The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation recently announced that the Fourth Lake Boat Launch in the town of Inlet will be temporarily closed starting Monday, Sept. 12.

The closure will allow DEC to make repairs and improvements to the launch. The public boat launch will re-open in spring 2023.

Rehabilitation work at site will include new pavement, painted parking spots, fencing and a new boarding dock, as well as tree work and general landscaping. Work will begin at the time of closure and continue through the fall. Due to weather conditions and construction schedules, some work will not be completed until the spring.

The DEC-managed Fourth Lake Boat Launch is the only public boat launch on the lake. Boaters are encouraged to seek nearby waterways with public access as an alternative. A list of DEC boat launches by county is available on DEC’s website. Boaters with vessels on the lake should remove their boats prior to the closure date or reach out to private marinas to arrange removal of boats from Fourth Lake after Sept. 12. All boats and trailers must be vacated from the parking lot before midnight on Sunday, Sept. 11.

For more information regarding this closure, boaters can contact the Region 5 Bureau of Fisheries at 518-623-1200 or fwfish5@dec.ny.gov.

Beginning June 8 of this year, all boaters operating any kind of motorized watercraft in the Adirondack Park and within 10 miles of the Blue Line are required by law to possess certification that their vessel has undergone proper “Clean. Drain. Dry.” measures to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Boaters can obtain a certification from a boat steward at a designated inspection station or fill out a self-issued certificate.