BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

LAWRENCE — Department of Environmental Conservation officials say they have identified the contamination in the Deer River but have yet to determine the cause. 

According to a DEC spokesperson, the department continues to investigate the growth found in the Deer River and downstream of the hamlet of North Lawrence. 

According to officials, recent samples of the material have determined the growth to be primarily Leptomitus lacteus, “a filamentous microorganism similar to a fungus.”

“Dense growth like what was found in the river is typically an indicator of high nutrients and organic material in the water. Additional factors such as changes in temperature and other water quality parameters may also affect its growth,” officials say. 

According to the spokesperson, additional targeted water quality sampling is being conducted to determine the next steps and officials will continue to keep the community informed as the investigation continues.

County officials raised the alarm last month after numerous residents in Brasher, North Lawrence and the surrounding area complained of an increasingly foul stench, dead fish and lack of wildlife over a large stretch along the river. 

St. Lawrence County Legislator John Gennett, who represents the Brasher and North Lawrence area, said he has had numerous constituents come to him about the water quality and the impact on aquatic life in recent weeks.

"If you want to see some hairy rocks, come to the Deer River," he said at the legislature’s May 6 full board meeting. 

"There are no fish left in the Deer River, nothing," he said.

The contamination has also drawn the ire of local fishing promoter Don Meissner, who called the Deer River a “hidden gem” of the north country. 

Meissner said he has also been in touch with the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

"They said they would start their research to sort out what the cause of the contamination is," he said.

Meissner said the "white globules floating down the river" are "extraordinarily alarming."

"The reports are that not only the fish, but the animals and reptiles are dying because of this,” he said.

With the impact to the environment being so severe, Meissner said it demonstrates how natural resources such as the Deer River can "just go in a second" when something like this happens.

Meissner said such situations need to be handled swiftly to avoid further issues, like what happened in Black River years ago.

In that situation, Meissner said "millions of fish were wiped out and took decades to come back."

He said if something isn't done now, the same could be said of the Deer River.

"We need to do something now. This feeds into the St. Regis River. It feeds into the St. Lawrence River. These are prime waterways with some of the best fishing in the world. We need to protect our resources and our waterways," he said.

Earlier this month Lawrence resident James Gurrola told NCTW that he and other residents along the Deer River are unable to be outside for extended periods of time due to the smell. 

In his 33 years as a resident along the river, Gurrola said it has never been as bad as it is now. 

He said a picnic with his daughter that had to be moved indoors due to the stench was the final straw. 

"That was the straw that broke the camel's back for us. We had to go inside because the stench was so bad. My daughter asked me if there was anything that could be done and I just told her 'honey, your dad is going to do something about this'," he said.

Gurrola said there had always been a certain smell in the area that was the byproduct of the dairy processing plant and its three lagoons nearby.  

"When they were making cottage cheese, it was far different. The lagoons weren't as full and the smell wasn't nearly as bad," he said.

But the plant now makes Greek yogurt, he said and the lagoons are at maximum capacity.

"It all changed in the last couple of years. That's when it got to the peak of the smell," he said.

Each lagoon is the size of a couple football fields, he said.

"They're huge. There is so much in them that we are left to wonder if it is seeping into the ground. We want to know if it is getting into our wells," he said.

Gurrola said he and other residents want the problem solved and their wells tested to ensure that the contents of the lagoons and river are not contaminating their wells. 

He emphasized that no residents wish to see the plant close or anyone lose their jobs. 

"Look, we're not trying to shut them down. We're not trying to cost anyone their jobs. We just want accountability with what is happening there. We just want to be able to go outside on our own property and have a picnic. We just want to know that our well water is safe to drink. We honestly don't even know what to test for," he said.

At the time of his interview with NCTW, Gurrola said he was not made aware of what the contamination in the river was. 

Now that DEC officials know what is in the river, officials say they will take steps to rectify the situation. 

It’s unknown at this time just what will be done, however Gurrola said he and other residents will continue to push for remediating and testing until the situation is rectified. 

“We want our river cleaned up. We want to be able to go outside and enjoy our properties, to enjoy the outdoors like we did before this happened,” he said.