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Phosphorus Levels in Six Tributaries of Missisquoi Bay Vermont

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Phosphorus Levels in Six Tributaries of Missisquoi Bay Vermont Phosphorus Levels in Six Tributaries of Missisquoi Bay Prepared for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation by Fritz Gerhardt, Ph.D. 31 October 2015 Beck Pond LLC Beck Pond LLC, a limited liability company founded in 2008, partners with public and private organizations to conduct scientific research that not only increases our understanding of the natural environment but also informs and guides on-the-ground conservation and management. Among other projects, Beck Pond LLC has conducted scientific studies and helped develop conservation projects that assess the impacts of historical land uses on forest plant communities in northern New England; assess the impacts of invasive plants on California grasslands and New England forests; identify, assess, and propose solutions to water quality problems in the Lake Memphremagog, White River, and Missisquoi Bay Basins; protect and restore floodplain forests and wetlands along the Connecticut River; and identify and protect critical wildlife habitats across northern New England and eastern Canada. Cover. View of the Missisquoi River looking upstream to the mouth of Black Creek, which enters from the right just across the river from Sheldon Junction, Vermont on 21 May 2015. Phosphorus Levels in Six Tributaries of Missisquoi Bay Prepared for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation by Fritz Gerhardt, Ph.D. Beck Pond LLC 394 Beck Pond Road Newark, VT 05871 [email protected] Fritz Gerhardt, Ph.D. 2015 Missisquoi Bay Report Acknowledgments This project would not have been possible without the support and assistance of many individuals and organizations. Neil Kamman (Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation) spearheaded the development of, obtained funding for, and, as always, provided valuable advice throughout this project. David Pasco (Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation) administered this project. Karen Bates (Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation) provided valuable insights into the Missisquoi Bay Basin and the sampling programs being conducted by the Missisquoi River Basin Association and Franklin Watershed Committee. She also organized and took notes on the scoping and public outreach meetings. Pete Benevento (Franklin Watershed Committee) and John Lyttle (Missisquoi River Basin Association) provided valuable assistance in understanding their respective water quality sampling programs. Ben Gabos (Natural Resources Conservation Service) provided valuable information about the Lake Carmi sampling program as well as the agricultural projects and practices that have been implemented to improve water quality conditions in these watersheds. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources supported this project financially (contract #28563). The assistance and support of all of these individuals and organizations are greatly appreciated. ii Fritz Gerhardt, Ph.D. 2015 Missisquoi Bay Report Table of Contents Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................. ii Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures ............................................................................................................................ v Abstract ................................................................................................................................ vii Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Study Goals ................................................................................................................................ 4 Study Area ................................................................................................................................ 5 Methods ............................................................................................................................. 6 Water Quality Sampling .................................................................................... 6 Data Analyses ................................................................................................................... 7 Quality Assurance ................................................................................................................... 8 Stream Flow ............................................................................................................................. 10 Overall Water Quality Patterns .................................................................................... 17 Water Quality Conditions in Individual Watersheds ........................................................ 19 Hungerford Brook ................................................................................................. 20 Black Creek .................................................................................................................. 26 Tyler Branch .................................................................................................................. 34 Godin Brook .................................................................................................................. 41 Mud Creek .................................................................................................................. 46 Lake Carmi .................................................................................................................. 52 Phosphorus Loads ............................................................................................................... 74 Education and Outreach ..................................................................................................... 75 General Recommendations ................................................................................................. 75 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 76 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 79 Appendix A. Quality assurance data ........................................................................ 80 Appendix B. Glossary .................................................................................................... 87 iii Fritz Gerhardt, Ph.D. 2015 Missisquoi Bay Report List of Tables Table 1. Water quality data collected at Missisquoi Bay (Station 50) ................... 3 Table 2. Numbers of low, moderate, and high flows sampled in the Missisquoi River ..... 16 Table 3. Numbers of low, moderate, and high flows sampled in the Lake Carmi ..... 16 Table 4. Seven sites where water quality was sampled in the Hungerford Brook ..... 21 Table 5. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at four sites ................................. 23 Table 6. Seventeen sites where water quality was sampled in the Black Creek ................... 27 Table 7. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at three sites ................................. 29 Table 8. Seven sites where water quality was sampled in the Tyler Branch ................... 35 Table 9. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at three sites ................................. 37 Table 10. Six sites where water quality was sampled in the Godin Brook ................... 41 Table 11. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at three sites ................................. 43 Table 12. Nine sites where water quality was sampled in the Mud Creek ................... 47 Table 13. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at three sites ................................. 49 Table 14. The 27 sites where water quality was sampled in the Lake Carmi ................... 54 Table 15. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at three sites ................................. 56 Table 16. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at nine sites ................................. 59 Table 17. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at three sites ................................. 64 Table 18. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at two sites ................................. 67 Table 19. Summary of total phosphorus concentrations at seven sites ................................. 70 iv Fritz Gerhardt, Ph.D. 2015 Missisquoi Bay Report List of Figures Figure 1. Water quality conditions measured at Station 50 in Missisquoi Bay ................... 3 Figure 2. Water quality conditions at Lake Carmi during 1979-2014 ................................ 4 Figure 3. Six focal watersheds in the Missisquoi Bay Basin, Vermont ................................ 5 Figure 4. View of Mud Creek during low flows near the village of Newport Center ..... 10 Figure 5. View of Mud Creek during high flows near the village of Newport Center ..... 11 Figure 6. Stream flows along the Missisquoi River near East Berkshire ................... 12 Figure 7. Stream flows along the Pike River at East Franklin near Enosburg Falls ..... 13 Figure 8. Stream flows measured at the USGS gage on the Missisquoi River ................... 14 Figure 9. Stream flows measured at the USGS gage on the Pike River ................... 15 Figure 10. Locations of the 41 sites where water quality was sampled and analyzed ..... 18 Figure 11. Mean total phosphorus
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