Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUGKSS STPRY
Multitiered Management Efforts Reduce Sediment and Phosphorus Impacts
Waterbodv Imoroved Excess phosphorus from agricultural runoff and on-site
wastewater systems from lakeside residences violated water
quality standards and contributed to eutrophication of New York's DeRuyter Reservoir. The
problem included excessive growth of rooted aquatic vegetation that impaired boat traf-
fic and discouraged fishing. As a result, the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYS DEC) added the reservoir to the state's 1998 303(d) list for nutrients. A
combination of nonpoint source management projects addressing each of the three prin-
cipal sources of impairments — sediment, agriculture and on-site wastewater systems —
improved water quality. Therefore, NYS DEC proposed removing DeRuyter Reservoir from
New York's 2008 303(d) list of impaired waters for nutrients (phosphorus).
Problem
DeRuyter Reservoir is one of the larger lakes in
Madison County. The 557-acre lake has a distinctive
history and hydrology. It was established early in
the 19th century as part of the water feeder system
for the original Erie Canal, which did not receive any
significant amount of water from natural sources
and depended on the man-made feeder system.
Artesian springs feed the lake at its southern end,
supplementing natural runoff from its inlet streams
and small watershed. The DeRuyter Reservoir outlet
forms the eastern headwater tributary of Limestone
Creek, which supports a good trout population, and
ultimately converges with Chittenango Creek before
flowing into Oneida Lake (Figure 1).
New York added DeRuyter Reservoir to its 1998
303(d) list because aquatic life and recreational
uses (fishing) were impaired. New York originally
listed DeRuyter Reservoir as impaired by nutrients',
however, in more recent listings, the state identified
the cause of impairment as nutrients (phosphorus).
Excess phosphorus loads caused the reservoir to
violate the numeric water quality standard, which
states that for waters classified as ponded (i.e.,
lakes, reservoirs and ponds, excluding Lakes Erie,
Ontario and Champlain), the epilimnetic summer
mean total phosphorus level shall not exceed 20
micrograms per liter (jug/L), based on biweekly
sampling, conducted from June 1 to September 30.
Sources of the impairment include sediment from
the watershed, agricultural runoff and on-site waste-
water systems from lakeside residences.
Figure 1. Photograph of DeRuyter Reservoir.
Project Highlights
The Madison County Planning Department and Soil
and Water Conservation District received support
from the Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed
Protection Alliance to complete a sediment control
project in 2007 on a seasonal stream feeding the
DeRuyter Reservoir. The stream flows down a steep
hill and was eroding rapidly and contributing high
sediment loads to the reservoir. The project team
installed five grade-control structures that prevented
further downcutting and reduced sediment inputs.
Madison County Soil and Water Conservation
District worked with operators on three farms
-------
in the watershed to develop and implement
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans
(CNMPs), which have successfully reduced agri-
cultural sources of nutrients and sediments. The
CNMPs use scheduled soil sampling and annual
manure samples, manure spreading schedules
and fertilizer recommendations to minimize nutri-
ent runoff while at the same time maximizing crop
production. Implementing additional best manage-
ment practices (BMPs) such as manure storage and
silage leachate control helped use the nutrients on
the farm more efficiently and reduced field runoff
potential. Work on these farms has been underway
since 2001. In addition, the DeRuyter Reservoir
Septic Tank Pumping Project pumped nearly 25
percent of the residential systems on the lake and
led to upgrades of nearly one-fifth of those systems
pumped.
Hydrologic management changes of the reservoir
as part of the canal feeder system might have also
contributed to water quality improvements over
time. When reservoir levels become low, water
managers may allow water from the Tioughnioga
River, a distinctly separate watershed, to enter
the DeRuyter Reservoir. That watershed, with
considerably greater agricultural land use, con-
stitutes a potential source of nutrients. However,
no Tioughnioga River inflow has been needed in
DeRuyter Reservoir since 1993.
Results
This multitiered approach to managing nonpoint
sources of sediments and nutrients contributed
to water quality improvements. Lake monitoring
data show that eutrophic indicators fall below
New York's assessment criteria. For example,
mean summer phosphorus concentrations average
approximately 12 jug/L—well below the phosphorus
standard of 20/jg/L—and show no increasing trend.
The 20-year trend in chlorophyll a data shows a
decline from nearly 8/jg/L (New York's assessment
criterion for threatened waters) to approximately
4/jg/L. The New York's Citizens Statewide Lake
Assessment Program recently conducted a user
perception assessment that indicated excellent to
slightly impacted recreational use support. NYS
DEC has determined that DeRuyter Reservoir meets
the water quality standard for phosphorus and has
proposed removing the reservoir from the state's
2008 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
Local, regional and state agencies along with
citizen and farmer groups have partnered to restore
DeRuyter Reservoir. Local leadership included
Madison County's Soil and Water Conservation
District, Planning Department and Health
Department. Regional support included both the
Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection
Alliance and the Oneida Lake Watershed Task
Force, which includes the Oneida Lake Watershed
Agricultural Program that addresses agricultural
nonpoint source management for the entire water-
shed (including DeRuyter Reservoir). Citizen sup-
port included the DeRuyter Lake Association and
the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program.
State agency partnerships among the NYS DEC,
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the
NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee and
the NYS Canal Corporation supported the goals and
objectives of these local and regional groups.
More than $175,000 from the NYS Environmental
Protection Fund (EPF) through the NYS Agricultural
Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program
(ANSCAP), as well as cost-sharing from three farms,
funded the agricultural BMPs. ANSCAP and EPF
funds are often used to match section 319-funded
grant projects. In addition, approximately $20,000
in combined funding from EPF (through the Finger
Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance)
and NYS DEC funded the sediment control and
septic tank management projects.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001Q
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Francis Zagorski
Nonpoint Source Management Program
New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation
518-402-8168 • fgzagors@gw.dec.state.ny.us
------- |