Watershed research and education projects, including those at Cornell, receive more than $325K in state funding

A total of 11 watershed research and education projects across New York state, including several in the Great Lakes watershed and Mohawk River basin, will share in $325,994 in grant awards, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Water Resources Institute (WRI) at Cornell University recently announced. Cornell University received three grants. It will use $33,700 for its FLX PFAS Project, which uses targeted water sampling to identify sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Finger Lakes, according to an April 11 DEC news release.  The second grant, totaling $7,200, will be used to help understand the impacts of tile drain density on watershed-scale nutrient concentration by creating a geospatial dataset covering the state to assess the impact of agricultural tile drainage on nitrate and phosphorus levels in streams. Statistical models will be built to compare nutrient concentrations between areas with significant tile drainage and those with limited drainage, informing decisions on prioritizing best-management practices to mitigate nutrient loadings in key agricultural regions, per the release. A third grant of $40,000 will be used to continue to improve water literacy and education of the Mohawk River watershed through art, science, and indigenous studies with Cornell students and middle-school students in towns along the river. The project examines how art-based field experiences with the watershed improve learning and change student attitudes and behavior toward the environment. The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, partnering with Hobart and William Smith Colleges, was awarded $40,000 to research the isolation of benthic cyanobacteria and investigate their toxin production from the Finger Lakes and the embayments of Lake Ontario, the release stated. SUNY Oneonta received $25,000 for its work measuring the biological productivity of Hudson River tributaries and the impact of dams on tributaries. The project focuses on understanding how natural and human factors affect the flow of nutrients and energy through these vital waterways, crucial for sustaining fisheries and ecosystem health. “Protecting the health of New York’s remarkable watersheds will help ensure aquatic habitats continue to thrive and that communities are better prepared to withstand the challenges of climate change along their shorelines,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in the release. “Through DEC’s partnership with the New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University, secured through the state’s Environmental Protection Fund, these grants are advancing valuable education programs and projects that will support DEC’s work managing New York’s watersheds.”