Proceedings from the 2012 Mohawk Watershed Symposium

Introduction to Abstract volume. The Geology Department at Union College is pleased to host the fourth Mohawk Watershed symposium. While the upper basin has been recovering from the 2006 floods, the lower basin sustained tremendous damage from the one-two punch of flooding from Hurricane Irene (28-29 August, 2011) and Tropical Storm Lee (10 September, 2011). Historic and epic flooding in the Schoharie Creek has changed the political, economic, and physical landscape in a deep and profound way. More than ever, we are reminded of the importance of bringing key stakeholders together to present studies, develop strategies, and exchange ideas in a formal but relaxed forum that has emerged from the Mohawk Watershed series at Union College. This year we have given incredible focus on the workings and impacts of the storms that hit the southern part of the watershed in late August and early September. In addition to the Schoharie County Soil and Water Conservation District perspective, we will also here from the National Weather Service to understand the meteorological and hydrological properties of these events. The New York State Canal Corporation will detail the enormous amount of damage and change that was seen within the main channel of the Mohawk River. Several presentations discuss the significance of these storms in a context of understanding extremes beyond the instrumental record. Incredible effort and work have gone into understanding these events in the basin and its sub-catchments and both invited and volunteered presentations will help describe the impacts and imprints these events had on the watershed. We are please to have NYS Assemblyman Peter Lopez from the NY 127th Assembly District as the Keynote speaker this year. Assemblyman Lopez represents Schoharie and other towns and villages in the upper part of the Schoharie watershed that were particularly hard hit by Irene flooding. He has been a strong a vocal advocate for transparency in the operation of dams in this part of the watershed, and he has worked of tax relief for flood victims who have sustained considerable person and property losses from the floods. He provides a unique perspective on the political landscape following these devastating floods. As many work to develop a watershed management plan, and as communities look for waterfront development ideas, we continue to ask questions about the hydrology of the basin and how that is changing over time. A key challenge, therefore is to develop and manage a watershed that appears to be a complex system that is changing and dynamic. Hydrological data suggest more water is entering the watershed and a variable and complex way. This is the fourth annual symposium on the Mohawk Watershed and we are delighted to host this full program of talks and posters that cover a wide range of topics. Here at Union College, we are proud to help serve as a catalyst for initiating and fostering those conversations that will hopefully drive positive change in the watershed. We are indebted to our sponsors this year who have helped defray the cost of running the symposium: Union College, Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners, U.S. Geological Survey, NYS DEC, Cornell, and NY State Water Resources Institute. We hope that the continued spirit of information exchange and interaction will foster a new and better understanding of the intersection between Science, Engineering, and Policy in the watershed.

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Geosciences Department, Union College: https://minerva.union.edu/garverj/mws/2024/symposium.html

Mohawk River Watershed (N.Y.)
Watershed management

Schenectady (N.Y.)
Mohawk River (N.Y.)