Whether you’re a long-time volunteer, you’ve never looked through a microscope, and anywhere in between, CSI is now holding weekly BMI identification sessions for any one interested in getting involved. Adrianna Hirtler, CSI’s BMI Specialist, will be at the sessions to train and help volunteers with identification. Biological monitoring is a fun, affordable, and effectiveRead more
Blog
More than 6 million New Yorkers get their drinking water from private wells. If your drinking water comes from a private well, you are responsible for your own water supply. This is a big responsibility that can seem overwhelming. The good news is that your well can be safely managed with regular inspections and testing. Responsible managementRead more
This story, written by Kait Clarke and Alyvia Covert, originally appeared in the online magazine, Ithaca Week and has been reprinted with permission. Ithaca’s Water Treatment Plant is in the first stages of a renovation project for the drinking water system of the City of Ithaca, specifically to the Six Mile Creek watershed. The city hasRead more
Most of CSI’s efforts in the Cayuga Lake watershed go towards monitoring streams and creeks that flow into Cayuga Lake. Twice a year, CSI partners with the Floating Classroom to collect samples from Cayuga Lake itself, testing for the same parameters as in the streams. The trip out on the lake is one of the highlights ofRead more
The Finger Lakes are well-known for boating, waterfalls, and its wine industry. An invasive aquatic plant, hydrilla verticillata, is threatening Cayuga Lake as we know it, and other Finger Lakes may be next on the list. Considered one of the most aggressive aquatic plants, hydrilla was found 3 years ago in the Cayuga Inlet when aRead more
If you’re lucky enough to live on Cayuga Lake, chances are you’re interested in keeping the lake water clean and healthy. A group of residents have organized to begin collecting samples along the west shore of Cayuga Lake between Ithaca and Trumansburg. “We want to make sure the lake is healthy for swimming and doesRead more
It’s hot. It’s humid. We just got a good rain and the creeks are flowing, so it’s the perfect time to go swimming, right? Well, probably not. Even though it may seem like your best chance at cooling off, swimming immediately following a rain storm means that levels of E.coli and other pathogens are present in highRead more
Two Ithaca-based organizations, CSI and the Sciencenter, are teaming up for a summer camp program that builds leadership while providing an up-close look at the residents of Cascadilla Creek. The program, which begins on Friday, is the result of a successful 2013 pilot program that aimed to get Sciencenter summer campers and counselors-in-training involved with real-lifeRead more
Nearly 2 million New Yorkers rely on private wells for drinking water. Most of them have never done extensive testing to know what’s in their water. Now, thousands of Otsego County residents have a very good idea of their water quality, thanks to a recent initiative to document baseline water quality in advance of hydrofracking,Read more
A new collaboration between the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) and the Community Science Institute (CSI) to monitor streams flowing into Seneca Lake has kicked off with volunteer training workshops, which are now completed. Monitoring will begin in late May. The goal of the pilot Stream Analysis Project is to monitor three streams thatRead more
In recognition of National Drinking Water Week, the local nonprofit water testing lab, Community Science Institute, will be offering discounted coliform bacteria testing for residents with private wells. National Drinking Water Week raises awareness about drinking water protection and highlights the importance of the availability of safe drinking water. Less than one percent (1%) ofRead more
6/23/14 Update: This position has been filled. The Community Science Institute (CSI) seeks a qualified individual at the junior or senior level to join our small, versatile lab team performing certified analyses of potable and non-potable water for coliform bacteria and over 15 chemical parameters. Minimum Qualifications: Either a B.S. in chemistry or related disciplineRead more
Youth aged 8-13 and their families are invited to come to an Open House for the 4-H20 Club, a 4-H club that partners with the Community Science Institute to monitor water quality in the streams and Cayuga Lake near Stewart Park . The Open House is scheduled for May 8th from 4:30-6:30 PM at CornellRead more
Abundant clean water is a defining characteristic of the Finger Lakes region. While the miles long lakes, tumbling waterfalls, and endless recreational opportunities can be easy to take for granted, there are teams of community volunteers, who, partnered with the Ithaca-based nonprofit water testing lab, the Community Science Institute, routinely monitor area streams and collectRead more
An expensive fix is set for the wastewater treatment plant that has spilled sewage and sent feces-bacteria-filled water cascading into Trumansburg Creek. The pollution, first reported by The Ithaca Journal in 2012, attracted attention from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and now, the Trumansburg Wastewater Treatment Plant is slated to receive $5.4 million in upgrades to fixRead more
