We’re committed to improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better.
Our passion and commitment to the integration of innovative science and engineering drive us to exceed on behalf of every client.
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Tulips will soon be emerging from the ground, buds blossoming on trees and, unfortunately, invasive plant species will begin their annual growing cycle. No type of habitat or region of the globe is immune to the threat of invasive species (“invasives”). Invasives create major impacts on ecosystems throughout the world, and freshwater ecosystems and estuaries are especially vulnerable because the establishment of such species in these habitats is difficult to contain and reverse. This blog provides an introduction to invasive aquatic species, including information that will help you prevent the spread of invasives in the waterways of your community. Defining Invasive Species Invasive species can be defined as non-native occurring in an ecosystem that is outside its actual natural or native distributional range. Although the colonization of an ecosystem by non-native species can occur naturally, it is more often a function of human intervention, both deliberate and accidental. For aquatic ecosystems some species have become established as a result of the aquarium trade, fish culture practices and/or transport of plants and animals in the bilge and ballast water of trans-oceanic shipping vessels. One of the primary reasons invasives are able to thrive, spread rapidly, and outcompete native species is that the environmental checks and predators that control these species in their natural settings are lacking in the ecosystems and habitat in which they become introduced. The subsequent damages they cause occur on many ecological levels including competition for food or habitat (feeding, refuge and/or spawning), direct predation and consumption of native species, introduction of disease or parasites, and other forms of disruption that lead to the replacement of the native species with the invasive species. As a result, invasives very often cause serious harm to the environment, the economy, and even human health. A prominent example is the Emerald Ash Borer, a non-native, invasive beetle that is responsible for the widespread death of ash trees. As noted above, there are a large number of aquatic invasive species. Some of the more commonly occurring non-native aquatic plant species that impact East Coast lakes, ponds and reservoirs include:
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Floating Wetland Islands (FWI) are an effective alternative to large, watershed-based, natural wetlands. Often described as self-sustaining, FWIs provide numerous ecological benefits. They assimilate and remove excess nutrients that could fuel algae growth; provide habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms; help mitigate wave and wind erosion impacts; provide an aesthetic element; and can be part of a holistic lake/pond management strategy. FWIs are also highly adaptable and can be sized, configured and planted to fit the needs of nearly any lake, pond or reservoir.
Princeton Hydro Senior Scientist Katie Walston recently completed the Floating Island International (FII) Floating Wetland Master Seminar. The seminar provided participants with an in-depth look at the various technologies and products FII offers. Through hands-on examples, course participants learned how to utilize wetland islands for fisheries enhancement, stormwater management, shoreline preservation, wastewater treatment and more.
FII was launched by inventor and outdoorsman Bruce Kania who was driven by the desire to reverse the decline of wetland habitats by developing a new and natural stewardship tool that could clean water and, in the process, improve life for all living creatures. He found that the answer lies in Biomimicry: duplicating nature’s processes in a sustainable, efficient and powerful way to achieve impeccable environmental stewardship for the benefit of all life.
Bruce brought together a team of engineers and plant specialists and created BioHaven® floating islands. These islands biomimic natural floating islands to create a “concentrated” wetland effect. Independent laboratory tests show removal rates far in excess of previously published data: 20 times more nitrate, 10 times more phosphate and 11 times more ammonia, using unplanted islands. They are also extremely effective at reducing total suspended solids and dissolved organic carbon in waterways.
In addition to ongoing prototype development, FII offers licensing opportunities to businesses and production facilities worldwide. FII continues to research and develop collaborative pilot projects to quantify BioHaven® floating islands’ efficacy.
Many thanks to Bruce and Anne Kania for hosting the Floating Wetland Master Seminar and inspiring action through their knowledge, passion and ongoing endeavors.
Collaboration between state agencies and local organizations in Luzerne County bring in grant money to determine Hydrilla infestation levels in Harveys Lake. Treatment efforts are scheduled for 2019.
Story provided by Princeton Hydro Senior Limnologist Michael Hartshorne, and originally published in the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Fall 2018 Newsletter
Harveys Lake, located in the Borough of Harveys Lake (Luzerne County) is a large, deep glacial lake with limited littoral (i.e., shoreline) habitat. A significant body of work has been conducted at the lake with the original Phase I: Diagnostic-Feasibility Lake study conducted in 1992 and a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) issued for phosphorus in 2002.
From 2002 to present, Princeton Hydro has assisted the Borough in the restoration of the lake with a heavy focus on stormwater best management practices (BMPs) supplemented by routine, in-lake water quality monitoring. The goal of the storm water/watershed-based efforts was to reduce the lake’s existing, annual total Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) phosphorus load so it’s in full compliance with the established TMDL.
Over the last 15 years, the installation of these watershed-based projects has led to improved water quality conditions; specifically, phosphorus and algae concentrations have been reduced. While water quality conditions improved Harveys Lake, it was during one of the routine, summer water quality monitoring events conducted in July 2014 that a dense stand of hydrilla was noted at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s public boat launch. More than likely, the plant entered the lake as a “hitchhiker” on the boat or trailer being launched from this public boat launch by someone visiting the lake.
Since the initial identification and confirmation of the hydrilla, the Borough of Harveys Lake has worked in conjunction with the Harveys Lake Environmental Advisory Council, the Luzerne County Conservation District, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and Princeton Hydro to secure funding for additional surveys to determine the spatial extent and density of growth followed by an aggressive eradication plan.
Grant funds already allocated to Harveys Lake under the state’s Non-Point Source Pollution Program were used to conduct a detailed boat-based and diving aquatic plant survey of Harveys Lake to delineate the distribution and relative abundance of the hydrilla in 2014. During these surveys, the distribution of the hydrilla was found to be limited to the northern portion of the lake with the heaviest densities just off the boat launch with plants observed growing in waters 20-25 feet deep.
A follow-up survey had shown hydrilla coverage to increase from 38% of surveyed sites to 58% of sites in 2016 with hydrilla now present at the lake’s outlet area. Spatial coverage of hydrilla increased from approximately 50 acres in 2014 to 210 acres in 2016, an increase of 160 acres.
In hopes of preventing hydrilla escaping into the lake’s outlet stream, the Borough of Harveys Lake funded an emergency treatment of the two-acre outlet area in 2016 utilizing the systemic herbicide Sonar® (Fluridone). A follow-up treatment of 159 acres was conducted in 2017, again utilizing the Fluridone-based systemic herbicide.
The next treatment, which will attempt to cover the majority of the littoral habitat covered by hydrilla, is scheduled for late spring/early summer of 2019. It should be noted that Sonar® is being applied at a low concentration that is effective at eradicating the hydrilla, but will not negatively impact desirable native plant species.
The treatments conducted to date have documented some reductions in the vegetative coverage of hydrilla as well as tuber production relative to the original plant surveys conducted in 2016. However, it is recognized that it will take multiple years of treatment to eradicate this nuisance plant from the lake, as well as a highly proactive, interactive program to educate residents as well as visitors to the lake in preventing the re-introduction of this or other invasive species to Harveys Lake.
The successful, long-term improvement of a lake or pond requires a proactive management approach that addresses the beyond simply reacting to weed and algae growth and other symptoms of eutrophication. Our staff can design and implement holistic, ecologically-sound solutions for the most difficult weed and algae challenges. Visit our website to learn more about Princeton Hydro's lake management services: http://bit.ly/pondlake
Michael Hartshorne's primary areas of expertise include lake and stream diagnostic studies, TMDL development, watershed management, and small pond management and lake restoration. He is particularly skilled in all facets of water quality characterization, from field data collection to subsequent statistical analysis, modeling, technical reporting, and the selection and implementation of best management practices. He has extensive experience in utilizing water quality data in concert with statistical and modeling packages to support load reduction allocations for the achievement of water quality standards or tailored thresholds set forth to reduce the rate of cultural eutrophication. He also has significant experience in conducting detailed macrophyte, fishery, and benthic surveys.
How healthy is your lake? July is Lakes Appreciation Month and we’re celebrating with a contest! To raise awareness about water quality, we're encouraging people who enjoy lakes to participate in a "Secchi Dip-In" for a chance to win a $100 gift card and a one-year membership to the North American Lake Management Association (NALMS).
The "Secchi Dip-In" is an annual citizen science event created by NALMS in 1994. It was developed in order to involve lake-goers and associations across North America in using a simple Secchi disk to monitor the transparency or turbidity of their local waterway.
This data collected is evaluated on a regional scale by NALMS and helps lake managers further understand the water quality of lakes in their region. Since 1994, more than 10,000 trained volunteers have generated 42,000 transparency records, giving a glimpse of lake water transparency at sites across North America and the world, according to NALMS.
If you'd prefer to read (vs. watching), we've got you covered with these step-by-step instructions:
1. What is a Secchi disk and what data is collected with it? The typical Secchi disk used in lakes is an 8-inch disk with alternating black and white quadrants. It’s lowered into the water until the observer can no longer see it. The depth of disappearance, called the Secchi depth, is a measure of the transparency of the water. The disk is named in honor of Father Pietro Angelo Secchi, astronomer and scientific advisor to the Pope, who tested this new instrument in the Mediterranean Sea on April 20, 1865.
2. Where can I get a Secchi disk? Secchi disks are a low-cost investment and a great tool to have for measuring water quality. You can purchase a Secchi disk on the internet for $20-$30. Alternatively, you can always ask a friend or your local lake manager to borrow one. Some people even make their own!
3. How do I take a measurement? How many times do I do it? A measurement is taken by lowering the disk on the sunny side of the boat. To eliminate sun glare, an underwater viewer (viewscope) can also be used if so desired. Allow sufficient time (preferably 2 minutes) when looking at the disk near its vanishing point for the eyes to adapt completely to the prevailing luminance level. Record the depth at which the disk disappears. Slowly raise the disk and record the depth of reappearance. The “Secchi depth” is the average depth of disappearance and reappearance. For further accuracy, several people can each record several Secchi depths. Then, all of the depths can be averaged into one single reading. Please note: the water depth should be at least 50% greater than the Secchi depth so that the disk is viewed against the water background, not bottom-reflected light.
4. What's the best time of day to collect a sample? The best time of day to collect a sample is when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, generally around midday. Most volunteers generally collect data between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
5. What do the results mean? The Secchi disk measures transparency, which serves as an indicator of changing water quality. Transparency decreases as the amount of particles in the water— such as algae and sediment—increases.
One lucky winner will be randomly selected on August 1, 2018. The selected winner will receive a $100 gift card to Amazon and a one-year membership to NALMS. We’ll reach out to you via social media to collect your email and address for prize distribution. If the winner does not respond within 5 working days with the appropriate information, we will select another winner at random. Good luck, everyone!
The Western New York Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Summit, the last of four Statewide HABs summits, was held last month in Rochester, NY. The summits kicked off Governor Cuomo’s $65 million initiative to protect the NY State’s lakes, ponds and reservoirs, and those that rely on these waterbodies for recreation and drinking water, from the ecological and health impacts associated with HABs.
"Protecting New York's natural resources is key to ensuring residents have access to safe water, and through this collaborative summit, we are addressing the growing threat of harmful algal blooms," said Governor Cuomo in a recent press release.
Each regional summit involved a day-long session of expert presentations and panel discussions on a variety of HAB related topics, and culminated in an evening session, which was open to the public and provided community members an opportunity to learn more about the Governor’s initiative and pose questions to NYSDEC about HABs and the management of HABs. The evening sessions were available to view via a live online stream as well.
For each summit, the Governor invited regional experts to participate along with NYSDEC and Department of Health experts. The experts were brought together to initiate the development of tailored HAB action plans. Although the focus was placed on the management of Governor Cuomo’s 12 priority waterbodies, the goal was to identify HAB management plans applicable for all of the State’s waterbodies, large or small. The discussions that evolved through the four summits set the stage to inform decisions related to preventing and properly responding to HABs across the state.
Participating by the invitation of Governor Cuomo and the NYSDEC in last month’s Western New York Summit were:
During the Western New York Summit, Dr. Souza, Princeton Hydro co-founder, provided insight on the causes of HABs and, in particular, discussed the management techniques that have been successfully implemented by Princeton Hydro to combat the onset and mitigate the impacts of HABs.
Stay tuned for more events.
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