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Phone: (607) 327-5253
Email: floatingclassroom@gmail.com

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

2012 Cayuga Lake Temperature Profiles!

As of November 2, Cayuga Lake has undergone its fall "turnover".  Cold water from deep in the lake is rising to the surface, and observers may have noted an "earthy" smell to the lake, as organic matter and nutrients have come with that deep, cold water!  The winds of tropical storm Sandy certainly muddied the waters, but data collected through the year, enabled us to anticipate this event. 

Below is a set of water temperature profiles, compiled from data collected by students throughout the year aboard the Floating Classroom's MV Haendel.  Data was collected using a calibrated Hydrolab (brand) remote sensor.  Our thanks to the City fo Ithaca Water Department and to Tompkins County Soil & Water for providing access to this equipment!

 

This image shows temperatures from the lake surface (top) to 40 meters, with depth increasing along the Y-axis.  Temperatures (in Celcius) are plotted along the X-axis, increasing as we go to the right.  Click on this image for a slide show of changes through the year!

Sunday, November 4, 2012


Students in Professor Katherine McComas' class on Community Engagement, in Cornell's Department of Communication selected the Hydrilla infestation and the Ithaca community's response as their focus for the fall semester. They cruised with the FC, and volunteered for some fascinating activities in their pursuit of insights into the experiences of engaged community-members. You can read about their exploits on the class blog, Community Engagement in Hydrilla Risk Management. Check it out!