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Residential development accounts for only 5-6% of the land use in the watershed. Many homes on the southern end of the lake hug the base of steep cliffs.

Land use in the watershed is 48% agricultural, 40.2% forest, 5.4% private/residential and the rest vacant or commercial. Only a small portion (8%) of the watershed land area is in public ow\nership. Consequently, pollution prevention and watershed protection measures depend to a large extent on local land uses controls and pollution prevention strategies. Every citizen in the watershed plays a role in protecting Skaneateles Lake.

Over 95% of the farms in the watershed are doing their part to protect Skaneateles Lake by participating voluntarily in the Skaneateles Lake Watershed Agricultural Program.