Henderson Harbor Jefferson County, New York

Abstract

Henderson Harbor is located on the eastern end of Lake Ontario and is home to most of Jefferson County’s charter boat fishing industry. The bay is 4 miles long, bordered by waterfront housing and a watershed dominated by rural agriculture. Much of the area’s economy is driven by seasonal tourism, making water quality in the harbor a major concern. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has acknowledged that inadequately treated sewage has been discharged into the bay from the Hamlet of Henderson Harbor. Additionally, failure of sewer systems around the bay has also contributed to excessive aquatic growth. The New York State Department of Health has designated the bay as stressed for drinking water and swimming use in large part due to this contamination (Makarewicz 2000). This short report provides a synopsis of data collected monthly from May through September (2005 to 2009) on the water quality of Henderson Harbor and the lakeside (swimmable depth) of Lake Ontario near the harbor.