Comparative Limnology of the Eight Eastern Finger Lakes

2005 - 2011

John D HalfmanEnvironmental Studies Program

Department of GeoscienceFinger Lakes Institute

7th Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference

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

Limestone vs. Shales & SandstonesSedimentary Rocks

Forested vs. AgriculturalLandscapes

Bedrock Land Use

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

• Parameters– CTD Cast (SeaBird SBE-25)

• Cond, Temp, Depth, Turb, Chlor, DO, pH– Secchi Disc Depth– Surface & Bottom Water Analyses

• Total Phosphates– Since 2006

• Dissolved Phosphates• Nitrates & Silica• Chlorophyll-a• Total Suspended Solids• Total Coliform & E. coli Bacteria

– 2005 only• Major Ions (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4)

Seneca LakeSince 19944 (occasionally 9) SitesStreams

Owasco Lake11 Lake Sites & Streams2006 & 2007, 2011

Cayuga Lake9 Lake Sites2007 & 2008

Otisco LakeAdded in 2008

CTD ProfilesSBE-25Sea Logger

Temperature10-20 m Thermocline

Specific ConductanceEpilimnion Dilution

Fluorescence & Turbidity Surface Algae & Turbidity

Seasonal Surface Dilution?

Also detected in Seneca, Owasco, Skaneateles, & Otisco Lakes

Seneca Lake - Salinity Decline

2011

CTD

Dat

a

1997-2011 April CTD Data

Groundwater Source of Salts

Seneca Lake

020406080

100120140160180200

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Year

Chl

orid

e, p

pm

JollyHalfmanOthers

Chloride DataJolly 2006, 2007

Inergy’s Storage LPGWatkins Glen

Dissolved Oxygen

FluorescenceSubsurface

Algal

Nepheloid Layers

Also detected in Canandaigua, Otisco & Owasco Lakes

Chlorophyll-a, Secchi AlgaeLargest

Surface WaterCayuga, Seneca,Honeoye, & Otisco

SmallestBottom WaterSkaneateles, Cayuga, Keuka, & Canandaigua

PhosphatesSRP & TP

Nitrates & Silica

2005 Finger Lake SurveyWater Quality & Its Protection

Finger Lake Water Quality

Water Quality

Wat

er Q

ualit

y Pr

otec

tion

Legi

slat

ion

Honeoye

Canandaigua

Keuka

Seneca

Cayuga

Owasco

Skaneateles

Worst

Wor

st

Best

Be

st

Bush, 2006, Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Bacteria (2005 Only Total Coliform & E. coli)Algae (Chlorophyll-a)Nutrients (Phosphates (TP, SRP), Nitrates)Suspended Sediments (TSS)Water Clarity (Secchi disk)

Wat

er Q

ualit

y Tr

ends

?

Algae (Chlorophyll-a)Nutrients (Phosphates, Nitrates)

Suspended Sediments (TSS)Water Clarity (Secchi disk)

Correlation with Agricultural RunoffCausation?

Agricultural Land

Exclude HoneoyeR2 = 0.98

AllR2 = 0.05

0

5

10

15

20

10 20 30 40 50 60

Agricultural Land Use (%)

Mea

n W

ater

Qua

lity

Ran

k

HoneoyeCanandaiguaKeukaSenecaCayugaOwascoSkaneatelesOtisco

Linear ( )Linear ( )

Annual Precipitation

2005 2007

2006 2008

2009

Five Years of Ranking

02468

10121416182022

Honoey

eCan

andiag

uaKeu

kaSen

eca

Cayug

aOwas

coSka

neatel

esOtis

co

Ran

k (3

7 M

ax) 2005

2006200720082009

Work in progress…

Wind Roses – Seneca Lake Buoy

Owasco Lake Phosphates (TP)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

Tota

l Pho

spha

te (u

g/L,

P)

20052006

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

Tota

l Pho

spha

te (u

g/L,

P)

200694 125 608

2007

NYS Funds – Senator Nozzolio

Seneca Lake: Nutrient Loading

Dissolved Phosphate

0

20

40

60

80

100

Sen

eca

Lake

Wils

on

Kash

ong

Keu

kaO

utle

t

Plu

m P

t.

Big

Stre

am

Ree

der

Ken

dig

Phos

phat

e (u

g/L,

SR

P) 199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009

118, 197, 145, 102, 120, 116

Seneca Lake Secchi Disk Data

Zebra Introduced

Zebra Die Off

Zebra & Quagga Rebound

Nutrient Loading?

Other VariabilityYSI Buoy Data, Seneca Lake

Finger Lakes Sample Dates

Questions?John Halfman, HWSemail: halfman@hws.edu

2011 Research Team