Brian Barton
Onondaga Lake, located in Central New York, has a long and tumultuous history. Once a sacred site for the Onondaga Nation, the lake has suffered from severe degradation due to industrial and domestic waste, becoming known as one of the most polluted lakes in America. The pollution of Onondaga Lake is largely attributed to the Solvay Process Company, which merged with other chemical companies to form the Allied Chemical Corporation, dumping toxic waste and sewage into the lake. Despite the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1973 and the closure of the major polluter in 1986, Onondaga Lake remained highly polluted until recent years, when various initiatives and upgrades to Syracuse's sewage facilities have helped to curb pollution and restore the lake's ecosystem.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Central New York, northwest of Syracuse, New York |
| Size | 4.6 miles (7.4 km) long, 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, 4.6 square miles (12 km2) surface area, 63 feet (19 m) maximum depth, 35 feet (11 m) average depth |
| Tributaries | Ninemile Creek, Onondaga Creek, Onondaga Creek, Harbor Brook |
| Polluting Companies | Allied Chemical Corporation, Honeywell Inc., Solvay Process Company |
| Pollutants | Mercury, sewage, toxic waste, ammonia, phosphorus, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, creosotes, heavy metals (lead, cobalt), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons |
| Effects of Pollution | Fish kills, algae blooms, low oxygen levels, foul odor, water quality impairment, health risks |
| Cleanup Efforts | 15-year multi-stage program, sewage treatment plant upgrades, dredging and containment of contaminated sediments |
| Current Status | Improved water quality, increased fish populations, safe for fishing and swimming in certain areas |
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What You'll Learn
Mercury contamination
Onondaga Lake, located in Central New York, has been a site of significant environmental concern due to extensive pollution. The lake holds cultural and historical significance for the Onondaga Nation, who consider it sacred. The lake's proximity to Syracuse, an industrialised area, has subjected it to various sources of pollution, including municipal sewage and industrial waste. One of the major contributors to the lake's pollution was the Allied Chemical Corporation (formerly known as Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation), which discharged approximately 165,000 pounds of mercury into the lake between 1946 and 1970. This led to severe mercury contamination, resulting in fishing being banned in the lake in 1970 due to unsafe levels of mercury in fish.
The mercury pollution in Onondaga Lake was primarily attributed to the industrial activities of the Allied Chemical Corporation. The company was responsible for dumping significant amounts of mercury-contaminated waste directly into the lake. In 1981, the company changed its name to Allied Corporation, and in 1985, it became known as Allied-Signal, Inc. following a merger. In 1986, the company closed its operations in Syracuse and began dismantling its facility due to changing environmental laws.
Despite the closure of the major industrial polluter, Onondaga Lake continued to face the issue of mercury contamination. In 2002, a remedial investigation conducted by Honeywell, Inc. (the successor of Allied Chemical) found mercury contamination throughout the lake, with particularly high concentrations in the sediments of the Ninemile Creek delta and the southwestern portion. This led to further efforts to address the pollution and mitigate its impact on the lake's ecosystem.
Cleanup efforts have been ongoing, with Honeywell International, the successor of Allied Chemical, leading the restoration process in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Between 2009 and 2016, mercury levels in fish from Onondaga Lake decreased by 70%, demonstrating the positive impact of the cleanup initiatives. These efforts have shifted towards long-lasting restoration, aiming to make the lake healthy and safe for both the environment and human enjoyment.
While the lake has witnessed a remarkable turnaround, some members of the Onondaga Nation, such as Sid Hill, believe that the cleanup is insufficient for a site of such cultural and historical importance. The lake remains a subject of ongoing land rights actions filed by the Onondaga Nation, emphasising the need for continued environmental protection and recognition of the lake's significance to the native communities in the area.
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Municipal sewage
Onondaga Lake, located in Central New York, has long been a site of cultural and historical significance to the Onondaga Nation. The lake, covering 4.6 square miles, has been subjected to severe pollution over the years, with municipal sewage being a major contributor.
For decades, Syracuse dumped untreated or poorly treated human waste into the lake, leading to excessive algae growth. The high levels of ammonia and phosphates resulting from sewage wastewater caused an explosion of algae blooms, which, upon decomposition by bacteria, depleted the oxygen levels in the lake. This created anoxic conditions, choking the life out of fish and plants, especially in the deeper regions.
Combined sewer overflow (CSO) has further exacerbated the issue. During heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the sewers in Syracuse, which carry both sanitary sewage and stormwater, overflow. This results in the discharge of a mixture of runoff and sanitary sewage into tributaries like Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook, which eventually reach Onondaga Lake.
The sewage problem has been ongoing, with recent incidents of sewage backup through manhole covers and spills from busted pipes resulting in substantial fines for Onondaga County. Despite these challenges, upgrades at Syracuse's main sewage facility and Metro, Onondaga County's sewage treatment plant, have helped curb the influx of algae-promoting nutrients into the lake.
The pollution of Onondaga Lake by municipal sewage has had severe ecological consequences, and the ongoing cleanup efforts aim to restore the lake's health and respect its cultural significance.
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Industrial waste
Onondaga Lake, located in Central New York, has a long history of pollution, with industrial waste being a major contributor. The lake, sacred to the Onondaga Nation, has suffered from severe degradation due to both domestic and industrial waste.
One of the primary sources of industrial pollution was the Solvay Process Company, a chemical manufacturer that began producing soda ash on the lake's shore in 1884. The company discharged approximately 6 million pounds of salty waste, including chloride, sodium, and calcium, into the lake daily until its closure in 1986. This created the Solvay wastebeds, which continue to leech toxins into the lake, including methyl mercury, a highly poisonous chemical.
The Solvay Process Company eventually merged with other chemical companies to form the Allied Chemical Corporation, which also contributed significantly to the lake's chemical pollution. It is estimated that the company released 165,000 pounds of mercury into the lake, resulting in mercury contamination that still persists today.
Combined sewer overflow (CSO) is another source of industrial waste in the lake. During heavy rain or melting snow, the sewers in Syracuse overflow, discharging a combination of runoff and sanitary sewage into tributaries that flow into Onondaga Lake. This has led to concerns about bacteria and the presence of chemicals such as ammonia and phosphates, which contribute to excessive algae growth in the lake.
The pollution in Onondaga Lake had severe environmental and recreational impacts. Swimming was banned as early as 1940, and fishing was prohibited in 1970 due to mercury contamination. The lake's ecosystem was disrupted, and the water quality deteriorated to the extent that it was labelled "the most polluted lake in America."
Despite the challenges, significant cleanup efforts have been made. Upgrades at Syracuse's main sewage facility have helped curb algae-promoting nutrients, and initiatives such as the 15-year multi-stage program, completed in 2017, allowed the lake to meet the criteria required by environmental protection agencies. These efforts have resulted in an increase in fish populations and improvements in water quality, bringing new hope to Onondaga Lake.
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Combined sewer overflow
Onondaga Lake, located in Central New York, is sacred to the Onondaga Nation. The lake has been severely degraded by industrial and domestic waste, and pollution. Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) is one of the major sources of pollution for the lake.
In some areas of Syracuse, sewers carry both sanitary sewage and stormwater. During dry weather, these sewers carry all the sanitary sewage for treatment. However, during heavy rain or snowmelt, the sewers overflow, discharging a mixture of runoff and sanitary sewage into Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook, which flow into Onondaga Lake. This event is known as a Combined Sewer Overflow.
CSOs have raised concerns about bacteria and water quality in the lake and its tributaries. Syracuse had ninety points where CSO could reach these water bodies in the 1960s. The excessive sewage wastewater also contributed to high levels of ammonia and phosphates, leading to excessive algae growth in the lake. When the algae die, bacteria decompose them, consuming large amounts of oxygen, which creates low-oxygen conditions. This has detrimental effects on fish and plant life, especially in the deeper areas of the lake.
To address the issue of CSO, Syracuse established the Syracuse Interceptor Sewage Board in 1907 to tackle sewage-related issues in Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook. In 1960, Onondaga County created a sewer district and built the Metropolitan Sewage Treatment Plant ("Metro") on the lake's south shore. Despite these efforts, pollution from CSO and other sources persisted, leading to swimming and fishing bans in the lake.
In 1989, a Consent Judgment was reached between New York State, the Atlantic States Legal Foundation, and Onondaga County regarding violations of water pollution control laws. This resulted in the Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ) in 1998, which aimed to upgrade the treatment of CSOs and improve water quality. Onondaga County's Save the Rain Program is another initiative focused on enhancing the water quality of Onondaga Lake and its tributaries by reducing the impact of CSOs.
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Solvay wastebeds
Onondaga Lake, located in Central New York, has long been a site of cultural significance to the Onondaga Nation. However, the lake and its surrounding areas have also been subjected to extensive pollution and environmental degradation due to various human activities, including industrial waste dumping and municipal sewage disposal.
The Solvay Process Company, a joint venture between Belgian chemists Ernest and Alfred Solvay and Americans William B. Cogswell and Rowland Hazard II, played a significant role in the pollution of Onondaga Lake. The company began producing soda ash on the lakeshore in 1884, discharging approximately 6 million pounds of salty wastes, including chloride, sodium, and calcium, into the lake daily. This waste was stored in massive "waste beds" or "Solvay wastebeds", themselves constructed out of soda ash.
The waste beds contributed to the pollution of Onondaga Lake in two significant ways. Firstly, the waste beds themselves were a source of pollution, as the toxic waste leached toxins into the lake. Methyl mercury, a highly poisonous chemical, was among the contaminants found in the lake, with levels in fish far exceeding federal and state standards. Secondly, the waste beds were poorly constructed and vulnerable to failure. On Thanksgiving Day in 1943, the retaining wall of one of the waste beds burst, unleashing a tidal wave of sludge that flooded nearby homes and roads.
Following this incident, the Solvay Process Company moved their waste beds away from the shoreline of Onondaga Lake. However, the damage had already been done, and the Solvay waste beds continue to be a source of pollution for the lake. Even with recent upgrades to sewage treatment facilities and pollution reduction initiatives, the lake's ecosystem remains fragile, with algal blooms and low oxygen levels still posing threats to fish and plant life.
Despite the challenges, various cleanup efforts and initiatives have been implemented over the years, and the lake's condition has shown signs of improvement. The final phase of its cleanup is set to begin, bringing hope for a full recovery of this culturally and environmentally significant site.
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Frequently asked questions
Multiple companies have contributed to the pollution of Onondaga Lake, including the Solvay Process Company, Allied Chemical Corporation, and Honeywell Inc.
The Solvay Process Company, a chemical manufacturer, dumped waste material directly into Onondaga Lake. In 1912, waste from the company flowing into the lake was reported to have instantly killed a horse and burned a man. The company also contributed to air pollution in the area, with residents reporting issues such as fly ash and dust.
Allied Chemical Corporation contributed to the chemical pollution of Onondaga Lake. They dumped mercury-contaminated waste into the lake, with 165,000 lbs of mercury discharged into the lake.
Honeywell Inc., the successor of Allied Chemical, proposed a plan to dredge and enclose the most contaminated sediments in a sealed landfill. However, this plan was criticized for overlooking the diffusion of contaminants along the lake bottom.
