Fall Creek Watershed Committee Minutes
June 27, 2000
4-H Acres

Present: Sharon Anderson, Phil Koons, Joyce Gerbasi, Mary Hegarty, Ron Beck, Erin Riddle, Betty Wien, Steve Pennningroth

Updates

Marshall moved to North Carolina. Looking for committee members to fill in some of the roles Marshall had taken on. He is willing to keep up the web page and will enter our monitoring data. You may send data to him directly at: RPAMRT@aol.com or via postal mail at 7700 Network Lane #202, Charlotte NC 28262. Will need to find someone else eventually to take over the web page.

Key role of Marshall that needs filling: leadership. Sharon explained how she see her role as staff support. Yvette de Boer, a middle school teacher who attended the first few meetings, is doing an MS at ESF on volunteer monitoring. She attended a conference on how to get volunteer data used more. Yvette may be willing to provide some leadership. Committee unanimously in favor of Sharon talking with Yvette further.

Water Monitoring

Yvette brought back from the conference a PA draft manual. Steve described manual as an excellent starting point for organizing volunteer monitoring. All present would like copies.

Names of people involved in monitoring.

Rick Winters, Dryden HS

Name of person in Sempronius? Can Marshall provide us contact information?

How do we build a big enough monitoring network to be effective. Booths at local events: Farm City Day (8/12) in Groton; LakeFest, an annual day sponsored by the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network (CLWN) to be held in Seneca Falls Aug 27. None present were available to staff an information booth at either event. If others not present are available, please contact Sharon. Mary volunteered to write an article for Cayuga Lake Network newsletter and will continue helping with press releases.

Suggested steps to get started monitoring:

• define the question
• set goals - do what by when?
• who are potential users and who will talk to each:
  • Cortland County SWCD Pat Reidy - Steve
  • Henry Slater with project IMPACT - Ron
  • Kate Hackett, Tompkins County Planning - Steve
  • DEC RIBS - Steve Eidt or Scott Clark - Joyce
  • Craig Schutt - Mary
  • Tompkins County Health John Anderson - Sharon
  • Watershed Steward, Steve Lewandowski - Steve
  • Citizens - are potential users

We would be seeking their guidance on what to sample and where to sample. Are they aware of areas where there are known or suspected problems? What are the problems in each of the reaches?

• problems with fisheries
• any known septic problems
• bacteria
• sediments
• phosphates
• other problems

Funding

The funds used to date to cover the monitoring equipment and trainings plus some of Sharon's time have come through Tompkins County Water Resources Council (WRC). The funds have all been expended. A verbal agreement, before WRC was recently reorganized, was given to the Fall Creek Watershed Committee (FCWC) for another year of staff support - approximately $6,000 - $10,000 of FL-LOWPA funds allocated to public participation and education. Attached with these minutes is brief information on the goal of WRC, a list of members, and the brief request for continued funds that Sharon submitted. FCWC members are encouraged to call WRC members in advance of the July 17 WRC meeting to encourage their support of continued funding for FCWC.

Sierra Club

President of the local Sierra Club chapter, Erin Riddle, invited FCWC to join their effort to clean up the south end of Cayuga Lake. Finger Lakes Chapter covers 5 counties. Considering grassroots campaign focussing on not being able to swim in Stewart Park. Ted Hullar, director of Cornell's Center for the Environment, suggested the idea. Sierra Club is considering a year long campaign, different theme for each month. Steve Lewandowski, Lynn Leopold have expressed interest. Currently, Sharon will serve as a liaison between the 2 groups. A discussion about the south end of Cayuga Lake, including sedimentation, sewage, other factors ensued.

Next FCWC meeting: July 20, , 7 - 9 p.m. 4-H Acres

Proposed Agenda

• Creek Walk plan for the fall
• Reports back on places to monitor based on questions asked potential data users
• Discuss on PA draft manual (please review in advance