Proceedings of the 2014 Mohawk Watershed Symposium, Union College, 21 March 2014, Schenectady, NY

Welcome to the 6th Annual Mohawk Watershed Symposium where we explore recent advances in understanding the scientific, engineering, and political issues surrounding the water quality, flooding, water rights, and the ecology in this basin. This is a unique conference, partly because few watersheds enjoy such annual attention. But it is also unique because the informal setting and accessibility of the format has leveled the playing field and allows for equal participation by all stakeholders. From this approach we learn of new Federal and State funding initiatives, but we also learn of the struggles and successes of small non-profit and educational efforts that are making a difference in the Watershed. Thus the conference has evolved into a unique forum where all stakeholders have equal footing. The Symposium is about exchanging ideas, re-engaging with colleagues, and learning about new issues. A key to this has been the poster presentations and talks, which have accompanying abstracts in this volume. Including this year's schedule, we have had nearly 200 talks and posters focused on issues within and related to the Mohawk Basin. As in the past, this abstract book is the written record of this incredible effort, and these books have an amazing amount of knowledge produced about a watershed. This and all previous abstract volumes are available from the conference website and we are very pleased to see that abstracts are being used and cited in a whole host of settings. In a larger sense, the Symposium is about the translation and transfer of information, and this volume is part of that transfer. This year our keynote speaker this year is Laura Rose Day, Executive Director of the Penobscot River Restoration Trust Maine. Restoration of the Penobscot River, which is ongoing, is the most significant river sea-run fisheries restoration project ever undertaken in the United States. It is among the most important efforts in the modern era to restore a declining and depleted sea-run fishery. Her determination and perseverance to promote healthy waterways, re-establish fish passage, and foster a positive and valued public view of rivers in Maine is inspirational. We are also pleased to feature invited speakers to start and finish each of the four sessions. Our invited speakers represent interests within and from around the Mohawk Watershed and work to shape this year's program. We are indebted to Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) for his continued support of this effort. Union College and the NYS DEC continue to be primary sponsors of this effort, and their continued support help to make the Symposium a success. As spring begins throughout the watershed, it is fitting that we gather at Union College, near the banks of the Mohawk River to engage in issues that reach across the basin and over the past year. Leading up, throughout and following the annual Mohawk Watershed Symposium, each of us is working toward the larger goal of understanding our landscape and building capacity for resilience and future challenges. For many, the Mohawk Watershed Symposium is an important opportunity to connect with stakeholders from the watershed. While others may meet more frequently, the key is the connection. This time and space is important, everyone is able to engage, debate, discuss, and collaborate with others around issues that matter to them and to the Mohawk Watershed. Each spring the snow and ice melt, the waters in the streams and rivers rise, and the ice will jam. There will always be flooding, extreme storms and the strong community leadership ensures resilience during these events. The challenges that face the basin in the next decade or so will likely be about water use, infrastructure changes - dams, hydroelectric projects - and how these will impact water quality, flooding, fish habitat and passage. What knowledge needs to be mobilized next? What role do you play in making this happen? There is nothing quite like the Mohawk Watershed Symposium. This forum allows for young researchers to meet with the policy-makers and community leaders. Where the citizen scientist, meets with the scientist citizen. Like a river in a watershed, the Symposium captures the intellect and passion capital of the Mohawk Watershed and brings it together. This is what is exceptional about our watershed, it is this landscape, this place and time that we dedicate to a strong discourse on the issues and challenges within the basin - this is why we are here today. CONTENTS: Preface ............................................................................................................................................................. ii Schedule ......................................................................................................................................................... iv Keynote Speaker ............................................................................................................................................ vii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... viii Abstracts Microplastics in the Mohawk-Hudson Watershed B. Barry and J. A. Smith ...............................................................................................................................1 Potential Synoptic Examination of Paleoflooding in the Schoharie Valley using Sediment, Tree, and Speleothem Cores as Indicators of Wet/Dry Climatic Episodes Howard R. Bartholomew and Alexander J. Bartholomew ...........................................................................2 The Need for Analysis of the Impact of Discharge, on August 28, 2011, of Three Flood Control Dams at the Headwaters of the Batavia Kill on Infrastructure in the Schoharie Valley Howard R. Bartholomew and Robert Price ..................................................................................................4 Identifying Erosion Hazard to Municipal Infrastructure: Preparing for Extreme Events Joseph Cleveland, Kathleen E. Moore, Jon Kusler ......................................................................................6 Runoff regimes in Schoharie River Jaclyn Cockburn and John I. Garver ............................................................................................................7 The One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Record Flood at Schenectady on the Mohawk River Stephen N. DiRienzo, Britt Westergard .....................................................................................................10 Promoting Resilient Shorelines along the Hudson River Estuary: The Sustainable Shorelines Project Stuart Findlay, David Strayer, Betsy Blair, Daniel Miller, Jon Miller, Nickitas Georgas, Andrew Rella, Emilie Hauser, Kristin Marcell ...................................................................................................................11 Insight from Ice Jams on the Lower Mohawk River, NY John I. Garver .............................................................................................................................................12 United States Geological Survey Streamgages in the Mohawk River Watershed Chris Gazoorian ..........................................................................................................................................17 The Clash Between Interest in Preserving Clean Water and Need for Energy Development: Eventual or Avoidable? Ashraf Ghaly ..............................................................................................................................................21 GIS Illustrations of the Potential Effects of Hydrofracking Technology on Water Resources in New York State Ashraf Ghaly ..............................................................................................................................................22 The Resilient Neighborhood: Flood Mitigation as an Economic Engine Rebecca Hill ...............................................................................................................................................23 Place-Esteem as the Foundation for Stewardship Janet Kennedy ............................................................................................................................................24 Monitoring the Hudson and Beyond with HRECOS (Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System) Gavin M. Lemley, Alene M. Onion and Alexander J. Smith .....................................................................26 After the Flood: Impact of Hurricane Irene & Tropical Storm Lee on Schoharie Creek Tributaries Eric Malone, Alec Zerbian, Mark Cornwell, Ben German, Peter Nichols .................................................27 Prediction Model for the Water Discharge Time Series in Mohawk Watershed, NY Antonios Marsellos and Katerina Tsakiri ...................................................................................................30 Improving Water Quality in the Mohawk River Basin through Expanding Community Based Stream Monitoring Teams and Riparian Recovery Activities on the Schoharie and Mohawk Watershed John M. McKeeby ......................................................................................................................................32 Land-use and River Management Strategies for Reducing Flood Risk & Protecting Water Quality Julie Moore, P.E. ........................................................................................................................................36 Mohawk River Watershed Management Plan: Final Steps to Plan Completion and Progress Toward Phase I Implementation 2014/2015 David A. Mosher, Peter M. Nichols, Win McIntyre ..................................................................................37 WAVE is coming to the Mohawk Basin in 2014 Alene Onion ................................................................................................................................................38 Predicting Occurrences of Ice Jam Flooding on the Mohawk River at the End of the 21st Century Stephen B. Shaw and Ashley M. Ryan .......................................................................................................39 Sediment Mobilization in the Schoharie Watershed Jesse Van Patter, Jaclyn Cockburn, John Garver A Management Plan for the Mohawk River Watershed: Engaging the Community A. Thomas Vawter, Elizabeth C. Moran, and Linda P. Wagenet ...............................................................42 Spatial Analysis of Boil Water Advisories Issued During an Extreme Weather Event in the Mohawk- Hudson Watershed Sridhar Vedachalam, Mary E. John, Susan J. Riha ....................................................................................43 Analyzing the Spatial and Temporal Slope Instability Patterns at the Burtonsville, N.Y. Landslide Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches Matthew Vetta, Jaclyn Cockburn, and John Garver ...................................................................................44 Erosion mitigation and habitat improvement through bio-engineering and natural channel design Paul Villard .................................................................................................................................................46 A new tool to monitor ice jam flooding along the Mohawk River, Schenectady, NY Gary R Wall, Chris Gazoorian, and John I. Garver ....................................................................................47 An Update of Climate Change Research in New York State Mark Watson ..............................................................................................................................................49 A Century of West Canada Creek Water Management: the Case Against the Fragmented Approach Tom Zembrzuski ........................................................................................................................................50

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