Evaluating Water Quality: Research in the Finger Lakes Watersheds

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Evaluating Water Quality Research in the Finger
Lakes Watersheds

• Finger Lakes Institute
• Independent Study
• Laura Evans 06
• March 29, 2005

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Introduction
Canadice Lake

• Project Goals
• How to Accomplish Goals
• Plans For Future Study

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Project Goals

• It is important to monitor water quality to
  understand current lake conditions, to be aware
  of any developing trends, and to protect the
  ecological health of the Finger Lakes
• The goal of my final project is
• to provide a comprehensive assessment of
  information on water quality research
• organize a comprehensive list of contacts
• propose where methodologies and technologies
  could be applied in the future

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DEC REGION 8 FINGER LAKES

• Project focus
• 1. Conesus Lake
• 2.Hemlock Lake
• 3.Canadice Lake
• 4.Honeoye Lake
• 5. Canandaigua Lake
• 6. Keuka Lake
• 7. Seneca Lake

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CONTACTS
Honeoye Lake
I have been utilizing the Finger Lake Institutes
vast information on research and monitoring
including reports from the DEC, the USGS, HWS
students and professors, private and community
organizations

• Including
• Conesus Lake Association
• New York State Federation of Lake Associations
• Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council
• FLOWPA Water Resources Board
• Honeoye Valley Association
• Keuka Lake Association inc.
• Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association

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How I will accomplish my goal

• Organize in spreadsheet
• Comparative Analysis between Watersheds
• Parameters testing /frequency of testing/
  methodology used
• All levels of research including Community,
  University, and Government based

Honeoye Lake Ice Fishing
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GENERAL TESTING PARAMETERS
Water Quality of a body of water may be
determined through a multitude of methods and
analysis Different objectives call for
different parameters Utilization depends on
specific research goals

• Chemical Parameters- nutrient content,
  phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, chloride,
  pH/alkalinity
• Physical Parameters- inlets, streams, wetland
  areas, dams, beach areas, retaining walls, boat
  docks, temperature, water color
• Biological Parameters- chlorophyll-a, fecal
  coliform, zebra mussel invasion, turbidity, lake
  depth

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Water Protection/Watershed Issues may be
complicated and overwhelming
Many organizations in the Finger Lakes area are
involved in preserving the Finger Lakes

• NY State DEC
• USGS
• NYS Dept of Health
• County soil and water conservation districts
• Independent Lake Associations
• Colleges Institutions

Honeoye Lake
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CONCLUSION

• It is my hope that this information will be used
• To educate communities
• Pinpoint appropriate questions to be asked
• Lead to identification of potential problems
• Determine point or non-point source problem
• Promote/Reiterate the importance of continued
  monitoring
• Promote collaborations between organizations
  active throughout the area
• Introduce solutions
• Provide for evaluation of the success of
  solutions
• Promote comparative planning between lakes and
  regionally
• Discuss what we are we doing in our communities
  that turns up in the water

Hemlock Lake
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Sarah Meyer, Marion
Balyszak, and Dr. John Halfman for providing me
with the internship opportunity, for their
guidance and support
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References

• The 1996 Priority Waterbodies List For the
  Oswego-Seneca-Oneida River Basin. September 1996
• Bush, Katie, John D. Halfman. Water Quality
  Analysis of Seneca Lake and its Sub watersheds
  for Total Coliforms and E.coli Bacterica. Summer
  2004
• Halfman, John et al. Chapter 6. Limnology and
  Water Quality. Setting a Course for Seneca Lake
  The State of the Seneca Lake Watershed. 1999
• Hintz, Tana. Water Quality Survey and Policy for
  the Keuka Outlet. Undergraduate Honors Thesis,
  HWS Biology Department. April 2004
• Marcus, Jessica. Exploring Water Quality
  Monitoring Programs. Fall 2001
• www.dec.state.ny.us
• Water Quality Study of the Finger Lakes, July
  2001
• http//co.livingston.state.ny.us/lakeplan.htm
• http//www.canandaigualake.org/
• http//www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg8/index.html
  
• http//www.geneseo.edu/conesuslake/
• http//www.gflrpc.org/
• http//www.hvaweb.org/
• http//nysfola.org
• http//www.keukalakeassoc.org/
• http//www.senecalake.org/page2.html
• http//upstatefreshwater.org/