The Weekly AdirondackThanks to a generous grant from the Nature Conservancy in Keene Valley, the Raquette Lake Property Owners Association, Inc. (RLPOA) has installed an Internet Landing Installed Device Sensor (I-LIDS) at the Raquette Lake boat launch, and the equipment is already proving its worth.

The I-LIDS system, created by Environmental Sentry Protection out of Wisconsin, was designed to educate boaters, and to curb the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species by using a solar-powered, wireless internet video camera that transmits the boat launch images to a local access point for review by enforcement officials.

Installed over the Fourth of July weekend, I-LIDs and Raquette Lake stewards have already helped curb the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) such as Eurasian Water Milfoil, Variable Leaf Milfoil, Water Chestnuts, and Zebra Mussels.

A final report on this pilot program is due out on December 1, 2011, however, Ken Hawks and Pat Deyle of the RLPOA have recently reported that the I-LIDS are already working.

On Friday, July 22, it was reported that a recreational boater from Buffalo was stopped at the village boat launch site by an alert Raquette Lake steward who, with the aid of I-LIDS, was able to correctly identify and remove over fifty Zebra Mussels from the visitors boat before it was put into the lake.

The impact that fifty Zebra Mussels can have on a lake can be devastating.

So, it remains imperative that recreational boaters continue to check for hitchhiking AIS each time they plan to launch or remove their boats from the water.

Those seeking more information about the I-LIDS program or Aquatic Invasive Species may contact Pat Deyle at (315) 354-4070, or by visiting the Raquette Lake Property Owners Association website at www.rlpoa.org.