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June Water Sampling is Underway

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Beckett Lansbury processes samples from the Esopus Creek. (Photo by Dan Shapley / Riverkeeper)
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Riverkeeper’s June sampling is underway, with Capt. John Lipscomb and Carol Knudson of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory on patrol from New York City to Ossining, and community scientists gathering samples from all around New York City (a project coordinated by the New York City Water Trail Association and The River Project), and in the Catskill and Esopus Creeks.

Friday, as our patrol boat continues north, Saw Kill Watershed Community will gather samples, followed on Saturday by partners gathering samples in the Rondout Creek, Wallkill River and Roeliff Jansen Kill. Next week, we will complete our sampling for the month with sampling on the Mohawk River, with SUNY Cobleskill, Middleburgh High School, SUNY Poly and Oneida Madison BOCES, and a pilot phase to explore sample sites and work through logistics for samplknig the Upper Hudson River, in collaboration with Jarrett Engineering and SUNY Cobleskill.

We’re happy to welcome Beckett Lansbury as Water Quality Program Assistant. He will be providing part time help this season in our Hudson River Port Lab at the Maritime Museum in Kingston. Beckett, a recent Bard College grad, worked with Eli Duecker, a Bard College professor coordinating efforts on the Saw Kill, who in turn was a student of Dr. Greg O’Mullan, our longtime collaborator at CUNY Queens College. We’re excited to have tapped this rich academic vein.

Beckett Lansbury processes samples from the Esopus Creek. (Photo by Dan Shapley / Riverkeeper)

Beckett Lansbury processes samples from the Esopus Creek. (Photo by Dan Shapley / Riverkeeper)

We’re also excited this month to expand sampling effort in collaboration with the Wallkill River Watershed Alliance, to gather water for analysis of algal and nutrient content. Last year, Harmful Algal Blooms were observed on the Wallkill, and this year, thanks to the same grant, we’ll be prepared to gather data to help understand when algal blooms occur, and what underlying conditions may trigger them.

We’re also working with the Alliance and Dr. Jillian Decker of SUNY Rockland to test protocols for observation of algal blooms. Because Harmful Algal Blooms can produce toxins that can cause illness or worse, for people, wildlife and pets if ingested or inhaled – that’s why they are called Harmful – visual observation is an important and safe alternative to sampling in many cases. Most algal blooms are not harfmul, though they may violate New York State Water Quality Standards if they inhibit recreation or aesthetics and are caused by excessive nutrients.

Today, we had our first report filled out, for an algal bloom on the Esopus Creek near the new boat launch. While the focus of the effort is the Wallkill, it’s helpful to test the form and begin to gather information about other creeks where possible.

Algal bloom reporting form, developed by Wallkill River Watershed Alliance. (Photo by Dan Shapley / Riverkeeper)

Algal bloom reporting form, developed by Wallkill River Watershed Alliance. (Photo by Dan Shapley / Riverkeeper)

The nutrient and algae sampling, ongoing support of the Wallkill River Watershed Alliance, and lab assistance, are made possible because of a grant from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, via the Hudson River Estuary Program.

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