Mr. John Callaghan, Executive Director
HRBRRD Board of Directors
Hudson River Black River Regulating District
737 Bunker Hill Road
Mayfield, NY 12117
RE: Winney RV Park DEC permit Filing for Marina Slips on Sacandaga Lake
Dear Mr. Callaghan, the Great Sacandaga Lake Association wishes to register its objection to the application for a 64-slip marina, requested from DEC as part of the Winney RV Park. The objection is based on solid and factual reasons why the Hudson River Black River Regulating District should not issue a permit for any slips at the RV park.
First, during the Town of Mayfield permitting process the Winney RV project agreed not to have a marina. By itself, this should prevent a permit for slips from being issued.
Secondly there are navigational, depth and safety issues which should prevent HRBRRD from issuing a permit for the slips. I have outlined below some of the issues associated with having boat slips in that area.
A. There is a very narrow channel to reach the area of the lake where the permit is requested. The channel is unmarked and unfamiliar boaters may have grounding issues that could result in property damage, personal injury or both.
B. There is a very long 0.80-mile distance from the requested permit area to the main lake which needs to be a “No Wake Zone”. Vessels creating wakes will cause property damage to boats and docks located along the channel.
C. The Great Sacandaga Lake is a body of water used for flood control. As the lake level drops this is one of the first areas to lose water. The shallow depths will cause additional navigation hazards and groundings beyond the already difficult to navigate channel.
D. The channel lacks “Navigation Buoys” to help guide boaters safely to and from the main lake. This is an area where DEC does not provide navigation buoys or danger buoys.
E. There is a lack of law enforcement on the lake both on the part of local law enforcement and DEC, so there will be no enforcement of no wake speeds among the boaters traversing this area.
In closing, the area for which the permit is requested is both unsuitable and unsafe for boat slips or a marina and the Great Sacandaga Lake Association is urging the HRBRRD to deny any permit application for boat slips for the Winney RV park.
Best Regards
Edward Ludlum, President
Great Sacandaga Lake Association
