Lake Simcoe Tributary Monitoring Data Report -- 1982 to 1992 Technical Report Imp. A.2 1994 LAKE SIMCOE TRIBUTARY MONITORING DATA REPORT --1982 TO 1992 Prepared by Geoffrey Peat and Michael Waiters, Environmental Services Department, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority for Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy Technical Committee May, 1994 LSEMS Implementation Technical Report No. Imp A-2 LAKE SIMCOE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM FOREWORD This report is one of a series of technical reports prepared in the course of the Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy (LSEMS) Implementation Program. This program is under the direction of the LSEMS Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of the following agencies: • Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; • Ministry of the Environment and Energy; • Ministry of Natural Resources; and • Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. The Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy (LSEMS) studies were initiated in 1981 in response to concern over the loss of a coldwater fishery in Lake Simcoe. The studies concluded that increased urban growth and poor agricultural practices within the drainage basin were filling the lake with excess nutrients. These nutrients promote increased weed growth in the lake with the end result being a decrease in the water's oxygen supply. The "Final Report and Recommendations of the Steering Committee" was released in 1985. The report recommended that a phosphorus control strategy be designed to reduce phosphorus inputs from rural and urban sources. In 1990 the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority was named lead agency to coordinate the LSEMS Implementation Program, a five year plan to improve the water quality of Lake Simcoe. The Conservation Authority will have overall coordination responsibilities as outlined in the LSEMS Cabinet Submission and subsequent agreement (Recommendation E.1). At the completion of the five year plan (1994) a report will be submitted to the Cabinet. This report will outline the activities and progress of the LSEMS Implementation Program during its five years. After reviewing the progress of the program the Cabinet may continue the implementation program. The goal of the LSEMS Implementation Program is to improve the water quality and natural coldwater fishery of Lake Simcoe by reducing the phosphorus loading to the lake. The LSEMS Implementation Program will initiate remedial measures and control options designed to reduce phosphorus inputs entering Lake Simcoe, monitor the effectiveness of these remedial measures and controls and evaluate the overall response of the lake to this program. Through cost sharing programs, environmental awareness of the public and further studies, the goal of restoring a naturally reproducing coldwater fishery in Lake Simcoe by improving water quality can be reached. -i- Questions with respect to the contents of this report should be directed to: Supervisor of Environmental Services Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority 120 Bayview Parkway P.O. Box 282 Newmarket, Ontario. L3Y 4X1 OR Chief Administrative Officer Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority 120 Bayview Parkway P.O. Box 282 Newmarket, Ontario. L3Y 4X1 -ii- DISCLAIMER The material presented in these reports is analytical support information and does not necessarily constitute policy or approved management priorities of the Province or the Conservation Authority and/or the evaluation of the data and findings, should not be based solely on this specific report. Instead they should be analyzed in light of other reports produced within the comprehensive framework of this environmental management strategy and the implementation of the recommendations. Reference to equipment, brand names or suppliers in this publication is not to be interpreted as an endorsement of that product or supplier by the authors, the Ministries of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment and Energy or Natural Resources or the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. -iii- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors of this report wish to thank all the many people over the eleven years for collecting all these samples through sunshine and especially in the rain. Invaluable technical advice and input was given by Jim Eddie, Ken Nicholls, and Andrew Westwood. Ed Griffin, Tom Chang, and Steve Batten got the report started and provided a great deal of the initial data compilation. Special thanks to Joanna Parsons for her patient help in preparing the final draft. -iv- ABSTRACT This report provides an overview of all water quantity and quality information collected during 1982-1992 for the lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy (lSEMS) studies. The focus of the tributary monitoring program was to determine discharge and nutrient concentrations for the main tributaries flowing into lake Simcoe. Sampling frequency for the 13 main monitoring sites was semi-monthly with emphasis on event sampling. The concentration and discharge data was used to estimate nutrient loadings from the main tributaries. The results show phosphorus concentrations and loadings to be extremely variable both monthly and annually. The Holland River sub-basin was monitored more intensively because it is the largest tributary of lake Simcoe and contains the most intensive and diverse landuse. The phosphorus load from the Holland River was an average of 23 tonnes per year. The median phosphorus concentration for the Holland River was 0.128 mg/L based on 566 samples taken over 11 years. Phosphorus concentration trends, loadings, and exceedances of water quality objectives are presented for most of the monitoring sites. -v- LAKE SIMCOE TRIBUTARY MONITORING DATA REPORT: 1982 - 1992 LAKE SIMCOE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Implementation Technical Report No. A.2 Table of Contents Foreword i Disclaimer ii Acknowledgements iv Abstract v Table of Contents vi List of Figures viii List of Tables ix List of Appendices ix 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Report Objectives 2 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF LAKE SIMCOE DRAINAGE BASIN 2.1 Location 3 2.2 Physiography 3 2.3 Drainage 6 2.4 Drainage of the Holland River 8 2.5 Population 10 2.6 Land Uses 10 2.7 Climate 12 3.0 MONITORING NETWORK 3.1 Background 16 3.2 Water Quantity Network 18 3.3 Water Quality Stations 18 3.4 Sampling Methods and Parameters 22 -vi- 4.0 ANALYTICAL METHODS 4.1 Prorating Discharge 24 4.2 Beale Ratio Estimator 25 4.3 Statistics 26 4.4 1982 Loading Estimates 27 4.5 Backwater Impacts on Discharge Monitoring 28 4.6 Robust Time Series Analysis Program 28 5.0 RESULTS 5.1 Water Quantity 30 5.2 Water Quality 35 5.3 Phosphorus Trends 45 5.4 Percent Exceedance of the PWQO for Phosphorus 57 5.5 Annual Water Quality Loadings 61 -vii- LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title Page 2.1 Location of Lake Simcoe Drainage Basin 4 2.2 Physiography of the Lake Simcoe Watershed 5 2.3 Drainage Sub-basins of Lake Simcoe 7 2.4 The Holland River Drainage Basin 9 2.5 Annual Total Precipitation for Bradford 13 2.6 Seasonal Total Precipitation for Bradford 14 2.7 Seasonal Total Precipitation expressed as a percent deviation from LTA for Bradford weather station data 15 3.1 Water Quantity Gauging Stations 19 3.2 Water Quality Sampling Stations 20 5.1.1 Annual Total Discharge for Holland River at Holland Landing 31 5.1.2 Annual Total Discharge for West Holland River at Hwy #11 33 5.1.3 Annual Total Discharge for Holland River at Cook Bay 34 5.1.4 Annual Total Discharge for Black River at Baldwin 36 5.2.1 Total Phosphorus Concentrations for Upper Schomberg at 8th Conc. 38 5.2.2 Total Phosphorus Concentrations at Kettleby Creek at Hwy #9 38 5.2.3 Total Phosphorus Concentrations for North Schomberg at 5th Conc. 39 5.2.4 Total Phosphorus Concentrations for Bradford Pumphouse 39 5.2.5 Total Phosphorus Concentrations for W. Holland R. at Hwy # 11 42 5.2.6 Total Phosphorus Concentrations for W. Holland R. at Holland Landing 42 5.2.7 Total Phosphorus Concentrations for the Holland R. at Cook Bay 44 5.2.8 Total Phosphorus Concentrations at Black River at Sutton Dam 44 5.3.1 Trend Plot and Analysis for Upper Schomberg River Total Phosphorus Concentrations 46 5.3.2 Trend Plot and Analysis for West Pottageville 47 5.3.3 Trend Plot and Analysis for North Schomberg River 48 5.3.4 Trend Plot and Analysis for Kettleby Creek 49 5.3.5 Trend Plot and Analysis for North Drainage Canal at Hwy #9 50 5.3.6 Trend Plot and Analysis for Bradford Pumphouse 51 5.3.7 Trend Plot and Analysis for Springdale Pumphouse 52 5.3.8 Trend Plot and Analysis for West Holland River at Hwy #11 53 5.3.9 Trend Plot and Analysis for Holland River at Holland Landing 54 5.3.10 Trend Plot and Analysis for Holland River near Cook Bay 55 5.3.11 Trend Plot and Analysis for Black River at Sutton Dam 56 5.4.1 Phosphorus Exceedance in the Black River at Sutton Dam 58 5.4.2 Phosphorus Exceedance in the Holland River at Cook Bay 58 5.4.3 Phosphorus Exceedance in the Holland River at Holland Landing 60 5.4.4 Phosphorus Exceedance at Highway 11 near Bradford 61 5.5.1 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings for Kettleby Creek 62 -viii- 5.5.2 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings at West Pottageville Creek 62 5.5.3 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings for Upper Schomberg River 63 5.5.4 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings for North Schomberg River 63 5.5.5 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings for Holland River at Hwy #9 65 5.5.6 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings for Springdale Pumping Station 65 5.5.7 Phosphorus and Sediment Loadings for Holland Marsh at Bradford Pump 66 5.5.8 Phosphorus and Sediment