Biological Study of Irondequoit Bay Prepared for the NY Department of State Town of Irondequoit Town of Penfield Town of Webster County of Monroe This report was prepared for the New York Department of State with funds provided under Title 13 of the Environmental Protection Fund Act by James M. Haynes Ronald C. Dilcher Christopher J. Norment James A. Zollweg Nicholas F. Parnell Environmental Science Program SUNY College at Brockport Brockport, NY 14420-2973 December 2002 1 I. Executive Summary Irondequoit Bay is a major ecological resource in western New York, and much has been done for 30 years to improve its water quality and maintain its natural physical and ecological features. Although many studies have been done on selected groups of flora and fauna (particularly aquatic) in and near the Bay, this is the first comprehensive study of the biological resources of the Bay since the New York State Biological Surveys in the 1930s. This study provides scientific data to support recommendations for land and water use in the Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan, and it provides a benchmark for future studies as development and natural resource management occur in the study area. Aquatic Habitats Extensive aquatic macrophyte beds seasonally cover 25-35 percent of the Bay, including 26-63 percent of the edges of the Bay outside of the shallow southern and northern ends that are completely covered with macrophytes from June through September. Few aquatic macrophytes grow deeper than 5 feet or shallower than 2 feet; therefore, the critical depths to protect for macrophyte survival and growth are between 2-5 feet. Based on historic mapping (1940-1982), it appears that submersed aquatic macrophytes have largely disappeared from the southeastern (Penfield) corner of the Bay, possibly due to boating and associated dredging activity. Sediments in Irondequoit Bay contain high amounts of silt and organic material; therefore, substantial chemical analyses, per NYSDEC regulations, are needed before any further dredging can be permitted. No federal or state species of aquatic macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, fish, amphibians or wetland birds listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern were observed in this study. However, a young bald eagle (federally threatened) was seen and several listed species of wetland birds are known to live in habitats like those in the study area. One common amphibian previously unrecorded in the study area, the gray tree frog, also was observed. Six aquatic habitats were sampled, and two were determined to be critical priorities for protection: Devil’s/Helds Cove (high species diversity, important spawning and nursery habitat, the presence of walleye) and the southwestern corner of the Bay (high species diversity, warmwater fishes). Three aquatic habitats were determined to be a high priority for protection are Seabreeze (high aquatic macrophyte diversity, the presence of northern pike and longnose gar), Webster Sandbar/Stoney Point (high species diversity, extensive coverage by aquatic macrophyte, disturbance in boat traffic channels, the presence of walleye), and Irondequoit Bay Park West (high abundance and diversity of fish, especially in the spring spawning season). Because of very shallow water (less than one foot in many places in the fall) and the apparent limitation of aquatic macrophyte growth by the discharge of Irondequoit Creek into the Bay, much of the south central part of the Bay had few fish in the summer and fall. Dredging Historical sources of pollutants contaminated the sediments in Irondequoit Bay. The NYS DEC has a protocol for sediment chemical analysis required for dredging based on grain- size. Based on the proposed Harbor Management Plan, potential dredging areas were identified by the IBCC Technical Team. Four sediment samples were taken in these 2 areas. These areas contain high amounts of silt and organic material; therefore, substantial chemical analyses are needed before dredging can be permitted. Terrestrial Habitats Twelve New York State-protected plants of special concern were found in the study, ranging from seven species in the southeastern corner of the study area (mostly Irondequoit Bay Park East) to none in the most developed areas (Rte. 104 bridge, Newport Landfill and Marina; Empire Blvd. commercial district). An “oak opening habitat,” listed as threatened by New York State was found in the Webster well field area. Small pockets of threatened “shrub swamp transitional habitat” may exist along the shore of the Bay, but they were not observed in this study. High quality cherry, oak and maple hardwoods are in the upland of the Webster well field area, and aspen/poplar, beech, chestnut, maple and oak are in Irondequoit Bay Parks East and West and Devil’s/Helds Cove upland areas. Cottonwood grows along the shore and black locust grows in the upland regions of all areas examined. Large contiguous upland forest tracts support a high diversity of birds and mammals, many of which were observed during plant surveys. One threatened bird, seven birds of special concern, and 13 mammals limited (required habitat) or influenced (used for food or temporary cover) by the availability of wetlands potentially occur in the study area, but none were observed. The study area is an important regional area of bat biodiversity, especially the area from Point Lookout to Rte. 590 where all five species found in the study were observed. Erosion The land contiguous to the Bay is highly susceptible to erosion. All-terrain vehicle activity is removing vegetation at many locations around the Bay, especially in Irondequoit Bay Parks East and West and the Webster well field, leaving soils highly vulnerable to erosion, landforms subject to destabilization, and protected plants in danger. Environmental Impacts The entire perimeter of the Bay is a Class I wetland that has the highest level of legal protection by New York State. The various submersed and emergent habitats that comprise the Irondequoit Bay wetlands perform valuable ecological functions as fish and wildlife habitat or food, and they should be preserved in their natural state to the maximum extent possible if the Bay is to maintain its currently healthy aquatic communities. There is already a suggestion of impairment of fish production in Devil’s/Helds Cove, possibly due to high levels of boating activity in the summer. More home development on the cliffs and associated docks in the cove will hurt wetland habitat, fish production and wildlife values. In addition, aquatic macrophytes are being cropped by boating activity in the Webster Sandbar and Stoney Point areas; further development here may impair a reasonably healthy fish community. Although over 20% of the shoreline of the Bay is privately owned and has slopes less than 7% (i.e., potentially developable), approximately two-thirds of this land is found in coves and stream deltas that should not receive further development. 3 The forests on the steep slopes surrounding the Bay also perform valuable ecological functions. In addition to providing habitats for a surprisingly diverse array of birds and mammals, presence of these natural vegetation communities is essential to stabilize the highly erodable upland soils and very steep cliffs that surround the Bay. To the extent that the remaining natural aquatic and terrestrial habitats around the Bay are consumed for human activities, the diversity and abundance of plants, animals and ecological communities comprising the Bay ecosystem will decrease. Before development plans are approved, intensive on-site surveys need to establish which important plant and animal species communities and would be impacted. This information can then inform permit decisions and the scope and design of any approved development. In any event, fragmentation and elimination of plant communities will diminish the diversity of animals that can live around the Bay. Study Limitations and Recommendations for Future Studies Because coves and some aquatic and terrestrial areas that are or may be proposed for development were not specifically targeted for sampling, they should be intensively sampled before any development proceeds. By starting the project in late May instead of April, early development of aquatic macrophyte beds, fish spawning in the early spring, some likely calling amphibians, some likely breeding birds, and spring ground cover plants could not be observed and recorded. To complete the biological survey of the Bay study area requires sampling in April and May. 4 A. Table of Contents I. Executive Summary…………………………………………………………….2 A. Table of Contents………..………………………………………………5 B. List of Tables……………………………………………………………. 8 C. List of Maps……………………………………………………………..10 D. List of Figures…………………………………………………………... 11 E. List of Appendices………………………………………………………. 12 II. Introduction…………………………………………………………………… 13 A. Background……………………………………………………………... 13 B. Purposes and Objectives…………………………………………………13 C. Geological Setting and Environmental History of Irondequoit Bay……. 13 III. Study Approaches and Methodologies…………………………..………….. 14 A. Particle-size Analysis of Sediments at Potential Dredging Sites……….. 14 B. Aquatic Macrophyte Studies…………………………………………….15 1. Mapping and Community Selection…………………………….. 15 2. Collection and Identification……………………………………..15 3. Sediment and Metaphyton Evaluation……………………………15 C. Sampling and Identifying Aquatic Animals…………………………….. 15 1. Fish………………………………………………………………. 15 2. Amphibians……………………………………………………… 15 3. Wetland Birds……………………………………………………