Riverwatch 2015 Water Quality Report This report summarizes our testing results in two different ways: 1. Water Quality Standards 2. Water Quality Index Comparison to State Water Quality Standards created by the Giving each point a numerical and letter grade using a Riverwatch 2015 NYSDEC under the Clean Water Act (CWA)1 Water Qulity Index (WQI). Water Quality Report The CWA establishes the basic structure for regulating A Water Quality Index provides a single number (like a discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United grade) that expresses overall water quality at a certain Dear Citizen, States and regulating quality standards for surface location and time period based on multiple water waters. quality parameters. The objective of an index is to turn complex water quality data into information that is Thank you for reading the 2015 Riverwatch Water Quality Report! With drinking Our State Environmental Agency, the NYSDEC, is autho- understandable and useable by the public. Riverkeeper water issues making news headlines across the country our attention should now, rized by the CWA to create these standards and does this developed a WQI based on the parameters collected and more than ever, be focused on one of our most vital natural resources—our water. by: adaptation from the National Sanitation Foundation’s Our hope is that you can use this report, containing insightful information about (NSF) WQI. 1. Designating Best Uses for each waterway based on an the water quality in our region, as an educational tool. evaluation called the Waterbody Inventory every two 1. Each parameter was given a weight based on how years.2 influential they are on determining water quality. This year’s report includes information from two distinct Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper programs. First, our Riverwatch volunteer program consists of teams Parameter Weight A Source of Drinking Water that monitor numerous sites on the Niagara River and all its major tributaries once Dissolved Oxygen .24 a month from April through November. Our volunteer pool has grown, allowing Conductivity (TDS) .20 Chris Murawski Swimming (Primary Contact Recreation) for more sampling locations. Volunteers collect general water quality parameters Turbidity .20 Director of Citizen Engagment Wading and Paddling such as Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Conductivity, and Turbidity. The report displays pH .18 (Secondary Contact Recreation) the results of their efforts by comparing data to NYSDEC State Water Quality ΔT .18 Standards, giving each site a letter grade and comparing with data collected from Table of Contents Fishing Total 1.0 previous seasons. Second, our Young Environmental Leaders Program mentorship Letter................................................1 conducted a study of five public access sites. This study was conducted by two 2. The average seasonal value for each parameter was Water Quality Standards........2 2. Evaluating the “Best Uses” for each stream and desig- paid Buffalo Public High School interns and their teachers. The study focused on nating a stream class to support these uses. calculated for each site and plugged into equations Water Quality Index.................2 E.coli bacteria, which is an indicator of sewage pollution and is used to determine created by the NSF5 which yielded a number known as a Stream Descriptions.............3,4 if water is safe for human contact. Details of their findings are discussed and Stream Classes and Their Best Uses Q value. : Special. A source of water supply Table.................................................5 displayed. for drinking, culinary or food 3. Q values for each parameter were multiplied by the A processing purposes; primary and Map..................................................6 secondary contact recreation; and weighting factor and added together to get the WQI fishing. The waters shall be suit- number grade out of 100 for each site. YELP E. coli Report.................7,8 Riverkeeper needs your help and support to continue protecting the quality and able for fish, shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival. Pollution & Solutions...............9 quantity of water in our local communities. In this report, we have included direct Example: Reservoir Park Related Projects.......................10 actions you can take to become a steward of water quality. They include both : Primary and secondary contact (97 *0.24) + (64*0.20) + (84*0.20) + (78*0.18) + (88*0.18) = 83 opportunities to directly engage with Riverkeeper as well as steps you can take at recreation and fishing. These B waters shall be suitable for fish, DO Cond. Turb pH Δ T Total home. shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival. For more information: : Fishing. These waters shall be 4. WQI values were then given a grade A through F based We are happy to announce that in 2016 we have increased our staff capacity and suitable for fish, shellfish, and wild- bnriverkeeper.org/riverwatch on the following scale: C life propagation and survival. The A = 90-100 B =80-89 C =70-79 D =60-69 F = 59 and below have hired Elizabeth Robbe as Water Quality Specialist and Wendy Patterson as water quality shall be suitable for primary and secondary contact rec- Contact about data: Community Liaison. They will both be working on the Riverwatch Program going reation, although other factors may Elizabeth Robbe forward. limit the use for these purposes. Reservoir Park Total = 83 Water Quality Specialist 3. Setting standards for each waterway to support the Reservoir Park would get a B grade [email protected] I hope that this report can expand your knowledge of our wonderful Niagara River uses for each class. (716) 852-7483 ext 23 Here are the standards for the parameters we test3: Watershed. If you have any questions on any of the information in the report, Dissolved Oxygen, Conductivity, Temerature, and pH Parameter Standard Contact about volunteering: please feel free to contact me directly. were sampled using a YSI Pro Plus equipped with a 6 Wendy Paterson Dissolved No less than 6.0 mg/L for Niagara River quarto cable. Community Liaison Sincerely, Oxygen No less than 4.0 mg/L for all other streams Turbidity was sampled using a HACH 2100 Q [email protected] 4 Conductivity Between 150 and 500 ùs/cm Turbidimeter.7 (716) 852-7483 ext 26 pH Between 6.5 and 8.5 Turbidity No more than 5.0 NTU Chris Murawski 1 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972) Front Cover Image: Director of Citizen Engagement 2 Part 701: Classifications-Surface Waters and Groundwaters (Statutory authority: Environmental Conservation Law, §§ 1-0101, 3-0301 [2][m],15-0313, 17-0101, 17-0301, 17-0303, Katrina Cosgrove Photography 17-0809) 721 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203 3 Part 703: Surface Water and Groundwater Quality Standards and Groundwater Effluent Limitations (Statutory authority: Environmental Conservation Law, §§ 3-0301[2][m], 15- http://katrinacosgrove.weebly.com/ 0313, 17-0301, 17-0809) [email protected] 4 US Environmental Protection Agency’s Water: Monitoring and Assessment 5.9 Conductivity Back Cover Image: (716)852-7483 ext 39 5 Oram, Brian B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. (2013 January 20). Monitoring the Quality of Surfacewaters. Retrieved from http:// http://www.water-research.net/watrqual- Chloe Wasteneys ityindex/waterqualityindex.htm 6 www.ysi.com/productsdetail.php?Professional-Plus-18 7 www.hach.com/2100Q 1 Riverwatch 2015 Water Quality Report Riverwatch 2015 Water Quality Report 2 Water Quality Testing Results Buffalo Creek Niagara River Cayuga Creek (Erie County) Stream Class: B Stream Class: A (Special - Drinking Water) Stream Class: C Stream Length: 63.5 miles Stretch Monitored: Upper and Lower Main Stem, Lake Erie - Lake Ontario Stream Length: 13.5 miles Percentage of samples inside the standard range: A bar Water Quality Issues: Aquatic life and recreation are stessed by known silt/ Water Quality Issues: The Niagara is a source of drinking water for much Water Quality Issues: Aquatic life and fish consumption are stressed by graph is given for each parameter indicating the total per- sediment pollution and suspected nutrient and pathogen pollution. Known of the region. The NYSDEC considers this use to be threatened by known suspected nutrient, silt/sediment, metals, Priority Organics (PAHs) and centage of all samples taken for that site which fell inside the sources of pollution are stream bank erosion and urban stormwater runoff; contamination from toxic sediment and suspected contamination from Pathogens. Suspected sources are stream bank erosion and urban/storm sustpected source is agriculture and possible sources are on-site septic combined sewer overflows and urban stormwater runoff. runoff. Possible source is agriculture. standard range for that parameter. systems and road bank eroision. Sample Chart Conductivity 81% Conductivity 100% Conductivity 67% Conductivity 9% Dissolved Oxygen 96% Dissolved Oxygen 91% Dissolved Oxygen 100% Dissolved Oxygen 100% pH 96% pH 98% pH 90% pH 94% Turbidity 27% Turbidity 66% Turbidity 33% Turbidity 36% Inside standard range Outside standard range Cazenovia Creek Scajaquada Creek Tonawanda Creek (Lower Main Stem) Stream Class: B Stream Class: B Stream Class: C Note: Percentage shown indicates percentage inside range Stream Length: 51.7 miles Stream Length: Lower: 3.0 miles (from mouth to Main St, Buffalo), Upper: 15.1 Stream Length: 11.9 miles (from mouth to NYS Barge Canal) Water Quality Issues: No known impact* miles (above Cheektowaga) Water Quality Issues: Aquatic life and recreation are stressed by pollution Water Quality Issues are referenced from NYSDEC’s “The *2010 NYSDEC Waterbody Inventory lists no known impact. Based on Water Quality Issues: Aquatic life is precluded by low dissolved oxygen, excess from known sources of PCBs, toxic contaminated sediment, urban stormwater Niagara River/Lake Erie Basin Waterbody Inventory and Priority Riverkeeper testing results and observations, recreational use may be nutrients, silt, and sediment. Public bathing is precludeded and recreation runoff, and suspected nutrient and silt pollution from sanitary discharge and Waterbodies List” (2010). impacted and more monitoring is planned for this stream in 2016.