The Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO) was formed in 1998 to undertake a state-funded watershed restoration and protection planning process that produced a Watershed Characterization in 2000, and a Cayuga Lake Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan (RPP) in 2001 which was updated in 2017. In addition, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation released the Harmful Algal Bloom Action Plan for Cayuga Lake in 2018 By detailing the state of the watershed and threats to water quality, these documents recommend actions to preserve and protect the watershed, define the purpose of the CWIO, and help members gain access to certain funding sources.
Our Mission and Purpose
The Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO)‘s mission is to bring local governments in the Cayuga Lake watershed together to work collectively and collaboratively with partner agencies and organizations to monitor, protect, and restore water quality throughout the watershed in the face of a changing world.
The 57 municipalities within the Cayuga Lake watershed recognize the enormous and irreplaceable ecological, economic and social value of Cayuga Lake, its tributaries, and its wetlands. The Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO) brings Cayuga Lake watershed municipalities together to work collectively and collaboratively on monitoring, protecting, and restoring the health of the watershed.
CWIO provides information and guidance to all municipalities regardless of membership status. Member municipalities have voting privileges and will help guide the future of clean water protection for our communities, creeks, and lake. They also have the support of CWIO’s Watershed Manager in finding and securing funding for water projects. See MEMBERS and HOW TO JOIN.
- See the 2023 CWIO Work Plan for details on activities and actions for the coming year.
- Resolutions CWIO adopted in 2022 and 2023 (as of April)
- CWIO Focus Areas (developed in 2022)
- See the CWIO Bylaws.
Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization Documents
Meetings of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO) are held at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month. All are welcome to attend.
This month’s meeting documents
Agenda package 5/24/23
2023
- Joint request for TMDL Completion with Cayuga Lake Watershed Network.
- Newsletters
- 2023 Resolutions as of April 2023
2022
- 2022 CWIO Annual Report
- Watershed Manager Reports
- Great Lakes Action Agenda (GLAA) – Comments submitted 11/2022
- Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) comments submitted 5/2022
- Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) – SPDES General Permit – comments submitted 2/2022
- Federal Clean Water Act Section 303(d) – comments submitted 2/2022
- Support for preservation of Camp Barton shoreline from development – Resolution 1/2022
- CWIO Resolutions of 2022
- 2000 Cayuga Lake Watershed Characterization
- 2001 Cayuga Lake Watershed Restoration & Protection Plan
- 2017 Cayuga Lake Watershed Restoration & Protection Plan
- 2018 Harmful Algal Bloom Action Plan for Cayuga Lake
- DRAFT Total Maximum Daily Load for Phosphorus
Organizational and Planning Documents
- CWIO Projects
- 2022 CWIO Workplan
- 2022 CWIO Budget
- 2021 CWIO Bylaws
- CWIO Memorandum of Agreement: The MOA is the membership agreement for member municipalities.
- Organization – In 2020-2021, an organizational assessment of CWIO was conducted by the Consensus Building Institute.
- See the outcome of the assessment
- See the annual organizational document. Includes budget, committee members, work plan.
OFFICERS
OFFICERS- Elizabeth Thomas (Tompkins County), CWIO Chair
- Roxanna Johnston (Tompkins County), CWIO Vice Chair
STANDING COMMITTEES
Committee Members (Organizational Document PDF)
Executive Committee: Conducts business on behalf of the membership of the CWIO between CWIO meetings and keeps the CWIO membership informed of important matters as needed. The CWIO membership often delegates specific work and actions to the Executive Committee.
Finance Committee: Recommends the amount of annual dues to be paid by CWIO members and responds to requests from the Executive Committee regarding CWIO finances.
Membership and Nominating Committee: Helps to build membership; tracks member and associate representation; considers and recommends liaisons; identifies a slate of officers for the CWIO.
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): Recommends watershed priorities, evaluates project applications, and makes recommendations to the CWIO on requests for funding among other tasks. Members of the TAC are not required to be members of CWIO and the committee can expand depending on the topic to ensure technical expertise.
Education, Public Participation, and Outreach Committee (EPPOC): Works with CWIO staff or contracts with other watershed entities to fulfill RPP outreach and education goals and action.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE(S)
Agriculture Committee: This committee advises both CWIO and the Executive Committee on topics connected to agriculture as it relates to water quality protection within the watershed.
State Outreach Committee: This committee is tasked to improve communication between CWIO and State elected representatives and also the staff of state agencies on topics relating to water quality preservation and protection within the Cayuga Lake watershed.