Fall Creek Watershed Committee Minutes
February 5, 2002
Cornell Coop Extension, Ithaca, NY

The meeting was opened by Chairperson Yvette deBoer at 5:30 pm. She asked each person present to introduce himself or herself.

In attendance were: Sharon Anderson, Dave Bouldin, Kathy Calori, Heather Clark, Joyce Gerbase, Mary Hegarty (co-chair), Phil Koons, Adam Lewis, George Patte, Steve Peningroth, Mona Barghout

Minutes from the January 10, 2002, meeting were reviewed. There were no corrections, and the minutes were approved as read.

The January 12 monitoring day was reviewed. Water samples were taken from the Freeville Fall Creek outfall, at Flat Rock and at the base of Ithaca Falls. A discussion followed on what things should be tested and what could be tested accurately with the portable units. The rationale for doing the testing is to have baseline data for the stream, to learn our methodology, to use knowledge gained, and to be part of the Virgil Creek monitoring and water resource project. It may be enough to test for temperature and pH, but the committee needs to decide.

Monica tested at Fall Creek; Joyce tested at the Fall Creek outfall near Freeville; Yvette and Phil tested at the basin of Ithaca Falls. Everyone is still familiarizing themselves with the equipment and how to use it. Samples were taken to Steve who tested them in his lab. Nitrates at Flat Rock were between 0.7 PPM and 1.0 PPM at all three sites. pH results: Flat Rock 8.1; Ithaca Falls 7.5; Freeville outfall 8.15. Turbidity at Freeville outfall was noted to be two times the turbidity at the other two sites. LaMotte testing kits were used. They can measure phosphorus, nitrogen, alkalinity, ammonia and dissolved oxygen, but not lead.

The next agenda item was benthic macro invertebrates (BMI) testing. The committee plans to do sample testing of the bug community, and take samples back to the lab and look at them under microscopes. The Community Science Institute (CSI) is evaluating volunteer methods and testing methodologies. Each volunteer in the committee will undergo training. The aim is to identify insects first by their order and then by family. The trick to proper identification is that it takes observation and training. There are three dates for the training:

Thursday, March 7, 7-9 pm at DeWitt Middle School, room D-103;
Tuesday, March 12, 7-9 pm at DeWitt Middle School, room D-103; and
Saturday, March 16, 1-4 pm, likely at Flat Rock.

Phil and others who can help will try to gather charts or other information for identification purposes to assist volunteers. Phil notes that there are studies from the Department of Environmental Conservation from 1987 for Fall Creek and Virgil Creek which may be of some help. That study takes the standard 100 samples and identifies them by order and family. Anne Gallagher (a CSI employee) will head the group as the expert and give us necessary training.

We then discussed the status of the Virgil Creek monitoring project. Sharon reported that Cortland County Soil and Water District is doing a study in Cortland County. It would agree to extend a study to Tompkins County with our help. An acceptable protocol has to be developed and the sampling parameters need further definition. That is, which "red flags" should the protocol attempt to find in this watershed study? Discussion followed about what standard to use. No decision was made. Since no consensus yet exists, the chairperson agreed to tell Tompkins Soil and Water that we are glad to help with the sampling but have no input now on what red flags should be identified as part of the study.

We next reviewed the stream cleanup scheduled for May 4, 2002, a Saturday. The cleanup will take place along the entire length of Fall Creek. Sharon Anderson, steward for the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network will assist in some organizational effort, but additional help is needed. The group Roots and Shoots may help. Phil and the local Trout Unlimited group will provide as much help as they can in organizing the May 4 cleanup.

The April meeting will be held at Community Flyfisher. The May meeting will likely be held at the same location.

Water Week is coming up. On May 10th there will be a display on the Ithaca Commons, and on May 11 at the Ithaca Farmers' Market.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm.

Respectfully submitted, GEORGE D. PATTE, JR.