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Poster Abstracts
Title: The Up's and Down's of Onondaga Lake - A Historical Accounting of Onondaga Lake Water Levels, Onondaga County, New York
Author:
Bill Kappel
US Geological Survey, Ithaca, New York
Abstract:The water level of Onondaga Lake has changed both by natural and human causes. The natural change is related to the water quality of the Lake, while the man-made changes are related to the inception of canal-based transportation beginning in the early 1800's and continuing through the early 1900's. The sum of these changes has brought the Lake and River nearly full circle, back to the conditions that may have been present soon after glacial ice retreated some 14,000 years ago. Citations from several old journals and publications are used to provide a historic perspective on hydrologic, hydraulic, and water-quality conditions discussed in this poster.
Title: Sedimentation Rate and Paleoenvironmental Change in the Onondaga Trough Using Carbon-14 and Carbon-13 Measurements from Glacial and Post-Glacial Sediments - Onondaga County, New York
Authors:
Bill Kappel
US Geological Survey, Ithaca, New York
Mark Teece
SUNY CESF, Syracuse, New York
Abstract:The U.S. Geological Survey has been studying the hydrogeology of the Onondaga Trough (valley) since 2002 to determine the movement and concentration of naturally-occurring brine in the valley-fill aquifer. As part of this and previous studies, a number of split-spoon samples yielded an assortment of organic materials (wood, peat, seeds) that were retrieved, processed, and dated using Carbon-14 (14C) age-dating techniques. Organic materials were also recovered from a streambank exposure of an old landslide, from several large-diameter borings at construction projects near Onondaga Lake, and from lakebed cores taken from the southern 'deep hole' of Onondaga Lake.
Stable carbon isotope composition (13C) of sedimentary organic matter was measured in a series of split-spoon samples taken from the middle of Onondaga Lake. Total organic matter and carbonate content was measured by loss on ignition from 5 centimeter subsections of these split-spoon samples.
All of these results have been compiled to provide a Carbon-14 record of glacial recession from the Onondaga Trough and post-glacial sedimentation in Onondaga Lake, and stable Carbon-13 results provide a paleoenvironmental assessment of the lake and its watershed following deglaciation, between 14,000 years and 2,000 years ago.
Title: New Landslides in the Onondaga Creek Valley – Rainbow Creek, Fall, 2004 and Rattlesnake Gulf, Spring, 2005.
Author:
Bill Kappel
US Geological Survey, Ithaca, New York
Abstract:Within the last year, two major landslides have occurred in tributary valleys to Onondaga Creek, but have gone unnoticed, except for the deposition of large amounts of sand and gravel to the valley floor and increased turbidity in the Creek. During the fall of 2004, the remnants of several tropical storms saturated the hillsides of upstate New York and lead to a large landslide in Rainbow Creek, just downstream from Interstate 81. The only indication of this slide was a tremendous amount of sand and gravel that accumulated at the Rainbow Creek crossing of State Route 11A and a constant discharge of turbid water to Onondaga Creek, even during baseflow periods. During the Spring of 2005, following long-duration snowmelt runoff and associated spring rains, the southern clay hillside of Rattlesnake Gulf failed, initially blocking the flow of the Gulf at the slide area. This landslide also caused a large buildup of sand and gravel at the Tully Farms Road bridge crossing of Rattlesnake Gulf. While Rattlesnake Gulf usually flows turbid each spring due to small slope failures, review of aerial photography for the last 30 years indicates that this area has slowly been failing, probably due to a number of springs which saturate the hillside, but the spring runoff in 2005 probably caused the massive failure.
The Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District has begun researching how to best manage the slides, or at least the results of these slides as valley floor farmland along both creek channels has been affected. The road crossings at both streams experienced the deposition of hundreds of tons of sand and gravel which have been excavated several times to keep the bridge openings functioning. These streams also provide a constant source of turbidity to Onondaga Creek. Presently, the turbidity is greater than that contributed by the Tully Valley mudboils.
Title:Changes in Mercury Dynamics in Onondaga Lake due to Hypolimnetic Oxygenation
Authors:
Svetla Todorova, and Charles Driscoll
Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
Abstract:Onondaga Lake is one of the most polluted lakes in the US due to elevated inputs of domestic waste and industrial contamination for over 100 years. The lake was closed for fishing in 1970 because of high mercury (Hg) contamination in fish tissue. Although re-opened for recreational fishing in 1986, when the last operational facility was closed, a large fraction of the fish continue to exceed the US Food and Drug Administration action level of 1ppm (1 g/g).
The proposed study is part of a remedial action that will be demonstrated in the north basin of the lake. Hypolimnetic oxygenation is planned for 2006 and 2007 during the stratified period (between May and October). The intended outcome is to increase the dissolved oxygen in the hypolimnion to levels of 4 mg/l. Currently, the hypolimnion remains anoxic during stratification, a condition that promotes methylation of mercury below 9 m from the surface. During fall mixing increased methyl Hg concentrations are mixed through the water column and may be transferred to the aquatic food chain. The scope of this study is to evaluate any changes in the concentrations and speciation of Hg in the water column and sediments as a result of increased levels of oxygen in the hypolimnion. In addition, microbiological study will be done to assess any shift in the microbial communities in the water and sediments. We expect to see lower monomethyl-Hg concentrations in the area of oxygenation with declining response away from the treated area. It is important to assess the changes in Hg cycling in response to increases in oxygen resources in case full-scale oxygenation is implemented as part of the remediation efforts. Microbial communities will likely turn to aerobic metabolism thus promoting the demethylation of monomethyl Hg. It is possible that total Hg concentrations will increase as the upper sediment layers will become oxygenated and Hg that might has been "stored" there could be released to the water column.
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Title:Characteristics of Light Absorption in Onondaga Lake, NY
Authors:
MaryGail Perkins, Christopher Strait, Nicholas Ohrazda, David M. O'Donnell and Steven W. Effler
Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse, NY
Abstract:The light absorption coefficient (a, m-1) quantifies the magnitude of light absorption, one of the two light attenuating processes in water. Light absorbing constituents are important in regulating optical features of water quality, including the spectral composition of emergent light flux, the signal available for remote sensing. The magnitudes of a (minus contribution of water itself) and its primary components, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM, or gelbstoff; aCDOM), phytoplankton (aphyto), and non-phytoplankton particulates (anon/phyto), were determined on a weekly basis, for the near surface waters of Onondaga Lake, NY, in 2004. Components of a were determined through laboratory spectrophotometric protocols on filtrates (CDOM) and filters (phytoplankton and non-phytoplankton particulates, before and after bleaching). A limited number of in situ measurements of a were made with a spectral profiler (WetLabs ac-s) in the field, and compared to the summation of components (dissolved and particulate) determined in the lab. Temporal variations were observed for all components in the lake. Absorption due to CDOM accounted for 30 – 70% of the total absorption. On average, CDOM and total particulate components contributed approximately equally to the total absorption. The range of values of a, and its components, make this system a good candidate to test and apply remote sensing approaches for monitoring inland water quality.
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Title: Identification of Recent Markers for Sediment Dating in Onondaga Lake
Authors:
Robert Montione, Kelly Robinson, and Michael L. Spera
TAMS/Earth Tech, Albany, NY
Abstract:In 2005, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the cleanup of hazardous wastes/substances in Onondaga Lake. The major components of the ROD in the littoral zone include dredging up to 2.65 million cubic yards of contaminated sediments and placement of an isolation cap over 425 acres of the lake bottom. In the profundal zone, the major components of the ROD include monitored natural recovery (MNR), performance of a pilot study to assess oxygenation followed by full-scale implementation if supported by the pilot study, and placement of a thin-layer cap in select areas. MNR involves the monitoring of the continued burial of contaminated sediments by cleaner sediments. A major tool in selecting this portion of the remedy was the development of a sediment (MNR) model. To calibrate this model, the ability to estimate the years that different layers of sediment were deposited based on high-resolution cores was critical, since large changes in the sedimentation processes occurred at the time that the Honeywell (formerly Allied Chemical) Main Plant closed in 1986. This required the identification of an alternate set of markers for dating the profundal sediments of Onondaga Lake.
The assessment of the mercury profiles in sediment cores, along with known historic events concerning mercury usage in the watershed, allowed the identification of additional markers. A critical feature is the spike in the mercury concentration seen at the top of Rowells core in the 1986 to 1988 era. Rowell attributed this rise to a decrease in total solids flux rates caused by the closure of the Honeywell Main Plant in 1986 while mercury releases were still ongoing from the Bridge Street Plant. The date for this peak is highly reliable based on the year of sampling. It is seen in all subsequent cores but becomes buried deeper by cleaner sediments following the closure of the Bridge Street Plant in 1988. Other dateable features based on the history of mercury use in the watershed are: the start of mercury usage by Honeywell (at the Willis Avenue facility) in the late 1930s/early1940s or 1947 (available documentation of mercury usage provides conflicting dates), the construction of Honeywells second mercury cell facility (Bridge Street) in 1953, the implementation of mercury pollution controls in 1970, and the period from 1980 to 1986 when there was a drop in the mercury load to the lake likely due to Honeywell diverting their waste stream to the Metropolitan Syracuse Sewage Treatment Plant (Metro) as an experimental method for phosphorus removal. Quantitative measures of mercury concentration, accumulation rates, sediment flux rate, and sediment porosity from these cores were used to calibrate the MNR model for current conditions.
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Title:Baseline bird surveys for a habitat remediation site at Onondaga Lake
Authors:
Kevin A. Douglass and Peter K. Ducey
Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, New York
Abstract: Although Onondaga Lake historically has been considered one of the most polluted lakes in the US, it provides important habitat for resident and migratory birds. The open water, littoral zone, and surrounding wetlands offer vital habitats which are utilized by a variety of waterfowl species. This study was designed to examine the bird species using the lake habitats following some initial habitat rehabilitation efforts including the creation of an in-lake habitat module and the construction of enhanced wetland-lake connections. We conducted visual surveys at the site of construction as well as at other locations along the southwestern shoreline from Nine-mile Creek to the lake outlet from 2002-2005. The total number of birds observed was not significantly different among years (p = 0.87). Additionally, we tested for significant differences among years for data from spring (April and May), summer (June-August), and fall (September-December). There were no significant differences among years in total birds observed during the spring (p = 0.54) or fall (p = 0.66). However, there was a significant difference (p = 0.04) in summer data among years from 2002-2005. The numbers of species seen in each of the 4 years ranged from 25-33 (with a total of 49 species over the four years) and were not significantly different among years (p = 0.09). Although the habitat module was used by bird species throughout the survey period, it did not differ substantially from other sites in that part of the lake. We will be combining these data with historical records and other research in efforts to provide a more complete understanding of the importance of Onondaga Lake to bird species.
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Title:Ionic composition of Onondaga Creek and Nine Mile Creek, N.Y.
Authors:
Charles Steiner, Gina Quaring, Jen Aicher, Joe Denkenberger, Steven W. Effler
Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse, NY
Abstract:Onondaga Lake is a historically ionic rich lake, due to halite beds influencing main tributaries of the lake. In 1994 Onondaga Lake was declared a Superfund site. This was due, in part, to extensive sediment contamination. The industrial waste beds in the southwestern and southeastern shores of the lake are known contributors of ionic waste material to the lake. This study was conducted to establish ionic ratios, or 'signatures' of the primary tributaries, in their contributions to the lake, and to better determine the occurrence of plunging inflow into the seasonally stratified system. To determine this, Onondaga Creek and Nine Mile Creek were sampled twice a week from July through September 2005. These two tributaries each input ~ 30% of the overall flow into Onondaga Lake, while passing through differing sediment types. Two depths were sampled at one site in Onondaga Creek, to examine potential creek stratification. Laboratory analysis focused on chloride (Cl-), sodium(Na+), and calcium(Ca2+), which are the major ionic components of the tributaries, lake, and waste beds. Ionic concentrations were determined for each creek and compared with flow data provided by the USGS website during the study period. Ionic ratios of Onondaga Creek show no significant change while overall concentrations have increased since 1989. Nine Mile Creek showed a significant increase in the ratio of calcium to chloride over that same period. This could be due to the waning influence of the industrial waste beds.
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Title: Automated Analysis of Near-Real-Time Surface Water Quality Data
Authors:
David M. O'Donnell, Susan M. Doerr O'Donnell and Anthony R. Prestigiacomo
Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse, NY
Abstract:Central New York's Near-Real-Time Surface Water Quality Network was established in 2000 on Onondaga Lake and the Seneca River. The network has continued to expand and now includes robotic platforms on the three eastern most Finger Lakes (Owasco, Skaneateles and Otisco Lakes), Onondaga Creek, and multiple sites on the Seneca River. Data from these platforms are made available in near-real-time on the project's website (www.OurLake.org). Significant improvements have been made to the website over the past six years including the addition of an automated data analysis section in 2005. Current data analyses include: 1) the determination of thermocline depths for the lakes in the network, 2) estimation of density stratification including density gradients, 3) the prediction of interflows (density currents), 4) estimation of transparency in Onondaga Lake from in situ turbidity measurements, and 5) the calculation of suspended solid loading estimates to Onondaga Lake from Onondaga Creek. This poster highlights some of these analyses.
Title: New York's Near-Real-Time Surface Water Quality Monitoring Network
Authors:David M. O'Donnell, Steven W. Effler, Susan M. Doerr O'Donnell and Anthony R. Prestigiacomo
Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse, NY
Abstract:New technologies in remote robotic computer driven monitoring and probe/sensor measurements provide increased capabilities to meet contemporary challenges of protecting water quality, and offer rare opportunities for research and education. The challenges and opportunities in Central New York are particularly great, because of the richness of the area's aquatic resources and the acute demands on their quality. Central New York's emerging robotic monitoring network is described, that by the end of 2005 will include 12 robotic monitoring units, located on: the Finger Lakes (3 units; Otisco, Skaneateles, and Owasco), Onondaga Lake (2 units), Cross Lake (1 unit), and the Seneca River (6 units). There are four different robotic monitoring platforms and two communication pathways (cell phone and satellite uplink) presently being used within the network. The array of robotic measurements presently made within the Central New York network is presented. Robotic measurements are being delivered in near-real-time to a data center accessible by water quality managers, and are posted in engaging formats in near-real-time at a dedicated web site (www.OurLake.org) to engage communities in their local environments. Examples of robotic monitoring data are presented that depict an array of phenomena and impacts. Programs are underway to integrate the near-real-monitoring capabilities of portions of the network with existing and evolving mathematical models to provide powerful near-real-time modeling capabilities.
Title:Finger Lakes Water Quality Studies by Upstate Freshwater Institute
Authors:
David M. O'Donnell and Steven W. Effler
Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse, NY
Abstract:A review of research activities of the Upstate Freshwater Institute (UFI) on the eleven Finger Lakes of New York is presented, with particular emphasis on the 2004 program. A robotic solar-powered water quality monitoring platform was deployed in Owasco Lake in 2004, in collaboration with the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT; at Cayuga College), that collects profiles of several water quality parameters as well as meteorological conditions. Example results are presented that depict a metalimnetic minimum in dissolved oxygen and the highest turbidity and chlorophyll levels in the epilimnion. Similar deployments are being made in Skaneateles and Otisco Lakes by UFI (since 2002), that together with the Owasco Lake deployment is part of a larger robotic monitoring network (12 robots) that extends eastward. Data from the robotic network will be delivered in near-real-time to stakeholders at a single public web site (www.OurLake.org) starting in 2005. Additionally, synoptic water quality surveys were conducted on five occasions in the summer of 2004 for all eleven lakes. This research featured the application of rapid profiling instrumentation for making vertically detailed in situ measurements, which included the following instruments and capabilities.
Sea-Bird, SBE25 - temperature, chlorophyll, specific conductance, dissolved organic matter, beam attenuation, optical backscattering WetLabs, ac-s -spectral measures of beam attenuation coefficient and absorption Satlantic, HyperPro II - spectral downwelling irradiance and upwelling radiance Sequoia Scientific (LISST) - particle sizes and counts SubChem Systems (SubChemPak Analyzer) - soluble reactive phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, ferrous and ferric iron
The benefit of detailed vertical profiles is illustrated through presentation of chlorophyll results that document the occurrence of deep chlorophyll maxima (i.e., phytoplankton are not uniformly distributed in productive layers) in all eleven lakes.
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