Fall Creek Watershed Committee Minutes
Thursday November 7, 2002
Tompkins Public Library

Members Present: George Patte, Yvette de Boer, Roxy Johnston, Joyce Gerbasi, Gordie Morgan, Phil Koons, Steve Penningroth, Mark Vallely

1. Alexis Cefaratti was commended for her fine job of note taking at the past several meetings.

2. Minutes of the last meeting were read with a few minor corrections. It was noted that the
discrepancies in the monitoring results from the Hydrolab were due to human error.

3. There was discussion of the purchase of a field guide to aquatic invertebrates for the committee and CSI - A Guide to Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. We decided to purchase copies at a discount for the committee and personal use. Phil will order when the final number of copies is known.

4. Sherry Forgash, educator for the Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District (TCSWC), has been in touch with Yvette about a stream monitoring program that she is setting up with area high school students. She wants to coordinate and use a similar format to the one that we and other watershed groups are using. Yvette will maintain contact.

5. Deb Grantham sent out an email re: reporting watershed stewardship activity to the NYSDEC. She suggested that we fill out report and send in.

6. Roxy raised the question does the FCWC feel as if it is a part of The Cayuga Lake Watershed Network? Has the FCWC benefited from the association with the CLWN? CLWN is getting request from other watershed groups for funding and startup support and would like our comments. Discussion of the topic followed, with the consensus being that FCWC benefited greatly from association with CLWN. CLWN was instrumental in the formation of FCWC and support from Sharon Anderson and staff was great asset during startup period. Funding
made it all work. It was suggested that someone document the history of the FCWC. CLWN Board meets once a month and holds teleconferences. Perhaps someone from FCWC would join in teleconference.

7. Additions to agenda: A) George gave a sample of white foamy water he collected from Cayuga Lake to Steve for testing and will report on results.

B) Phil reported on gas tank leak at service station on Cayuga St. Questioned the ground water pumping system in the area and could contaminants be going into Fall Creek. Roxy will check into details of the system.

9. Report on BMI workshop held on 10-24-02.: Anne Gallagher ran a refresher workshop on more advanced ID techniques for caddis and mayflies. Consensus was: it was a great workshop. Anne does a terrific job organizing the workshop and teaching the group. Interested committee members will get together on 11-20-2002 at Dewitt Middle school for further work on
bug ID. Phil will collect sample.

10. Report on stream monitoring on Fall Creek that was done on 10-18-2002: Gordie reported that he, Scott Means, Craig Schutt, and Sherry Forgash from TCSWC collected samples from Dryden Lake outlet and Virgil Creek at Spring House Rd. All went well. They used the Hydrolab, flowmeter, and Secchi Tube. Secchi Tube readings: 100cm at Spring House Rd, 60cm at Dryden Lake outlet. Will Burnell from Cortland Co. Soil and Water collected samples from three sits on Virgil Creek in Cortland Co. earlier in the day. Yvette, Roxy, Joyce, and Mark sampled three sites on Fall Creek and one on Virgil Creek. Fall Creek Sites: Cayuga St.., Freese Rd., Old Werninck's on Rt. 366. Virgil Creek Site: Old Werninck's on Rt 366. All went well with no problems. Next time, bring life jacket and mixing spoon. Samples were taken to CSI for analysis. Steve will report.

11. Plan for next wet event: Dave Weinstein will monitor flow on USGS website and watch weather report. He will initiate call on phone tree. George will be backup person to Dave. Hydrolab is currently out for repair. It was suggested that we have bottles prepped and ready to go in future.

12. Roxy reported briefly on the database that Pat Reidy is using to organize stream data. He can come to a meeting to go over details. Yvette will call Pat and set that up.

13. Steve passed out copies of data report of the results of the 10-18-2002 stream monitoring on Virgil and Fall Creeks. He noted that the test results went well but that the Kjeldahl-Nitrogen results were not within QAQC parameters. He thought the total P at Cayuga St. was high. Mark noted that data will vary at different times of year and different flow conditions. Joyce questioned why Dissolved Oxygen at Dryden Lake outlet was so low. She expected a higher
reading. Roxy noted that total coliform counts are not always fecal coliform.

14. Steve reported on the results of the tests he did on the sample of foamy water from shore of Cayuga Lake that George gave him. Said it was not entirely scientific - but he found high levels of Phosphorus and Carbon. Gordie suggested it could be due to the turnover of the Lake, bringing Carbon/Phosphorus rich water up from the depths and the winds would drive the water and foam to shore.

The voice from above (!) said we had to leave the Library so the meeting was adjourned at 9:00.

Notes submitted by Phil Koons