Comparative Limnology of Comparative Limnology of Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka, Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka,

Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco & Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco & Skaneateles LakesSkaneateles Lakes

2005 - 20072005 - 2007

John D HalfmanJohn D HalfmanEnvironmental Studies ProgramEnvironmental Studies Program

Department of GeoscienceDepartment of GeoscienceFinger Lakes InstituteFinger Lakes Institute

33rdrd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference

Research Focus:Research Focus:Watershed Watershed Lake Interactions Lake InteractionsImpact of Land Use & Bedrock GeologyImpact of Land Use & Bedrock Geology

Limestone vs. Shales & SandstonesSedimentary Rocks

Forested vs. AgriculturalLandscapes

Bedrock Land Use

Sampling SchemeSampling Scheme• Sampling ScheduleSampling Schedule– Since 2005Since 2005– Monthly: May through OctMonthly: May through Oct– At Least Two Deep-Water SitesAt Least Two Deep-Water Sites

• ParametersParameters– CTD Cast (SeaBird SBE-25)CTD Cast (SeaBird SBE-25)

• Cond, Temp, Depth, Turb, Chlro, DO, Cond, Temp, Depth, Turb, Chlro, DO, pHpH

– Secchi Disc DepthSecchi Disc Depth– Surface & Bottom Water AnalysesSurface & Bottom Water Analyses

• Total PhosphatesTotal Phosphates– 2006 & 20072006 & 2007

• Dissolved PhosphatesDissolved Phosphates• Nitrates & SilicaNitrates & Silica• Chlorophyll-aChlorophyll-a• Total Suspended SolidsTotal Suspended Solids• Total Coliform & Total Coliform & E. coliE. coli Bacteria Bacteria

– 2005 only2005 only

• Major Ions (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SOMajor Ions (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO44))

Seneca Lake Since 1994 4 Sites & Streams Owasco Lake 11 Lake Sites & Streams 2006 & 2007Cayuga Lake 9 Lake Sites

CTD ProfilesCTD ProfilesNew CTDNew CTD

Temperature 10-20 m ThermoclineSpecific Conductance Epilimnion DilutionFluorescence Surface Algae

Surface Surface Dilution?Dilution?

Subsurface Subsurface AlgaeAlgae

Nepheloid Nepheloid LayersLayers

Owasco Lake - 2006Owasco Lake - 2006Owasco InletOwasco Inlet ImpactImpact

Dissolved PhosphateAnnual Average Flux

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Dut

chH

ollo

w

Inle

t(M

orav

ia)

Mill

Cr

Inle

t(L

ocke

)

Hem

lock

Inle

t(C

ount

yLi

ne)

Inle

t(G

roto

n)

Pho

spha

te (

SR

P, k

g/da

y, P

)

Site Average

Stream+Trib Sum

Total Phosphate Annual Averages

0

5

10

15

20

A 1

1B B C 2

2B D

CC

1

CC

2 E

CC

3

CC

4

To

tal

Ph

osp

hat

e (u

g/L

, P

)

2005

2006

Lake

Stream

94 125 608

Halfman, Holler & Philip, 2006, A preliminary water quality study of Owasco Lake, NY and its watershed. http://fli.hws.edu/pdf/halfman_owasco.pdf

Emerson FoundationEmerson Foundation

2007 – Owasco Lake & Stream 2007 – Owasco Lake & Stream DataDataSee Poster by Evan BrownSee Poster by Evan Brown

2006

2007

Lake

Stream

Groton

Groton

From: Bruce Natale, CC WQMA Chair

Groton Wastewater Effluent

Other Owasco Watershed Other Owasco Watershed TalksTalks• Susan Cushman, HWSSusan Cushman, HWS

Stream Biotic IntegrityStream Biotic Integrity• Bruce Gilman, FLCCBruce Gilman, FLCC

Macrophyte CommunitiesMacrophyte Communities• Mark Leopold, CornellMark Leopold, Cornell

Amphipods & Zebra MusselsAmphipods & Zebra Mussels• Emily Runnells, HWSEmily Runnells, HWS

Zooplankton & Water QualityZooplankton & Water Quality• Melissa Balk, HWSMelissa Balk, HWS

Invasive ZooplanktonInvasive Zooplankton

Algae (TSS, Secchi)Algae (TSS, Secchi)Algae

Largest Surface Water Honeoye

Smallest Bottom Water Skaneateles

2005 - 2007 Mean Chlorophyll-a

0

1

2

3

4

5

Honeo

ye

Canan

daig

ua

Keuka

Senec

a

Cayug

a

Owasco

Skane

atele

s

Ave

rag

e C

hlo

rop

hyl

l-a

(u

g/L

)

2005 Surface

2006 Surface

2007 Surface

2005 Bottom

2006 Bottom

2007 Bottom

2005 - 2007 Mean Secchi Disk Depth

0123456789

10

Honeo

ye

Canan

daig

ua

Keuka

Senec

a

Cayug

a

Owas

co

Skane

atele

s

Ave

ag

e S

ecc

hi D

ep

th (

m)

2005

2006

2007

PhosphatesPhosphatesSRP & TPSRP & TP

2005 - 2007 Mean Phosphate

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Honeo

ye

Canan

daig

ua

Keuka

Senec

a

Cayug

a

Owasco

Skane

atele

sAve

rag

e P

ho

sph

ate

(S

RP

, u

g/L

, P

)

2005 Surface

2006 Surface

2007 Surface

2005 Bottom

2006 Bottom

2007 Bottom

2660 - 2007 Mean Total Phosphates

05

101520

25303540

Honeo

ye

Canan

daig

ua

Keuka

Senec

a

Cayug

a

Owasco

Skane

atele

s

Ph

osp

ha

te (

TP

, u

g/L

, P

)

2005 No Data

2006 Surface

2007 Surface

2005 No Data

2006 Bottom

2007 Bottom

NitratesNitrates

2005 - 2007 Mean Nitrate

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

Honeo

ye

Canan

daig

ua

Keuka

Senec

a

Cayug

a

Owasco

Skane

atele

s

Ave

rag

e N

itra

te (

mg

/L,

N)

2005 Surface

2006 Surface

2007 Surface

2005 Bottom

2006 Bottom

2007 Bottom

2005 -2007 Mean Dissolved Silica

0200400600800

10001200140016001800

Honeo

ye

Canan

daig

ua

Keuka

Senec

a

Cayug

a

Owasco

Skane

atele

s

Ave

rag

e S

ilica

(S

RS

i, u

g/L

, S

i)

2005 Surface

2006 Surface

2007 Surface

2005 Bottom

2006 Bottom

2007 Bottom

Water Quality RankingWater Quality Ranking Ranked Each Parameter Ranked Each Parameter Chl, TSS, TP (2006-07), SRP, N, Si, Secchi, Bacteria (only 2005)Chl, TSS, TP (2006-07), SRP, N, Si, Secchi, Bacteria (only 2005)

Calculated a Mean Rank (1-7) Calculated a Mean Rank (1-7)

LakeLake 2005*2005* 20062006 20072007HoneoyeHoneoye 6.16.1 7.07.0 7.07.0

CanandaiguaCanandaigua 1.41.4 3.13.1 1.31.3

KeukaKeuka 3.03.0 3.33.3 1.41.4

SenecaSeneca 7.07.0 3.2 3.2 (no (no bacteria)bacteria)

3.03.0

CayugaCayuga 4.44.4 5.9 5.9 (no (no bacteria)bacteria)

3.63.6

OwascoOwasco 6.76.7 5.65.6 2.82.8

SkaneatelesSkaneateles 1.01.0 1.01.0 1.01.0

*Modified from: Halfman & Bush, 2006, A preliminary water quality study of selected Finger Lakes, NY. http://people.hws.edu/halfman/FL-Lim/2005 FL-Data Halfman_Bush.pdf

Graphically…Graphically…

Water Quality Ranking - 2005

R2 = 0.86

Water Quality

Le

gis

lati

on

Honeoye

Canandaigua

Keuka

Seneca

Cayuga

Owasco

Skaneateles

Water Quality Ranking - 2007

R2 = 0.62

Water Quality

Le

gis

lati

on

Honeoye

Canandaigua

Keuka

Seneca

Cayuga

Owasco

Skaneateles

2007: Less Rain – Less Nutrient Runoff - Impacts Faster Residence Time Lakes

Water TransparencySeneca Lake

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Date

Sec

chi D

isk

Dep

th (

m)

Secchi Depth (m) Poly. (Secchi Depth (m))

Lakes do Change!Lakes do Change!

Zebra Zebra IntroduceIntroduce

dd

Zebra Zebra Die OffDie Off

Zebra & Zebra & Quagga Quagga ReboundRebound

Nutrient Nutrient Loading?Loading?

Thanks - Questions? Thanks - Questions? John Halfman, Environmental Studies, Geoscience, FLI, HWSJohn Halfman, Environmental Studies, Geoscience, FLI, HWS Data At:Data At: http://people.hws.edu/halfman/FL-Lim/FL- http://people.hws.edu/halfman/FL-Lim/FL-Limnology.htmLimnology.htm