Water Quality for Southern Cayuga Lake Tributaries, 1987-1989

Stream water quality data from a sampling program for the southern Cayuga Lake basin in Tompkins County, New York, conducted from 1987 to 1989. The dataset, authored by David R. Bouldin of Cornell University, includes analyses for suspended solids, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), and total dissolved phosphorus across four streams: Fall Creek, Six Mile Creek, Cascadilla Creek, and Inlet. Samples were collected across all seasons and flow regimes, with specific concentration averages provided, such as 1.26 ppm NO3-N in Fall Creek.

Use Cases

• Analyzing nitrate-nitrogen concentration trends and differences between streams based on the reported averages.
• Comparing suspended solids loads over time, such as between 1973-1974 and 1987-1989 for Fall Creek as mentioned.
• Investigating the impact of urban areas on water quality by examining total dissolved phosphorus changes downstream of the City of Ithaca.
• Modeling seasonal and flow regime variations in water quality parameters across the sampled tributaries.

Strengths

• Includes specific, averaged concentration data for key pollutants like 1.26 ppm NO3-N in Fall Creek.
• Covers a defined multi-year time range (1987-1989) with sampling across all seasons and flow regimes.
• Provides comparative analysis with earlier data periods, such as 1972-1975 where average NO3-N was 0.97 ppm.
• Focuses on four named streams (Fall Creek, Six Mile Creek, Cascadilla Creek, Inlet) in a specific geographic basin.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

David R. Bouldin, Cornell University

Collection Method

Stream water sampling and analysis program.

Time Range

1987-1989, with comparative references to 1972-1975 and 1973-1974.

Geography

Southern Cayuga Lake basin, Tompkins County, New York, USA. Specific streams: Fall Creek, Six Mile Creek, Cascadilla Creek, Inlet.