State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced she has secured $200,000 in special funding to help the City of Fulton and the Town of Granby in their work to dredge Lake Neatahwanta and ultimately make the body of water usable again.
This most recent support, which comes just days before dredging is slated to begin, builds upon $200,000 secured last year by Senator Ritchie; bringing the two year total to $400,000.
“ The bodies of water that dot Oswego County are some of the most beautiful in the world and for a long time, residents have been working to help improve water quality and access to the waterways which offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities as well as support jobs and attract tourists to our region, ” said Senator Ritchie.
“I’m pleased to be able to provide this funding, which will help the local communities take a step towards solving the serious problem facing Lake Neatahwanta; helping to restore it to its former glory as well as enhancing our area’s tourism and recreational opportunities.”
For more than 25 years, the beaches surrounding Lake Neatahwanta have been closed to the public due to poor water quality resulting from excess sediment clogging the openings of natural springs. In addition, excess sediment also carried with it phosphorus, which has led to an overgrowth of blue-green algae on the lake, reducing oxygen levels and making it hard for wildlife to survive.
In addition to the funding secured to dredge Lake Neatahwanta, $75,000 in special funding secured by Senator Ritchie will aid residents in their fight against invasive water chestnuts on the Oswego River, which for years have choked the waterway.