Biological Survey — Genesee River 43 



Salt Pollution. — One of the most serious types of pollution 

 found during the summer survey was that of pollution by salt 

 water. Wherever salt water enters a fresh water stream in suffi- 

 cient amount all fish and other fresh water orgf.nisms are killed 

 and an entirely new association of plants and animals becomes 

 established — that is, an association of the marine or salt water 

 type. 



The salt works which is located in Silver Springs, N. Y., empties 

 its waste salt water into AVolf creek. About five or six miles 

 farther down Wolf creek em])ties its waters into the Genesee river 

 within the area of the new lake which will be formed when the 

 pro])osed dam at Mt. Morris has been built. This lake wdll thus 

 receive all the waste salt which Wolf creek carries down to the 

 Genesee riyer. 



Wolf creek is a stream which if clean would constitute one 

 of the best trout streams in that section of the country. In fact 

 one of the main tributaries (Tributary 6) of Wolf creek which 

 is not being" polluted was found to contain brook trout and possess 

 ideal trout water. Thousands of gallons of salt w^ater are being- 

 dumped into Wolf creek daily. A chemical analysis on 

 August 13, 1926, show^ed that the stream just below Silver Springs 

 contained 3.84 per cent of salt. At the mouth of AVolf creek 

 where it entered the Genesee river the stream showed a flow of 

 18.1 cubic feet per second and on August 16, 1926, it tested 

 1.14 per cent salt. A number of tributaries entering AVolf creek 

 below Silver Springs had reduced the concentration from 3.84 per 

 cent to 1.14 per cent. Calculating from the above figures, w^e find 

 that at the time of observation AVolf creek was carrying salt into 

 the Genesee river at the rate of more than 500 tons per 24 hours. 

 This i)robably does not represent the average amount for at 

 another date, August 13, 1926, AVolf creek showed a flow of only 

 about 6 cubic feet ])er second and at that time it was carrying 

 1 per cent salt. However, even then it was carrying salt into the 

 Genesee river at the rate of more than 150 tons per 24 hours. 



A biological examination of AA^olf creek disclosed the absence 

 of all fresh water organisms. The stream bed was almost entirely 

 covered by a filamentous green alga {Enferomorpha intestinal is), 

 a salt Waaler plant This was the dominant plant present, although 

 diatoms and other plants were also numerous. (App. A^III.) Of 

 animals there were found the following: The salt fly, Ephydra 

 suhopaca Loew., predominating with the larva of a small midge 

 (Culicoides varipennis) next in abundance. Mosquito larvae, rat- 

 tail maggots, oligochaetes, beetle larvae and other forms were 

 present. 



What the cumulative effect of this salt will be on the proposed 

 lake is difficult to predict. It certainly can be of no value and 

 may possibly prove in time very injurious to all fish life within 

 the entire lake. Altogether some 13 miles of streams were found 

 to be polluted by salt water. 



