APPLICATIONS OF WETLAND SCIENCE
IN NEW YORK STATE
ABSTRACTS
NEW YORK STATE WETLANDS FORUM, INC.
1998 ANNUAL MEETING
Thursday and Friday, April 9th and 10th
Empire State Plaza, Albany New York
ARTIFICIAL WETLANDS FOR STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT
THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF WETLANDS FOR STORMWATER RUNOFF. Tom Schueler. Center for Watershed Protection, Silver Springs, MD. -No abstract received.
MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN A CONSTRUCTED WETLAND. Thomas C. Young, Anthony G. Collins, and Thomas L. Theis. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 5710, Clarkson University, Potsdam NY 13699-5710. 315-268-4430 (voice) 315-268-7636 (fax) Email: tcyoung@draco.clarkson.edu.
Monitoring data collected from the subsurface flow wetland system in Minoa, NY (3 units, approx. 60x30x0.75 m, HRT = 1.3 to 11.4 days), which began treating primary municipal wastewater during January 1996, was evaluated using multivariate statistical techniques. Nine factors accounted for 88.99% of the variance among 27 monitoring variables. Overall, the most significant factor was "organic biotransformation," The significance of the factor to performance was demonstrated by a multiple regression model to predict COD removal as a function of HRT, temperature, and influent concentrations of COD and TKN; the model accounted for nearly 93% of the variability in COD removal by the system (multiple R2 = 0.9292, N = 164) during the 17-month monitoring period. Work is ongoing to improve empirical and fundamental mathematical models of wetland performance to provide better tools for future systems design.
AGRICULTURE'S USE OF CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS IN THE NORTHEAST. Peter Wright. 306 Riley -Robb Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. 607-255-2803 (voice) 607-255-4080 (fax) Email: pew2@cornell.edu.
Wetlands have been used to treat agricultural wastes with varying success in the Northeast. Proposed use of wetlands include treatment of barnyard runoff, milking center waste water, as well as the total waste flow from a dairy farm. Examples of these types of wetland treatment systems are described.
A nutrient and sediment control system utilizing a sequence of ponds, filter strips and wetlands was installed in Central NY to reduce the waste flow from a large beef feedlot. A series of ponds and wetlands is being installed in Eastern NY to treat the waste from a dairy barnyard, milking center waste water as well as bunk silage runoff. A system of shallow ponds and an anaerobic lagoon is being used to treat the waste water and all the manure from a 300-cow dairy in Western NY. Each of these systems was designed with different characteristics and with different objectives.
There are significant problems in using constructed wetlands to treat agricultural waste. Waste water from animal agriculture is much more concentrated than storm water runoff and domestic waste water. Maintaining wetland plants in this environment is especially difficult. The functioning of the wetlands during the winter may require six to 8 months of storage for subsequent release. Although the treatment efficiencies of wetlands may be high the effluent from a constructed wetland treating agricultural waste may need to be further treated or land applied.
TEAMING UP AGRICULTURAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WITH WETLAND CREATION/RESTORATION/ENHANCEMENT FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND WETLAND MITIGATION. Eric Swanson. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ag & Life Sciences Building, USDA Service Center, 61 State Street, Troy, New York 12180. 518-271-1740 (voice) 518-271-1806 (fax).
This presentation will discuss a unique, multifaceted 1996 federal nationwide permit wetland mitigation project. The project involved the need to mitigate the loss of 4.4 acres of wetlands for the siting of a new Wal*Mart Shopping Center in the Town of Brunswick, New York.
The original proposal for mitigation would have created 3.25 acres of wetlands on actively farmed prime agricultural soils. Through local input, an alternative project proposal was brought forward that combined new wetland creation, converted wetland restoration, with wetland enhancement and protection, and additional water quality improvements through agricultural best management practices (BMPs). This proposal was aimed at making a healthier wetland, stream course and overall watershed. Although wetlands provide important functions in filtering of agricultural silt and nutrient runoff, they can be overloaded. In this situation, a wetland was not targeted for treating farm waste runoff, but rather the on-farm BMPs in this project targeted a nutrient overloading problem that was very evident at the proposed mitigation site.
This site was located on a dairy farm immediately upstream and in sight of the Wal*Mart Center. The local representatives of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the County Soil and Water Conservation District felt strongly that this alternative site had many benefits to the farmer, the environment, and the community as a whole. After a site visit by the US Army Corps of Engineers representative, it could be seen that the farm site had much to offer for mitigation.
The entire farm operation was impacting the water quality at the site as well as downstream in the watershed. It was composed largely of a cow feed yard and open pasture for some 50 dry cows and heifers. The livestock roamed freely throughout the area, including a pond, their water source. They severely compacted the primary drainageway between the unprotected headwater wooded wetland and the open pond. In the yard feed, cows were in mud and manure over their udders due to poor soil and drainage conditions. The farmer had great difficulty trying to clean the area. As a result the adjoining drainageway and pond were silted in with sediment and manure. Another targeted area was the poorly drained "prior converted" cropland along the wooded wetland edges. This area was notable for its deep ruts and unharvested corn, which contributed to more compaction and siltation problems.
The plan called for expanding the wetland around the existing pond and throughout the redesigned drainageway. It also included restoring prior converted wetlands in the corn field around the wooded wetland at the site. The final wetland section of the plan called for the protection of the entire wetland area, new, enhanced and restored, under a permanent conservation easement.
The agriculturally-targeted section of the plan specified a paved feed lot with a concrete pad and push wall to contain the cows and allow the farmer to clean the manure. Another practice included fencing the pond, the drainageway, the newly restored wetland buffer, and the wooded wetland to exclude all livestock. A new cattle waterer was installed to replace the pond as a water source. A cattle crossing culvert and gravel walkway were established to move the cows from the feed yard to the pasture area.
The plan also called for wood duck nesting box installations, largemouth bass, fathead minnow, and crayfish stocking, along with numerous shrub and grass filter plantings. An informational sign depicting the project with the local Conservation District telephone number has been placed at the site. Those who call the number receive a pamphlet on the project and wetland values.
This project was first proposed in the fall of 1994, with plans and approvals in 1995, and design and construction in 1996. The interpretive sign was placed in 1998.
This unique project successfully applied standard wetland creation and restoration practices with the new angle of applying on-farm water quality practices to protect the wetlands and the water in the watershed. The project employed a "team effort" including the developer/applicant, along with the primary environmental consultants, the local office of the County Conservation District, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the farm operator.
INTRODUCTION TO WETLAND RECOGNITION AND PERMITTING
FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
IDENTIFICATION OF WETLANDS. Barbara B. Beall. The LA Group, P.C. 40 Long Alley, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866. 518-587-8100 (voice) 518-587-0180 (fax). Email: BeallBB@AOL.COM.
The NYSDEC and APA use regulatory maps to identify the approximate boundaries of all State-regulated wetlands in New York. The NYSDEC regulates wetlands approximately 12.4 acres in size or larger, and the APA regulates wetlands down to 1 acre in size, and all wetlands adjacent to open water. These maps identify the presence of freshwater wetlands on a particular property. They can be viewed at local and county government offices, and NYSDEC and APA offices. The NYSDEC and APA use these maps to identify the approximate boundary(s) of wetlands which are then established and verified at the site. An adjacent area (i.e. "buffer area") of 100 feet adjacent to freshwater wetlands, 300 feet adjacent to tidal wetlands, and 150 feet adjacent to New York City wetlands is then located on any survey map. The NYSDEC has the discretion to establish an adjacent area of greater than 100 feet. Under other authorities, the NYSDEC also regulates disturbances to streams and other waters with a Water Classification of C(T) or better.
The federal government does not have regulatory maps for their program. The National Wetlands Inventory Maps (NWI) are completed for portions of New York State. They are used by the federal government for status and trends analysis, but can also be a valuable tool for assessing the likelihood that wetlands may be present at a particular site. The federal government does not have a limit to the size of any wetland over which it may claim jurisdiction. In addition to wetlands, the federal government regulates activities in waters of the United States, of which wetlands are a subset.
In a wetland, the overwhelming presence of water causes the soil to become reduced and anaerobic, resulting in harsh growing conditions for a plant community, which then becomes dominated by hydrophytes (water plants). In general, it only takes 2 weeks of soil saturation in the root zone during the growing season for an area to develop wetland indicators. While the specifics of each regulatory program's wetland delineation method may differ somewhat, all require that there must be indicators of wetland hydrology, hydric soils, and a plant community dominated by wetland plants for an area to be identified as a wetland.
Field indicators of wetland hydrology include flooded or ponded water, saturation of the soil within the root zone, drainage patterns in the wetlands, water stained leaves, and oxidized root channels. Field indicators of hydric soils include organic soils, soils with a thick organic surface over a mineral soil, the smell of rotten eggs (sulfidic material), low chroma (i.e. gray) soils which may have bright spots of contrasting color, and/or the identification of a soil at a particular location that matches the profile of a soil which is listed on the national, state or county hydric soils list. Field indicators of wetland plants require a determination that the plant community is dominated by hydrophytes. This is done by identifying the dominant plants in the plant community, and consulting the state or federal plant list for their indicator status.
THE FEDERAL REGULATORY PROGRAM. Diane Kozlowski. US Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo Regulatory District, 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, New York 14207-3199 716-879-4433(voice) 716-879-4310(fax)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for administering section 10 of the River and Harbors Act (RHA) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under Section 10 of the RHA a permit is necessary for any activity which affects the course, location or capacity of navigable waters of the United States. Examples of regulated activities include dredging, docks, boat ramps, submerged pipelines, aerial transmission lines, and bank stabilizaiton. Under Section 404 of the CWA, the Corps is responsible for regulating the discharge of dredged of fill material into waters of the United States including wetlands. Examples of regulated activities include development fills, access pads, excavation, channelization and mechanized land clearing.
Several permits have been designed to allow activities with minimal impacts to proceed with little or no paperwork. There are many resources available to assist the applicant in the preliminary of assessment of site conditions. These resources are also useful tools for planning and zoning boards and conservation advisory groups. Preliminary site identification, pre-application meetings and flexibility in project design to avoid wetland impacts will assist the applicant in proceeding smoothly through the regulatory process.
THE STATE REGULATORY PROGRAM. Lenore Kuwik. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. - No abstract received.
A WETLANDS EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN SARATOGA COUNTY. Jennifer Brady-Connor. Saratoga Land Conservancy, 1023 Route 146, Clifton Park, NY 12065. 518-371-3243 (voice) 518-371-6428 (fax) Email: sarlancons@aol.com.
In 1994, the Saratoga Land Conservancy, the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), both the Saratoga County Environmental Management Council and Soil and Water Conservation District, the NYSDEC, USACOE, NRCS, and USEPA joined together to develop and distribute wetland information with Saratoga County. The audience was development communities, local governments, consulting firms and the general public. The intent was to educate them on the benefits of and regulatory programs for wetlands.
Since then the group has made strides towards increasing wetland awareness. Initial efforts included developing the National Wetlands Inventory maps, soil surveys and updated NYSDEC Freshwater Wetlands Maps. Three informational workshops have been coordinated. The first presented new wetland information and introduced the wetland regulations and the tools available to assist in possible wetland impact determination. The second was formatted as a mock planning board meeting. The participants observed the process through which possible wetland impacts should be addressed. The third workshop had participants visiting three local, diverse wetland areas and included discussions of recognizing possible wetlands in the field.
Three documents have been developed to assist with this effort. One, a quick reference guide to building near wetlands, urges caution and awareness before beginning projects located near or in wetlands. The second provides a flowchart of wetland regulations, agencies administering them, and the regulatory processes and time frames. The third is a guide book to publicly accessible wetlands within Saratoga County.
Further efforts include another wetland interpretive workshop and zoning workshop in conjunction with the Association of State Wetland Managers.
WETLAND MONITORING, MITIGATION, AND RE-ESTABLISHMENT
IN ENVIRONMENTS WITH VARIOUS LEVELS OF DISTURBANCE
BIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF WETLANDS AT THE MILL SEAT LANDFILL IN MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK. Norbert Quenzer, Jr. and Peter Feinberg. Bagdon Environmental, 3 Normanskill Boulevard, Delmar, New York 12054. 518-439-8588 (voice) 518-439-8592 (fax). Email: Bagdonenv@aol.com.
The Mill Seat Landfill is a state-of-the-art facility constructed in 1991 and 1992. Three large state-regulated wetlands surround the landfill site. Due to the close proximity of the wetlands to the landfill, the NYSDEC required biological monitoring as a condition of the construction and operation permit. The primary goal of the monitoring is to assess changes in the flora and fauna of the wetlands so corrective actions can be taken if landfill-associated impacts occur. Monitoring has been conducted each spring and summer since 1992.
Biological monitoring at the site includes quantitative vegetation analysis using vegetation transects in each wetland. Qualitative analysis of vegetation is done during summer surveys. Large-scale aerial photos are taken annually and reviewed for changes in vegetation cover types, species composition and mortality. Wildlife is assessed qualitatively during spring and summer surveys. Surveys are conducted for macroinvertebrates, migratory and breeding birds, herps, and mammals. The survey results are correlated annually with landfill activities and concurrent monitoring of groundwater and surface water hydrology.
Preliminary findings showed that some construction related impacts to the wetlands had occurred. These impacts entailed siltation to several areas, as well as significant changes to the hydrology of one of the wetlands. Landfill operation personnel promptly rectified the erosion control problems encountered during construction. Subsequent monitoring to date indicates that long-term impacts may be occurring due to the construction disturbances. Operation of the landfill appears to have had relatively little impact on the wetlands' flora and fauna. Monitoring is scheduled to continue throughout the life of the landfill.
MONITORING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF MACROPHYTES IN THE LITTORAL ZONE OF ONONDAGA LAKE, NEW YORK. L.W. Eichler1, J.D. Madsen2, J.W. Sutherland3, C.W. Boylen1 and J.A. Bloomfield3. 1Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York. Box 84C, Bolton Landing, New York 12814. 518-644-3541 (voice), 518-644-3640(fax). 2U.S. Army Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS. 3New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
Onondaga Lake, located near Syracuse, New York, has been described as one of the most polluted lakes in the United States. Since the late 1800s, municipal effluent and a large portion of the region's industrial waste have been discharged into the lake. Examples of the degraded water quality of Onondaga Lake include high standing crops of phytoplankton, extended periods of hypolimnetic anoxia, a high sedimentation rate, severe degradation of the littoral zone with precipitated calcium carbonate concretions from industrial deposits, and contamination of the sediments with mercury from a chlor-alkali facility.
During 1991, a project was funded by the Onondaga Lake Management Conference to gather information on the aquatic macrophyte community of Onondaga Lake. Since that time, the Onondaga Lake Littoral Zone Restoration Research Team has conducted several studies (in-situ and laboratory) and pilot demonstration projects which have provided important information about restoring the littoral zone of Onondaga Lake.
This paper will provide an overview of results collected by the research team since 1991 and will describe some of the remediation efforts currently in progress including in-lake revegetation efforts, construction of a wetland connection to existing peripheral marshes and installation of a permanent habitat module.
ASSESSING ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN MITIGATION WETLANDS OF NORTHWESTERN NEW YORK. Christopher A. Urban1, C. Andrew Cole1, Robert P. Brooks1, John J. Morgan1, and David K. Hoyt2. 1Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, 205 Forest Resources Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. 814-865-2180 (voice) 814-863-7193(fax). E-mail:cau102@psu.edu. 2Public Works/Environmental Division, 85 First Street West, Fort Drum, NY 13602.
There seems to be little understanding of wetland structure and function; pertinent information which could prove invaluable when designing "successful" mitigation wetlands. The objectives of this study are twofold: 1) to study plant and macroinvertebrate colonization and succession in newly created mitigation wetlands, and 2) to assess mitigation wetland design and performance. The monitoring program incorporates standard methods of examining hydrology, soils, vegetation, and macroinvertebrates at 20 grid points in each of six wetlands. Emphasis is placed on comparing the ecosystem attributes in regard to their successional development across the two wetland types (mitigation and natural). Preliminary results suggest that colonization and succession was rapid in the mitigation wetlands during the initial growing season and leveled off greatly thereafter. Mitigation success in these wetlands appears to be attributable to organic structure, seed banks, site planning and hydrology. Reference wetlands exhibit characteristics of mature ecosystems (e.g. higher degrees of niche specialization, greater biomass and organic matter, stable water levels). Cluster analysis was used to show that herbaceous species diversity was similar among wetland sites, but their species assemblages were not. Mitigation performance was greatest in mitigation wetlands which most closely replicated the ecosystem attributes of reference wetlands (i.e. design, hydrology, soils and spatial complexity). The results of this work underscore the concept that comparing structure and function between mitigation and reference wetlands is essential for success in wetland mitigation.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RECOVERY THRESHOLDS IN A PETROLEUM IMPACTED TIDAL MARSH. Michael P. Bontje. B. Laing Associates Inc., 225 Main Street, Northport, NY 11768. 516-261-7170(voice). - Please see complete paper at end of abstracts (not included in WEB version).
USE OF CONSERVATION GROUPS FOR WETLAND PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION
THE HILLSDALE COMMUNITY WETLAND PROJECT: EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT THEIR CONSERVATION VISIONS. Judy Anderson. Columbia Land Conservancy, P.O. Box 299, 49 Main Street, Chatham, NY 12037. 518-392-5252(voice) 518-392-3099 (fax).
The Columbia Land Conservancy believes strongly in the power of local conservation vision and the lasting legacy of partnerships. Rather than dictate specific conservation projects, we respond to community requests for help and work with communities to define their conservation visions. Early in 1995 the Columbia Land Conservancy was approached by the Hillsdale Park and Recreation Commission to discuss the possibility of working with them to protect one of Hillsdale's most visible parcels along Route 23.
The 108-acre property, originally proposed for acquisition, and now protected, is comprised of deciduous woodlands, an open field, and an extensive ecologically intact Class I New York State designated wetland. This extraordinary parcel is a critical component of one of Columbia County's premier wildlife sanctuaries: the 920-acre Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Sanctuary in Copake, New York. The Audubon Sanctuary's reliance on this upland/wetland habitat interface was clearly demonstrated during the 1995 drought; the wetland proposed in this acquisition was one of the few resources which held water year-round. The combination of wetland and upland forest ecotones will provide the necessary habitat diversity to this outstanding nature reserve to ensure its long-term ecological viability.
This project represents community vision at its best with a broad-based level of support demonstrating the long-term commitment of citizens, legislators, the Town of Hillsdale, and various conservation organizations, to the protection of this outstanding wetland. To build this level of partnership, the Conservancy worked with local stakeholders to understand their visions and concerns. The success of this project hinged on addressing the local peoples' concerns and the wetland's local ecological significance - resulting in a diverse public/private partnership between the State, not-for-profits, community groups and a municipality, which demonstrated the power of a community vision.
WETLAND PROTECTION PROGRAMS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, THE SARATOGA SPRINGS OPEN SPACE PROJECT. Barbara Glaser1 and John Friauf2. 1Saratoga Springs Open Space Project, 110 Spring Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. 518-587-5554(voice), 518-587-6467(fax). Email: open.space@netheaven.com. 2Land Trust of the Saratoga Region, 1023 Route 146, Clifton Park NY 12065. 518-371-3242(voice) 518-371-6428(fax) Email: sarlancons@aol.com.
The 1987 master plan for the City of Saratoga Springs recommended that a comprehensive open space plan be developed, and The Saratoga Springs Open Space Project was created in response to this recommendation. Through numerous public meetings, workshop presentations, and ongoing discussions with public officials, the Open Space Project completed a draft Open Space Plan in 1994 which has been adopted by the City for implementation. Nine of the 25 recommendations are directed to preserving and improving wetland and riparian resources. Both The Plan and The Project were put to the test when the southern portion of Saratoga Spa State Park was proposed for a truck by-pass route, with The Project playing an important role in organizing opposition to and defeating that proposal.
The most visible of the Open Space Project's wetland protection efforts is the Bog Meadowbrook Trail, a section of old trolley line owned by the city, maintained by Open Space, and buffered by lands owned by the Land Trust of the Saratoga Region. It is consistently used by hikers, skiers, and school groups. The project is also leading an effort to plan a Paddle Route on the Kayaderosseras Creek and obtain better public access to it. An ongoing dialogue with the developers of the Lake Lonely Golf Course advocates for wetland protection, public trails, and canoe access to mitigate unavoidable wetland disturbances.
The Open Space Project continues to look outside its organizational boundaries for opportunities to partner with State agencies, non-profit organizations, private businesses and landowners, and encourages other conservation groups to utilize this approach in order to benefit from the expertise such partnerships can offer.
WETLAND INTERPRETIVE SITE IN THE TOWN OF KNOX. Daniel Driscoll and Robert Price. Town of Knox Planning Board, 1924 Berne-Altamont Road, Altamont, NY 12009. 518-872-0602(voice) 518-474-1343(fax) Email: driscd@rpi.edu.
With a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Town of Knox is conducting a wetland improvement project within and adjacent to the Town Park. Matching funds have been committed by Ducks Unlimited, Stewart's, Key Bank, and Golub Corporation, and through in-kind services of Town of Knox volunteers and the Town Highway Department. Led jointly by the Knox Planning Board and Conservation Advisory Council, with support of the Knox Town Board, this project will involve the acquisition, restoration, enhancement, and protection of a diverse wetland complex within the Town Park and contiguous parcels. The project will benefit residents of the Town and surrounding communities, school children, civic and youth groups and conservation and environmental groups by preserving open space, protecting fish, wildlife and waterfowl habitat and water quality, and providing outdoor educational and nature study opportunities.
The Town of Knox owns and maintains 70 acres of Town parklands, including a 25-acre portion of a valuable 61-acre State regulated wetland. The Town wetland is comprised of extensive cattail marsh, scrub-shrub wetland, coniferous forested wetland, and open water habitat. The Town plans to extend its jurisdiction and protection of the wetland through acquisition or easements of 30 acres of contiguous wetland parcels and upland buffer area. The benefits of wetlands in the Town will be enhanced by the construction of a wheelchair-accessible elevated walkway through a portion of the wetland. This facility will provide the community with access from the Town Park and educational opportunities within the wetland.
THE NIAGARA FRONTIER WETLANDS INITIATIVE. John R. Whitney. Western New York Land Conservancy, 21 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052. 716-687-1225 (voice). Email: johnrwhitney@juno.com.
Formally organized conservation groups and local ad hoc community organizations are playing an increasingly significant role in local environmental protection efforts. Groups have moved beyond NIMBY and advocacy roles into the area of public/private partnerships both for private land conservation and to add layers of protection to public preservation efforts. Partnership opportunities exist within established programs like federal and state farmland protection programs, the USDA Wetlands Reserve Program, the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Buffer Strip Initiative, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Wildlife Program. The Corps of Engineers' new "in lieu of fee" program provides an additional funding opportunity for local preservation projects. Involvement in the Corps- and DEC-required mitigation projects provides unique protection opportunities for land trusts and conservation groups while presenting special political, organization, and fiscal challenges.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District have applied geographic information system technology to support a wide variety of community conservation efforts from wetland and watershed protection to American chestnut and barn-owl re-establishment. As GIS data becomes more available and software becomes more accessible, this important technology will help agencies, municipalities, and community-based non-profit organizations better understand, protect and manage the local and regional environment. Partnership efforts are increasingly necessary both to leverage limited financial resources and to share technical expertise in dealing with complex social, economic and environmental issues.
With financial support from the US EPA through the DEC, and the Erie County SWCD and USDA NRCS offices, the Niagara Frontier Wetlands Initiative was completed. Focusing on the Tonawanda Creek Watershed within Erie and Niagara County, this project resulted in the assembly and digitizing of a wide variety of natural resources and demographic data. In particular, detailed soil data was digitized by AmeriCorps volunteers. A land use/land cover aerial photography-based inventory was completed by Cornell's Institute for Resource Information Systems (IRIS) and digitized by SWCD staff and USDA Earth Team Volunteers. The WNYLC was able to secure an additional 1-year EPA grant for a "Conservation and Wetland Outreach Coordinator," to conduct local wetland workshops and produce educational materials.
Most counties in New York State have County Water Quality Coordinating Committees that are working to develop and implement local water quality strategies through collaborative and complementary interagency efforts. County Soil and Water Conservation Districts can be catalysts for community conservation efforts. Local land trusts, representing the fastest growing environmental movement in the second half of this century, are well positioned to support conservation partnerships that can build on the energy and enthusiasm of local environmental activism within the context of highly defensible, private-property-rights-sensitive, voluntary conservation tools and techniques. As we approach the turn of the century, the conservation easement is becoming the tool of choice for perpetual, voluntary land protection.
LARGE-SCALE REGIONAL WETLAND STUDIES IN NEW YORK STATE
IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF REFERENCE WETLANDS ON LONG ISLAND. Dana MacDonald. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 700 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110-2400. 518 783-3943(voice) 518-783-3916(fax) E-mail: ddmacdon@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
This presentation provides an overview of a 2-year project to identify reference wetlands for 11 ecological community types on Long Island, New York. Funding is provided through a cooperative effort of the Environmental Protection Agency, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Suffolk County, and the Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Community types selected from the North Atlantic Coastal Ecoregion are: 1) salt shrub; 2) sea-level fen; 3) high salt marsh; 4) salt panne; 5) low salt marsh; 6) brackish tidal marsh; 7) brackish intertidal mudflats; 8) coastal plain pond shore and ponds; 9) coastal plain poor fen; 10) pine barrens shrub swamp; 11) pitch pine-blueberry peat swamp. Selected examples of estuarine settings, representing three different spatial scales, are used to highlight how existing data are combined with Natural Heritage Program methodology to assess potential reference wetland sites. An island-wide categorization of salt marshes compares salt marsh size and landscape setting. Patch analysis of Shinnecock Bay reveals distribution patterns of high salt marsh, low salt marsh, and brackish intertidal marsh in a south shore bay. Finally, relationships between geomorphology and vegetation composition of high salt marsh and sea-level fen are discussed for Hubbard Creek in Peconic Bay. The primary expected benefit of this study is to identify a suite of wetland sites to be used as ecological "benchmarks" for wetland mitigation projects and potential sites for future research. Other benefits include the compilation of a data set of wetland occurrences to refine State and National community classifications, and the protection of significant communities with their addition to the New York Natural Heritage Biological Conservation Database.
OVERVIEW OF WATERSHED-SCALE WETLAND PROJECTS IN THE ADIRONDACK PARK. Ray Curran, Adirondack Park Agency. P.O. Box 99, Ray Brook, New York 12977. - Abstract not received.
AN EVALUATION OF DEC'S W-48-D SMALL MARSH CREATION PROGRAM. Patricia Riexinger. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. 50 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12233-4756. 518-457- 0698(voice) 518-485-8424(fax) Email: pxriexin@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
From 1948 to the early 1970s, over 1000 small wildlife marshes were built on private land in New York State to create wildlife habitat. Wetlands were built according to very specific design criteria, usually at headwater sites, and maintained by DEC for 5-25 years. Our study was funded by EPA, and was designed to determine whether wetlands created 35-45 years ago persist and continue to provide the functions for which they were created. A stratified random sample of 100 sites was drawn from three geographic areas of the state and sites were visited during the summer of 1994. Of the 100 sites visited, 87 were considered to be persisting as wetlands. The remaining 13 were now considered ponds; they had been deepened either by the landowners or beaver. Problems with maintenance were noted, and included leaking dams, plugged water control structures, and unmowed dikes. Most sites consisted of open water and emergent vegetation (91 percent). Wildlife use by numerous species of vertebrates was noted; for example waterfowl (six species) were noted at 53 sites and beaver occurred at 52 sites. Herpetofauna was recorded at 79 sites. Use by landowners was high, and included fishing, relaxing, and birdwatching.
USE OF GIS IN WETLAND/WATERSHED RESEARCH
AN INTRODUCTION TO GIS. Niels la Cour. Town of Amherst, Massachusetts Planning Department, Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk, Amherst, MA 01002-2124. 413-256-4040 (voice) 413-256-4041 (fax).
This presentation will provide a brief introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. It will provide a definition of what GIS is and a description of the capabilities of the technology. A brief demonstration will give the audience a visual understanding of what GIS looks like and how many different types of data and information can be brought together with this technology. The presentation will also give examples of how this technology can be applied to the environmental sciences and for regulatory uses. This presentation will provide the audience with a basic understanding of the technology used in the preparation of the other presentations in this session.
WATERSHEDS, NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION, AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS. Timothy M. Daly, University at Albany, SUNY.
The watershed has come to be considered the fundamental unit of all fresh water natural resource management, especially the management of non-point-source pollution (NPS). Because of the complexity of even the smallest watersheds, and the large number of environmental factors involved, many water resource managers are turning to geographic information systems (GIS) and computer modeling to manage and analyze the vast amounts of spatial data needed to effectively manage NPS on a watershed scale. This presentation will include discussions of the complex nature of watersheds and how GIS and computer modeling can be used to effectively manage NPS.
DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS FOR WATERSHED RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT. Rick Fritschler. Ulster County Environmental Management Council, Digital Cartography Lab at Ulster County Community College, P.O. Box 557, Stone Ridge, NY 12484 914-687-0267(voice) 914-687-0520(fax). Email: RFRITS@AOL.COM.
During the 1970s while Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller was on watch, New York State was guided with a planner's vision. A New York State Development Plan and statewide Environmental Plan were developed. Both of these documents were based upon a 20-year long range planning process. These documents were intended to provide the broad framework necessary for coordinated efforts by state and local government, business, citizens' groups and the individual.
It is a recognized fact that environmental and land use planning issues frequently are not constrained by political or municipal boundaries. In order to overcome these artificial boundaries and have the capabilities to address issues which follow natural boundaries, broad-based collaborative partnerships must be utilized. Unfortunately, a municipal secularism which extends to departments, agencies and even non-governmental organizations tends to be an obstacle to collaborative effort. The trick to overcoming these obstacles is to have what others need. You can then utilize your resources as a mechanism and basis for establishing collaborative partnerships which share your resources.
In 1995, the Ulster County Environmental Management Council (EMC) revisited its role and mission as mandated by New York State Environmental Conservation Law (NYS ECL) and as recommended under the Local Environmental Protection Act Administrative Guidelines (LEAP). The EMC determined that developing a Natural Resource Inventory for Ulster County was its primary mission. It also recognized that developing and maintaining such a database was a monumental task. An annual plan of work and a long range plan which utilized current funding levels and was designed to build upon small successes was implemented in the summer of 1995. The process and methodology for implementation of this plan of work are focused around collaborative partnerships and are the topic of this presentation.
BREAK OUT SESSION
WETLAND ASSESSMENT, HAVE WE LOST OUR WAY. Jon Kusler1 and Dr. Richard Smardon2. 1Association of State Wetland Managers. P.O. Box 269, Berne, New York 12024-9746. 518-782-1804. 2SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210. 518-470-6576.
No abstract received. However, see March - April 1998 issue of the National Wetlands Newsletter or March 1998 newsletter "Wetland News," the newsletter of the ASWM, Inc.
REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
DEVELOPMENT OF WETLAND WATER QUALITY STANDARDS. Thomas R. Snow, Jr. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources, Bureau of Habitat. (518) 457-0871. Email: trsnow@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
It is the goal of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) to maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation=s waters and the policy of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) ' 17-0101 to Amaintain reasonable standards or purity of water of the state consistent with the public health and public enjoyment thereof, the propagation and protection fish and wildlife@ . . . To accomplish these goals, the federal CWA and ECL ' 17-0301 requires New York State to classify waters according to their best use and adopt standards necessary to protect these uses for all Awaters of the United States,@ and Awaters of the state.@ Wetlands are indeed included in the definition of both Awaters of the United States,@ and Awaters of the state,@ but have not been defined, nor classified as a distinct water body. As a result, the best uses of wetlands are not afforded the same level of water quality protection as currently provided to the best uses of streams, rivers, lakes and groundwaters.
Wetland water quality and best uses are currently protected using water quality standards specifically developed to protect best uses characteristic of streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater, but not necessarily wetlands. They include drinking water, primary and secondary contact recreation and fishing (i.e., fish survival and propagation). However, the best uses of wetlands include: flood and stormwater control; erosion control; fish, wildlife, and hydrophytic plant propagation and survival; nutrient cycling and food chain support; surface and groundwater exchange; recreation; open space and aesthetic; and education and scientific research. Therefore, only those best uses that are characteristic of both classes of waters are protected using existing water quality standards. Those best uses exclusive to wetlands (i.e., flood and stormwater control, erosion control, nutrient cycling and food chain support, surface and groundwater exchange, open space and education and scientific research) are not protected at all by the existing standards.
In addition, the current water quality standards not only fail to protect all wetland best uses, they also fail to protect the physical and biological integrity of wetlands. Existing water quality standards primarily apply to activities such as discharge of sewage, industrial wastes, and other types of wastes from waste water treatment plants, stormwater runoff, etc., that alter the chemical characteristics of the receiving water. However, a majority of the impacts to wetlands occur through physical alterations such as filling, dredging, or draining these areas. Although these activities can outright destroy wetland best uses, existing standards cannot protect wetland best uses against these types of activities.
Furthermore, wetlands possess physical, biological, and chemical characteristics that are highly variable and vastly different as compared to streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater. Because of this variability, wetlands contain unique attributes and features that must be maintained in order for the wetland ecosystem to remain viable and sustainable over time. Applying the same set of water quality parameters (e.g., pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus and nitrogen, etc.) to wetlands does not reflect nor protect the natural variability within these systems with existing water quality standards.
Where will the wetland water quality standards be used? Once promulgated, the wetland water quality standards will integrated into the various state wetland regulatory programs (i.e., ECL Articles 15, 24, and 25), and the State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (ECL Article 17) where a discharge is proposed to a wetland. These standards will also be used to issue ' 401 Water Quality Certifications resulting from activities regulated under Section 404 of the CWA (including Nationwide permits), and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
WHERE IS WETLAND RESEARCH HEADED IN NEW YORK STATE AND
WHAT IS NEEDED?
INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH INTO NITROGEN MOVEMENT IN ADIRONDACK DRAINAGES. Chris Cirmo. State University of New York College at Cortland, Department of Geology, P.O. Box 2000, Cortland, NY 13045. 607-753-2924 (voice) 607-753-2927(fax). Email: cirmoc@cortland.edu.
Wetlands can be considered either sources, sinks or transformers of nitrogen to watershed drainage waters, depending on a variety of hydrogeomorphic and anthropogenic factors. In the landscape perspective, evidence points to the position of a wetland in the drainage pattern, and the hydrologic connection of the wetland to that drainage pattern, as critical factors in determining this role. In addition, the depth and physical and chemical properties of the underlying substrates (be they organic or inorganic) affect the hydrologic flowpaths and connections of a wetland to surface and groundwater inputs. We studied a series of wetlands in the Adirondack Mountains as part of a watershed nitrogen monitoring project, to determine the extent of the effects of these factors. Evidence points to a coupling and decoupling of the wetland to drainage waters during different seasons, and to the presence of layers of transmissive sand and gravel, between less transmissive peat, as potentially important to the residence time, and thus nitrogen transformation potential, of these wetlands. This effort requires a combination of expertise in hydrology, biogeochemistry, ecology, botany, and geographic information management. As an example of interdisciplinary research, an understanding of the role of strategically placed wetlands in transforming or sequestering atmospheric or terrestrial-origin nitrogen is critical in the evaluation of the overall effects of increased nitrogen in the environment on wetland stability, drainage water quality, and general forest health.
WETLAND CHARACTERIZATION: THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE. Don Siegel. Syracuse University, 307 Heroy Geology Laboratory, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1070 315-443-3607(voice) 315-443-3363(fax). Email: disiegel@mailbox.syr.edu.
The question, What is a wetland? has vexed the regulatory community for over a decade. Numerous attempts, often politically based, have been made to change the generally accepted 1987 COE regulatory guidelines on wetland characterization. Most recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed changes on wetland delineation practice within the Clean Waters Act that, if applied, might lead to large-scale wetland loss. In this talk I will review the recommendations made by the blue ribbon panel on wetland characterization convened in 1993-1995 by the National Academy of Sciences, including their reference definition for what is a wetland and how to best address, "How wet is wet?"
WETLAND RESEARCH AT CORNELL: COMBINING THEORY AND APPLICATION TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. Rebecca Schneider, Cornell University, 122C Fernow Hall, Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, New York 14853, 607-255-2110. Email: rls11@cornell.edu.
Currently, there are numerous research efforts focused on wetlands spread throughout a diversity of departments at Cornell. Traditionally, wetlands research at Cornell had a strongly theoretical focus. However, over the past ten years, the increased recognition of widespread environmental problems has led to more integrated projects which address combined theoretical and applied questions. Exotic plant species, such as purple loosestrife, are invading many wetlands. Several researchers are investigating how these invaders are impacting native plant communities and reducing biodiversity, and they are evaluating the effectiveness of biological methods of control (Drs. Bedford, Blossey, Yavitt).
The role of wetlands as filters for nitrogen, phosphorus and other contaminant control is highly relevant in both natural and artificial wetland systems and receiving considerable attention across the campus (Drs. Bedford, Duxbury, Hedin, Jewell, Schneider). Streamside riparian habitats provide comparable filtration functions for controlling nonpoint source pollution and their roles across the landscape are being examined using field studies, GIS, and computer-based landscape models (Drs. Howarth, Poiani, Schneider). GIS And remote sensing tools are also being used to examine wetland patterns (Dr. Degloria Barnaba). Wetlands are also a key source of methane, a trace gas produced by microbial processes, and this process is being examined as a major contributor to global warming (Drs. Ghiorse, Yavitt).
Other ongoing research projects related to wetlands include an evaluation of the stakeholder perspectives in wetland regulation (Dr. Knuth), wildfowl usage of wetlands (Dr. Malecki) and the physics of water flow across landscapes and through wetlands (Dr. Steenhuis). Wetlands are a critical component of the New York landscape and will continue to be a key focus of Cornell research.
WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES? Salome (Sally) S. Daly. Chair, New York State Wetlands Forum.
Wetlands research and the wetlands initiatives presented during this conference address symptoms - wetland and wetland function loss. Even restoration and protection may be addressing the symptoms of those losses, not the factors driving the losses, and therefore may not be successful for the long term. Much, maybe even most, wetland and wetland function loss represents economic gain for somebody. People who have participated in past Forum meetings indicated they could use economic information about who wins and who loses for the short and long term, and how much. Research on an interdisciplinary level should be carried out to compile available relevant economic information, develop formats for its presentation, make it available in the wetlands community and beyond and, with an adaptive management approach, compute additional economic information as new insights are gained.
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