
Oakdale Lake Water Quality & Community Education Program
Hudson, NY
Client: Friends of Oakdale Lake | Columbia Land Conservancy
More Info:
Oakdale Lake & the Friends of Oakdale Lake5
Acre Lake
8
Month Sampling Program
Project Summary:
Great Ecology is executing a water quality assessment and improvement project for Oakdale Lake in Hudson, NY. Working with local volunteers, our team developed a Citizen Scientist led water sampling program to understand existing water quality of the lake. Data collected by volunteers was merged with additional sediment and benthic invertebrate sampling completed by Great Ecology to understand existing conditions and potential sources of water impairments.
Using the results of the sampling program, we identified strategies for the Friends of Oakdale Lake to coordinate with public and private stakeholders to improve and maintain water quality, and identify future opportunities for projects that may be eligible for public and private grant support.
Near-term lake management recommendations to improve water quality include seasonal submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) harvesting, barley straw usage, and installation of air diffusers.
Community Engagement for Project Success
In addition to working with local volunteers to complete the water quality sampling program, our team met with the local Hudson community to discuss both the results of the program and our proposed management recommendations. Community engagement is a crucial aspect of many projects, especially those in an urban setting. To help the community better understand the current conditions and management options, we created a number of graphics for display in Hudson's public library.
Analyzing Oakdale Lake's Watershed

Understanding Oakdale Lake's Water Quality Issues

Applying Solutions to Improve Water Quality


Ecologist Cate Collinson trains Citizen Scientists in water sampling

Senior Ecologist Dave Yozzo, PhD conducting sampling
