Mission
To restore and improve Canonsburg Lake as a recreational resource for outdoor enthusiasts, including fishermen, water-sport fans, hikers, birdwatchers, and cross country skiers.
Programs and Services
- Canonsburg Lake is in northern Washington County and is managed by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC). The 76-acre lake situated on a 138-acre parcel was built by Alcoa as a reservoir for the Canonsburg Forging Plant. In 1957, PFBC acquired it and converted it from an industrial reservoir into a recreational lake. The PFBC stocks the lake with trout. It is designated a Stocked Trout Waters Open to Year-Round fishing. Recreational opportunities are abundant in this regional resource.
- They include boating, fishing, kayaking, bird watching, nature photography, scenic walking, ice fishing and ice skating. The lake supports extensive botanical, aquatic, avian (look for the Canonsburg Lake eagles and great egrets along with geese and ducks) and mammal life along its shores. As a result, educational opportunities are boundless. However, Canonsburg Lake is disappearing due to residential and commercial development along with the failure to address sediment accumulation.
- The lake is filling with silt and debris, restricting boating, kayaking, and fishing in many areas and destroying the balance of the ecosystem. An Army Corps of Engineer report concluded that this recreational, educational and economic resource will be lost if action is not taken soon. The original depth of 42’ at the dam is now less than 18’. Much of southern part of lake is not navigable and more than 60% of volume and 20% of surface is gone. The PFBC has not allocated funds to save the lake.
- Therefore, the Canonsburg Lake Restoration and Improvement Association (CLRIA) is pursuing solutions that will save Canonsburg Lake and its economic value to the region by partnering with local municipalities and Commonwealth agencies as well as the University of Pittsburgh and various contributors. CLRIA had a bathymetric study completed to determine the quantity of sediment in the lake and has developed preliminary plans to remove the sediment and deposit it in a suitable location.
- Immediate plans for 2021 include improving the 1/3 mile trail between the McDowell Road parking area and the dam, conducting a test removal of sediment to determine the most efficient drying process (which will enable us to get a better fix on costs), fine tuning our business plan and budget, and creating a more cohesive fund-raising plan. For more information, visit our website (https://savecanonsburglake.org), email us at savecanonsburglake@gmail.com or call us at 412.463.6792.
Primary Revenue Sources
Local governments, individuals, civic organizations, and private foundations
Primary Fundraising Event
Host luncheon for public figures, elected officials and potential donors, planning a community day.
2019 Financials
| Federal Tax ID | 83-2695145 |
| Revenue | 269633 |
| Expenses | 1817 |
| Net Assets | 267816 |
Contact
| Name: | Timothy Silbaugh |
|---|---|
| Title: | Board member |
| Email: | tsilbaugh@butlerattys.com |
| Website: | savecanonsburglake.org/ |
| Phone: | (412) 463-7692 |
| Address: |
1534 Grandin Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15216 |
This website contains an organizational snapshot, as well as links and contact information, for each of our participating charities. We have also included the tax identification number for each charity so Donors wishing to review more detailed financial and governance information may access the Form 990 for that charity via irs.gov.