Freshwater resources have historically played a key role in community development and sustainability. Maintaining a high quality freshwater resource is of equal importance. Within the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, degradation of water quality and aesthetics due to excessive plant growth is a growing concern. Involved agencies have recently focused their attention on non-point source pollution as a primary candidate linked to accelerated macrophyte growth and surface water degradation. Wayne County recognizes the importance of maintaining a quality water resource and has responded by developing a Water Quality Program. Established in 1 987 and administered jointly between the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Wayne County Planning Department, the program has received financial support made possible through the Finger Lakes Aquatic Vegetation Control Program (AVCP). The AVC program was created through a mutual effort between the New York State Legislature, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Finger Lakes Water Resources Board. The overall goal of Wayne County\u27s water quality program is to develop a long-term water quality /lake management plan designed to control non-point source pollution on Sodus and Port Bays. Once implemented, this plan will serve to protect the integrity of these resources. A major improvement in our assessment capability occurred with the construction of a continuous stage height recorder on Sodus Creek. The addition of the continuous stream height recorder fine tunes our ability to evaluate nutrient and sediment loading into Sodus Bay during hydrologic events. In addition ,initiation of weekly sampling of Wolcott Creek on Port Bay has expanded this program to another body of water in Wayne County.
The objectives of Wayne County\u27s program include: 1 ) To determine the status of Wayne County\u27s primary surface waters and observe changes over time; 2) To document what types and amounts of nutrients may be adversely impacting water quality and the conditions which generate them; 3) To develop a technical database for informed water quality management decisions; and 4) To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of potential control measures likely to be used to reduce non-point sources
