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Community Science in the Rondout Creek Watershed
Jen Epstein, Water Quality Program Scientist Dan Shapley, Water Quality Program Director October 16, 2019
We started with the community of river users
Community Science in the Rondout Creek Watershed Jen Epstein, Water - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Community Science in the Rondout Creek Watershed Jen Epstein, Water - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Community Science in the Rondout Creek Watershed Jen Epstein, Water Quality Program Scientist Dan Shapley, Water Quality Program Director October 16, 2019 We started with the community of river users (2008-2014) Water Quality Program
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(2008-2014)
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Water Quality Program
Community Science Data Collection
16 rivers, creeks & waterfront project areas 400 sites 5,000+ samples
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Water Quality Program
Theory of change Community science data collection is the foundation on which we build and support active data-based communities that are empowered to highlight issues of public concern, advocate for local solutions and lobby effectively in order to engage governments to improve water quality.
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Set Policy & Budget Apply policy & budget to local issues Identify local issues Define Policy Needs
Active Data Based Community
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WHAT DO THE DATA SHOW?
Rondout Creek Enterococcus Monitoring
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Rondout Creek Sampling Locations
18 non-tidal Rondout sites 0 sites above Rondout Reservoir 1 tidal site at Eddyville 1 Hudson River site at Kingston Point Beach 24 Wallkill River sites
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Rondout Creek Sampling Results
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Rondout Creek Sampling Results
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Rondout Creek Sampling Results
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Combined sewer overflows Separate sewer overflows Septic system failures Street runoff Illicit connections Agricultural runoff Livestock Wildlife Contaminated sediment
Sources of Enterococcus
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“Toolbox Approach” to Water Quality
- Enterococcus (& E.coli)
- Nutrients
- Detergents
- Macroinvertebrate
communities
- Infrastructure data
- Land use
- Microbial source
tracking
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Rondout Creek
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MST Study Site Selection
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MST Study Site Selection
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MST Study Site Selection
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Rondout MST Results: All Groups
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Wild Birds Were Most Commonly Observed Group
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Human Contamination Was Also Significant
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Cow and Horse Were Uncommon
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Human Contamination: Two Patterns
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Human Marker Results by Site
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Human Contamination Was Frequent At One Site
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Human Contamination Was Widely Present
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Rondout Creek MST Results: Human
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Human Contamination at Foordemore Road
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Sampling Sites Near Foordemore Road
4 2 1 1
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Napanoch & Ellenville WWTPs & Collection Areas
4 2 1 1
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Napanoch WWTP: Lines of Evidence
- High Entero downstream of
WWTP
- E. coli also above EPA threshold
- Human marker detected 4 of 6
times sampled
- NYS DEC macroinvertebrate data
shows WWTP impact
- WWTP is at ~80% capacity, built
in 1920/1980
- “Significant Noncompliance” with
permit (last reviewed 1991)
- Nutrients above EPA criteria at
Port Ben Rd (not Fordemoore Rd) Municipality is working hard to get grants, we plan to help them
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- High Entero downstream of
WWTP
- E. coli also above EPA threshold
- Human marker detected 4 of 6
times sampled
- NYS DEC macroinvertebrate data
shows WWTP impact
- WWTP is at ~80% capacity, built
in 1920/1980
- “Significant Noncompliance” with
permit (last reviewed 1991)
- Nutrients above EPA criteria at
Port Ben Rd (not Fordemoore Rd) Municipality is working hard to get grants, we plan to help them
Napanoch WWTP: Lines of Evidence
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- High Entero downstream of
WWTP
- E. coli also above EPA threshold
- Human marker detected 4 of 6
times sampled
- NYS DEC macroinvertebrate data
shows WWTP impact
- WWTP is at ~80% capacity, built
in 1920/1980
- “Significant Noncompliance” with
permit (last reviewed 1991)
- Nutrients above EPA criteria at
Port Ben Rd (not Fordemoore Rd) Municipality is working hard to get grants, we plan to help them
Napanoch WWTP: Lines of Evidence
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- High Entero downstream of
WWTP
- E. coli also above EPA threshold
- Human marker detected 4 of 6
times sampled
- NYS DEC macroinvertebrate data
shows WWTP impact
- WWTP is at ~80% capacity, built
in 1920/1980
- “Significant Noncompliance” with
permit (last reviewed 1991)
- Nutrients above EPA criteria at
Port Ben Rd (not Fordemoore Rd) Municipality is working hard to get grants, we plan to help them
Napanoch WWTP: Lines of Evidence
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- High Entero downstream of
WWTP
- E. coli also above EPA threshold
- Human marker detected 4 of 6
times sampled
- NYS DEC macroinvertebrate data
shows WWTP impact
- WWTP is at ~80% capacity, built
in 1920/1980
- “Significant Noncompliance” with
permit (last reviewed 1991)
- Nutrients above EPA criteria at
Port Ben Rd (not Fordemoore Rd) Municipality is working hard to get grants, we plan to help them
Napanoch WWTP: Lines of Evidence
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- High Entero downstream of
WWTP
- E. coli also above EPA threshold
- Human marker detected 4 of 6
times sampled
- NYS DEC macroinvertebrate data
shows WWTP impact
- WWTP is at ~80% capacity, built
in 1920/1980
- “Significant Noncompliance” with
permit (last reviewed 1991)
- Nutrients above EPA criteria at
Port Ben Rd (not sampled at Foordemore Rd)
Napanoch WWTP: Lines of Evidence
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Combined sewer overflows Separate sewer overflows Septic system failures Street runoff Illicit connections Agricultural runoff Livestock Wildlife Contaminated sediment
Centralized Wastewater System Is An Important Source Here
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Combined sewer overflows Separate sewer overflows Septic system failures Street runoff Illicit connections Agricultural runoff Livestock Wildlife Contaminated sediment
Centralized Wastewater System Is An Important Source Here
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Combined sewer overflows Separate sewer overflows Septic system failures Street runoff Illicit connections Agricultural runoff Livestock Wildlife Contaminated sediment
Centralized Wastewater System Is An Important Source Here
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Rondout Creek MST Results: Human
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- Rondout Creek MST Results: Human
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Land Use, Land Cover & Soil Analysis
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Land Use, Land Cover & Soil Analysis
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Land Use, Land Cover & Soil Analysis
- Wastewater treatment plant
locations
- Septic system locations
(private & institutional)
- Soil suitability for septic field
use
- Soil suitability for manure
spreading
- Wildlife influence
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Land Use, Land Cover & Soil Analysis
- Wastewater treatment plant
locations
- Septic system locations
(private & institutional)
- Soil suitability for septic field
use
- Soil suitability for manure
spreading
- Wildlife influence
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Rondout Soils Are Poorly Suited for Septic Systems
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Rondout Soils Are Poorly Suited for Septic Systems
- Majority of soils are very
limited or somewhat limited
- Septic construction
requirements have improved
- ver time
- Watershed has a significant
number of institutional septic systems
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Rondout Soils Are Poorly Suited for Septic Systems
- Majority of soils are very
limited or somewhat limited
- Septic construction
requirements have improved
- ver time
- Watershed has a significant
number of institutional septic systems
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Rondout Soils Are Poorly Suited for Septic Systems
- Majority of soils are very
limited or somewhat limited
- Septic construction
requirements have improved
- ver time
- Watershed has a significant
number of institutional septic systems
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Set Policy & Budget Apply policy & budget to local issues Identify local issues Define Policy Needs
Active Data Based Community