Section 1 - Lewis County Soil and Water Conservation District

Black River Watershed Stakeholder Outreach Plan
APPENDIX 3: OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS
Summary of Opportunities
All of the opportunities identified at the Visioning Workshops have been organized under Themes which
emerged from the meeting responses. A total of eleven themes were identified in association with
opportunities for the Black River Watershed.
Theme 1 – Tourism / Seasonal Population
� Tourism
� Tremendous number of seasonal homes has significant impacts
� Promotion of creative community
� Tourism is easiest economy to grow
� Tourists spend differently – is service economy
� Synergy with Great Lakes communities
� Locally based tourism
� Create inventory of all attributes to market
� Involvement of seasonal population
� Recreation tourism branding
� Market whole package of region
� Year round tourism – make small changes to allow
� Need small branded hotel in Lewis County outside Watertown
� Gateway community to Adirondacks – Old Forge
� Science and Arts complex – green / LEED demonstration
� Eco-tourism marketing and branding
Theme 2 – Water
� City of Watertown faces the river
� Focus on streams that are really good and keep good – prevent contamination (Felts Mills Creek)
� Felts Mills Creek is a model for what we want to have
� Watertown CSO program – good work, especially important with white water rafting
� White water
� Regulation of water levels – quantity
� Accessibility to river
� Conservation of water
� Hydro power
� Improving fishery in flat lands
� Monitoring water quality and oxygen
� River navigability
� Moose River
� Cleanest watershed – monitor
Theme 3 – Community Character
� Lifestyle – good base of people, retirees, second homeowners
� Quality of life in region
� Multi-generational population – school age, seniors age in place, retired community
� Age in place, services required
BERGMANN ASSOCIATES Page 43