Getting to the Hudson Without Leaving the Classroom

Getting to Hudson Without Leaving the Classroom Steve Stanne, Hudson River Estuary Program Teaching the Hudson Valley 2009 Summer Institute

Remote sensing Using the web to read the river from a distance 1. Up to the minute information on specific parameters Checking water temperature at Piermont on Friday, July 31, 2009, at 4:30 PM; it’s about 80.5 degrees F.

Remote sensing Using the web to read the river from a distance 2. Observe patterns/cycles High and low tides at the George Washington Bridge; Tuesday, July 28, 2009 through Thursday, July 30, 2009

Remote sensing Using the web to read the river from a distance 3. Show relationships between parameters or cycles High and low tides versus salinity at the George Washington Bridge; Tuesday, July 28, 2009 through Thursday, July 30, 2009

Remote sensing Using the web to read the river from a distance 4. Collects data during short-term events or in inclement conditions when scientists may not be able to collect samples Turbidity (muddiness) of the water at Schodack Island following heavy rains in early July, 2009

Remote sensing Using the web to read the river from a distance 5. Create line graphs with website interfaces or download data to further customize graphs

http://ny.water.usgs.gov/projects/dialer_plots/saltfront.html Map and table show salt front location

http://ny.water.usgs.gov/projects/dialer_plots/saltfront.html Sensor stations at Albany, Poughkeepsie, West Point, & Hastings (latter two will be discontinued in September) Choose real time info updated every 15 min. or daily maximum & minimum readings

http://ny.water.usgs.gov/projects/dialer_plots/saltfront.html Links to sensors on tributaries

Use the graphs to tell stories, pose questions, solve mysteries. Are the events shown in these graphs related? How?* * See end of show for answers.

http://www.hrecos.org/joomla/ HRECOS Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System

HRECOS Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System Sensors at: Schodack I. (Rensselaer Co.) Tivoli Bays (Dutchess Co.) Norrie Point (Dutchess Co.) Piermont (Rockland Co.) George Washington Bridge Castle Point (Hoboken, NJ)

HRECOS Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System To view data, select Current Conditions

Use dropdown menus to choose station, parameter, etc. Current conditions come up; use Start Date/End Date or Set Start/Set End to choose other time periods (within limits - click on ? for more details)

Site does not now enable display of more than one graph at a time. Use your browser to open the HRECOS site in two windows, then manipulate window size to compare two graphs at once, or use screen shots.

HRECOS Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System Use the graphs to tell stories, pose questions, solve mysteries.* What causes brief spikes in turbidity at Schodack Island? Hint: the river here is a narrow shipping channel. Why do dissolved oxygen levels rise during the day and fall at night? * See end of show for answers.

To learn about ecological stories that can be told using HRECOS data, select HRECOS Stories. HRECOS Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System

New York Harbor herons rookery http://www.nycaudubon.org/projects/harborherons/WebCam/ Bird Webcams Available during the spring nesting season Peregrine falcon nests http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7701.html

http://www.riverproject.org/research_11piers_info.php Underwater Video from the River Project, NYC http://www.riverproject.org/research_12batteryparkvideo_butterfly.php

Hudson River Almanac Free natural history journal, emailed weekly 1/11/04 - Sprout Brook, HRM 43.5: At first light we fished, chilled to the bone, on five inches of black flint ice. On the bare branches of a nearby shaggy white pine were nine black vultures, all perched in a row in their night roost, watching us, looking like a convention of undertakers. The air temperature was +1°F. Not a good morning to be a vulture. If they had any sense they'd be in Virginia looking for roadkill. - Tom Lake, Christopher Letts For subscription information and to review back issues, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/25608.html

For more information, contact Steve Stanne, Interpretive Specialist NYSDEC – Hudson River Estuary Program 21 South Putt Corners Road New Paltz, NY 12561 845 256-3077 [email_address] Hudson River Estuary Program education website www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5102.html

Answers Slide 10 Heavy rains caused high flows starting late on 7/29/09 in the Mohawk River, the largest tributary of the Hudson. These flows reached the Hudson shortly afterwards. At Albany, the rise and fall of the tides is superimposed on higher base flows starting 7/30/09. Low tide levels are about 2 feet higher than they were prior to the rain and resulting runoff. The runoff also cooled the Hudson, dropping the water temperature at Albany about 3 o C. Slide 16 Turbidity spikes at Schodack are caused by ships and tugboats passing on their way to and from the Port of Albany. Photosynthesis by aquatic plants and phytoplankton produces oxygen while sunlight is available during the day. At night, plants and phytoplankton cease photosynthesis and their respiration uses up oxygen.

Getting to the Hudson Without Leaving the Classroom

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Getting to the Hudson Without Leaving the Classroom