Status of Nutrients in the Lake Erie Basin
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cover_lamp_4.ai 1 10/29/2009 1:52:44 PM Status of Nutrients in the Lake Erie Basin Prepared by the Lake Erie Nutrient Science Task Group for the Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan Scientific information contained in the report Status of Nutrients in the Lake Erie Basin is current as of November 2008. The report was created to deliberately inform the Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) Work Group and to provide a “weight of evidence” rationale for the Lake Erie Binational Nutrient Management Strategy. The LaMP recognizes that ongoing research and scientific investigation will continue to fill knowledge gaps and answer outstanding questions, potentially changing current, prevailing hypotheses. In the spirit of adaptive management, the LaMP will closely monitor research advancements and recommend appropriate adjustments to nutrient management actions to assure that sound science continues to serve as the basis of responsible public policy. Cover page photo credit: NOAA CoastWatch Great Lakes Region, Lake Erie April 23, 2009 @ 18:33 GMT. http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov The Lake Erie Nutrient Science Task Group, under the direction of the Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) Management Committee, prepared the Status of Nutrients in the Lake Erie Basin. Research and writing: Murray Charlton, contractor to the Lake Erie Millennium Network. Editing: Jennifer Vincent and Chris Marvin, Environment Canada; Jan Ciborowski, Lake Erie Millennium Network, University of Windsor. Agencies and individuals that participated on the Lake Erie Nutrient Science Task Group are: • Paul Bertram, U.S. EPA • Murray N. Charlton, LEMN • Véronique Hiriart-Baer, Environment Canada • Todd Howell, Ontario Ministry of the Environment • Chris Marvin, Environment Canada • Jennifer Vincent, Environment Canada • Susan Watson, Environment Canada Presented at the Lake Erie Millennium Network 5th Biennial Conference, April 29 – May 1, 2008, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario. !"#$$% &$ &'( "& ("&&&"& & &) &&& $&&&# #*+,"# ))\ "&#&&$ *&&&&#&& .["" &&01,23"+."4 1,2"[560783" & 4#$&&&[ & 9"["# +20+2396&&& 0:+.3& #;"### &#&" &"&*.&#&& " &0:.,&3 &&&"&:+. :.,&0:"<=3 O"P[&R 7[& #&#&"& *&&#+2+5 [&&&A <B#<C"#&# "#& &$##&"[ Total phosphorus concentrations in surface &&#&" *+2 waters indicator endpoints &'"& Desired Ecological Habitat Type <) Endpoint*(ug/L) <:+. Tributaries 32 " one recording of "& Coastal Wetland <30 ug/L / year Nearshore 20 :+ West Basin 15 .### Central Basin 10 &" East Basin 10 0#"# *Mean Annual Total Phosphorus Concentration # ug/L &##3; # &&#&+2R& 69D*( (&&&(&# &+&;#5F.# &&#" C&&&!= #&9 [$9#( &&# We encourage you to take up the challenges we have outlined and work with us to restore Lake Erie once again. Gary Gulezian Michael Goffin Director Director Great Lakes National Program Office Strategic Integration & Partnerships U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Division – Ontario Region Environment Canada Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. i Note to Reader ..................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. v List of Figures ...................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ vi 1.0 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 1 2.0 Status of the Lake .......................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Offshore Nutrient Effects ............................................................................... 3 2.2 Offshore Phosphorus Effects: Algae .............................................................. 10 2.3 Nearshore Nutrient Effects: Algae ................................................................. 12 2.4 Nearshore Nutrient Effects: Dreissenids & the Nearshore Shunt ................. 14 2.5 Tributary Nutrient Effects: Loadings ............................................................. 15 2.6 Land-use Nutrient Effects: Non-point Sources ............................................. 20 2.7 In-lake Nutrient Effects: How Lakes Clean Themselves .............................. 22 3.0 Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 23 3.1 Information Gaps ........................................................................................... 23 3.2 Mitigation Needs ............................................................................................ 24 4.0 Future Directions & Recommendations ....................................................................... 27 4.1 Considerations ............................................................................................... 27 4.2 Conclusions .................................................................................................... 27 4.3 Recommendations .......................................................................................... 28 References ........................................................................................................................... 29 Appendices Appendix 1: Calculation of background low concentration Phosphorus load in the Detroit River ................................................................................................... 33 Appendix 2: Advances in sewage treatment ............................................................ 34 Figure 1. Mean total phosphorus concentrations in the west, central and east basins for the spring and summer periods ................................................................ 4 Figure 2. The probability of cyanobacteria dominance is controlled by phosphorus, but there is much variation ............................................................................. 5 Figure 3. Mean chlorophyll a concentrations in the west, central and east basins for the spring and summer periods ................................................................ 6 Figure 4. Mean Secchi depths in the west, central and east basins for the spring and summer periods ....................................................................................... 7 Figure 5. Chlorophyll a versus total phosphorus in the spring and summer seasons over the 40 year period of the data record ..................................................... 8 Figure 6. Dissolved oxygen depletion rate in the hypolimnion of the east and central basins as a function of time ............................................................... 10 Figure 7. Total phosphorus loading to Lake Erie by source 1800-2002 ...................... 15 Figure 8. Long term trends in total phosphorus loading to Lake Erie 1967-2005 ....... 16 Figure 9. Total phosphorus loading to Lake Erie’s basins by source ........................... 16 Figure 10. Concentration of phosphorus in the Detroit River, transect from east to west ..................................................................................................... 17 Figure 11. Trend in total phosphorus concentrations in the Maumee River .................. 18 Figure 12. Trend in dissolved reactive phosphorus in the Maumee River ..................... 19 Figure 13. Chemical constituents of the Grand River in Ontario are very different than nearby offshore waters of the east basin ................................................ 20 Figure 14. Long term increase of soil phosphorus in NW Ohio .................................... 21 Table 1. Statistical summary of the correlations analysis between the three water quality variables chlorophyll a, total phosphorus and Secchi depth ............ 8 Table 2. A summary of the history of algal blooms in western Lake Erie ................. 11 !"# # The Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) process is the mechanism in the current Canada – U.S.A. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) that brings together the federal Parties and their State and Provincial partners to develop, implement, and manage improvements to the Great Lakes. This technical document is written in support of the Lake Erie LaMP’s efforts to achieve the LaMP Nutrient Management Ecosystem Objective and to prepare a Lake Erie Binational Nutrient Management Strategy. The primary audience is the LaMP Work Group and Management Committee. Beginning in the 1970s, the trend to increasing nutrient loads and worsening algal conditions in Lake Erie was reversed, consistent with the GLWQA objectives. During that period, most of the damage occurred in Lake Erie’s western basin and, subsequently, water quality improvements were most prevalent there. By the 1990s, phosphorus concentrations were one half of their former levels in the western basin with smaller improvements in the central and eastern basins. However, despite tremendous efforts, total phosphorus concentrations in the western basin remained high enough to stimulate occasional algal blooms. In recent years, these blooms seem to have become worse. Recent algal problems in Lake Erie prompted a brief review of stimulatory nutrients in the lake. Changes in the lake’s