Gowanus Canal observations by Gary Francis during April, 2024. Originally posted to his instagram, the captions for his posts are below. Gary uses a Duro UAS testing unit to record water quality in the canal, with special attention on the Dissolved Oxygen levels and how rain events and subsequent CSOs (Combined Sewer Overflows) impact water quality.
(Reposted with permission)
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Tuesday 4/2/24 The start of this 3 day rain event. Dissolved Oxygen already at 4.2 will test & track across the weekend. My commute schedule is not allowing me to test everyday. Hope to get back to it next week.
Back at it after a couple weeks off. My commute schedule doesn’t always take me along the canal. Had some major rain & CSO events back to back & now that the water is warming, bacterial blooms will happen faster. Trying our best to track the data & make it available to the public in as an accessible way as possible.
Steel Bulkhead explained….. why it’s needed & why it needs habitat embellishment.
4/10/24 yesterday morning at Douglass St street end. Right at the end of the canal. Remediation crew hard at work, capping the Aquablock that’s behind the steel bulkhead. This is part of stopping the leaking coal tar from getting back into the canal & pooling on top of the already remediated cap. Cheering them on the whole way & looking forward to Flushing Tunnel being turned back on.
Thursday 4/11/24 This morning at Douglass St street end, lots of Coal Tar blooming on the surface. Last weeks CSO event lays a fresh carpet of sewage solids on the bottom of the canal & when it starts to rot, it gives off bubbles & the coal tar hitchhikes on it to the surface. Dissolved Oxygen is dropping, 3.87 today & will be getting worse. Big tide last night of 6 feet, no flooding reported.
Friday 4/12/24 Douglass St street end. Only time for one testing spot today. Active CSO advisory in place from last nights rain. Dissolved Oxygen at 3.85
4/17/24 Mummichog 😍 These guys are super hardy, the first fish in space! Pollution & low Dissolved Oxygen tolerant, they can survive in the canal better than any other fish. So happy to see these guys back, even after a month of bad CSO events.
4/19/24 Douglass St street end, the Coal Tar is appearing more, not sure if it’s warming temperatures, upland activity or something else.
4/29/24 Douglass St street end. Not looking good.
4/30/24 Gowanus Canal CAG (community advisory group) meeting tonight. gowanuscag.org/ Sign up at the link, it’s a free virtual meeting & you will get to ask & hear the latest updates on the Superfund cleanup as well as the Brownfield sites along side that impact it.
29 сен 2024
