Three Lakes Council serves as a steward of our lakes. We develop recommended actions based on the scientific data collected, as well on the priorities of the lake residents. While we always welcome comments, surveys help us collect views systematically.
Thanks to the 109 people who responded to our lake survey in May 2026. This electronic survey was similar to surveys done by mail in 2016 and 2006. In both those years we received about 150 responses. While we tried to keep the same questions, the electronic format was not directly comparable, which could be why we had more “no responses” to some questions in 2026. The forms made collecting the responses easier, but it was a bit harder to summarize the results of some of the questions. Thanks to John Jay senior Carlos Fonseca Jr. who helped format and interpret the results during his four-week senior internship with the Three Lakes Council.
What users said about the lakes
In general people thought highly of their lakes. On the 1 to 5 scale, with 1 being the best, most people rated their lakes a 1 or 2. The most frequent activities are swimming, scenic enjoyment, and non-motorized boating. Gas motorboating is popular on Lake Waccabuc, but not the other lakes.
Most people judge the quality of their lake by the presence of algae or weeds. The next items listed, swimming conditions and scenery and wildlife diversity, are probably also affected by algae and weeds. Consistently, the top problems are algae and algal blooms, weeds, and nutrients. Nutrients promote the growth of algal blooms and weeds.
The problems are clear, and residents are also clear about solutions. As in past years, they favor education of homeowners, and limited scale solutions like hand pulling, suction harvesting, and benthic barriers. A majority of the total respondents, and at least 50% on each lake, did not support chemical use against weeds or algae.
What users said about Three Lakes Council
Residents strongly support the ecological actions of the Three Lakes Council. The activities rated most highly are lake studies of water quality & HABS monitoring, and the search for new invasive species to allow early responses. Community education and outreach and other stewardship actions, including actions on septics, were also felt to be very important.
Communications preferences were clearly electronic, including the Google Group and email. The newsletter, website, and public meetings were all more popular than postcards and social media. People wanted to hear about how to identify a potential harmful algal bloom, identification of invasive plants, and options for individual aquatic weed control. Next were preventing the introduction of invasive species, information about advanced septic technologies, and information about the ecology of our lakes, and the wildlife who share them with us.
Respondents are invested in helping to protect the lakes. Most have taken some action, like pumping out their septic system. Many joined their own lake association or Three Lakes Council.
Links to details
Thanks to all who responded! To see the detailed responses, including some graphical displays of the data, click here. The write in comments are available by lake: Waccabuc Oscaleta Rippowam
You don’t have to wait for a survey to voice your opinions. You can always contact us at [email protected]
You can find our 2016 user survey information here and our 2006 user survey information here.