Cayuga Creek Watershed Assessment Summary Report Niagara Power Project (FERC No. 2216) Prepared for: Prepared by: New York Power Authority and Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, P.C. Copyright © 2006 New York Power Authority June 2006 NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) CAYUGA CREEK WATERSHED ASSESSMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS.................................................................................................................................... iv 1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Background.................................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Objectives ...................................................................................................................................1-2 1.3 Geographic Scope.......................................................................................................................1-3 2.0 Methods........................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Literature Review .......................................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Outreach......................................................................................................................................2-4 2.3 GIS Compilation and Updating ..................................................................................................2-4 2.4 Site Visit .....................................................................................................................................2-5 3.0 Watershed Description Summary .............................................................................................3-1 3.1 Physical Features of the Watershed............................................................................................3-1 3.1.1 Watershed Boundaries............................................................................................................3-2 3.1.2 Topography ............................................................................................................................3-3 3.1.3 Soils........................................................................................................................................3-4 3.1.4 Climate ...................................................................................................................................3-4 3.2 Land Use and Population Characteristics ...................................................................................3-5 3.2.1 Land Use and Land Cover Data .............................................................................................3-5 3.2.2 Land Management Practices ..................................................................................................3-6 3.2.3 Demographics.........................................................................................................................3-8 3.3 Public Access and Recreation.....................................................................................................3-9 3.3.1 Access Points and Facilities ...................................................................................................3-9 3.3.2 Outreach and Public Involvement ........................................................................................3-10 3.3.3 Aesthetics .............................................................................................................................3-11 3.3.4 Heritage Sites .......................................................................................................................3-12 3.4 Physical Condition of Cayuga Creek and Bergholtz Creek......................................................3-12 3.4.1 Surface and Groundwater Hydrology...................................................................................3-12 3.4.2 Flooding ...............................................................................................................................3-15 3.4.3 Geomorphology....................................................................................................................3-17 3.4.4 Erosion and Sedimentation...................................................................................................3-18 3.5 Water Quality............................................................................................................................3-20 Copyright © 2006 New York Power Authority i NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) CAYUGA CREEK WATERSHED ASSESSMENT 3.5.1 Water Quality Classification and Impairments ....................................................................3-20 3.5.2 Monitoring Programs and Data Inventories .........................................................................3-20 3.5.3 Surface Water Quality..........................................................................................................3-21 3.5.4 Pollutant Sources..................................................................................................................3-25 3.5.5 Groundwater Quality............................................................................................................3-31 3.5.6 Water Supply and Wastewater .............................................................................................3-31 3.5.7 Benthic Sediment Quality ....................................................................................................3-32 3.6 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................3-33 3.6.1 Instream Habitat ...................................................................................................................3-33 3.6.2 Wetlands...............................................................................................................................3-36 3.6.3 Fish and Wildlife Communities ...........................................................................................3-37 3.6.4 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species ..........................................................................3-40 4.0 Summary of Significant Issues and Areas of Concern ............................................................4-1 4.1 Historical Recommendations and Areas of Improvement..........................................................4-1 4.2 Current Problems and Recommendations for Potential Restoration Measures ..........................4-4 4.3 Next Steps...................................................................................................................................4-6 TABLES Table 2.3-1 ................................................................................................................................................2-6 GIS Data Layers for Cayuga Creek .........................................................................................................2-6 Table 3.5.2-1 ...........................................................................................................................................3-42 Environmental Monitoring Programs in the Cayuga Creek Watershed ................................................3-42 FIGURES Figure 1.3-1...............................................................................................................................................1-4 Cayuga Creek Watershed.........................................................................................................................1-4 Figure 3.2.1-1..........................................................................................................................................3-44 Land Use in the Cayuga Creek Watershed ............................................................................................3-44 Figure 3.2.1-2..........................................................................................................................................3-45 Habitat in the Cayuga Creek Watershed................................................................................................3-45 Copyright © 2006 New York Power Authority ii NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) CAYUGA CREEK WATERSHED ASSESSMENT REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................. 1 APPENDICES Appendix A: Cayuga Creek Watershed Contacts................................................................................... 1 Appendix B: Data Inventory..................................................................................................................... 1 Copyright © 2006 New York Power Authority iii NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) CAYUGA CREEK WATERSHED ASSESSMENT ABBREVIATIONS Agencies ENCRPB Erie and Niagara Counties Regional Planning Board FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission IJC International Joint Commission NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation NYSOPRHP New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation OMOE Ontario Ministry of the Environment USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency USGS United States Geological Survey USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife