HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-NAC-2011-09-12City of Ithaca, NY
Natural Areas Commission
Meeting Minutes - Sept 12, 2011
Approved with corrections 17 October 2011; submitted City Clerk 18 October 2011 by
Anna Stalter.
Attending: Todd Miner, Joe McMahon, Gerry Cox, Anna Stalter, Robert Wesley,
Valerie Newman — Natural Areas Ranger
Not attending: Ron Herring, Sarah Steuteville, Jon Meigs
Guests: Roxy Johnston, Watershed Coordinator; Wade Wykstra, BPW
August minutes approved. July minutes still outstanding.
Reports:
Ranger report
Valerie reports that people are not complying with leash law.
New signs near 30 ft. dam are being bent over by vandals. Can they be reinforced?
Potter's Falls featured in "100 best nude swimming holes "!
NAC members present thanked Valerie and Gary for their 2011 season of service.
Headwaters Expedition: A Year in the Life of Six Mile Creek
Roxy gave a tour and talk about the history of the dams and the upcoming work on the
water supply, and she shared some photos of the event. Earlier Roxy circulated photos
of the huge crowd of swimmers encountered at the 30 foot dam as participants in the
expedition hiked through.
Announcements:
Todd has had some correspondence with a group of MBA students interested in doing
some volunteer work on Sep 24. Cornell Into the Streets is on Oct 29. Joe may lead
some volunteers in cleanup at the pedestrian bridge.
Roxy reported that Eurasian Milfoil has been found at the 30 foot reservoir. Should city
treat it (with herbicide)? Bob Johnson, aquatic ecologist, will assess once the Hydrilla
situation is under control at the Inlet.
Bill Chiassen will write a new article in Ithaca Times as follow up to recent news
coverage in Ithaca Journal and Ithaca Times about dangerous and illegal activity in the
natural areas. Bill interviewed Joe for the article.
Flooding aftermath: The high rains that resulted from Hurricanes Irene and Lee raised
the water level in the 30 foot reservoir about 6 feet over the top of the dam and 4 feet
over 60 foot dam, but there was no major accumulation of debris.
Site review for the water plant design will start soon. There will be a public hearing on
Sep 28.
The permit for dredging the intake at the 60 foot dam has been approved. The pumping
alternative is not feasible, so clamshell bucket dredging and trucking of spoils to the silt
dam area for dewatering will be used.
NEW BUSINESS
Gorge Safety- Todd is on the Cornell Task force, which will make recommendations to
CU Board of Trustees in November.
Task Force includes four working groups:
Enforcement
Safety
Education and signage
Recreation
Preliminary report from these four subcommittees is due in September.
The Task Force is taking a wider view and more town -gown discourse would be good.
"Townies ", and grad students are important groups to reach. Task Force will also
address soil compaction, erosion issues on trails. They will address need for funds to
improve legal, safe trail access in a couple of places.
Recreational Alternatives are being discussed: more canoeing at Beebe Lake, shuttles
to Treman, Buttermilk. CU may subsidize lifeguards at these legal swimming locations if
they could be kept open longer.
Todd will send drafts to NAC for comments. IC should be included in conversation.
Penny Lane Parking Ban. Town of Ithaca Board Meeting coming up. Commonland
residents will move to prohibit parking anywhere on Penny Lane, Lois Lane, May - Oct.
However, some minimal access is needed and should be allowed. Joe will present a
motion to allow four parking spots.
Hydrilla in Inlet. Roxy gave an overview of the Hydrilla infestation in the inlet. Dense
beds of the invasive can be found everywhere boats go, over 9 acres affected.
At this late date, time is critical. Diver assisted dredging not realistic, so an herbicide
treatment is being recommended. Application will be with handheld spray gun nozzles.
Landowners are being contacted. Native species will be affected as well. A long term
plan for eradication is being developed.