Continued on page 4

Reaching a WatershedManaging our waters starts on landby Kimberly Zimmer page 4

CoastWatch: A Sound SummerUndergrads set sights on researchby Barbara A. Branca page 8

Aliens In Our WatershedEnter the fishhook water fleaby Paul C. Focazio page 10

CurrentsAquatic Nuisance Species Conference page 12Great Lakes Student Summit page 13Annual Report page 14

Fall ‘99 A Publication of the New York Sea Grant Institute Vol.28./No.2

Reaching a Watershed

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Hudson Valley Photo by NY Dept. of State

What is a watershed? Simply put,a watershed is the entire area ofland that drains into a singlestream or water body. It is theland that water, sediment anddissolved materials flow over orunder on their way to a stream,river, lake, estuary or wetland.Think of the hills in your neighbor-hood— a drop of water falling onone side of a hill flows into onewatershed, and a drop falling onthe other side may roll to another

watershed. Since a watershedencompasses all the areas thatwould contribute pollution to aparticular body of water they aregood focal points for managingcoastal resources. Watershedmanagement transcends socialand political boundaries to takeinto account the geology, topogra-phy, hydrology and pollutionimpacts of a particular area on acoastal water body.

DirectorJack MatticeAssociate DirectorDale BakerAssistant DirectorCornelia Schlenk

COASTLINESVol. 28, No. 2, Fall ‘99

Editor/WriterBarbara A. Brancabbranca@notes.cc.sunysb.edu

Contributing WriterPaul C. Focaziopfocazio@notes.cc.sunysb.eduDesignL.C. GraphicsLayoutSharon O’DonovanProduction AssistantsSharon O’DonovanSusan Hamill

Coastlines is a publication of theNew York Sea Grant Institute, acooperative program of the StateUniversity of New York and CornellUniversity, engaged in research,education and outreach concerningour marine and Great Lakesresources. Copyright © 1999New York Sea Grant, all rightsreserved. No part of this issue maybe reproduced by mechanical,photographic or electronic processor otherwise copied for public orprivate use without the writtenpermission of the publisher.

New York Sea Grant Institute121 Discovery Hall, SUNY at Stony BrookStony Brook, NY 11794-5001(631) 632-6905

New York Sea Grant Extension Offices:74 John Street, Kingston, NY 12401-3824(914) 340-3990

Cornell University Laboratory3059 Sound AvenueRiverhead, NY 11901-1098(631) 727-3910

146 Suffolk Hall, SUNY at Stony BrookStony Brook, NY 11794-5002(631) 632-8730

Morgan II, SUNY College at BrockportBrockport, NY 14420-2928(716) 395-2638

204 Jarvis Hall, SUNY at BuffaloBuffalo, NY 14260-4400(716) 645-3610

348 Roberts Hall, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY 14853-4203(607) 255-2832

101 Rich Hall,SUNY College at OswegoOswego, NY 13126-3599(315) 341-3042

From the Director

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New York Sea Grant Director Jack Mattice (left) andAssociate Director Dale Baker confer at the NYSGdisplay table during the biennial Sea Grant Week heldin Portland, Oregon in June.

Watersheds have recently become amajor focus of aquatic resourcemanagement. Before the 1960’s,watershed management by groups likethe Delaware River Basin Commissionwas concerned primarily with “crisismanagement”— preventing disastersdue to floods or ensuring equitablesupplies during droughts.

In the 1960’s and 70’s, the Clean WaterAct Amendments ushered in a moreextensive watershed managementapproach. For example, efforts were madeto ensure that the natural processes thatmaintain a stream’s oxygen levelsexceeded the oxygen demands made bysewage or chemical effluents that reduceoxygen and negatively impact life in thestream. However, these efforts wereaimed toward studying the matrix ofprocesses within the stream itself.

In contrast, current watershedmanagement takes an ecosystemapproach. This approach recognizes thatprocesses and activities in the terrestrialportion of the watershed influence waterquality and quantity in downstream—sometimes far downstream— lakes,streams and estuaries. An example of theapplication of this concept is the SoundGardening program (reported in the Fall1998 Coastlines, Vol. 27, #1), whichteaches gardening techniques that protect

the watershed by preventing the release ofnutrients from fertilizers that could pollutelocal water bodies. Such releases havebeen identified as critical contributors tothe nutrient levels in such New York watersas the Peconic Estuary.

Resource management at the watershedlevel appears sure to increase in thefuture. The US Environmental ProtectionAgency is increasing its watershed focus inregulating contaminants. And the NYSDepartment of EnvironmentalConservation is organizing consideration ofnon-point source pollution around thestate’s watersheds. Although not apanacea, the watershed seems to be alogical framework on which to makedecisions about pollutant releases.

This issue of Coastlines documents someof the work that NYSG is doing that relatesto watersheds (page 1). Research is beingconducted on Long Island Sound, a majorresource that is impacted by watershedactivities in both New York and Connecticut(pages 6-9). Extension specialists areeducating students, teachers and thegeneral public about both watershedconcepts (pages 3, 5 and 13) and non-indigenous species that have invadedmany of New York’s key watersheds(pages 10-11).

Also in this issue is a one-page budgetaryannual report. With special help from both

the New York Senate and Assembly,1998 marked the first time New YorkSea Grant’s budget passed $4 million.Even in a single table, it is easy torecognize the application of research,extension and education towarddevelopment and protection of NewYork’s coastal resources.

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In this fall Coastlines, we educate our readers about watersheds —what they are and the issues that affect the quality of our precious water resources.

Suited up and ready to board

Nordica Holochuck, NYSG Hudson Valley Specialist(kneeling at left), instructed nine K-12 teachersduring a City University of New York Hudson RiverEcology summer course that she developed. Theeducational forum, a partnership between RocklandCounty Teachers Center and Rockland CountyCornell Cooperative Extension, included fieldexplorations aboard a research vessel.

Statement of StewardshipI am proud to take stewardship of the water, land, and airin any way that I can. As I return to my home, I pledge to:

1. Study the ecology of my area2. Teach others about my area’s ecology3. Increase my own awareness of the effects that I have on the environment4. Promote wise use of products and packaging5. Devote time every year to group community service to benefit and beautify the environment6. Participate in the conservation of water, energy, and natural resources7. Get involved in local decision-making8. Invite scientists and others to help us9. Do what I know is right

Students Pledge StewardshipHelen Domske, NYSG coastal educationspecialist, helped plan and host theNYSG-co-sponsored Third Biennial GreatLakes Student Summit held in Buffalothis past May. Isaac Hunter (pictured), aDetroit student in attendance who readthe Summit’s “Statement of Stewardship,”is flanked by fellow students, East Aurorateacher John Newton (at back), andHarvey Shear of Environmental Canada(far right). See story on p. 13.

Photo courtesy of Nordica HolochuckPhoto byLaurenMakeyenko

In doing its part, New York Sea Grant supports awide range of research and outreach educationthat, as featured inside, deals with such relatedconcerns as aquatic contaminants, hypoxia andinvasive species. In addition, several NYSGextension specialists integrate water resourceeducation into their individual program efforts,including this issue’s feature writer, Kimberly Zimmer.

Says EPA Administrator Carol Browner, “Waterquality restoration across the country over thepast 25 years has had dramatic environmental,recreational and economic benefits. Despite thisprogress, serious water pollution problemspersist.” Therefore, the EPA has scheduled aNational Watershed Outreach Conference in SanDiego next April to further address the matter.

“Watershed,” continued from front cover

4

Where’s YourWatershed?

The map names the majordrainage basins inNew York State. Eachbasin in comprised ofsmaller local watersheds.Map courtesy of NYSDEC

Photo by John Hood

Participants of the Great Lakes Student Summit explored one of themost recognizable waterfalls in the world — Niagara Falls, where theNiagara River plunges over this precipitous drop (see page 13).Water reaches the Niagara River from Lakes Superior, Huron,Michigan and Erie. Further downriver, well below the falls, waterdrains into Lake Ontario.

contaminants, including fertilizers thatwash off lawns or fields, untreatedsewage from failing septic tanks,wastewater discharges from treatmentplants or industries and sediment fromconstruction sites or agricultural fields.Wherever you are, you are in a watershed.It is important to remember that whathappens on land can affect the water.

Pollution from these sources on land mayhave many impacts on the nearbywater— loss of habitat, loss ofrecreational opportunities and loss ofeconomic resources. For example,sewage treatment plants and stormwaterrunoff can contribute excessive amountsof nitrogen to the watershed. Thisnitrogen stimulates the growth of algae,blocking light that would normally reachaquatic vegetation. When the algae diesoff, the decay process uses up theoxygen in the water, leaving virtually nooxygen for fish and other organisms. Thiscondition, known as hypoxia, may occurwith some regularity and may have othercontributing factors (see “SponsoringSound Research,” page 6).

During storm events, sediments wash offinto streams and rivers of the watershed.Sediments cloud or muddy the water,smothering organisms living on thebottom, preventing light from reachingaquatic vegetation, making the waterunappealing to swimmers and increasingthe need for dredging. Sediments canalso carry toxic substances. These toxicsubstances, such as pesticides, metals,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

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Wherever you are, youare in a watershed.It is important toremember that whathappens on land canaffect the water.

“

—Kimberly ZimmerStreams and rivers pick up pollutantsfrom human activities that occur in thewatershed as they flow down to thecoast. Pollution associated with humanactivities such as farming, gardening,boating, building, driving and evenwalking the dog or washing the car mayultimately impact the quality of coastalwaters. For example, as a river orstream flows through an urbanized orrural area it can gather various

5

Watershed Tips

What happens in your watershedcan affect another, sometimeshundreds of miles away. Helpprotect your watershed andcoastal waters by becominginformed and getting involved.

◗ Follow proper lawn careand waste disposalpractices. Use pesticidesand fertilizers sparinglyand correctly. Compostorganic waste.

◗ Learn how to properlydispose of toxicsubstances. Manyareas have hazardouswaste collection daysor sites for disposing paint,automotive fluidsand cleaning products.

◗ Curb your dog andproperly dispose of petwaste by placing it inthe trash. Do not leave it onthe ground or throw itdown a storm drain. Petwaste contains bacteriaand viruses that cancontaminate shellfish andcause the closing ofbathing areas.

◗ Inspect your septic tankannually if you have one.Pump it out every 3 to 5years. Propermaintenance and carefulwaste disposal willprolong the life ofyour system and preventdischarge of untreatedsewage to ground andsurface waters.

◗ Pick up litter when yousee it. Make sure toproperly dispose of yourown trash and rememberto recycle.

The lower Hudson River is the site of current SeaGrant research and extension efforts. Hudson Valleyspecialist Nordica Holochuck’s activities includeoutreach for a submerged aquatic vegetationworkshop at the Institute for Ecological Studiessponsored by NYSDEC, Cornell University and NYSG.

Photo by Hudson Roditi

and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs), can accumulate in sedi-ments and aquatic organisms. Toxicmaterials can also enter throughstorm drains, industrial and sewagetreatment plant discharges andautomobile, factory and power plantemissions.

Pathogens, disease-causing micro-organisms such as bacteria andviruses, are also present in water-

sheds and can be carried by runoff.Some sources of pathogens areuntreated or poorly treated sewage,combined sewer overflows andanimal waste. In elevated amounts,waterborne pathogens often resultin beach and shellfish bed closures.

Litter or debris, washing in fromboth storm drains and the tide, isone of the more widespread pollu-tion problems found in coastalecosystems. Debris comes frommany sources, including improperdisposal of trash on land,stormwater runoff and combinedsewer overflows and seagoingvessels. Once litter gets intocoastal waters, it can adverselyaffect wildlife, the environment,humans and our economy.

Today there are many watershedmanagement efforts underway in

New York State (see map on page 4for locations) which strive to under-stand the cumulative environmentalimpacts on our coastal waters andways to mitigate these impacts. Thiswatershed management approachprovides an opportunity for municipali-ties and non-governmental organiza-tions to work together within a de-fined geographical area to considerthe relationship between land useand the impacts to surface and

ground water during thedecision-making pro-cess. Watershedstranscend political,social and economicboundaries and there-fore, it is important toinclude all interestswhen designing andimplementing a water-shed plan. As ourpopulation grows, thedemands imposed onour natural resourcesincrease, and protectingthese resources for allA heron wades in Downs Creek which drains into Great Peconic

Bay. The watershed for the Peconic Bays is comprised of the fiveeast end townships of Long Island.

Photo by Ken Rubino

their natural, economic,and aesthetic valuesbecomes even moreimportant.

—Kimberly Zimmer

New York Sea GrantExtension Support Specialist

6

Since 1914, scientists have beenkeeping track of water temperatureand other physical and chemicalproperties from monitoring station E10near Hart Island, a tiny teardrop islandin western Long Island Sound. That’sone of the reasons why Larry Swansonand Robert Wilson began their currentNYSG-funded project to create a usefulmodel to explain the annual conditionof hypoxia in western Long IslandSound. By examining the historicaldata, these two faculty researchersfrom the Marine Sciences ResearchCenter (MSRC) at SUNY Stony Brookcan look at long-term cycles that affecthypoxia. Wilson, a physicaloceanographer, and Swanson, directorof the Waste Reduction andManagement Institute (WRMI) atMSRC, say that their findings will beused to evaluate the benefits of futuremanagement proposals such as the

costly upgrade of sewage treatmentplants to remove nutrients fromwaste effluent.

Using the data of half a century,Wilson and Swanson have definedprecisely the annual hypoxia cycle(see graph below), creating a model

SponsoringSoundResearch

that shows the strong roles thephysical and climatological factors playas they bring about summertime waterstratification and then hypoxia.According to them, much of the yearlycycle and a portion of variation fromthat cycle can be explained by thephysics of the site.

Location makes Hart Island a likelyhotspot for hypoxia. To the southwestis one of the mouths of the East Riverwhere outflow from many New York Citysewage treatment plants enters theSound. To the northeast is theHempstead sill, a region of relativelyshallow depths which serves to isolatethe deeper waters of the westernSound. According to Wilson, threefactors contribute to the evolution ofannual hypoxia conditions. First, thereare the winds which cause stirring ofthe water. Secondly, there is heating,especially of surface waters, andfinally, the inflow of freshwater fromboth the East and Hudson rivers.“These physical factors have acontrolling role in the onset, severityand duration of hypoxia,” saysSwanson. He continues, “This preciseanalysis of hypoxia’s cause is of greatimportance especially whenmunicipalities and managers proposeupgrades from secondary to tertiarysewage treatment.” If climatologicalfactors contribute to the loss ofoxygen, upgrading sewage treatment atgreat cost will not necessarily relievehypoxic conditions.

The graph’s solid circles show monthly averaged values for dissolvedoxygen on the bottom of western Long Island Sound over four years. Thesolid line represents the annual hypoxia cycle based on historical data.

Graph courtesy of Robert Wilson

Because the graph is based on averages, there are differences or anomaliesfrom year to year or between individual observations. Wilson and Swanson aredetermining what fraction of the variance in these anomalies is associated withphysical forcing—changes in surface heating, wind stirring and freshwater inflowthat affect stratification and ultimately oxygen content on the bottom.

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Jan1991

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Bottom DO; NYDEP Station E10

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Wind stirring, heating,and freshwater inflowcontribute to hypoxiain western Long IslandSound.

“

—Dr. Robert Wilson

Monitoring station E10 in western Long Island Sound has been the site of hypoxiastudies by NYSG-funded researchers Swanson and Wilson.

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Low tide along this dock on LongIsland’s north shore reveals thestructure made of treated wood.

“Musseling” in onHeavy Metal

Also at the Marine Sciences ResearchCenter’s WRMI, Vincent Breslin hasbeen studying another aspect of LongIsland Sound—its metal content. Withinthe Sound’s sediments, metal contentmeasures higher than in many othercomparable US coastal waters. WesternLong Island Sound is especially enrichedin contaminant metals that come fromtreated sewage discharges, industrialwastewater and particles from theatmosphere. Recently, there has beenconcern about the potential toxic effectson fish, crabs and algae from metalsleaching from the treated wood used toconstruct docks and bulkheads. NYSGresearch has been conducted toscientifically test this.

In a NYSG-funded research projectconducted between 1997-1998, Breslinand then Sea Grant Scholar Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook conducted laboratory and fieldexperiments to examine the effects oftreated wood that is commonly used inpiers and pilings on the mortality andgrowth of a common invertebrate—theblue mussel. The construction materialof choice is often southern yellow pinetreated with chromated copper arsenatetype C. In Breslin’s experiment, bluemussels were exposed to treated woodand sampled regularly to measure howmuch copper, chromium and arsenic hadbeen taken up by the mussels. Just howmuch of these metal contaminants hadleached out of the wood and beeningested by the filter-feeding mollusks?The experiment showed few differencesbetween the exposed and controlmussels. The results are attributed tothe low rate of release of these elementsfrom the treated wood and thecontinuous flushing which prohibits theaccumulation of these elementssurrounding the mussels.

In other related work with MSRC/WRMI’sSergio Sañudo-Wilhelmy, Breslin hassampled sediments from Port JeffersonHarbor to find the spatial distribution of

—Barbara A. Branca

Photos by Vincent Breslin

Top:Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook using aperforated tube todistribute waterevenly over asubmergedtreated woodsample.

Right: Collectingblue mussels.

metals and find the sources of contaminantsinto the harbor. Metals such as silver, copper,iron, nickel, lead, vanadium and zinc varywidely in concentration. One thing appearscertain. The higher metal concentrations arelocated in the fine-grained inner harborsediments and in the water column, metalconcentrations was increased 1.2 to 10 foldin the inner harbor surface water incomparison to Long Island Sound watercollected outside the mouth of the harbor.

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The experimentshowed fewdifferencesbetween bluemusselsexposed totreated woodand the controlmussels.

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—Dr. Vincent Breslin

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No one came asan observer onany cruise . . .““

—Dr. Josephine AllerREU ProgramCoordinator

A Sound SummerSummer cruises, beautiful views, andof course, lots of tiring work aboardresearch vessels filled the days andnights for eight students chosen for theResearch Experience forUndergraduates (REU) program thissummer at the Marine SciencesResearch Center (MSRC) at SUNYStony Brook. A diverse group ofacademically talented undergraduatesfrom a wide variety of universities wasselected to participate in this highly

prestigious program. New YorkSea Grant sponsored one of thestudents and the other sevenwere funded by the NationalScience Foundation. According toDr. Josephine Aller, associateprofessor at MSRC and programcoordinator, the focus of thesummer program was to studythe causes and impacts ofsummertime hypoxiadevelopment in Long IslandSound. To do so, the REUprogram’s fellows and mentorsestablished stations along thewest-east axis of Long IslandSound extending from the HartIsland/Execution Rocks vicinity inthe western Sound to PortJefferson Harbor. “We centeredour seabed and water column

sampling around a main study site nearExecution Rocks,” said Aller. “A widevariety of atmospheric, physical,geological, chemical, biogeochemicaland biological data was collected atthese stations during three cruises onthe RV/Onrust and three aboard theRV/Privateer throughout the eight weeks.”

According to MSRC’s Robert Wilson,mentor to Fellow Darren Robinson, “Bystarting the sampling in early June thencontinuing into mid-July, students couldsee the evolution of hypoxia thissummer.” They were able to experiencefirst hand the three most importantfactors which contribute to the Sound’shypoxia: surface heating, wind stirringand freshwater inputs such as outfallfrom sewage treatment plants in the EastRiver and freshwater from the Hudson.

Within sight of the ThrogsNeck Bridge, REU FellowsGretchen Flack (left) andAnne Prusak cruise westernLong Island Sound aboard theRV/Onrust. Prusak wassponsored by NYSG for theeight-week program.

Prusak (left) and Flack collect watersamples from a Niskin bottle.

Coast

. . . Everyone pitchedin and helpedcollect samples anddata . . .

““

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Above photo: (left to right)Chun-Der Li and Josephine Allerrealign a VanVeen grab sampler.The sampler’s contents, emptiedinto the pan, will be used toenumerate bottom-dwellinganimals and analyze grain size.

Bottom right photo:All hands on the deck of RV/Onrust. Standing from left: LizScordato (a non-REU summerresearch fellow), Darren Robinson,Chun-Der Li, Grace Tan (MITundergrad) and Carrie Loughlin.Seated (left to right): KateRodriguez, Gretchen Flack, AnnePrusak, Anthony Richey andJosephine Aller, REU coordinator.Missing is Alison Sweeney whoseproject entailed measuring tracemetals in the Sound that resultfrom human activity.

Darren Robinson (left) and MSRC graduate student,Angelos Hannides, retrieve a box core. Its contentswill be used to analyze the oxygen and nutrientsimmediately overlying the sediment.

Each studentcontributed to theinterdisciplinarystudy of the site,whether scanningthe seabedtopography,measuringphytoplanktonproductivity orcollectingmeteorological data. New York Sea Grant-funded Fellow Anne Prusak, aStony Brook undergraduate who hails from a town within the AdirondackPark in upstate New York, worked with mentor Mary Scranton to measuremethane production in the water column and seabed as influenced by thedevelopment of hypoxia. “Normally there are up to two centimeters ofoxygenated surface sediment in the Sound,” reported Prusak. “As hypoxicconditions set in, the oxygen decreases and we would expect the methaneconcentrations to increase throughout the water column and within thesediment. Through a series of chemical reactions, oxygen, nitrogen,magnesium and iron are depleted. Then several terminal reactions are likelyto produce the methane you see in the sediment.”

Says Aller, mentor to Fellow Chun-Der Li who studied changes in bacteria inthe Sound’s water column and sediments, “No one came as an observeron any cruise. Everyone pitched in and helped collect samples and data,even if it meant worms, clams and staining, smelly mud.”

—Barbara A. Branca

. . . even if it meantworms, clams andstaining, smellymud.

““

Photos courtesy of Josephine Aller

Watch

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Sea Grant ScholarHudson Roditi, basedat SUNY StonyBrook, with zebramussels in a depura-tion chamber.

Photo by IanStupakoff

Another ExoticInvades LakeOntario

As of August 1998, severalindependent reports,including those conductedby NYSG-funded researcherJoseph Makarewicz and theEnvironmental ProtectionAgency, confirm theexistence of Cercopagispengoi in Lake Ontario.Based on recent findings,Makarewicz says it is likelythat this deepwaterzooplankter, a native to theCaspian and Aral Seas thathas invaded salt and freshwater environments inRussia, Bulgaria andUkraine, will make its wayinto other Great Lakes. Inearly September, the“fishhook water flea” wasreported in Lake Michigan.Makarewicz is conductingresearch to develop afundamental understandingof this microscopic alien:what it eats, how it behaves,how it reproduces and howit will impact the LakeOntario food web.

Aquatic nuisance species. Just what arethey and why should New Yorkers beconcerned? When these non-nativeanimals or plants enter our waterways,they often compete with native species,sometimes with devastating effects.

Of greatest concern is the effect of thezebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, andits relative, the quagga mussel, Dreissenabugensis. These nuisance mollusks havebeen shown to impact the habitat, foodweb and biodiversity of both Lake Erie andLake Ontario. Because zebra musselsfeed on phytoplankton and detritus, it islikely that they have helped clear thelakes of food sources normally used bytiny zooplankton. In turn, the decline of

zooplankton populations could alter naturalfood webs and result in fewer fish of allkinds, particularly predatory sportfishsuch as trout, salmon and bass.

According to NYSG’s Chuck O’Neill,combating the zebra mussel has cost NewYork State’s public and privateinfrastructure at least $28 million over thelast decade. The impacts have affectedelectric power generation, food processing,drinking water facilities and residentialwater supplies as well as other industriesthat rely on surface water for cooling orflushing. Much of this financial jolt is theresult of the fouling of raw water intakes bythe zebra mussel, which translates to theloss of pumping ability, clogged andcorroded pipes, obstructed valves,obnoxious smells from decayed musselsand inoperable sprinkler systems.

New York is also experiencing ecological impactson native species caused by the recent invasionsof several other species like the blueback herringin the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario, the roundgoby in the eastern basin of Lake Erie and theNew Zealand mud snail in Lake Ontario. Raisingconcern, too, is the introduction of the “fishhookwater flea,” Cercopagis pengoi, into Lake Ontario,which Brockport-based NYSG-funded researcherJoseph Makarewicz is addressing along withEdward Mills and Lars Rudstam (both CornellUniversity affiliates) and University of Windsor’sHugh MacIsaac (see sidebar). The recentinvasion of Cayuga Lake by the Asian clam mayalso cause infrastructure and ecological impacts.And from the Great Lakes region to the HudsonValley and Long Island, there is concern forchanging habitat and biodiversity caused bynonindigenous plants such as purple loosestrife,Phragmites, waterchestnut, and the Eurasianwater milfoil.

As zebra mussels are ubiquitous and abundant inmany major freshwater ecosystems in New Yorkand elsewhere, New York Sea Grant devotes aportion of its research efforts to studying theecological effects of these aliens in ourwatersheds. Very little is known about theirinfluence on the biogeochemical cycling ofmetals, for example. In response, NYSG-fundedresearcher Nicholas Fisher has evaluated thedaily processes and functions of zebra musselsto assess the role they play in influencing metalcycling in freshwater ecosystems. Fisher’s intentin the Hudson River region study, which wascompleted in January 1998, was also toevaluate the use of these organisms asbioindicators for the presence of toxicmetals in fresh water.

During the study, zebra mussels wereplaced in a “depuration chamber,” apurification chamber that mimics theirnatural environment. NYSG Scholar onFisher’s project, Hudson Roditi(pictured illustrating the concept),explains that these mussels wereinitially exposed to food contaminatedwith radioisotopes of metals such assilver, cadmium, chromium or mercury.The mussels were then placed in theaquarium, each in its own small cup,and fed suspended algal food fromfiltered Hudson River water. Periodicallythe mussels were removed from thewater and placed in a gamma

Cercopagis pengoiPhoto by Joseph Makarewicz

Aliensin Our Watersheds

Continued opposite page

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radiation counter, where theirradioactivity was measured. Then themussels were returned to the aquariumand allowed to further depurate. SaysRoditi, “The measurements make itpossible to calculate how long it takesfor the zebra mussels to be free of themetal contaminants.”

Sandra Nierzwicki-Bauer, Director ofRennselaer Polytechnic Institute’s DarrinFresh Water Institute on Lake George, iscurrently developing a genetic probingmethod whereby water samples can bequickly and simply screened for zebramussel young without going to thelaboratory for identification. An importantobjective and extension of the project isto cooperate with industries that areconcerned with the colonization of theirfacilities by zebra mussels. In a 1998New York Times article, Nierzwicki-Bauerwas referred to as one of the fewbiologists who has gained “a toeholdagainst the pesky mussel.” Her NYSG-funded work also explores the possibilityof developing a commercial productbased on the probe technology that maybe of interest to other agencies for usewith numerous molluscan species.

On Lake Ontario, where Cornell affiliateLars C. Rudstam completed his NYSG-funded study on “The Role ofEmbayments and Inshore Areas asNursery Grounds for Young-of-Year (YOY)Alewife and Other Species” in early1999, nonindigenous species such as

alewife and rainbow smelt have had asignificant impact on its ecosystem. Overall,Rudstam said, “This research will helpmanagement agencies designateappropriate locations for monitoringzooplankton in Lake Ontario and will providebasic information for the continuing effortsto model the dynamics of the lake’s alewifepopulations.”

To determine how changes in nutrient levelsand exotic mussels are affecting the LakeErie food web and the future of the fishcommunity, Cornell affiliate Edward L. Millsinitiated a multi-agency fisheries effort inFebruary 1998. He is studying theinteractions among the number of smeltproduced by eastern Lake Erie, growth ratesof predatory fish such as smallmouth bass,walleye and lake trout and changes in thelake’s ability to support fish. “This will helpus understand how lowered nutrient levelsfrom phosphorous reductions and zebramussel infestations will aid in theprediction of future fish production,” Millssaid. As such findings unfold, plans canbe made to better manage Lake Erie’sfisheries resources.

More than 145 exotic species have success-fully invaded the Great Lakes, with 15 fishspecies having found their way into LakeOntario. Over the last two decades, it isestimated that one out of every 10 exoticshas had serious impacts on Great Lakesecosystems. As this alien invasion contin-ues to be an issue into the 21st century,providing aquatic nuisance species researchand outreach to legislators, agencies,scientists, the media and the public willcontinue to be a mission ofNew York Sea Grant.

— Paul C. Focazio

According to NYSG-fundedresearcher Ed Mills, “Thesignificance of the problemincurred by aquatic nuisancespecies will present a challenge tomanagers and stakeholders alike,”emphasizing the need forprevention and control action.

Photo by Cornell UniversityPhotography

Finding theCorridor

“Our results will help uspredict the geographic andecological impacts of thisspecies in the Great Lakes,pointing us in the directionof potential mechanisms ofcontrol,” Makarewicz says.“In addition, these findingswill provide the scientificbackground informationneeded for the developmentof informed managementpolicies of important GreatLakes fisheries that may beimpacted.”

Makarewicz, based near theshore of Lake Ontario atSUNY Brockport, placesmuch importance ondetermining the “invasioncorridors” of the species.“Because Cercopagis has amuch more confineddistribution in Eurasia thanmost other exotic speciesthat have established in theGreat Lakes, the opportu-nity to identify its invasioncorridor is very good. Byidentifying the invasionroute of the species, wecan pinpoint the location ofits introduction, therebypreventing new introduc-tions and perhaps providingan understanding in how toreduce the spread ofestablished populations.”

Lake George, site of

Darrin Fresh Water Institute

Photo by Sharon O’Donovan

Continued from opposite page

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With a backdrop of Lake Superior, the9th International Zebra Mussel and Aquatic NuisanceSpecies Conference was held in April in Duluth,Minnesota and hosted by Minnesota Sea Grant.New York Sea Grant specialist Chuck O’Neill was afeatured presenter. During his presentation, “TheNational Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse: ANew Vision for the New Millennium,” O’Neilladdressed the history and successes of theClearinghouse, as well as the directions the aquaticnuisance species library project is expected to takein the coming years. The conference was also thevenue for the official “roll out” of Sea Grant’sNational Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse’snew searchable bibliographic database on theClearinghouse’s World Wide Web site,<www.cce.cornell.edu/seagrant/nansc>.

In a presentation entitled “The Impact of NationwideZebra Mussel Outreach Programming,” O’Neilloutlined the activities and accomplishments of thefour-year project which saw Sea Grant educatorsfrom six programs (NY, MN, NC, CT, LA and IL-IN)plan and implement zebra mussel outreachprograms. The varied programs ranged from satelliteteleconferences to multiday, multistate workshopsacross the US and from the production ofinformation bulletins on zebra mussel impacts andcontrol to public service TV commercials. Thisnationwide initiative, the brainchild of NYSGspecialist O’Neill, is credited with the start-up of theWestern Zebra Mussel Task Force, 17 state andprovincial zebra mussel task forces and workgroups, and helped in the development of theWestern Regional Panel on Aquatic NuisanceSpecies.

In a related presentation, NYSG specialist HelenDomske recounted the successes of the award-winning Great Lakes Sea Grant Network ExoticSpecies Day Camp Teacher Training Initiative that

Photos courtesy of Minnesota Sea Grant

ANS ConferenceANS Conferencea Successa Success

Dr. James Carlton (center), who received an awardfrom the ANS Task Force, is flanked by (left toright) Minnesota Sea Grant’s Jeff Gunderson,Congressman James Oberstar and Gary Edwards,co-chair of the ANS Task Force.

introduced more than 125 teachersfrom throughout the Great Lakes Basinto an array of educational resources onexotic aquatic species, much of itdeveloped by Sea Grant programs.

New York Sea Grant researchers MarcFrischer of the Skidaway Institute ofOceanography, and Sandra Nierzwicki-Bauer of the Rensselaer PolytechnicInstitute, presented their research onzebra mussels as possible biomonitorsor filters of the protozoan pathogensCryptosporidium and Giardia. They alsopresented research on the differentialsurvival of zebra mussel veligers and

juveniles in Lake George. Daniel Molloy, of theBiological Survey of the New York State Museum,presented his research on the natural enemies ofzebra mussels and the use of bacteria for zebramussel control. Molloy is soon to be engaged in aNYSG-funded research project.

A high point of the conference came when theFederal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Forcepresented long-time NYSG supporter Dr. JamesCarlton of the Williams College, Mystic SeaportMaritime Studies Program with an award for hisceaseless efforts to combat the serious globalproblem of nonindigenous organism introduction.

In addition to presenting at the conference,O’Neill’s coastal resource expertise was alsorecently showcased on “Aquatic Invaders,” a 30-minute television special that premeired on CNBCin August. See NYSG’s website for more details.

—Chuck O’NeillCoastal Resources Specialist

13

New York Sea Grant and the Great LakesProgram at the University at Buffalo were proudto help sponsor the third Biennial Great LakesStudent Summit (GLSS). The event brought over260 students, volunteers and teachers togetherin Buffalo, New York, from May 12-14, 1999.Participants, representing 17 schools, 6counties, 3 states and 2 countries, cametogether to learn about the Great Lakes andshare their research and environmentalawareness. The theme for 1999, “The GreatLakes: Your Concerns, Our Concerns, Areas ofConcern,” encouraged students to examine theirlocal environmental concerns while learningabout the International Joint Commission’sAreas of Concern (AOC).

Helen Domske, NYSG coastal educationspecialist and associate director of the GreatLakes Program, has been part of the planningteams and has served as a co-host andworkshop presenter for each of the StudentSummits since their inception six years ago.According to Domske, “ Every GLSS gets betterand better. I am truly amazed by the knowledge,interest and environmental savvy of thesestudents. They are the best and brightest, andthey will go on to be formidable stewards of theGreat Lakes.”

During the event, students were involved inworkshops, field experiences and sharingsessions, learning from agency representatives,other outside experts and each other about theGreat Lakes and AOC. One evening was spentexploring Niagara Falls, from the thunderingwaters of the cataract to the deserted quiet ofthe former Love Canal site. A visit to theAquarium of Niagara brought them eye-to-eyewith Great Lakes fishes, including sturgeon,trout, salmon and catfish.

The final day found the participants getting to knowthe biology, geology or chemistry of the GreatLakes through trips to Tifft Nature Preserve, PennDixie Paleontological Outdoor Education Center, awater pumping station and local wastewatertreatment plant. Then students boarded ship tocruise the Buffalo River, a local AOC, where theylearned about the river from experts. The highlightof the cruise was a rendezvous with an electro-shocking boat of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.The fishery biologists provided living proof of thebiological diversity of the river, a sign that theecosystem is improving. Students were amazed bythe sight of a huge carp, a large northern pike andseveral common goldfish which had been identifiedas exotic invaders during one of the studentworkshops.

The most memorable experience of the entireevent was the creation and delivery of theStatement of Stewardship that was presented to apanel of representatives from local, state and U.S.and Canadian federal governments (see page 3).The students’ commitment, determination andgenuine concern for the Great Lakes expressed bythat statement impressed the distinguished panel.When the event was over and students exchangedmementos and hugs, they left with a pledge tocontinue their stewardship efforts for the GreatLakes. Event organizers left with a feeling of hopefor the future, knowing that these students arebetter prepared for their stewardship roles.Sponsors knew that they should begin at once toplan the Fourth Biennial to keep this environmentalmomentum going. Government and agencyrepresentatives left knowing that the nextgeneration is preparing to take over where theyleave off and will continue to work to keep thelakes GREAT!

Students test water quality aboard the Niagara Clipper with help fromMike Goehle, assistant manager of the BSC Great Lakes Center FieldStation (seated) and Buffalo teacher Karen Arnold (center).

StudentsKeeptheLakesGreat

—Helen DomskeCoastal Education Specialist

14

Annual Report

—Stefanie MassucciFiscal Officer

New York Sea Grant Institute Funding 1998(State, Federal, and Other Funds Allocated in Calendar Year 1998)

*Includes funds committed to continuation of specific projects/activities, and projects slated to begin in 1999

Program AdministrationCommunicationsExtensionResearch and Scholars

Economic LeadershipCoastal Ecosystem Health and Public SafetyInitiatives and National Investments

NOAA Partnership InvestmentNon-Indigenous Species InvestmentMarine Biotechnology InvestmentBrown Tide Research Initiative (BTRI)

Percent of Above Research Funds Allocated to ScholarsTotal Research and Scholars

Additional ActivitiesFellowshipsConferences/Workshops/Special ProjectsRegional ActivitiesSSER Technical Advisory Committee AdministrationBTRI Administration and OutreachTotal Additional Activities

Total Funds Allocated

Unallocated/Pending Committed Carryover Funds*Additional Non-Federal Cost-Sharing or In-Kind Support

$585,015$171,010

$1,500,726

$629,663$463,259

$61,773$100,858$181,100$479,275

13.3%$1,915,928

$82,363$14,906$35,421$30,202$32,949

$195,841

$4,368,520

$935,040$1,174,866

43.9%

3.9%4.5%

13.4%

34.3%

Research (Includes Scholars)

ExtensionProgram Administration

CommunicationsAdditional Activities

Distribution of All Funding Among Program Elements

$0

$1

$2

$3

$4

$5

Other FundsCore State AppropriationCore Federal Award

19

98

--

19

97

--1

99

6 --

19

95

--1

99

4 --

19

93

--1

99

2 --

19

91

--

19

90

--1

98

9 --

19

88

--

19

87

--1

98

6 --

19

85

--1

98

4 --

19

83

--1

98

2 --

19

81

--1

98

0 --

19

79

--1

97

8 --

19

76

-77

--1

97

4-7

5 --

19

73

-74

--1

97

2-7

3 --

19

71

-72

--1

96

9-7

0 --

All

Fundin

g R

ece

ived

(in m

illio

ns)

Years of Support

New York Sea Grant Funding(Since Inception)

Funding Sources(1998)

Note: "Other" includes additional state, federal, Cornell, SUNY and private funds received by NYSG program.

9.9%

51.6%

38.5%

Planting Guides

A series of threefact sheets, eachspotlightingdifferent plantspecies indigenousto New York State’sMarine District.Complied by NYSGextensionspecialist BobKent, the setincludesinformation on theecologicalimportance ofnative coastalgrasses, including

15

New YorkSea Grant Board ofGovernors

Dr. Kraig AdlerVice Provost for Life SciencesCornell University

Dr. D. Merrill EwertDirector, CornellCooperative ExtensionCornell University

Dr. Marvin GellerVice Chair of Boardof Governors;Dean and Director,Marine SciencesResearch CenterSUNY at Stony Brook

Dr. Theodore L. HullarDirector, Centerfor EnvironmentCornell University

Dr. James LassoieChair, Department ofNatural ResourcesCornell University

Dr. Daryl B. LundChair of Board ofGovernors; The Ronald P. LynchDean, Cornell University

Mr. Joseph L. MagnoManaging DirectorOffice of EntrepreneurialPartnership, SUNY

Dr. Jack Y. NarayanInterim Dean of GraduateStudies & Research,SUNY Oswego

Dr. H. Lorraine OakAssociate Dean forInterdisplinary AffairsSUNY at Buffalo

Mr. Francis PordumDerby, NY

Dr. William TullyVice President forAcademic AffairsSUNY College ofEnvironmental Scienceand Forestry

Ex OfficioMembersMr. Gordon ColvinDirector ofMarine ResourcesNYS Dept. of EnvironmentalConservation

Mr. Robert CrowderPolicy Analyst, Divisionof Policy & ResearchNYS Department ofEconomic Development

Marine Mammals & Turtles of theU.S. Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico

A full-color 130-page field guidefeaturing descriptions,photographs, illustrations anddistribution maps of the region’swhales, dolphins, seals,manatees and sea turtles. $25.

Ordering PublicationsPlease send requests for thefollowing recent publicationsalong with a self-addressedlabel and check payable to:

New York Sea Grant InstituteCommunications121 Discovery HallSUNY at Stony BrookStony Brook, NY 11794-5001(516) 632-9124

Journal ReprintsAccumulation of copper, chromium, and arsenic in blue mussels (Mytilusedulis) from laboratory and field exposures to wood treated withchromated copper arsenate type C. Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook and Vincent T.Breslin. 1999. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18(2):213-221.$1.00

Occurrence of Bythotrephes cederstroemi in Lake Ontario offshore waters.Joseph C. Makarewicz and H. Douglas Jones. 1990. Journal Great LakesResearch 16(1):143-147. $1.00

Occurrence of macrophytes in the nearshore waters of Lake Ontario.Joseph C. Makarewicz and R. C. Dilcher. 1988. Journal of Great LakesResearch 14(4):405-410. $1.00

Rates and routes of trace element uptake in zebra mussels. Hudson A.Roditi and Nicholas S. Fisher. 1999. Limnology and Oceanography44(7):1730-1749. $1.00

Release of copper, chromium and arsenic from CCA-C treated lumber inestuaries. V. T. Breslin and L. Adler-Ivanbrook. 1997. Estuarine, Coastal andShelf Science 46:111-125. $1.00

New York Sea Grant PublicationsBrown Tide Research Initiative Report #3. Patrick Dooley. 1999. Free.

Coastal Educators News. H. David Greene, Editor. Bi-monthly. Free

Dreissena! Charles R. O’Neill, Editor. Bi-monthly. $30 for 1-Year Subscription

National Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse Brochure. Charles R.O’Neill, Editor. Free

Oceans: Into the Next Millennium of Oceanographic Research. NationalOceanographic Administration. 1998. Free

Watershed Sciences for Educators. Karen Edelstein, Nancy Trautmann, andMarianne Krasny. 1999. $39.99 payable to Cornell. (To order: CornellUniversity Media and Technology Services Resource Center, 7 Business andTechnology Park, Ithaca, NY, 14850)

Surf this fall with Sea GrantIn addition to being the focus of aforthcoming redesign plan,www.seagrant.sunysb.edu, New York SeaGrant’s web site, features a variety ofadditional nuances this season, including:

• Revised “Publications & PublicRelations”pages, including a currentlist of NYSG’s available publicationsas well as a Sea Grant timelineproviding dozens of media releasesand articles that highlight theprogram’s extension, research andeducation efforts

• The latest on NYSG’s newly- added,eighth extension office atPlattsburgh SUNY, a LakeChamplain initiative

• Soon-to-be added: Coastlines,Fall 1999; BTRI #4, Fall 1999; andSeafood Technology pages

Plan

tin

g G

uide

AmericanBeachgrass

American beach grass, smooth cord grass,seaside goldenrod and Indiangrass. Free.

Monkfish with Zucchiniand YogurtIngredients1 lb. monkfish fillets2 zucchini, medium1/4 cup water2 tbsp. margarine1/2 cup white wine, dry

MethodTrim the monkfish and cut at an angle in 1 1/2-inch slices. Wash zucchini andcut into 2 to 3 inch long wedges. Put water, 1 tbsp. margarine, and zucchini insaucepan. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.Grease a baking dish. Place monkfish slices in one layer and add the wine.Cover dish loosely and bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 375o. Drain pan liquids intoa skillet. Add minced shallots and optional tbsp. of butter. Reduce liquid overhigh heat to less than 1/2 cup. Add yogurt, stirring constantly with a wirewhisk. Beat egg in a small bowl. Stir some of the hot liquid into the egg towarm, and then add to the hot liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauceis thickened, about 2 or 3 minutes. Do not boil. Spoon the sauce onto a warmplate. Arrange the fish slices and zucchini wedges on the sauce.Recipe developed by the Food and Nutrition Committee of Massachusetts Cooperative Extension.

SeafoodCorner

New York Sea Grant121 Discovery HallSUNY Stony BrookStony Brook, New York11794-5001

New York Sea Grantprovides equal opportunitiesin employment andprogramming. Coastlines isprinted on recycled paperand may be made availablein an alternative format.

http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu

BringingScience tothe Shore

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUIRED

NONPROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

UNIVERSITY AT

STONY BROOK

Monkfish

Monkfish is found indeep ocean waters allalong the Atlantic coastand as far north as theGrand Banks off thecoast of Newfoundland.Its alias, Anglerfish, wascoined due to its use ofa “fishing or angling”technique to feed, inwhich it erects the firstof three spines atop itshead and rapidly movesthis “bait” back andforth to attract smallerfish. In New York,where the lean, white-fleshed fish is availablein markets year-round,fishermen harvest alongthe south shore of LongIsland and from theports of Montauk andShinnecock fromNovember to June withpeak landings in thespring. With its firmtexture, monkfish is agreat choice for moistheat cooking methodslike baking, steaming,poaching, grilling, fryingor in seafood soups andstews. For moreinformation on themonkfish and otherspecies, check outNew York SeafoodCouncil’s web site,www.nyseafood.org,which will becomplemented byNYSG’s ownWorld Wide Web“Seafood Technology”pages this winter.

—Paul C. Focazio

1 tbsp. shallots, minced1 tbsp. butter (optional)1 cup yogurt, plain, low fat1 egg

New New YYork