Blog

  From October 2015 to May 2016, the Community Science Institute (CSI) will host its second season of weekly sessions devoted to small aquatic organisms called benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) and what they tell us about water quality in area streams. Sessions will be held at the CSI lab, 283 Langmuir Lab, 95 Brown Road, nearRead more

The third “What’s In Your Watershed?” event in the Seneca Lake Watershed is scheduled for Thursday, October 29th from 6 to 8 PM at the Three Brothers Winery and Estates, located at 623 Lerch Road off Rte 96A near Geneva, NY. The event will highlight water quality issues in the Reeder Creek watershed. Walt Gable,Read more

June 28th, 3:30-6:30 pm Departing from the dock at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market $20 for adults, $18 for students/Seniors, and $15 for kids 5-12. 4-H2O Members and their families are FREE! Click here to register Sail ho! For the tenth year running, the 4-H2O Youth Science Club will be partnering with the Floating Classroom to collect and analyze water samplesRead more

IF YOUR WELL WAS FLOODED DURING SUNDAY’S STORM, YOUR WATER MAY NOT BE SAFE TO DRINK! Extreme flooding events, like those seen in our region after downpours on Sunday, can significantly compromise drinking water supplies. Floodwaters often carry biological and chemical contaminants that can make consumers sick; including bacteria, deicing salts, animal excrement, untreated sewage,Read more

The Six Mile Creek Volunteer Group was recognized by the Town of Ithaca Conservation Board for their contributions to Ithaca’s natural environment. The Richard B. Fischer Environmental Conservation Award was presented to the Six Mile Creek volunteers at a tree planting ceremony  in Ithaca’s Grandview Park, which is in the Six Mile Creek watershed. CSIRead more

In recognition of National Drinking Water Week, the Community Science Institute will be offering tours of the certified laboratory and 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%)Read more

A stream monitoring collaboration between the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) and the Community Science Institute (CSI) to monitor streams flowing to Seneca Lake involved some 45 local volunteers collecting samples from Catherine Creek, Reeder Creek, and Big Stream throughout 2014. With plans to expand the stream monitoring to additional watersheds, SLPWA and CSIRead more

With extreme weather events on the rise and government research budgets getting slashed, the need for locally relevant data is more important than ever for managing resources at the municipal scale. CSI’s 11th Annual Volunteer Symposium, “Community-Based Monitoring in a Changing Climate” will highlight how changes in the climate have the potential to impact localRead more

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

The possibility that water resources could become contaminated from hydrofracking is a major reason that many opposed the gas extraction method. While the recent announcement of a ban on fracking in New York comes as a relief to those concerned about water quality, it does not mean that New York’s water resources are immune toRead more

It’s easy to get caught up in the scenic waterfalls and award-winning wines found along the shores of Seneca Lake. These well-known features of the Finger Lakes deserve the attention they receive, but won’t be the only focus of the upcoming “Seneca Lake Academy”, a free full-day event to explore the natural and cultural historyRead more

When one thinks of scientific data collection, volunteers working in the field with test kits and clipboards may not be the first image that comes to mind.  With any volunteer stream monitoring program ensuring that accurate, reliable data is being collected is essential to a successful program. Unlike CSI’s flagship Synoptic Sampling program, where samples are testedRead more