Comparative Limnology & Hydrogeochemistry of the Finger Lakes

Monthly Monitoring Program: (May, June, July, August & September)

• Initiated in 2005
• Seven Lakes: Skaneateles, Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua, Honeoye Lakes
• Otisco added in 2008, but not sampled in 2020
• At least Two Deep-Water Sites per Lake, collecting:
  • SeaBird SBE-19 CTD - Temperature, Conductivity, Light Transmission vs. Depth
  • Upgraded to a SeaBird SBE-25 - Temperature, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation), Fluoresence (Algal Concentrations), Turbidity vs. Depth
  • Horizontal & Vertical Plankton Tows & Abundance Enumerations
  • Secchi Disk Depth
  • Surface & Bottom (few meters above lake floor) Water Samples analyzed for:
    • Total Coliform and E. coli bacteria (only in 2005)
    • Dissolved Nutrients (Phosphates, Nitrates, & Silica)
    • Total Phosphates (starting in 2006)
    • DO, pH, Conductivity (Specific Conductance)
    • Chlorophyll a
    • Total Suspended Solids
    • Major Ions (Cl, SO4, Na, K, Ca, Mg by IC) & Alkalinity (by titration)

Sites:

Site Locations & Water Depths:

Lake                  Site     Water Depth (m)          Latitude            Longitude

Honeoye               1                   7.3                     42° 44.321 N       77° 30.718 W
Honeoye               2                   7.5                     42° 45.149 N       77° 30.677 W

Canandaigua          1                   54                      42° 49.265 N       77° 16.583 W
Canandaigua          2                   78                      42° 43.117 N       77° 18.750 W

Keuka                   1                   52                      42° 34.205 N       77° 08.754 W
Keuka                   2                   48                      42° 29.664 N       77° 08.980 W

Seneca                  1                   22                      42° 50.80 N       76° 57.56 W
Seneca                  2                   25                      42° 46.82 N       76° 55.99 W
Seneca                  3                  116                     42° 46.28 N       76° 57.00 W
Seneca                  4                   25                      42° 45.79 N       76° 58.01 W

Cayuga                  1                  122                     42° 37.917 N       76° 40.333 W
Cayuga                  2                  110                     42° 33.250 N       76° 35.500 W

Owasco                1                   34                      42° 52.400 N       76° 31.350 W
Owasco                2                   51                      42° 49.150 N       76° 30.450 W

Skaneateles           1                   63                      42° 53.482 N       76° 24.000 W
Skaneateles           2                   83                      42° 50.500 N       76° 20.750 W

Otisco                   1                  18                      42° 51.549 N       76° 16.708 W
Otisco                   2                  18                      42° 52.468 N       76° 17.783 W

2005 through 2015 Finger Lake Relative Water Quality Ranking:

• A Low Rank - Best Water Quality
• A High Rank - Worst Water Quality
• Scale is Relative between these 8 Lakes over past 8 years
• Honeoye has the two worst ranks (in 2007 & 2010) over past 8 years
  • Sampled large (pea green) algal blooms in these two years
• Canandaigua & Keuka have the two best ranks in 2010, and Skaneateles in 2011 and 2012
  • Missed algal blooms in 2010

2005 Data:

• Summary: A Preliminary Water Quality Study of Selected Finger Lakes, New York. J.D. Halfman & K.F. Bush
• 2005 Average Limnological Data
• 2005 Monthly Limnological Data (Average of surface and bottom water samples)
• 2005 CTD Profiles

2006 Data:

• 2006 Average Limnological Data
• 2006 Monthly Limnological Data (Average of surface and bottom water samples)
• 2006 CTD Profiles

2007 Data:

• 2007 Average Limnological Data
• 2007 Monthly Limnological Data (Average of surface and bottom water samples)
• 2007 CTD Profiles

2008 Data:

• Summary: Water Quality of the Finger Lakes, New York: 2005-2008. Halfman, J.D. and K. O'Neill
• 2008 Average Limnological Data
• 2008 CTD Profiles

2009 Data:

• 2009 Average Limnological Data
• 2009 CTD Profiles

2010 Data:

• 2010 Average Limnological Data
• 2010 CTD Profiles

2011 Data:

• 2011 Average Limnological Data
• 2011 CTD Profiles

2012 Data:

• 2012 Average Limnological Data
• 2012 CTD Profiles

2013 Data:

• 2013 Average Limnological Data
• 2013 CTD Profiles

2014 Data:

• 2014 Average Limnological Data
• 2014 CTD Profiles

2015 Data:

• 2015 Average Limnological Data
• 2015 CTD Profiles

2016 Data:

• 2016 Average Limnological Data
• 2016 CTD Profiles
• 2016 Finger Lake Water Quality Update Report

2017 Data:

• 2017 Average Limnological Data
• 2017 Box & Whisker Plots
• 2017 CTD Profiles

2018 Data:

• 2018 Average Limnological Data
• 2018 Box & Whisker Plots
• 2018 CTD Profiles

2019 Data:

2020 Data:

Other Near Real Time Data & Owasco Lake/Watershed Study

Seneca Lake Water Quality and Meteorological Buoy

Owasco Lake/Watershed Study

Finger Lake Region Maps

Field Photos

CTD/Limnology

Piston Coring

Cruising on Canandaiagua Lake

2007 Students: Rachael Dye, Casey Franklin, Tara Ware, Kerry O'Neil, Evan Brown

2008 & 2009 Crew

2010 Crew

2011 Crew

The Boss