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Ecological Assessment of Wisconsin - Lake Michigan

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Ecological Assessment of Wisconsin - Lake Michigan doi: 10.25923/b9my-ex29 Ecological Assessment of Wisconsin - Lake Michigan Editors Charles Menza Matthew S. Kendall May 2019 NOAA TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NOS NCCOS 257 NOAA NCCOS Marine Spatial Ecology Division Citations Full report citation: Menza, C., and M.S. Kendall (eds). 2019 . Ecological Assessment of Wisconsin - Lake Michigan. NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Marine Spatial cE ology Division. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 257. Silver Spring, MD. 106 pp. doi: 10.25923/b9my-ex29 Chapter citation: example for Chapter 2 Menza, C., M.S. Kendall, W. Sautter, A. Mabrouk, and S.D. Hile. 2019. Chapter 2: Lakebed Geomorphology, Substrates, and Habitats. pp. 5-30. In: C. Menza and M.S. Kendall (eds.), Ecological Assessment of Wisconsin-Lake Michigan. NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Marine Spatial cE ology Division. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 257. Silver Spring, MD. 106 pp. doi: 10.25923/b9my-ex29 Acknowledgments This report was funded by NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and received many in-kind contributions, including staff time and scientific equipment, from the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Laboratory (GLERL) and NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This report was made possible through the cooperation and participation of many federal, state, and non- governmental partners. In particular, we’d like to thank Russ Green (NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries; ONMS) and Ellen Brody (ONMS) for project development, planning and coordination; Tamara Thomsen (Wisconsin Historical Society; WHS), Caitlin Zant (WHS), and John Broihahn (WHS) for helping prioritize survey sites and contributing maritime heritage expertise; David Mickelson (University of Wisconsin; UW), Lucas Zoet (UW), Elmo Rawling (UW), Steven Brown (Illinois State Geological Survey; ISGS), and Ethan Theuerkauf (ISGS) for sharing geological expertise; Mark Rowe (GLERL), and David “Bo” Bunnell (U.S. Geological Survey; USGS) for sharing their mussel and fish data sets; Brandon Krumwiede (NOAA Office for Coastal Management; OCM) and Mark Finkbeiner (OCM) for support using the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard. We’d also like to thank Chris Jeffery (NOAA NCCOS and CSS, Inc.), Annie Jacob (NCCOS and CSS, Inc.), Russ Green (ONMS), John Janssen (UW), Steven Pothoven (GLERL), Jia Wang (GLERL), Ed Rutherford (GLERL), Titus Seilhemer (Wisconsin Sea Grant), David “Bo” Bunnell (USGS), and Kevin McMahon (NCCOS) for providing reviews and subject matter expertise; and Sarah Hile (NCCOS, CSS, Inc.) for review and preparation of this report for publication. Some of the ecological data characterizing the lakebed in this report was acquired by fieldwork requiring support from many people. We’d like to thank Dennis Donohue (GLERL) for coordinating the deployment of the RV Storm and 26’ SeaArk; Travis Smith (GLERL), our boat captain, for straight survey lines and keeping us safe; Brent Johnston, Beau Braymer, and John Bright for installing field equipment and ensuring successful data acquisition; Mark Amend (Kongsberg, Inc.) and Hans VanSumeren for technical support in the field; Rachel Husted (formerly with CSS, Inc.) for collecting and processing field data; Jay Lazar for instructions on how to collect and process sidescan data; the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for lending their Klein 3000 sidescan sonar system; Kongsberg, LLC and Mark Amend for lending an EM2040c multibeam kit; and the Sheboygan Harbor Centre Marina, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and Manitowoc Marina for ship berthing. Some of the chapter authors and people acknowledged for supporting this report were CSS, Inc. employees supported under NOAA contract Nos. EA133C-14-NC-1384 and EA133C-17-BA-0062. Front and back cover images are provided by NOAA except front image of lake trout, provided by Andrew Muir (Great Lakes Fishery Commission). Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use by the United States government. https://doi.org/10.25923/b9my-ex29 Ecological Assessment of Wisconsin-Lake Michigan Prepared by: Biogeography Branch Marine Spatial Ecology Division (MSE) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) NOAA National Ocean Science (NOS) Silver Spring, MD USA May 2019 EDITORS Charles Menza Matthew S. Kendall NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 257 United States Department National Oceanic and National of Commerce Atmospheric Administration Ocean Service Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. Neil A. Jacobs, PhD Nicole LeBoeuf Secretary Under Secretary Assistant Administrator, Acting About This Report For over 30 years, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science has compiled and assessed coastal ecological information to develop effective conservation and management tools for many of the nation’s special places. The impetus of this report when it was conceived in 2015 was to provide ecological information that would support the designation and management of the proposed Wisconsin-Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary. During the completion of this report, the future of the proposed sanctuary designation became uncertain. However, the report was finished for several reasons. Funding to complete the report had already been allocated and much of the report had already been written. Perhaps most importantly, although this report was designed for sanctuary managers, we understood it would also benefit other planners and policy makers, including the Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, it serves as an instrument for engaging local communities, research partners and resource managers in a common, accessible, and scientifically sound body of knowledge. This report characterizes lakebed features, water quality, lake ice, invasive mussels, and fishes offshore of Wisconsin in western Lake Michigan. It is organized into separate chapters for each of these ecological components, and addresses the status and trends of these components over the past 10 to 20 years. This report was part of a broader three year project to support the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in Lake Michigan. The project also developed several complementary datasets and tools including: new classified lakebed GIS data; new bathymetry, backscatter and sonar imagery; lakebed mapping priorities compiled from a group of Lake Michigan experts; and online tools to explore new lakebed maps and imagery, as well as, existing ecological datasets collected by other agencies and organizations. For more information on how to obtain this report or complementary datasets and tools, please visit the National Centers of Coastal Ocean Science website (https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/), or contact: Charles Menza, Principal Investigator Biogeography Branch, Marine Spatial Ecology Division National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science NOAA National Ocean Service [email protected] Phone: 240.533.0372 or John D. Christensen, Chief Biogeography Branch, Marine Spatial Ecology Division National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science NOAA National Ocean Service Phone: 240.533.0378 Table of Contents Executive Summary. .i Chapter 1 Introduction. 1 Charles Menza 1.1 Introduction. 1 1.2 Report’s Objective. .3 1.3 References . .3 Chapter 2 Lakebed Geomorphology, Substrates and Habitats . 5 Charles Menza, Matthew S. Kendall, Will Sautter, Ayman Mabrouk, and Sarah D. Hile 2.1 Introduction. 5 2.2 Data and Methods. .6 2.2.1 Literature Review. .6 2.2.2 Multibeam and Sidescan Sonar Surveys. .7 2.2.3 Lidar Bathymetry Interpretation. .9 2.2.4 Lakebed Classification . .9 2.2.5 Lakebed Maps. .12 2.2.6 Digital Lakebed Maps. .14 2.3 Current Conditions and Trends. 16 2.3.1 Geomorphology. .16 2.3.2 Substrate. .19 2.3.3 Invasive Mussels. .20 2.3.4 Macroalgae. .22 2.3.5 Human Disturbance. 23 2.3.6 Biotope. 24 2.4 Discussion. .25 2.4.1 Rocky Substrate . .26 2.4.2 No Bedrock Detected . 26 2.4.3 Suspected Dredge Deposits. 27 2.4.4 New Interpretations of Lidar Data . 27 2.4.5 Lakebed Maps Support Submerged Cultural Resource Management. 27 2.5 References . 28 Chapter 3 Water Quality. 31 Charles Menza, Dan S. Dorfman, Ayman Mabrouk, Varis Ransibrahmanakul 3.1 Introduction. .31 3.2 Data and Methods. 32 3.3 Current Conditions and Trends. 34 3.3.1 Temperature . .34 3.3.2 Upwelling . 37 3.3.3 Turbidity . .37 3.3.4 Phosphorus and Nitrogen . .40 3.3.5 Chlorophyll a. 40 3.3.6 Dissolved Oxygen . 42 3.3.7 Fecal Contamination, Escherichia coliform (E. Coli). .43 3.4 Discussion . 44 3.5 References . 47 Table of Contents Chapter 4 Lake Ice. .53 Christopher Clement 4.1 Introduction. .53 4.2 Data and Methods. 54 4.3 Current Conditions and Trends. 55 4.3.1 Ice Season Temporal Characteristics. .55 4.3.2 Ice Concentration and Spatial Coverage . .59 4.4 Discussion. .60 4.5 References . 61 Chapter 5 Invasive Mussels. 63 Simon Pittman, Charles Menza, Ashley Elgin 5.1 Introduction. .63 5.2 Data and Methods. 64 5.3 Current Conditions and Trends . .66 5.4 Discussion. .70 5.5 References . 73 Chapter 6 Fish . 81 David Moe Nelson, Larry Claflin 6.1 Introduction. .81 6.2 Data and Information Sources. .84 6.3 Current Conditions and Trends by Species. .85 6.3.1 Lake Trout. 85 6.3.2 Chinook Salmon and Coho Salmon. 87 6.3.3 Steelhead/Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout. .87 6.3.4 Alewife. .88 6.3.5 Bloater. .89 6.3.6 Round Goby . 91 6.3.7 Sculpins. 92 6.3.8 Ninespine Stickleback . 93 6.3.9 Rainbow Smelt . 94 6.3.10 Lake Whitefish . .95 6.3.11 Yellow Perch. .95 6.3.12 Burbot. 97 6.3.13 Lake Sturgeon. 97 6.3.14 Sea Lamprey. ..
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