As Summer Ends, Lake Weeds Still A Problem

Jamestown Post-Journal, 8/21/2011.

Excerpt: Despite efforts to keep Chautauqua Lake clean, many think more needs to be done in order to keep tourists drawn to the waterbody.

"I can tell you firsthand, the weeds are actually horrible," said Capt. Mathew Stage, who runs the Chautauqua Belle on the lake daily.

"It's worse ten-fold," he said about the weed problem in the lake compared to previous years. "I feel really bad," he said about attempts being made by the Chautauqua Lake Association to pull out weeds "by the truck-load."

He said his worry is that the lake generates tax revenues for the county from tourists coming to enjoy it. He therefore questions why more county money is not being put back into maintaining the lake.

Stage said tourism is one of "the few things left in our county" that employs people, adding more should be spent to insure the lake continues to draw tourists.