The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy (CWC) invites you to kick off the spring trout fishing season with updates on the state of the Chautauqua County trout fishery and Chautauqua Lake sediment and erosion control projects on lake tributary streams. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 2 at 5 p.m. at Shaggy’s Restaurant located in the upstairs of the See-Zurh House, 14 Main St., Bemus Point. The event is free and open to the public.

Scott Cornett, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 9 Fisheries Biologist, will present the results of the DEC’s 2018 trout stream sampling efforts on Clear and Cherry Creeks, while also previewing the DEC’s plans for 2019. Taylor West, CWC Technician, will provide an update on stream erosion control Water Quality Improvement Projects in Chautauqua Lake tributaries and how these projects enhance local trout populations and water quality.

For more information on this and other CWC programs, please visit the CWC web and Facebook sites, email info@chautauquawatershed.org or call 664-2166.

The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a member-supported, not-for-profit organization, which works to preserve and enhance the water quality, scenic beauty and ecological health of the lakes, streams and watersheds of the Chautauqua region. To date it has led efforts conserving over 1,000 acres of forest, wetland, streamside and lakefront land protecting water quality and open to public use across Chautauqua County.

The partners for the Chautauqua Lake tributary Water Quality Improvement Projects program are Chautauqua County, the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, Chautauqua County Soil &; Water Conservation District and Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy. Funding for the Water Quality Improvement Projects was provided in part by the Environmental Protection fund as administered by the NYSDEC. Chautauqua County, through a share of its Occupancy Tax Program and reallocated Chautauqua Lake Management Commission (CLMC) capital funds, provided the local match funds for these projects.