Owasco Watershed Rules and Regulations

Project Update

The Owasco Lake Watershed Rules & Regulations (“WSRR”) Update Project is an important water quality initiative being undertaken by the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council on behalf of the City of Auburn and the Town of Owasco, the two water purveyors sourcing and distributing public water supply from Owasco Lake.

The project goal is to update and revise the 1984 Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations, through a thoughtful and engaged public participation process resulting in effective and equitable watershed regulations that will help to improve, protect and preserve water quality within Owasco Lake and it’s 205-square mile watershed for the benefit of current and future generations.

The Project, initiated in the spring of 2017 and following numerous public and stakeholder meetings and including an approximate three-month public comment period in 2019, has reached an important milestone – presentation of the Final Draft Watershed Rules & Regulations to the Auburn City Council and Owasco Town Board. The joint meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers of Memorial City Hall, 24 South Street, Auburn, NY 13021.

The joint meeting has been scheduled to allow the respective boards to consider support for the adoption of updated Watershed Rules and Regulations for Owasco Lake and its nearly 205-square mile watershed.

Should the Auburn City Council and Owasco Town Board support the adoption of the final draft WSRR, the next step in the process is transmittal of the draft and support resolutions to the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, initiating the required state review process.

Due to COVID19 Pandemic meeting restrictions, the October 29 joint City-Town meeting will need to be closed to in-person attendance by the general public, however, the meeting will be live-streamed via the ZOOM platform. Members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting may do so via teleconference. Interested members of the public may register by 4:00 PM on October 29, 2020 at the videoconference registration link at this website: www.AuburnNY.gov/10292020.

October 29, 2020 Joint Meeting- Project Final Draft and Reference Materials

In addition to the Project Reference Materials included in the links below, a single PDF Reference Document containing the Final Draft WSRR and Related Reference Materials can be found here. This PDF includes:

Overview of Project Background, Meetings, Public Participation
Final Draft WSRR approved by Steering Committee March 12, 2020
Categorized Summary of Public Comments Received during 2019 Public Comment Period and Staff Working Group Responses
Copy of 1984 (current) Watershed Rules & Regulations