Segment Analysis of Otter Creek: The Location of Sources of Pollution

Abstract

The Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District has monitored the waterways of Orleans County since 1997 in collaboration with the State University of New York at Brockport's Center for Applied Aquatic Science and Aquaculture (CAASA). SUNY Brockport has provided analytical services for water chemistry, consulting services on the direction of the monitoring program and interpretation of data. The Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District along with the Orleans County Water Quality Coordinating Committee decided to continue the water pollution source identification in Otter Creek beginning in the spring of 2002. Otter Creek is located in the south portion of the Lake Ontario watershed, Orleans County, New York and flows into Oak Orchard Creek / Lake Alice in Waterport, New York. The goal of this project was to identify the sources of nutrients, soils and salts within the Otter Creek watershed. To accomplish this, point and nonpoint sources were identified through a process called stressed stream analysis or segment analysis. With this report, we provide evidence suggesting the location and the intensity of pollution sources in the Otter Creek watershed. We have identified two areas in the Otter Creek watershed that have consistently had high levels of nutrients, soils or sodium and one area that had high levels on one sampling date (Summary map contained in Figure 14). What follows is a synopsis of what pollutants are being lost and where the sources are located. Maps are included in the text to locate these sites.