Hinsdale residents press Camp Taconic on wake-boat erosion; camp pledges changes

Monica Montferret, chair of the Hinsdale Lake Management Committee, convened the June 5 meeting to hear complaints from Ashmere residents about Camp Taconic’s wake boat. Residents told the committee they have seen shore erosion and dock damage they attribute to the boat and said counselor gatherings at the Taconic dock last summer caused late-night disturbances.

Bill Weiss of Ashmere Landings said the erosion worsened after Camp Taconic moved its dock, which changed where skiers embark and disembark. Cynthia Grippaldi, a committee member, said the wake from Taconic’s ski boat “poses a danger to swimmers and small boats.”

Loren Kleinman, representing Camp Taconic, responded that “Camp Taconic has sold its large wake boat and will be using a smaller boat this summer.” He said he doubted the ski boat was the only cause of shoreline erosion, noting that sediment dumped into the lake after a dam breach near the old nursing home can make the lake appear lower and worsen erosion. Kleinman said the Taconic ski program runs four and a half weeks and that he would consult staff about changing embarkation and drop-off locations and whether the ski schedule could be modified to reduce weekend operations. He also said he would ask counselors to change where they hold night-time gatherings.

Resident Chris Montferret (Skyview) told the committee that two Taconic ski boats operating six hours a day, seven days a week during the program “puts tremendous pressure on the lake” and limits safe opportunities for small boats; he urged reconfiguring the area used by Taconic sailboats and paddle boards to reduce conflicts. Resident Mike Viner framed the problem more broadly, saying population growth around the lake increases pressure on recreational use.

Chair Montferret also noted pending Massachusetts legislation that could restrict wake-boat use on lakes, and clarified that the lake level itself had not been intentionally lowered; she said a dam breach upstream dumped sediment into the lake and can create the appearance of lower water levels.

The Camp Taconic exchange closed at about 7:00 p.m. with Montferret thanking Kleinman and the residents; Kleinman’s commitments to consult on schedule and location changes and the camp’s sale of the larger wake boat were the primary outcomes of the discussion. The committee did not adopt any regulatory restrictions at this meeting; further follow-up and staff review were signaled.