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Chemical and Biological Monitoring of Adirondack Lakes to Examine Ecosystem Impacts and Recovery from Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition

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Chemical and Biological Monitoring of Adirondack Lakes to Examine Ecosystem Impacts and Recovery from Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Chemical and Biological Monitoring of Adirondack Lakes to Examine Ecosystem Impacts and Recovery from Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition Final Report April 2014 Report Number 14-20 for Energy NYSERDA’s Promise to New Yorkers: NYSERDA provides resources, expertise, and objective information so New Yorkers can make confident, informed energy decisions. Mission Statement: Advance innovative energy solutions in ways that improve New York’s economy and environment. Vision Statement: Serve as a catalyst – advancing energy innovation, technology, and investment; transforming New York’s economy; and empowering people to choose clean and efficient energy as part of their everyday lives. Core Values: Objectivity, integrity, public service, partnership, and innovation. Portfolios NYSERDA programs are organized into five portfolios, each representing a complementary group of offerings with common areas of energy-related focus and objectives. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Deployment Energy and the Environment Helping New York State to achieve its aggressive energy efficiency Helping to assess and mitigate the environmental impacts of energy and renewable energy goals – including programs to motivate production and use in New York State – including environmental increased efficiency in energy consumption by consumers (residential, research and development, regional initiatives to improve environmental commercial, municipal, institutional, industrial, and transportation), sustainability, and West Valley Site Management. to increase production by renewable power suppliers, to support market transformation, and to provide financing. Energy Data, Planning, and Policy Helping to ensure that New York State policymakers and Energy Technology Innovation and Business Development consumers have objective and reliable information to make Helping to stimulate a vibrant innovation ecosystem and a clean informed energy decisions – including State Energy Planning, energy economy in New York State – including programs to support policy analysis to support the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative product research, development, and demonstrations; clean energy and other energy initiatives, emergency preparedness, and a business development; and the knowledge-based community at range of energy data reporting. the Saratoga Technology + Energy Park® (STEP®). Energy Education and Workforce Development Helping to build a generation of New Yorkers ready to lead and work in a clean energy economy – including consumer behavior, youth education, workforce development, and training programs for existing and emerging technologies. Chemical and Biological Monitoring of Adirondack Lakes to Examine Ecosystem Impacts and Recovery from Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition Final Report Prepared for: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Albany, NY Gregory Lampman, Senior Project Manager Prepared by: Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY Sandra A. Nierzwicki-Bauer, Charles W. Boylen, Lawrence W. Eichler, Jeremy Farrell, Christine A. Goodrich, Toby Michelena, Sascha Percent, David A. Winkler Philadelphia Academy of Science Philadelphia, PA Donald Charles and Frank Acker Department of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Maryland College Park, MD Bahram Momen Sullivan Community College Tivoli, NY William Shaw (retired) NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Albany, NY James W. Sutherland (retired) NYSERDA Report 14-20 NYSERDA Contract 16298 April 2014 Notice This report was prepared by the Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Philadelphia Academy of Science, the Department of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Maryland, Sullivan Community College and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in the course of performing work contracted for and sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (hereafter “NYSERDA”). The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of NYSERDA or the State of New York, and reference to any specific product, service, process, or method does not constitute an implied or expressed recommendation or endorsement of it. Further, NYSERDA, the State of New York, and the contractor make no warranties or representations, expressed or implied, as to the fitness for particular purpose or merchantability of any product, apparatus, or service, or the usefulness, completeness, or accuracy of any processes, methods, or other information contained, described, disclosed, or referred to in this report. NYSERDA, the State of New York, and the contractor make no representation that the use of any product, apparatus, process, method, or other information will not infringe privately owned rights and will assume no liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from, or occurring in connection with, the use of information contained, described, disclosed, or referred to in this report. NYSERDA makes every effort to provide accurate information about copyright owners and related matters in the reports we publish. Contractors are responsible for determining and satisfying copyright or other use restrictions regarding the content of reports that they write, in compliance with NYSERDA’s policies and federal law. If you are the copyright owner and believe a NYSERDA report has not properly attributed your work to you or has used it without permission, please email [email protected]. Acknowledgments This report is possible through the efforts of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute field, laboratory and data management staff. We thank Laurie Ahrens and numerous undergraduate interns and students who assisted in this project. Logistically this project would not have been possible without the assistance of Jay Bloomfield and Scott Quinn of the Division of Water, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the NYS Police Aviation Division and pilots who flew between Albany and the Adirondacks to the remote waters within our sampling region. ii Table of Contents Notice ........................................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................ii List of Figures ...........................................................................................................................v List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Adirondack Effects Assessment Program (AEAP) ........................................................................ 2 1.2.1 Program History and Administration ..................................................................................... 3 1.2.2 Program Components and Schedule ................................................................................... 3 1.2.3 The Aquatic Biota Study ....................................................................................................... 4 1.2.4 Study Goals ........................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.5 Study Objectives ................................................................................................................... 5 1.2.1 Study Design ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Study Region and Sites ................................................................................................................ 5 1.3.1 Sampling Frequency ............................................................................................................. 6 1.3.2 Sample Types ....................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.2.1 Water Chemistry ............................................................................................................. 12 1.3.2.2 Bacterioplankton ............................................................................................................. 12 1.3.2.3 Phytoplankton ................................................................................................................. 13 1.3.2.4 Zooplankton .................................................................................................................... 13 1.3.2.5 Macrophytes ................................................................................................................... 13 1.3.2.6 Fish .................................................................................................................................. 13 1.3.3 Sampling Schedule ............................................................................................................. 14 1.3.4 Sampling Regime ................................................................................................................ 14 1.3.5 Methods .............................................................................................................................. 15
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