Genesee RiverWatch
Protecting and Celebrating Our River
1 Report Card
• We recently released our first Report Card that grades the Genesee River and its major tributaries on water quality • Its purpose is to raise awareness of the environmental challenges that face the Genesee River Basin so that actions can be taken to improve the state of the watershed
2 Report Card
3 Water Quality Data
• Water Quality Data from SUNY Brockport Study (2013) – Samples collected at all six tributaries and the main stem at Rochester during the study – Each location was sampled 48 to 52 times over a one year period – Next two slides provide an indication of the variability of that data
4 TP Data Variability
Total Phosphorus (Oatka Creek) 180.0
Event 160.0 Non Event 140.0
120.0
100.0
TP (µg/L) TP 80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0 6/1/2010 8/15/2010 10/29/2010 1/12/2011 3/28/2011 Date Collected
5 TSS Data Variability
Total Suspended Solids (Oatka Creek) 45
40 Event Non Event 35
30
25
20 TSS (mg/L) TSS
15
10
5
0 6/1/2010 8/15/2010 10/29/2010 1/12/2011 3/28/2011 Date Collected
6 Water Quality Data
• Total Phosphorus grade based upon • Percent below 65 ppb threshold • NYSDEC standard being considered for moving water • Total Suspended Solids grade based upon • Percent below 25 ppm threshold • Selected by Genesee RiverWatch based upon range of values seen in major tributaries
7 Total Phosphorus
Total Phosphorus 100
A
80 78 75 73 B
60 54 C 53 53
40 37 D Percent of Samples Below Threshold Below Samplesof Percent
20
0 Genesee River Black Creek Oatka Creek Honeoye Creek Conesus Creek Canaseraga Creek Upper Basin Basin Watershed
8 Total Suspended Solids
Total Suspended Solids
100 93 88 A 86
80 73 B
60 57 C 41 40 31 D
Percent of Samples Below Threshold Below Samplesof Percent 20
0 Genesee River Basin Black Creek Oatka Creek Honeoye Creek Conesus Creek Canaseraga Creek Upper Basin Watershed
9 Use data based upon NYSDEC assessments
10 Water Quality Assessments
• Waterbody Inventory and Priority Waterbody List – Regular, routine assessments of water resources and their ability to support specific uses – Used by NYSDEC to: • Focus Water Division program activities • Provide a consistent and objective inventory • Record water quality history • Measure progress towards water quality improvement
11 Assessment Categories
• Impaired Waters – Well documented water quality problems that result in precluded or impaired uses • Minor Impacts – Less severe water quality impacts are apparent but uses are considered fully supported • Threatened – Uses are not restricted and no water quality problems exist but land use or other changes in the surrounding watershed are known or suspected of threatening water quality
12 Assessment Categories
• Needs Verification – Thought to have water quality problems or impacts but for which there is insufficient documentation. • No Known Impacts – Monitoring data and information indicate that there are no restrictions to overall use. • Unassessed – There is insufficient water quality information to assess support of designated uses
13 Use Data
• Genesee RiverWatch definitions derived from NYSDEC Waterbody Assessments – Supports Use – Percent of segments that are identified as Minor, Threatened, and No Known Impacts – Well Known – Percent of segments that are identifies as Needs Verification plus those identified as Supports Use
14 Number of Segments
Needs No Known Total Watershed Sub-Waterhed Impaired Verification Unassessed Minor Threatened Impacts Segments Lower/Middle Lower River (307) 2 0 3 2 0 0 7 Beards Creek (305) 1 1 8 3 1 1 15 Conesus Lake (301) 1 0 3 1 0 2 7 Silver Lake (210) 1 0 6 1 2 0 10 Black Creek Black Creek (306) 6 1 1 1 0 2 11 Oatka Creek Oatka Creek (304) 2 0 3 3 0 2 10 Honeoye Creek Lower Honeoye (303) 0 1 2 3 0 0 6 Upper Honeoye (302) 2 3 6 1 3 2 17 Canaseraga Creek Canaseraga Creek (209) 0 6 8 1 1 7 23 Upper Cold Water Creek (208) 0 1 5 0 0 1 7 Wiscoy Creek (207) 0 2 3 1 0 2 8 Caneadea Creek (206) 1 3 4 0 3 1 12 VanCampen Creek (205) 2 1 0 2 0 5 10 Angelica Creek (204) 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 Cryder Creek (203) 0 1 2 0 0 5 8 Dyke Creek (202) 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 19 20 54 20 10 35 158
Number Use Impacts Percent 65 Supports Use: Minor + Threatened + No Known Impacts 43 84 Well Known: Impaired + Supports use 56
15 Supports Use
Supports Use
100 A
80 B
60 50 50 C 43 41 39 39 40
Percent of Segmentsof Percent D 27
20
0 Genesee River Basin` Black Creek Oatka Creek Honeoye Creek Conesus Creek Canaseraga Creek Upper Basin Watershed
16 Well Known/Understood
17 Report Card
18 Way Forward
• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation – Continue regulation of CAFOs and wastewater treatment plants, plus adopt water quality standard for total phosphorus in moving water • Soil & Water Conservation Districts – Encourage adoption of AEM and assist with implementation of BMPs • Municipalities – Monitor septic systems, install green infrastructure when possible, enforce sediment and erosion control practices
19 Way Forward
• Farmers – Implement BMPs when possible and enroll in AEM with local S&WCD • Citizen and Stakeholder Groups – Support DEC, municipalities, and S&WCD efforts to improve water quality – Implement best practices identified by H2O Hero program – Join or start a local watershed group
20 Way Forward
• Genesee RiverWatch will continue to: – Inform and educate public to increase their knowledge of the river and the issues is faces; – Monitor water quality via Citizen Monitoring program; – Restore eroded streambanks based upon our Sediment/Nutrient Reduction Plan – Connect people to river via events and map – Collaborate with Basin stakeholders
21 Contact Information
George Thomas, Executive Director 700 West Metro Park Rochester, New York 14623 585-233-6086 Email: [email protected] Web: www.geneseeriverwatch.org
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