Onondaga Lake- proposal

During the early 1900's and into the 1930’s, Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, New York was flourishing. During this time period, businesses were booming, tourists were coming in from everywhere just to enjoy the glorious lake. An amusement park filled the shore line with a carousel, roller coaster and other rides and fun attractions. Life seemed simple then. During this time the businesses were booming. There were salt mines everywhere and factories were just starting to develop into major economy boosters. Syracuse was the place for fine china and was known for its hospitality.

            

Ten years pass and the year is 1930, although the amusement park was still up and running, it was doing more harm than good. The economy was booming, the small businesses and large factories around the city were flourishing. But all the hustle and bustle was taking a toll on Onondaga Lake. Companies such as Solvay Press Company at which my Great Grandfather worked, were one of the main causes of the pollution. This company alone was responsible for dumping soda ash and millions of pounds of miscellaneous waste into the lake. That is when swimming became prohibited.

By the 1940’s the scene is completely different. Everything is torn down. No more amusement parks and entertainment. The water was deemed so polluted from the factories and waste products that the lake was deemed unfit for fishing. The factories were using the lake as a giant waste dump. Mercury was one of the main components produced at these giant factories and was one of the main causes of ruining the aquatic life in Onondaga Lake.

During the next few decades, Onondaga Lake was at a standstill. Although there were some small efforts to clean up the lake, the people of Syracuse were not willing to drop their industrialist life style. Times were still changing and people were still adjusting to the factory life. But these few acts were a start. It started with sewage policies that eliminated some of the dumping and continued with factories where the amount of mercury was reduced. 

Beginning at the end of the 20^th century and the beginning of the 21^st century, pollution reduction projects has begun to pick up. The chemical pollution decreased steadily, along with the sewage and other waste products, but it is still not enough. In the picture below you can see the water has cleared up since the 1960’s and into the 1970’s. It has even been declared safe enough to fish in.

Now current day, there is a fifteen year plan now installed to slowly clean the lake in stages. But the people of Onondaga county question, will this be enough? Still ranked as one of the polluted lakes in all of the United States this is one of the people of Syracuse, New York’s major concerns. With the smell ruining daily outdoor activities around Onondaga Lake and the boaters complain about the inability to swim and truly enjoy the pleasures of having a boat on a lake with the potential to be really beautiful.

This is where my proposal comes in. I propose to Onondaga County an idea that can speed along the process of cleaning out the lake. The first step is to remove all of the boats, jet skis and other motorized vehicles from Onondaga Lake. By doing this you are getting rid of harmful gases that get omitted into the lake and causes further pollution. Also with boating comes the fecal matter and other waste products that need to be removed from the lake.  If you eliminate these factors while the cleanup is in process, there will be less pollution going into the water and you will see better results faster. But that is when the real plan comes in action. It is time that Onondaga county invest in what is known as floating islands. These islands which can be pricey with the smallest island costing approximately six hundred dollars are made to help with aquatic life and more. Once they are installed they reduce harmful gases by filtering them through there sponge like materials. They can get rid of excess carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are omitted into the water due to the factories and other environmental factors.  They are known to have cleared up small lakes with only a few of them installed, but with a lake the size of Onondaga, there would need to be quite a few. This seems extremely pricey and non-beneficial but in the long run the county will benefit tremendously. If the lake were clean, outdoor activity in and around the lake can resume which will attract more tourists and the once glorious lake can return to its golden days. The more tourists that arrive the more money will enter the local economy because they will fund small businesses and in return eventually pay for themselves. Not only do these islands clean the water, but they are made of one hundred percent renewable resources and are safe for the environment. They also help by giving fish and other aquatic life safe homes under them. Floating islands on top of the fifteen year plan can only be a benefit to Onondaga County and especially to the lake which was once the most polluted lake in all of the United States. By incorporating these small ideas I previously stated, the lake can return to its beautiful state once again.