Bog River Complex & Lows Lake Amendment
The Bog River Complex UMP encompasses multiple parcels of Forest Preserve and conservation easements lands in the towns of Colton and Piercefield (St. Lawrence County), Long Lake (Hamilton County), and Tupper Lake (Franklin County).
The following state land units are found within the management complex: Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest, Hitchins Pond Primitive area, Lows Lake Primitive area and the Conifer easement lands. This area begins the access to a wilderness canoe route leading from the Bog River at Lows lower dam into Lows Lake above Lows upper dam and across Lows Lake to the western shore in the Five Ponds Wilderness. The route is connected by a carry to the upper reaches of the Oswegatchie River.
Many recreational opportunities exist at the Bog River Complex. Canoeing, hiking, hunting, fishing, bicycling, camping and snowmobiling are popular pastimes.
If you have questions and/or comments about this Unit, please email us at: r6ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Full Plan (2002)
Bog River Complex UMP - (2.56 MB pdf, This file is very large and may take a long time to download or even cause some computers to crash)
Plan Parts
Bog River Complex UMP, Sections I - IV and Appendices A - M - (1.00 MB pdf)
Bog River Complex UMP, Appendix N - (1.28 MB pdf)
Bog River Complex UMP, Appendix O - (0.35 MB pdf)
May 2008 Draft Amendment
The 2002 Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Bog River Complex called for public float plane access to Lows Lake to be prohibited after a five year period due to user conflicts between float planes and paddlers and the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (APSLMP) goal that the wild character of the Lows Lake-Bog River-Oswegatchie wilderness canoe route be preserved.
In 2007, the Department began to reevaluate float plane access to Lows Lake and its potential impacts on paddlers. The Department worked with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (CESF) to conduct a Lows Lake Primitive Area Visitor Study, the results of which indicated that user conflicts between paddlers and float planes are not as frequent or severe as previously assumed, and that most paddlers support less restrictive management measures than an immediate ban on float planes. With this new information, the Department evaluated instituting a mandatory permit system that would control the timing, frequency and location of float plane access.
Under the proposed permit system, the Department would require that operators of public float planes landing on Lows Lake, including commercial operators, obtain an annual permit from the Department. The permit would impose the following restrictions on float plane access:
- During the entire flying season (May-November), the total number of trips into Lows Lake by all commercial float planes would be limited to 30 trips per calendar month (i.e., a ceiling on the maximum number of trips per month by all commercial operators combined);
- During the period of May 1 through September 30 no float plane access will be allowed in Grass Pond;
- During peak paddling season (July 1 through September 30), no more than 4 trips into Lows Lake would be allowed on any single day by all commercial operators combined;
- During the entire flying season (May- November), the total number of trips into Lows Lake by all non-commercial (recreational) float planes would be limited to 5 trips per calendar month;
- During the peak paddling season, no commercial or recreational float plane access would be allowed on Friday and Saturday ("no fly" days), and float planes would not be allowed to take off or land on the Lake before 2:00 PM on Sundays;
- During peak paddling season, all commercial and recreational float planes would be required to land in a particular part of Lows Lake (e.g., landing permitted only in the western end of the lake from campsite 23 to Parkers Camp);
- During peak paddling season, commercial float plane customers would be dropped off at a specified location on the Lake (not a designated campsite) from which they would paddle to a campsite, and would be picked up at the same location (i.e., no commercial float plane access to designated campsites allowed);
- During peak paddling season, commercial float plane operators would be allowed to temporarily store canoes at the pick-up/drop-off location, provided that the canoes are not visible from the water or from any designated campsite (this will eliminate additional float plane trips for fly-in and fly-out of canoes);
- During peak paddling season, flights for the sole purpose of equipment drops only would be prohibited;
- During the off- peak season (May, June, October and November), no more than 6 trips by commercial and recreational float planes would be allowed on any single day; and
- During all seasons, high speed taxiing would be prohibited except during take-off and landing.
This proposed permit system would remain in place for ten years, or until the last major in-holding on Lows Lake, currently owned by the Hiawatha Council of Boy Scouts, is purchased by the state or any land conservation organization, whichever comes first. As discussed in this proposed amendment, the proposed permit system will facilitate continued shared use of Lows Lake by paddlers and float plane operators pending its ultimate transformation to a wilderness canoe route.
To request a printed copy of the draft amendment, please contact the Department's Central Office at (518) 473-9518.
The public comment period has closed. Public comments on the 2008 Draft Amendment were accepted until June 30, 2008.
Submit comments to:
Peter Frank, Forest Preserve Bureau Chief
NYSDEC
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4254
lfadk@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Full Draft Amendment
Bog River Complex UMP Draft Amendment (May 2008) - ( 1.55 MB pdf - This file is large and may take a long time to download or even cause some computers to crash)
Draft Amendment Parts
Bog River Complex UMP Draft Amendment Part 1 - (602 KB pdf)
Bog River Complex UMP Draft Amendment Part 2 (Mail Survey Questionnaire) - (636 KB pdf)
