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Water Resources Council updates water-quality strategy to reflect DEC’s Cayuga Lake phosphorus TMDL
Summary
Cynthia Brock of the Water Resources Council told the committee the council updated its water quality strategy report to integrate the DEC‑adopted total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus in Cayuga Lake and will prioritize municipal outreach, monitoring and voluntary best practices on private property.
Cynthia Brock, speaking for the Tompkins County Water Resources Council, told the Planning, Energy and Environmental Quality Committee on Jan. 13 that the council has updated its water‑quality strategy report to incorporate the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s newly adopted total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus for Cayuga Lake.
Brock said the updated strategy report (the council updates it every three years) will focus municipal and stakeholder outreach toward the TMDL goals. She said the Water Resources Council is working directly with DEC to provide resources and act as an intermediary between DEC and local stakeholders.
Why it matters: The DEC‑adopted TMDL sets numeric phosphorus reduction targets for the Cayuga Lake watershed. The Water Resources Council’s strategy and outreach can shape local implementation and voluntary best practices, particularly because much of the phosphorus load is from nonpoint sources on private property.
Key points
- Strategy update and TMDL: Brock said the council integrated the DEC’s adopted phosphorus TMDL for Cayuga Lake into the updated water quality strategy report and will use the report to guide education and stakeholder coordination.
- Implementation challenges: Brock and committee members noted a primary challenge is encouraging voluntary best practices on private property (riparian buffers, agricultural fencing, manure and nutrient management) because tools for mandatory enforcement on private land are limited.
- Coordination: Brock described ongoing coordination with county planning staff and the monitoring partnership; staff and partners are also working on Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP2) plans for 6 Mile Creek and Fall Creek and Bolton Point’s DWSP2 work.
- Local activity: Committee members reported that several towns (Enfield, Newfield, Ulysses and Dryden) submitted resolutions related to Cargill and salt‑mine matters (see separate public comment), with most boards approving and a small number of dissenting votes reflecting concern about tone rather than content.
Ending: Brock said the Water Resources Council will reform working groups this month and reinitiate monitoring and outreach activities tied to the updated strategy report and DEC TMDL.
