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Vol. 22,No.1 Water 2010 Column Clean LakesProgram •OfficeofWaterQuality • IndianaDepartmentofEnvironmental Management ratio of100to1.Justwhat are“ecosystemservices”? –abenefit tocost could safeguardabout$5 trillioninecosystemservices worldwide an annualinvestmentof $45 billiontobiodiversityconservation rapid biodiversityloss. he says,hasledto“badaccounting,” which,inturn,hascontributedto and wetendtoglossovernature.”This, of man-madegoodsandservices, nature iszero.Ourmetricsaregearedtowardconsumption andproduction the living capital of the planet.” Currently, “the economic value attached to Programme’s (UNEP)GreenEconomyInitiativeassaying,“Biodiversityis Deutsche BankandSpecialAdvisortotheUnitedNations Environment article/0,8599,1970173,00.htm there notintrinsicvaluestolakes? . Butthesevaluesareallbasedondollarsand centstohumans.Are and thustaxrevenue,wasduetothelakes. as manylakes.Thestudyconcludedthattheincreaseinpropertyvalues, northern Indianacountieswithsimilarsizeandcharacteristicsbutwithout assessed residentialpropertyvaluewas54percent higherthanthatforfour to 8.5percent (BoyleandBouchard2003). transparency waspredictedtolowerlakefrontpropertypricesbetween0.9 Maine, NewHampshire,andVermont, aone-meterdecreaseinSecchidisk the priceoflakefrontpropertybyupto$500perfrontagefoot.Similarly, in 2003).AlsoinMinnesota,declineswaterclarityhavelowered Heiskary account foronlyabout9percent ofthetotalcountyarea(Dziukand 2003 taxbasewasprovidedbyriparianresidentialproperties,whilelakes United States.InItascaCounty, Minnesota,56percent ofthecounty’s values. Sowhatisthevalueofalake? which environmentaldamagesarelimitedtothevalueofreducedproperty much shouldthefinebe?Courtsfollow“lawofeconomicwaste”in value onnature.Butisthisenough?Ifapolluterdamagesyourlake,how fishing? The“willingnesstopay”haslongbeenusedplaceeconomic to enjoythepeaceandtranquilityofaquietlakeshoreortakeyourchild assess. Whatisthevalueofcleanwater?wouldyoubewillingtopay we nowuseandmanagethem,areamodern-daytragedyofthecommons. though itwasclearlyinnoone’s interest forthistohappen.Publiclakes,as the overuseofthissharedlimitedresource resultedinitsdegradation,even grazed theirhorsesandlivestockwhentheycameintotown.Overtime, Hardin referredtothevillagegreenofColonialAmericaonwhichfolks Hardin wroteinhisfamous1968essay, “TheTragedy oftheCommons.” “paradox oflakevalues.” for thelake’s valuetohumans?Intoday’s society, thereisanundeniable But whataretheyworth?Andshouldthatworthonlybedetermined appreciateslakesvaluesthem. Anyone wholiveson,playsin,orotherwise Bill Jones Economic ValueofLakeEcosystemServices What kindofvaluearewe talkingabout?AccordingtotheUNEPstudy, A recentarticle( Clearly, lakeshavevalueandclearmorethanturbid A 2003studyconductedinSteubenCounty, Indiana,reportedthat Willingness acrossthe topayforlakewaterqualityhasbeenobserved The economicvalueoflakesispresumedtobehighbutdifficult I fearthatwetakelakesforgrantedinmuchthesamewayGarret http://www.time.com/time/business/ l ) quotedPavanSukhdev, aseniorbankerwith services are the Winnipeg’s water quality has been Table 1 lists some of the more benefits people obtain from degraded by a multitude of human important ecosystem services . These include activities influencing water and provided by lakes. While some of provisioning services such as food, nutrient flows. Addressing the these ecosystem services may seem water, timber, and fiber; regulating of Winnipeg esoteric, readers services that affect climate, floods, could be realized by preserving and should find many that they can disease, wastes, and water quality; restoring environmental assets at personally relate to. cultural services that provide the watershed scale. For example, As you can see, the value of recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual if pre-settlement landscapes could our lakes can be measured by more benefits; andsupporting services such be re-created, they would provide, than lakefront property values, tax as soil formation, , on an annual basis, between bases, or fishing license revenue. and nutrient cycling (MEA 2005). $500 million and $3.1 billion of Lakes provide value to all of us, In eutrophic Lake Winnipeg, ecosystem services, and between whether we live on them or never Manitoba, the historic loss of $80 million and $1.4 billion worth even visit them. ecosystem services (soil stability, of carbon offsets in the emissions Quantifying and valuing nutrient sinks, sustainable market (Voora and Venema 2008). ecosystem service losses or gains shorelines, etc.) due to human This is three times the current provides an economic rationale for development of the lake’s value of Lake Winnipeg’s damaged the preservation and restoration watershed has been costly. services. of environmental assets. By

Table 1. Lake Ecosystem Services

Contextual Relevance Ecosystem Service Description – Function

Water Quantity and Quality – Water Regulation Regulation of water flows, which entrains pollutants and purifies water – Regulating. Lake Eutrophication Water Supply Filtering, retention, and storage of – Provisioning.

Erosion control Maintains arable land and prevents water silting by lowering soil losses by wind and and sediment retention and runoff – Regulating.

Waste Treatment Removal, breakdown, or abatement of pollutants – Regulating.

Climate Change Atmospheric Regulation Regulation of atmospheric compositions by various processes such as carbon sequestration – Regulating.

Climate Regulation Influence of land covers on climate (temperature, precipitation, etc.) – Regulating.

Biodiversity Biological Control Control of populations, pests, and diseases through trophic-dynamic processes – Regulating.

Habitat/Refugia Suitable living space for species to evolve and breed – Supporting.

Material Benefits Food Production The conversion of solar energy into edible and suitable for human consumption – Provisioning.

Raw Materials Conversion of solar energy into materials suitable for construction – Provisioning.

Genetic Resources Genetic evolution in plants and animals – Provisioning.

Social Well-being Prevention Dampening of environmental disturbances such as storm protection and flood prevention – Regulating.

Recreation Opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and refreshment – Cultural.

Cultural Spiritual, religious, historical, and symbolic values – Cultural.

Environmental Integrity Soil Formation Rock weathering and organic matter accumulation leading to the formation of productive soils – Supporting.

Nutrient Cycling Storage processing and acquisition of nutrients within the biosphere – Supporting.

Pollination Movement of genes for reproduction – Supporting.

Source: Voora and Venema (2008) 2 determining and understanding the This year’s conference favorite presentations. During economic value of Indiana’s lake highlighted the differences between the partnership presentation, the services to the natural ecosystem, Indiana’s inland lakes and our presenters detailed their growth we will be in a stronger position Great Lake, Lake Michigan, with a as individual groups and how to campaign for local, state, and theme of All Lakes Great and Small. through their efforts together federal governments to commit Karen Rodriguez of the USEPA’s they’ve crafted a plan to improve money to their preservation and National Protection water quality within all six lakes restoration. Office served as the keynote in their watershed. As part of the speaker. Karen highlighted the rain barrel workshop, Lake County References Cited vast size and diversity of the Great Master Gardeners instructed Boyle, K. and R. Bouchard. 2003. Lakes and detailed methods participants on the construction of Water quality effects on property by which the Great Lakes can be their own rain barrels. Participants prices in Northern New England. improved through the Great Lakes constructed rain barrels that they LakeLine, 23(3): 24-27. Restoration Initiative and the Great carried home from the conference. Dziuk, H. and S. Heiskary. 2003. Lakes Action Plan. As part of the conference, ILMS Local economic effects of healthy Attendees also attended sessions conducted its annual meeting lakes. LakeLine, 23(3): 21-24. focused on building partnerships, where ILMS members elected Harden, G. 1968. The Tragedy of water quality assessment new board members Nate Bosch the Commons. Science, 162:1243- and monitoring, watershed of Kosciusko Lakes & and 1248. improvement opportunities, in- Grace College and Matt Kerkhof Millennium Ecosystem Assessment lake assessment and opportunities of Hoosier Aquatic Management, (MEA). 2005. Ecosystems and for near-shore and in-lake Inc. Additionally, Laura Esman Human Well-Being: Synthesis. improvements, emerging issues of Purdue University and Carrie Island Press, Washington. 155pp. in Indiana, and concerns relating Pintar of V3 Companies Limited Voora, Vivek and H.D. Venema. to water control structure were elected secretary and treasurer 2008. An Ecosystem Services maintenance and water level of the society, respectfully. ILMS Assessment of the Lake Winnipeg concerns. Attendees highlighted would like to thank out-going Watershed, Phase 1 Report a partnership presentation by board members Gary Doxtater of – Southern Manitoba Analysis. three lake associations: the Indiana Wildlife Federation International Institute for Dam/Loon Lake Conservation and Eileen Boekestein of Kosciusko Sustainable Development (IISD). Club, Diamond Lake Conservation Lakes and Stream for all of their Club, and Yellow Creek Lake efforts during their time on the Conservation Club, and a Saturday board. Additionally, ILMS members Indiana Lakes rain barrel workshop as their voted to sign on to Indiana Management Conference

Sara Peel

The Indiana Lakes Management Conference was held March 25-27, 2010 at Merrillville’s Radisson Star Plaza. More than 130 lake residents and enthusiasts joined the Indiana Lakes Management Society for the 22nd annual conference. Many thanks to our sponsors, including the Aquatic Control; Aquatic Weed Control; Baetis; D2 Land &Water, Incorporated; Christopher B. Burke Engineering Limited; Clarke Aquatic Services; Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts; JF New; SePRO; the U.S. Geological Survey; and UPI. Conference participants listen to Karen Rodriguez, the keynote speaker.

3 Wildlife Federation’s - the state. Bill has given two three- Free Resolution. The resolution is hour educational workshops on the first step in IWF’s campaign and stream to enact legislation banning the to ILMS conference attendees at unnecessary use of phosphorus the 2010 and the 2008 annual statewide. IWF will be conferences. Bill offers sound, working with the Indiana Lakes technical advice for individuals to Management Work Group, the manage their lakes during these Indiana Lakes Management Society, workshops and via presentations and groups throughout the state to made on a variety of topics at enact a phosphorus ban. Indiana Lakes Management At its annual banquet, conferences over the past 24 years. ILMS recognized the ILMS Topics have included shoreline Student Scholarship recipients, protection, toxic , in-lake Lake/Watershed Group of the management at Lake Shakamak, Year, the Volunteer of the Year, and many more. He also provides and the Legislative Award a source of education for many winner. Scholarship recipients of Indiana’s lake, watershed, and Former Senator Robert Meeks accepts his included Sarah Powers, Indiana environmental professionals. His award. University School of Public and students at Indiana University lead Environmental Affairs; Janelle efforts at IDEM, IDNR, and many and Carrie Sheets were the top Heller, Indiana University; and other public and private entities vote-getters. Have photos you’ve Caleb Rennaker, Purdue University. throughout the state. Without Bill’s taken of your lake? Submit them Students received a $500 commitment to environmental to the 2010 photo contest – details scholarship and free conference education and solid lake science, will be announced soon. attendance. his dedication to students past, ILMS was pleased to recognize present, and retired lake volunteers, the Tippecanoe Watershed management of Indiana’s lakes Foundation for its long-term efforts would not have reached the current Diatom Blooms Cause to improve water quality in Lake level of quality. Early Season Problems Tippecanoe and its 114-square- The Indiana Lakes Management mile watershed. TWF began work Society (ILMS) honored its Bill Jones in their watershed in 1997. Since first recipient of the Legislative that time, they’ve implemented Achievement Recognition Award, If the early growth of aquatic algae over 50 projects totaling more than Senator Robert Meeks. Senator is any predictor, we could be in $2 million, including streambank Robert Meeks served as the State for a long, summer. We’ve already restoration, restoration, Senator from Indiana’s District 13 received several reports of early creation, filter strip in northeast Indiana from 1988 algal blooms in Indiana. On March installation, livestock restriction, through 2008. Throughout those 23, Joe Skelton, a volunteer lake storm drain improvement, 20 years, Senator Meeks authored, monitor on Lake of the Woods in shoreline restoration, and rain co-sponsored, and successfully Marshall County, sent me photos garden installation. More than steered a number of bills through and a sample of an algae bloom 1,000 watershed residents attended the legislative process that have that formed a scum on the lake. TWF education events over the last benefited Indiana lakes, lake The bloom was almost exclusively 13 years. And TWF is not stopping residents, and lake users. His composed of a variety of different anytime soon, as they have more legislation, and the legislation diatoms (Phylum: Bacillariophyta). than 100 projects on their to-do he supported, will ensure for Diatoms are often the first algal list. generations to come that our lakes group to begin growth in the spring ILMS also recognized Bill Jones will continue to provide a high- when the water is still cool and from Indiana University SPEA for quality setting for natural resources silica, required for their cell walls, his volunteer efforts and service management, outdoor recreation, is available. Many types of diatoms to lakes throughout the state. and economic value. are found attached to rocks, plants, Although Bill is the first to point Finally, as part of the and other surfaces, but there are out that he isn’t a volunteer, ILMS conference, ILMS concluded its others that are free-living within felt it was important to recognize first annual photo contest and its the waters of lakes and reservoirs. all that Bill has done for ILMS since third annual student poster contest. While not known as bloom its inception in 1991 and all that he Photographs by George Hardie, Sara formers, they sometimes grow in does for lake residents throughout Peel, Toby Stone, Markie Edwards, excess to form bloom conditions. 4 WATER COLUMN

Published quarterly by the Indiana Clean Lakes Program as a medium for open exchange of information regarding lake and watershed management in Indiana.

Address all correspondence to: William W. Jones, Editor SPEA 347, 1315 E. Tenth Street Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405-1701

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (812) 855-4556 FAX: (812) 855-7802

Zebra Mussel Found at Geist Means Trouble Diatom bloom at Lake of the Woods, Indiana during March 2010. While fishing recently, a marina worker at Geist Reservoir hooked a Chinese mystery – an exotic species already prominent in the reservoir – and on it was another undesirable species – an adult . “That’s one colonizing on another,” said Doug Keller, aquatic invasive species coordinator with the DNR Division of and Wildlife. The find could signal trouble for Geist, much as the mussel’s presence has affected other waters. Previously found in more than 65 bodies of water in 44 counties throughout Indiana, the discovery marks the first time that the mussel has been found in the Indianapolis area. Zebra mussels were also discovered last year in Summit Thick strands of Gomphonema mat the bottom of Cascades Creek in February 2010. Lake, the first population known to occur in Henry County. Keller said the effect of zebra In another diatom incident, a U.S., it was later confirmed as a mussels can be devastating where thick growth of attached diatoms species of Gomphonema, a diatom the invasive species successfully covered the rocks of Cascades Creek that can form long membranous colonizes. “Zebra mussels can in Bloomington during February stalks that help it perch above the rapidly multiply and are known of this year, where a SPEA stream stream bottom. Diatoms contain for clogging drainage and filtration ecology class was conducting an and carotene as pipes,” Keller said. “Besides intensive stream study. Initially primary pigments. This yields a pipes, they can attach to virtually feared to be Didymosphenia yellow-brown color to the cells. The anything in the water column, geminata, a highly invasive diatom thick growth hadn’t been observed including rocks, limbs, piers, or plaguing in northeastern previously in this creek. even boats.” 5 WATER COLUMN NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE School of Public and Environmental Affairs PAID Room 347 Bloomington, IN 1315 E. Tenth Street Permit No. 2 Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405-1701

Clean Lakes Program

See a color version of this Water Column newsletter at: http://www.indiana.edu/~clp/ under “Publications.”

Geist is one of three water Typically, zebra mussels are “Letting all equipment dry for supply reservoirs for the transported by human recreational five days after a boating trip will Indianapolis area. Keller said that activities such as boating or fishing. prevent the spread of both adults as zebra mussel numbers increase A few simple steps can prevent and larvae,” Keller said. “However, in Geist and downstream in Fall the spread of zebra mussels and if you plan to visit a Creek, there could be negative other invasive species. Removing sooner, you can use a solution impacts to the water utility’s all aquatic vegetation and draining of 5 percent bleach and water to withdrawal capacity. livewells, bilge, water lines, and clean and disinfect all of your Zebra mussels are originally boat trailers at access ramps will equipment.” from Europe and spread rapidly prevent transport of the mollusk For more information, visit across North America in the 1990s. to other waters. Drying equipment http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3123.htm, Aside from being a costly nuisance after each use also is important. or contact Keller at (317) 234-3883. to humans, zebra mussels may also cause declines in fish populations. By filtering tiny plants called out of the water column, zebra mussels diminish the Perspectives base of the , potentially Editor’s note: With the Virginia bluebells blooming now, I thought the causing declines in all other aquatic following was appropriate. life, including fish. Keller said that few options for The blue bell is the sweetest flower eradicating the mussel exist, short That waves in summer air; of eliminating every other living Its blossoms have the mightiest power thing in the reservoir. The best To soothe my spirit’s care... means of control, he said, is by educating boaters about preventing ~ An excerpt from The Blue Bell, by Emily Jane Brontë (1818-1848) further spread of the mussel.