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Arsenic (As) and uranium (U) contamination in drinking water affects millions of individuals across the US. This issue is particularly acute across rural populations where many people obtain drinking water from unregulated private wells. One specific location greatly affected by high levels of As and U in both surface and groundwater is the Northern Plains of the USA. However, the environmental and anthropogenic factors responsible for the mobilization and heterogeneous distribution of As and U in the waters of this region remain poorly characterized. Groundwater recharge sources and the flow path of water supplying surface water can strongly influence the mobilization and accumulation of aqueous As and U. To understand how hydrologic process affect the distribution of these metals we relied on stable water isotopes (δ2H, δ18O, δ17O). Here we collected stream and spring water samples from 43 locations across South Dakota and Nebraska and measured stable water isotopes (δ2H, δ18O, δ17O) to determine the sources of recharge/inflow to both surface water and groundwater (e.g., heavily evaporated surface water, snow melt, precipitation). We observe strong positive correlations between As and U and stable water isotopes - a finding that suggests that mobilization of these elements is occurring under oxic conditions, mobilization is delocalized, and As and U are likely accumulating along the water's flow path. These results allow for a greater understanding of how hydrology influences As and U occurrence in surface water and groundwater and can be used to help better predict areas at high risk for As and U contamination.
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Groundwater is one of the world's most important natural resources. The use of stable water isotopes (ð›¿2H and ð›¿18O) as natural tracers through the water cycle has provided a unique observational technique for characterizing hydrological processes and establishing connections between water distribution systems and their respective environmental sources. A predictive model for groundwater isotopes was developed across the contiguous United States (to combat pre-existing limitations of the lack of such data) using a random forest model based on environmental parameters. We find evident spatial coherence in the model, generally mirroring the signal of isotopes of precipitation, and highlight the potential for its application across hydrology and ecology. In addition, to demonstrate the applicability and versatility of groundwater isotopes, we investigated the local municipal water supply in Schenectady to understand the sources and seasonal variability in these sources. The Schenectady municipal well-field is sited less than a kilometer from the Mohawk River, making the interaction between surface water and groundwater highly complex and seasonally dependent. Schenectady tap water, which is drawn from local groundwater, and Mohawk River water were collected at regular intervals and analyzed in the Union College Stable Isotope Laboratory for stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. The seasonal signal of isotopes can be approximated by sine waves, and the phase and amplitude of these signals can be used to calculate the average linear velocity (3.5 m/day) of the water moving into the aquifer and fraction of young water (57% < 2.7 months) in the local groundwater. Our results highlight the connection between the Mohawk River and the aquifer in the vicinity of the Schenectady well-field, and motivates further research to characterize the potential for vulnerabilities. Thus, this study not only provides an isoscape to detail the spatial distribution of isotopes regionally, but also demonstrates how we can leverage our understanding of isotopes for insight into the chemical and physical hydrology in a local water system.
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Contamination of groundwater with naturally occurring arsenic (As) poses a health risk to millions of American and tens of millions of people worldwide. It is important to identify and predict where contamination is occurring as more than two billion people rely on groundwater as their source of drinking water. Long term exposure to high levels of As has been linked to a range of diseases and an increase in mortality rate. Similarly, long term exposure to manganese (Mn) in drinking water impairs cognitive function in children and is associated with problems afflicting memory, attention, and motor skills. A crucial limitation to the current literature is the inability to predict groundwater As or Mn levels at the scales required to make sound decisions on where to site groundwater wells. Previous studies have identified processes of As and Mn release at individual sites, but lack the transferability to the global scale. To address these issues, I synthesized a database of groundwater geochemistry and other associated hydrological and geologic variables. I aggregated more than one hundred datasets from a wide range of peer-reviewed published datasets as well as government and NGO sources. In total, these datasets represent a large portion of the world, with a heavy focus in Southeast Asia and the United States. In addition to As and Mn concentrations, the database contains geospatial, geologic, hydrological, and environmental parameters (e.g. well depth, lithology, water table depth). To integrate data from a range of studies, formats, and reporting approaches, I established a uniform set of data handling and reporting standards and incorporated these into a reproducible data aggregation workflow—including instructions on how to effectively maintain and organize geospatial, hydrological, or other similar data. To our knowledge, this is the largest global database (n ≈ 1,000,000 with 250 parameters) related to groundwater geochemistry. I then utilized this database and a parsimonious set of remotely-sensed flooding variables as predictors to develop machine learning models that predict groundwater As and Mn concentrations in Southeast Asia. These models accurately identify whether a location is safe for a drinking water well and produce minimal erroneous predictions that result in public health threats.
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Groundwater is a critical resource in the United States. It supplies more than 130 million Americans with their daily drinking supply and irrigates nearly 48% of the country's agriculture. Groundwater also plays a pivotal role in maintaining groundwater-dependent ecosystems and sustaining late-season flows to rivers and streams. Unfortunately, long-term declines in groundwater levels due to changes in land use, overdraft, population growth, and shifts in climatic regimes threaten groundwater availability and quality. Therefore, characterizing changes in seasonal groundwater dynamics is important to managing and sustaining groundwater resources. Fluctuations in the seasonal timing and magnitude of groundwater levels reflect changes in groundwater storage. By characterizing spatial trends in seasonal groundwater dynamics, we can link hydrologic signatures to the underlying processes and environmental factors driving observed trends and improve our understanding of what processes and factors affect heterogeneous changes in groundwater storage. Here we compile and analyze the seasonal dynamics of groundwater levels for more than 1,000 sites from unconfined aquifers across the conterminous United States using normalized mean annual groundwater hydrographs. We observe clear spatial patterns with coherent regional minima and maxima seasonal timing of groundwater levels that closely follow climatic and physiographic regimes influenced by latitude, topography, land use, and hydrogeologic units.
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In recent years, the CDC has recorded a steady increase in the instance of tick-borne diseases, most notably Lyme disease, caused by the bacteria <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em>. However, tick density and infection status are highly variable at both large and small spatial scales. Many potential explanations have been proposed to explain this, one of which is the alteration of vector-host dynamics caused by the introduction and propagation of invasive flora and fauna. Prior research has established a positive correlation between the abundance of several invasive shrub species in the genus <em>Lonicera</em> and the abundance of ticks. In this research, I tested several hypotheses to explain this. Two hypotheses, (i) that engorged ticks might benefit from fungicidal compounds released into the soil by <em>Lonicera </em>spp. (Honeysuckle) and (ii) that <em>Lonicera</em> shrub structure creates a favorable microhabitat for engorged tick survival, were tested in a soil core experiment. I compared tick survival in soil cores under four treatments: in <em>Lonicera </em>shrubs, in native <em>Viburnum acerifolium </em>(Mapleleaf Viburnum<em>) </em>shrubs, in climate-controlled rooms with <em>Lonicera </em>soil and<em> </em>extract, and in climate-controlled room with native soil and extract. The bioactive compound hypothesis was further examined in an experiment in which I compared fungal growth in <em>Lonicera </em>extract, <em>V. acerifolium </em>extract, and deionized water under laboratory conditions. A third hypothesis, that tick hosts prefer <em>Lonicera </em>shrubs for shelter, was tested in a camera trapping experiment. Although parts of the soil core experiment had to be abandoned due to the pandemic related lockdown of Union College, important insights can still be drawn. The two field treatments of the soil core experiment showed no differences in tick survival. Similarly, the fungal growth experiment did not reveal fungicidal properties in <em>Lonicera</em> compared to a native shrub control (<em>V. </em> <em>acerifolium</em>). Common tick hosts such as White-tailed Deer and White-footed Mice showed a slight preference for <em>Lonicera</em> shrubs compared to native shrubs. Altogether, this research emphasizes the unpredictability of biological invasions and the need for more integrative research into the role of invasive flora in vector-host dynamics and disease ecology.
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Urban streams are becoming increasingly polluted by anthropogenic activity, and in Schenectady (NY) two primary stressors include poor wastewater infrastructure and road salt use. Urban streams in Schenectady include Mill Creek and Cowhorn Creek that empty into the Binnekill (feeder to the Mohawk), and the Hans Groot Kill that empty directly into the Mohawk River. These streams were sampled to evaluate water quality and analyzed for pathogens. This study is primarily focused on fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) <em>Enterococcus, </em>which<em> </em>is an EPA-approved method of determining surface water quality and it is an established indicator of sewage in waterways. The average pathogen values in the Hans Groot Kill and Binnekill exceeded EPA guidance for <em>Enterococcus</em>, often by several orders of magnitude. In the fall of 2021, the majority of samples failed the EPA's criteria for contact with surface waters including those from the Binnekill (74% failure, n=11), the Hans Groot Kill (100% failure, n=32), and the Mohawk River (54% failure, n=43). Geometric means for the Binnekill, Hans Groot Kill, and Mohawk River were 267 MPN/100 mL, 2223 MPN/100 mL, and 223 MPN/100 mL, respectively, all exceeding the EPA's guidance of 33 MPN/100 mL. High pathogen loads occur during rainfall events when contaminants are mobilized. However, <em>Enterococcus levels </em>in the Hans Groot Kill remain high even during dry or low-flow periods, indicating a base-level contamination that occurs in all weather conditions, almost certainly due to impaired infrastructure (broken pipes). During extreme weather events, Union College is impacted by failing sewer systems, as was the case twice in the fall of 2021, when sewer overflows on campus spilled untreated wastewater directly into the Hans Groot Kill. At low base flow, the urban creeks have elevated levels of nitrate, sulfate, chloride, and sodium that may indicate loads from contaminated groundwater. This is especially apparent in elevated levels of sodium and chloride, which probably come from road salt that temporarily resides in groundwater but is released and measurable at base flow. Elevated levels of sodium, chloride, nitrate, and phosphate are particularly problematic. The high dissolved ion loads as well as high pathogen levels in these water bodies indicates the acute leaking of sewer pipes in Schenectady due to aging infrastructure and/or illegally connected pipes. Monitoring of these waters must continue to inform plans for improved sewage handling that need to be implemented to remediate contamination in the Mohawk Watershed.
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Elevated turbidity poses a threat to water quality, which is especially problematic in unfiltered water supply systems such as New York City's (NYC). The Catskills Region of New York, which supplies NYC with the majority of its drinking water, is especially prone to chronically elevated turbidity due to the erosion of glacial till in Catskill streams. Here, we characterize turbidity and streamflow in the Catskills to understand the drivers of turbidity in this region. To accomplish this, we examined over a decade's worth of observed turbidity and streamflow data (2010-2022, n = 88,255) at 20 United States Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring sites. We investigated the seasonal and temporal trends in turbidity and streamflow, as well as the potential underlying causes for extreme turbidity events. Our results indicate that turbidity peaks during January through April across sites, which suggests that earlier timings of spring snow melt may contribute to elevated turbidity during these months. The turbidity baseline conditions also differ across sites, along with several sites frequently exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) turbidity regulatory limit of 5 NTU, suggesting that certain areas of the Catskill Watershed are more susceptible to higher turbidity. Examination of extreme floods in the Catskills, such as a severe flood in December 2020 that affected the entire region, reveals that there is a characteristic process that can explain turbidity dynamics after severe flooding in this region. The December 2020 flood elevated turbidity above baseline conditions for approximately three months at several Catskill sites. There was an intermediate flood in March 2021 that could flush the easily erodible sediment that had been deposited in the channels as a result of the first flood event. However, this intermediate flood did not produce enough energy to overwhelm the system and keep turbidity above baseline conditions. Overall, our analysis proposes potential mechanisms to explain elevated turbidity events throughout the watershed and highlights the extent of the turbidity problem in the Catskills, which has important implications for water resources management of this water supply system.
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Healthy aquatic ecosystems require clean water, but many creeks and streams may be impaired by human activity. This study is focused on surface water quality of the Alplaus, and Indian Kill streams located within the Alplaus Watershed in Schenectady and Saratoga Counties (NY). The primary goal of this study is to understand the extent of water quality impairment within the Alplaus and Indian Kill using a range of indicators to understand the impacts of failing infrastructure and stressors to surface water. Sixty-five water samples were collected in the fall of 2021 from six locations in the Alplaus and Indian Kill and they were taken during periods of low- and high-flow. Samples were measured for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) Enterococcus, dissolved ions, and physical water quality parameters. At high flow, samples show elevated levels of FIB and Phosphate. Single sample Enterococcus levels exceeded the EPA Beach Advisory Value (BAV = 60 mpn/100 mL) in 93% of samples (61/65) from both low- and high-flow conditions. The geometric means at low flow for the Alplaus and Indian Kill are 180 and 100 mpn/100 mL, respectively. The geometric means at high flow for the Alplaus and Indian Kill are 14,652 and 21,291 mpn/100 mL, respectively. The two highest recorded Enterococcus values were after periods of high rainfall along the Mayfair Creek, a tributary to the Indian Kill in an urban setting. During low flow (or baseflow) high levels of nitrate, sodium, and chloride indicates input from contaminated groundwater, especially in the suburban/urban setting of the Mayfair area in the town of Glenville (Indian Kill). The Alplaus and Indian Kill streams are fed by groundwater discharge during low flow, indicating there is contamination of the groundwater. Low flow concentrations of chloride and nitrate were three and four times higher than high flow in the Alplaus Watershed respectively. Through increased urbanization and aging infrastructure, it appears that surface water quality in streams and rivers has been impaired by sewage from leaky pipes or failing septic systems and chemical pollutants such as road salt. Local areas with chronic contamination have a large number of septic systems, most presumably 60-70-year-old, and are a likely suspect of water quality impairment to groundwater that is especially apparent in the Indian Kill.
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Rivers are key passageways connecting inland waters to the world's oceans. They are responsible for the mobilization and transport of nutrients, sediments, and weathered materials. Rivers have been influential in the development of human civilization and are hubs for people and businesses to populate. As our population puts a heavier burden on these waterways, there is a need to better understand the controls on their water quality. The overarching goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the hydrology and water resources of the Upper Hudson and Mohawk watersheds. This is critical to our understanding of the ecological and environmental roles these watersheds play while ensuring ample clean water. To address these issues, we studied six rivers in the Upper Hudson and Mohawk watersheds, looking at how lithology, land use, and physical hydrology impact the geochemistry and water quality of the rivers. I performed an analysis of the physical hydrology of the rivers with a focus on streamflow patterns and long-term trends in flow characteristics. This includes looking at shifts in flow timing, duration and magnitude of low flows, and shifts in annual mean flows. Our results help to paint the picture of how climatic changes are linked with the streamflow values and how they are changing now. I also developed concentration discharge curves to couple with the hydrograph analysis to look at how elemental fluxes vary with changes in streamflow. In addition to the hydrograph analysis, we performed in depth characterizations of water quality and geochemical conditions in the rivers. We sampled under both low flow and high flow conditions on all of the streams. Our results revealed a strong geologic control on stream chemistry however, we observe that some chemical parameters are highly influenced by anthropogenic activities. Notably, we see that our measurements of Na and Cl are higher than historic measurements by the USGS taken on these same streams. Given that other constituents such as Ca, Mg, and K have remained at typical historic levels, we believe that the elevated levels of Na and Cl are due to anthropogenic impacts of road salting. Of particular concern, all of the streams<strong> </strong>have elevated levels of Na and Cl under baseflow conditions when the stream is fed by groundwater discharge. Thus, our results show that groundwater resources have been impacted by road salting which will continue to pollute the streams and will take decades to flush.
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Groundwater is one of the world's most important natural resources. The use of stable water isotopes (??<sup>2</sup>H and ??<sup>18</sup>O) as natural tracers through the water cycle has provided a unique observational technique for characterizing hydrological processes and establishing connections between water distribution systems and their respective environmental sources. Groundwater contains information about the timing and efficiency of recharge, allowing for the use of isotopes to understand the physical hydrology and climatic influences on such processes in places with groundwater isotope measurements. We estimate the seasonal recharge proportion and efficiency at thousands of locations across the U.S., and interpret the climatic and environmental influences responsible for our findings. Results along coastal California suggest fog drip contributes to groundwater recharge and necessitates additional research in areas where this process may be an important source of recharge to aquifers. To combat pre-existing limitations of the lack of groundwater data across all locations in the United States, a predictive model for groundwater isotopes was developed across the contiguous U.S. using a random forest model based on environmental parameters. We find evident spatial coherence in the model predictions, generally mirroring the signal of isotopes of precipitation, and highlight the potential for its application across hydrology and ecology. In addition, to demonstrate the applicability and versatility of groundwater isotopes, we investigated the local municipal water supply in Schenectady, New York, to understand the source and timing of aquifer recharge. The Schenectady municipal well-field is sited less than a kilometer from the Mohawk River, making the interaction between surface water and groundwater highly complex and seasonally dependent. Schenectady tap water, which is drawn from local groundwater, and Mohawk River were collected at regular intervals and analyzed in the Union College Stable Isotope Laboratory for stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. The seasonal signal of isotopes can be approximated by sine waves, and the phase and amplitude of these signals can be used to calculate the average linear velocity (3.53 m/day) of the water moving into the aquifer and fraction of young water (57% < 2.7 months) in the local groundwater. Our results highlight the connection between the Mohawk River and the aquifer in the vicinity of the Schenectady well-field, and motivates further research to characterize the potential for vulnerabilities. Thus, this study not only provides an isoscape to detail the spatial distribution of isotopes regionally, but also demonstrates how we can leverage our understanding of isotopes for insight into the chemical and physical hydrology in a local water system.
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This abstract volume contains the program and extended abstracts for 39 presentations at the Annual Mohawk Watershed Symposium. The focus this year is on water quality.This is the 9th annual Mohawk Watershed Symposium and over the years the meeting has taken on an important role in unifying and galvanizing stakeholders in the Basin. Building and sustaining a coalition of concerned and invested stakeholders allow us to be informed about important issues that affect water quality, recreation opportunities, and other developments in the basin. This was a big year in the Watershed with a number of exciting and interesting developments. The NYS Canal System was designated a National Historic Landmark and this designation places the currently operating canal system among the premier historic sites in the United States. In addition, this year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Canal, it is important to think about how the canal has affected NY State and the watershed. Earlier in 2016, the Erie Canal, which is a big part of the State Canal Corp, was taken over by the NY Power Authority (NYPA). Since 1992 it was under the Thruway Authority, and this new transfer is certainly an interesting development as the Canal struggles with costs, some of which are a hangover from Irene in 2011. This last summer was a pretty dry, and drought and near drought conditions affected much of the basin. In the early part of summer 2016, the Canal Corporation directed the NYPA to reduce releases from Hinckley Reservoir according to the 2012 Operating Diagram. The newly completed Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook Bridge in Amsterdam was funded through the 2005 Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond, and this development is part of an effort to look to the River for economic and cultural transformation in river-lining cities on the Mohawk. Water contamination, brownfields, and water quality are intricately intertwined. PCBs, PFOS and PFOA, Pb, microplastics, and other toxins in our environment and our drinking water dominated this past year's headlines. Locally we are making progress: Schenectady had one of the more contaminated brownfields in the basin, and the important remediation effort allowed this river-lining property to be developed into the new Rivers Casino, which opened in February of 2017. This is an important lesson in cleaning brownfields, and development of urban areas in communities that are along the River. Our infrastructure needs attention because its failure is affecting water quality. One of the sad stories of the past year is the sewage leak in Amsterdam where millions of gallons of raw sewage has dumped into the Mohawk. Discovered in July 2016, the spill continues (March 2017), and this has become symbolic of the struggle to fix our aging infrastructure and its impact on water quality in the Basin. Amsterdam will receive millions from the state Water Infrastructure Improvement Act and loans from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Some positive news from the upper part of the watershed as money and work has gone into improving the sewage system in Utica / Oneida county. Once done, the project will reduce the amount of sewage that flows into the Mohawk River by reducing the reliance on Combined Sanitary and Sewer outfalls. There is hope that our aging infrastructure, and thus water quality, is being addressed at the State and Federal level. The Water Infrastructure Improvements act passed the U.S. House of Representatives and was subsequently signed by President Obama. The bill included Representative Tonko's AQUA Act and legislation updating the Safe Drinking Water Act. There has been considerable activity in the State, one highlight was the recent introduction of the Safe Water Infrastructure Action Program (SWAP) bill (S.3292/A.3907) introduced by Senator Tedisco and Assemblyman Steck in February 2017, which is designed to fund and maintain our local infrastructure including water, sewer, and storm water. We are making progress in the Mohawk Watershed, and the Symposium will highlight much of the new and exciting work that has happened over the last year. We are seeing money flow in the basin to address watershed science and education, and some of that money has gone directly to water quality studies. The NY Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) awarded more than $155,000 in Mohawk River Basin Program grants for four projects in the Mohawk River Basin Watershed. Results from these four projects will be presented this year as part of the invited presentations at the 2017 Symposium. We are indebted to our sponsors NYSDEC for their continued support, which helps to make each Symposium a success. We appreciate support from Cornell and from the Union College Geology Department. This year we have 39 presentations to shape the discussion and dialog. Some of these presentations are a direct result of funding from the new grants program at the NYSDEC that is aimed at fostering the five items on the Mohawk Basin Action agenda. We continue to see new ideas, many of them presented by students from a number of different educational institutions, this growth in student participation is both exciting, and a welcome sign of continued progress. By the end of the day, the Mohawk Watershed Symposium series will have been the forum for 281 talks, posters, and special presentations since inception in 2009.
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The 12th Mohawk Watershed Symposium was cancelled due to Covid-19. This abstract volume, which was essentially complete at the time of cancellation, is the record of the meeting that did not happen. Over the years this Symposium has taken on an important role in unifying and galvanizing stakeholders in the watershed. A coalition of invested stakeholders allows us as a group to tackle important issues that affect water quality, recreation opportunities, flood mitigation, and other basin-wide issues. By all measures, 2019 was a big year in the watershed. The historic 2019 Halloween Storm caused significant damage in the upper part of the watershed, especially in the West Canada Creek, East Canada Creek, and a number of smaller tributaries. Aid from FEMA for individual assistance was denied and this has caused considerable distress for those with damaged homes. A major effort this year was the work of the Reimagine the Canal task force. This task force took on a number of issues related to the entire Erie Canal, which was divided into Western, Central, and Mohawk sections. Issues included water for irrigation, invasive species, flooding, and ice jamming. The Mohawk was perhaps the most complicated because the Canal and the main stem of the Mohawk need to co-exist despite change in the watershed. The task force effort included the Mohawk Flood Assessment aimed at evaluating benefits from a number of flood mitigation strategies along the length of the River. It also acted on a separate report on ice jamming in the Schenectady Pool in front of the Vischer Ferry Dam, at Lock E7. The Vischer Ferry Dam (VFD) on the lower Mohawk has been under the spotlight for years - in part for its suspected role in causing ice jams that then can flood the Stockade of Schenectady. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license is coming up, so NYPA, the dam owner, started the renewal process last year for both the VFD and the Crescent Dam, just downstream. The FERC review process can force significant environmental review of the ways in which dams integrate into the local ecosystem and relate to river hydrology. Meanwhile, the City of Schenectady continues formulating its ambitious plan to use FEMA funds to mitigate flooding in Stockade. The plan moving forward may involve elevating or perhaps moving homes in a managed retreat. This plan is intertwined with mitigation efforts for ice jamming at the VFD because jamming causes back-up flooding that can affect the Stockade. Water quality remains a central issue in the watershed and a growing number of stakeholders are involved in this effort. For a healthy and vibrant ecosystem we need clean water. The health of our waters can only be assessed from hundreds of measurements taken across the watershed by students, educators, and dedicated professionals from SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Polytechnic in Utica, Union College, Cornell, Schoharie River Center, Riverkeeper, DEC, USGS, and others who have been addressing water quality through research. These critical measurements include quantifying the distribution, source, and fate of environmental contaminants including fecal bacterial, microplastics, nitrogen, phosphorus, and others. Stewardship and education are a critical piece of effective watershed management. Stakeholder meetings such as the Mohawk Watershed Symposium, and local water advocates (including West Canada Creek Alliance, Riverkeeper, and Dam Concerned Citizens) play a key role in identifying problems, educating the public, and effecting change where it is most needed. Youth education programs centered on water quality and ecosystem health, such as the Environmental Study Teams at both the Schoharie River Center and Fort Plain High School, insure that all our waterways pass into the hands of the next generation of active, engaged, and knowledgeable stewards. The meeting this year would have featured approximately 30 presentations covering a wide range of topics. We were delighted to see so many familiar names and we welcome those new to the Mohawk Watershed Symposium. We will be back as soon as possible. Abstracts include: Reimagining the Erie Canal / Mohawk River as flood risk mitigation resource K. Avery, B. Juza . S. 6893 Flood Buyout Bill M. Buttenschon, J. Griffo Detection, quantification and identification of enteric bacteria in the upper Hudson River - a pilot study J. Cohen, N. Geier, K. Songao, O. Spencer, A. LoBue, W. Quidort Algal community dynamics in the lower Mohawk River A. Conine, M. Schnore Relating microbial diversity to nitrogen cycling in the Mohawk River and diverse freshwater ecosystems J. Damashek, A. Dautovic, C. Garrett Stockade resilience: adaptive preservation on the Mohawk River, Schenectady, New York K. Diotte Increasing fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) counts in the Mohawk River and elsewhere in the Hudson watershed since 2015 J. Epstein, B. Brabetz, A. Juhl, C. Knudsen, N. Law, J. Lipscomb, G. O'Mullan, S. Pillitteri, C. Rodak, D. Shapley Notes from a Watershed - The Mohawk River J. Garver The Halloween flood of 2019 in the Mohawk River watershed C. Gazoorian Streamflow capture along the Mohawk River: determining transit time to municipal well-field J. Gehring, M. Stahl, D. Gillikin, A. Verheyden-Gillikin Eastward expansion of invasive Round Goby towards the Hudson River S. George, B. Baldigo, C. Rees, M. Bartron Pervious concrete offers a prospective solution to contaminated runoff threatening water quality A. Ghaly The swinging environmental pendulum: how policies and attitudes shift with changes in US administration A. Ghaly eDNA methods help reveal barriers to American Eel (Anguilla rostrate) migration into the Mohawk River, New York H. Green, M. Wilder, H. Miraly, C. Nack, K. Limburg Naturalizing the Mohawk River: navigating the political challenges of change S. Gruskin Plastic Pollution: Nurdles and the Coleco Connection" Utilizing digital storytelling by youth to educate the public about emergent environmental concerns in their community K. Hensley F. Staley C. Cherizard A. Francisco L. English D. Carlson P. Munson J. McKeeby S. Hadam E. McHale Numerical modeling of breakup ice dynamics in the lower Mohawk River F. Huang H. Shen J. Garver A five-year series of snap-shots: Data and observations of Enterococci and Escherichia coli levels from a Mohawk River water quality project as it enters Year Six of a longitudinal study N. Law B. Brabetz K. Boulet A. Giacinto C. Rodak J. Epstein J. Lipscomb D. Shapley A flood insurance analysis of Schenectady's Stockade district W. Nechamen Potential opportunities for tributary reconnections within the Erie Canal and Mohawk River A. Peck K. France R. Shirer Exploring baseline water quality conditions in the Mohawk River: Observations of fecal indicator bacteria during the Fall of 2018 and Summer of 2019 C. Rodak E. Haddad Mohawk River watershed modeling in SWAT M. Schnore A. Conine Microplastic pollution in Mohawk River tributaries: likely sources and potential implications for the Mohawk Watershed J. Smith E. Caruso N. Wright Is there a Corps of Engineer/State Flood Control role in the Mohawk Basin? R. Wege Climate related discoveries 62 years of daily CO2 measurements and the Keeling Curve F. Wicks Enterococci levels in the Hans Groot Kill and Mohawk River Schenectady NY E. Willard-Bauer J. Smith J. Garver D. Goldman B. Newcomer Incorporating ice jam flooding into regulatory base flood elevations at the historic Schenectady Stockade J. Woidt J. Rocks"
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In Copyright
Abstract
The 13th Mohawk Watershed Symposium has been delayed by two years due to the pandemic, but we are excited to finally get back together and concentrate on the issues that affect the Mohawk River Watershed. Over the years the Symposium has taken on an important role in unifying and galvanizing stakeholders. Since the last meeting in 2019, the Mohawk River Basin Program has updated and released the 2021-2026 Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda, which is a critical guiding document for the Mohawk River Watershed. The program mission is conserving, preserving, and restoring the environmental quality of the Mohawk River while helping to manage the Watershed’s resources for a sustainable future. Mitigation of ice jamming on the lower Mohawk River behind the Vischer Ferry dam was targeted by the Reimagine the Canals task force. Since 2020, the Canal Corporation and New York Power Authority (NYPA) have initiated ice-breaking procedures to lessen the impact of ice-jamming with an overall goal of reducing the flood hazard in the Historic Stockade of Schenectady. There, and elsewhere in the basin, communities are implementing flood mitigation projects that include riparian restoration, channel restoration, and building resilience into a system where the hydrology appears to be changing rapidly. Water quality remains a central issue and a large number of stakeholders are involved in this effort. For a healthy and vibrant ecosystem, along with the ecosystem services that the River provides, we need clean water. The health of our waters can be assessed from hundreds of measurements taken across the Watershed by dedicated stakeholders. New and important state and federal programs will provide local municipalities with the funding to address infrastructure problems that affect water quality. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) is in the process of developing a watershed-wide Total Daily Maximum Load (TMDL) for phosphorus pollution, which is a major step in addressing water quality in the Watershed. Invasive species are having an impact on biodiversity, recreation, and water quality. The uncontrolled spread of Water Chestnut (Trapa natans), that spread from its original introduction in Collins Pond in Scotia, has affected boating and marina access in the lower Mohawk River. The Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus), which was a stowaway in ballast water in Great Lakes freighters, successfully navigated the Erie Canal and entered the Mohawk several years ago, and made it to the Hudson in 2021. It now threatens Lake Champlain. This small benthic predator has the potential to alter our fishery because it preys on the eggs of other fish and carries disease. We need proactive solutions to invasive species control, especially for those unassisted invaders using the Erie Canal from the Great Lakes. As we are reminded by the NYS DEC: “Prevention is the most effective method for dealing with invasive species. If they are never introduced, they never become established.” Stewardship and education are a critical piece of effective watershed management. Stakeholder meetings like the Mohawk Watershed Symposium and local water advocates play a key role in identifying problems, educating the public, and effecting change where it is most needed. Youth education programs centered on water quality and ecosystem health ensure that all our waterways pass into the hands of a next generation of active, engaged, and knowledgeable stewards.
Type of Resource
DigitalDocument