Still Waters: Exposing Cyanobacteria in the Wallkill River

NY Emmy-Nominated Documentary | Wallkill River Watershed

NY Emmy-Nominated Environmental Justice Documentary

Still Waters: Exposing Cyanobacteria in the Wallkill River

Still Waters is an Environmental Justice Documentary exploring the recurrence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), hydrological stagnation, and cyanobacteria dynamics impacting the Wallkill River watershed. Nominated for a New York Emmy Award in the Environment: Science — Short Form Content category.

FERC Relicensing Action Center

Save the Sturgeon Pool Impoundment: Demand Flow & Water Quality Accountability

Central Hudson Gas & Electric is pursuing original licenses from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Sturgeon Pool Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 15396) and the Dashville Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 15397). Operating since the 1920s, these dams alter natural river flows, trapping nutrients and creating warm, stagnant water that fuels toxic cyanobacteria.

Documented HAB events in the project impoundments over the past decade

HABs documented in the Wallkill River outside the project area over that period

Wallkill River corridor vulnerable to hydrological stagnation and cyanotoxins

Key Demands for FERC and NYS DEC § 401 Water Quality Certification

Disrupt HAB Stagnation through Flow Modulation: Require operational flow adjustments to prevent prolonged summer stagnation in Sturgeon Pool and Dashville Pool that triggers rapid cyanobacteria colony formation.
Comprehensive, Extended Monitoring (April–November): Mandate daily measurements of chlorophyll-a, phycocyanin fluorescence, and nutrient profiles (nitrogen and phosphorus fractions) rather than truncated summer spot checks.
Standardized Subsurface Mussel & Aquatic Surveys: Replace visual reservoir drawdowns with rigorous subsurface transects and experimental fish entrainment evaluations to protect native species and the American eel.
Formal Public Access & Recreation Protection: Establish formal, safe public river access points and recreational surveys across the entire project footprint.

Submit Your Public Comment to FERC (Dockets P-15396 & P-15397)

Copy the scientific comment template below and submit it directly through the FERC eComment portal to ensure community voices are part of the permanent licensing record.

To: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Re: Sturgeon Pool Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. P-15396) & Dashville Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. P-15397)

I am writing to demand comprehensive ecological protections and operational safeguards in the licensing of the Sturgeon Pool (P-15396) and Dashville (P-15397) Hydroelectric Projects on the Wallkill River.

Over the past decade, at least 24 harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been documented in these impoundments, with zero blooms recorded outside the project area. Dam impoundment and flow alterations create artificial incubators of warm, stagnant, nutrient-rich water that generate toxic cyanobacteria and microcystin, endangering public health, wildlife, and domestic pets.

I urge FERC and NYS DEC to mandate:
1. Active flow modulation to prevent stagnant pool conditions and disrupt cyanobacteria blooms.
2. Continuous seasonal monitoring from April through November for phycocyanin, chlorophyll, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient loading (phosphorus/nitrogen).
3. Standardized subsurface freshwater mussel surveys and empirical fish passage/entrainment protection.
4. Guaranteed, formal public recreational river access.

Central Hudson must be held accountable for the water quality and ecological health of the Wallkill River.

Open FERC eComment Portal

Geospatial Data

Lower Wallkill River & Impoundment Monitoring Map

Geospatial map display illustrating water quality monitoring stations, hydrologic reaches, and cyanobacteria bloom distribution across the Lower Wallkill River and Sturgeon Pool impoundment. — Spatial distribution of hydrological sampling stations, impoundment boundaries (Sturgeon Pool and Dashville Pool), and documented cyanobacteria bloom occurrences along the Lower Wallkill River corridor.

Mapbox — Sturgeon Pool 9/27/25 Open Fullscreen

Sturgeon Pool impoundment captured on September 27, 2025 — peak harmful algal bloom conditions. The dense green surface scum visible in this satellite imagery illustrates the severe cyanobacteria outbreaks that recur annually behind the dam. Zoom disabled in embed; click "Open Fullscreen" for full interactive controls.

NY Emmy-Nominated Production

Documentary Production Credits

A student film production by Marist College examining community water security and environmental justice in the Hudson Valley watershed. Nominated for a New York Emmy Award in the Environment: Science — Short Form Content category at the 69th Annual NY Emmy Awards.

Director Emma Stuber

Editors & Cinematographers Carter McDavitt, Emma Gaecklein, Emma Stuber

Drone Cinematography Jeffrey Basinger

Featured Interviews Martha Cheo (Wallkill River Watershed Alliance)
Bobby Howe (Wallkill River Watershed Alliance)

Special Thanks: Hudson River Watershed Alliance for facilitating the connection between the student filmmakers and the local watershed organization.

Microbiology & Hydrology

What are Cyanobacteria (HABs)?

Often mistakenly called "algae," cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotic microorganisms. Under prolonged heat, solar radiation, nutrient loading, and minimal flow velocity, populations multiply rapidly into dense surface blooms.

Microcystin Production: Blooms can release hepatotoxins that cause severe liver damage and gastrointestinal illness in humans and animals.
Hydrological Stagnation: Low-flow conditions behind impoundments and dams trap nutrients, allowing colonies to form surface scums.
Key Field Indicators: Elevated water pH (reaching 8.5 to 9.0+), abnormal dissolved oxygen swings, and distinctive pea-soup or spilled-paint pigment changes.

High Risk

Canine & Public Health Alert

Dogs face acute vulnerability to microcystin toxicity. Cyanobacteria scum accumulates along riverbanks and shorelines where pets swim and drink.

Exposure Route: Ingestion of contaminated water or licking dried cyanotoxins directly from fur after swimming.
Critical Symptoms: Lethargy, excessive drooling, vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and rapid abdominal inflammation.
Action Protocol: Keep pets strictly leashed near stagnant or discolored water. Rinse immediately with fresh water if exposure is suspected and seek immediate veterinary intervention.

Community Stewardship

Watershed Action Checklist

Contribute to local watershed health by tracking personal actions and reporting suspected blooms to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) and watershed organizations.

Submitted a public comment to FERC on Dockets P-15396 & P-15397 Report suspicious surface scums to the NYS DEC HABs notification system Prevent pets from entering stagnant impoundments during summer heat Minimize fertilizer usage and agricultural runoff on watershed lands

Loading saved checklist status...