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New York Water Science Center publications

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Filter Total Items: 674

Evaluation of sensors for continuous monitoring of harmful algal blooms in the Finger Lakes region, New York, 2019 and 2020

In response to the increasing frequency of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, a pilot study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, was conducted to enhance CyanoHAB monitoring and understanding. High-frequency sensors were deployed on open water monitoring-station p
Authors
Brett D. Johnston, Kaitlyn M. Finkelstein, Sabina R. Gifford, Michael D. Stouder, Elizabeth A. Nystrom, Philip R. Savoy, Joshua J. Rosen, Matthew B. Jennings

Flood of October 31 to November 3, 2019, East Canada Creek, West Canada Creek, and Sacandaga River Basins

Between October 31 and November 3, 2019, historic flooding in parts of the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondack region resulted in one fatality, an estimated $33 million in damages, and the declaration of a state of emergency for 13 New York counties. Flooding resulted from high-intensity rainfall within a 24-hour period between October 31 and November 1, 2019, at the end of an October that had m
Authors
Alexander P. Graziano, Travis L. Smith, Arthur G. Lilienthal

River control points for algal productivity revealed by transport analysis

Measurement of planktonic chlorophyll-a—a proxy for algal biomass—in rivers may represent local production or algae transported from upstream, confounding understanding of algal bloom development in flowing waters. We modeled 3 years of chlorophyll-a transport through a 394-km portion of the Illinois River and found that although algal biomass is longitudinally widespread, most net production occu
Authors
Noah Schmadel, Judson Harvey, Jay Choi, Sarah M. Stackpoole, Jennifer L. Graham, Jennifer C. Murphy

Monitoring of wave, current, and sediment dynamics along the Fog Point Living Shoreline, Glenn Martin National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland

Living shorelines with salt marsh species, rock breakwaters, and sand nourishment were built along the coastal areas in the Glenn Martin National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland, in 2016 in response to Hurricane Sandy (2012). The Fog Point living shoreline at Glenn Martin National Wildlife Refuge was designed with the “headland - breakwater - embayment” pattern. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Surve
Authors
H. Wang, Q. Chen, W.D. Capurso, N. Wang, L.M. Niemoczynski, M. Whitbeck, L. Zhu, G.A. Snedden, C.A. Wilson, M.S. Brownley

Hydrologic analysis of an earthen embankment dam in southern Westchester County, New York

In 2001, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection installed 25 wells on the southern embankment of the Hillview Reservoir in Westchester County in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the source of a large seep (seep A) that began flowing continuously in 1999. In 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey began a cooperative study with the NYCDEP to characterize the hydrology of the local groun
Authors
Anthony Chu, Michael L. Noll, William D. Capurso, Robert J. Welk

24 hours on the Arthur Kill

No abstract available.
Authors
Kaitlyn M. Finkelstein

Underwater flashlights: What light can tell us about water quality

Water is essential for life. The particles and dissolved chemicals found in rivers, lakes, and oceans are constantly changing with weather, seasons, and human activities. The substances found in water can be helpful or harmful to humans and other organisms. New technologies allow scientists to use waterproof computers (called sensors) to record the quality of water as it changes throughout the day
Authors
Kevin Alexander Ryan, Douglas A. Burns

Flood of October 31 to November 3, 2019, in the East Canada Creek, West Canada Creek, and Sacandaga River basins in central New York

Between October 31 and November 3, 2019, historic flooding in localized areas of the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondack region in central New York State resulted in one fatality and an estimated $33 million in damages. Flooding resulted from high-intensity, hyperlocal rainfall in the region within a 24-hour period between October 31 and November 1, 2019, at the end of a much wetter than average
Authors
Alexander P. Graziano, Christopher L. Gazoorian, Travis L. Smith, Arthur G. Lilienthal

Widespread chemical dilution of streams continues as long-term effects of acidic deposition slowly reverse

Studies of recovery from acidic deposition have focused on reversal of acidification and its associated effects, but as recovery proceeds slowly, chemical dilution of surface waters is emerging as a key factor in the recovery process that has significant chemical and biological implications. This investigation uses long-term chemical records from 130 streams in the Adirondack region of New York, U
Authors
Gregory B. Lawrence, Kevin Alexander Ryan

Comprehensive assessment of macroinvertebrate community condition and sediment toxicity in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern, New York, 2021

The degradation of benthic communities (benthos) is one of four remaining beneficial use impairments (BUIs) in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern (AOC), located on the south shore of Lake Ontario in New York. The historical rationale for listing this BUI as impaired relied heavily on inferred or expected impact to benthic communities based on elevated contaminant concentrations in bed sediment
Authors
Scott D. George, Barry P. Baldigo, Scott M. Collins, David B. Clarke, Brian T. Duffy

Predicting daily river chlorophyll concentrations at a continental scale

Eutrophication is one of the largest threats to aquatic ecosystems and chlorophyll a measurements are relevant indicators of trophic state and algal abundance. Many studies have modeled chlorophyll a in rivers but model development and testing has largely occurred at individual sites which hampers creating generalized models capable of making broad-scale predictions. To address this gap, we compil
Authors
Philip R. Savoy, Judson Harvey

Thirty years of regional groundwater-quality trend studies in the United States: Major findings and lessons learned

Changes in groundwater quality have been evaluated for more than 2,200 wells in 25 Principal Aquifers in the United States based on repeated decadal sampling (once every 10 years) from 1988 to 2021. The purpose of this study is to identify contaminants with changing concentrations, the locations and magnitude of those changes, the factors driving those changes, the obstacles to interpreting the ch

Authors
Bruce D. Lindsey, Brandon J. Fleming, Phillip J. Goodling, Amanda Nicole May