Applied Water Research in New York State Seminar: Measuring the Biological Productivity of Hudson River Tributaries with Repect to Potential for Restoration

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 Daniel Stich and Billy Benedict (SUNY Oneonta) w/introduction by Matt Best (Riverkeeper)

Approximately 65 major tributaries link the lower Hudson River to its terrestrial watershed through 3,600 total river miles. At least half of these are blocked by natural geomorphic features making them largely inaccessible for most migratory species. The remaining creeks that once provided critical spawning habitat for migratory species are now largely blocked by obsolete dams, that not only deny biotic connection with the mainstem Hudson, but also disrupt the hydrologic function of these river systems. When examining the gross primary production (GPP) of the United States, the East Coast is vastly more productive than the West Coast for several reasons. For example, the Northeast is dominated by deciduous broad-leaved trees that are adapted to temperate, mesophilic climate and annually shed their leaves to introduce an immense amount of allochthonous carbon to the Hudson River watershed and estuary. The goal of this project was to measure the ecological value of tributaries to the Hudson River Estuary through the lens of biological productivity at multiple trophic levels. A secondary goal was to investigate how stream barriers and other human influences have altered the contribution of tributaries to the Hudson River over time.