Go to home page
Go to home page
Learn more:
Water quality monitoring
Latest water quality information
Facts from the biological program
Fish monitoring - you can participate
Monitoring locations
Parties working with WEP
Posters—Learn about the lake
Archives
Past features
AMP reports
AMP data sets
Photo galleries

Facts from the biological program

WEP personnel sample water in a stream to analyze the presence of macroinvertebrates

A healthy Onondaga Lake will foster robust communities of animals and plants—both in and around the water. The Ambient Monitoring Program also has a focus on biological indicators to evaluate the overall vitality of the ecosystem.

Here is what WEP personnel look for:


 

Fish   are the major focus of WEP's biological monitoring program. To monitor success in fish reproduction, WEP personnel count fish nests, take samples of larval and adult fish, and tag adult fish to track individual histories.

 You can help us. Click here to see how.

 

Phytoplankton and zooplankton   are tiny plants or animals, respectively, that remain suspended in the water. Data about their number, variety, and condition in Onondaga Lake are recorded.
 

Macroinvertebrates   are small insects and worms that live in the sediments of the lake and its tributaries. Their number and diversity correspond directly with the vigor of life in the lake.

Click here for video on
Finding macroinvertebrates
56-K modem * Broadband * QuickTime™
* Requires Windows Media Player

 

Aquatic plants   take root in the lake's bottom providing habitat for young fish, and they stabilize the base of the lake.

Sampling aquatic plants
56-K modem * Broadband * QuickTime™

For additional information on biological programs, please contact Jeanne Powers, 315-435-2260.


Home |  Info  | M / WBE  | Projects  | What's new?  | Links  | Contact  | Glossary
 
Susan Miller, Project Deputy Director
Phone 315-435-2260   Fax 315-435-5023
 Onondaga County Dept of Water Environment Protection