Lake Mohegan is more than a recreational area; it is proof that the people of a community can make a difference in the environmental stormwater protection, as long as it has effective technology to back its commitments.
Initially, this beautiful freshwater lake had been used for the value of the surrounding land. The trees were cut down, the land used for farming and the ground scraped for gravel. The 20th century saw development first of a summer resort community, followed by commercial development and a year-round residential occupancy in single family homes, rental apartments and condominiums. During this period, the lake became increasingly distressed. The community, though, looked at the lake as a resource to hand to future generations.
Environmental Stormwater Protection Essential To The Community
The greatest problem with keeping an area as valuable and rare as Lake Mohegan pristine is that many factors can affect water quality. The Mohegan Lake Improvement District (the board in charge of the lake) recognized the effect of stormwater runoff on the fresh water so many people enjoyed now required environmental stormwater protection.
Runoff from neighboring residential, commercial and transportation areas resulted in an increase in nitrogen and phosphorous content, leading to algae blooms. The board, composed of people who live in and love this natural resource, wanted decisive environmental stormwater protection.action.
Environmental Stormwater Protection Put Into Action
The president of the Mohegan Lake Improvement District, Ken Belfer, contacted Bill Stoecker, a representative of Fabco Industries, a NYS based, National Stormwater Solutions provider. Together, they reviewed lake surveys and testing information to evaluate “hotspots” that contributed the most damage to the environmental conditions. After consulting with limnologists—experts on the quality and condition of fresh water systems, including lakes–they selected a spot that was particularly vulnerable, a street that runs along the north east shore, then turned to the experts at Fabco Industries.
Mohegan Lake Improvement District Logo
Fabco’s StormBasin solution is a cartridge based catch basin insert and is exceptionally suited to economical retrofit approaches. The StormBasin can help to remove not only trash and debris, but can reduce the quantity of organic pollutants like horticultural fertilizer, and oil from cars and trucks, entering the lake. Most critically in these days of fiscal restraint, the Fabco StormBasin is a cost effective solution that will allow the lake community and the town to help Mother Nature begin to reverse the environmental damage done by these nutrients and hydrocarbons.
Fabco Industries StormBasins
For the lake community, having affordable catch basin inserts/filtration cartridges that could be added to existing stormwater infrastructure made it possible to get started quickly on the work that will be needed all around the lake’s watershed to reduce nutrient inflow that is degrading the lake environment.
Fabco’s team worked with the lake board and the town of Yorktown, NY, providing and installing the StormBasin inserts at the chosen “hot-spot” location to treat the contaminants before they flowed into the lake for effective environmental stormwater protection.
No trees were damaged or removed by the installers. No ground was disturbed. Existing infrastructure was used as a base to install the necessary products to achieve the task.
That was a year ago.
Since then, residents have been made aware of their contribution to the lake’s quality and are taking measures with environmental stormwater protection.to prevent pollutants from their activities from exacerbating the problem, such as limiting the use of chemical fertilizers. The board that protects the lake is looking into future solutions to target other hot spots surrounding this precious lake.
People have power over the environment. Fabco Industries creates the technology and forward thinking people implement the improvements with environmental stormwater protection.
Fabco Industries is a leader in stormwater management. We design and manufacture high performance stormwater filter systems that are highly effective for various treatment applications.
Our range of cost-effective, durable products are designed to meet increasingly stringent pollution control regulations and best management practices for municipal and commercial stormwater markets.
We offer sustainable, simple-to-maintain filtration solutions to meet virtually any stormwater pollution control challenge. Innovative technology. Proven performance. Unbeatable quality and value.
For more information or to discuss how Fabco can work with you to protect our irreplaceable resources, email us at [email protected], or call 631-393-6024.