ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF GILL, FISH, AND CAYUGA CREEKS Niagara Power Project (FERC No. 2216) Prepared for: New York Power Authority Prepared by: URS Corporation Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, P.C. E/PRO Engineering and Environmental Consulting, LLC Copyright © 2004 New York Power Authority May 2004 NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF FISH, GILL, AND CAYUGA CREEKS TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... i ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................................................................................... i 1.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Niagara Power Project Description.............................................................................................1-1 1.2 Study Objective and Approach...................................................................................................1-2 2.0 FISH, GILL, AND CAYUGA CREEK AQUATIC AND RIPARIAN CONDITIONS..........2-1 2.1 Geographic and Geologic Setting...............................................................................................2-1 2.2 Water Quality..............................................................................................................................2-2 2.2.1 Fish Creek ..............................................................................................................................2-3 2.2.2 Gill Creek...............................................................................................................................2-4 2.2.3 Cayuga Creek.........................................................................................................................2-4 2.3 Surface and Groundwater Hydrology.........................................................................................2-5 2.3.1 Fish Creek ..............................................................................................................................2-5 2.3.2 Gill Creek...............................................................................................................................2-6 2.3.3 Cayuga Creek.........................................................................................................................2-7 2.4 Fish Community .........................................................................................................................2-8 2.4.1 Fish Creek ..............................................................................................................................2-8 2.4.2 Gill Creek...............................................................................................................................2-8 2.4.3 Cayuga Creek.........................................................................................................................2-9 2.5 Aquatic Habitat and Riparian Corridor.....................................................................................2-10 2.5.1 Fish Creek ............................................................................................................................2-11 2.5.1.1 Reach F0-Mouth of Fish Creek to the Niagara Falls Country Club.................................2-11 2.5.1.2 Reach F1-Niagara Falls Country Club.............................................................................2-11 2.5.1.3 Reach F2-Neighborhood Section between the Golf Course Sections..............................2-12 2.5.1.4 Reach F3-Upstream Section of Niagara Falls Country Club Golf Course.......................2-13 2.5.1.5 Reach F4-Forested Section of Fish Creek between the Golf Course and Reservoir........2-13 2.5.1.6 Reach F5-Channelized Section around Lewiston Reservoir............................................2-14 2.5.1.7 Reach F6-Wetland Swale Upstream of Garlow Road......................................................2-15 2.5.2 Gill Creek Mainstem and Tributary .....................................................................................2-16 2.5.2.1 Reach G1-Industrialized Section of Gill Creek ...............................................................2-16 2.5.2.2 Reach G2-Gill Creek below Hyde Park Lake..................................................................2-17 i Copyright © 2004 New York Power Authority NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF FISH, GILL, AND CAYUGA CREEKS 2.5.2.3 Reach G3-Hyde Park Lake ..............................................................................................2-18 2.5.2.4 Reach G4-Forested Section of Hyde Park Golf Course...................................................2-18 2.5.2.5 Reach G5-Hyde Park Golf Course...................................................................................2-19 2.5.2.6 Reach G6-Pond below the Rail Yard...............................................................................2-20 2.5.2.7 Reach G7-Rail Yard.........................................................................................................2-21 2.5.2.8 Reach G8-Isherwood Drive to the Rail Yard...................................................................2-21 2.5.2.9 Reach G9-Hewitt Road to Isherwood Drive ....................................................................2-22 2.5.2.10 Reach G10-Flow Augmentation and Natural Section near the Reservoir........................2-23 2.5.2.11 Reach G11-Channelized Section around Lewiston Reservoir .........................................2-24 2.5.2.12 Reach G12-Wetland Swale Upstream of Garlow Road...................................................2-25 2.5.2.13 Reach GT1-Gill Creek Tributary - Hyde Park Golf Course Section ...............................2-25 2.5.2.14 Reach GT2-Gill Creek Tributary - Hyde Park Golf Course to Interstate 190 .................2-26 2.5.2.15 Reach GT3-Gill Creek Tributary: Residential Section from Lockport Road to Interstate 190 ......................................................................................................................................2-26 2.5.2.16 Reach GT4-Gill Creek Tributary: Upstream of Lockport Road ......................................2-27 2.5.3 Cayuga Creek Mainstem and Tributary ...............................................................................2-28 2.5.3.1 Reach C1-Tuscarora Drive to the Niagara River .............................................................2-28 2.5.3.2 Reach C2-Residential Section Upstream of Tuscarora Drive..........................................2-29 2.5.3.3 Reach C3-Forested Section below Porter Road ...............................................................2-30 2.5.3.4 Reach C4-Niagara Falls Airport.......................................................................................2-30 2.5.3.5 Reach C5-Eastern Tributary of Cayuga Creek to Walmore Road ...................................2-31 2.5.3.6 Reach C6-Western Tributary of Cayuga Creek to the Eastern Tributary of Cayuga Creek2-33 2.5.3.7 Reach C7-Upstream of Saunders Settlement Road to the Confluence of the Western Tributary of Cayuga Creek................................................................................................................2-34 2.5.3.8 Reach C8-Headwaters of Cayuga Creek..........................................................................2-34 2.5.3.9 Reach CET1-Cayuga Creek: Unnamed Eastern Tributary ..............................................2-35 2.5.3.10 Reach CWT1-Cayuga Creek: Unnamed Western Tributary............................................2-36 2.5.3.11 Reach BZ1-Cayuga Creek Tributary: Bergholtz Creek through the City of Niagara Falls2-37 2.5.3.12 Reach BZ2-Cayuga Creek Tributary: Residential and Agricultural Sections of Bergholtz Creek ......................................................................................................................................2-38 2.5.3.13 Reach BZ3-Cayuga Creek Tributary: Agricultural Sections of Bergholtz Creek............2-38 2.6 Land Use and Ownership..........................................................................................................2-39 2.6.1 Fish Creek ............................................................................................................................2-40 2.6.2 Gill Creek.............................................................................................................................2-40 2.6.3 Cayuga Creek.......................................................................................................................2-41 3.0 SUMMARY OF ISSUES IN THE FISH, GILL, AND CAYUGA WATERSHEDS...............3-1 3.1 Water Quality..............................................................................................................................3-1 ii Copyright © 2004 New York Power Authority NIAGARA POWER PROJECT (FERC NO. 2216) ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF FISH, GILL, AND CAYUGA CREEKS 3.2 Groundwater Flow Patterns ........................................................................................................3-2 3.3 Fish Barriers................................................................................................................................3-3 3.4 Stream Channelization................................................................................................................3-4 3.5 Shoreline Erosion........................................................................................................................3-5