SATEllITE IMAGERY, SEPTEmbER 8, 2002 The Condition of the Bay of Green Bay/Lake Michigan 2013 Michigan Bay/Lake the Bay of Green of The Condition The State of the Bay WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY OF Theresa Qualls, H.J. (Bud) Harris, Victoria Harris Victoria Harris, (Bud) H.J. Qualls, Theresa conditions andcontaminantsstatus. wildlife populations,aquaticinvasivespecies,beach fishand This editionpresentsnewdataonwaterquality, Report. Manychangeshaveoccurredduringthisperiod. yearshavepassedsincethelastStateofBay Twenty S EA GRANT INSTITUTE EA GRANT USEPA, REGION 5, GLNPO TOM ERDMAN, UWGB STATE OF THE BAY 2 CONTENTS List of Figures ............................................................................................................5 List of Tables .............................................................................................................9 Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................11 Acronyms .................................................................................................................12 Executive Summary ..............................................................................................13 2012 Green Bay Indicator Assessment ...........................................................15 Introduction .............................................................................................................16 History of Region ...................................................................................................18 Water Quality Indicators .....................................................................................19 Trophic State Indicators .................................................................................19 Eutrophication and Use Impairment ...............................................................19 Standards and Projected Targets ....................................................................20 Data Collection and Monitoring ....................................................................21 Statistical Analyses ........................................................................................22 Total Phosphorus ..............................................................................................22 ........................................................................ Nitrate (NO3) and Nitrite (NO2) 27 Ammonia ............................................................................................................28 Total Suspended Solids ....................................................................................29 Chlorophyll a .....................................................................................................33 Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) ...........................................................................36 Chloride ..............................................................................................................38 Dissolved Oxygen..............................................................................................39 Temperature .......................................................................................................43 Climate Change Impacts on Water Quality ...................................................44 References .........................................................................................................45 Links ....................................................................................................................46 Drinking Water ...................................................................................................47 System Contaminants ......................................................................................48 PCBs and other Organochlorine Contaminants .............................................49 Mercury ..............................................................................................................53 Atrazine ..............................................................................................................58 References .........................................................................................................60 Links ....................................................................................................................62 STATE OF THE BAY Contents 3 Water Levels ...........................................................................................................63 Short-term Levels (Seiche) .............................................................................63 Annual Levels .....................................................................................................63 Long-term Levels ...............................................................................................64 Links .......................................................................................................................64 Recreational Use Indicators ..............................................................................65 Beach Advisories and Closings ....................................................................65 Links ....................................................................................................................75 Boat Registrations .............................................................................................76 Sport Fishing License Sales ...........................................................................77 Marinas ...............................................................................................................79 Dredging ...............................................................................................................81 Land Cover and Land Use Changes .............................................................82 Biological Indicators.............................................................................................85 Aquatic Invasive Species ...............................................................................85 Common or Giant Reed Grass (Phragmites australis) ..................................87 Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) ..........................................87 Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) ............................................................88 Curly-leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) ................................................88 Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) ......................................................................88 Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) .................................................................89 Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) ...............................................................89 Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) ....................................................................90 White Perch (Monroe americana) ...................................................................90 Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) .......................................................90 Eurasian Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) .....................................................91 Spiny Waterflea (Bythotrephes cederstroemi) and Fishhook Waterflea (Cercopagis pengoi) .......................................................91 Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) ..........................................................91 Quagga Mussel (Dreissena bugensis) ............................................................93 Bloody Red Shrimp (Hemimysis anomala) .....................................................94 Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Around Green Bay ...............................94 References .........................................................................................................95 Links ....................................................................................................................96 Benthic Macroinvertebrates ........................................................................97 Background ........................................................................................................97 Major Groups ....................................................................................................97 Green Bay Historical Trends ............................................................................98 STATE OF THE BAY Contents 4 Current Status: Fox River ................................................................................99 Current Status: Lower Green Bay ...................................................................99 References ...................................................................................................... 103 Coastal Wetlands ........................................................................................... 104 Geology of Green Bay/West Shore ............................................................. 104 What are Coastal Wetlands? ....................................................................... 104 Why are Coastal Wetlands Valuable? ........................................................ 107 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ................................................................ 107 How Have the Coastal Wetlands in Green Bay Changed Over Time? .... 113 References ...................................................................................................... 115 Links ............................................................................................................... 116 Fish .....................................................................................................................