Applied Water Research in New York State Seminar: Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modeling in Support of Fisheries Sustainability in Eastern Lake Erie

Every year, the New York State Water Resources Institute (NYSWRI) at Cornell supports applied research that address critical water resource problems in the New York State and the nation. This seminar series brings together researchers who work with NYSWRI and state agency partners to support and improve water management in the state. Speakers will present on a broad range of water related topics including water engineering and infrastructure, climate and flood resilience, water quality monitoring and assessment and aquatic ecosystems. The seminar will focus on ways in which robust science can support and influence on-ground management and policy outcomes, and center collaborative and interdisciplinary work between academics, water resource scientists, educators, managers, and policymakers in New York State.

Applied Water Research in New York State Spring 2026 Seminar Series will be held every Thursday at 2:30PM ET from January 22 - March 5, 2026. 

Speakers: Professor Joseph Atkinson (University at Buffalo) and Jason Robinson (NYSDEC) w/introduction by Ryan Elliott (NYSDEC & NYSWRI) & Rewa Phansalkar (NYSWRI)

Field observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling were used to better understand conditions producing suitable habitat for fish spawning, particularly lake trout, in the Great Lakes. The study focused on Shorehaven Reef, a natural reef near Barcelona in southwestern New York. Measurements of water velocities and levels were monitored during summer 2025 over multiple deployments using an acoustic Doppler current profiler situated at different locations on the reef. Laboratory experiments were conducted to demonstrate interactions between bottom shear stress and processes affecting fish egg settling into bottom substrate, and also to evaluate the effects of the reef on flow patterns. A nested numerical model was developed to study flow patterns in the area surrounding the reef. Results show increased shear stresses on the leeward side of the reef, which also is covered with relatively "clean" cobble (without silt) on which lake trout spawning has been documented. Artificial reefs need to be designed so that natural flow can maintain appropriate spawning habitat.