ROCHESETER, N.Y. – Something we do not talk about very often is the turbidity—or cloudiness—of our local waterways. In fact, this lack of transparency can increase after periods of frequent rainfall. And that is exactly what we have had in Western New York after the first week of May.
In meteorological terms, turbidity is a measure of how much light can pass through water that contains suspended particles. When turbidity levels rise, water clarity falls. We saw this play out earlier this week across the Genesee River.
On Monday, News10NBC meteorologists noticed something unusual on our high-resolution visible satellite imagery. Despite the clear skies, there was a distinct “shading” at the mouth of the Genesee River, stretching eastward along the shoreline into Wayne County. This was a textbook example of a turbidity plume—an area of murky water discharged from the river into Lake Ontario.
This is not the first time we have seen this signature. Aerial photographs have captured similar plumes before, and they always raise concerns for communities along the eastern lake shore.
Rain is the obvious contributor, enhancing river flow and washing sediment downstream. But what else might be responsible for these plumes? The answer is not always clear. Agricultural runoff, soil erosion, construction activity, and urban drainage can all play a role. And in the worst cases, we cannot rule out the possibility of wastewater discharge. I should point out that there is no clear evidence of any these elements being a factor. And it very well could be a mix of factors that is increasing turbidity. We may not have the specific answer, but it is a reminder of how connected our actions on land are to the quality of water flowing through our region.
First Alert Weather In-Depth: Reading the river and what turbidity tells us about our environment WHEC.com.
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