Strategic Value: Aquatic invasive species (AIS), especially Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) is a major problem world-wide but notably in the Saranac chain of lakes. The Upper Saranac Lake Foundation has been a leader in using non-chemical means to control EWM on the lake and its tributaries. In 2016 the USL Foundation sought the Cloudsplitter Foundation’s help in this fight by asking for support of the purchase of a boat decontamination (washing) station. The Foundation awarded USLF $30,000 towards this station which has been installed and operational for several seasons. In 2019 USLF sought additional funds to mount an EWM harvesting program on the Fish Creek tributary which was a major source of EWM fragments flowing into Upper Saranac. In May 2019 USLF received a $3,500 grant that was used to erect barriers and commence hand harvesting that summer.
- Grant Name: [1] Saranac Watershed AIS Decontamination; [2] Fish Creek harvest
- Project Size: [1] $30,000; [2] $202,000
- Grant Amount: [1] $6,000, Dec 2015; [2] $3,500, May 2019