State of the Environment in Hamilton County, Ohio
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Hamilton County Environmental Action Commission May 2017 State of the Environment in Hamilton County, Ohio Beginning with the first appearance of people in Hamilton County about 15,000 years ago, the growth of the county’s human population has caused significant modifications in the local ecosystem. This report presents the current state of the county’s environment. Stream Quality Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) is recognized as a steward of the community, protecting public health and the environment and providing sustainable water reclamation and watershed management. MSD operates seven permitted wastewater treatment facilities located throughout the county that remove pollutants from the wastewater and return highly treated effluent to receiving streams. MSD reports on its operations to Ohio EPA and the public routinely. In recent years, MSD began conducting a multi-year environmental study to assess the quality of local waterways (msdgc.org/initiatives/water_quality/index.html). MSD has surveyed each of the major streams in Hamilton County: Mill Creek in 2011; Little Miami River in 2012; Great Miami River in 2013; and Ohio River in 2014. The Mill Creek was surveyed in 2016 and the resulting data will be reported in 2017. In Ohio, there are established metrics to determine the health of a stream by collecting biological, chemical and physical data and comparing it to water quality goals in the Ohio Water Quality Standards and to previous studies. 1) One assessment is the stream’s ability to sustain aquatic life. The key indicator of overall condition in terms of aquatic life is the status of the attainment of recommended and existing aquatic life use designations based on attainment of the Ohio biological criteria. 2) A second assessment is the stream’s ability to be used for recreational use. During the recreation season (May 1 to October 31), Ohio streams or segments of streams are assigned a Recreational Use designation that can help determine whether the water is safe for recreation based on a count of microbial pathogens (for example, bacteria). Bacterial water quality standards have been established to determine when the concentration of fecal bacteria in water is too high and causes an unacceptably high health risk to humans who recreate in the waters. Aquatic Life Status A stream site is deemed impaired if it does not support the fish and macroinvertebrate community that would be expected to exist if the waterway were in a healthy condition. Causes for impaired stream sites are numerous and not attributed to one entity. Causes of impairment include habitat alterations that have modified channels and riparian area, sedimentation from construction sites, channel erosion and road runoff, low dissolved oxygen and high chemical levels. The sources of these problems include altered hydrology, direct or indirect discharges, sewage inflow or overflows and urban and farm storm water runoff. The MSD investigation of Hamilton County streams has not identified any impaired sites among the 49 locations sampled on the Ohio River, however 22 of the 45 sites on the tributaries to the Ohio River are impaired. The remaining waterways in Hamilton County have some impairment as follows: seven of 78 sites on the Great Miami River and its tributaries, 31 of 93 sites on the Little Miami River and its tributaries, and 46 of 92 sites on the Mill Creek and its tributaries. Comparing the most recent results against previous studies provides insight regarding improvement or degradation of streams. The 2011 study shows that the Mill Creek is a recovering system; most sites were rated as poor or very poor as compared to an Ohio EPA study performed in 1992 but were rated as fair to marginally good in 2011. The 2012 study of the Little Miami River shows an overall decline in biological condition in the main stem as compared to the 2007 Ohio EPA study. Attainment status also showed a marked decline in comparison to the 2007 results when all but the most downstream sites were in full attainment of Exceptional Warm Water Habitat (WWH). The 2013 study of the Great Miami River indicates an overall improvement in biological condition as compared to the Ohio EPA studies conducted in the 1980s. Nearly the entire lower portion of the Great Miami River is now in full attainment of WWH. The 2014 Ohio River Study epa.ohio.gov • 50 W. Town St., Ste. 700 • P.O. Box 1049 • Columbus, OH 43216-1049 • (614) 644-3020 • (614) 644-2737 (fax) State of the Environment in Hamilton County, Ohio demonstrated that, based on the Ohio River Fish Index (ORFIn), the condition of the Ohio River in the Markland pool exceeded the baseline expectations derived by ORSANCO for the five reach habitat types at all 49 sites (100 percent). From a narrative perspective, conditions within the Markland pool ranged from fair (the minimum expectation) to good and excellent. Recreational Use Status During the recreation season (May 1 to October 31), Ohio streams or segments of streams are assigned a Recreational Use designation that can help determine whether the water is safe for recreation based on a count of microbial pathogens (for example, bacteria). Bacterial water quality standards have been established to determine when the concentration of fecal bacteria in water is too high and causes an unacceptably high health risk to humans who recreate in the waters. One of the factors that MSD looks for in its stream samples is the number of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterium that normally occurs in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. The occurrence of E. coli in a stream sample indicates the presence of human and/or animal feces in the watercourse. Fecal matter in a stream may harbor dangerous microorganisms in addition to the usually benign E. coli, including viruses and bacteria that cause skin rashes, upset stomach, diarrhea, hepatitis and eye, ear and nose infections. Therefore, when a series of water samples from a stream sampling site contain a large number of E. coli, people are advised to avoid contact with the water in that stream segment. The MSD study of Hamilton County streams has found high populations of E. coli (using the 30-day geometric mean criterion) at two of 49 sites on the Ohio River and tributaries, 48 of 66 sites on the Great Miami River and tributaries, 53 of 89 sites on the Little Miami River and tributaries, and 44 of 45 sites on the Mill Creek and tributaries. These results are largely due to the fecal matter entering the watercourses from sewer overflows and leaks, home septic systems, urban runoff, domestic animals and wildlife. Anticipated Improvements To eliminate or greatly reduce the inflow of sewage into streams, the MSD embarked on a major public works project in 2009 — known as Project Groundwork (projectgroundwork.org) — that will stretch over many decades and cost at least $3.1 billion in 2006 dollars. Because sewage is one primary contaminant in the waterways, the MSD system-improvement program currently underway will reduce the number of impaired stream sites in the county through a comprehensive Capital Improvement Program and federally mandated Consent Decree. Air Quality and Solid Waste Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services works to protect, preserve and enhance the environmental quality of the county. The Department includes the Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency and the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District. Air Quality The Clean Air Act requires U.S. EPA to set national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for pollutants that, at certain levels, are considered harmful to public health and the environment. These criteria pollutants include: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, ozone and sulfur dioxide. U.S. EPA is required to review air quality standards every five years to determine if they are still protective of human health and the environment. To determine compliance with the NAAQS, Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services – Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency (Agency) has a network of 59 air monitors at 18 sites in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties. There is no question that air quality in the Cincinnati area has significantly improved over the past 20 years as documented in Figure 1. Based on this data, it is anticipated that air quality will continue to improve in the future. However, every five years, U.S. EPA reviews the standards and makes recommendations on whether to make the standard more stringent. In some cases, new data show health effects at lower levels leading to a lower level of the NAAQS. So, while air quality is improving, the Cincinnati area may not always be in attainment with each of the NAAQS. Page|2 State of the Environment in Hamilton County, Ohio Figure 1: Air Pollution Reduction from 1990 to 2014 120% 100% 80% 2014 Nat'l 60% 2014 SW Ohio 40% 20% 0% Ozone PM10 Lead NO2 CO SO2 Solid Waste The Ohio legislature passed House Bill 592 in 1988. This legislation established a comprehensive planning and regulatory process to ensure that adequate and environmentally sound solid waste management capacity is available to manage the waste Ohio generates. To preserve landfill capacity and recognize the value in waste materials, House Bill 592 also initiated requirements to reduce Ohio’s generation of waste and increase the recycling efforts. In Hamilton County, solid waste planning is managed by the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District (District). The District is required to ensure adequate disposal capacity and meet the goals outlined in the State solid waste management plan. Hamilton County continues to exceed the state mandated goals for waste reduction that include a 25 percent recycling rate for the residential/commercial sector and a 66 percent recycling rate for the industrial sector as outlined below.