Our next Oatka Creek Watershed Committee will be Monday evening, May 18, via Zoom conferencing software (it worked out pretty well for us in April!). All interested folks can attend! All you need is a smart phone or computer, and a download of Zoom software/app. If you are interested in participating, contact Pete for meeting information!
No CommentsU.S. Supreme Court Rules Permits Required under Clean Water Act Includes “functional equivalent” of Direct Discharge
In a 6 -3 decision, the Court ruled that discharge that moves through ground water requires a permit. See this article for a summary.
Meeting Changes
In support of New York State’s health guidelines on COVID-19, The OCWC will be holding our monthly meetings on-line using Zoom conferencing software. The meetings are still open to the public.
Anyone who wishes to participate should download the free Zoom software/app and contact Pete at: lent@frontiernet.net so he can send you an invitation to participate.
We hope this works out for everyone!
Stay safe & healthy!
Please check our Facebook page for the latest information.
Our tentative 2020 Schedule is:
January 27, 2020
February 24, 2020
March 16, 2020 cancelled
April 20, 2020
May 18, 2020
June 15, 2020
July 20, 2020
August 17, 2020
September 21, 2020
October 19, 2020
November 16, 2020
December 21, 2020
No CommentsSaturday September 21 Marking Event is ON!!
Yes! Tomorrow, September 21, we will be marking storm drains in the Village of LeRoy.
Meeting place is the parking lot off Trigon Park, behind the United Methodist Church at about 8:30 AM. All supplies are provided. We will work until about noon. See recent posts for more detail.
Hope you can join in!
No CommentsFish Habitat Project in Oatka Creek Park
Here are some pictures Chairman Pete sent along of the joint trout habitat project. Participating in this effort are Seth Green Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Monroe County Parks, NYDEC and US Fish & Wildlife. OCWC has been helping by planting trees in the area. You can find more information (and pictures) of the project our (and Seth Green TU’s) Facebook pages at : https://www.facebook.com/OatkaCreekWatershedCommittee/ and https://www.facebook.com/SethGreenChapterofTroutUnlimited/
Tomorrow’s Event Postponed
We’re Rescheduling Storm Drain Marking!
Due to what most likely will be wet conditions, we will be postponing the event. Check back soon for new date.
Reminder: Village of LeRoy Storm Drain Marking Event Saturday!
Weather permitting, this Saturday, Sept. 14 we will meet to finish marking the storm drains in the Village of LeRoy. Please see the previous post for details. It’s a fun event, so hope you can join us!
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we might have to reschedule. So please check back here or visit our Facebook page for updates!
No CommentsSeptember 14 Storm Drain Marking Event – Village of LeRoy
Get your calendars out!
The OCWC will be having another storm drain marking event in the Village of LeRoy on Saturday, September 14th. We will meet starting at 8:30AM and work until Noon. We’ll be gathering in the parking lot behind the United Methodist Church on Trigon Park off East Main St. It’s a fun activity.
Come join us in helping keep the Oatka Clean!
Contact Pete for more information or to sign up.
Bad Bug
This is the spotted lanternfly. This invasive insect prefers the also invasive Tree of Heaven, but also feeds on apple, plum cherry, peach and nectarine fruit trees and grape and hop vines. If you see this bug report it to DEC at spottedlanterfly@dec.ny.gov
For more information, see https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/113303.html or you can see the summer newsletter from our friends at the Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District!
No CommentsCongratulations, Maureen!
Congratulations to OCWC’s very own Vice-Chair, Maureen Leupold, for being awarded “Conservationist of the Year 2018” by Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD)!
She has also been commended for this award by the Monroe County Legislature with a Certificate of Recognition!
We know her for her role on the OCWC’s Board of Directors, and one of the admins for our face book page, but that is only two of her many roles. After retiring from her position as the Chair of the Biology Department at Genesee Community College, Maureen was appointed Member at Large on Monroe County’s SWCD Board, and later, Director for Division II of the New York Association of Conservation Districts (NYACD) representing Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Cayuga, Onondaga, Livingston, Yates and Seneca Counties.
She is being honored by Monroe SWCD for:
” your dedication to the Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District’s Conservation Tree & Shrub program, as well as the Envirothon & Conservation Field Days youth education programs; your remarkable effort in promoting natural resources conservation locally particularly in the Oatka Creek watershed; and your outstanding accomplishments in conservation & preservation of soil & water resources by assisting to implement conservation projects for riparian corridor enhancement & water quality improvement locally.”
And the Monroe County Legislature proclaims:
“Maureen has earned this award by demonstrating remarkable and enduring efforts promoting natural resource conservation locally. She has shown an outstanding use of knowledge in improving the delivery of programs that preserve and conserve local natural resources. Maureen has also made outstanding accomplishments in conservation and preservation of soil and water resources. Maureen shows a passion for the environment and for educating others on how to care for it.”
We couldn’t agree more!
To our committee, Maureen is a good friend and an amazing resource. Besides sharing her already formidable scientific, environmental and teaching knowledge, she keeps the OCWC up-to-date on the latest news and information she learns from the many meetings, workshops, conferences and events she attends. She also is a dedicated volunteer who rarely, if ever, misses an opportunity to participate in work projects, such as Trees for Tribs plantings, WAVE monitoring, storm drain markings and farmers’ market booths (to name a few). For many years she has organized OCWC sponsorship for Monroe County’s Pick Up the Parks, and American Littoral Society clean up events. – in other words, “She walks it like she talks it”!
Thanks Maureen for all you do! and it’s awesome that you have been recognized for it!
