Jean Wetsig: A Friend Remembered

The eastern Lake Ontario dune system lost its staunchest defender with the passing of Jean Wetsig last January. A charter member of The Ontario Dune Coalition, Jean chaired the Private Landowners Committee for nine years, passing the baton in 1994.

Jean was a tireless dune advocate in the public dialogue about lake level regulation. Her voice was known to the St. Lawrence River Board of Control as well as to her local officials. Jean provided a ready source of information and resources to her landowner associations and was quick to voice their concerns to the agencies and conservation groups represented at the Dune Coalition. Jean's lifelong association with the eastern Lake Ontario dunes, together with her ongoing photo documentation of changing conditions on her Sunset Bluff property, helped bring perspective to the difficulties of managing land in such a changeable system.

In recognition of her outstanding commitment, The Ontario Dune Coalition awarded Jean its first Distinguished Service Award in 1994.

TODC Welcomes New Members

Welcome to new Coalition members, The US Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO), and Friends of Sandy Pond Beach. GLNPO's work includes funding projects for ecological protection and restoration in the Great Lakes. GLNPO has supported much of the eastern Lake Ontario dune work done recently by The DEC, The Nature Conservancy and others. The Friends of Sandy Pond Beach organized as a volunteer stewardship group in 1995 to assist with management of the newly established Sandy Pond Beach Natural Area. In its first two years, these hardy volunteers logged over 2500 hours of service on behalf of the dunes.

Sandy Island Beach Use Reviewed

I am sure a lot of people are wondering what is happening at Sandy Island Beach. As many of you know, Oswego County, with federal funding acquired by Seaway Trail, Inc., has been studying the feasibility of acquiring the property for both public recreation and restoration and conservation of this important property. Kotz and Associates has virtually completed the feasibility study which is now being reviewed by the County Legislature and others.

Sandy Island Beach is the last remaining opportunity for public beach access to the eastern shore of Lake Ontario in Oswego County. It is within the Dune System which is an open space priority of New York State.

The response at the series of public meetings held last year has been strongly in favor of public acquisition, development, and dune restoration. However, with any major initiative of this nature, there are numerous issues that must be resolved and, due to the many agencies, public and private parties, funding sources, policies and regulations which are involved, final determination and action take time.

Should Oswego County decide to acquire the property it will likely be in some form of partnership, with the County developing and operating the beach and related recreational facilities and the State restoring and managing the damaged dunes, associated flood plains, and wetlands.

Private Landowners' Committee

Our committee is still looking for members from the following areas: Pine Grove, Montario Point and Brennan Beach. Even if your area does not have an established Association, you are welcome to join this committee.

We held our first meeting of the summer on June 21, but will meet again before Labor Day. If you are interested, please contact Sally Sessler, 298-4227, weekends. Landowners who have photos of shoreline erosion along Lake Ontario are invited to bring them to the July 10 program (see enclosed flyer). We are also interested in photos showing locations of cobbles on the beach past and present.

Our committee mourns the passing of Jean Wetsig, longtime Chairperson. She will be remembered for her active role on this committee and on The Ontario Dune Coalition.

Special Note: The landowners committee still has DUNES ARE FRAGILE signs for landowners who are interested. The signs are metal, about 9" by 11" with 2 holes drilled suitable for posting in dune areas. Please contact Sally Sessler if you would like one of these signs.

Study of Sand Movement Completed

"Where does the sand come from? Where does it go?" These are basic questions of critical importance to those who own property, manage conservation land, or derive their livelihood from the sandy beaches and dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario. The Technical Committee of The Ontario Dune Coalition identified the need for answers to these questions as a priority several years ago. Recently, US EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office supported a Nature Conservancy project to begin to address this need. Geoff Steadman, known to Dune Coalition members as the principal author of the Sandy Pond Resource Study and NYS Department of State's New York's Eastern Lake Ontario Sand Dunes: Resources, Problems, and Management Guidelines, has completed an assessment of available information. Conclusions acknowledge that sand movement in eastern Lake Ontario is not sufficiently understood, and recommendations for further research are offered. Preliminary plans for further research are under consideration, and a steering committee will be developed to coordinate ongoing work. A copy of the Executive Summary is included with this newsletter. For further information or a copy of the full report, please call Sandy Bonanno at The Nature Conservancy (716-546-8030).

Lake Ontario Water Level Forecast - Summer 1997

The Big Picture

Lake Ontario receives approximately 85% of its water from the Upper Great Lakes. For this reason, it is important to look at what basinwide precipitation and the levels of the Upper Great Lakes are, since that water will eventually be making its way into Lake Ontario. For the first two months of 1997, Great Lakes-basinwide precipitation was 1.9 inches (49%) above average. The Lake Ontario Basin received 1.4 inches (28%) excess precipitation for the same period. The basinwide rate of precipitation dropped off somewhat during March and April, with the net result being that Great Lakes-basinwide precipitation for the first four months of 1997 was 1.2 inches (14%) above long-term average for that period. Lake Ontario actually received lower than normal precipitation for the first four months of the year, ending April about 1 inch (9%) below long-term average precipitation for the period. During the month of May, precipitation was below average on each of the Great Lakes basins except the Lake Erie basin. For the period ending June 1st 1997, Great Lakes-basinwide precipitation was 10% above average. Combined with 14% higher-than-usual Great Lakes-wide precipitation during 1996, this excess precipitation resulted in Lake Ontario levels increasing to and remaining more than a foot above its long-term (20th Century) average daily levels since late January 1997.

Were it not for the International Joint Commission implementation of Criterion K, instructing the St. Lawrence River Board of Control to release excess amounts of water from Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario could be more than 12 inches above its current level. Weekly inflows to the lake in March averaged 361,000 cfs (cubic feet per second), with average daily outflows of 322,550 cfs. Compare this with March 1994 (the last almost normal year the lake has seen) average weekly inflows of 278,600 cfs and average daily outflows of 249,840 cfs. For April 1997, average weekly inflows were 352,800 cfs, with average daily outflows of 305,366 cfs (compared with 1994 inflows of 358,000 cfs and outflows of 261,530 cfs). In May 1997, average weekly inflows were 333,750 cfs, with average daily outflows of 301,323 cfs (compared with 1994 inflows of 313,800 cfs and outflows of 282,800 cfs).

The Forecast

If "average" weather prevails in the Lake Ontario basin, on 1 July 97, the lake's level could be around 246.59, some 6 inches above its 20th Century average for that date (about 2.25 inches below that date last year), about 2.6 inches above average on 1 August 97 (about 3.1 inches below that date in 1996), 2 inches above average on 1 September 97 (about 1 inch above that date in 1996), and 1.7 inches above average for that date on 15 October 97 (about 1 inch lower than that date in 1996). Under a "dry year" scenario, Lake Ontario could be about 2 inches below average on 1 July 97, 4.4 inches below average on 1 August 97, 5.1 inches below average on 1 September, and 5.2 inches below average on 15 October 97. Under a "wet year" scenario, Lake Ontario could be 14.4 inches above its long-term average for that date on 1 July 97, 12.5 inches above average on 1 August 97, 11.8 inches above average for that date on 1 September, and 12.1 inches above average for that date on 15 October 97.

As always, readers are reminded that lake level forecasting is not an exact science. Lake level forecasts four months into the future are more art than science. Actual lake levels may differ substantially than those presented in this forecast. Lake Ontario levels will be particularly dependent upon precipitation and the outflows of the lake through the St. Lawrence River. Shoreline residents are advised to evaluate their property damage risks and develop a response plan in the event of Summer and Fall storms on top of high water levels. New York Sea Grant has shoreline erosion control information packets available to assist landowners in planning shoreline protection projects. Also available is a directory of Western New York Marine Contractors. Call Sea Grant at (716) 395-2638 if you are interested

Dune Stewards Greet Visitors

Please welcome our eastern Lake Ontario 1997 Dune Stewards! John Sherrer, Sally Willoughby, Shannon Youmell, Dave Erway, Jim Matthews, and Steve Kahl are out caring for the public access sites and helping visitors use the sites in environmentally responsible ways. They will also be asking some visitors to help evaluate the usefulness and impact of the various educational developments land managers have made available recently. Please, if one of them asks you to respond to a short survey about dune signs and brochures, give them your thoughts on the matter.

You will meet John Sherrer, a Sandy Pond area permanent resident, at Sandy Pond Beach Natural Area this summer. John has presented wildlife education programs to local schools and he worked for two summers with beach visitors at Sandy Hook, NJ. Assisting him on a volunteer basis will be Sally Willoughby, a long time South Pond summer resident, and Shannon Youmell, an Alfred University student majoring in Environmental Studies and Biology.

At Lakeview Marsh Wildlife Management Area, you may meet Dave Erway and Jim Matthews. Dave is a DEC seasonal wildlife technician who is working on the beach with visitors as well. Jim is a local resident and student at SUNY Morrisville who is providing volunteer service on the beach at Lakeview.

Steve Kahl is on duty at El Dorado Nature Preserve and Black Pond Wildlife Management Area. Steve is a grad student in Wildlife Ecology at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Ask Steve to help you with those bird questions. His expertise is beyond question.

Say hello to these Stewards when you meet them on the beach Ask them about the birds, plants, and natural ecology. Teach them what you know, so they can help us all enjoy the beach while protecting the dunes for future generations.

Experimental Beachgrass Nursery

Grindstone Farm raises organic produce for the local market. DeGraff is hosting an open house at the farm on Saturday, July 26. "The open house would be a great opportunity for local landowners to see the beachgrass planting," he said. Grind-stone Farm is located at 780 County Route 28, Tinker Tavern Rd., Pulaski, one half mile east of Interstate 81. Tours will be held at 10AM and 2PM.