4/25/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

We were sampling for fish larvae counts with the SUNY Stony Brook team when Clearwater sailed by between us and Indian Point.

Damn environmentalists are everywhere.

The Department of Homeland Security boat passing under our stern - very close to the sample net for larvae. SUNY Stony Brook researchers on the stern. (see 4-13-08 entry)

4/20/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

We've had days of very high spring tides and no wind so an amazing amount of debris has floated off the riverbanks. It's all still out here because there hasn't been any wind to sweep it all ashore again.

I find many of these blue plastic 55 gal drums. They are extensively used as floatation for floating docks at boat clubs and marinas. This one is empty and light but full ones are very heavy.



A massive new structure under construction just south of Norrie Point at Hyde Park.
I'm told that this is a private residence.
A lovely small home stood here until last year which was almost entirely hidden by trees.






Catch of the day from Kingston to Nyack. Totals for the six day patrol:


9 - Tires with metal rims attached
5 - plastic 55 gal drums
1 - 1 gal plastic bottle 1 - 2'x4' plastic/foam sheet 20 cubic feet dock styrofoam
4 - party balloons
5 - plastic drink bottles. Passed hundreds more.
1 - boat fender
1 - 5 gal plastic cooler
1 - 3 gal steel Freon tank
1 - soccer ball
1 - 2 gal plastic bucket 1 - duck decoy. He's my friend.





More floating debris. "All natural" this time. Looking south toward Blue Point beyond the Poughkeepsie Bridges. This is why I don't like to run at night.





Looking south toward Storm King. Spring at the bottom but still winter at the top.

Lovett power plant. No gunderboom barrier has been rigged as required by the plant's permit to exclude fish, larvae and eggs. But I believe the plant has shut down because of multiple air and water intake permit violations.

There is no flow at the intake or discharge points. No steam venting at any stacks. No more air pollution and fish kills from this one.

4/19/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

A Hudson River writing class from Bard with Professor Susan Rogers.
I met them in Kingston and we ran south to Esopus Island and back late in the day.
We'll get to see what they write about the day.


I had them on the edge of their chairs the whole time.

4/18/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

A new abandoned wreck just at the south end of Albany's Corning Preserve.
It is very difficult to find any state or municipal agency which will get involved in cases like this.

Intake structure at Bethlehem Energy Center. No gunderboom screens have been rigged this year as required by their permit. Shad and herring spawning is taking place now. I've notified DEC Fisheries Unit.

New construction just south of Albany where a smaller home existed before.

4/17/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

Rondout Creek patrol early morning. Looking east at the CSX RR bridge. I don't go under the bridge when there is a train crossing. Chicken.

A flexible hose, like fire hose, has been led down the south bank of Catskill Creek from the area of the swimming pool at Forlini's Resort. We saw this hose coiled at the top of the slope several years ago. I investigated and found that the resort had closed. Now the hose has been deployed, presumably to pump out the pool.

At this time it may just be water which accumulated over the winter but it indicates that the resort may be reopening and we will have to warn them about discharging chlorinated water pool later in the season.

The smaller black suction pipe visible near the fire hose is probably used to suck up creek water for use at the resort. Catskill Creek is a spawning ground and home for a number of fish species.

Between Catskill Creek and The Rip Van Winkle Br on the west bank and straight across from Olana.
Visitors to Olana get this view looking west. Another case of "Too bad sucker, I've got my beautiful view and to hell with yours". Good thing Frederic Church isn't round. He might go postal.

A very well established camp on Primming Hook on east bank north of Hudson. All the building materials were brought in over time by boat. This prime habitat is owned by the railroad or the state. To the north is a Scenic Hudson marsh. To the south is Open Space Institute land at Hudson. To the east is the Amtrak rail line. Clearing the camps (this is one of two) and adding this parcel to the surrounding preserved area would be great.

Eroded bank at Castleton BC.
In the past the club used waste cement test cylinders, spent machinery and extra building materials as fill and we warned them about the illegality of doing so again.

Erosion over the winter has exposed tires buried sometime in the past as fill. Very tidy stacking.
How many tires are buried at the site? How much and what other kinds of waste material were buried?

An active Bald Eagle nest with kayakers below. Moments after I took this photo the eagle swooped down and attacked one of the kayakers.

4/15/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

Northbound on 1st patrol to Troy this year. Flat ass calm in Newburg Bay.
Looking south at Storm King and the northern edge of the Highlands. Bannerman's Castle on the left.


High School rowing teams at Newburg.
Youth and adult rowing is getting more and more popular.
There are clubs and teams at a number of locations on the River from NYC to Albany.




Clearing ground at the south end of the Poughkeepsie waterfront.
This area was wooded. Now all the trees have been knocked down with heavy machinery.
Across the river is a beautiful high ridge above Blue Point preserved by Scenic Hudson.
No one seems to want any trees blocking their view.

4/13/08

Photos by John Lipscomb

Santiago Salinas from SUNY Stony Brook and his helper for the day, Jin Gao, with their larvae sample net just north of Indian Point. This is the first day of sampling. Last year we sampled monthly but this year we'll increase to two days per month. Last years study found rapid changes in species and numbers of larvae. Doubling the sampling interval will increase resolution.


Sampling will probably continue through August. After that fish will likely have grown beyond larval stage.

Indian Point power plant uses 2,200,000,000 gallons of river water per day for cooling and kills billions of fish larvae As well as young of year, yearlings and adults.