MONROE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH and the U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

MONROE

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COUNTY

John D. Doyle, County Executive

Spring 1996Issue 2

WATER-QUAU1Y TRENDSGENESEE RIVER AT CHARLOTTE DOCKS

What can we do to prevent our watereffects of population growth and urbanizawhat the Monroe County Environmental 1-Survey (USGS) are doing to address wateMonroe County.

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LoNG-TERM DATA SHOW W ATER-QUAUTYIMPROVEMENT IN THE GENESEE RIVER

T he environmental movement of the Data through 1994 show distinctlate 1960's brought an increased water-quality improvement in the

awareness of how human activities Genesee River over the past 20 years.affect the land, air, and water. The The most significant trends are aUSGS, recognizing a lack of compre- marked decrease in dissolved zinc andhensive, long-term data on the quality total phosphorus concentrations; aof the Nation's major streams, estab- slight decrease in nitrogen; and a slightlished the National Stream Quality increase in dissolved oxygen concen-Accounting Network (NASQAN) in tration (essential for fish and other1974, with 515 monitoring stations on aquatic life). This improvement inthe major streams in the major drainage water-quality is probably related tobasins throughout the Nation. changes in pollution-control measures

NASQAN is a systematic and uni- and management practices adopted byform data-collection, analysis, and Monroe County and other countiesreporting program designed to obtain a through which the Genesee Riverbroad range of stream-water-quality flows. Without further data collection,information, including physical charac- future trends are difficult to track. ..teristics such as temperature,volume, and turbidity, andchemical characteristics,including concentrations ofcations, anions, trace metals,and nutrients. This informa-tion can be used to indicatelong-term regional andnational trends in the qualityof our Nation's waterresources.

A NASQAN site on theGenesee River at CharlotteDocks, Monroe County, wasoperated for 20 years until itwas discontinued in 1994.

Genesee River near Rot:hFster, New York

Working Together in Monroe County

supply from becoming polluted from thetion? The following examples describelealth Laboratory and the U.S. Geologicalr pollution and improve water quality in

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CONVERSION OF STORMWATER-DETENTION BASINS TO CREATED

WETlANDS FOR THE MITIGATION OF STORM RUNOFF CONTAMINATION

, -, -., ~ The increase in nonpoint-source pol- WET BAsINs-Research indicates

lution from increased development is that one of the most effective ways toevident in the water-quality trends of sev- treat nonpoint-source runoff is to diverteral water bodies in Monroe County, it through natural or created wetlands.such as the Greece Ponds, Irondequoit Many of these wetlands are shaded andBay, and the nearshore areas of Lake vegetated basins with shallow standingOntario within the Rochester Ernbay- water that not only retain water for slowment. Pollution and sedimentation from release, but can provide opportunities forstorm runoff can be mitigated through additional water-quality improvementuse of stormwater-detention basins through uptake of nutrients by vegetationdesigned to impound and slowly release and metabolism of nutrients by the bio-storm runoff and are located adjacent to film (microbial community) that forms atresidential developments or downslope the base of emergent wetland plants. Thefrom agricultural areas. There are nutrients are later released to the receiv-two types of basins-wet and dry ing water bodies during periods of low

DRY BASINS-Dry basins

Dry detention basins have beendesigned since the early 1970's to controlstonn runoff in residential areas to matchpredevelopment rates. These basins caneasily be converted to small wetlandsthrough procedures that maintain shal-low standing pools and encouragecolonization and growth of wetlandplants. Such conversions are some ofthe recommended management practicesset forth in the New York State Depart-ment of Environmental Conservation(NYSDEC) Technical and OperationalGuidelines for Stormwater Management.

A concern raised by NYSDEC staffis the increase in water temperature that

c hemical pollutants and sedIment car-ried in storm runoff from nonpoint

sources, such as from fields and residen-tial areas, adversely affects the chemicalquality of streams and receiving watersAssociated problems include (1) sedi-ment accumulation, (2) increase in watertemperature, and (3) nutrient enrichmentand eutrophication of the lakes and baysthat these waters feed. The NationalUrban Runoff Program (NURP) study ofthe Irondequoit Bay drainage basin in1980-83, and subsequent monitoringactivities in Monroe County, indicatethat the concentrations of nonpoint-source pollutants in stormwater increasewhen the percentage of the drainage areacovered by impervious surfacesincreases. For example,water temperature increaseswhen it flows over dark, hotsurfaces, such as pavementand rooftops. This artificially heatedwater can raise stream-water tempera-tures enough to adversely affect thehabitat of cold-water fish, such as trout.New York State Water Quality Regula-tions for Surface and Groundwaterdefine thermal discharge as "...a dis-charge that results or would result in atemperature change of the receivingwater"; it also states that "No dischargeat a temperature over 70 degrees Fahren-heit shall be permitted at any time tostreams classified for trout." IrondequoitCreek and its tributaries-Oatka Creekand Shipbuilder's Creek-in MonroeCounty are classified for trout. Criticaltime periods for thermal discharges inthis area are July and August, whenambient temperatures are at their highest.

either as infiltration ponds or as deten-tion basins. The two types may looksimilar, but they perform different func-tions, depending on the permeability of

Ithe soil. Infiltration ponds provide an

area for stormwater to collect and slowlypercolate into the ground. In some areas,impermeable soil or high ground-waterlevels prevent use of infiltration ponds,and in other areas, the soil is so perme-able that underlying groundwater can becontaminated by "first flush" runoff,which contains high concentrations ofcontaminants-a concern of municipali-ties that use aquifers that are rechargedby the infiltrating runoff for drinkingwater. Filtration can remove contami-nants to a degree, but causes a decreasein streamflow, which can adverselyaffect fisheries, especially during thesummer .

Dry detention basins detain stormrunoff and release it to streams gradu-ally, providing time for sediment tosettle out and thereby remove nutrientsthat adhere to the sediment particles.This mechanism does not remove dis-solved contaminants, however, and hasonly a limited ability to improve water

quality.Agriculture in Monroe County Runoff from residential developments

drain to receiving streams and lake

Working Together in Monroe County 2 Spring 1996

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Inflow TemperatureOutflow Temperature

Inflow VolumeOutflow Volume

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.use the ecosystem approach to identifyand prioritize the multiple water-resource goals of the NYSDEC andWQCC, and

.increase monitoring to provide dataspecific to the Monroe County area.

As part of the expanded monitoring,all water-quality-monitoring stations inthe County that are operated in conjunc-tion with the USGS have been equippedwith continuous recording thermistors tomonitor stream temperature. In 1992,Monroe County received grants fromthe NYSDEC and the U. S. Environmen-tal Protection Agency (USEP A) to

convert dry detention basins to createdwetlands for treatment of storm runoff.As a result, a converted detention basinin the Town of Pittsford has beenequipped to monitor water-quality and

temperature.Additional data collected at uncon-

verted detention basins that serve poorlydrained areas, and from dry basins con-verted to wet basins during periods oflow and high runoff, are needed to deter-mine which type of detention basin best

mitigates water-temperature increasesand pollution from nutrients derivedfrom increased development and farmingpractices. .

occurs when sunlight warmsthe ponded water in the cre-ated wetlands. Althoughthe flow of warmed waterfrom created wetlands towarm-water streams thatsupport fish such as pikeand bass is not a concern, itcould adversely affectstreams that support cold-water fish such as trout.Therefore, NYSDEC con-cluded that dry infiltrationponds with slow dischargeare the most appropriatemethod where the pondedstormwater drains to cold-water bodies.

Detention of flows inshallow, shaded, vegetatedbasins may actually mitigatetemperature effects by (I) extending themixing times in receiving streams, (2)allowing the heat to dissipate at night, .

and (3) providing a degree of coolingthrough evapotranspiration. The graphabove shows how stormwater cooled byalmost 2 degrees Fahrenheit (outflowtemperature minus inflow temperature )during the time in which basin outflowwas regulated.

Both the Water Quality Coordinat-ing Committee (WQCC) of MonroeCounty and NYSDEC agree that thecounty needs to-

.Develop a comprehensive-ecosystemapproach to protect trout streams,

AGENCY PERCEPTIONS OF THE ELliSON

PARK WETLANDS NEAR IRONDEQUOIT BAY

D uring the past 20 years, several Federal, State, and localagencies have noted ( 1) the value of improving the water

quality of Irondequoit Bay, and (2) the role that the wetlands atthe mouth of Iro~dequoit Creek could play in the improve-ment. Some comments by agencies and researchers follow:

cation for Federal Assistance to the U .S. Environmental Protection Agency.NYSDEC, Albany, NY.

.Although someform of intervention may be necessary to acceler-ate the rate of improvement in bay water quality, the present

external loading of 39 kg/day must be reduced to approximately14 kg/day to maintain the bay in a trophic state consistent with

recreational usage.

O'Brien and Gere, 1983, Nationwide Urban Runoff Program, Irondequoit Creekbasin study final report: Syracuse, N. Y., O'Brien and Gere.

.11ze most cost-effective control measure to reduce the presentbasinwide stormwater runoff phosphorus loadfrom IrondequoitCreek involves the use of the wetlqnds immediately upstream ofthe bay... Monroe County should prepare a comprehensive work-plan for using the wetlands immediately upstream of IrondequoitBay for stormwater runoff control. Such a plan should include anenvironmental assessment leading to the design and construction

Continued on page 4

.The public is keenly aware of the condition of the bay and

this is reflected in their support of the $130 million that have

been spent so far to divert sewage efjluents from the bay.

Although these expenditures are being made to improve and

restore the bay, there is a very serious concern by local offi-

cials about the remaining urban runoff which will continue

to enter the bay and limit or deter the restoration process.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 1979, Signifi-cance and control of urban runoff- Lake George/1rondequoit Bay, In AWIi-

3Working Together in Monroe County Spring 1996

Ellison Park Wetlands (foreground); lrondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario (background).

Continuedfrom page 3

of a flow regulating structure at the 'Narrows'. Also. Improvement is threatened by apparent increases in external

included in the plan should be provisions for determining phosphorus loadings. If the water quality improvements in Irond-

the effectiveness and long-term impacts ofwetlands treat- equoit Bay accomplished to date are to be maintained, and iffur-

ment. ther progress toward our goal is to be achieved, additional steps

O'Brien and Gere, 1983, Nationwide Urban Runoff Program, lrondequoit must be taken. These may include...continued and strengthened

Creek basin study final report: Syracuse, N. Y., O'Brien and Gere. efforts to reduce external inputs.

Spittal Lisa, and Burton, R.S., 1991, lrondequoit Bay phase II clean lakes fKojectfinal report: Rochester, N .Y., Monroe County Department of Health..Irondequoit Bay will be managed in order to achieve the

standards for Class B waters set forth by NYSDEC in 6

NYCRR, Part 701 such that the desired best usage of pri-

mary contact recreation will not be impaired.

Taddiken. Alan. 1985.lrondequoit Basin framework plan: Rochester, N. Y.,Water Quality and Resource Management. Center for GovernmentalResearch. Monroe County.

.Eutrophication is also a problem in two major embayments

along the lake, Irondequoit Bay, and Sodus Bay. Local

inputs of nutrients from point and non-point sources are

responsible.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 1986. New YorkState Water Quality 1986: Albany, N.Y., New York State Department ofEnvironmental Conservation. Division of Water.

.Goal: All Waterways... in the Irondequoit Basin should meet thebest-use classification goals set for them by the New York StateDepartment of Environmental Conservation.

Goal: Irondequoit Bay Water Quality will be such that swimmingwill be possible at the level and intensity ofuse ofwater bodieswith widespread recreational and aesthetic appeal such as Cone-sus Lake or Sodus Bay.

Goal: Irondequoit Bay water quality will be such that anglingwill be possible for a wide variety of cold and warm water spe-cies.

Peet, M. 1992. Monroe County water quality strategy: Rochester, N. Y., MonroeCounty Department of Planning and Development. ...

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.The expansion of inundation from 20 percent of the wetland

to 80 percent of it could cause a 100-percent increase in sed-

iment and associated nutrient retention, or about 25 percent

of the basin load. lfthe channel-bank and levee system were

not continuous, and if./low from the main channel could be

diverted into the wetland at several poil:tts upstreamfrom the

Wetland Narrows, additional./low dispersion and constituent

retention could theoretically be attained.

Kappel, W.M., Yager R.M.. Zarriello. P.J ..1986. Quantity and quality of urbanstorm runoff in the lrondequoit Creek basin near Rochester. New York. Part2-quality of storm runoff and atmospheric deposition. rainfall-runoff-quality modelling. and potential of wetlands for sediment and nutrientretention: U.S. Geological Survey. Water-Resources-Investigations Report85-4113. p. 93.

4 Spring 1996Working Together in Monroe County