St. Lawrence River AOC at Massena/Akwesasne. Jessica L. Jock Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) Environment Division NYS AOC Meeting April 21, 2015

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1 St. Lawrence River AOC at Massena/Akwesasne Jessica L. Jock Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) Environment Division NYS AOC Meeting April 21, 2015

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4 2010 SRMT GLRI Work Plan Objectives Make advancements on the BUIs of the St. Lawrence River AOC at Massena/Akwesasne Restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption (I) Loss of fish and wildlife habitat (I) Degradation of fish and wildlife populations (U/NFA) Bird or animal deformities or reproductive impairments (U/NFA) Fish Tumors or other deformities (U/NFA) Degradation of benthos (U/NFA) I = Impaired, U/NFA = Unknown/Need Further Assessment

5 October 2010-September 2015 BUI Advancement Fish Tumor Study Furbearer Mammal Study Turtle Study Avian Study Freshwater Mussel Study** Lake Sturgeon Restoration** Lake sturgeon health assessment Spawning riffle habitat reconnaissance Hydrodynamic and bathymetry characterization in 2-selected riffles Design/Permitting/Placement ** SRMT work contributed to 2015 studies to be conducted by Alcoa, and USGS

6 Turtle (A no :wara) Mohawk Cultural Significance

7 Turtle Study * 2012 Secondary Data Review to develop a Turtle Interim Status Report 2013 Quality Assurance Project Plan for Field Survey of Data Gaps 2013 Field Survey 2014 Turtle Status Report End 2014/early 2015 Agency Review, final edits being made Final Edits will be posted to * Similar Activity for Avian Study

8 Turtle species potentially occurring in and near the AOC and their conservation status. Scientific Name Common Name New York Status Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in New York? COSEWIC Ontario Status Quebec Status Chelydra serpentina Snapping turtle Y SC SC Emydoidea blandingii Blanding's turtle T Y T T E Chrysemys picta Painted turtle Glyptemys insculpta Wood turtle SC Y T E Graptemys geographica Northern map turtle Y SC SC V Sternotherus odoratus Eastern musk turtle or Stinkpot Y T T E Clemmys guttata Spotted turtle SC Y E E SC Apalone spinifera Spiny softshell turtle SC Y T T E E=Endangered, T = Threatened, V= Vulnerable, SC = Special Concern, COSEWIC = Committee and the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

9 2012 Secondary Data Review of Historical Turtle Tissue Studies Harper, L.H., G. Johnson, and J.L. Jock. June Turtle interim status report. Secondary data review of the Massena Akwesasne St. Lawrence River Area of Concern (AOC). GL pp.

10 2013 Field Study Objectives: Determine contaminant burdens (PCBs, dioxin/furans, organchlorine pesticides, Hg, fluoride, aluminum) inside and outside the AOC Determine if healthy, self-sustaining populations are present inside and outside the AOC Determine rate of deformities and hatching success inside and outside the AOC Determine the extent and suitability of appropriate habitat inside and outside the AOC Habitat, Populations, Contaminants

11 2013 Field Study Methods Habitat: GIS Analysis of wetlands inside and outside the AOC along four rivers Habitat Suitability Index (HIS) Model based on field measurements Populations: Visual and Trap-based Rapid Assessment (TRA) Contaminants and deformities: examine captured turtles; locate, collect, and test eggs for contaminants; incubate eggs in lab to examine hatchlings

12 Habitat, GIS Analysis: Outside AOC

13 2013 Contaminant Analysis 33 Egg Samples Collected

14 Contaminants in Snapping Turtle Eggs: Grasse R. Contaminant (ng/g) (ppb) Total PCBs Grasse River Inside AOC Outside AOC n=4 n=4 650 ± 820 (4)* 4 ± 3 (4)*

15 Turtle Trapping

16 2014 Avian Tasks Monitor colonial waterbirds and sentinel species nesting inside and outside the AOC Species included Black Tern, Common Tern, Herring Gull, Osprey, and Bald Eagle Qualitatively assess habitat Determine productivity (chicks fledged per nest) Collect eggs of selected species at selected sites for contaminant analysis (PCBs, dioxin/furans, pesticides, Hg, metals)

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18 Year 2013 (16 sites) Nests Black Tern Nests in Snye Marsh Eggs or Chicks Eggs or Chicks per Nest Notes eggs 2.2 eggs nest 1 eggs only 2014 (10 sites) chicks chicks nest chicks nest 1 all nests nests with chicks

19 Next Steps REPORTS Study Status Reports Peer/RAC review, edits, finalizing, and uploading Public access (provided not proprietary or sensitive information) Cultural use of resources