE — All options are still on the table as the
cash-poor city of Rochester decides whether to sell the last wild Finger Lakes.
The Rochester City Council meets tonight to act on Mayor Robert Duffy's request
that it hire a firm to appraise the 7,100 acres it owns around Canadice and
Hemlock lakes. All development has been banned there since it became the source
of the city's water in the early 20th century, keeping the shores uncluttered
and the waters pure. (April 17, 2007)
Messenger Post Newspapers
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Hemlock, Canadice proposal defended
- Appraisals of waterfront land will keep all city options open
— City Hall insists a plan to appraise the watershed properties surrounding
Hemlock and Canadice lakes does not indicate a plan to sell the land to
developers. Rather, it is the first step in an effort to place a dollar value on
the entire water system, which is needed information as the city continues to
evaluate the system's future, Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri said. One possible
outcome is that the state buys the last two undeveloped Finger Lakes and creates
a permanent preserve. (April 15, 2007)
Democrat & Chronicle
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Pitting
lakes vs. water needs- As county, city
talk merger, our resource may lose protection— The systems that allow
hundreds of thousands of Rochester-area residents to tap into one of
their most precious resources — clean water — may soon be overhauled.
And that could determine the fate of two pristine Finger Lakes.
(December 17, 2006)
Democrat & Chronicle:
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Future of Two Finger Lakes in Question - 13WHAM.com Whether Hemlock
Lake in Livingston County and Canadice Lake in Ontario County remain the
last Finger Lakes untouched by anything more than Mother Nature could be
decided by next year. (March 3, 07)
13WHAM.com
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City, Water Authority to talk about future
— Monroe County Water Authority and Rochester officials are scheduled to
begin discussions this month that will shape the future of both water
systems. City officials and Water Authority officials say all options are on
the table — including consolidation. But Mayor Robert Duffy said this week
that the city would want a greatly restructured authority board before it
can agree to a merged system. (February 9, 2007)
Democrat & Chronicle
Resources on this issue:
-
GORP -
Canadice Lake - Finger Lakes This three mile long and about 1/2 mile
wide lake is part of the watershed that provides the city of Rochester,
N.Y., with clean water. Rochester privately owns the land around the lake.
Each year it issues about 10,000 free permits to use the lake and
surrounding area.
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Canadice Lake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Nature Conservancy in New York - Central & Western: Hemlock and Canadice
Lakes Of the eleven Finger Lakes, Hemlock Lake and Canadice Lake are the
only two whose shorelines are undeveloped. In the early 1900s, the City of
Rochester acquired the land around them in order to secure its water supply.
Today, the City owns 7,100 acres of land around the two lakes. A filtration
plant at the north end of Hemlock Lake filters and purifies water before it
is piped to Rochester.
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Environmental Protection Agency Waterbody Name: CANADICE LAKE
- New York State
Federation of Lakes Associations, Inc. The New York State Federation of
Lake Associations (NYSFOLA) is a statewide, volunteer-based organization. It
is the umbrella group of local lake associations and anyone interested in
issues related to New York's lakes, reservoirs, ponds, streams, rivers and
related surface water resources. The Federation membership includes lake
associations, lake property owners, environmental organizations,
individuals, state and local government agencies. More than 200 lake
associations throughout New York State are actively involved in NYSFOLA and
our membership is growing annually.
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The Nature Conservancy in New York - Central & Western: Hemlock and Canadice
Lakes
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Hemlock Lake, N.Y.
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NYSDEC Region 8 / Hemlock Lake
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Hemlock Trees
Should we cut old growth trees in Hemlock? Important
Rochester-area Concern: Grab this week's City (Greater Rochester's
Alternative Newsweekly, Volume 31, Number 7, November 7-13, 2001) Pg. 6 What
In The Blazes, Hemlock Lake And The Loggers. by Jack Bradigan Spula. In
order to understand completely the issue surrounding the old growth forest
trees that the city owns around Hemlock Lake and the questions as to whether
or not to cull them, you must read this article.
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Hemlock Lake How to get there:
From Rochester take Route 15A south passing through the village of Hemlock.
Turn right on Rix Hill Road approximately one mile south of intersection of
Route 15A with Route 20A. Immediately turn left off of Rix Hill Road onto
East Lake Road. Approximately 1.1 miles from turn off onto East Lake Road is
the boat launch.
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Hemlock Water Filtration
Rochester Upland Water Supply system includes Hemlock Lake and Canadice
Lake. The City owns over 7,000 acres of land in the watershed surrounding
these two lakes. Public access to the property for recreational purposes is
permitted, but regulated to protect the quality of these drinking water
source.
                
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