Rochester Embayment
What is the Rochester Embayment?
The Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan addresses environmental concerns (called Beneficial Use Impairments or BUIs) common to many of the areas around the Great Lakes.
For a complete description of BUIs related to the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern, scroll down to the remedial action reports below.
Government and industry have made major investments in infrastructure and programs designed to restore water resources. For more information about these efforts click here.
Beneficial Use Impairments
A number of the BUIs relate to supporting healthy fish, wildlife populations and how we use our water resources within the Rochester Embayment.
Reducing fish and wildlife populations
Loss of fish and wildlife habitat
Degraded food sources for fish and wildlife
Safe fish consumption
Enjoying the beach
Impacts of excessive algae
Why is the Rochester Embayment Important?
The Great Lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes on earth and contain 21% of the world's surface fresh water. The Rochester Embayment of Lake Ontario is a broad bay at the mouth of the Genesee River.
The Embayment is one of 43 Areas of Concern (AOC) in the Great Lakes. These are areas where the environment has been significantly harmed by human activity. Since the late 1980s, efforts by both the US and Canada have made great progress toward improving the environment of these areas. For more detailed information on the Rochester Embayment, visit the EPA website here.
This section describes some of the environmental challenges in these areas, and efforts taken to restore and protect the water quality and ecosystems of the Rochester Embayment. The Rochester Embayment is shown in orange on the map above and includes the Genesee River from the Lower Falls to Lake Ontario.
The Improvement Plan
The Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan has been prepared to identify and address environmental challenges in the Rochester Embayment.
Efforts to improve water quality and the environment in the Rochester Embayment are led by Monroe County and the local Remedial Action Committee (RAC).
Remedial Action Plans are developed in three stages:
Stage I identifies specific environmental problems, called Beneficial Use Impairments, and sources of pollution. This was completed in 1993.
Stage II proposes restoration actions to address the environmental problems and provides a plan for implementing those actions. This was completed in 1997 and updated in 2012.
Stage III documents that the environmental problems have been addressed and that the AOC is ready for delisting. This is currently underway.
The Lakewide Improvement Plan
Lake Ontario Lakewide Action and Management Plans (LAMP)
The Lakewide Plan:
Focuses on the open lake beyond the local issues.
Is an international partnership to restore and protect Lake Ontario by reducing pollutants entering the lake and addressing their sources.
Will also work with the local plans around Lake Ontario and continue after the local plans are completed.
What are Our Environmental Concerns?
The Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan addresses environmental concerns (called Beneficial Use Impairments or BUIs) common to many of the areas around the Great Lakes.
Fish and Wildlife
A number of these BUIs relate to supporting healthy fish and wildlife populations within the Rochester Embayment, such as:
Reduced fish and wildlife populations
Loss of fish and wildlife habitat
Degraded food sources for fish and wildlife
Fish tumors and deformities
Bird or animal reproductive problems
Government and corporate entities have made major investments in infrastructure and programs designed to restore water quality. Click here to find out more information about these efforts.
Fishing, Swimming, and Other Uses
A number of these BUIs relate to how we can use our water resources such as:
Eating the fish
Enjoying the beach
The impacts of excessive algae
The ability to dredge navigation channels
Recreational activities
Consuming drinking water
For a complete description of BUIs related to the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern, view the Stage I and Stage II RAP documents provided below.
You Can Be an H2O Hero!
What Can You Do To Improve and Protect Local Water Quality?
View the At Home and Volunteering
Participate in Rochester Embayment Area of Concern Public Meetings
Follow Larry the H2O Hero’s Facebook Page for information.
Email mchealth@monroecounty.gov with the subject line “Embayment” to be added to the contact list and get direct notifications about upcoming public meetings.
View the Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan documents below.
Rochester Embayment Area of Concern Remedial Action Reports
The following documents have been prepared in support of the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan.
Stage I
Executive Summary, Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan Stage I, August 1993
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan Stage I, August 1993
Stage II
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, Executive Summary, Draft: January 1997
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, Stage II, Volume 1: Sept. 1997
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, Stage II, Appendices Part 1: Sept. 1997
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, Stage II, Appendix E : Sept. 1997
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, Stage II, Appendices Part 2: Sept. 1997
Rochester Embayment Remedial Action Plan, Stage II, Appendices Part 3: Sept. 1997
Updates
BUI Removal Reports
Meetings
In January of 2021 the NYS DEC along with the Monroe County Dept. of Public Health held a public meeting to review the status of the Remedial Action Plan.