Information: Draft Cayuga Lake TMDL

On April 7, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced a proposed nutrient pollution reduction “budget” for Cayuga Lake referred to as the Total Maximum Daily Load (or TMDL) with a goal of reducing phosphorus in the lake.

The public comment period for the DRAFT TMDL closed July 8 at 5:00 p.m. 

Thank you to all who submitted comments!

Press release from the NYS DEC about the draft TMDL:  https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/122736.html

View the draft TMDL here (scroll down to “Cayuga Lake TMDL/Phosphorus”): https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/23835.html

Compiled Comments

Groups across the watershed came together to review the TMDL and develop comments. The Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO) worked together under the leadership of Roxanna Johnston (Watershed Coordinator for the City of Ithaca, leader of the Cayuga Lake Monitoring Partnership) to gather a comprehensive list of comments from many stakeholders concerned with the water quality of Cayuga Lake. This resulting compiled comments document includes comments collected as of June 24, 2021.

Submitted Comments

The documents below are comment letters and resolutions regarding the draft TMDL that were submitted to NYSDEC by organizations and individuals concerned about the Cayuga Lake watershed:

• Cayuga Lake Watershed Network comments on draft TMDL
• The resolution by the Seneca County Board of Supervisors in support of a well-reasoned and scientifically supported plan to reduce phosphorus is linked for your information.
• City of Ithaca, Division of Water and Sewer comments on draft TMDL
• Special Joint Committee of Municipal Owners of the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility comments on draft TMDL
• Community Science Institute comments on draft TMDL
• Tompkins County Water Resources Council comments on draft TMDL
• Cayuga Lake Monitoring Partnership comments on draft TMDL  
• Cayuga County Health Department comments on draft TMDL
• Comments from Robert Howarth and Roxanne Marino of the Cornell Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability comments on draft TMDL

Have questions?

Contact: Roxanna Johnston rjohnston@cityofithaca.org or Hilary Lambert  steward@cayugalake.org