Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

An Addendum To Segment Analysis Of Sucker Brook: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

This supplemental report is an addendum to the original study 'Segment Analysis of Sucker Brook: The location of sources of pollution' (Makarewicz et a/. 1999). In the original study, recommendations for further investigation of two segments of Sucker Brook were suggested as follows. 1. The segment above Site 7 (Figure 1) in the City of Canandaigua had high concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total phosphorus (TP) during an event January 1999. The source(s) was not identified. 2. The segment between Sites3 and 4 (Figure 1) had high concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total phosphorus (TP) and total …

Chemical Analysis And Nutrient Loading Of Streams Entering Sodus Bay, N.Y, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

In response to public concern created by an abundance of nuisance weeds (i.e. macrophytes) within the three embayments of Wayne County (Sodus, East and Port Bays) , the Aquatic Vegetation Control Program was created in 1987 to develop long-term management strategies for the Bays. The program is administered jointly by the Wayne County Planning Board and the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District. The Soil and Water Conservation District recognized early that management of the Bay ecosystem would require the development of a data base presently not available. Toward this end, the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District …

Genesee River Monroe County, New York, Joseph Makarewicz, Matthew Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Originating in Potter County, Pennsylvania, the Genesee River travels 157 miles northward before emptying into the Rochester Embayment at the Port of Rochester on Lake Ontario. The 2,500-mi watershed of the Genesee River is predominately in agriculture and forest until it reaches the suburban urban environment of the City of Rochester, New York. Several wastewater plants, including Eastman Kodak’s industrial waste plant (King’s Landing) and Scottsville, and Honeoye Falls sewage treatment plants, discharge into the river. Just west and east of the outfall of the Genesee River into Lake Ontario are Charlotte and Durand Eastman Beaches that are periodically closed …

Twelvemile Creek Niagara County, New York, Joseph Makarewicz, Matthew Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

The east branch of Twelvemile Creek (69 mi2) flows through northern Niagara County to its mouth at Lake Ontario 12 miles east of the Niagara River, near the village of Wilson, New York. From fall through spring, good runs of steelhead and brown trout with the occasional Chinook and Coho salmon occur into the creek. Agriculture, especially row crop farming, is predominant within the watershed, though natural protected land is also plentiful. The Wilson-Tuscarora State Park provides a buffer between the creek and agriculture immediately around the mouth of the creek, while upstream farms directly line the creek. Nuisance algae, …

Niagara River Niagara County, New York, Joseph Makarewicz, Matthew Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

The Niagara River carries water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and is the major source of Lake Ontario’s water volume. Famous for the immense Niagara Falls, the 36-mile river is used by over 1 million people in the United States and Canada for functions including drinking water, recreation, and hydropower (Niagara Parks 2009). The Niagara River drains the entire upper Great Lake system into the final lake, Lake Ontario, and due to this huge volume of water has a large potential to change Lake Ontario’s water quality. Nuisance algae, bacterial abundance, and algal mat development along the southern shoreline …

Port Bay Wayne County, New York, Joseph Makarewicz, Matthew Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Located midway between Rochester and Oswego, New York, Port Bay is one of southern Lake Ontario’s larger but relatively shallow (<25 feet) embayments. The perimeter of the bay is primarily residential, but portions of the shoreline and watershed are part of the Lake Shores Marshes Wildlife Area. Wolcott Creek is the major tributary of Port Bay and drains ~27 mi² of land that is mostly in agriculture. The bay receives treated effluent from the Village of Wolcott Sewage Treatment Plant. Port Bay suffers from cultural eutrophication and is on the New York State 303d list of Impaired Waters due to an overabundance of phosphorus. Benthic anoxia is a major effect of this eutrophication. Port Bay is impacted by nuisance algae, and harmful algal blooms have been observed (Makarewicz et al. 2009). This short report provides a synopsis of …

Final Data Report: Sodus Bay Limnology, Lake Chemistry, Phytoplankton And Zooplankton Abundance And Nutrient And Soil Losses From The Watershed, 2004, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

During the spring, summer and fall of 2004, limnological and sub-watershed data were collected from Sodus Bay. In general, monitoring and analysis were designed to meet the following objectives: document current lake, sediment and nutrient conditions; document stream loading to the lake; characterize the bay's community of phytoplankton and zooplankton to provide a benchmark against which the effectiveness of future management actions can be measured. This program will assist in developing a watershed enhancement plan and provide data for a simulation to determine the need for and likely success of adding alum to decrease phosphorus loss from the anoxic hypolimnion.

Segment Analysis Of Johnson Creek: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Johnson Creek is located in the southern portion of the Lake Ontario watershed, Orleans and Niagara Counties, New York. The relatively large watershed encompasses 98.6 square miles and flows into Lake Ontario near Kuckville, New York. Two years of continuous water quality monitoring indicated that the Johnson Creek watershed was a source of phosphorus, nitrate, organic nitrogen, sodium and soils to Lake Ontario. That is, Johnson Creek and the watershed it drained are a source of nutrients and soil pollution to Lake Ontario relative to other watersheds of similar size in western New York.

Where are the sources of nutrients, …

A Technique For Identifying Pollution Sources In A Watershed: Stressed Stream Analysis Revisited, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

This article describes stressed stream analysis, and how it is used to identify and prioritize sub-watersheds by their relative contribution to the deterioration of the lake ecosystem and, subsequently, to locate point and nonpoint sources within priority sub-watersheds.

Characterization And Prioritization Of The Watersheds Of Niagara County, New York, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis, Daniel White, Mark Seider, Victor Digiacomo

Joseph C Makarewicz

In recognition of the need to acquire a uniform, organized approach to addressing surface 6 water degradation and given the diverse nature of non-point sources of pollution within the County, the Soil and Water Conservation District formed a committee known as the Niagara County Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC). Since little was known about the environmental status of other major creeks in Niagara County, the WQCC recommended a study to evaluate nutrient and soil loss from 17 watersheds and their creeks. The purpose of the monitoring program was to collect water quality data to quantify the concentration and loading of …

Nutrient And Sediment Loss From A Niagara County Watershed : The East Branch Of Twelvemile Creek, May 1998 To May 2000, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Discharge and nutrient loss from a Niagara County tributary, Twelvemile Creek, was intensely monitored for two consecutive years by automated gauging and sampling techniques. This report focuses on the two annual cycles monitored (19 May 1998 to 18 May 1999 [Year 1] and 19 May 1999 to 17 May 2000 [Year 2]). The sampling regime allows an accurate measurement of discharge, nutrient and soil loss from a watershed during hydrometeorological events and nonevent conditions. Discharge and concentrations of nitrate, total phosphorus, sodium, total suspended solids, and total kjeldahl nitrogen were measured and converted into the amount of material lost from …

Nutrients And Suspended Solid Losses From Oneida Lake Tributaries, 2002-2003: Butternut, Big Bay, Chittenango, Canaseraga, Cowaselon, Fish, Limestone, Oneida, Scriba And Wood Creeks, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

In summary, the goal of this report is to provide:

 An interpretive summary of chemistry trends for each subwatershed sampled in the Oneida Lake watershed;

 A prioritization of the tributaries, based on nutrient and soil loss; and

 A comparison between nutrient and soil loss from Oneida Lake subwatersheds to other central New York watersheds with different land use practices.

Stress Stream Analysis Of A Sub-Watershed Of Conesus Lake: South Mcmillan Creek, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Stress stream analysis of a sub-watershed of Conesus Lake. July 1994.

Prepared for the Livingston County Planning Department, Mount Morris, N.Y.

Includes bibliographical references (leave 12)

Nutrient And Sediment Loss From The Watersheds Of Canandaigua Lake, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

In the past three years of tributary monitoring, we have established the importance of meteorological events to the loss of nutrients and material into Canandaigua Lake. We have also prioritized the sub-watershed in terms of those losses and narrowed the focus of remedial attention down from sixteen to six sub-watersheds. This has allowed a shift in a portion of the monitoring towards the identification of the actual sources, both point and non-point, of pollution in the priority watersheds. The Sucker Brook Segment Analysis has been completed (Makarewicz, Lewis and Lewandowski 1999). Intensive monitoring is also continuing in the watershed. At …

Nutrient And Sediment Loss From The Watersheds Of Orleans County Year 2: Johnson, Oak Orchard And Sandy Creek Watersheds. June 1998 - May 1999, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

In recognition of the need to acquire a uniform, organized approach to addressing surface water degradation and given the diverse nature of non-point sources of pollution, the Soil and Water Conservation District has recently formed a committee whose specific task is to address water quality issues. Since the reduction of non-point source pollution is likely to occur through the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP's) and changes in land use regulations, this committee provides the necessary foundation for these changes to occur. This committee has become known as the Orleans County Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC). With the combined expertise …

Segment Analysis Of Oneida Creek: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

The water quality of Oneida Lake is directly influenced by land use practices in the lake's watershed. As precipitation falls on the landscape, it washes or carries materials, such as soil, cow manure, nutrients, pesticides, etc., from the land surface into nearby streams and eventually into Oneida Lake influencing water quality (CNY RPDB 2000). Thus different land usage greatly influences water quality of streams and lakes. For example, land usage that includes agriculture and urban living has a greater potential to deliver nutrients and soil to a lake than a forested watershed. If efforts are made to protect a lake's …

The Muckland Demonstration Project : Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Control, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

The many muck fields in agriculture that exist in Oswego County offer an opportunity to demonstrate the feasibility of using artificially constructed wetlands to reduce nutrient levels in water draining from these highly fertilized, productive agricultural systems. An artificial wetland was constructed adjacent to a large muckland farm raising onions and sorghum. Water draining from the muck fields was pumped into the constructed wetland and allowed to flow naturally out of the wetland after a retention period determined by the flow regime. The question being asked was can nutrients and sediments be effectively removed from muckland drainage water by an …

Nutrient And Soil Losses From The Eighteenmile Creek Watershed, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis, Daniel White, Mark Seider, Victor Digiacomo

Joseph C Makarewicz

Determination of sources and magnitude of soil and nutrient losses from a watershed is prerequisite to remedial action and essential to making cost-effective land management decisions as it reduces the likelihood of costly miscalculations based on the assumption of soil and nutrient sources and modeling rather than their actual identification. This process enhances the ability of concerned groups to obtain external funding for demonstration and remedial projects. In July 2003, the Niagara County Soil & Water Conservation District (NCSWCD), in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Sciences and Biology at SUNY Brockport, began a monitoring program for Eighteenmile Creek, located …

The Occurrence Of Cyanotoxins In The Nearshore And Coastal Embayments Of Lake Ontario, Joseph Makarewicz, Gregory Boyer, William Guenther, Mary Arnold, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Cyanotoxins are an emerging issue that Great Lakes’ scientists are conducting research on to determine occurrence, spatial and seasonal distribution, monitoring strategies and potential causes in Lake Ontario. Conditions necessary for blooms of Cyanobacteria exist along the shoreline of Lake Ontario. This is especially true in some embayments and rivers as levels of the nutrient phosphorus that stimulates the growth of Cyanobacteria is above New York State Department’s of Environmental Conservation guidelines. Monitoring in 2004 demonstrated that abundance of Cyanobacteria are indeed high in streams, embayments and the nearshore compared to offshore waters of southern Lake Ontario. Initial research suggests …

Nutrient Loading Of Streams Entering Sodus Bay And Port Bay, Ny 1 April, 1990 To 30 June, 1991, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis, Robert Williams

Joseph C Makarewicz

Freshwater resources have historically played a key role in community development and sustainability. Maintaining a high quality freshwater resource is of equal importance. Within the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, degradation of water quality and aesthetics due to excessive plant growth is a growing concern. Involved agencies have recently focused their attention on non-point source pollution as a primary candidate linked to accelerated macrophyte growth and surface water degradation. Wayne County recognizes the importance of maintaining a quality water resource and has responded by developing a Water Quality Program. Established in 1 987 and administered jointly between the …

Segment Analysis Of Oatka Creek: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Oatka Creek flows approximately 58 miles and drains approximately 215 square miles (557 km2) of Wyoming, Genesee, Livingston and Monroe counties of western New York State. The 2002 Oatka Creek “State of the Basin Report” recommended water quality monitoring during nonevent and precipitation events to further identify sources of pollution. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Wyoming and Genesee Counties contracted with the Water Quality Laboratory at SUNY Brockport to systematically identify, during baseline and hydrometeorological events, the sources of nutrients, soils and salts within the Oatka Creek watershed. With this report, we provide evidence based on 188 samples …

Nutrient And Sediment Loss From Oneida Lake Tributaries : The South Shore Tributaries, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

In recognition of the need to acquire a uniform, organized approach to addressing surface water degradation and given the diverse nature of non-point sources of pollution, the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board organized the Oneida Lake and Watershed Task Force. The Task Force is an alliance of agencies, organizations, elected officials, and citizens interested in the protection of water resources in the Oneida Lake Watershed. Because of the increased population and development pressure and because of water quality concerns south of Oneida Lake, monitoring of southern tributaries of Oneida Lake was initiated first. The intent is to …

Characterization Of Six Watersheds Of Wayne County, New York, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District has a long history of working to keep soil and nutrients on the land and out of the water. Much of this work has focused on Sodus Bay and Port Bay (Makarewicz and Lewis 1989, 1990; Makarewicz et al. 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994; White et al. 2002). However, little is known about the environmental status of other major creeks in Wayne County away from the coastal area of Lake Ontario. As a result, the Wayne County Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC) recommended a study to evaluate nutrient and soil loss from six watersheds …

Segment Analysis Of Little Sandy Creek, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Because Little Sandy Creek was the largest source of phosphorus to Sandy Pond, a recommendation of the Makarewicz et al. report (2002) was to initiate water quality studies in the Little Sandy Creek watershed to identify sources of phosphorus. To accomplish this task, the Soil and Water Conservation District of Oswego County contracted with the Water Quality Laboratory at SUNY Brockport to systematically identify, during baseline and hydrometeorological events, the sources of nutrients, soils and salts within the Little Sandy Creek. Point and non-point sources were identified through a process called stressed stream analysis or segment analysis (Makarewicz 1999). With …

Eighteenmile Creek Watershed: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Eighteenmile Creek is one of the six Areas of Concern (AOC) in New York State (Makarewicz and Lewis 2000). The International Joint Commission (IJC) and the Great Lakes community are working on 42 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes basin where beneficial uses of a waterbody have been identified as impaired. AOCs include harbors, river mouths, and river segments where Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) have beendeveloped and are being implemented to restore and to protect beneficial uses.Fourteen use-impairment indicators have been applied to define water qualityparameters. Eighteenmile Creek has been polluted by past industrial and municipal discharges, by the …

Stressed Stream Analysis Of Deep Run And Gage Gully In The Canandaigua Lake Watershed, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Deep Run and Gage Gully subwatersheds are located at Canandaigua Lake’s northeast corner. Both subwatersheds are relatively small in size but a three-year monitoring program has identified them as contributing disproportionately high loads of nutrients and suspended solids (soils) to Canandaigua Lake. Within the entire Canandaigua Lake watershed, Deep Run lost the most phosphorus and nitrate per unit area of watershed to Canandaigua Lake (January 1997 to January 2000), while Gage Gully ranked third. Also, the Deep Run and Gage Gully subwatersheds ranked 3rd and 5th for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) loss and 2nd and 3rd for total suspended solids …

Water Quality Monitoring On Cratsley Gully And Honeoye Inlet, Part Of The Honeoye Lake Watershed, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis, Daniel White

Joseph C Makarewicz

The presence of soluble, sedimentary rocks in the watershed of the Finger Lakes determines the chemical regimes comprising the lakes (Schaffner and Oglesby 1978). As the rest of the Finger Lakes, Honeoye Lake has an abundance of calcium and bicarbonate ions (Schaffner and Oglesby 1978). Nitrate + nitrite values for Honeoye Lake in 1993 (mean = 0.02 mg/L) were significantly lower (P<0.02) than levels from 1973 (mean = 0.07 mg/L) (Crego 1994). In 1973, Honeoye Lake had the highest total phosphorus (TP) concentration of the eight Finger Lakes examined (21.7 μg/L, August) (Schaffner and Oglesby 1978). However, there were …

Water Quality Of Long, Cranberry, Buck And Round Ponds 1993 -1994, Joseph Makarewicz, Gregory Lampman

Joseph C Makarewicz

Long, Buck and Cranberry Ponds have very high concentrations of total phosphorus and chlorophyll .a; that is, they have high levels of a nutrient that stimulates the growth of microscopic and macroscopic plants. This results in an overabundance of microscopic plant life as indicated by the exceedingly high chlorophyll levels observed. Long Pond appears to be the most productive followed by Buck Pond and then Cranberry Pond. Round Pond has relatively low chlorophyll and phosphorus levels compared to the other ponds. R.ound Pond does not appear to be impacted by cultural eutrophication. Compared to nearby Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and …

Segment Analysis Of Otter Creek: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

The Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District has monitored the waterways of Orleans County since 1997 in collaboration with the State University of New York at Brockport's Center for Applied Aquatic Science and Aquaculture (CAASA). SUNY Brockport has provided analytical services for water chemistry, consulting services on the direction of the monitoring program and interpretation of data. The Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District along with the Orleans County Water Quality Coordinating Committee decided to continue the water pollution source identification in Otter Creek beginning in the spring of 2002. Otter Creek is located in the south portion …

Segment Analysis Of Marsh Creek: The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Marsh Creek is located in the southern portion of the Lake Ontario watershed, Orleans County, New York. The watershed flows into Oak Orchard Creek near its mouth on Lake Ontario at Point Breeze, New York. A branch of Marsh Creek, is known as Beardsley Creek, and was sampled as part of the study, Also Otter Creek, which also drains into Oak Orchard Creek, was sampled two times to access whether further segment analysis is warranted at another time.

The purpose of this study was: 1. To identify sources of nutrients, soils and salts within the Marsh Creek watershed; 2. To …