Author: Michele Wunderlich

Water Quality Data Jam

Posted on by Michele Wunderlich

Water Quality Data Jam

Join Community Science Institute for a team exploration of YOUR water quality questions!

Friday, November 3, 10am – Noon
Tompkins County Public Library
BorgWarner Room
101 East Green St.

Do you have questions about the water quality in your watershed, such as:

  • Where on Cayuga Lake do Harmful Algal Blooms occur most frequently?
  • Which of my favorite swimming holes have the highest  colicounts?
  • How is the water quality on Six Mile Creek, the source of the City of Ithaca’s drinking water?

Community Science Institute (CSI) has been collecting water quality data in the Cayuga Lake Watershed for many years through our volunteer stream and lake monitoring partnerships. We invite you to come explore these data with us at our upcoming Water Quality Data Jam event hosted at Tompkins County Public Library. This event will give community members with questions such as those above an opportunity to delve into the data to find answers for themselves. CSI staff will be close at hand to guide teams to find critical information using our water quality database.

Attendees will work in teams to address their questions about water quality in the Cayuga Lake Watershed and beyond! At the end of the event, teams will come together to share their findings with the rest of the attendees.

Sign up and bring your water quality questions with you. Together, we can embark on a journey of data exploration!

Sign up using the following link: https://www.tcpl.org/event/data-jam-community-science-institute

If you have any questions, reach out to Community Science Institute at info@communityscience.org. We’ll be happy to clarify for you. We hope to see you there!

Septic System Survey Open Now

Posted on by Michele Wunderlich

Calling all Septic System Owners in CNY.  The SUNY College of Environmental Science (ESF) in Syracuse, NY would like to hear about homeowner septic experiences for a DEC-sponsored research study on septic system management. ESF professor Sharon Moran and student Mackenzie Gregg’s project seeks to learn more about how septic systems are managed in the area to help clarify any problems with septic system management and what could be done to improve it. Responses are encouraged from residents of Cayuga, Cortland, and Onondaga counties. Complete ESF’s online survey available by clicking here, which takes only about ten minutes. Names are entered to win a gift card.

If you’re interested in further discussion, contact nysepticstudy@gmail.com to register for an in-person or virtual focus group.” A Septic System Survey Flyer is available and this info is also posted on the New York Septic Study website.

iMapInvasives Training and Invasive Species Walk

Posted on by Michele Wunderlich

Due to issues with the iMapInvasives app and the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, the iMapInvasives training that was scheduled as part of New York State Invasive Species Awareness week was cancelled.  However, Michele Wunderlich was able to provide an impromptu iMapInvasives training earlier in the week to Ann Robson, OWLA president and Ally Berry, Owasco Lake Watershed Inspector.  They learned how to use the iMapInvasives app and were given a brief invasive species identification training in the field.

If you would like iMapInvasives app training, please contact Michele Wunderlich at mwunderlich@cayugacounty.us.

Photo is of common buckthorn, an invasive species.

Visit our New YouTube Channel

Posted on by Michele Wunderlich

The Cayuga County WQMA has created a YouTube Channel to showcase presentations on water quality.  This channel is located at https://www.youtube.com/@CayugaCountyWQMA.  The channel currently has two videos available for viewing.  One is Grascen Shidemantle’s presentation “Community Science Institute Partnering with communities to monitor water quality in Cayuga County” from the May 2023 WQMA meeting.  The other is Kate Black and Greg Hutnik’s presentation “Project Development, Grant Management, and Funding Opportunities” from the April 2023 CWIO meeting.

Grant Tips

Posted on by Michele Wunderlich

 By Aaron McKeon and Michele Wunderlich

On March 1, 2023 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Division of Water held a webinar on “Navigating Grant Funding: Municipal Success Stories”. The presentation featured municipal officials from around New York State discussing their success strategies for applying for and managing grant funds.  Access a recording of the webinar here: https://bit.ly/3Msg2kH

Subjects discussed in this 90-minute webinar include:

  • Using multiple grants to fund a project,
  • Developing local support for a project,
  • Building relationships with local partners,
  • Using in-kind services to meet match requirements,
  • Using grant funds to pay for staff, and
  • Tips for first-time grant applicants.

On April 19, 2023, Kate Black and Greg Hutnik gave a presentation at the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO) on project development, grant management and funding opportunities.

  • Kate (Hogle) Black, a Coastal Resource Specialist with the NYS Department of State (DOS), Office of Planning, Development & Community Infrastructure spoke about DOS grant funding opportunities, and tips on successful grant applications and management.
  • Greg Hutnik, a Senior Planner & GIS Analyst with the Cayuga County Department of Planning and Economic Development spoke on project development, grant writing, grant administration, and how the county assists municipalities with grants.

This presentation is available for viewing on the new Cayuga County WQMA YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@CayugaCountyWQMA.