The letter can be found here along with links to the various herbicides our treatment company may use in the upcoming spring and summer.

If you need further information regarding treatments, or require hard copies of the product labels, please contact Pam Santare, TLPOA at 914-763-3403 (leave name and address on machine if necessary) or Allied Biological Inc at 908-850-0303 during business hours.

Below are the safety labels for the treatments we use or will potentially use on Truesdale Lake.

• Aquathol-K Label (5)
• Aquathol-K Special Local Need label (7)
• Aquathol-K supplemental label (5)
• Sonar AS label (5)
• Sonar AS Supplemental label (6)
• copper sulfate label (7)

The NY State DEC (which regulates aquatic herbicides) has traditionally required each homeowner get copies of these safety sheets every year. The material in them does not change. We believe most people do not keep them so we were give permission to put them on the website for yearlong access anytime someone had a question. This should save on mailing costs and reduce the amount of paper we consume.

With the forecasted rain, Allied Biological, the company that monitors and treats the lake, recommended that the upper board be removed from the dam to allow the lake to flush out as much as possible.  The upper board has been removed. As a precaution, it is also recommended that the beaches remain closed for today (and possibly throughout the weekend depending on rainfall, flow and effects of flushing) and that swimmers (and pets) avoid going in the water.

Allied Biological will return on Monday to survey and treat the lake if conditions improve between now and then. We will keep you posted.

Until all dogs evolve to this skill level, it is up to pet owners to clean up their messes.

Truesdale Lake is lovely for a walk any time of year. We welcome many people from both the neighborhood and outside the area to our perfect 2.6 mile loop.

Unfortunately, some of the folks walking with dogs are not cleaning up after their pets.  The evidence is right at the curb, near the mailboxes, and sometimes right in the middle of the street.  It is an unpleasant topic but it must be addressed.

If you own a dog, these unwelcome feces (are there any other kind?) pose a direct danger to your pet.

They can carry disease or parasites (hookworm, roundworm, and campylobacter) which can spread throughout the dog community quickly.

The poop also is a severe health hazard for small children, organ transplant recipients, immune system compromised patients, and the elderly.

Finally, the poop contributes to elevated fecal coliform bacteria in the lake and is generally disgusting smelling and unpleasant.

What can you do?

If you own a dog, clean up after your pet.  There are bag carriers that attach to leashes and collars like the one for sale here (and here).

Note: Many dog owners do clean up but then place their bags in the closest available private trash bin.  Many of the trash removal companies simply leave these baggies behind when hauling the big bags of trash (why are they so picky?  We don’t know!)  This leaves the homeowner to clean up the bags.  Solution: Take your used doggie bags back to your own trash to minimize your impact and be a good neighbor.

A sample doggie bag dispenser and receptacle. A possibility for the Truesdale Lake Community?

If you see a dog owner who is not taking responsibility, please politely ask them to clean up after their pet.  If they refuse, you can offer them a plastic bag if they have none.  In cases of repeat offenses, the Lewisboro Dog Control Officer’s (Joan Dooley) phone number is 914-760-7811 “Call at any reasonable hour.”

You can also email Kathy Cory, Lewisboro Town Clerk (914-763-3511).  Town law prohibits dogs from “Creating a nuisance by defecating, urinating or digging on public property or private property other than that of its owner” among other things.  New changes in state and local dog laws took effect in 2011.

The town and lake community can help as well.  The community can help educate residents about the dangers of dog poop.  The town may be able to help by getting “doggie bag” dispensers and possibly receptacles placed strategically around the lake.  This is a possibility, even more so if grant money can be obtained and used.

Together we can help stop this problem and keep our wonderful lake neighborhood clean and healthy for all residents!

Please write any comments or ideas you have in the comments section below.

[Link to Lake Management Article on why no dogs are allowed on beaches.]

From the North American Lake Management Society website:

The NALMS mission statement is simple and clear: The purpose of the Society is to forge partnerships among citizens, scientists, and professionals to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs for today and tomorrow.

The implication of this mission is that we are not a society with a narrow focus on professionals, academic researchers, or any smaller interest group. NALMS is a melting pot in terms of membership, and welcomes anyone interested in lakes and lake management.

In addition, a recent email from the president of NALMS offers a sample of their magazine for download called “This is NALMS” which has a selection of very good articles on lakes.

The Truesdale Lake Management Committee is a subcommittee of the Truesdale Lake Property Owners Association.  Its members belong to both the Truesdale Lake Property Owners Association (TLPOA) and the Truesdale Estates Association (TEA) and reports are made to both associations.

Its responsibilities include:

• contracting for and overseeing the weed and algae treatments of the lake by Allied Biological,
• obtaining Wetland Activity Permits from the Town of Lewisboro for lake treatments and other activities,
• monitoring the testing of the water by The Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) (a volunteer lake monitoring program run by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the NYS Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. (NYSFOLA),
• representing TLPOA and TEA at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation inspections,
• managing the dam’s height by raising and lowering the boards,
• managing the dam’s condition  by contracting for regular mowing,
• interfacing with the Town of Lewisboro Highway Department with respect to the road surface at the dam,
• coordinating schedules of TEA and TLPOA beach activities with lake treatments,
• coordinating management of boats stored on TLPOA & TEA riparian properties,
• researching and communicating plans for maintenance of the dam,
• organizing volunteers for tasks affecting the lake.

Future possibility:

• educating riparian owners about best practices for the health of the lake and possibly expand to include the entire watershed of Truesdale Lake,

Some sections in the Lake Management area of the website include:

• Lake Health and Minimizing Human Impact
• No Dogs Allowed On Beaches: Here’s Why
• Fish Health
• Geese Management
• Aquatic Plant Management Plan
  • Aerial Photo of Truesdale Lake
  • July 2005 Aquatic Vegetation Survey Report & Maps
  • GPS Data Used in Survey
  • Wetlands Map
  • Truesdale Lake Map Depicting Sites #1-6

If you have any input or questions, please post in the comments below.  If you live in the Truesdale community and would like to join the Lake Committee please send us a note using the Contact Us link on the left hand side.

The vandals were at it again recently as volunteers discovered attempts to pry back the metal protecting the boards, presumably to saw at it again. Repair work has been completed that will make it more difficult to damage this property.

A report has been made to the Lewisboro Police Department about this serious matter and they will be checking the dam regularly.

If you see anyone near the dam or have information about who is trying to damage the dam, please contact us at lake@truesdalelake.com. Thanks!