New York’s North Coast A Troubled Coastline: Lake Ontario Embayments Initiative

Abstract

The North Coast of New York State stretches over 140 miles through seven counties from the Niagara River in the west to the St. Lawrence River in the east creating a boundary between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State. The bays, river and creek mouths, wetlands, and ponds, generally called the embayments in this report, are the subject of this initiative. Located on the south shore of Lake Ontario, they are of vital importance to the economic well-being of the area and are threatened by pollution. The embayments are suffering from many impairments that significantly limit their recreational use and ultimately affect the economic development of a region which has not been touched by the national upswing in the economy. By identifying their usage and identifying their water quality problems and impairments, we hope to develop an awareness and concern for the environmental health of these embayments and to create a dialog that will ultimately influence policy makers on the need to develop sources of government funding to restore these unique but ecologically damaged ecosystems.