About the Save Hyde Lake Association
Who are we?
The Save Hyde Lake Association is a non-profit organization of lakeside property owners and concerned citizens who are committed to maintaining the water quality and aesthetic beauty of Hyde Lake. When it was incorporated in 1981, the primary concern was to restore and stabalize the water level of the lake. Since then water quality and weed growth have become concerns.
Goal
Our goal is to preserve and protect Hyde Lake and its wetlands.
Message from the President
Philosophy: The integrity of Hyde Lake and its environment depends upon its water quality and the standards that are set to improve and maintain that quality. Long range lake management is the vital key to achieving those standards. Citizen awareness of current conditions through monitoring, analyzing and applying data to ongoing research and studies and setting goals are elements of long range planning.
Vision: My vision is for all lake property owners and lake citizens to open their minds to environmental knowledge and develop a self-awareness of the impact that their actions and common practices have on the conditions of the lake and its surrounding environment. Through full participation and sound, environmentally-friendly actions the water quality of Hyde Lake will improve and maintain its own quality standards.
Joyce Schell, President
Officers
President: Joyce (Schell) Brunet
Vice-president: Dorene McCann
Secretary: Bruce Sharpe
Treasurer: Debbie McCloat
Committee Members: Dan Sickmiller, Dave Retzbach, Ken Banse
History
Click on photo to see larger image.
Hyde Lake is a small, glacial deposited lake in northern New York, Town of Theresa, Jefferson County. It is approximately 1 1/2 miles in length and a half mile wide, approximately 197 acres.
Hyde Lakes' major problems began in the 1960's when the wetlands and marsh at the south end of the lake were dredged, drained and dried for agricultural purposes. Hyde Lake Creek was a minor creek that was straightened, channeled and dredged;
and down stream beaver dams were broken. This activity led to the lowering of the water table level and drying of the wetlands and thus massive erosion. The erosion eventually led to the fluctuating water levels of Hyde Lake.
Citizens had taken repeated actions in their attempts to hold back the water of the lake. In 1971 the citizens, with permission from the NYS DEC, constructed a sandbag dam to repair damage to the natural contour of the lake outlet. Over the years, numerous washouts and erosions occurred, making it necessary to 
rebuild and repair the man-made, beaver-reinforced structure. Each time, the citizens, from children to seniors, banded together to fill and lug sandbags, install wooden posts and deposit hay bales along the edges.
For over three decades the citizens sought assistance from governmental agencies and political leaders to find a solution. In 1981 the group became incorporated and formed the Save Hyde Lake Association, Incorporated. The Association continued its endeavor and finally achieved its goal when the US Fish & Wildlife Service engineered a realistic, workable solution (Stream Restoration Project) which they implemented in February 2005.
Before
After
Before
After
The Association has broadened its scope to include other environmental issues. In 1984, the Association joined the New York State Federation of Lakes Association (FOLA). In 1998, under the direction of FOLA, the Association began participating in the Citizens Statewide Assessment Program (CSLAP), a water quality testing program. In 1998 the Association joined the nine other Indian River Lakes to form the Jefferson County Lakes Association. Through the Jefferson County Lakes Association, the Association worked with Dr. Richard Lamb, SUNY Plattsburgh, to develop the Hyde Lake Management Plan and set goals to improve the environment of the lake. The current goals include improvement of water quality, control of mifoil weed growth, development of a property owners' guidebook, and development of a fishery management program. A volunteer septic testing program was initiated in 2004.