Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, Inc.

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Chemung River Friends to host Coffee with Friends series ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — The Friends of the Chemung River Watershed are offering the public seven opportunities to engage with local experts over a light breakfast. The Coffee with Friends serie…

The river is lovely today, with its banks glistening with fresh snow. It's a perfect day to get outside and breathe some fresh air, get some exercise, and enjoy the beauty of nature. What is your favorite winter outdoor activity?

Hope your holidays went swimmingly! We are thrilled by all of the photography submissions we've received so far! Please keep them coming. We also hope you will join us on Saturday, January 13, at 9:00am for our first speaker series of 2024: The Proven Health Benefits of Being in Nature hosted by master naturalist, Peggy Hurley. Free food and drink is provided and doors open at 8:30am. 111 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY, in Suite 8. A $10 donation is suggested, but not required.

Someone dumped this garbage at the Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch on the Chemung River in Big Flats: seven bags of trash, scrap wood, cardboard, bottles and cans.

I picked up the trash and disposed of it properly, after searching through it trying to find mail or other documents that contained the name and address of the people who may have dumped it.

I have found those documents in previous illegal dumping instances and reported them to the Police Department and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation officers, who acted against the perpetrators.

Illegal dumping at boat launches has always been a problem because the launch sites are secluded. It’s not as bad as it was 15 years ago thanks to Chemung River Friends and their public education programs, and the fact that today the boat launches are used and visited by more good people, who make it more difficult for the bad people to dump without being seen.

There will always be illegal dumping because there will always be people who are lazy, cheap, ignorant, and uncaring about our environment.

If you see illegal dumping, please call the police and report it. Don’t confront the dumpers because they may get violent.

While dumping is unsightly and unsanitary, I’m especially bothered by boat launch dumping because the toxic garbage is just a few yards away from the river, our source of drinking water, and the habitat for wildlife.

Jim Pfiffer
Founder & Former Executive Director
Friends of the Chemung River Watershed

This morning we received this stunning donation from Doris Smith! Thank you! The painting is signed C. E. Thompson 1997. Thank you to the Community Foundation for connecting us, and to Doris for letting us love on your absolutely adorable puppy while we were at your home.

Your handy dandy director, Liz, here. Let's talk about road salt. I just wrapped up my Chesapeake Urban Stormwater Professionals training. Before that, I considered salting the way we do just a necessary evil. I knew it contributed to freshwater salinization syndrome of the river, upsetting the delicate balance needed for plants and animals there to thrive.

A 30-year study of a tributary in the Hudson River showed that 90% of the salt there came from road salt spreading. And when are salt levels in that tributary the highest? Winter, you say? NOPE. Salt levels are highest in the summer, because that's when everything has thawed and made its way through the groundwater right into the stream. Crazy, right?

So, how do we reduce this contamination and still maintain safety for the folks who live and work in the watershed? Here's your work lunch research video this week:

Road Salt: The Problem, the Solution, and How to Get There Road salt is an emerging pollutant in snow-belt regions. In this talk, Vicky Kelly, manager of Cary Institute's Environmental Monitoring Program, will cover…

This is the 2nd highest river level this gauge has been at this year! Last time it was over 6' was January 20. 😮

Updated to add the water alert that was just issued--which we already knew was coming because we all know how much the river rises with this much rain. When this particular gauge is above 4 feet, it's advised to stay off the water. Less of an issue in December, when you're not planning a paddle adventure, but something to remember come summer. :)

Original Post: Common sense tells us that if it's raining, the river levels are going to go up. The safety issue is that not everyone appreciates how the amount of rain on land impacts river levels. I'm posting a picture of the river levels at the Elmira gauge for the last 7 days. We've received about an inch of rain, and the river level has increased by a little over a foot. This is pretty typical and something to keep in mind all year long. Every inch of rain on land is going to increase the river level by about a foot, and it takes a while longer for the river levels to go down than for the land to dry up. This rapid increase in water levels in the Chemung also means a much faster water current, more debris in the water, and more chances to get stuck or capsized. Steer clear of the river when there is heavy precipitation in the forecast. It may well save your life.

January is the month for resolutions! Most of us try to focus on improving our health through diet and exercise. Come have coffee with us and learn from a Master Naturalist how simply spending time in nature can improve your health. Sign up on Eventbrite.com so we can have your coffee (or tea) ready for you!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/771556073987?aff=oddtdtcreator

Coffee with Friends: The Proven Health Benefits of Nature Need motivation to get off the couch? Come learn how being in nature can improve your physical and mental health!

Our annual photography contest returns! Send your best 2023 pictures of the Chemung River to [email protected]. Please include your name, the approximate date and location of your picture, and a caption. There are four categories and four sub-categories:

(1) Our Beautiful River: Pictures with the river as the main subject.
(1a) Winter
(1b) Spring
(1c) Summer
(1d) Fall
(2) Safe & Responsible Fun: Pictures of folks fishing, paddling, or otherwise enjoying the river safely and responsibly.
(3) Wet Paws and Claws: Animals in and around the river & riverside trails.
(4) Other.

The contest will close on February 1, and winners will be selected and notified by e-mail. All participants will be entered into a raffle for a gift card and some Chemung River Friends swag! Winners will receive special recognition.

Is the Tedd Arnold on our mailing list THE Tedd Arnold? Jeez, I hope so, because I’m slapping my doodle inquiry in with their letter. 😆

New membership benefits start in 2024!

We have volunteers from The Arc of Chemung-Schuyler coming to our office tomorrow to help us with our Winter Appeal letters, which should be arriving in your mailbox next week. To keep our costs down, our winter appeal letters go out to those who have made a donation in the last two years--many of whom will be receiving membership benefit vouchers starting in January.

This season, I’m asking that you please take a moment to contribute to our annual fund. If you are able, it would be wonderful if you would sign up to be a monthly contributor. Our goal is to raise $2,500 a month in public contributions from folks like you who live here, work here, or just love the beautiful Chemung River. We have an online portal where you can sign up to have that tax-deductible monthly contribution automatically sent to our nonprofit organization. This $2,500 a month helps cover our programming and outreach costs, while our operating costs are primarily covered by grants and sponsorships. In other words, your donation directly supports the most rewarding part of what we do!

Patron ($30) | Discounted or waived fees on selected special events for 1 individual.

Sustainer ($50) | Same as above, for 2 individuals.

Partner ($100) or Monthly Donor ($10) |Same as above, for 5 individuals.

Conservator ($250) or Monthly Donor ($25) |Same as above, for 6 individuals, plus a voucher for 1 free guided river tour.

Steward ($500) or Monthly Donor ($50) |Same as above, plus 1 additional river tour voucher (two total), and a voucher for 20% off your purchase at our gift shop.

River Friend ($1000) or Monthly Donor ($100) |Same as above, plus 2 additional river tour vouchers (four total).

Monthly donor benefits are available after 10 monthly donations have been received without interruption. Vouchers must be used within 12 months of the issue date. Donate online using this link:

https://chemungriverfriends.networkforgood.com/projects/174588-general-donation-page

You can also visit our website, www.chemungriverfriends.org, and click on the Donate Now button. Our website has a wealth of information about the watershed and your important part in it!

With gratitude,

Elizabeth Zilinski
Executive Director

Please Donate Help us to meet our mission to protect and promote the Chemung River Watershed! Donations from people like you keep our organization healthy and functioning. Our programs delight children and adults, and bring the community together to provide the education, training, guidance, and passion needed to...

What's better than coffee with friends?
Coffee with Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, Inc. !!
Starting in January, we are offering several informative programs-- coffee included!

USGS WATERALERT: Chemung River is above recommended levels for recreation at monitoring sites in Corning, Chemung, and Elmira. Please do not enter the river until levels are safe, and make sure you are an experienced paddler wearing proper cold weather gear if you choose to go out on the water this time of year, as the water is dangerously cold. https://chemungriverfriends.org/rivers_levels.html

Bundle up and join us tomorrow 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Sperr Memorial Park for our last Nature Strollers with Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum of the season. We will explore how animals prepare for the long winter months.

Yesterday, we were thrilled to receive a grant from the Tioga Downs Regional Community Foundation. We are one big step closer to building the very first ADA-accessible boat launch in Chemung County! This month, we felt so much gratitude for the support from our community. You all make our work here something we look forward to doing every single day. 🥰

The Tioga Downs Regional Community Foundation awarded $1.5 million in grants to 100 local non-profit organizations throughout the Southern Tier on this year’s Giving Tuesday.

A good opportunity to rid yourself of unwanted electronics.

Yesterday, our director, Liz Zilinski, met with Wayne Wells in Cameron Mills, Steuben County, to discuss the impacts of spreading sewage sludge on farmland. Mr. Wells reported that since 1992, he has been fighting against the spreading of sludge and the construction of tanks as big as 6,000,000 gallons that hold the sludge in his neighborhood, citing concerns over PFAS contamination. Exposure to high levels of PFAS may lead to increased cholesterol, increased blood pressure in pregnant women, increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer, decreased vaccine response in children, and other adverse health effects.

Over the summer, Thurston Supervisor Volina had disclosed that PFAS were detected in private drinking wells, and while the DEC approves spreading sewage sludge, the EPA standards will be changing to address the concerns raised by the FDA over the potential long-term health effects of these forever chemicals on our friends, family, neighbors, and food chain. Thus, Thurston unanimously voted to ban the sludge spreading in their town, but the issue of contamination remains. We will continue to look into the long-term implications of sewage spreading in the Chemung River Watershed.

If you have any information about PFAS contamination in your area or would like to share the impacts of sewage spreading you've experienced, positive or negative, please contact [email protected].

You can help our mission to keep our waterways clean and accessible by making a tax-deductible donation to Chemung River Friends. During FLXGives, you helped us raise almost $3,000 in 24 hours. We do what we do for folks like you, and you are definitely helping to make a positive impact on our community!

Please Donate Help us to meet our mission to protect and promote the Chemung River Watershed! Donations from people like you keep our organization healthy and functioning. Our programs delight children and adults, and bring the community together to provide the education, training, guidance, and passion needed to...

Our family program for this afternoon, Pollution Problems and Solutions, is cancelled due to low registration. We are hoping to reschedule this hands-on, informative session, which uses our Enviroscape, for a very fun lesson on how pollution moves through the watershed and how we can help keep it out of the river. :)

This webinar is very informative and explains why natural, native lawns are a win-win for our watershed.

In case you missed last week’s webinar about Cornell Botanic Gardens’ native lawn – or if you’d like to watch it again – you can now catch a replay! Watch it here: https://vimeo.com/885700018

Native lawns are created with short and slow growing native grass species that require less irrigation and are more likely to be resistant to weeds, pests, and fungus! The webinar explores the journey behind the Cornell Botanic Gardens’ native lawn project which was designed to demonstrate how well native plants thrive and can perform as meadow areas with fewer pesticides and chemicals. The Q&A portion of the webinar also has some good tips on creating and maintaining your own native lawn!

Photo by Cornell Botanic Gardens
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County

Our homeschool program this coming Monday is inside but will be fun and interactive. Please join us!

Family Program: Pollution Problems and Solutions Pollution is everyone's problem. Learn how pollution affects us and what we can do to help.

Our lil river friends at Nature Stroller with Tanglewood enjoyed a fun stroll with Elaine Smith, executive director of Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum. We searched for all things plants and trees. What a beautiful fall day to learn about nature! Our final stroll of the year is 10 a.m., Friday December 1st at Sperr Memorial Park. Join us!

We raised almost $3000 in 24 hours!! Thank you so much to our donors and to Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes!

Trevor Browning
The Charnetski Family
Barry Nicholson
Jennifer Fais
Kayla Foxen
Jenny Wittmaack
Carmela Bertron
Roger Madigan
Patricia Breux
Robert Bailey
Heather Stanton
The Whalen Family
The Watson Family
Paul Solyn
William Fischer
Paul DiPietro
David Pindel
Gaylen Raisler
Austin Farrell
Susan Eisner
The Walters Family
Carol Ellis
Patric Dwyer
Vanessa Kalininskiy
William and Nancy Kline
Janice Harvey
Debra Lussinian
Cass Harrington
Judi Hess
Linda and Joel Buice
Don Hall
Emily Smith
James Emmick
The Zilinski Family

Thank you, river friends and Fagan Engineers & Land Surveyors, P.C.!

Congrats to the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, Inc. for winning one of the prizes sponsored by FE. The event runs through tomorrow. Check it out here:

https://www.flxgives.org/

We have raised 20% of our $5,000 goal for FLXGives! Remember, even a $5 donation qualifies us for a $1,000 bonus donation from the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes! https://www.flxgives.org

wwwflxgives.org