The Genesee River Watershed Remediation Study Watershed Symposium

The Genesee River Watershed Remediation Study Watershed Symposium Black Creek and Oatka Creek 28 October 2010 Joseph Makarewicz Department of Environmental Science and Biology State University of New York The College at Brockport USA

Cause ?

Algae blooms, algae washing up on waterfront Erosion, sedimentation, turbid water, navigation impairments, Property loss Beach closings - Ontario Beach in Rochester, NY, was closed 155 days in 2004. Invasive species Habitat destruction Nutrient enrichment Fish consumption advisories due to toxicants Six Areas of Concern South Shoreline of Lake Ontario is impaired. Officially place on the 303 D list as of May 2010. Coastal Public Issues (Eighteenmile Creek, Oswego River, Niagara River, Hamilton Harbor,

Genesee River

Where is it coming from? Genesee River delivers 662, 277 tons of soil 368 tons of phosphorus

Oatka Creek

120 100 Concentration (µg P/L) SRP TP 80 60 40 20 0 Buck Evans Warsaw Wyoming Ellicott Roanoke Parmalee Garbutt Average USGS

Black Creek Watershed

Average SRP 500 0 Lower -500 SRP (µg/L) -1000 -1500 -2000 -2500 -3000 -3500 Middle Spring Upper Bigelow Average

Byron STP TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate/TSS Bergen STP TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate/Coli NE Trib 5 TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate TSS/Coli Spring Creek TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate NET 1 TSS/TP RB 1 TN/Nitrate Robins Brook 5 &6 TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate/TSS/Coli Headwaters 3 TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate TSS/Coli Headwaters 5 TP/SRP/TN/Nitrate TSS/Coli Black Creek Watershed Mill Creek 5 TSS Mill Creek 2 & 3 TP/SRP/Coli

The overall goal is to reduce the load of nutrients and soil into Lake Ontario 1. First systematic assessment of the Genesee River watershed 2. Identification and prioritization of nutrient sources of various sub-watersheds: Oatka Creek, Black Creek, Canaseraga Creek, Honeoye Creek, Upper Genesee, etc, 3. Development of Soil and Water Assessment Tool model: Oatka, Black, Canaseraga, Genesee 4. These data are available to assist in the planning process.