Watershed Stories

Keep up with the work of Ausable Freshwater Center (AFC) staff. These stories share information about our stewardship and monitoring work, natural stream restoration, and culvert replacement techniques by highlighting specific projects in the Ausable and Boquet River watersheds of northern New York. They also give you fun facts about the plants and wildlife that live in these watersheds, as well as tips for enjoying responsible, low-impact recreational opportunities.

Feb

2025

The Shrinking Habitat of Cold-Water Fish in the Adirondacks

Many lakes in the Adirondacks face two primary threats that impact cold-water fish, including our native salmonids—brook trout, lake trout, and whitefish. The first threat is climate-induced increases in water temperature. The second is deep-water oxygen depletion.

Brook Trout

Feb

2025

Adapting Historic Monitoring to Meet New Challenges

As the threats and inputs to Adirondack lake ecosystems have evolved, the ways we study these systems have too. Since acid deposition was the primary stressor of the last 50 years, research questions which guided monitoring programs focused heavily on...

Limnology

Nov

2024

What Happens to Lakes in the Fall?

Lakes experience a chemical and hydrological transformation in the fall. This is thanks to one of water's unique properties: unlike most materials, it is most dense as a liquid. Water's maximum density occurs at 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 degrees Fahrenheit...

Limnology

Nov

2024

A Fellow's Summer with AFC

Hello! My name is Angie Zhu, Colgate University class of 2026. This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work with the Ausable Freshwater Center (AFC) as a Colgate Upstate Institute Field School Fellow. During my time as a fellow, I worked...

Road Salt

Sep

2024

Managing Invasive Species in the Ausable Watershed

The Ausable watershed supports a variety of plant and animal species, playing a critical role in the local environment and economy, but its health is threatened by invasive species. Some species the Ausable Freshwater Center (AFC) is paying special attention to include knotweed species, reed canary grass, round goby, and Chinese mystery snail...

Invasives

Aug

2024

Hiking Cobble Lookout: A Walk Through Forested Beauty

One of my favorite hikes when I want a leisurely walk with breathtaking views is the trail to Cobble Lookout in Wilmington, New York. This trail, which was constructed in 2014, is roughly 2.5 miles round trip with less than 300 feet of elevation gain. I’ve done this hike multiple times in all seasons and every time it seems to blow me away...

Recreation

Jul

2024

Duff your buffer! Get friendly with your riparian layers

Riparian buffers are vegetated areas of land situated next to bodies of water such as streams and rivers. They assist in filtering pollutants, stabilizing stream banks, and providing habitat for wildlife. Moreover, riparian buffers provide shade,...

Stewardship

Jul

2024

Birding along the Ausable River

Our River Steward, Meghan, has been out and about the Ausable collecting anger user data, maintaining wader wash stations, and keeping an eye out for invasive species. In her downtime, she's been able to enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of the watershed, including birding. Check out her most recent blog to learn more about her birding adventures and how you can get out and enjoy the many birds of the Ausable!

Recreation

Jul

2024

Celebrate Lakes Appreciation Month!

July is Lakes Appreciation Month. This national initiative to appreciate and protect lakes was started in 1998 by the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) and is supported by the US EPA. Lake Colden, located in the High Peaks Wilderness...

Limnology

Jul

2024

What’s happening at the Ausable Conservation Nursery this season?