The Ausable River Association, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute partnered to design and produce the signs.

The colorful and accessible signs provide information on the aquatic food web, the watershed, road salt impacts and monitoring efforts on Mirror Lake. Jon Stetler of RPI developed the idea for the signs working with AsRA’s staff. They were designed by Andre Guilbo and produced with funds from the National Science Foundation through RPI and from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and NEIWPCC through AsRA.

The signs were installed by the Lake Placid Highway Department in early October. Each of the signs stand on their own but, together, they tell the story of Mirror Lake’s ecology and efforts to restore its water quality through scientific monitoring and community action. A visitor can walk around Mirror Lake and see all the signs, which are located at Mid’s Park, Brewster Park at the base of Saranac Avenue, the municipal beach and the boat launch easement.

“We are excited to bring self-guided educational signs to Mirror Lake for the community and visitors,” said Kelley Tucker, AsRA’s executive director. “It’s a great opportunity to advance ongoing salt reduction efforts in the community and to share information with the public.” To learn more about the Salt Use Reduction Initiative, and other program work on the Ausable River Association, visit www.ausableriver.org.