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   Phosphorus (P) is a plant nutrient, found lawn and garden fertilizer, manure, as well as human and animal waste, that feeds algae blooms and weed growth in water bodies. When it rains, fertilizer and other pol­lutants are washed into storm drains and streams that empty into the lake.

   You can have a beautiful lawn and keep the "P" out of the lake by using zero phosphorus fertilize, or by simply not using fertilizer at all. Look for the middle number on the fertilizer bag! The three numbers on a fertilizer bag show its N-P-K nutrient analysis. The middle number is its phosphorous content. A zero in the middle means that it is phosphorus-free. The other numbers are its nitrogen (N) content and its potassium Algae blooms and excessive weed growth are the result of too much phosphorus in the water. Think of it this way: High phosphorus leads to low water quality. Have your soil tested to determine if you really need fertilizer at all. If nec­essary, apply no-phosphorus fertilizer only once a year. The best time to apply is early fall.

   Use a drop spreader model rather than a rotary spreader for a more accurate application. Please clean up any excess fertilizer and prevent them from being washed into the lake.

On December 3, 2008, at a meeting of the Water Management Advisory Committee, NYS Department of Environmental Conser­vation (DEC) Assistant Commissioner for Water Resources, Jim Tierney, announced that the Department will be issuing NEW draft dam safety regulations. The draft regulations that NYSFOLA members have commented on for the last two years will NOT be implemented. Mr. Tierney stated that DEC received many excellent comments from dam owners. Because of those comments, the new regulations will contain "significant changes" from the earlier versions. Mr. Tierney did not elaborate on what those changes might be, nor was he able to say when the new version would be released. Many thanks to NYSFOLA Board member Bob Rosati for his dedication to this issue for the last few years. It was his "heads up" that brought this issue to NYSFOLA's at­tention back in 2006. Since then, Bob has spent a great deal of his time working for NYSFOLA and the Melody Lake Association to bring some "reason" to the new dam safety regulations. NOTE: The new regulations have been released and can be found at www.nysfola.org.

On Saturday, May 9th Dick Watrous, Marty Proctor and Jeff Horner placed the many buoys into Findley Lake. All three men are current FLWF board members. Jeff Horner donated the use of his pon­toon boat and Dick and Marty did the 'grunt' work of lifting and loading the buoys from their storage area and placing them onto the pontoon boat and then into the lake at each location. It was also a very windy day so placement of buoys at exact locations was difficult. anyone feels that a buoy is out of place, Please contact any FLWF Board Member.