Rochester harbor on L. Ontario on Federal Watch List

From The Center for Environmental Information:  

The Problems

• Algae
• Sediment
• Stressed fisheries
• Threatened drinking water
• Beach closings
• Over 30 streams listed as impaired by the NYS DEC
• Genesee River under-used by public
• Few river-based businesses
• No users = No interest

The Causes

The biggest threats to our region's waters are excess nutrients coming from fertilizer, manure, home septic systems, food processing by-products and discharges from older wastewater plants.  The Rochester Embayment of Lake Ontario is a federally designated Area of Concern because of a range of concerns including pollution, contaminated sediments, fish consumption advisories and impairment of beneficial use such as beach closings. Many area tributaries to Lake Ontario and the Genesee River do not meet state water quality standards.

The beaches of Lake Ontario are closed typically for 30 to 50% of the bathing season because of high bacteria levels and contamination with algae.  Development of our lakeshore assets, including the Port of Rochester, is dependent upon a sustained improvement in the near-shore water quality.  The challenge to the community is how to reduce contamination of the Lake Ontario and Finger Lakes watersheds from agricultural activities, municipal and industrial wastewater discharges, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems in a cost-effective manner. Improving the water quality in the region's waters will make a vital contribution to improving the quality of life in the area and to the economic and environmental revitalization of the region's lakeshore assets.

In the News:  The port of Rochester, where the Genesee River flows into Lake Ontario has been identified as one of 43 areas of concern on the Great Lakes.  Phosphorus loads from fertilizers farms on the river use create deadly algae blooms.  It kills fish and can make people and animals sick. Experts say 80% of the lake's pollution comes from things we put in the sewer.  A $308,000 grant should help.