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A Dissertation Entitled Coupling Ecosystem Rehabilitation to Water Quality Improvements in the Wolf Creek Watershed by Ryan Walter Jackwood Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biology (Ecology Track) ___________________________________________ Dr. Daryl Dwyer, Committee Chair ___________________________________________ Dr. Richard Becker, Committee Member ___________________________________________ Dr. Johan Gottgens, Committee Member ___________________________________________ Dr. Helen Michaels, Committee Member ___________________________________________ Dr. Alison Spongberg, Committee Member ___________________________________________ Dr. Cyndee Gruden, Dean College of Graduate Studies The University of Toledo August 2019 Copyright 2019, Ryan Walter Jackwood This document is copyrighted material. Under copyright law, no parts of this document may be reproduced without the expressed permission of the author. An Abstract of Coupling Ecosystem Rehabilitation to Water Quality Improvements in the Wolf Creek Watershed by Ryan Walter Jackwood Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biology (Ecology Track) The University of Toledo May 2019 Eutrophication and fecal contamination contribute to poor water quality and affect 1.8 billion people. My research focus is on two pollutants in Lake Erie: phosphorus, which drives the annual occurrence of harmful algal blooms, and Escherichia coli, an indicator of fecal contamination. The Wolf Creek watershed (41 km2) is a contributor of phosphorus to the western basin of Lake Erie and is the proximal source of E. coli to the Lake Erie beaches at Maumee Bay State Park. To lessen contaminant loadings from Wolf Creek, two watershed rehabilitation projects were implemented. This dissertation outlines my efforts as three chapters. Chapter 1 presents the history and impact of phosphorus and fecal contamination in western Lake Erie. Chapter 2 reports on the collection and analysis of baseline water quality data that were used to design two rehabilitation projects. Chapter 3 describes the implementation of the projects, an analysis of their effect on water quality, and an attempt to model the resultant improvements to water quality. iii Notable conclusions from each chapter are as follows: (1) Two means for improving water quality appropriate for Wolf Creek are a rehabilitated floodplain attained by widening the stream channel to trap suspended particles, attached E. coli and phosphorus and a rehabilitated subsurface flow wetland to reduce dissolved phosphorus and suspended bacteria. (2) Major discharge events and seasonal trends have a significant impact on loadings of phosphorus, E. coli, and suspended solids in Wolf Creek. To increase capacity during peak loading events a sedimentation basin was included in the rehabilitated floodplain to slow discharge events and settle particulates. Limestone was included in the rehabilitated wetland to increase adsorptive capacity of phosphorus. (3) Water samples indicated reductions in total suspended solids by 27.8% and 91.7%, total phosphorus by 16.6% and 74.1%, dissolved reactive phosphorus by 20.2% and 46.7%, and E. coli by 39.5% and 86.7% for the rehabilitated floodplain and wetland, respectively. Results were scaled and modeled for the Maumee River (important source of phosphorus to western Lake Erie) and indicated that a 1000 ha wetland would be sufficient to reduce DRP loadings by the IJC recommended 40%. iv I dedicate this dissertation to my parents without whom I would not be where I am today: Dr. Judy Jackwood Dr. Daral and Renee Jackwood v Acknowledgements I would first like to thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Daryl Dwyer, for his patience, knowledge and friendship. He has been incredibly supportive and positive throughout my Ph.D. journey. I also want to thank my thesis committee, Dr. Richard Becker, Dr. Johan Gottgens, Dr. Helen Michaels, and Dr. Alison Spongberg for their constructive criticism and patience during my dissertation research. I am incredibly thankful for all of the people that have helped me with my dissertation research: Pamela Struffolino, Kris Barnswell, Matthew Mayher, Stephanie Clendenen, Holly Hutchinson, Jeffrey Niedermeyer, Kevin Corbin, Sarah Carter, Tvisha Martin, Austin Bartos, and all of the amazing people at the Lake Erie Center and in the Department of Environmental Sciences. I want to thank my loyal, supportive, and inspirational friends Matt Sewell, Guhan Venguswamy, Brettlas Kramer, Ari Hadgis, Jordan Rofkar, Brian Lewis, and Ken Gibbons. They keep me grounded and always lift my spirits when things get difficult. Finally, I want to thank my family Dr. Daral and Renee Jackwood, Dr. Judy Jackwood, Taylor Jackwood, Nick, Kristen, and Zoey Caulier, Niki Fisk, and Dallon and Wyla Weathers, Janice Sheridan, and Audrey Jackwood. I could never ask for a more loving and encouraging family. vi Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. vii List of Tables ................................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xii List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... xiv List of Symbols ..................................................................................................................xv 1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................1 1.2 Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Erie .................................................................2 1.3 Fecal Contamination in Lake Erie ....................................................................6 1.4 Watershed Rehabilitation ..................................................................................8 1.5 Data to Inform Watershed Rehabilitation .......................................................11 1.6 Global Perspective of Harmful Algal Blooms and Mitigation Planning ........13 1.7 Global Perspective of Fecal Contamination and Mitigation Planning............13 1.8 Dissertation Goals ...........................................................................................14 Chapter References ................................................................................................15 2 Evaluation of Wolf Creek watershed and Implications for Rehabilitation Projects to Reduce Escherichia coli and Phosphorus Loadings ..........................................35 vii 2.1 Abstract ........................................................................................................35 2.2 Introduction .....................................................................................................36 2.3 Materials and Methods ....................................................................................39 2.3.1 Study Area ........................................................................................39 2.3.2 Sample Collection .............................................................................40 2.3.3 Sample Analyses ...............................................................................41 2.3.3 Analysis of Data ................................................................................41 2.3.3.1 Daily and Annual Discharge ..............................................41 2.3.3.2 Daily and Annual Loadings ...............................................42 2.3.3.2 Flashiness Index .................................................................43 2.4 Results and Discussion ...................................................................................43 2.4.1 Interannual Variability of TP, TSS, and E. coli Loadings ................43 2.4.2 Seasonal Variability of TP, TSS, and E. coli Loadings ....................47 2.4.3 Concentration and Loading Trends during Major Discharge Events .............................................................................................52 2.4.4 Comparison between WCW and Regional Watersheds ....................55 2.4.5 Turbidity as a Predictor of General Water Quality ...........................56 2.4.6 Estimating Water Treatment Capacity for Watershed Rehabilitation .................................................................................57 2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................60 Chapter References ................................................................................................61 3 Rehabilitation of Ecosystem Services to Improve Water Quality in a Lake Erie Watershed ........................................................................................................68 viii 3.1 Abstract ........................................................................................................68