Impacts of a Soda Ash Facility on Onondaga Lake and the Seneca River, NY
Open accessAbstract
A synthesis of the impacts of the operation (1884–1986) of a soda ash (Na2CO3) manufacturing facility on Onondaga Lake, NY, its tributaries, and adjoining portions of the river that receives the lake's outflow is presented, based on long-term programs of monitoring, process studies, and mathematical modeling. The lake was used as a source of cooling water and for the disposal of ionic (Cl− Na+, and Ca2+) waste, related solids and spent cooling water. At peak production the facility discharged ~1.3 × 106 metric tons of ionic waste to the lake annually. The soda ash facility had a profound impact on these ecosystems, by severely altering their structure and function. Portions of the two largest tributaries to the lake have been degraded from solids deposition associated with solution mining for NaCl (process reactant) and precipitation of Ca2+ waste (as CaCO3). The cooling water operation recycled phosphorus enriched hypolimnetic waters to the epilimnion. Ionic waste impacts on the lake and river included: (1) high salinity (S~3%o), (2) plunging inflows made dense by high S, that altered fundamental features of the lake's stratification regime and exacerbated the problem of severe dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion, (3) S-based density stratification and severe DO depletion over a 14 km reach of the river downstream of the lake, and (4) high levels of CaCO3 precipitation that reduced clarity, increased net sedimentation in pelagic areas, altered the character of near-shore sediments, and reduced alkalinity and pH. These impacts on the lake's chemistry and physical properties had profound effects on biological communities, including: (1) altered composition, (2) reduced richness and diversity, (3) limited macrophyte occurrence, (4) enhanced phytoplankton production, and (5) limited effectiveness of zooplankton grazing, thereby preventing intervals of high clarity. Closure of the facility resulted in dramatic improvements in water quality and ecological characteristics of these systems. Further improvement is expected as residual ionic waste loads decrease.
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The effects of the industrial facility on Onondaga Lake were largely eliminated by closure of the facility.
“These effects were largely eliminated by the closure of the facility (Effler and Matthews 2003).”
From Implications of redox processes for the rehabilitation of an urban lake, Onondaga Lake, New York (2008) · cites this paper as Effler and Matthews 2003
The Synthesis/Management Perspectives (p. 19) reports dramatic improvements in Onondaga Lake’s water quality and ecology after closure. But the same section (p. 20) says residual ionic waste loading continued and “a number of the impacts have only been reduced not eliminated,” so the claim overstates the extent of recovery. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe soda ash facility discharged more than 1.0 × 10^6 metric tons of ionic waste to Onondaga Lake annually during 1940-1986, causing the lake to be unusually saline.
“The facility discharged >1.0 × 10 6 metric tons of ionic waste to the lake annually during 1940-1986, causing the lake to be unusually saline (Effler and Matthews 2003)”
From Assessment of Long-term Trends in the Oxygen Resources of a Recovering Urban Lake, Onondaga Lake, New York (2006) · cites this paper as Effler and Matthews 2003
The Abstract (p. 2) says the facility discharged about 1.3 million metric tons of ionic waste annually at peak production and identifies high salinity as an impact. The Ionic Waste section (p. 6) estimates an annual average of 1.2 million metric tons for 1974–1985, but does not establish that discharges exceeded 1.0 million metric tons every year throughout 1940–1986. The stated duration therefore overextends the evidence. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSaline wastes from soda ash manufacture had profound impacts on the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of Onondaga Lake.
“Saline wastes (Ca 2+ , Na + , Cl -) from the manufacture of soda ash had profound impacts on the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of the lake (Effler and Matthews 2003).”
From Implications of redox processes for the rehabilitation of an urban lake, Onondaga Lake, New York (2008) · cites this paper as Effler and Matthews 2003
The soda ash facility's ionic discharge caused chemical stratification in Onondaga Lake.
“this facility's ionic discharge caused chemical stratification in the lake”
From Assessment of Long-term Trends in the Oxygen Resources of a Recovering Urban Lake, Onondaga Lake, New York (2006) · cites this paper as Effler and Matthews 2003
High calcium concentrations increased deposition losses of particles (including phytoplankton) from the trophogenic layers of Onondaga Lake.
“and thus increased deposition losses of particles (including phytoplankton) from the trophogenic layers (Effler et al. 2001;Effler and Matthews 2003).”
From Assessment of Long-term Trends in the Oxygen Resources of a Recovering Urban Lake, Onondaga Lake, New York (2006) · cites this paper as Effler and Matthews 2003
The soda ash facility's ionic discharge prevented complete spring turnover in Onondaga Lake in some years.
“and in some years prevented complete spring turnover (Owens and Effler 1989;Effler and Matthews 2003).”
From Assessment of Long-term Trends in the Oxygen Resources of a Recovering Urban Lake, Onondaga Lake, New York (2006) · cites this paper as Effler and Matthews 2003
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Cites
Density Stratification in Onondaga Lake: 1968–1994
Effler, S. W., & Owens, E. M. (1996) · Lake and Reservoir Management · doi:10.1080/07438149609353994 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Self-citationFailure of spring turnover in Onondaga Lake, NY, U.S.A.
Effler, S. W., & Perkins, M. G. (1987) · Water, Air, and Soil Pollution · doi:10.1007/bf00193776 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Self-citation
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Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Siegfried, N. A. Auer, J. D. Madsen, R. M. Smart, L. W. Eichler, C. W. Boylen, J. W. Sutherland, J. A. Bloomfield, B. A. Wagner, R. Danehey, N. A. Ringler, C. Gandino, P. Hirethota, P. Tango, M. A. Arrigo, C. Morgan, C. Millard, M. Murphy, R. J. Sloan, S. L. Niehaus and K. A. Whitehead. 1996a. Biology. P. 384-534. In: S. W. Effler (ed.). Limnological and engineering analysis of a polluted urban lake. Prelude to environmental management of Onondaga Lake, New York. Springer-Verlag, NY.
- Effler, S. W. 1996. Limnological and engineering analysis of a polluted urban lake. Prelude to environmental management of Onondaga Lake, New York. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY.
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Matthews, D. A., & Effler, S. W. (2006) · Limnology and Oceanography · doi:10.4319/lo.2006.51.1_part_2.0702 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Self-citationMatthews, D. A., & Effler, S. W. (2006) · Lake and Reservoir Management · doi:10.1080/07438140609353881 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Self-citationImplications of redox processes for the rehabilitation of an urban lake, Onondaga Lake, New York
Effler, S. W., & Matthews, D. A. (2008) · Lake and Reservoir Management · doi:10.1080/07438140809354056 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationA long-term record of epilimnetic phosphorus patterns in recovering Onondaga Lake, New York
Effler, S. W. O. (2010) · Fundamental and Applied Limnology · doi:10.1127/1863-9135/2010/0177-0001 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationEffler, S. W., O'Donnell, S. M., Prestigiacomo, A. R., Matthews, D. A., & Auer, M. T. (2013) · Water Environment Research · doi:10.2175/106143012x13415215906690 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Self-citationRowell, H. C., Enache, M. D., Quinlan, R., Smith, A. J., Bloomfield, J. A., Charles, D. F., & Effler, S. W. (2016) · Journal of Paleolimnology · doi:10.1007/s10933-015-9877-8 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Effler, S. W., & Matthews, D. A.
- Affiliations
- Upstate Freshwater Institute (US)
- ORCID
- Effler, Steven W.
- Venue
- Lake and Reservoir Management
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2003-12
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 285-306
- ISSN
- 0743-8141 (ISSN-L)
- 1040-2381
- 2151-5530
- OpenAlex
- W2066682276
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 1.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Lake and Reservoir Management (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Water Quality and Resources Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Keywords
- Onondaga Lake, industrial wastewater discharge, cooling water, solution mining, saltwater intrusion, salinity, lake stratification, dissolved oxygen depletion, calcium carbonate precipitation, sedimentation, water transparency, lake alkalinity, aquatic plants, phytoplankton, zooplankton grazing, fish assemblages, facility closure, water remediation
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