I believe we are out of time.

The lake association, some 12 years ago, attempted to head off the problem of flooding on our lake.

We were, and have been, in contact with many local, state and federal agencies to help with this ever-increasing waterline problem.

The following should be of interest to anyone who loves this lake.

Our lake association was formed in 1962 by a sturdy group of lake front property owners.

They gill netted carp, removed aquatic growth, stumps and rocks.

They petitioned the town and the state to implement a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant in the village of Richfield Springs.

The raw effluent and nitrates made water entering the lake, pea green.

At one point in time, in the mid ‘70s, our lake was almost condemned. Septic systems around the lake were tested and corrected.

Through bake sales, yard sales and outright donations, Canadarago Lake Improvement Association bought the old train trestle bridge from the railroad and Bob Hugick and others built the weir structure and attached two wooden flash boards to control the water level to hold back water from exiting Oaks Creek, the only outlet from our lake.

Some dock sections at this time, 1968, were as long as 200 feet.

In the early ‘70s, Herkimer Creek, which enters our lake right at the south end, was altered from a southerly flow to a more east by northeasterly flow.

As it was written in the minutes of one of the lake association’s meetings, the current flooding at the time might be attributed to the recent alteration of Herkimer Creek.

Keep in mind that the Department of Environmental Conservation was not founded (with its stringent regulations) until 1973.

Any landowner could do almost anything with their land, especially if they’re losing property due to erosion in the spring from Herkimer Creek.

Enter 1995; we contacted Malcolm Pirnie and Associates to study the flow rates of Oaks Creek, the dam reconstruction and the sediment and subsequent gravel build-up at the end of the lake.

It was determined in their study that approximately one to 1.5 inches of sediment is deposited directly in front of our outlet, Oaks Creek, each spring.

The study cost almost $40,000. (Note of interest: In the late ‘60s, my dad and I could travel right down Oaks Creek to the dam in his fiberglass speedboat without hitting the bottom anywhere.)

Enter 2006; with all three townships bordering the lake, basically refusing in helping lake residents, here we are.

The gravel bar has grown in height, 45-48 inches vertically and almost 300 feet wide.

In mid-July to August, you can park your boat down at the south end and put out your lawn chair to get a tan.

It is my opinion, that we are at a time when the dam cannot control the lake level.

The westerly abutment caved in four years ago and has gotten progressively worse.

The gravel bar at the headwaters of Oaks Creek is about four inches higher than the beam on our train trestle dam, built in 1915.

We need immediate relief now, not later.

The gravel bar must be removed to at least a depth of five feet.

Herkimer Creek must be redirected back to its original course and lined with heavy rip rap to mitigate further erosion.

Leaving Herkimer Creek as it is, and removing the gravel bar only, will be a short-term fix.

Our Oaks Creek dam must be replaced, with its current rate of decay; it will fall in very soon.

Complicating these matters is the fact that our dam, as it sits, is only 28 feet and 10 inches wide at the weir.

The relatively new County Highway 22 bridge, just to the north, is over 60 feet from abutment to abutment.

The dam weir being about 32 feet narrower than the bridge, poses an acute restriction of water flow.

Creating a lake district, because the towns won’t help, is our only other option.

In 2005, the Canadarago Lake Association asked Senator Seward and Assemblyman McGee to sponsor a bill which would create the needed lake district.

That effort is taking much longer then anyone ever imagined!

Now is the time, today, we need your help.

Write, email and call your representatives in local and state governments.

We need this fixed now. The waterline is just too high.

See you on the lake and the trails this winter.

If you live and vote at the lake, your local representatives are: Senator James L. Seward, New York State Senate, Legislative Office Building, Room 917, Albany, NY 12247; email, seward@senate.state.ny.us; phone, 518-455-3131; and Assemblyman William Magee, New York State Assembly, Legislative Office Building, Room 828, Albany, NY 11248; email, mageew@assemblyu.state.ny.us; phone, 518-455-4807, 315-361-4125, and 607-432-1484.

Gary Teachout is a board member of the Canadarago Lake Improvement Association.