Special thanks to this year’s Beach Watch Volunteers!

Maria Purcell – samples Potters Beach;
Dick Withington – samples waters off the head of Round Island;
Kira Clark – samples Alex Bay Beach;
Ron Daly – samples middle of the Lake of the Isles;
Jake Ambrose – samples Wilson Beach, Cape Vincent

Our volunteers go out each week to collect grab samples for the Beach Watch Program. Samples are taken early Monday mornings for five consecutive weeks and our volunteers head out early to bring samples from all over the Thousand Islands to make this program happen. Thank you!

To read more about this program please visit our Beach Watch page.

“Freed: Maquette for an American River”, a multi-media art installation by Paul Lloyd Sargent

Opening reception Friday August 28th, 4 – 8pm

Brooklyn/Syracuse/Wellesley Island-based artist Paul Lloyd Sargent’s multimedia art installation Freed: Maquette for an American River at the Zenda Farm Preserve features an artificial “river” constructed entirely from trash and discarded items collected within Great Lakes and St. Lawrence communities from Chicago to Alexandria Bay. This version of Sargent’s Maquette is designed specifically for display in the largest of the 1930s-era Jamesway barns on the historic Zenda Farm Preserve, located on Route 12E a mile and a half southeast of Clayton.

Having grown up in Syracuse and on Wellesley Island, Paul Lloyd Sargent is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and researcher whose work focuses on ways in which humans interact with and attempt to control the natural environment. Taking its name from “Barry Freed,” the pseudonym used by Abbie Hoffman while living in the 1000 Islands during the 1970s and ‘80s, Sargent’s Freed series investigates artificial waterway management policies and accumulations of discarded consumer goods. This is the third such artificial “river” in the series. Previous versions of this project have been mounted at the Big Orbit Gallery, in Buffalo, NY, and the Zhou B Art Center, in Chicago, IL.

To gather items for Maquette for an American River, on August 8th, Sargent led a cottage clean-up by trash barge along Wellesley, Picton, and Grindstone Islands. The clean-up was a success thanks to generous donations by Steve Taylor of Steve Taylor Builder Inc, for the barge; Phil Reed of Waste Management, for a 20-yard waste bin; and Andy Greene of Greene Structures, for the use of his pontoon boat. Most of the trash and items collected that day have been incorporated into the final exhibition.

The Maquette installation will be available for public viewing beginning with an opening reception on Friday, August 28th from 4 – 8pm. Public viewing hours will then continue by appointment with the artist through Monday, September 7th. To reserve a viewing time slot after the public reception, please call Sargent on his cell phone at 312-860-0562. More information is also available on the artist’s website.

Save The River recently notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of serious concerns regarding a proposed hydroelectric project on the Grasse River in Massena, NY. Two species in particular would be impacted by the proposed Massena Grasse Hydroelectric project – Lake Sturgeon and American Eel. The project has the potential to significantly damage any remaining populations of both species and to seriously hamper restoration efforts to restore the region’s American Eel and Lake Sturgeon populations.

Historically, American Eel and Lake Sturgeon have been devastated by hydropower projects already in place throughout the region, such as the Moses-Saunders Power Dam on the mainstem of the St. Lawrence River. These structures have devastated the American eel population by impeding the species’ ability to travel from the region’s freshwater to their ocean spawning grounds. Additionally, they have changed flows in the St. Lawrence River, damaging historic Lake Sturgeon spawning grounds.

Save The River is deeply concerned about the construction of additional structures within the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries, such as the Grasse River, that could impede fish movement or damage existing fish spawning grounds and nursery habitat.

In the letter, Save The River urged that the Massena Grasse Hydroelectric project be subject to lengthy, independent scientific review before further consideration by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Fully understanding the environmental impacts of this proposed project is absolutely necessary to determine project feasibility. Save The River noted that if environmental studies find that the project will create further degradation of the regional ecosystem or impede regional restoration efforts, the project should not proceed.

Read Save The River’s full letter regarding the Massena Grasse Hydroelectric Project that was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on August 24, 2009.

Numerous agencies, including the NY Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe have also expressed concerns about the project. To read all comments filed regarding this project, visit the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s e-library and search for docket P-12607.

Save The River’s Beach Watch program monitored six local swimming areas over a five-week period in July and August, providing a snapshot of summer swimming water quality. Overall, the results for this year indicated that the water quality at sampled beaches was within state and federal safe swimming standards but there is continued concern about Wilson Beach in Cape Vincent.

Summer 2009 Results

Wilson Beach: FAIL
Potter’s Beach: PASS
Frink Dock: PASS
Round Island: PASS
Lake of the Isles: PASS
Scenic View Park: PASS

Read the Beach Watch Results 2009 fact sheet, to view a detailed table of sampling results for each location during the sampling period.
Why did Wilson Beach “fail” this summer?

Bacteria levels spiked above healthy water quality standards at Wilson Beach on two occasions, July 13 and July 27. On those two dates, bacteria levels ranged from 220 to 1600 colonies of Enteroccocci bacteria per 100 milliliters of sample water.

The NY State Health Department has set a limit of 61 colonies of Enterococci bacteria per 100 milliliters of sample water for water quality at swimming beaches. Enterococci is a bacteria closely linked with human health impacts, such as rashes and gastrointestinal illness.

Frequent high levels of bacteria at Wilson Beach may be linked with the presence of Cladophora, a type of green algae. Recent scientific studies have indicated that Cladophora can harbor unsafe levels of bacteria. Many of the spikes in bacterial levels at Wilson Beach have occurred during times of high algae contamination at the beach. The continued correlation over several years of sampling amongst the two occurrences would suggest a need for caution at Wilson Beach when significant amounts of algae are observed.

About Beach Watch

The program provides a snapshot of water quality at popular swimming areas which are not monitored by other groups during peak recreational swimming season. Our goal is to ascertain whether there is a health risk to swimmers from Enterococci in the water. Enterococci is a bacteria found in warm-blooded animals, including humans, which is closely linked to human health concerns.

There are many potential sources for Enterococci bacteria in swimming areas, including: improper sewage disposal, agricultural run-off, bird and animal waste and various other environmental factors.

Although the results cannot be used to conclusively say that a location is safe for swimming, Save The River advises beach goers to practice safe swimming habits to reduce the likelihood of acquiring a bacteria related illness, such as rashes or gastrointestinal illness. A few simple steps should be followed: never swallow swimming water and wash hands after swimming and before eating. If you are very young, very old or have a compromised immune system you are more susceptible to acquiring bacteria related illnesses.

For More Information

Read Save The River’s Beach Watch Results 2009 fact sheet for more information on the program and reports all of the 2009 sampling results.

Questions?

If you have any questions, concerns or would like more information on our Beach Watch program please stop by the office or call us at (315) 686-2010.

Save The River Reports on Summer Beach Water Quality
Concerns raised about high bacteria levels found at Wilson’s Beach

Clayton, NY (August 24, 2009) – Save The River’s Beach Watch Program monitored six local swimming areas over a five-week period in July and August, providing a snapshot of summer swimming water quality. Overall, the results for this year indicated that the water quality at sampled beaches was within state and federal safe swimming standards but there is continued cause for concern with Wilson Beach in Cape Vincent.

Bacteria levels spiked above healthy water quality standards at Wilson Beach on two occasions, July 13 and July 27, during the sampling period. On those two dates, bacteria levels ranged from 220/ml to 1600/ml. In accordance with New York State Health Department standards, a finding of 61 or higher of bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters of sample water is deemed unsafe water quality at swimming beaches. The samples collected each week are tested for Enterococci, a bacteria found in warm-blooded animals, including humans, which is closely linked to human health impact.

High levels of bacteria can cause health problems such as rashes and gastrointestinal illness, and are most dangerous for the very old, very young or anyone with a compromised immune system. Symptoms of infection include: chills, fever, diarrhea and cramping. To reduce the risk of acquiring a bacteria-related illness, beach goers should employ the following simple safety measures: never swallow swimming water and wash hands after swimming and before eating.

Frequent high levels of bacteria at Wilson’s Beach may be linked with the presence of Cladophora, a type of green algae. Recent scientific studies have indicated that Cladophora can harbor unsafe levels of bacteria. Many of the spikes in bacteria levels at Wilson’s Beach have occurred during times of high algae contamination at that beach. The continued correlation over several years of sampling amongst the two occurrences would suggest a need for caution at Wilson Beach when significant amounts of algae are observed.

Save The River volunteers sampled six sites in 2009: Wilson Beach in Cape Vincent, Frink Dock in Clayton, Potter’s Beach on Grindstone Island, Lake of the Isles near Wellesley Island, Round Island near Clayton, and Scenic View Park in Alexandria Bay. A fact sheet detailing sampling results for all beaches sampled can be found at Save The River’s website, www.savetheriver.org by clicking on ‘On the Water Programs’ and then ‘BeachWatch’.

“The Beach Watch program is an important snapshot of swimming water quality along the River,” stated Save The River Executive Director, Jennifer Caddick. “Save The River is the only organization sampling the most popular summer swimming spots on the River and providing this important health information to the public. Our goal is to help swimmers make informed decisions about where and when to swim at these beaches.”

Save The River’s Beach Watch Program has been providing swimming water data to the Thousand Islands community since 1999. All samples were taken by Save The River volunteers and analyzed by Converse Laboratories in Watertown, a state certified facility.

Several organizations provided key support to the Beach Watch program in 2009. Samples were collected at Bowes Realty in Clayton and taken to Watertown each week through a sample collection coordination program in conjunction with Converse Laboratories. Jefferson County Water Quality Coordinating Committee provided staff support for the additional sampling at Wilson Beach.

The 2009 sampling results and summary are available on Save The River’s website, ww.savetheriver.org, as well as prior year results. During the swimming season, interested beach goers can sign up for Save The River’s weekly notification of Beach Watch information. To sign up, call Save The River at (315) 686-2010 or e-mail striver@savetheriver.org.

###

Fact Sheet: Beach Watch Results 2009 (PDF)

Last week Save The River broke the news that an amendment has been added to the Climate bill that paves the way for Seaway expansion: an ill-conceived, economically unjustified, environmental disaster for the St. Lawrence River.

Only a few years ago, Seaway expansion was soundly rejected by the citizens of the Great Lakes basin. And, we’ve heard from many of you who are outraged that this environmentally disastrous proposal was included in otherwise well-intentioned legislation.

Fortunately, we still have a chance to keep this legislation out of the Climate bill as the Senate takes up this issue. But we need your help.

Save The River is hard at work getting the word out to our local community, regional media, and, most importantly, our elected officials in Washington. By becoming a member today, you will ensure that we have the resources to keep this campaign going and to keep the pressure on Congress to omit this bad proposal from the Climate legislation.

As an added incentive, starting today the next 40 new or renewing members who join with a donation of $50 or more will receive a free CamelBak water bottle! Every membership donation helps!

Thank you CamelBak!

Save The River recently wrote the Town of Cape Vincent to urge the Town to implement a one year moratorium on wind energy development. The letter was in response to the Town’s own proposal for a limited moratorium on wind energy development.

While Save The River remains supportive of wind energy development, our request for a Town-wide, one year moratorium focused on two key issues:

• Regional study and review process - The many wind energy projects proposed along the St. Lawrence River valley represent the largest industrial development in the region since the building of the St. Lawrence Seaway and related hydropower facilities. As with the Seaway, the ecological impacts of wind energy development are not constrained by political boundaries. Save The River remains concerned about the lack of regional oversight on these projects.

• Rigorous SEQR and EIS study and review - Over the past few years, Save The River has raised serious concerns about the limited nature of the ecological studies conducted as part of the environmental impact statements required by State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR)  of projects proposed in the Town of Cape Vincent. To date, these concerns have not been addressed and, as a result, the Town does not have enough information to move forward with decision-making about placement of wind energy facilities.

To Learn More

Read the full letter here.

Read about Save The River’s prior comments on this issue here.

Jane O’Neill of Chippewa Bay recently sent photos of a sturgeon her son and daughter-in-law found dead on the shore of Ironsides Island while out on their boat. The continued presence of a turkey vulture had them interested in what it was feeding on and they found this carcass.

View more photos here.

This find is excellent as sturgeon are often long lived fish and not often seen on the St. Lawrence River.

Lake sturgeon are the creatures of the deep here on the St. Lawrence and have been declining in numbers over the last few years as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation. This species is currently listed as threatened in New York State.

The Thousand Islands Biological Station and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have been notified of this find and will be following up to collect any information needed.

Save The River has received the test results from August 3, the final week of our Beach Watch monitoring program.  All beaches that were tested “passed.”

Week 5 Results (8-3-09)

Wilson Beach: PASS
Potter’s Beach: PASS
Frink Dock: PASS
Round Island: PASS
Lake of the Isles: PASS
Scenic View Park: PASS

About Beach Watch

The program provides a snapshot of water quality at popular swimming areas which are not monitored by other groups during peak recreational swimming season.  Our goal is to ascertain whether there is a health risk to swimmers from Enterococci in the water.  Enterococci is a bacteria found in warm-blooded animals, including humans, which is closely linked to human health concerns.

There are many potential sources for Enterococci bacteria in swimming areas, including: improper sewage disposal, agricultural run-off, bird and animal waste and various other environmental factors.

For more details on the 2009 sampling locations and dates, read an overview of the 2009 Beach Watch program.

And, for more information on understanding the weekly results, read the Beach Watch fact sheet.

Reduce bacteria related illness

Although the results cannot be used to conclusively say that a location is safe for swimming, Save The River advises beach goers to practice safe swimming habits to reduce the likelihood of acquiring a bacteria related illness, such as rashes or gastrointestinal illness.  A few simple steps should be followed: never swallow swimming water and wash hands after swimming and before eating.  If you are very young, very old or have a compromised immune system you are more susceptible to acquiring bacteria related illnesses.

Questions?

If you have any questions, concerns or would like more information on our Beach Watch program please stop by the office or call us at (315) 686-2010.

Save The River has learned that an amendment has been added to the House version of the Climate Change bill that paves the way for Seaway expansion: an ill-conceived, economically unjustified, environmental disaster for the St. Lawrence River. The amendment was added by Mid-Western lawmakers looking to create a federal power authority in the Great Lakes region. Unfortunately, proponents also see the power authority as a source of funding for Seaway expansion.

Seaway expansion refers to the enormous infrastructure project of enlarging the locks and channels of the St. Lawrence Seaway to make way for larger vessels to access the Great Lakes.  This massive re-tooling proposal would destroy miles of fragile habitat, re-suspend polluted sediments and exacerbate the problem of invasive species coming into the Great Lakes in ship ballast tanks.

Only a few years ago, Seaway expansion was soundly rejected by the citizens of the Great Lakes basin, after it was proposed in a Corps of Engineers study called the Great Lakes Navigation System Review. A that time, citizens and lawmakers alike strenuously objected to any proposal that would adversely effect the St. Lawrence River’s ecology and vibrant tourist industry dependent on a healthy River. Also, in 2003, the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute did a study which cast serious doubt on the ability of an expanded system to draw the traffic necessary to make it economically justifiable.

In light of everything we know today about climate change and the increasing importance of our freshwater resource, physical expansion is not a sustainable direction for the navigation system. The industry must commit to a future that does not include physical expansion, and begin operating within the constraints of the Lakes and Rivers, instead of reshaping the Lakes and Rivers to fit the navigation industry.

Read more in coverage from the Watertown Daily Times.

Take Action!

Write to your Senators today to urge them to protect the River and Lakes by opposing any language in the Climate bill that could be used to pave the way for Seaway expansion.

Points to include in your letter to your Senators:

• I urge you to oppose the creation of a Federal Power Authority in the Great Lakes region, which could lead to expansion of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

• This authority was proposed in an amendment on the American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454) and should not become law because it could provide a funding source to expand the locks and channels of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes.

• Seaway expansion is the wrong direction for the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes, this priceless freshwater resource should be restored not degraded!

• In July of 2003, the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute did a study which cast serious doubt on the ability of an expanded system to draw the traffic necessary to make it economically justifiable.

• Seaway expansion has been shown to be environmentally disastrous for the freshwater of the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes – which hold almost 90% of the fresh surface water in North America

• Seaway expansion would destroy miles of fragile habitat, re-suspend polluted sediments and exacerbate the problem of invasive species coming into the Great Lakes in ship ballast tanks.

Send your comments to the addresses below:

The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand –
United States Senate
478 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Or, contact Senator Gillibrand directly via her website.

The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
Or, contact Senator Schumer directly via his website.

Don’t Vote in New York? We need your help too!

If you vote in a state other than New York, send a letter to your home Senators as well, using the following address:

The Honorable _______________________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Not sure who your Senators are? Visit the U.S. Senate website and click on the ‘Find Your Senators’ box in the upper right hand corner.