Past features
Onondaga County developed a new water quality model of the
Three Rivers System (Seneca, Oneida, and Oswego
rivers). The objectives of this modeling effort were:
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To develop a management tool to aid the County in
complying with the Amended Consent Judgment. (The ACJ
is designed to improve the water quality of Onondaga
Lake and achieve full compliance with state and
federal water quality regulations by December 1,
2012.)
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To facilitate the future development of total
maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for oxygen demanding
substances in the Seneca River.
 See full details about the Three Rivers Water Quality Model.
In a joint venture, the Onondaga County Department of Water
Environment Protection (WEP) and the United States
Geological Survey (USGS) are expanding the amount of
data collected in the outlet of Onondaga Lake. Both
agencies will gain much-needed information about the
flow patterns between the Seneca River and Onondaga
Lake.
WEP and USGS have put additional monitoring gauges on
the outflow discharge from Onondaga Lake (see map at
bottom). Onondaga Lake's discharge greatly affects the
Seneca River.
The full story of “Onondaga Lake outflow data collection project.”
The Onondaga County Department of Water Environment
Protection (WEP) and the United States Geological
Survey (USGS) have teamed up in a joint venture to
enhance data collection on Onondaga Creek. Both
parties will gain much-needed information about the
Creek's watershed while maximizing the funds
allocated to the project.
The full story of “Tributary data collection enhancement project.”
On June 16, 2004, technicians with the Onondaga County
Ambient Monitoring Program (AMP) captured, recorded,
and released a lake sturgeon (Acipenser
fulvescens) on Onondaga Lake. County officials are not
aware of any other documented sighting of lake
sturgeon in Onondaga Lake in recent history. This is
certainly the first sturgeon captured on Onondaga Lake since
the beginning of the AMP in 1998.
Read the full account of “Lake sturgeon in Onondaga Lake.”
Onondaga Lake was covered by ice from January 15, 2003 to
March 25, 2003. Average air temperatures for January
and February were 18.8°F and 21.7°F, respectively, and
by March 13, the ice on the Lake had reached a
thickness of 15-inches in the North Basin.
WEP technicians took water samples beneath the ice to
get a snapshot of the Lake's water quality when the
atmosphere is not in contact with the water. This "on
ice" sampling was performed successfully three times
in the winter of 2002-2003.
Read the full account of “2003 winter sampling.”
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Susan Miller, Project Deputy Director
Onondaga County Dept of Water Environment Protection