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Background The Esopus Creek is located in the Catskill Mountains of New York State and is part of the New York City (NYC) drinking water supply system. The basin was dammed in 1915 to form the Ashokan Reservoir splitting the creek into Upper (upstream of the reservoir) and Lower segments. The drainage area of Upper Esopus Creek, between the source (Winisook Lake) and the Ashokan Reservoir is approximately 192 mi2. The Schoharie Reservoir, located 27 miles north of the Ashokan Reservoir, also supplies water to Upper Esopus Creek (and to the Ashokan Reservoir) via the Shandaken tunnel. Waters from the Schoharie watershed enter Upper Esopus Creek at the Shandaken portal and travel 18 km before entering the Ashokan...
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Background Past water-quality issues in the St. Lawrence River at Massena, NY resulted in a determination that selected beneficial uses may be impaired in a surrounding Area of Concern (AOC) and on the Canadian side of the international boundary (Cornwall, Ontario). The plankton (phytoplankton zooplankton) Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) was so designated because impairment metrics were unavailable or inconclusive. Recent investigations, however, suggest that plankton communities are relatively healthy and no longer threaten the local ecosystem. Thus, the BUI for plankton may now be outdated in all, or parts of, the St. Lawrence River in the Massena AOC. The primary goal for the Massena (and Cornwall) Remedial Action...
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The Pepacton watershed is an integral part of New York City's public-water supply system. Most of the watershed is within Delaware County with headwaters of some of its eastern tributary streams originating in Greene and Ulster Counties. Land use varies from dairy farms in the northern portion of the watershed to extensive forested areas in the south with small rural communities interspersed throughout the watershed. Sound management of the water resources in the region necessitates development of hydrologic data networks that will document current water-quality conditions in relation to watershed characteristics such as land use. Ground-water discharge to streams accounts for most of the water reaching the New...
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The Upper Midwest and Great Lakes (UMGL) and the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie & Big Rivers (ETP) Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) are convening State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinators in the Midwest states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin to work across state boundaries to conserve species of greatest conservation need and their habitats. The partnership members have agreed to focus on three conservation priorities that are common among their State Wildlife Action Plans: freshwater mussels, pollinators, and large grassland complexes with their associated species of greatest conservation need. Work under this partnership addresses implementation of these priorities...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: 2017, Conservation Plan/Design/Framework, Conservation Planning, EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > LANDSCAPE, Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Big Rivers Landscape Conservation Cooperative, All tags...
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Reports from a project to determine biodiversity impacts of land restoration associated with clean and renewable energy development; specifically, natural gas production through an aerobic digestion of hog manure and native plant material, as being forwarded by Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE) and Smithfield Foods. RAE has the stated goal of scaling up to restore30 million acres across the Midwestern U.S., but quantitative data in support of their claims of beneficial impacts on biodiversity are currently lacking. This research seeks to fill this gap. This specific project will be conducted on Smithfield Food’s Ruckman Farm located near Albany, Missouri. Ruckman Farm is now covered in exotic cool‐season grasses,...
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The Monarch’s View of a City project will lay the groundwork for design principles to guide the development, testing and deployment of future urban conservation for the Monarch butterfly across the Eastern half of the country. This strategy will need to reflect an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, one that includes ecological and social dimensions specific to an urban landscape. Pilot design projects at various scales in at least two cities will advance the state of science for developing landscape conservation design (LCD) guidelines for monarch butterfly conservation in urban areas as described below. While the ETPBR LCC, working through US Fish & Wildlife Service staff, will select cities and manage...
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Flow alteration – from new and existing water supply projects, increased urbanization, and drought conditions – is a pervasive threat to aquatic wildlife throughout the Gulf Coast Prairie region. One species susceptible to this threat is Guadalupe Bass, an economically and ecologically important black bass species endemic to Texas. The area encompassing their range is projected to experience some of the highest population growth in Texas, placing increased demands on the aquifers and watersheds of this region. A previous GCP LCC Instream Flow project conducted by the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) produced hypotheses about instream flow requirements of native aquatic species that need to be tested....
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PROBLEM The unconsolidated aquifer in Enfield Creek Valley (fig. 1) was mapped by Miller (2000) and identified as one of 17 unconsolidated aquifers in Tompkins County that needs to be studied in more detail. Well records in Enfield Creek valley indicate that the northern part of Enfield Creek valley contains sand and gravel deposits which may be under unconfined conditions in some areas, confined in others, or both; and the southern part of the valley contains mostly sand and gravel under unconfined conditions. The valley will probably undergo increased development as the population in Tompkins County increases and spreads out from metropolitan areas. However, there is little geohydrologic data in the valley....
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Problem– Lake Ontario experienced period-of-record (1918-2017) maximum monthly average water levels during May through July 2017. NOAA lake gages recorded instantaneous peaks-of record, 249.2 at Olcott, 249.1 at Rochester, and 249.0 at Oswego and St. Vincent. These high water levels along with wind-generated waves caused flooding of thousands of residences and businesses and the erosion of miles of shoreline along the southern and eastern shorelines of the Lake. During the second week of July 2017, the USGS installed 14 temporary water-level gages and monitored this flooding through the lake’s recession. This network of water-level gages, in combination with the NOAA sites, provides a dense coverage of the lake...
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Background Borehole drilling and well-installation are costly procedures, and securing funding for new well installation for the sake of research is often difficult.The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) maintains a large network of deep wells for public supply that is constantly being upgraded as water demands increase. During the drilling process, contractors record drillers’ logs and collect cores and, subsequently, often perform borehole geophysical logging for determination of aquifer properties. However, although these data may suffice for selecting a screen zone, they are lacking in more detailed hydrologic information necessary for a better understanding of Suffolk County’s hydrologic...
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This project provides weekly wet-only mercury deposition samples at the Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) station in the Biscuit Brook watershed at the Frost Valley YMCA. The station has been in operation since 2004 and is currently funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). This is the only MDN station located in the Catskill Mountains and one of only 3 stations in New York State. The Catskill Mountains supply 85% of New York City’s drinking water through a system of surface water reservoirs. All of these reservoirs have fish consumption advisories because of the high level of mercury (Hg) in fish in the reservoirs and atmospheric Hg deposition is the main source of Hg to the...
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BACKGROUND Watersheds of the Adirondack Mountains receive high levels of acid deposition resulting from atmospheric emissions of nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Acidic deposition has been shown to reduce acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and calcium (Ca) concentrations, and increase acidity and aluminum (Al) concentrations in soils and surface waters, and affect forest health as well as fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages across the region. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently developing secondary standards for nitrogen and sulfur emissions that will indirectly protect terrestrial and aquatic species and their communities from further adverse impacts and promote recovery of acidified ecosystems...
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Introduction As a result of storage and disposal practices at a former Manufactured Gas Plant, or MGP, in Bay Shore, NY, a variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected at high concentrations in the surficial, upper glacial aquifer of Long Island. Levels of PAHs initially detected over 10 years ago were in the parts-per-thousand range within a groundwater contaminant plume. The plume extended over a half-mile from MGP-related sources to discharge at a local estuarine tributary, Lawrence Creek, resulting, resulting in malodorous hydrocarbon sheens in this tributary and nearby storm drains. These signs of contamination revealed a larger underlying problem and prompted calls by state and local...
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Introduction Detailed mapping of the valley-fill aquifer within the Owasco Inlet valley and adjacent tributary valleys in Cayuga County (Towns of Moravia and Locke) and Tompkins County (Town of Groton) is the latest study in the cooperative Detailed Aquifer Mapping Program between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The aim of the program is to map sand and gravel aquifers in New York State at a scale of 1:24,000. This information is used by NYSDEC Division of Water and others to delineate groundwater contributing areas, assess potential threats to aquifers from both point and non-point sources, respond to contamination from spills or leaks...
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Problem - Acidic precipitation has affected forested and aquatic ecosystems in New York, particularly in the Adirondack and Catskill regions. Acidification of surface waters and deleterious effects on fish and other biota have been well documented in both these regions. Despite reduced levels of acidity in atmospheric deposition over the past 20 years across New York and the northeastern United States, the most acid-sensitive streams and lakes have not yet begun to recover, and many show continued declines in acid-neutralizing capacity, an indicator acid-base status. Many studies have documented the effects of acid precipitation in New York, but thus far, there has been no comprehensive effort to synthesize and...
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Background: Moreau Lake is located within Moreau Lake State Park, a 4,100 acre park divided by the Hudson River in northern Saratoga and southern Warren Counties of upstate New York. Moreau Lake has a surface area of 128 acres, a watershed of 469 acres, and 3.6 miles of shoreline. The lake has a “normal” mean depth of 32 feet and a maximum depth of 50 feet. An outlet control structure at the south end of the lake controls surface water outflow and protects adjacent property within the floodplain of Moreau Lake. The lake is considered a kettle lake and as such is surrounded by ice-contact sand and gravel (NY State Parks, 2006). Moreau Lake is a recreational water body used by the public for swimming, fishing,...
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Habitat fragmentation and degradation are considered to be a leading causes of long-term population declines of Northern Bobwhites and many other species of grassland birds, such as Eastern Meadowlark. Research is needed to understand the factors causing habitat loss and fragmentation and to identify the areas that are high-probability candidates for successful restoration so that optimal decisions can be made. For example, uncertainty exists regarding the impacts of energy development activities or climate change that affect significant portions of wildlife populations in the GCP LCC. Furthermore, changing land ownership coupled with woody shrub and exotic grass encroachment have reduced the amount and quality...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: 2015, 2016, Academics & scientific researchers, Conservation Design, Conservation NGOs, All tags...
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Seven Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) are working together to identify key scientific uncertainties associated with design and management of a sustainable ecosystem/floodplain landscape that provides multiple benefits for agricultural productivity, water quality, and wildlife conservation—both locally and in the Gulf of Mexico. Online meetings through the summer are preparing for a Mississippi River Basin / Gulf Hypoxia Structured Decision Making Workshop to be held August 12 – 14, 2014 at the Ducks Unlimited Headquarters in Memphis, TN, to convene 30 key representatives integrating a range of perspectives. The ultimate goal of this multi-LCC effort is to prioritize agricultural conservation areas by...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: 2013, 2014, 2015, AR-01, CO-04, All tags...
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The best hope for recovering and maintaining ecosystem function and services for the tallgrass prairie ecosystem is reconstruction. To that end, tallgrass prairie reconstruction efforts are on-going across federal, state, and non-profit organizations and among private landowners throughout the upper Midwest. Despite this heightened activity, a framework for comprehensive evaluation and adaptive learning from past reconstruction efforts is lacking. With an increasing percentage of already limited natural resource budgets being applied to reconstruction activities, it is imperative that we make the best use of these funds by developing best practices for reconstructions. The growing number of completed reconstructions...
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How did this multi-LCC initiative develop? The framework for this landscape conservation design is objective-driven across three sectors for wildlife, water quality and agriculture – ultimately doing our part to strategically maximize the value of every conservation dollar for the Mississippi River Basin and Gulf of Mexico. An intensive year-long dialogue culminated in the Memphis workshop in August 2014, setting the stage for research and development of design tools this past year. For more information, see: https://www.fws.gov/science/catalog….What is the workshop purpose? Reconvene multi-sector participants to examine the set of high impact conservation practices, web-based spatial analysis tools, and research...
map background search result map search result map Developing a Framework for Evaluating Tallgrass Prairie Reconstruction Methods and Management Mississippi River Basin Gulf Hypoxia Structured Decision Making Workshop Guadalupe Bass flow-ecology relationships; with emphasis on the impact of flow on recruitment Habitat Loss and Fragmentation Effects in the Management of Northern Bobwhites and Eastern Meadowlarks Estimating chronic toxicity of waters from the St. Lawrence River at Massena Area-of-Concern using two plankton species Development and Implementation of a Baseflow (groundwater) Monitoring Network for the Pepacton Watershed An Integrated Assessment of the Recovery of Surface Waters from Reduced Levels of Acid Precipitation in the Catskill and Adirondack Regions, New York Documenting Hydrogeologic Information Obtained from Deep-Borehole Drilling in Suffolk County, New York Detection and Quantification of Oxygenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (oxy-PAHs) in Groundwater Near the Former Manufactured Gas Plant in Bay Shore, N.Y. Mercury Deposition in the Biscuit Brook Watershed Quantitative Assessment of Water Quality in Upper Esopus Creek: Fish, Macroinvertebrates, Periphyton, Turbidity, and Nutrients Geohydrology of the Unconsolidated Aquifer in Enfield Creek Valley, Town of Enfield, Tompkins County, New York Detailed Aquifer Mapping in the Owasco Inlet valley Towns of Moravia, Locke (Cayuga County) and Groton (Tompkins County), New York Effects of acid-base chemistry on biology of lakes and streams in the Adirondack Mountains Mississippi River Basin/Gulf Hypoxia Research and Design Forum March 1-3 An Investigation into the Water Surface Elevation Changes of Moreau Lake, Moreau Lake State Park, Saratoga County, NY A Monarch’s View of Urban Landscapes: Pilot City Design Report Midwest Regional State Wildlife Action Plan Coordination Pigs & Prairies: Evaluating Biodiversity Impacts for Biogas Production interim reports Lake Ontario Flood Monitoring and Mapping Detection and Quantification of Oxygenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (oxy-PAHs) in Groundwater Near the Former Manufactured Gas Plant in Bay Shore, N.Y. Mercury Deposition in the Biscuit Brook Watershed Geohydrology of the Unconsolidated Aquifer in Enfield Creek Valley, Town of Enfield, Tompkins County, New York An Investigation into the Water Surface Elevation Changes of Moreau Lake, Moreau Lake State Park, Saratoga County, NY Estimating chronic toxicity of waters from the St. Lawrence River at Massena Area-of-Concern using two plankton species Detailed Aquifer Mapping in the Owasco Inlet valley Towns of Moravia, Locke (Cayuga County) and Groton (Tompkins County), New York Quantitative Assessment of Water Quality in Upper Esopus Creek: Fish, Macroinvertebrates, Periphyton, Turbidity, and Nutrients Development and Implementation of a Baseflow (groundwater) Monitoring Network for the Pepacton Watershed Documenting Hydrogeologic Information Obtained from Deep-Borehole Drilling in Suffolk County, New York Pigs & Prairies: Evaluating Biodiversity Impacts for Biogas Production interim reports Lake Ontario Flood Monitoring and Mapping Effects of acid-base chemistry on biology of lakes and streams in the Adirondack Mountains An Integrated Assessment of the Recovery of Surface Waters from Reduced Levels of Acid Precipitation in the Catskill and Adirondack Regions, New York Guadalupe Bass flow-ecology relationships; with emphasis on the impact of flow on recruitment A Monarch’s View of Urban Landscapes: Pilot City Design Report Habitat Loss and Fragmentation Effects in the Management of Northern Bobwhites and Eastern Meadowlarks Midwest Regional State Wildlife Action Plan Coordination Developing a Framework for Evaluating Tallgrass Prairie Reconstruction Methods and Management Mississippi River Basin Gulf Hypoxia Structured Decision Making Workshop Mississippi River Basin/Gulf Hypoxia Research and Design Forum March 1-3