BETHEL — The Town of Bethel and the Smallwood Civic Association are seeking state funding for a three-year research, monitoring and mitigation project addressing harmful algal blooms in Mountain Lake.

The Town Board voted unanimously September 9 to authorize a joint application to the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s $2.5 million Harmful Algal Bloom Research Grant Program.

Mountain Lake is owned and maintained by the Smallwood Civic Association, but town officials said its ecological condition may affect municipal infrastructure and public land.

The study would examine the relationship between the lake’s water quality and the shallow groundwater supplying the municipal Smallwood Water District. It would also study stormwater runoff from town roads and public land near the Forest Reserve at Smallwood.

Water-testing results, cell counts and mitigation findings from the study would be published through the state’s Open Data portal and DEC databases.

Under the proposed partnership, Bethel would serve as the financial and administrative lead, submit the application and reimbursement requests and provide municipal engineering oversight. The town would also permit sampling at town-owned locations and public rights-of-way.

The Smallwood Civic Association would provide researchers with access to Mountain Lake through a temporary, nonexclusive three-year easement and maintain monitoring equipment installed in the lake.

The grant requires a 10 percent local match. Bethel would contribute in-kind labor from Water District employees and other municipal staff, along with legal and professional services related to the application. The association would contribute cash from its environmental fund and volunteer labor for citizen-science sampling.

The resolution states that the arrangement would require no unbudgeted cash from the town’s general fund.

Smallwood Civic Association President Bill Moss said the minimum application is $250,000. Including the local match, the project would total approximately $275,000.

The application was due September 15, and Moss said grant decisions were expected by October 31.

Final acceptance of an award would depend on the town and association executing a binding public-private partnership agreement reviewed by the town attorney within 60 days of a state funding award.

Councilwoman Wendy Brown praised the collaboration between the town and Smallwood residents.

“I just think it’s terrific that folks are coming together and working with one goal,” Brown said.

Councilman William Crumley supported the application but asked the association to reconsider restrictions preventing nonmembers from fishing or using benches around the privately owned lake.

“You’re asking for our help,” Crumley said. “Now I’m asking for your help.”

Moss said the request would be taken into consideration.

The town’s recently adopted comprehensive plan recommends that the municipality partner with lake associations seeking grants for water-quality studies because private organizations are often ineligible to apply directly.

Moss thanked the board and association members who worked on the application, saying they had assembled it in a relatively short time.