Genesee RiverWatchPresentation Available of RIT Capstone Project Findings: Monitoring the Oatka Creek Streambank Restoration
On Thursday, April 16, 2026, four RIT students gave an excellent presentation on their Capstone Project: a monitoring program developed in partnership with Genesee RiverWatch for the Oatka Creek Streambank Restoration. This monitoring protocol will track the condition of the restored streambank over the next 3 to 5 years, allowing for an in-depth evaluation of its long-term effectiveness. The project aims to improve Oatka Creek’s ecological health and evaluate the effectiveness of these restoration techniques.
In addition, the students presented the results of their investigation to develop an efficient water quality protocol for the Genesee River Watershed. In 2013 SUNY Brockport led a large-scale study to characterize the water quality in the Genesee River Watershed. While this study yielded valuable results for the region, it is difficult to reproduce. To obtain updated measurements and analyses of the river’s water quality, a more efficient protocol needed to be developed, which the RIT students have researched and completed.
Genesee River Cleanup: Volunteers Collect 540 Pounds of Trash
Genesee RiverWatch’s 2026 river cleanup season got off to a great start Saturday, April 18, with nearly 540 pounds of trash and debris pulled from the river by dozens of volunteers!
The cleanups occurred at two sites. The first was near the Lower Falls and Seth Green Drive in Rochester. It was co-sponsored by a long-time Genesee RiverWatch partner, the environmental and engineering firm Haley & Aldrich. About 15 H&A employees were joined by a half-dozen of our supporters and community volunteers to tackle the scenic but trash-strewn area near the falls.
They gathered 13 bags of trash and other debris that weighed in at 207 pounds!
Meanwhile, a separate gathering of roughly two dozen volunteers took place at Genesee Gateway Park, located off Mt. Hope Avenue just south of downtown. Co-sponsors of this cleanup were Walking for Rochester and the South Wedge Planning Committee.
Many of the volunteers walked the riverside trail and nearby sidewalks picking up litter, while a smaller group pulled heavier objects from the water. The latter crew made frequent use of specialized tools that Genesee RiverWatch acquired using a grant from the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation. Special thanks go to the Foundation, whose tools helped us recover, among other things, a shopping cart, a basketball and three orange traffic cones that were lodged in the mud near the river wall.
That cleanup effort gathered 331 pounds of trash!
Several news outlets reported on the successful events, and in particular, NEWS10NBC was present on-site, documenting the hard work and enthusiasm of everyone involved. Their coverage helped spread awareness about the importance of keeping our community’s waterways clean and encouraged others to participate in future cleanups. You can view their report here: https://www.whec.com/top-news/volunteers-clean-up-genesee-river-at-two-locations-saturday-for-earth-day-weekend/
City crews were scheduled to pick up the refuse. Many thanks to them, and thanks to EVERYONE who helped clean up the river.
We’ll have more cleanup events in the coming weeks and months. Follow us on our website, Facebook, X, and Instagram to stay up to date on our future activities!
And, as always, donations are welcome to support our activities and events! We appreciate any amount you are able to give — thank you!
Hope to see you for Earth Day 2026 Weekend Cleanups!
Saturday, April 18, 2026 – two locations on the same day!
Celebrate Earth Day by joining us for our first Genesee River cleanups of the 2026 season. Yes, we meant cleanups with an “s.” There are two of them for you to choose from! Both of them are Saturday, April 18, 2026 – just a few days before Earth Day 2026 on April 22. One will go from 9 am – 11 am and focus on the area around the Lower Falls in Rochester. Volunteers may park in the lot for the Seth Green Drive Fishing Access Site, located on Seth Green Drive off St. Paul Street. The cleanup area is a 10-15 minute walk down a slope to the bottom of the river gorge. The effort is co-sponsored with Haley & Aldrich, a Rochester environmental and engineering firm that is a long-time RiverWatch partner.
There’s a parking lot at the top of Seth Green Drive; it’s not enormous and if you can share a ride with someone, that might be helpful. The pin on this map will help you find the lot. https://maps.app.goo.gl/6y82h8wxVfDepkDKA
The other cleanup will go from 10 am – 12 noon and focus on the area around Genesee Gateway Park, which is located at 151 Mt. Hope Avenue just south of downtown Rochester. There’s some parking at the park, and additional spaces in the Spectrum lot to the north. We’re co-sponsoring this one with the South Wedge Planning Committee and Walking for Rochester, a cleanup nonprofit. Both cleanups are officially part of the Canal Clean Sweep, an event organized by Parks & Trails New York. You may, if you wish, sign up via that website to attend either event.
Remember to dress for the weather in sturdy clothes and footwear that can withstand a few splashes. Work gloves and cleanup equipment will be provided, though feel free to bring your own if you like. We hope to see you at one spot or the other on Earth Day weekend!
And remember – your donations are always welcome to support our activities and events! We appreciate any amount you are able to give — thank you!
RIT Capstone Project Presentation: Monitoring Programs for the Oatka Creek Streambank Restoration and the Genesee River Watershed
We invite you to join us on Thursday, April 16, 2026, to learn more about the monitoring programs developed by Genesee RiverWatch with the assistance of four RIT students.
In 2024 Genesee RiverWatch installed two sustainable streambank restoration designs on Oatka Creek using mostly local materials. Partnering with four RIT students, we are developing a monitoring protocol that will track the condition of the restored streambank over the next 3 to 5 years, allowing for an in-depth evaluation of its long-term effectiveness.
At this event, the RIT students will speak on the development and implementation of the monitoring program. The project aims to improve Oatka Creek’s ecological health and evaluate the effectiveness of these restoration techniques.
In addition, the students will present the results of their investigation to develop an efficient water quality protocol for the Genesee River Watershed. In 2013 SUNY Brockport led a large-scale study to characterize the water quality in the Genesee River Watershed. While this study yielded valuable results for the region, it is difficult to reproduce. To obtain updated measurements and analyses of the river’s water quality, a more efficient protocol needed to be developed, which the RIT students have researched and completed.
- Date and Time: Thursday, April 16, 2026, 9:00-11:00am
- Location: Sunnyside Lodge at Black Creek Park
- Agenda:
- Registration/networking
- Introduction by Genesee RiverWatch
- Presentation of Capstone Project by RIT Students
- Q&A
- Cost: No charge to attend but registration is required (see link below)
- Continental breakfast provided
We hope to see you there!
The Ancestors: 1920’s Winter on the River
[This article is the fourth in a series titled “Winter on the River”]. Lead image from Livingston County Library.
Imagine winter in the Genesee Valley in the 1920’s. While we are experiencing similar long stretches of snow-covered streets and fields, and a frozen Lake Ontario and Genesee River, the modern infrastructure we take for granted to light and heat our homes and to stay instantly in touch with each other and world events, was largely a matter of daily, physical labor or non-existent.
What did it take to work, play and survive during Genesee winters one hundred years ago? What were the choices the residents made and how did that influence the environment of the valley?
City Life in Winter
In the City of Rochester, residents stayed warm by burning coal, mined in Pennsylvania and transported north by rail to the Port of Charlotte where it was further distributed to the city residents and to the growing industrial giants – Kodak, Bausch and Lomb and Gleason Works. The use of coal for home heating and industry ensured survival and economic growth, but created poor outdoor and indoor air quality for residents.While this coal ensured survival, it came at a cost. The falling snow turned grey within the hour, a visible marker of the respiratory toll taken on the residents below.
And while the growing industrial base in Rochester provided employment for tens of thousands of Rochester residents, it also contributed to poor air quality and massive pollution of the Genesee River, as it was the dumping ground for industrial and organic waste. 100 yrs later, clean-up continues… both in the lower Genesee in Rochester and upriver in areas like the Sinclair oil refinery superfund site in Wellsville, NY. This massive refinery was built directly on the banks of the Genesee River. In the 1920s, the river was used both as a source for cooling water and, more tragically, as a convenient drainage system for refinery waste.
Electricity was just becoming normal for cities around the country in the 1920’s and the “energy” of the Genesee River put Rochester ahead of many due to Rochester Gas and Electric’s hydroelectric dam on the lower falls. RG&E also operated a massive steam plant that burned coal for the city’s industrial heart. Shown below is the RG&E hydroelectic station under the Driving Park Bridge at the Lower Falls and a view of the Genesee docks and a vessel being loaded with coal.
Rural Life
In rural areas south of the City, electricity was scarce and communication with the outside world was difficult. Social life revolved around church and Grange Hall activities. Managed woodlots – and manual labor – primarily provided the fuel for the family stoves to heat homes and cook food. Rural electrification wouldn’t be widespread until the 1930’s. During this time, farming was transitioning from large wheat fields to dairy, crop and livestock farms to serve the growing Rochester market.
Ice Harvesting
Before the electric refrigerator, the valley was cooled by ‘ice harvesting.’ Thousands of tons of river and lake ice were cut, insulated with massive amounts of sawdust, and stored in windowless icehouses. In the early 1920’s, the Silver Lake Ice Company in Perry, NY operated one of the largest icehouses in the United States, serving local farmers and city residents; To serve its city residents, the company owned the Silver Lake Railroad, which rushed trainloads of ice directly into the Rochester and Buffalo markets. Photos from Perry Public Library – Silver Lake Ice Company.
Flooding Concerns
Genesee River flooding and ice jams were a real concern for farmers in the Livingston County flats and residents of Rochester. Talk of a dam at Mount Morris was happening in the 1920’s, pitting those who wanted to “conquer” nature against those who wanted to preserve Letchworth gorge. Ultimately the dam wouldn’t be completed until the 1950’s. Rather than a massive hydroelectric dam envisioned by some, it would be a “dry dam” that prevents downstream flooding without the massive environmental impacts of a traditional dam.
Photos below from the Albert R. Stone Negative Collection – Ice jams and flooding on the Genesee River in Rochester.
Winter Recreation
It wasn’t all about survival…valley residents engaged in fun winter sports too…skating on the Genesee/Erie Canal “widewaters” area was a popular pastime. Skiing, ice fishing and even ice racing was engaged in by the most adventurous.
Photos below from the Albert R. Stone Negative Collection
Absent Wildlife
While the 1920s residents would recognize our winter snows, they would be astonished by the return of certain wildlife to our streams, skies and woods. In the 1920’s, absent or very rare were the American Eagle, Wild Turkey, River Otters, Beaver, Bobcat, Coyotes, Lake Sturgeon, and Black Bears. Even White-tailed Deer were unusual. Today’s richer landscape is the result of the ‘unintended forest’—the woods that reclaimed the valley as marginal farms were retired, providing the corridors these animals needed to return – as well as dedicated re-introduction efforts for River Otters and Lake Sturgeon.
Restoring the River
Many of the residents of the 1920s Genesee Valley looked at the frozen river and saw a force to be harnessed, channeled, and utilized. A century later, we look at that same river and realize that our greatest ‘progress’ isn’t in how much of the valley we can control, but in how much of its health we can restore.
At Genesee RiverWatch, we work year-round to protect and improve water quality and shoreline habitats, and provide information and programs to connect people to the river. You can help us keep the basin a sanctuary for wildlife and a great place to experience by donating, joining in on summer paddles, or volunteering for our next river cleanup.
The playful, hardy life of the Genesee River Otter
Go back 100 years and there were no river otters in the Genesee River Valley. While historically they were found in every watershed in New York State, their populations had been decimated by trapping, hunting, water pollution and habitat destruction throughout the 19th century.
Today, they live and prosper in the Genesee River Valley. While not often seen, these nocturnal, semi-aquatic members of the weasel family are here. Melanie Hunt, a resident in the Wellsville, NY area describes her first sighting:
“I saw my first river otter an hour after sunrise on my forty-second birthday, in a wetland built to filter water on a remediated Superfund site. I didn’t know if it lived there or was just passing through. Over the next few years, I saw another. Then another.” – Melanie Hunt, Wellsville resident.
Photo to the left is a wetland created at a Superfund Remediation site in Wellsville.
Legal protection & recovery
Legal protections for the New York river otter were first put in place in the 1930’s, regulating their harvest, after many, many decades of over-trapping and hunting. With these restrictions in place, river otter populations in the eastern parts of New York State recovered but the Genesee Valley needed help. That help came in the form of the New York River Otter Project. From 1995 to 2000 the project – led by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC), the Seneca Park Zoo and many volunteers – captured 279 river otters in eastern New York and released them at 16 different sites across the western part of the state. Long-term monitoring – including winter sign surveys (tracks, scat) – reveal that the river otter population is not just surviving but thriving.
Otters are creatures of the water
Otters spend most of their time in the water but are more likely to be seen in surrounding wetlands, streams and ponds than in the river itself. Their dense fur, streamlined body, fully webbed feet, muscular tail and even closable nostrils and ears help make the water their home. Their diet consists primarily of fish but they are not picky and will eat almost anything they come across such as frogs, mussels and even turtles.
According to the NYDEC, otters are most frequently seen in the winter. Another Genesee Valley resident, Nancy Chweicko and her husband Rich Tannen captured this video of a threesome – likely a mother and her two pups in a pond near their home in the Honeoye Creek watershed. Throughout the year, Nancy and Rich occasionally capture otters on their trail cam along with other rarely seen but recovering species such as bobcats and fishers.
Otters as an “indicator” species
With their diet of fish, river otters are a “top predator” in aquatic ecosystems. That means they bear the brunt of the effects of water pollution which can be concentrated up the food chain…And as such…river otters are considered an “indicator species” of the health of a watershed. That the Genesee River watershed supports these playful, hardy mammals is a sign of recovery.
As Melanie wrote:
“The Genesee River, once damaged by New York’s 19th-century oil boom, was slowly changing. On December 14, 2024, I finally saw proof: a family unit hunting together in the restored channels. Their return feels like evidence that repair is possible — that what we break can sometimes be healed.” – Melanie Hunt, Wellsville
This article is part of a Genesee RiverWatch series – Check out all of the articles here: Winter on the River.
At Genesee RiverWatch, we work year-round to protect the water quality and shoreline habitats that species such as the river otter depend on. And, we provide information and programs to connect people to the river. You can help us keep the basin a sanctuary for wildlife and a great place to experience by donating, joining in on summer paddles, or volunteering for our next river cleanup.
Photo Credits: Melanie Hunt. Video provided by Nancy Chwiecko.
Winter on the River
To the casual observer, a Genesee Valley winter looks like a landscape at rest. But for those who know the river, the season is a masterclass in resilience and adaptation. At Genesee RiverWatch, we believe the health of our basin is best told through the stories of those who call it home—even in the deepest freeze.
This winter, we are exploring the ‘winter pulse’ of the Genesee. We began with the Short-eared Owls, arctic travelers who view our frozen fields as a seasonal sanctuary. We’ve investigated the mystery of Black Bears stirring in Letchworth during the January thaw. Next up was River Otters whose presence signals a recovering waterway. Then, we took a look back a century to see how our “Ancestors” in the basin navigated the legendary ‘Big Snows’ of the early 20th century.. Welcome to “winter on the river.”
Available now:
Part 1: The Travelers – Why Short-eared Owls choose our valley as their winter resort.
Part 2: The Anomaly – Investigating a rare mid-winter Black Bear sighting in Letchworth.
Part 3: The Residents – The playful, hardy life of the Genesee River Otter.
Part 4: The Ancestors – Winter life for residents of the Genesee River Basin, circa 1926.
At Genesee RiverWatch, we work year-round to protect the water quality and shoreline habitats that these species depend on and provide information and programs to connect people to the river. You can help us keep the basin a sanctuary for wildlife and a great place to experience by donating, joining in on summer paddles, or volunteering for our next river cleanup.
The Letchworth Bears in Winter
Imagine you’re in Letchworth State Park one quiet winter morning, enjoying the dramatic views and wooded trails in “the Grand Canyon of the East” – and a black bear walks right in front of your car.
Grand Canyon? More like Yellowstone.
But it happened just the other day, to Mike Vanname. And he got it on camera.
For Vanname, Letchworth State Park on the Genesee River is his go-to place. So on the morning of January 6, he drove to Letchwork from his home in nearby Silver Springs, planning a short winter hike to clear his head before going to work. After his hike, Mike got back in his car and headed for the Castile exit. As he drove along, he noticed movement in the woods to his left behind the area known as Archery Field. He assumed it was deer.
It wasn’t. To his astonishment, a young black bear walked through the field and ambled across the road about 30 feet in front of his car. He grabbed his phone and started snapping.
When he related the story to us a week later, Mike was still happily stunned by what he’d witnessed. “It made my day. It made me really, really excited,” he said.
Kelly Raab, a wildlife technician for the State Department of Environmental Conservation, told us there a handful of black bears living in the 22-square-mile park. While common wisdom is that bears hibernate all winter, Kelly said that’s not the case. Adult and adolescent black bears sometimes emerge from dens to look for food, especially when weather warms. As it happens, the day Mike encountered the bears marked the beginning of a warm January thaw.
Kelly said the smallish bear captured in the photo sounded like a yearling, born last January – and still living with its mother. And as it turns out, Mike saw Mama Bear too. He didn’t get a photo of her as she ambled by, but he did follow the two bears – cautiously – as they moved into a wooded area off the road.
There, he captured a delightful bit of video in which the yearling rumbles playfully down a snowy hillside and Mama peers out from behind a tree to keep an eye on her offspring.
Moments later, the bears clambered over the edge of the gorge and disappeared from view. The unusual winter appearance of a bear in Letchwork State Park was over, leaving Mike with the memory, and photos, of a lifetime.
“Being all these years at the park, I’ve never once seen a bear, and I’m 43 years old,” he told us. “I think that’s what was so exciting.” That is not surprising. Of the 6,000 to 8,000 bears estimated to live in areas open to hunting, most are in the Adirondacks and Catskills. NYSDEC estimates about 10-15% are located in central and western NY.
Aren’t we lucky that these wild creatures are present in our very own Genesee River Basin?
Read more in the ‘Winter on the River’ series
Video by Mike Vanname / Edits by Genesee RiverWatch / Music by Nikita Kondrashev from Pixabay
Winter visitors to the Genesee River Basin
Many New York “snow-birds” travel to southern states for all or part of the winter. But who comes to New York — including the Genesee River Basin — for the winter? Short-eared owls! Small groups spend their time in open grassy fields hunting for small mammals and roosting on the ground; or in trees, especially in snowy conditions. They are most active at dawn or dusk flying low across the fields using their acute hearing to locate prey, hovering and then performing an aerial dive for the kill.
Like most owls, their “ears” are located on the sides of their heads, with one ear positioned higher than the other to better locate prey. They cannot move their eyes sideways or up and down, so they have adaptations that allow their heads to rotate up to 270 degrees! “Shorties” are medium sized owls with a relatively large wingspan that ranges from 33”- 43”, over 3 ft! This enables their soaring behavior and long distance journeys.
These winter visitors are just one more way the Genesee River Valley is special and unique. And why Genesee RiverWatch works to improve water quality throughout the basin and connect people to the river.
Seeking Your Support for 2026 and Beyond
Our Year End Appeal
Here at Genesee RiverWatch, we are grateful for the community support that makes our work possible. Together, we are having a meaningful impact on the Genesee River and its surrounding communities. That is why we invite you to consider a donation of $100, $250 – or an amount of your choosing – to Genesee RiverWatch.
We launched Genesee RiverWatch over 10 years ago, building on 40 years of environmental leadership of the Center for Environmental Information, started in 1974. Our mission: “To champion solutions that improve the water quality of the Genesee and initiatives that connect people to the River.” At the inaugural Genesee River Basin Summit, we presented our film “Restoring Our River, Work Worth Doing”. This short film focuses on the beauty of the Genesee, from its source in Gold, Pennsylvania to Rochester’s harbor and the work needed to preserve and enhance the Genesee for future generations. We stand by the film’s conclusion – this is indeed “Work Worth Doing”. View the film.
In that spirit, your participation in our Year End Appeal will help ensure that we have the funding in 2026 and beyond to continue our work. Any amount is welcome and appreciated!
Year End Appeal Letter #1 – Your Gift Matters: Support Our Mission Now!
Year End Appeal Letter #2 – Project Highlight: The Genesee River Blueway Map
Year End Appeal Letter #3 – Help Support Our “Work Worth Doing”
Year End Appeal Letter #4 – Happy Holidays!
Year End Appeal Letter #5 – Final Year End Appeal: Genesee RiverWatch-The Voice of the River
Check out our Fall Newsletter for the latest on our progress and plans to improve water quality and connect people to the river.