Genesee River - Rochester, NY area
RochesterEnvironment.com
Consider the environmental importance of the Genesee River, which runs through the city of Rochester, NY
Page Contents: Recycling NewsLinks | Discussions | Resources
SEARCH: Use search engine below to find anything posted since 1998.
Loading
Why the Genesee River is an important component of our area's environment:
The Genesee River near Lower Falls. Photo by Frank J. Regan.
The Genesee River, which runs through the city of Rochester and dissects there with the Erie Canal, also has its unique ecology and a history of contamination from industry and agricultural run-off.
There are many environmental issues relating to this river that people still use to canoe, boat, swim on. It even harbors large vessels as the Genesee River meets Lake Ontario.
Cleaning up the Genesee from centuries of use as a transportation route and drainage for industry should be instrumental before developers begin yet another millennia of use, this time for tourism.
Get the news links and all the resources for this topic.
(Above scripts from Dynamic Drive)Genesee River Discussions:
Rochester area discussions on the environmental health of our major river.
- Genesee River – gauging success Using the Genesee River as a backdrop, New York State Environmental Conservation Commissioner (NYSDEC) Pete Grannis recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Grannis listed many of the accomplishment of the Genesee River clean up (see State Environmental Commissioner Celebrates Progress along the Genesee River - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation): more...
- Care about the Genesee River ? The Genesee River Wilds Project is a coalition of groups and individuals who invest time, energy, funding, and other resources in the development of an environmentally sustainable system of natural parks concentrated along the Genesee River in the “Genesee River Wilds more...
- News on the Genesee River at Rochester, NY What is becoming clear with this article [There's something fishy in the Genesee - again]and several others, Rochester City Newspaper is now the most important environmental newspaper in our area. Every other media in our area has dropped the ball on the most important issue of the day—the state of our environment. more...
Genesee River NewsLinks
Though our major river through Rochester doesn't get much media attention, sometimes it does. I've been following these stories for ten years and this is all I have on the Genesee River.
- State Environmental Commissioner Celebrates Progress along the Genesee River - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Site Chosen to Highlight Environmental Gains since Original "Earth Day" New York State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis celebrated this week's 40th anniversary of Earth Day by highlighting progress in the Greater Rochester area at a news conference today at Turning Point Park on the Genesee River. (April 20, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on the Genesee River in our area]
- DEC chief hails Genesee River as proof of strides since first Earth Day | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The Genesee River has seen great improvement since Earth Day began 40 years ago, New York state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said Tuesday afternoon. Back then, communities were releasing untreated and undertreated sewage into the river, and industries were discharging their waste products directly into the water. (April 21, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on the Genesee River in our area]
- Top NY court allows projects into cleanup program - BusinessWeek New York's top court ordered conservation officials Thursday to allow the Lighthouse Pointe redevelopment project in Rochester into the state's brownfields cleanup program, making it eligible for an estimated $25 million in tax credits and release from further liability for old contamination after the job is done. The Court of Appeals concluded that the 47 acres along the Genesee River and Lake Ontario are sufficiently contaminated to qualify and that the Department of Environmental Conservation threshold was too high. (February 18, 2010) BusinessWeek - Business News, Stock Market & Financial Advice [more on the Genesee River in our area]
- EPA outlines plan to save Great Lakes | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The Genesee River watershed is one of five areas singled out for extra attention in a report released Sunday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Obama administration has developed a five-year blueprint for rescuing the Great Lakes, a sprawling ecosystem plagued by toxic contamination, shrinking wildlife habitat and invasive species. (February 22, 2010) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Great Lakes in our area]
- Genesee River watershed targeted in Obama plan to clean up Great Lakes | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Obama administration has developed a five-year blueprint for rescuing the Great Lakes, a sprawling ecosystem plagued by toxic contamination, shrinking wildlife habitat and invasive species. The plan, released today by Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, envisions spending more than $2.2 billion for long-awaited repairs after a century of damage to the lakes, which hold 20 percent of the world's fresh water. (February 21, 2010) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on the Genesee River in our area]
- Greece Arcadia High School students aboard floating classroom | Water samples taken from the mouth of the Genesee River near Lake Ontario show how significant human interaction with the waterways can be, a group of high school students learned on Wednesday. (October 23, 09) RocEarth [more on Environmental Education in our area]
- Development on Genesee River is Flourishing Development along the Genesee River is being done in two phases. The first started in 2000. The second phase started in 2007. Its part of a 12 year plan to get development along the Genesee River. And it seems to be working. (October 8, 09) RochesterHomePage [more on the Genesee River in our area]
- Genesee River alive and well in Rochester |Most of us know the local history. Rochester cut its teeth on the power of the Genesee River. The rambling water powered the grist mills that processed wheat and gave Rochester its early nickname, "Flour City." The ability to ship that high-quality flour to the world via the Erie Canal made Rochester a boomtown in the early 1800s. (September 22/09) http://www.democratandchronicle.com/ [more on Genesee River]
- Protecting the Genesee in 'God's Country' | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle GENESEE, Pa. — The Genesee River spills over High Falls in Rochester like a torrent of chocolate milk cascading off the breakfast table from a child's toppled SpongeBob cup. It's the mud, sediment and other stuff of 160 miles of rolling river that turns the clear water from John Torok's spring in Gold, Pa., into the milky-brown plume fanning out from the Port of Rochester into Lake Ontario. (July 29, 09) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
- There's something fishy in the Genesee - again - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Consider this as a mascot for the Genesee River's ongoing recovery: the lake sturgeon. More than a century ago, the beastly fish thrived in the Lower Genesee - sturgeons were known in some circles as "Albany beef" because they were plentiful, tasty, and huge. But overfishing and pollution caused their decline - causing them to almost disappear. (Dec 25, 09) Rochester City Newspaper
- Undredged river caused shallow Port - A survey of the Genesee River at the Port of Rochester this week found water depths have lessened as much as three feet in the past year, making the waterway more shallow. The U.S. Corps of Engineers survey, released today, found the outer channel between the river piers is among the most affected by sediment build up, or shoaling. Last month, the Stephen B. Roman, a cement boat and the only freighter still operating on the river, ran aground as it attempted to traverse the river. (April 4, 07) Democrat & Chronicle
- Genesee River Dredging Funds Cut - 13WHAM.com - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not dredge the Genesee River as planned this summer, because of federal budget cuts. The $920,000 funding cut came as a surprise to local officials and Charlotte residents, who did not learn of it until a major cargo ship got stuck in the mouth of the river last Thursday. - (March 29, 2007) Home - 13WHAM.com
- Silt levels of Genesee surveyed next week - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doesn't expect to get a survey crew out on the Genesee River to measure the extent of shoaling at least until Monday. (March 29,07) Democrat & Chronicle
- Progress made in lakes cleanup - Oswego River off problem list, but Genesee remains— The Oswego River was officially removed from a binational list of the Great Lakes' most polluted tributaries Tuesday — the first American site to mark such a milestone. Meanwhile, the Genesee River, which appears on the same list of 43 polluted sites, needs several more years of effort before it can be considered healthy. (July 26, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
- SPRING CLEANING - Paul Noto knows all about big cleaning jobs. He's the operations manager for the city's environmental-services department. And this week, his department begins working on one of its more unusual assignments: cleaning the Genesee River. Each spring, environmental workers begin removing debris that collects in what the department calls "the river pool" --- the stretch of water from the Court Street dam north to the HighFalls. The debris consists mostly of trees and brush, drawn into the water by erosion from melting ice and strong currents along the river banks from as far south as the Mount Morris Dam. But there's more interesting stuff, too. (March 15, 2006) City Newspaper
- Democrat & Chronicle: Genesee river current has a new spark — The Genesee River once drove the Rochester economy by powering flour mills. Now city officials want it to power a new emerging industry — fuel cell technology. The city has applied for a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority grant to study the feasibility of using the river and the 96-foot-high waterfalls downtown as a hydrogen source to power fuel cells. (April 11, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle
- DEC Teaches Judges About Gorge - Few realize you'd have to go to Alaska to find the sort of unique fishing environment the Genesee River gorge offers. Its urban setting also make it a place for problems, not just fishing and gaming problems, but those involving alcohol and drugs. The DEC provided a guided tour of the gorge to five Rochester City Court judges Tuesday. (July 30, 2003) R News: Your NewsChannel
- Democrat & Chronicle: 50 talk about developing river (October 3, 2002) — More than 50 people attended a public workshop Wednesday about how to spur development along and to improve access to the Genesee River between East Main Street and the Inner Loop to the north. Democrat and Chronicle
- Democrat & Chronicle: Rochester gets river-access plan — The Crowne Plaza hotel knows the benefit of having the Genesee River in its back yard. "We have a lot of guests here who request river-view rooms," said Vince McIntyre, director of security at the hotel. "It's a really big deal for us." (April 15, 2002) DemocratandChronicle.com
- Federal funds to ease Great Lakes pollution The Genesee River and other waterways that feed into Lake Ontario could benefit from a federal bill that adds $250 million over the next five years for the prevention of Great Lakes pollution. (July 12, 2001) --DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- Sunken Tugboat Leaking Fuel The Department of Environmental Conservation is cleaning up an oily mess on the Genesee River, left behind when a tugboat sank. (January 16, 2001) RNews.
-
Grounded Tugboat Leaks Oil Into The Genesee Rochester, NY -
Crews worked to clean up a small fuel oil leak from a grounded
tugboat in the Genesee River near Charlotte on Monday. New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation officials said
the boat released about 200 gallons of oil into the river, but
said the environmental impact of the spill will be minimal. DEC
officials also said investigators had been working to determine
the source of the spill for about a week.
(January 15, 2001) RochesterToday - Oil Spill Clean Up Continues The clean up of the oil spill in the Genesee River continues Monday. A sunken tug boat had been leaking fuel oil into the Genesee River, which can be seen over a two mile stretch. (January 15, 2001) WHEC
- A local researcher's heavenly sight The plumes of smoke extending from the shoreline are pollutants being dumped into Lake Ontario from the Genesee River and runoff from land. (July 10, 2000) Henrietta Post.
- Gore announces $50 million for Great Lakes cleanup Activists say allocation won't be enough for Genesee River-lake area, other sites - 01/11/00--DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- DEC frets over river project, wetlands Genesee water level will be dropped in order to repair wall near Corn Hill --12/12/99DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "The Environmental Health Committee of the Board of Health is charged with collecting community input about the Environmental Health Report Card. (File is in Portable Document File Help for format.)The Committee will assess the information gathered and make recommendations to the Board of Health regarding priorities for action to improve the environmental health of our community. Included with the report card is a form to give people an opportunity to provide input about priorities for action. Please feel free to fill it out, make comments and send it back to us." This document includes a report on the health of the Genesee River.
-
River bottom
still a trash heap The Genesee River is a natural resource
to lure
people downtown. --9/25/99--TOP NEWS From WHEC, and MSNBC - Junk in the Genesee River "-The low water has not only revealed a lot of junk, but also bureaucratic confusion over how to clean it out."--7/13/99 --TOP NEWS From WHEC, and MSNBC
- River fertilizes crop of dreams ---7/12/99 DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital
-
Trash
spoils a beautiful view The Genesee River downtown is
looking like a
landfill, but a cleanup is questionable ---7/12/99 DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital - HURRICANE AGNES and the GENESEE RIVER FLOODING--National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Snow Being Dumped Into Genesee River 1/16/99----TOP NEWS From WHEC, and MSNBC
- From Rochester Committee for Scientific Information (RCSI)--Water Conservation.
- Chemicals Dumped in Rivers? Industry discharged 1 billion pounds of toxic chemicals into U.S. waterways from 1992 to 1996...
- Dishonorable Discharge Under existing federal pollution control laws, the American people are kept in the dark about the vast majority of toxic pollution spewed into the environment by U.S. industry.
- EPA Reports on Toxic Releases to Air, Water and Land in New York NEW YORK, N.Y.-- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported today in its annual Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) that the 99.7 million pounds of toxic chemicals listed as released in New York during 1988 had dropped to 26 million pounds in 1996, a decrease over the eight-year period of 73.9%.
- PIRG: Troubled Waters: Executive Summary Year after year, America’s waterways continue to serve as dumping grounds for toxic pollution. Today, 26 years after the enactment of the Clean Water Act, thousands of polluters flush millions of pounds of toxic substances into rivers and streams with impunity, without any obligation to inform the communities downstream about the vast majority of toxic chemical use or discharges.
- Sierra Club Roch. Regional Group: 1995 TRI-DISCHARGES TO WATER
- The 50 most polluted rivers or waterbodies in the U.S. The Genesee River with 3,672,733 Total pounds of direct toxic discharges to water (1990-1994) ranks 20th.
- Rochester, New York Facilities Reporting TRI Discharges to Water in Rochester, New York
- Genesee River ranks "second among U.S. rivers that had cancer-causing chemicals dumped into them during a recent five-year period"--Rochester Digital Edition article: (Genesee earns grim ranking ), according to The State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs). Go here http://www.pirg.org/enviro/toxics/waters98/index.htm to read the full report and here http://www.pirg.org/enviro/toxics/waters98/table10.htm to see the how the Genesee River stacks up against other U.S. Rivers.
The Genesee River and the Lower Falls. Photo by Frank J. Regan.
Magnificent Lower Falls on the Genesee River.
(Above scripts from Dynamic Drive)
Genesee River Resources
Genesee River Resources on the Internet
- Genesee River Wilds Project "The Genesee River Wilds Project is a coalition of groups and individuals who invest time, energy, funding, and other resources in the development of an environmentally sustainable system of natural parks concentrated along the Genesee River in the “Genesee River Wilds.” This phrase refers to the Genesee River and its watershed from the river’s sources in Potter County, Pennsylvania, to the southern boundary of Letchworth State Park in New York State. The Genesee River Wilds Project represents and partners with federal, state, county, municipal, and non-profit organizations; business corporations; educational institutions; landowners; farmers; anglers; hunters; hikers; mountain bikers; kayak and canoe enthusiasts; and many others who participate in various official and unofficial ways. The coalition works to improve the health of the upper Genesee River and its watershed; protect them from future environmental threats; and enhance their recreational potential. "
- Genesee River Watershed - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation A brief overview of this watershed and its water quality
- River Network - Home Page: River Network River Network's mission is to help people organize to protect and restore rivers and watersheds.
-
American Rivers: Celebrating 25
years of bringing rivers to life, American
Rivers is North America's leading national
river-conservation organization. Our mission is
to
protect and restore America's river systems and to foster a river stewardship ethic. - The World’s Water: a site dedicated to providing up-to-date water resources information and data, and connections to organizations, institutions, and individuals working on a wide range of global freshwater problems and solutions.
- Genesee River - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. Falls along the river are within the gorge of Letchworth State Park and within the city of Rochester. The Mount Morris Dam built in 1952 is the largest flood control dam east of the Mississippi River; its capacity was only exceeded in 1972 during Hurricane Agnes. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area, and 19th century mills along the river made Rochester one of the leading producers of flour in North America, earning the city one of its nicknames "Flour City".[3] The river still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester to this day.