A few Central New York lake associations are preparing to do all they can to sustain the water quality in two popular lakes. Members of the Cazenovia Lake Association and the Otisco Lake Preservation Association are taking action to fight off Eurasian milfoil. It's an invasive plant that effects water quality and can jeopardize recreational use of the water. Our Brad Vivacqua has more on these efforts.

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CENTRAL NEW YORK – There are quite a few people who enjoy using Cazenovia Lake for swimming, boating, and recreation. Back in 2009 and 2010, donations helped the town and Lake Association pay for a state approved herbicide, Triclopyr, to eliminate milfoil in both the south and north ends of the lake.

The state has approved yet another plan for the Lake Association to treat the lake a third time to combat the spread of the invasive weed. Studies show the first two treatments have had a significant impact, and now another treatment will be applied next month to the lake’s shorelines. The funding will come from both a reserve fund and the town.

A similar effort with a different method is being conducted this week at Otisco Lake, which is used for both recreation and drinking water. A grant from the Onondaga Health Department will help pay for a large matting project to control the milfoil from growing.

Lake Association officials say it's important to keep the lakes clean because the communities around them thrive on them.

"In many respects it is all three legs of the stool. It's a sense of identity, it's a sense of our economy, it's a sense of our tax base and it's a sense of pride," said Preston Gilbert, Cazenovia Lake Association President.

Lake officials say it's important to remove the milfoil in order to preserve the water's quality for years to come. People who use or live around the lakes are encouraged to get involved with their local lake associations.

For more information visit www.cazlake.org and www.otiscolakepreservation.org.