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The Onondaga Lake Partnership (OLP) promotes cooperation among federal, state, and local governments, and other involved parties in the management of the environmental issues of Onondaga Lake and the Onondaga Lake watershed in Central New York. Six Executive Partners comprise the OLP: • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation • New York State Attorney General’s Office • Onondaga County • City of Syracuse The Executive Committee establishes and maintains the mission of the partnership and the lake improvement effort. The Project Committee serves as the partnership’s technical center of expertise on specific projects. The Resource Committee develops and maintains the funding strategy for projects. The Outreach Committee works to enhance public knowledge and understanding of the partnership and the status of the lake improvement effort. You can contact the Onondaga Lake Partnership at: 1-800-833-6390 www.onlakepartners.org or write: Onondaga Lake Partnership 1776 Niagara Street Buffalo, New York 14207 This brochure was reviewed by the individual members of the Onondaga Lake Partnership (OLP) and approved for release to the public for purposes of providing general overview information. Approval for release does not signify adoption or approval for purposes of regulatory, enforcement or other legal actions, of the factual, scientific or legal assertions, characterizations or conclusions contained herein. Funding for this brochure provided from US Environmental Protection Agency through the OLP. A clean lake reflects well on all of us. R ESTORING O NONDAGA L AKE : N ONPOINT S OURCE P OLLUTION NPS: T HE POLLUTION PROBLEM WE CAN ALL HELP SOLVE Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution may be a strange-sounding term to many of us, but it’s an ongoing situation that’s actually quite familiar to all of us. It refers to water pollution that doesn’t come from a single, identifiable source or point such as a discharge pipe into a body of water. Instead, nonpoint pollution originates from many sources, spread out over a large area and is one of the pollution problems affecting Onondaga Lake. During wet weather conditions like rainstorms or melting snow, when water runs over the land or through the ground, pollutants can be picked up with the runoff and deposited in surface waters or introduced into groundwater. Some examples include sediments from construction sites, road salt, street litter, pesticides and fertilizers that can be carried with runoff into nearby lakes and streams. In fact, anything put on the land or in the streets anywhere in the lake’s 285-square-mile watershed could end up in Onondaga Lake. With a variety of land uses in the lake’s watershed, including urban and suburban areas, agricultural land and forests, a variety of pollutants can enter the lake with runoff. Controlling nonpoint source pollution is much more difficult than limiting or treating pollution from a single point source. The Onondaga Lake Partnership (OLP) has identified nonpoint source pollution as a priority issue for lake restoration and has funded projects aimed at reducing the amount of NPS entering the lake and its tributaries. Because this is one type of pollution that everyone living in the watershed can help reduce, it is vital that everyone understands its impact and learns how we can all help reduce it. Skimmer boat removes tons of floatable debris from inner harbor. Grass waterway to control erosion from runoff. Planting buffer strip in parking lot to reduce runoff. RURAL NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION Rural nonpoint source pollution refers to contaminants generated from a rural/agricultural setting. Currently, there are nearly 100 farms in the Onondaga Lake watershed with the majority involved in dairy farming. Runoff from barnyards and farmlands can carry manure and fertilizers which are high in nutrients (phosphorus and ammonia) into nearby streams and from there into Onondaga Lake. Excess phosphorus and ammonia are two of the leading problems with the Lake. Too much phosphorus leads to algae growth which Before erosion control measures. can result in reduced oxygen levels in the lake because the algae consume oxygen when they die. Ammonia at high levels can be toxic to fish. The Onondaga Lake Partnership supports implementation of farm management practices that can help reduce polluted agricultural runoff and its impact on the lake. Most of the measures are targeted at improving manure handling and containment practices, creating buffer zones between nearby streams and active livestock areas, diverting clean runoff and preventing erosion. Through New York State’s Agricultural Environmental Management Initiative, the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District is providing technical and financial assistance to farmers to help put a number of pollution control measures in place in the Onondaga Lake watershed. The Onondaga Lake Partnership supports this program through grant monies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pollution control measures implemented under the program include: planting grass waterways, diversion ditches, strip cropping, crop and grazing rotation, vegetative buffer strips, milkhouse waste treatment, improved stream crossings, culverts and fencing. Together with barnyard improvements like roofwater management, concrete pads, filter areas and contained waste storage, these new practices will result in reducing nonpoint source pollution from agricultural areas. OLP is also implementing streambank stabilization projects at sites along Onondaga Creek to After planting of new vegetative buffer area. reduce and prevent erosion, another nonpoint source of lake pollution. URBAN NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION That Styrofoam cup you dropped, the motor oil spilled on your driveway, extra fertilizer and pesticides used on your lawn—all can end up in the lake and contribute to its water quality problems. These are examples of urban nonpoint source pollution. Everyone can help reduce this type of pollution very directly by changing their practices and adopting what are referred to as “urban best management practices.” Here’s what you can do to help keep the lake and its tributaries clean: • Don’t dump anything in storm drains and keep them clear of debris. • Don’t litter! Anything you throw in the street or on the ground can end up in Onondaga Lake. • Keep leaves, tree clippings and grass out of the street. In the City, place yard waste between street and sidewalk for pick up. • Dispose used motor oil properly. Service stations accept it for recycling. • Limit the use of fertilizers and pesticides. • Dispose household hazardous wastes properly. Call 453-2870 Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA), for information on community disposal days. • Keep up to date on our progress! An informed public is the best advocate for a clean lake. • Use water wisely. Don’t waste clean water down the drain. The Partnership is funding projects to help the City and County reduce the amount of urban runoff pollution. Projects include cleaning and repairing catch basins, funding the purchase of a new vacuum truck to pick up litter and debris from city streets, purchasing leaf bags distributed in the City, and publishing educational materials designed to teach students how they can help. TULLY MUDBOILS: A UNIQUE POLLUTION SOURCE As far back as 1899, people began noticing little holes in the Tully Valley bringing up fine sands, clays and silts from underground. The “mudboils,” as they became known, are located about 15 miles upstream from where Onondaga Creek enters Onondaga Lake. Their origin is a hotly debated topic. They might be naturally occurring, or a byproduct of industrial activity in the region. Whatever their cause, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the mudboils were dumping an average of 30 tons of sediment per day into Onondaga Creek before 1992, most of which found its way to Onondaga Lake. The resulting problem was that sediments were reducing habitats for aquatic insects, fish spawning and plant growth in Onondaga Creek A mudboil in Tully. and contributing to the creek’s and Lake’s murky, muddy appearance, especially at times of high runoff. While this nonpoint source pollution may never be fully prevented, the USGS—supported since 1992 by the OLP (formerly Onondaga Lake Management Conference)—has undertaken a series of efforts that have successfully reduced the daily sediment load from 30 tons to about one-half ton. This dramatic decrease was achieved through diversion structures, pressure relief wells and construction of a sedimentation dam. The result has been a clearer lake and creek and a better environment for fish and macroinvertebrates. The USGS now monitors the wells, and periodically cleans the dam. There is no way to predict future activity of the mudboils—although it is surmised that they won’t go away. However, the efforts of the USGS and the OLP to minimize the impact of the Tully Mudboils on water quality have been a success. Further information about urban and rural nonpoint source pollution is available on these websites: • Onondaga Lake Partnership— www.onlakepartners.org • Onondaga County’s Lake Improvement Project— www.lake.onondaga.ny.us • Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District— www.ocswcd.org Leaf bags help keep leaves out of sewers and reduce overflows.