Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

Cary to monitor Hudson River’s health with grant

Cary to monitor Hudson River’s health with grant

Cary researchers will collect data on invasive mussels, water quality and more to support fisheries and inform management decisions on the Hudson River.

Photo by David Fischer

MILLBROOK — The Hudson River Foundation for Science and Environmental Research has awarded $1.7 million to Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies to monitor Hudson River ecosystems for three years.

Cary’s Chris Solomon, an aquatic ecologist, will work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to lead a study of the lower food web in the river — the web of plants and small animals that species, such as striped bass, feed on.

Monthly monitoring will begin in January. The team will collect data on water quality, along with information about the biomass and abundance of small plants and animals — phytoplankton, zooplankton, bivalves, and other invertebrates.

Solomon said the survey will build on historical data, including data from the DEC, Stony Brook University, and more than 30 years of research by Cary Institute scientists.

The years of research make “it a uniquely well studied, large river ecosystem” that has been supported by the federal government and by foundations like Cary and others.

The Hudson River estuary is diverse and features fresh water as well as sea water. The study will focus on an approximate 150-mile stretch from Lower Manhattan to Troy.

“We’re excited to be working with our partners in the Hudson research and management community to help sustain the history and imagine the future of ecosystem monitoring in this iconic river estuary,” said Solomon.

“These (lower food web) organisms are critical food for fish like striped bass,” said Solomon. “They support the river’s fisheries, and they control how the ecosystem works in a lot of really fundamental ways.”

Understanding trends in these species at the base of the food web will help in anticipating changes in fish abundance, so managers can adjust harvest levels accordingly. Solomon cited a few species found in the river, including Atlantic sturgeon, eel, herring, shad.

Data from the survey may also help to reveal how changes in temperature, precipitation, and sea level due to climate change will alter Hudson ecosystems and water quality, with important implications for communities that rely on the river for drinking water and recreation.

Solomon said a half dozen or more communities rely on the Hudson for a drinking water supply.

In addition, the survey will keep tabs on invasive zebra and quagga mussels and their impacts on the river ecosystem, and may help provide early warning if other invasive species arrive.

“The Hudson River Foundation is pleased to work with Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies on this new three-year survey to monitor the Hudson River’s lower food web,” said Jim Lodge, senior scientist at the Hudson River Foundation. “This work builds on the pioneering work of Cary’s long-term monitoring of the freshwater Hudson and will provide critical new insights and understanding of the Hudson River ecosystem from Lower Manhattan to Troy.”

Cary’s Heather Malcolm and David Fisher will lead the field work for the Interim Lower Food Web Survey. Partners at Upstate Freshwater Institute will analyze the water chemistry samples, and scuba divers from Seaway Dive and Salvage will collect rock and sediment samples from the riverbed.

“The Hudson River estuary is a vital resource for New York, and one that’s really intertwined with our culture and way of life,” said Solomon.

Latest News

Classifieds - July 9, 2026

Classifieds - July 9, 2026

SERVICES OFFERED

Héctor Pacay Landscaping and Construction LLC: Fully insured. Renovation, decking, painting; interior exterior, mowing lawn, garden, stone wall, patio, tree work, clean gutters, mowing fields. 845-636-3212.


Keep ReadingShow less

Firefighters’ Fourth of July

Firefighters’ Fourth of July
Photo by Nathan Miller

The Amenia Fire Co.’s Fourth of July parade, fair and fireworks extravaganza drew a crowd of over 100 people to enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, peppers, fried dough and a fireworks display that carried on despite heavy rain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millerton gets ready for 175th anniversary celebration

The Millerton 175th Anniversary Committee's logo.

Illustration Courtesy Village of Millerton

MILLERTON — Months of planning will culminate this weekend as Millerton kicks off nine days of events celebrating the village’s 175th anniversary, with festivities running from July 11 through July 19.

Lisa Hermann, a veteran festival organizer who has been leading the planning effort for Millerton 175, said the process intensified this year as the July start date crept closer.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Dover Stone Church reopened to the public

The public entrance to the Dover Stone Church hiking trail sits on Thomas Whalen’s property along Route 22 in Dover Plains.

Photo by Lucia Iandolo

DOVER PLAINS — Dover Plains resident Thomas Whalen has reached a final settlement with the town to permanently restore public access to the Dover Stone Church hiking trail.

Whalen, who owns the property containing the only entrance to the trail, barred hikers from his land in March 2026 amid a dispute with the town over maintenance costs and safety. The closure came after the town’s license to use the trailhead — granted under a September 2024 settlement agreement, which also included a financial settlement — lapsed in October 2025 without being renewed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millbrook sidewalk improvement’s final phase awaits additional funding

A traffic cone draws attention to a sidewalk hazard along Franklin Avenue in Millbrook on July 4, 2026. The final phase of a sidewalk-improvement project for the north sidewalk on Franklin Avenue is expected to begin by the end of the summer.

Photo by Eloise Pickering

MILLBROOK — The final phase of a three year long sidewalk-improvement project on Franklin Avenue is slated to begin later this summer with funding almost in place.

The fourth and final stage covers the north side of Franklin Avenue from Friendly Lane to Front Street. According to Millbrook Mayor Peter Doro, the focal point of the project is to improve safety and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. As of Tuesday morning, July 7, a detailed funding plan for the construction has yet to be announced.

Keep ReadingShow less
Libraries, Town Halls open as cooling centers during heat wave

Community cooling centers opened across Dutchess County last week as temperatures climbed into the upper 90s, prompting officials to warn residents about dangerous heat just days before the powerful July 4 storm swept through the region.
Many libraries, town halls and community facilities offer cooling center services during heatwaves, offering air-conditioned spaces, drinking water and restrooms. Temperatures reached into the triple digits in some areas of the county on Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3.

Northeast-Millerton Library, located at 28 Century Blvd., is open and air-conditioned during its normal business hours during heatwaves, offering an air conditioned space and drinking water. The North East Town Hall, at 19 N. Maple Ave., is also available during normal business hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.