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Written by Joe Deignan

2009 Rainbow Lake Association Boat Launch Lake Steward Report

This summer marked the third consecutive season that RLA member volunteers monitored the state boat launch at the Buck Pond Campground. The volunteers interacted with boaters entering and leaving the Rainbow waterway, searching boats for invasive species. None were detected.

Usually teams served 3-hour shifts with three teams scheduled each day. A total of 31 members served during the season. Eight teams covered two duty shifts, eight teams covered three shifts, and one team covered four shifts. This season six new volunteers served their first shift.

Volunteer stewards, in their distinctive yellow tee shirts, not only searched boats for invasive species but also talked to boaters about invasives. They recommended boat washing and alerted boaters about specific infested Adirondack waters. Over the course of the season our volunteers interacted with 82 groups of boaters.

This season Jim Hauber served as cochairman and is primed to take over leadership during the 2010 summer season.

For the fifth consecutive season, Paul Smiths College Watershed Stewardship Program staffed the same boat launch on Saturdays and Sundays over 15 weeks. This service was offered thanks to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife grant to PSC and the leadership of Professor Eric Holmlund.

Respectfully submitted,