NYSDEC Region 8 / Canadice Lake Located in southwest Ontario County, Canadice Lake lies 30 miles south of Rochester. It is the smallest of the Finger Lakes whose shorelines are virtually undeveloped.

* Interested in the preservation of the Canadice/Hemlock Lakes pristine area? Here’s a site to join with others in discussing this issue: Save Canadice and Hemlock Lakes | Google Groups

Other Finger Lakes

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Canadice Lake in the News:

• Rochester to Albany: Let’s make a deal - Rochester, NY - MPNnow All other players are out of the game as the city of Rochester and New York state prepare to negotiate a price for the 7,100 acres the city owns around Canadice and Hemlock lakes. Until recently, city leaders had said they were considering all options. But the latest statements from the mayor’s office and the state Department of Environmental Conservation suggest that something environmentalists have feared — the sale to a developer — is off the table. (Dec 17, 07) Messenger Post Newspapers
• DEC chief visits Hemlock, a plus for possible watershed sale— New York state's environmental commissioner paid an unannounced visit Thursday to Hemlock Lake, taking in the grandeur of one of the last undeveloped Finger Lakes. He came away impressed — a development that can only be seen as positive by advocates of the notion that the state should purchase and preserve forever the land around Hemlock and Canadice lakes that now is owned by the city of Rochester. (October 5, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• MPNnow.com: New DEC chief wants talks on Hemlock, Canadice watersheds A spokesman for the city of Rochester insists that it’s not necessarily a sale negotiation. ROCHESTER — The new head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation has asked Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy to open negotiations on the future of city-owned watershed lands around Canadice and Hemlock lakes. A letter to Duffy from DEC Commissioner Alexander Grannis confirms statements made in April by state Parks and DEC officials at a Sierra Club meeting in Rochester. (May 21, 07) Messenger Post Newspapers
• City Council Approves Tax Abatement Plan, Lake Appraisal - 13WHAM.com The Council has also taken the first step toward selling Hemlock and Canadice lakes to New York state for use as state park land. The council voted to allow an appraisal of the property, but only if the city agrees not to sell to private developers. - 13WHAM.com
• City Council Approves Tax Abatement Plan, Lake Appraisal - 13WHAM.com The Council has also taken the first step toward selling Hemlock and Canadice lakes to New York state for use as state park land. The council voted to allow an appraisal of the property, but only if the city agrees not to sell to private developers. - 13WHAM.com
• Council OKs lakes' appraisal - City Council voted Tuesday night to authorize an appraisal of Hemlock and Canadice lakes. Midland Appraisal Associations will be paid up to $28,000 for the work. - (May 16, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• www.whec.com - City of Rochester and Monroe County Water Authority work on new water agreement Talks continue between the City of Rochester and the Monroe County Water Authority on a new water-sharing agreement. The existing 30-year deal expires next year. One of the options on the table is a county takeover of the city system. Most city residents get their water from the Cobbs Hill reservoir. It's piped in from Hemlock and Canadice lakes. The county system gets its water from Lake Ontario. The city and county already share water. In fact there are more than 50 interconnection points between the city and the water authority. (May 8, 07) www.whec.com - Front Page
• ENVIRONMENT: State takeover likely for Hemlock, Canadice - News & Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper There's been concern that city officials might sell land around Hemlock and Canadice Lakes to developers. But a stronger bet may be that the state buys the land. During the Rochester Sierra Club's annual Environmental Forum on April 19, city and state officials said they want to work together to preserve the land and lakes by putting them in the state's hands. (April 24, 07) Rochester City Newspaper
• Watershed's future on line - Forum focuses on finding way to shield Canadice, Hemlock lakes forever — Environmentalists, city and state officials believe the time is right for Rochester to sell 7,100 acres of land to the state if the parties can agree on a price and use of the land — despite the area being an abundant, natural supply of drinking water for the past 130 years. About 200 people attended a Sierra Club environmental forum Thursday at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester to hear about the watershed of Hemlock and Canadice lakes, about 30 miles south of Rochester. (April 20, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• FINGER LAKES: City would like state to buy Hemlock and Canadice - News & Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper Could the state become the owner of the city-owned Hemlock and Canadice Lakes and the land around them? Mayor Bob Duffy that would be "the best of both worlds." Duffy had hoped to have the properties appraised, but at their meeting on Tuesday night, City Councilmembers turned him down. Their concern: that the appraisal might open the door to selling the land to developers. Duffy said last night that his push for an appraisal doesn't mean he is rushing to put the prime Finger Lakes real estate on the market. But, he said, not knowing the value of the city's assets is bad management. (April 19, 2007) Rochester City Newspaper
• ENVIRONMENT: Council nixes appraisal of Hemlock-Canadice land - News & Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper The Duffy administration had hoped to hire a firm to appraise the city-owned land around Hemlock and Canadice Lakes. But last night City Council turned down his request, 5-2, citing concerns that in the future the city might want to sell the land. Mayor Bob Duffy has not said that he wants to let the land be developed, but some Councilmembers didn't buy the administration's argument that the city should at least be aware of the property's value. (April 18, 2007) Rochester City Newspaper
• City Council rejects watershed appraisal - Members wary of Hemlock, Canadice development — City Council rejected an administration request Tuesday to appraise the Hemlock and Canadice lakes watershed. Some members said they will not consider the question again unless development is off the table. Mayor Robert Duffy and his staff never have indicated an interest in development, but have said all options are being considered as the city reviews its water system. Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri said that also meant having data necessary to review those options. (April 18, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Hemlock, Canadice proposal defended - Appraisals of waterfront land will keep all city options open  — City Hall insists a plan to appraise the watershed properties surrounding Hemlock and Canadice lakes does not indicate a plan to sell the land to developers. Rather, it is the first step in an effort to place a dollar value on the entire water system, which is needed information as the city continues to evaluate the system's future, Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri said. One possible outcome is that the state buys the last two undeveloped Finger Lakes and creates a permanent preserve. (April 15, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Future of Two Finger Lakes in Question - 13WHAM.com Whether Hemlock Lake in Livingston County and Canadice Lake in Ontario County remain the last Finger Lakes untouched by anything more than Mother Nature could be decided by next year. (March 3, 07) 13WHAM.com
• MPNnow.com: Canadice: This may be the year for zoning Dividing the town into districts is the supervisor’s top goal for 2007. CANADICE — Canadice, the only town in Ontario County without zoning, could divide itself into three districts this year, said Supervisor Bonnie Drake. (Jan 29, 07) Messenger Post Newspapers
• Pitting lakes vs. water needs - As county, city talk merger, our resource may lose protection— The systems that allow hundreds of thousands of Rochester-area residents to tap into one of their most precious resources — clean water — may soon be overhauled. And that could determine the fate of two pristine Finger Lakes. (December 17, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:

Resources for Canadice Lake

• GORP - Canadice Lake - Finger Lakes This three mile long and about 1/2 mile wide lake is part of the watershed that provides the city of Rochester, N.Y., with clean water. Rochester privately owns the land around the lake. Each year it issues about 10,000 free permits to use the lake and surrounding area.
• Canadice Lake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• The Nature Conservancy in New York - Central & Western: Hemlock and Canadice Lakes Of the eleven Finger Lakes, Hemlock Lake and Canadice Lake are the only two whose shorelines are undeveloped. In the early 1900s, the City of Rochester acquired the land around them in order to secure its water supply. Today, the City owns 7,100 acres of land around the two lakes. A filtration plant at the north end of Hemlock Lake filters and purifies water before it is piped to Rochester.
• Environmental Protection Agency Waterbody Name: CANADICE LAKE
• New York State Federation of Lakes Associations, Inc. The New York State Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA) is a statewide, volunteer-based organization. It is the umbrella group of local lake associations and anyone interested in issues related to New York's lakes, reservoirs, ponds, streams, rivers and related surface water resources. The Federation membership includes lake associations, lake property owners, environmental organizations, individuals, state and local government agencies. More than 200 lake associations throughout New York State are actively involved in NYSFOLA and our membership is growing annually.
• The Nature Conservancy in New York - Central & Western: Hemlock and Canadice Lakes