Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ecology Of The Lake Huron Fish Community, 1970–1999, Norine E. Dobiesz, David A. Mcleish, Randy L. Eshenroder, James R. Bence, Lloyd C. Mohr, Mark P. Ebener, Thomas F. Nalepa, Aaron P. Woldt, James E. Johnson, Ray L. Argyle, Joseph C. Makarewicz

Joseph C Makarewicz

We review the status of the Lake Huron fish community between 1970 and 1999 and explore the effects of key stressors. Offshore waters changed little in terms of nutrient enrichment, while phosphorus levels declined in inner Saginaw Bay. Introduced mussels (Dreissena spp.) proliferated and may have caused a decline in Diporeia spp. This introduction could have caused a decline in lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) growth and condition, with serious repercussions for commercial fisheries. Bythotrephes, an exotic predatory cladoceran, and other new exotics may be influencing the fish community. Sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) remained prevalent, but intensive control efforts on the …

Oak Orchard Creek Orleans County, New York, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Matthew J. Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Oak Orchard Creek is a major tributary of Lake Ontario, with a watershed straddling Orleans and Genesee counties. Surrounding land use is a mix of residential, small commercial businesses, and agriculture. The Elba and Oakfield sewage treatment plants are located along Oak Orchard Creek, as are three hydroelectric dams located in Oak Orchard, Glenwood, and Waterport (Zollweg et al. 2005). The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation lists fishing in Oak Orchard as threatened. There have been high measures of DDT, DDE, DDD, PAHs, and arsenic identified near Lyndonville, NY, at one of these sites (Makarewicz 2000). Nuisance algae, …

Genesee River Watershed Project. Volume 5. Water Quality Analysis Of The Canaseraga Creek Watershed Nutrient Concentration And Loading, Identification Of Point And Nonpoint Sources Of Pollution, Total Maximum Daily Load, And An Assessment Of Management Practices Using The Soil Water Assessment Tool (Swat) Model. A Report To The Usda., Evan Rea, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

An assessment of the Canaseraga Creek watershed was undertaken to determine the nutrient and sediment contribution to the Lower Middle Main Stem of the Genesee River and to determine sources of nutrient and sediment loss geospatially within the Canaseraga Creek watershed. To accomplish this task, a multifaceted, integrated approach was taken by a combination of monitoring, segment analysis, and modeling (Soil and Water Assessment Tool). Thus, the river was monitored for discharge, water chemistry, and loss of nutrients and soil for an entire year (3 August 2010 to 14 February 2012) at the USGS stations at Shaker’s Crossing and Dansville, …

Irondequoit Bay Monroe County, New York, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Matthew J. Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Irondequoit Bay is approximately 4.2 miles long and 0.6 miles wide and is separated from Lake Ontario by a small barrier beach. Irondequoit Bay had been historically considered hypereutrophic when several sewage plants discharged directly into the bay; however, aggressive restoration by Monroe County has improved the eutrophic state of the bay. Restoration efforts included sealing the bottom sediments with alum, reducing both point and non-point sources of phosphorus, and the pumping of air into the hypolimnion to reduce phosphorus movement from the sediments into the water. Currently no direct sewage plant discharge is received, and phosphorus levels are approaching …

Biological Survey Of Yanty Creek Marsh At Hamlin Beach State Park, Joseph C. Makarewicz, James M. Haynes, Ronald C. Dilcher, John C. Hunter, Christopher J. Norment, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Four primary objectives were addressed in this study: 1 . To undertake a survey of the biological resources of Yanty Creek. 2 . To compare relative abundance and species richness of phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammtals and plants in Yanty Creek marsh and adjacent areas to literature on other embayments and wetlands in the Great Lakes region. 3. To predict the types of changes that may occur in the biological diversity of Yanty Creek marsh should the barrier beach be breached. 4. To write a final report that compiles new and existing information on the species …

Ecological Health Of Sediments Located In The Rochester Embayment, Lake Ontario, Ny, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Mary Arnold, Theodore W. Lewis, Carole Beal

Joseph C Makarewicz

The objective of this study was to provide a preliminary evaluation of benthic macroinvertebrate community health, and thus water quality, within the Rochester Embayment of Lake Ontario. The Rochester Embayment is one of 42 Great Lakes Areas of Concern .

The various biological indices utilized suggest that a moderate to severely impacted benthic community exists in portions of the Rochester Embayment of Lake Ontario. Clearly, this study is not conclusive. Field sampling was limited geographically to four sites with three sites located either in or in close proximity to the Genesee River and to the dredge disposal site. Further field …

Sandy Creek Monroe/Orleans Counties, New York, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Matthew J. Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Sandy Creek is located in Monroe and Orleans Counties in New York State and drains 89 mi2 of land. Surrounding land use is predominantly agriculture, though there are also residential influences. The Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District through the Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC) has monitored nutrient loss from the watershed through continuous automated monitoring and event sampling. Sandy Creek was identified as moderately polluted, not as pristine as forested watersheds but not as polluted as streams receiving partially treated sewage. Soil loss was highest (75% of total) during precipitation events suggesting that agricultural runoff may play a …

Segment Analysis Of Fish Creek North Of Pennellville Pond The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

To identify sources of the elevated levels of nutrients observed in Pennellville Pond, a recommendation of the Makarewicz and Lewis Report (2003) was to initiate water quality sampling in the area north of Penneville Pond in the Fish Creek watershed. 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 Fish Creek watershed north of Pennellville Pond. Point and non-point sources were identified through a process called stressed stream analysis or …

The Sucker Brook Watershed Revisited, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Mitigation of soil and nutrient loss from the landscape continues to be a concern within watersheds of the United States and indeed worldwide. There are a number of reasons for this concern. Depletion of agricultural soil is counterproductive to good farming practices and crop productivity. Suburban, urban, and agricultural runoff and concomitant nutrient and soil loss to downstream aquatic ecosystems may produce undesirable effects including increased numbers of bacteria, algae, and macrophytes, increased siltation, and decreased aesthetics – in general, a deterioration in both surface (streams) and groundwater quality downstream resulting in cultural eutrophication of lakes and streams. In central …

Little Sodus Bay Cayuga County, New York, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Matthew J. Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Little Sodus Bay is a 728-acre embayment on the southern Lake Ontario shoreline, located in the Town of Fair Haven, New York. The bay has a mean depth of 22 feet, a maximum depth of 37 feet, and is not fed by any major tributaries. Little Sodus Bay connects to Lake Ontario through a narrow channel located in the northwest corner of the bay. The watershed surrounding the bay is composed of land roughly 20% agricultural, 18% developed land (mostly limited development), 61% forest, 1% wetlands, and 0.1% quarry (The Camdus Group 2007). Little Sodus Bay has nuisance algae and …

Chemical Analysis Of Water From Buttonwood, Larkin, Round Pond And Northrup Creeks, Lake Ontario Basin West: May 1987 - May 1988, Joseph C. Makarewicz

Joseph C Makarewicz

As the local contribution to the Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, the Monroe County Health Department contracted with SUNY Brockport to extend the ongoing sampling program in order to obtain one full year of data. The general objectives of this study of Buttonwood, Larkin, Northrup and Round Pond Creeks were: 1. To compare the water quality of stream water from watersheds having different land-use patterns; 2. To compare the water quality of stream water above and below the Spencerport Sewage Treatment Plant; 3. To obtain time trend data on chemical and physical characteristics of runoff water of these creeks; 4. …

Review Of The Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Studies, Joseph C. Makarewicz

Joseph C Makarewicz

The Committee shall perform an independent review of the Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River reports in the following areas: wetlands science and species–at–risk, the Flood Erosion and Prediction System (FEPS), the Integrated Ecological Response Models (IERM), and the Shared Vision Model (SVM). The level of emphasis for these various areas shall be approximately as follows: wetlands 15%, species-at-risk 15%, FEPS 10%, IERM 20%, SVM 40%, and reflect the International Joint Commission’s (IJC) determination of its priorities in this effort. The overarching charge shall be to evaluate the appropriateness and sufficiency of the studies and models used to inform decisions related to …

Eighteenmile Creek Niagara County, New York, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Matthew J. Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Eighteenmile Creek drains 93 mi² of land as it travels 26 miles before emptying into Lake Ontario. Topography is generally flat and comprised primarily of agricultural and rural residential development, with most of the industrial influences concentrated in the City of Lockport. The creek is a Great Lakes Area of Concern and has a Remedial Action Plan currently headed by the Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District. PCBs, specifically, represent the area of stress that receives the most attention. In addition to a history of industrial waste exposure, the Lockport Sewage Treatment Plant diverts treated sewage to the …

Biological Survey Buffalo River And Outer Harbor Of Buffalo, N.Y., Joseph C. Makarewicz, Ronald C. Dilcher, James M. Haynes, Karl Shump

Joseph C Makarewicz

The shoreline of the Buffalo River is developed with heavy industry such as Republic Steel, Allied Chemical, Mobil Oil and numerous grain elevators. Similarly, on southeast shore o f the Outer Harbor, heavy industry such as Bethlehem Steel, Huron Cement and Lackawanna Steel is evident. On the eastern shore o f the Outer Harbor, freighters unload salt, taconite, coal, etc. into large storage piles for later use by the area industries. Large lake-going freighters and oilers routinely use the previously dredged channel existing along the entire length of the study area (Fig. 1) while servicing the industries located along the …

Conesus Lake 2008: Baseline Data On The Stream Bank Restoration Project, Update On Water Quality Of Usda Monitored Watersheds, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis, Christiann Severson

Joseph C Makarewicz

Conesus Lake is fed by 18 tributaries and a number of smaller streams and rivulets (Forest et al. 1978). The terrain in the watershed is characterized by gentle slopes at the northern outlet and southern inlet areas. Steep hilly slopes characterize the flanks and southern portion of the watershed. For example, from the middle third of the lake to the southern end of the watershed, the lake and valley are flanked by steep slopes exceeding 45 percent. The soils of the Conesus Lake watershed are mostly derived from locally-occurring shale and sandstone bedrock material that has been reworked by glacial …

Chemical Analysis And Nutrient Loading Of: Salmon Creek, Otis Creek, Black Creek, Spencerport Sewage Treatment Plant, Precipitation Falling In Western Monroe County: With A Discussion On The Trophic Status Of Long Pond And Stress Stream Analysis Of Northrup And Buttonwood Creeks, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

The purpose of the RAP project is to prepare water quality management action plans for watersheds in the three basins (Genesee, Lake Ontario West, and Lake Ontario Central) within Monroe County that empty into the Rochester Embayment. These basinwide plans would be prepared using existing data and literature on each of the three basins. In some instances where baseline and storm event data were not available, such as the Lake Ontario West Basin, it would be necessary to collect the required data. As part of the local contribution to Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, the Monroe County Health contracted with …

Segment Analysis Of Fish Creek The Location Of Sources Of Pollution, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis, Daniel J. White

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 Department of Environmental Science and Biology. Monitoring efforts have included the installation of a permanent gauging and sampling stations located on Johnson Creek, Sandy Creek and Oak Orchard Creek (1, 2). The District and SUNY Brockport have also completed a Stressed Stream Analyses on Johnson Creek in 2000 (3), Marsh Creek in 2001 (4) and Otter Creek in 2003 (5). SUNY Brockport has provided analytical services for water chemistry, data interpretation, as …

A Five Year Summary Of Kendig Creek Watershed Monitoring, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis, Gregory G. Lampman

Joseph C Makarewicz

Land use in the Kendig Creek watershed is mostly for agriculture purposes. Kendig Creek has relatively high concentrations of nitrate, total kjeldahl nitrogen and total suspended solids when compared to other watersheds in central New York State. Kendig Creek is also an event responsive watershed, i.e. a majority of the discharge, nutrient and solids lost from the watershed to the stream ecosystem occurs during precipitation or melting events. Stressed stream analysis has identified several agricultural sites that are contributing nutrients and soil to the stream ecosystem. Linking these three facts together suggest that agricultural practices allowing nutrients and soil to …

Water Quality Of The North End Of Seneca Lake: 1991-2006, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Daniel J. White, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

The Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD) has collected limnological data on the waters of the northern end of Seneca Lake since 1991. This report updates the 1999 report (Makarewicz et al. 1999) with data taken by the SCSWCD from 1999 to 2006. The purpose of monitoring the northern portion of Seneca Lake was to determine the health of the Seneca Lake ecosystem and to determine if any temporal trends existed in Seneca Lake water quality. The water quality of Seneca Lake has been studied since the early 1900s when secchi disk readings were first taken. At that …

Chaumont Bay Jefferson County, New York, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Matthew J. Nowak

Joseph C Makarewicz

Chaumont Bay is a 9,000-acre embayment located on the east end of Lake Ontario. The bay receives tributary waters from Guffon Creek, Three Mile Creek, and the Chaumont River, creating three smaller embayments within Chaumont Bay on the northeastern side. The bay is lined by shoreline development, but the watershed is primarily agriculture. Algae blooms plague Chaumont Bay and hamper boating, swimming, and fish consumption. Direct sewage discharges into Chaumont Bay have been documented, but inadequate septic systems are considered the primary source of nutrient loading to the bay. This short report provides a synopsis of data collected monthly from …

Conesus Lake Limnology: Including Lake Chemistry, Phytoplankton And Estimates Of Internal Loading In 2004, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Isidro Bosch, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

During the spring, summer, fall and winter of 2004 and 2005, various limnological data were collected from Conesus Lake to assist in the implementation of the Conesus Lake Watershed Management Plan. In general, monitoring and analysis are designed to meet the following objectives: (1) Refine the estimates of external loading of sediments and nutrients from the watershed, (2) Refine the estimates of internal loading of phosphorus (that is, phosphorus released from lake sediments), (3) Characterize the lake’s community of algae (phytoplankton and metaphyton) and zooplankton to provide a benchmark against which the effectiveness of future management actions can be measured.

Genesee River Watershed Project. Water Quality Analysis Of The Black Creek Watershed. Volume 4. Nutrient Concentration And Loading, Identification Of Point And Nonpoint Sources Of Pollution, Total Maximum Daily Load, And An Assessment Of Management Practices Using The Soil Water Assessment Tool (Swat) Model. A Report To The Usda., Mellissa Jayne Winslow, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Nearshore Lake Ontario suffers from several beneficial use impairments due to water quality issues from the Genesee River and its contributing tributaries. Segments of Black Creek located in the Lower Genesee River basin are listed as impacted on the New York State 303(d) list because of excess sediment, nutrient, and bacteria losses. Sources of these pollutants from the Black Creek watershed include improperly managed cropland and pastures, dairy manure application, and effluent discharges from wastewater treatment plants. An assessment of the Black Creek watershed was undertaken to determine the nutrient and sediment contribution of Black Creek to the Genesee River …

Water Quality Of Cayuga Lake 1991-1998, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Roger W. Ward Jr., Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Cayuga and Seneca Lakes represent a major water resource of central New York State of considerable economic, recreational and aesthetic value. Maintenance of water quality, prevention of further deterioration of water quality and restoration of a lake’s health are major concerns of the public. Monitoring the water quality of Cayuga Lake has continued periodically from the early 1900's to the present. This report reviews data collected by the Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation District during the 1991- 1998 period from the north end of Cayuga Lake. The water quality data presented are the result of a new strategy to …

Long-Term Trends And The Trophic Status Of Conesus Lake 2012: A Report To The Livingston County Planning Department Geneseo, Ny, Joseph C. Makarewicz, Joshua M. Lafountain, Theodore W. Lewis

Joseph C Makarewicz

Conesus Lake monitoring conducted by personnel from The College at Brockport during the summer of 2012 determined the current trophic status of the lake and if any improvements or further degradation of water quality had occurred. To accomplish this goal, lake chemistry was monitored from 22 May to 14 August 2012 and the following were completed: a trophic state assessment of the lake and an evaluation of long-term trends in lake chemistry. Recommendations 1. The monitoring of Conesus Lake should continue. Current results suggest a slow improvement in it’s surface water. The status of the lake’s water quality has been …