Braddock Point Light

Oh to have seen Braddock Point Light in its heyday.  On 'Bogus Point' notwithstanding, once the highest on L. Ontario. 




http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=303

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.  

"Wish you were here . . . ." by Greg

Feathers dust Rochester NY

On Friday, July 26, 2013, there was an amazing confluence of feathers in the Rochester NY sky.  

This photo was taken on Jefferson Rd. looking east, but others saw them all over the entire sky. 

It was so startling, I thought of all the rough edges of this city that need dusting. 

Really?

Can we finally get it together?  http://www.innovationtrail.org/post/great-lakes-protection-bill-edge-passing-says-schumer 

New York Senator Chuck Schumer says the water quality along the Great Lakes continues to worsen.  Schumer is co-sponsoring a bill that would remediate contaminated sediment, help clean up toxic pollutions, combat invasive species and keep watersheds clean.  He is also pushing to reinstate $10 million in federal dollars to the BEACH Act, which was recently cut from the 2014 budget, to help keep polluted beach water safe for swimmers.  "We finally have a comprehensive program that wouldn't just deal with one issue at a time while the beach is closed because of another issue, but look at the whole program,” Schumer says.  And, he adds, the bill’s success might not be far off.

“We have a broad bi-partisan coalition democrats and republicans and it seems to be on the edge of passing."  Schumer stopped in Rochester Tuesday to announce two programs which aim to keep beaches in the Monroe County area in western New York off the EPA’s Area of Concern list.  Ontario Beach has been rated one of the worst beaches in the country because of its problems with bacteria.  He says Monroe County could stand to receive tens of millions of dollars from his $475 million-a-year plan.  The senator says it’s high time the problem of contaminated water in the Great Lakes was addressed.  "These beaches are beautiful. They are a great resource, they attract people from far away to come eat in restaurants, walk around the waterfront and go to the shops. We need the money and we're going to fight to get it."  Monroe's County executive says they haven't had access to this type of money to fix Ontario Beach's algae problem.  The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Carl Levin of Michigan.

Bills 113s571is known as the 'Great Lakes Water Protection Act'. UPDATE: Bill is stalled in committee: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s571

BV7 ~ fighting with or working with nature?

The body regulating water levels on Lake Ontario, the International Joint Commission (IJC), has released a proposal for a new management plan. Lake levels have a significant impact on the economic and environmental viability of harbors in upstate New York and Canada.  The last proposal, known commonly as plan BV7, was highly controversial and received such backlash during the public comment period that the commission re-drafted it.  The IJC’s, new proposal aims to strike a compromise between the concerns of environmental groups and harbor residents.  For years management plans have focused on maintaining levels conducive to maximum economic benefit and minimal damage to shoreline property.  However, losses of ecosystem diversity and drops in bird and fish populations have raised concerns about the environmental impact of unnatural water levels.  Plan BV7 tried to correct this issue by introducing more extreme highs and lows to water levels more frequently.  But, residents argued this plan would come at the price of recreational boating revenue and damage to shoreline property.  READ MORE: http://innovationtrail.org/post/new-water-management-plan-lake-ontario 

Yang 24 Form

Double-Crested Cormorants on L. Ontario

The rise and fall of cormorant populations has been linked in the last decade to the reduction of DDT, the rise of round goby as a food, and the pressure from fishermen.  Only a few islands in eastern L. Ontario and the north shore of Canada support the breeding colonies with hundreds of pairs, but both DEC and Wildlife Management in Canada have killed or removed nests to reduce population.

Because I see the cormorants on Braddock Bay and and other areas along the shore, I have been fascinated watching them.  Sometimes they create long, single-file lines, flying just on top of the waves.

Their twig nests are high in trees inland, but they fish and dry wings on old branches sticking up in the water.

I would not like to see these amazing birds be 'culled' or nests removed.  Photo from Univ. of Oregon.  For more on the EPA's concern about Double-Crested Cormorants: http://www.epa.gov/med/grosseile_site/indicators/cormorants.html

IJC Hearing June 6, 2012 - 7 pm - Quest School Hilton NY

NOTE: The University of Illinois "Carbon Capture Report" [a website that tracks perceptions in climate change, carbon capture and more] picked up this post: http://hydro.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//profiler?key=westspit.blogspot.com&pt=4

The International Joint Commission (IJC) was established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help manage the use of shared waters between Canada and the United States. In the 1950s, it approved construction and operation of a hydroelectric power project in the St. Lawrence River near Cornwall, Ontario and Massena, New York for the purpose of producing hydroelectricity, enabling seaway navigation, and providing flood protection to Lake Ontario.

The IJC invites stakeholders to participate in this dialogue about a new approach, currently under development, to regulating the flows through the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River (LOSLR) system. The new approach would take a step toward more natural water levels and flows in order to improve environmental conditions in the system, particularly on Lake Ontario, and would maintain most of the economic benefits of the current regulation regime. The IJC will consider the comments made during this dialogue before finalizing a formal proposal and scheduling public hearings on the new approach.

Overall Objective for the Dialogue
The Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River (LOSLR) system is home to nearly 12 million people, and a variety of interests, including shoreline communities, recreational boating, commercial navigation, hydroelectric power, municipal and industrial water uses, and the environment. While fluctuations in water levels and flows are mainly determined by mother nature, regulating the flows through an international hydropower project also has an influence. Dialogue participants are invited to discuss how a new approach to regulation would affect water levels and flows, and each of the various interests on the lake and river.

To discuss issues regarding the draft new approach with experts and stakeholders throughout the LOSLR system. The desired outcomes include: Resolution of outstanding questions to the greatest extent possible; Deeper understanding of the issues by all participants, including the IJC, governments and stakeholders throughout the LOSLR system.

Wake up New Yorkers ~ fresh water under threat by fracking

Extend the moratorium on issuing fracking permits until June 1, 2013, A7400-A/S.6261 -- Contact this link to send message to Governor and Legislature: Riverkeepers Action Alert on Fracking.

Immense water coming into L. Ontario

This is October 8, 2011 -- incredible water flow over both Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls.

Paddle-to-the-Sea ~ a Great Lakes Treasure

Holling Clancy Holling's 1941 classic, "Paddle-to-the-Sea" about a boy and his carved canoe, begins at Lake Nipigon, Ontario Canada. A First Nation boy carves a wooden model of an man in a canoe and sets it free to travel the Great Lakes to the Atlantic ocean. The story follows the progress of the little wooden Indian on its journey through all five Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, finally arriving at the Atlantic Ocean. Read about the incredible adventures on L. Superior all the way through each Great Lake. An incredible tale! See what teachers are doing.

sweet smell

Milkweed is in full bloom ~ July 1.

cormorants

When angles of cormorants fly over and perch on the upturned tree roots on the sandbars, I'm amazed how much they are off the general radar. Fish-diving birds make their home on Braddock Bay - spending summer days airing their wet wings.









Yang 108 Form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IlhW5UIu_U

migration

So, here is a captive hawk posing for a photog, but it's an amazing spectacle altogether.

The hot winds are still blowing in turkey vultures and others from the south. The fogs and rains of this month give cover for migrating birds.

willow

Despite reports to the contrary, spring has sprung.

April can be a wild month

Torrential downpours mixed with sleet and winds bringing in migrations of birds, April is a wake-up call.

GreatLakesRestoriation website launches - seeks comments

Here it is: http://greatlakesrestoration.us Oh boy . . . . NOTE: Funding is on the 'chopping block' - March 30, 2011

Make a comment: Great Lakes & Mississippi River OY Interbasin Study is seeking comments

before dawn

the world is white and blue

Got a good idea? $40M is out there

UP TO $40 MILLION AVAILABLE FROM EPA FOR GREAT LAKES RESTORATION
PROJECTS

(CHICAGO – Feb. 25, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the agency is requesting applications from states, municipalities, tribes and nonprofit organizations for new projects to protect and restore the Great Lakes. President Obama has proposed a total of $300 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in Fiscal Year 2011, with approximately $40 million of that total allocated to EPA for distribution through this competitive grant program. The final budget is subject to Congressional appropriation.

“These grants will support critical work to protect the Great Lakes, which provide drinking water to 30 million Americans and support a multi-billion dollar economy,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Susan Hedman. “This year we are particularly interested in projects that create new jobs – for instance, using a conservation corps model for environmental restoration.”

Grants are available to fund a wide range of projects, including work to target invasive species, to reduce the impact of toxic substances and nonpoint pollution, to protect public health, and to clean up heavily contaminated “Areas of Concern” around the Great Lakes Basin.

"The work funded by these grants will help to ensure that Great Lakes water is safe to drink, the fish are safe to eat, and that beaches and waters are safe for swimming and recreation," said Hedman.

Applications are due by noon on April 11. Webinars on the application process will be held at 10 a.m. on March 9 and March 17.

See more information about applying for GLRI grants at
www.epa.gov/greatlakes/fund/2011rfa01/. More information about the
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is at www.greatlakesrestoration.us/.

CONTACT:
Anne Rowan, 312-353-9391, rowan.anne@epa.gov
Mick Hans, 312-353-5050, hans.mick@epa.gov
GreatLakesNews is hosted by the Great Lakes National Program Office of USEPA:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/
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