Payton Bomyea paddles a kayak with a fishing rod mounted on it, behind a canoe paddled by Mark Bomyea (stern, fishing) and Logan Ratelle on the Saranac River in downtown Saranac Lake on a Friday in May 2021. The Saranac Lake area residents were enjoying the sunny day, with high temperatures in the 80s. (Enterprise photo — Peter Crowley)

PAUL SMITHS — Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateauguay Lake, recently sponsored a resolution in the state Assembly to honor the first week in August as Adirondack Water Week.

Held from Aug. 4 to 13, Adirondack Water Week is an annual celebration that highlights organizations, partners and communities that are taking efforts to protect clean water for future generations.

This year’s celebration highlights communities in the Adirondack region that are taking efforts to protect clean water through education, outreach, volunteer projects and community planning.

“The Adirondack region is home to so many beautiful and pristine waterways that not only help sustain life in our region but are also enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” Jones said in a press release. “This week is about celebrating our waterways and all that they provide us from drinking water to recreation, and I look forward to celebrating this important week with the North Country community.”

Adirondack Water Week is a collaboration involving several partner organizations and businesses and features more than a dozen public programs across the region. This year, it is supported by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and Explore Adirondack Frontier and is coordinated by the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute.

“We are grateful to the Assemblyman Billy Jones who spearheaded the resolution and Gov. Hochul for recognizing of the importance of Adirondack waters,” said AWI Executive Director Zoe Smith.

Tom Collins is the organizer of Adirondack Water Week and AWI’s education and outreach manager.

“The people in the Adirondacks put a tremendous amount of hard work into protecting their lakes, ponds, rivers and streams,” Tom Collins said. “We are dedicating this year’s Water Week to these community partners, we can’t do this work alone.”

During Water Week, the public is encouraged to embark on their own explorations. After their adventures, individuals can use #adirondackwaterweek on social media for a chance to win a self-guided paddling trip on Lower Saranac Lake, provided by Adirondack Lakes & Trails Outfitters.

The mission of the Adirondack Watershed Institute is to protect clean water, conserve habitat, and support the health and well-being of the people in the Adirondacks through scientific inquiry, stewardship, and real-world experiences, adkwatershed.org.

–

Water Week events

–

All events are open to the general public and a full schedule can be found on the Water Week calendar at adkwatershed.org/adirondack-water-week.

Below is the event schedule for Adirondack Water Week.

¯ EcoArts Festival: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 at The View Center for Arts and Culture, 3273 state Route 28, Old Forge. The festival will feature hands-on environmentally focused arts and science projects for all ages.

¯ Guided Canoe Paddle: 10 a.m. to noon, Aug. 5-6, 12-13 at the Paul Smith’s College VIC, 8023 state Route 30, Paul Smiths. Enjoy a beginner-level canoe paddle on Barnum Pond with VIC staff. Participants will learn about Adirondack wetlands and bogs and the fascinating diversity of life they support as you navigate along the Barnum Outlet into Barnum Pond. Hats and sunscreen are recommended. Available for ages 5 and older. Children must be accompanied by one adult per two children. Cost: $15-$25. Preregistration is required. Call 518-327-6241 or visit https://pscvic.square.site/product/guided-canoe-paddle/613 to purchase tickets.

¯ Maintain the Chain: Aug. 5 to Aug. 13. What began as a family tradition has evolved into a widespread clean-up event dubbed Maintain the Chain. The event not only focuses on maintaining the beauty of the Fulton Chain of Lakes but the entire Adirondack Park as well. Learn more and register for projects at www.maintainthechain.net.

¯ Guided Watershed Tour — Aquatic Plant Paddle on Lake Placid: 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 7. Join Ausable River Association staff and Brian Greene, aquatic invasive species coordinator for the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, for two hours of paddling and learning about aquatic plants. Participants will learn about both native and invasive aquatic plants and what they can do to help stop the spread of invasive species. Participants will need to supply their own boats for this program. There is a maximum of 12 participants per tour, and preregistration is required. For questions and to register, email events@ausableriver.org or call 518-637-6859. Learn more at www.ausableriver.org/events/river-tours.

¯ Lake Protectors in-person training: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8 at the Long Lake Public Library, 1195 Main St., Long Lake. Join the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program and Long Lake Association for a free in-person training on aquatic invasive species identification and the volunteer Lake Protectors program. At this training, participants will learn to identify, survey, and record data about aquatic invasive species so they can join the hundreds of other volunteers protecting Adirondack lakes. During this event, there will be hands-on identification of invasive species and examples of plant collection with aquatic rakes. Learn more and register at adkinvasives.com. There is an optional paddle (bring your own boat) on Jennings Lake after the indoor portion is over, and participants are advised to bring their own watercraft, life jacket, snacks, water, hat and sunscreen.

¯ Lecture: Harmful Algal Blooms — An emerging concern in the Adirondack Park: 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8 at the Northwood School Innovation Hub, 2495 Main St., Lake Placid. Join Adirondack Watershed Institute Senior Research Scientist and Director of Student Engagement Brendan Wiltse for an informative lecture on Harmful Algal Blooms in Adirondack lakes.

¯ Online Lecture: Health of the Raquette River: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9. A rivers scientist, policy researchers and environmental educators will join together to try to answer some questions about the health of the Raquette River. Dr. Abul Baki (Clarkson University) will discuss his ground-breaking research about micro-plastic pollution in the Raquette River. Jackie Bowen (Adirondack Council) will add to the conversation by discussing what legislative actions are being taken to protect North Country waterways, and how the resent Supreme Court ruling on wetlands will impact Raquette River communities. Blake Neumann (Adirondack Council) will delve into the importance of environmental education, and how North Country communities can join together to protect these beloved waters. Register for this Zoom presentation at talkingrivers.org/health-of-the-raquette-river.

¯ Nature Paddle: Celebrating Adirondack Waters with the Ausable River Association: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 on Lake Everest, town beach, Wilmington. Join Ausable River Association staff for an interpretive paddle through the Ausable Paddling Nature Trail, learning about the history of the region and using our senses to locate and identify birds, insects, fish and mammals that call the Ausable River home. Participants will also learn about invasive species that threaten native plants and wildlife and how they can take initiative to protect clean water. Canoes or kayaks, paddles and life jackets will be provided for those who need them. For questions and to register, email events@ausableriver.org or call 518-637-6859. Learn more at www.ausableriver.org/events/river-tours.

¯ Sips & Science: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 at the Hotel Saranac, 100 Main St., Saranac Lake. Join Adirondack Watershed Institute staff and friends and help celebrate AWI’s 30th anniversary and the partners who help them achieve their mission. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served, and the bar will be open for purchasing special water-themed drinks. RSVP by Aug. 3 online at www.adkwatershed.org/events/sips-science.

¯ Adirondack Lakes Alliance Symposium: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11 at Paul Smith’s College, 7777 state Route 30, Paul Smiths. The day starts with presentations from Assemblymen Billy Jones and Matt Simpson, as well as Paul Smith’s College President Dan Kelting. Two plenary sessions — this year’s “ED Talks” — will include Curt Stager (Paul Smith’s College) and Brendan Wiltse (Adirondack Watershed Institute). Stager will present on his research on ice conditions on our Adirondack lakes, and Wiltse will present on the increasing presence of Harmful Algal Blooms across the region. The talks are tied together by the climate warming effects we are seeing in the Adirondack Park. Breakout sessions will focus on aquatic invasive species management and on establishing partnerships with local government, community and organizations. The cost is $30. Register online at https://form.jotform.com/231904658784266.

¯ Friends of Moody Pond Ice Cream Social: 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 at 331 Forest Hill Ave., Saranac Lake. This is a free, communitywide event featuring live entertainment, and there will be a variety of ice cream available. Moody Pond is a 25-acre pond, and its quiet fish-filled waters attract a myriad of canoeists, kayakers and small fishing boats. People fish and swim in the summer and skate, ski and ice-fish on its’ frozen surface in the winter. The level, paved 1.1-mile road around the pond allows young children to master the art of riding a bicycle and offers those with mobility challenges a safe place to enjoy nature. It is a popular walking, jogging, and biking area for residents and tourists.

¯ Purple Loosestrife Volunteer Pull: 9 to 11:30 a.m. at AuSable Marsh. Purple loosestrife is a common invasive plant that harms the health and biodiversity of stream sides in the Adirondacks and other parts of New York. Each year, the Ausable River Association hosts a purple loosestrife pull to mitigate this threat. Volunteers assist in eliminating portions of the infestation while learning about the plant’s identification and management. Water and snacks will be provided. Learn more at www.ausableriver.org. Email krista@ausableriver.org to sign up to volunteer.