TheThe StateState ofof LakeLake HuronHuron

Presented by: Jim Bredin Michigan Office of the Great Lakes The Main Basins of North Lake Huron Channel

Volume: Georgian 23,000 mi3 / Bay 59,600 km3 Main Drainage Area: Basin 51,700 mi2 / 134,000 km2 Saginaw Bay Retention Time: 22 years Michigan, U.S.A. U.S.A. Michigan, Michigan, A Diversity of Ecosystems A Diversity of Ecosystems

GeorgianGeorgian Bay,Bay, Canada.Canada.

Status of Lake Huron

ƒ Historical sources of pollution, but relatively low pollution levels. ƒ Abundance of shoreline habitat, but increasing development pressure and hardening of shoreline. ƒ High diversity of aquatic and riparian species, yet continuing threat and spread of invasive species. ƒ Overall Status: Mixed Impacts to Lake Huron Ecosystem Integrity ƒƒ Chemical:Chemical: ƒ Fish Consumption Advisories ƒ Wildlife Health ƒƒ Biological:Biological: ƒ Impaired Benthic Communities ƒ Fish Community Alteration

ƒƒ Physical:Physical: ƒ Habitat Restoration/Protection Chemical Integrity

• Fish Consumption Advisories • Wildlife Contaminants Chemical Integrity

ƒ Main SOLEC Indicators

ƒƒ ContaminantsContaminants inin EdibleEdible FishFish TissueTissue ƒ Contaminants in Young-of-the-Year Spottail Shiners ƒƒ ContaminantsContaminants inin ColonialColonial NestingNesting WaterbirdsWaterbirds ƒ Atmospheric Deposition of Toxic Chemicals ƒ Toxic Chemical Concentrations in Offshore Waters ƒ Phosphorus Concentrations and Loadings PCBs in Lake Huron Coho Salmon 2.5 DoDo notnot eateat 2 1.9 OneOne mealmeal everyevery twotwo monthsmonths 1.5

1 1.0 PCB (ppm) OneOne mealmeal perper monthmonth 0.5 0.2 0 0.05 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 Year OneOne mealmeal perper weekweek Unlimited consumption PCBs in Huron Lake Trout (ug/g wet weight)

4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5

Concentration 1 0.5 0 78 80 82 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 Year Lake Huron Total PCBs* in Herring Gull Eggs

(1974-79 values based on two sites, Chantry and Double Islands; 1980-present values include Saginaw Bay site as well.) 80 70 60 50 40 30

Concentration 20 (ug/g, wet weight) wet (ug/g, 10 0 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00

* Based on a 1:1 mixture of Aroclors Year 1254:1260 Total Phosphorus

Lake Huron

Saginaw Bay 0.04 Goal for Lake Huron 0.035 0.03 Goal for Saginaw Bay 0.025 0.02 0.015 0.01

Concentration(ug/L) 0.005 0 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000

Sourc e: Environment Canada & U.S. EPA - GLNPO Biological Ecosystem Integrity

ƒ Changes in Lower Food Web ƒ Fish Community Alteration Biological Integrity – Lower Food Web

ƒ Main SOLEC Indicators ƒ Benthos Diversity and Abundance ƒ Diporeia (as part of Lake Trout and Scud indicator) ƒƒ PreyfishPreyfish PopulationPopulation --ZooplanktonZooplankton --E.E. colicoli andand FecalFecal ColiformColiform LevelsLevels inin NearshoreNearshore RecreationalRecreational WatersWaters Benthic Communities

ƒ Invasion of zebra mussel and other species ƒ Studies to investigate changes in benthic species and biomass, especially Diporeia ƒ Fish communities respond by altering food sources or face declining populations Preyfish Population other species 12% coregonids 6 % sculpins 10 % rainbow smelt (44%)

alewife 28 %

Source: USGS Biomass of Major Prey Fishes

12

10 Other

8 Smelt 6 Bloater 4

Biomass (10,000 Tons) 2 Alew ife

0 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 Ye ar Source: U.S. EPA Zooplankton

SpringSpring 19981998 SummerSummer 19981998

Imm Cyclopoida

Cyclopoida Imm Calanoida Calanoida 20,000/m3 Other Cladocerans Daphnia 10,000/m3 Bosmina 1,000/m3 Lake Huron, Lake St.Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River

Beach Closings 2001 Biological Integrity - Fish Community Indicators

Main SOLEC Indicators: ƒ Walleye and Hexagenia ƒ Exotic Species ƒ Fish Habitat ƒ Sea Lamprey ƒ Salmon and Trout Fish Community Alteration

ƒ Improvements in fishery over last several decades ƒ Decreased contaminant levels ƒ Good habitat, some tributaries are stressed Number of Trout and Salmon Caught per 100 hours of Angler Effort

20

15

10

5 Caught

Number of Fish Fish of Number 0 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000

Year WalleyeWalleye Yield (Catch) thought to be attributableattributable toto NaturalNatural ReproductionReproduction

1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 (metric tons) (metric 100 0 1880 1898 1907 1925 1933 1944 1959 1967 1975 1983 1991 1999 Year Round Goby Abundance in Thunder Bay

100

80 60

40 20

Percentof Total Catch 0 1998 1999 2000 Year Physical Integrity

MajorMajor Issues:Issues: ƒƒ StructuralStructural barriersbarriers betweenbetween streamstream reachesreaches (connectivity(connectivity ofof habitat)habitat) Physical Integrity

ƒ Main SOLEC Indicators: ƒƒ HabitatHabitat fragmentationfragmentation ƒ Sediment flowing into coastal wetlands ƒ Coastal wetland area by type ƒ Extent of hardened shoreline ƒ Protected nearshore areas Habitat Fragmentation

ƒ Dams impound highest-gradient rapids and block migrations of Lake Huron fishes ƒ Species affected include trout, salmon, lake sturgeon, whitefish, walleye

ƒ Dams disrupt sediment transport needed to maintain delta wetlands at river mouths ƒ Species affected include yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge Habitat Fragmentation

ƒ Inundate rare, high quality habitats ƒ Disrupt woody debris transport ƒ Increase summer temperatures and prevent night-time cooling ƒ Reduce aquatic insect diversity and density ƒ Also prevents non-native species, including lamprey from reaching upstream areas Lake Sturgeon Objective: To increase the species’ abundance to the extent that it no longer has threatened status in U.S. waters . LakeLake sturgeonsturgeon potentialpotential

Yellow= high Red= medium

Source: Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Strategy (MDNR Fish Division) Major dam locations

Mio #

# Alco na Five Channels Cooke Loud # # Foote ## # Au Sable River AuAu SableSable RiverRiver GradientGradient DistributionDistribution from South Branch Au Sable River to river mouth

100 90 Free-flowing 80 70 Impounded 60 50 40 Kilometers 30 20 10 0 < 0.6 0.6 - 0.9 1.0 - 1.9 >1.9 Gradient (m/km) BiologicalBiological potentialpotential ofof LakeLake HuronHuron StreamsStreams

ƒ Biological potential of existing high- gradient habitats between Mio and Foote dams: 14,440 Adult lake sturgeon.

ƒ The Lake Huron watershed has a great, untapped biological potential. Actions Needed to Restore Ecosystem Integrity

ƒ Complete on-going sediment cleanups (Saginaw River/Pine River) ƒ Provide support to AOCs ƒ Monitor atmospheric inputs ƒ Lakewide monitoring coordination ƒ Minimizing the impact of non-native species Additional Actions Needed…

ƒ Provide fish passage to high quality areas ƒ Develop alternatives to activities that harden the shoreline ƒ Identify important coastal wetland areas ƒ Control nonpoint source of pollution ƒ Improve coordination between Great Lakes agencies and community partnerships OnOn--goinggoing LakeLake HuronHuron EffortsEfforts

ƒ Lake Huron GIS System development. ƒ Working closely with the GLFC Lake Huron Committee on Environmental Objectives development. ƒ Combining effort towards implementation of the Lake Huron Binational Partnership. LakeLake HuronHuron BinationalBinational PartnershipPartnership For additional information contact:

Jim Bredin, Michigan Office of the Great Lakes

James Schardt, USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office

Janette Anderson, Environment Canada