Friends of Canandaigua Lake
Friends of Canandaigua Lake, co-chaired by Richard Sands and Danny Wegman, is a not-for-profit organization that serves as a philanthropic partner for the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council.
What will be our collective legacy?
Launched in 2025, Friends of Canandaigua Lake is a new public-private partnership committed to accelerating the implementation of critical lake-saving projects across our watershed.
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In coordination with the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council (CLWC), there is a six-year, $50 million goal to implement natural capital projects — protecting water quality, increasing flood resiliency, and leaving a lasting legacy for our lake.
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To make it happen, we’re raising $15 million in private support to compliment $35 million in public funding and in-kind contributions from federal, state, and local partners.
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This is more than a campaign—it’s our chance to leave a legacy.
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Be part of something that lasts. Help protect Canandaigua Lake today.
Canandaigua Lake Legacy Circle
Pledge Levels
Total donation amount, may be spread out over a 5-year period
Clean Water Advocate – $25,000
Ecosystem Service Steward – $50,000
Natural Capital Defender – $100,000
Resiliency Builder – $250,000
Lake Sustainer – $500,000
Legacy Protector – $1,000,000
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We warmly welcome any contribution of $5,000 and above to go towards lake saving projects. Every act of support is a meaningful step toward protecting the future of Canandaigua Lake.​​​
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the vision for watershed restoration. To arrange a phone call, Zoom session, or a tour of a restoration site, please contact Watershed Program Manager Kevin Olvany at (585) 396-3630 or Friends of Canandaigua Lake Development Director Sarah Axelrod (585) 662-7067.
Friends of Canandaigua Lake, Inc. is a public charity under 501(C)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Our Federal Tax ID # is 33-3929417. Contributions are deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Canandaigua Lake is the lifeblood of our community, providing clean drinking water for over 70,000 people and supporting recreation, tourism and the identity of our region. But it’s under threat.
Extreme storms are becoming more frequent and intense, causing major flooding and washing pollutants—phosphorus, nitrogen, bacteria and pesticides—into the lake.
At the same time, we’ve lost more than 5,000 acres of wetlands, floodplains and meadows that are our natural filtration systems, allowing more pollution to enter the water.
In the lake itself, invasive species like quagga mussels are altering the ecosystem, leading to harmful algal blooms each summer.
The good news? We have an action plan to build natural capital and resiliency back into the watershed to help restore the balance.
A comprehensive watershed plan is in place to reduce phosphorus levels by 25%—a game-changer for water quality.
Local municipalities and state agencies are already investing millions of dollars in these efforts, but we need private support to accelerate the implementation.
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Together, we can leave behind a legacy of community and care for future generations.
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Nine Element Plan for Enhanced Phosphorus Management
For decades, watershed management planning has been essential for protecting water resources, and Canandaigua Lake is no exception. A science-based, community-driven approach has guided efforts to safeguard the lake since the 1980s.
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The first Canandaigua Lake Watershed Management Plan was adopted in 2001, with a comprehensive update completed in 2014. That plan addressed key pollutants such as nutrients, bacteria, sediment, and emerging contaminants.
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Building on this foundation, the 2023 Nine Element Plan for Enhanced Phosphorus Management (9E Watershed Plan) takes a deeper dive into phosphorus—an identified nutrient that has the ability to impact water quality. This plan quantifies phosphorus sources, evaluates how land use and climate influence phosphorus loading, and sets an ambitious goal: a 25% reduction in phosphorus over the next decade. Achieving this goal will require a comprehensive set of management actions to enhance the lake’s long-term health.
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Both the 2014 Watershed Plan and the 2023 9E Watershed Plan serve as our guiding documents to ensure Canandaigua Lake remains a high-quality water resource for generations to come.​​
Managing phosphorus inputs to the Lake will help advance the following related goals:
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Maintain Canandaigua Lake as a reliable source of high-quality drinking water source for 70,000+ people.
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Sustain the region as a major recreation and tourism destination.
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Maintain the environmental quality that supports a strong tax base.
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Sustain the “sense of place” and quality of life built upon a foundation of the beauty and quality of Canandaigua Lake.
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Protect and enhance the regulating functions of wetlands, shorelines, streamside/road bank buffer areas, floodplains, forests, and other natural areas that build climate resilience by reducing stormwater runoff and filtering pollutants.
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Maintain productive agricultural lands and forests.
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Protect and enhance conditions providing habitat for a diverse assemblage of native flora and fauna.
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Continue to maintain in-lake phosphorus concentrations consistent with an oligotrophic (low-nutrient) ecosystem.
Friends of Canandaigua Lake:
Supporting the work of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council
Who is the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council?​
The Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council (CLWC) consists of the 14 watershed and water purveying municipalities that formed in 1999 through intermunicipal agreement to lead the partnership program to protect Canandaigua Lake.
The Watershed Council takes a comprehensive, integrated approach to watershed management that includes scientific research, education, on-the-ground restoration projects, and—when necessary—regulatory protections implemented through our member municipalities.
CLWC collaborates with municipal, county, state, and federal partners, as well as citizen groups, local residents and farmers, to carry out lake-saving projects that restore our watershed to protect water quality. We specialize in work outside the public right-of-way, where working on private lands can make a difference in protecting our natural capital.
Interested in learning more about the work of the Council? Read our Impact Report.
What are the concerns and how are they being addressed?
High-intensity storm events are increasing runoff to the lake, making it more vulnerable to erosion and nutrient increases that may fuel harmful algal blooms (HABs).
The Council has a long history of implementing lake saving restoration projects in collaboration with our municipalities and partner agencies to rebuild the natural systems that protect water quality, reduce flood risks, and enhance resilience against emerging threats. Restoring wetlands, streambanks, shorelines, and floodplains is critical for strengthening the lake’s natural defenses, improving its ability to filter pollutants, and managing stormwater more effectively.​
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By working collaboratively with our municipalities, State and local agencies, landowners, and community partners, like the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association, we are taking a proactive approach to ensure that Canandaigua Lake remains a vibrant, healthy resource for future generations while fostering a more resilient watershed capable of adapting to the challenges ahead.
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The Friends of Canandaigua Lake believes in the strength of this collaborative approach and is committed to helping accelerate the implementation of critical lake-saving projects across the watershed.​​
Q & A
Why does this matter now?
The threats to our lake—extreme weather, pollution and invasive species—are only increasing. Without action, we risk more frequent and severe algal blooms, which will have a direct impact on drinking water, tourism and the local economy.
What happens if we don’t act?
Water quality will continue to decline, algal blooms will become more severe and long-term cleanup costs will skyrocket. Once a lake deteriorates, recovery is much harder and more expensive.
What’s being done already?
A coalition of municipalities, state agencies and conservation groups are working together on targeted projects—restoring wetlands, rebuilding stream buffers and reducing pollutants at their source. These efforts are already making an impact, but a more robust public/private funding partnership is needed to overcome the growing threats.
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How do these efforts differ from the work of other established watershed groups?
There are several incredible organizations already doing impactful work in the watershed, like the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association, which is dedicated to advocacy, education, and citizen science, and the Finger Lakes Land Trust, which helps preserve land and forests. These organizations do invaluable work, and it’s important that we continue to support their efforts. Each group has a critical role in protecting the health of the watershed.
What sets this new campaign apart is its focus on building lake-saving projects that directly address critical issues like building watershed resiliency, reducing flood risks, and restoring the watershed. These projects are essential but costly, requiring significant investment.
How does my donation make a difference?
Every $1 donated translates into $3 of action, thanks to investment from our local and state agencies. Contributions to the Friends of Canandaigua Lake directly funds lake-saving projects that have immediate and long-term benefits. There is less than 5% overhead costs on this effort.
How can I help?
Donations, advocacy and spreading awareness all play a role. Supporting local conservation efforts, volunteering for restoration projects and simply educating others about the lake’s challenges make a huge impact.
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To learn more about this effort and how you can get involved, please contact:
Kevin Olvany
Watershed Program Manager, Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council
Phone: (585) 396-3630
Email: klo@canandaiguanewyork.gov
Sarah Axelrod
Development Director, Friends of Canandaigua Lake
Phone: (585) 662-7027
Email: sarah.axelrod@friendsofcdgalake.com
Friends of Canandaigua Lake
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Friends of Canandaigua Lake is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2025 that serves as a philanthropic partner for CLWC, helping accelerate the implementation of critical lake-saving projects across the watershed.
Co-Chairs: Richard Sands, Danny Wegman
Board Members: Kevin Olvany, Ginny Clark, Wade Sarkis, Jared Simpson, Robert Brenner, Karalyn Freitag
