Environment DEC
From the September 2005 issue
DEC Issues Draft UMPs for Hamilton County Areas
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan recently announced the release of two draft unit management plans (UMP) for the Lewey Lake Campground and Day Use Area and the 106,770-acre Silver Lake Wilderness located in the towns of Indian Lake, Lake Pleasant, Benson, Wells, Arietta and Hope in Hamilton County. The Silver Lake UMP also covers the 206-acre Cathead Mountain Primitive Area and the 4.2-acre Sacandaga Primitive Area.
"DEC campgrounds are extremely popular recreational facilities and, along with wilderness areas, are an integral part of the Adirondack Forest Preserve." Commissioner Sheehan said. "We continue to make progress on completing unit management plans and are committed to developing quality plans. The release of the draft plans for the Lewey Lake Public Campground and the Silver Lake Wilderness Area is another step in our efforts to improve public access and ensure the protection of the Adirondacks for future generations. As always, public participation has been, and will continue to be, invaluable throughout the planning process."
Lewey Lake UMP
Lewey Lake is one of
the main attractions of the
busy campground
The Lewey Lake Public Campground and Day Use Area is located on 365-acre Lewey Lake in the central portion of the Adirondack Park, with access to nearby Indian Lake. The campground contains 209 secluded, wooded campsites for tents and trailers as well as flush toilets, hot showers, trailer dump station and a recycling center. The day use area includes a picnic area, sand swimming beach, bathhouse and a boat launch. A second boat launch is located on Indian Lake.
The draft UMP contains proposed management activities including:
- modernizing the boat launch facility on Indian Lake to reduce congestion, improve safety, and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines;
- constructing an accessible fishing pier on Lewey Lake channel to provide recreational opportunities for people with disabilities, and
- modifying the existing bathhouse by adding a six unit shower facility to improve visitor experience and comply with Department standards.
Public Meeting and Comment
A public meeting was held on August 25th at the Indian Lake Town Offices. The meeting provided an opportunity to learn more on the proposed management actions and provide comment. Written comment will be accepted until September 30, 2005. The draft UMP is available for public review at the DEC regional office in Ray Brook, the DEC regional suboffice in Northville and the DEC maintenance facility in Indian Lake. The plan is also available for review at the Indian Lake Town office. Printed copies of the plan may be requested from the DEC Bureau of Recreation by calling 518-457-2500. Comments may sent to: Tom Folts, General Manager Forest Parks, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-5253; or e-mailed to: Lewey Lake UMP
Silver Lake Wilderness UMP
More residents and visitors,
as well as future generations,
will be able to enjoy the
beautiful sunset at Silver Lake
The Silver Lake Wilderness is the fourth largest and southern most wilderness area in the Adirondack Park. It is roughly bounded on the north by Route 8 and private lands near Piseco Lake, Oxbow Lake, Hamilton Lake, Sand Lake and Lake Pleasant; on the east by Route 30; on the south generally by the Hamilton County line, and on the west by Route 10, the West Branch of the Sacandaga and Piseco Outlet. Both the Sacandaga and Cathead Mountain primitive areas are small sections of state land providing access to private lands that are totally enclosed by the wilderness area.
The famous Northville-Lake Placid Trail (NPT), established in 1922, has its terminus at the southern edge of the area and runs through the center of the unit in a northerly direction, crossing the northern boundary near Piseco Lake. Silver Lake is the principal attraction near the center of the unit, mainly for brook trout anglers. Big Eddy and the West Branch Gorge along the West Branch of the Sacandaga River are two of the more popular hiking destinations.
The draft UMP contains proposed management activities including:
- improving trail information and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities, including the development of accessible camping sites;
- maintaining the suspension footbridge over the West Branch of the Sacandaga River;
- removing a number of non-conforming structures, such as one of the chimneys near Whitehouse, which poses a safety hazard;
- rerouting the Northville-Placid Trail through the forest and away from the road;
- working cooperatively with the Town of Wells to bring the last 0.7 mile of West River Road into compliance with the State Land Master Plan before the end of the 5-year period covered by the draft UMP;
- enacting special regulations to manage public use, such as group size restrictions, consistent with current regulations in other wilderness areas, and
- establishing and maintaining several quality wilderness fisheries for brook trout.
The draft UMP is available for public review at DEC headquarters in Albany, DEC regional offices in Watertown and Ray Brook, and at the DEC's Northville, Warrensburg, Herkimer, Lowville and Potsdam regional suboffices. The plan will also be available for review at the town offices of Lake Pleasant, Benson, Wells, Arietta and Hope. The document is available in CD format from the DEC Ray Brook office as well as a limited number of printed copies. A summary of the document will be available at DEC's unit management plan web pages (see "Related Links" below).
Public Meeting and Comment
A public meeting regarding the Silver Lake Wilderness UMP will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, September 7, 2005, at the Community Hall in Wells, Hamilton County. The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to learn more on the proposed management actions in the draft UMP and provide comment. The Community Hall, a large white building with a red roof, is located on the east side of Route 30 in the Hamlet of Wells. Coming from the north it is on the left, a 1/4 mile past the bridge over Algonquin Pond. Coming from the south it is on the right, a 1/2 mile past Buttermilk Road.
Following the public meeting, DEC will continue to accept written comments on the draft UMP until September 30, 2005. Written comments may be sent to: Eric J. Kasza, Senior Forester, NYSDEC, PO Box 89, 225 N. Main Street, Herkimer, NY 13350 or e-mailed to: Silver LakeWilderness UMP
Reasons for UMPs
Lewey Lake Public Campground and Day Use Area is classified as an "intensive use area" whereas Silver Lake Wilderness Area is classified simply as a unit of state land. The Adirondack State Land Master Plan identifies 41 campgrounds in the Adirondack Forest Preserve which are classified as "intensive use areas," requiring a unit management plan for each. UMPs are also required for each unit of state land in the Adirondack Park, like Silver Lake Wilderness. UMPs integrate the goals and objectives of the master plan, related legislation, and resource and visitor-use information into a single document.
An UMP must be completed before significant new recreational facilities, such as trails, lean-tos or parking areas, can be constructed. The plan includes an analysis of the natural features of the area and the ability of the land to accommodate public use. The planning process is designed to cover all environmental considerations for the unit and forms the basis for all proposed management activities for a five-year time period.
Governor George Pataki's strategic plan to complete unit management plans for all state forest preserve lands in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks is continuing. Governor Pataki's initiative is the first comprehensive attempt to complete all outstanding management plans in both the Adirondack and Catskill parks to ensure that the public's longstanding investment in the acquisition of public lands is maximized through careful planning and implementation of those plans. This, coupled with the allocation of funds for stewardship from the state's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, will dramatically improve the state's ability to manage these lands.
