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CHAUTAUQUA LAKE AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ALLIANCE INC
JAMESTOWN, NY · EIN 471643734 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE C32 · Environment · Medium ($1M-$10M) · chautauquaalliance.org
revenue
$1.1M
expenses
$1.1M
net assets
$984K
employees
3
volunteers
10
program ratio
97%
mission · from form 990

THE ALLIANCE WAS FORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH LAKE AND WATERSHED-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, MUNICIPALITIES, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, NY, TO PROMOTE AND FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CHAUTAUQUA LAKE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THE CHAUTAUQUA LAKE MACROPHYTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY BY PRIORITIZING PROJECTS, SECURING FUNDING AND ALLOCATING RESOURCES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance is a nonprofit organization based in Jamestown, NY, focused on improving water quality and ecosystem health in Chautauqua Lake and its 100,000-acre watershed. The organization facilitates collaboration among municipalities, research institutions, and environmental groups to implement science-based management strategies. It supports research, coordinates lake and watershed restoration projects, and promotes data-driven decision-making for sustainable lake management.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Ball Creek Stabilization
Stream bank restoration project involving rip-rap rock stabilization, log veins, native plantings, and biofiltration to reduce erosion and sediment transfer into Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake Aquatic Data Mapping Program (CLAD)
Mapping initiative to collect, analyze, and visualize aquatic data for Chautauqua Lake to support science-based management decisions
Chautauqua Lake Research Panels and Conferences
Annual symposia and research panels that bring together scientists, stakeholders, and decision-makers to share findings and inform lake management strategies
Independent Third-Party Monitor for Chautauqua Lake Macrophyte Management
Monitoring program providing independent assessment of herbicide treatment programs to ensure effective and sustainable macrophyte management
Lakewood/Busti Precision Swales Retrofit
Stormwater management project retrofitting roadside swales with salt-tolerant native plants and phosphorus-binding media to reduce nutrient runoff into Chautauqua Lake
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 4 activities
    • Conduct stormwater and watershed engineering studies
      Conducted the Village of Lakewood and Town of Busti Stormwater Management Engineering Study to assess stormwater impacts and recommend water quality protection improvements; developed a 5-Year Implementation Strategy and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) Tool to support decision-making for lake and watershed management.
    • Implement watershed and macrophyte management plan recommendations
      Promotes, facilitates, and collaborates on the implementation of recommendations from the Chautauqua Lake Watershed Management Plan and the Chautauqua Lake Macrophyte Management Strategy by prioritizing projects, securing funding, allocating resources, and working with municipalities, lake organizations, and stakeholders in Chautauqua County, NY.
    • Provide science-based advisory services for lake management
      Provides science-based advisement to the Board of Directors and Executive Director on matters related to the health and management of Chautauqua Lake, including allocation of financial resources, through a committee of experts in research, natural sciences, engineering, and data analysis.
    • Support collaborative scientific research for lake management
      Supports and facilitates collaborative research among academic and research institutions to generate actionable scientific data for sustainable lake and watershed management, including hosting plant surveys from North Carolina State University and maintaining public access to an archive of lake-related data and surveys.
  • Lake Invasive Species Management 4 activities
    • Contract third-party monitoring for herbicide treatment effectiveness
      Contracts independent third-party monitoring to assess the effectiveness of herbicide treatment programs on macrophyte management in Chautauqua Lake.
    • Coordinate in-lake maintenance and harmful algal bloom mitigation
      Coordinates in-lake maintenance activities including harmful algal bloom mitigation and potential dredging efforts by convening local municipal leaders and lake management organizations.
    • Manage Chautauqua Lake using mechanical, chemical, and biological methods
      Manages Chautauqua Lake through mechanical, chemical, and biological techniques including shoreline and debris cleanup, mechanical plant harvesting, herbicide treatments, use of herbivores, and dredging; implements annual herbicide treatment programs with documented planning and reporting through at least 2026.
    • Operate aquatic data mapping program for lake management
      Operates the Chautauqua Lake Aquatic Data Mapping Program (CLAD) to map aquatic data in the lake, including lake-bottom mapping to support macrophyte management and decision-making.
  • Watershed Conservation & Stewardship 2 activities
    • Guide watershed improvement projects and grant proposals
      Provides guidance on watershed projects and recommends project ideas for grant submission aimed at reducing nutrient and sediment flow into Chautauqua Lake.
    • Improve watershed water quality through restoration
      Works to improve water quality in a watershed comprising 300 miles of streams feeding Chautauqua Lake by implementing stream restoration projects that reduce nutrient and sediment inflow.
  • Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
    • Fund water chestnut removal projects in the watershed
      Funds water chestnut removal projects for property owners in the Chautauqua Lake watershed through grants awarded to the Audubon Community Nature Center.
  • Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
    • Implement stream bank and stormwater infrastructure improvements
      Improved approximately 440 linear feet of eroded stream bank along Ball Creek using rip-rap rock stabilization, log veins, grading, and native plantings; improved approximately 4,600 linear feet of roadside swales in Lakewood and Busti by incorporating salt-tolerant native deep-rooted plants and phosphorus-binding media to reduce nutrient concentrations and enhance biofiltration.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.15M
Contributions & grants$1.10M96%
Program service revenue$18K2%
Investment income$32K3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.08M
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$155K
Grants paid out$905K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.03M
Cash$1.02M
Investments$0
Liabilities$44K
Net assets$984K
Liquid reserves11.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -38.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
RANDALL H PERRY EXECUTIVE DI 40 $69K
board members · 10
  • BRUCE ERICKSON — CHAIR (END 5
  • DON EMHARDT — CHAIR (6/24
  • ELLEN BARNES — TREASURER (E
  • JAMES ANDREWS — DIRECTOR
  • JANIS BOWMAN — SECRETARY (E
  • JODEE JOHNSON — DIRECTOR
  • MARTIN PROCTOR — DIRECTOR
  • MIKE LATONE — DIRECTOR
  • PAUL WENDEL JR — DIRECTOR
  • PIERRE CHAGNON — V-CHAIR (6/2
relationships · 58

Who they work with

  • Audubon Community Nature Center Partner — Partnered on water chestnut removal services for watershed property owners using Alliance grant funding.
  • Bowling Green State University Partner — Participates in collaborative research on Chautauqua Lake as part of a multi-institutional science-based approach.
  • Chautauqua County Government — Co-hosts annual research symposia and receives research reports to inform local policy and management decisions.
  • Chautauqua County Government — Collaborates with Chautauqua County municipalities and stakeholders on watershed management initiatives.
  • Chautauqua County Legislature Government — Established the predecessor organization, the Chautauqua Lake Management Commission, in 2005.
  • Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District Partner — Local project partner in the Ball Creek stream stabilization effort.
  • Chautauqua Institution Partner — Hosts annual water quality research conferences and collaborates on lake conservation outreach and education.
  • Chautauqua Lake Association Partner — Collaborates on mechanical lake maintenance including work reports and near-shore cleanup
  • Chautauqua Lake Association Partner — Collaborates on watercraft steward programs to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species on Chautauqua Lake.
  • Chautauqua Lake Macrophyte Management Strategy Network — Collaborates on implementation of recommendations from the strategy.
  • Chautauqua Lake Watershed Management Plan Network — Collaborates on implementation of recommendations from the plan.
  • Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Funder — Funded Alliance-partnered stormwater management projects.
  • Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Funder — Funds Alliance-partnered lake maintenance projects
  • Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Funder — Provides funding for stream restoration projects in the Chautauqua Lake watershed.
  • Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Partner — Collaborates through representation on the Watershed Management Committee.
  • Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Partner — Local project partner in the Ball Creek stream stabilization effort.
  • Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Partner — Partnered on aquatic invasive species early detection and volunteer rapid response programs on Chautauqua Lake.
  • County Department of Health and Human Services Partner — Represented on the Watershed Management Committee to provide input on public health-related aspects of watershed management.
  • County of Chautauqua Government — Funded and collaborated on Alliance-partnered stormwater management projects.
  • County of Chautauqua Government — Funds and collaborates on lake maintenance initiatives
  • County of Chautauqua Government — Provides funding and support for stream restoration projects in the Chautauqua Lake watershed.
  • EcoStrategies Partner — Performed engineering services for the Ball Creek stream stabilization project.
  • GEI Consultants Partner — Provides lake management consulting services to the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance.
  • GEI Consultants Partner — Serves as the Alliance’s lake management consultant
  • Gebbie Foundation Funder — Funded Alliance-partnered stormwater management projects.
  • Gebbie Foundation Funder — Funds Alliance-partnered lake maintenance projects
  • Gebbie Foundation Funder — Provides funding for stream restoration projects in the Chautauqua Lake watershed.
  • Holmberg Foundation Funder — Funded Alliance-partnered stormwater management projects.
  • Holmberg Foundation Funder — Funds Alliance-partnered lake maintenance projects
  • Holmberg Foundation Funder — Provides funding for stream restoration projects in the Chautauqua Lake watershed.
+ 28 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Collaborative Governance for Watershed Management
    methodology: collaborative-governance
    By convening organizations, municipalities, and stakeholders, the alliance prioritizes projects, secures funding, and implements management plans, because inclusive decision-making increases buy-in, coordination, and effective resource allocation across jurisdictions.
  • Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management
    methodology: integrated lake management
    By combining mechanical, chemical, and biological methods, the alliance manages aquatic vegetation to maintain lake functionality and ecological balance, because a multi-method approach adapts to variable conditions and mitigates the limitations of any single tactic.
  • Integrated Stormwater and Erosion Control
    methodology: stormwater_management
    By slowing stormwater velocity, promoting natural infiltration, and using vegetative biofiltration, the alliance reduces erosion and nutrient loading, because engineered natural systems intercept runoff before it degrades lake water quality.
  • Science-Based Decision-Making for Lake Health
    methodology: science-based decision-making
    By using independent scientific analysis and technical expertise, the alliance informs management and financial decisions, because evidence-driven guidance ensures effective, credible, and sustainable interventions for watershed health.