Present: Jose Lozano, Deb Grantham, Linda Wagenet, Jim Malyj, George Kennedy, Bill Kappell, Kate Hackett, Cliff Callinan, Craig Schutt, Liz Moran, Sharon Anderson

1. Tom Vawter unanimously elected as chair. George Kennedy will continue to serve as the Technical Committee's representative to the Executive Committee.

2. Cliff Callinan reported on his recently completed study over 5 years. Available on the web as:

www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/fingerlakes/index.html

Current data was compared with earlier data from Lakes of NYS, vol I, a collaborative effort of academicians to see how things have changed. Present data consisted of a single sample site at each of the 11 Finger Lakes starting 1996. Time of year sampling started varied. 2 components: – basic liminolgical parameters. 2 ^nd is sediment core. Cayuga Lake sediment bore did not give good data. Core taken between Myers and Taughannock. Recommendation is to do a follow up core. Might Hobart Williams Smith's vessel be available? Other cores have been taken in the past but they looked at different parameters.

Limniological study was done off Taughannock Point and the south end. Deep lake has improved over time, e.g. a substantial drop in total phosphorus and some reduction in sodium and chloride levels. The south lake was looked at because of use impairments at south lake including THM concerns for water supply, lead and aesthetic concerns, closure of swimming beach. Historical data at the south lake is lacking.

Cliff hopes to do a regional presentation and would invite the Technical Committee. Recommendations (in reverse order):

3. Work Plan for the coming year: Deb reviewed guidelines she received from Kevin Millington about the Great Lakes Coastal Watershed. Deadline is Jan 31, 2002. This will be the last year of Bond Act Funding. Currently no EPF funds available.

Deb would appreciate feedback on the DOS proposal she submitted, especially the budget and the break down of local match and grant dollars to do road bank and stream bank work. Jose will get USDA guidelines to Deb.

The committee needs to define its role now. One suggestion if to review the RPP, pull out items for the Tech. Committee, prioritize and distribute to the rest of the committee to review.

4. Public Comments. The committee would like to see the public comments and the responses. They would like to review the responses before they are released to the public via the Web site. Sharon will forward them to the committee.

Sharon has received comments about noise and personal water crafts. These and other comments should be sent to the Technical Committee.

5. Land spreading of septage from septic tanks. Sanitary codes in all the watershed counties accept Cayuga preclude this. Position taken by the Technical Committee should be based on Cayuga Lake impairments listed in the Characterization. More information needed such as: What parameters does the health dept look at – do they look at phosphorus, nitrogen and pathogen movement/loading. Liz Moran will follow up.

6. Sharon requested more detailed information in order to answer questions on why and how sediment was chosen as the number one priority so that a consistent and accurate message is delivered. The other question that arises is whether the expenditure of fund to reduce road and stream bank erosion justified given the geology in the south lake.

The Tech Committee agreed to come up with a page that says this is how sediment as the highest priority was arrived at, this is where justifying data is in the Characterization, etc. The EPPOC will then turn that information into slides to add to the presentation and fact sheets. All committee members are requested are to get their separate ideas to Sharon and Tom. Sharon will collect them for discussion at the next Technical Committee meeting.

7. Dave Zorn is encouraging people to look at and use the wetland management tools on the Genesse/Fingerlakes web site.

8. RACNE Center Initiative. Bob Brower is interested in coordination of tools and resources, such as his imaging tools. He is interested in a needs assessment for the watershed. A fly over of the watershed targeting land use might be useful. The Technical Committee needs to determine what data is needed in this watershed and for what purpose. Once have the data needs can determine if remote sensing an appropriate tool. Refer back to the Characterization for data needs. He is organizing a series of regional workshops to explain what he has to offer.

Suggest to Brower using Cayuga Lake as a model watershed to look at concerns the lakes have in common. Would he tailor a workshop to the Finger Lakes – nutrients and sediments, as examples – to help stakeholders there articulate their data needs? His charge is to use the technology – NASA products to the local level.

Brower called before the meeting to express his interest in the IO/Network serving as a stakeholder group to help him refine a prototype project he is working on. Sharon requested his assistance with updating the watershed map to include the Seneca Cayuga Canal. Dave Morehouse also called prior to the meeting to express to the committee the need to include the Seneca Cayuga Canal in the RPP and the addition of lake level.

Suggest inviting him to attend a technical committee meeting or asking for a tour of his lab to discuss what he can do and what our needs are. More information on what is he using the tools for now and how does he envision it being used would be helpful. Jose will draft a letter.

9. TCE spill in Cayuga County is moving towards Cayuga Lake. DEC and EPA have been working on. USGS suggestions characterizing from Auburn to Union Springs. The IO could give support towards the USGS involvement. Presentation to the IO on the issue by the Cayuga County Health Department, EPA Bill Kappell at the Jan 23 IO meeting.

10. Next meeting date: suggested for week of Jan 9, 4-6 at Wells College, depending on Tom's availability. George will follow up with Tom. One of them will send out an announcement with the exact date. The following meeting to be in March for a longer time if needed.

Suggested agenda items for upcoming meetings:

Jan meeting:

March meeting (set for longer time)

Submitted by Sharon Anderson