Water Quality

Water Quality Coordinating Committees (WQCC) serve as communication and collaboration vehicles for water quality activities in all counties across New York State. WQCC membership is voluntary and includes local agencies and organizations actively involved in water quality management, such as county planning, soil and water conservation districts, health departments, natural resources conservation service, and cooperative extension, as well as regional planning and lake-related associations and groups. Each WQCC has a County Water Quality Strategy.

Madison County Water Quality Strategy Report

The 2011 Madison County Water Quality Strategy (PDF) is designed to provide an overview of the environmental setting, identify priority water resource issues of concern, and present goals and objectives for water resource protection. The report is an update of conditions and goals that were last published in the 2001 Madison County Water Quality Strategy. It serves as a guidance tool for prioritizing and implementing water quality programming in the county.

Oneida Lake (Lake Ontario) Watershed

Much of northern Madison County falls within the Oneida Lake watershed, which ultimately drains into Lake Ontario. A multi-year effort to develop a watershed management plan for Oneida Lake was spearheaded by the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board. Madison County played an important role in helping to develop the plan, which was completed in 2004. Regional Planning has an excellent web page dedicated to Oneida Lake. Another excellent source of information on Oneida Lake is the Oneida Lake Association's webpage.

Water Quality Strategy Report Cover

Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FL-LOWPA)

Madison County is one of 25 counties in New York with water that drains into Lake Ontario. These 25 Counties formed FL-LOWPA to work collaboratively on a wide variety of water quality improvement projects throughout the Lake Ontario basin.

Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FL-LOWPA) logo

The purpose of the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance is to protect and enhance water resources by:

  • Promoting the sharing of information, data, ideas, and resources pertaining to the management of watersheds in New York's Lake Ontario Basin
  • Fostering dynamic and collaborative watershed management programs and partnerships
  • Emphasizing a holistic, ecosystem-based approach to water quality improvement and protection

Grassroots Programming

A major tenet of FL-LOWPA is grassroots programming. Water quality problems are defined and solutions are developed and implemented at the local level. Through participation in the Alliance, member counties develop a more regional perspective that informs local programming and encourages cooperation.

View an interactive map of projects in Madison County.