Fall Creek Watershed Committee Minutes
April 24, 2000
4-H Acres

Fall Creek Watershed Committee
Minutes - April 24, 2000 at 4-H Acres

Present: Phil Koons, Jackie Cassento, Molly Adams, Craig Schutt, Betty Wien, Erica Frantz, Steve Penningroth, Joyce Gerbasi, Jim Skaley, Sharon Anderson

Presentation

Craig Schutt of Tompkins County Soil & Water Conservation Service (SWCS) gave a presentation on Ag practices that protect water quality. He provided an overview of Agricultural Environment Management (AEM). Tier I and Tier II have been carried out on most farms in the Fall Creek watershed.

Tier I is a survey that looks at the farm practices that could have environmental impacts and points to additional worksheets that can be used for more indepth assessment.

Tier II is completed by the farmers with the help of SWCS professionals. Includes information on pro-environmental practices. One worksheet, currently in the development stage, will focus on watershed concerns. There is a worksheet specific to Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO). Farms with 1000 or greater animal units (a cow is 1.4 animal units) are required to have a plan and do increased record keeping. New regulations are looking at large farms as point rather than nonpoint sources of potential pollution and therefore are required to receive a Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulated point source discharge permit known as a SPEDES permit.

Intent to comply was due in January 2000. The farms have 1.5 - 2 years to create the plan and then up to 5 years to have the plan implemented. Any new operation has to have implementation in place in order to get approval to up a new large scale Ag business. Have to be recertified every 5 years.

In Fall Creek, Tier I and Tier II covered 43,031 acres including 126 farms.

Silage leachate is of great concern for water quality, due to very high BOD (biological oxygen demand). If a farmer gets a silage leachate spill, a fish kill usually results.

Phosphorus is an increasing concern. Previously, experts thought phosphorus only moved with the soil with erosion. Recent research shows that some phosphorus does move with groundwater. Changes in animal nutrition helps reduce the phosphorus levels in manure.

Fall Creek Clean up with Trout Unlimited

250 - 300 pounds of trash collected in the section from the railroad bridge to the Stewart Park pedestrian bridge.
At the Rt. 13 crossing Phil estimated another 140 pounds were collected.

Water Monitoring

4/18 - training focused on chemicals. Looked at several methods for testing pH, DO, hardness and total suspended soils

4/27 - Coliform bacteria: with quest presenter Niamh O'Leary from Wells College.

5/9 - phosphate and nitrates. 7:00-9:30 at 4-H Acres
Sharon has very rough videos of the April 18 and 27 trainings.

Committee Volunteers

Sharon announced that Marshall Taylor has accepted a job in North Carolina and will be leaving early summer. The group wishes Marshall the best but will miss his charm and leadership. At the next meeting a list of tasks that Marshall handled and mechanisms for continuing those tasks will be discussed. Committee members were willing to take on pieces to keep moving our efforts forward. Having an officially elected chair was suggested

Tompkins County Water Resources Council

The group voted to endorse both Jim Skaley and Roxy Johnston to be nominated to fill the Tompkins County Water Resources Council position for citizen watershed groups. Both are connected to the Fall Creek and Caroline Watershed committees plus to the Cayuga Lake Network.

Next Fall Creek meeting

May 22, Virgil Elementary School. Care and maintenance of septic systems will be highlighted from 7:00- 8:30 pm. Business meeting follows from 8:30-9:00pm. Attend the free septic system presentation and receive a coupon for $20 off septic pumping or maintenance! Funding provided by Cornell University Utilities Department.

June meeting

After much discussion of the pros and cons of having a local historian give a talk that might attract the public, the committee decided to focus on water monitoring for the June meeting. One suggestion was to set up chemical tests and have bring in water samples from their section of the creek. A summer trip to Virgil dam was discusses but not conclusively decided.

Stand By Your Stream

May 15 and May 20, two-part program on stream side protection co-sponsored with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. Donation of $5.00 covers one or both programs. Please pre-register with Cooperative Extension 272-2292 or tompkins@cornell.edu.

• May 15, 7:30-9:00 slide show at Cooperative Extension Tompkins County, 615 Willow Ave, Ithaca will cover benefits and types of plantings homeowners can undertake to protect water quality while enhancing their property.

• May 20, 1:00-5:00 stream field visit covering site evaluation and preparation for planting, types of maintenance that are needed. Wear boots. Meet at the town highway barn in Brooktondale. Co-sponsored by Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. Donation: $5.00 requested.

Minutes submitted by Sharon Anderson