Water Quality in the Long Point Region A Summary of the 2002-2005 Conditions and Trends DRAFT July 2007 Prepared by: Susan Evans Water Quality Specialist Grand River Conservation Authority July 2007 Long Point Region Conservation Authority i 2005 Report on Water Quality lprca_WQ Technical Report 2007_draft_July.doc Draft: 10/23/2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................... II LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................... VI LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................. IX LIST OF APPENDICES ..................................................................... IX EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................... 1 Big Otter Creek Watershed ......................................................................................................2 Big Creek Watershed................................................................................................................3 Lynn River Watershed ..............................................................................................................3 Nanticoke Creek Watershed.....................................................................................................4 Sandusk Creek Watershed.......................................................................................................4 Dedrick-Young Creek Watershed ............................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION................................................................................ 1 Watershed Characteristics.....................................................................1 Major Water Uses ....................................................................................2 METHODS ....................................................................................... 9 Dataset Selection ....................................................................................9 Parameters Analysed............................................................................10 Routine Chemistry, Nutrients, Metals and Pesticides.....................................................................10 Bacteria and Pathogens ...................................................................................................................12 Benthic Macroinvertebrates ............................................................................................................12 Reservoirs .......................................................................................................................................12 Data Analysis.........................................................................................12 Streamflow...............................................................................................................................12 Summary Statistics.................................................................................................................13 Comparative Statistics ...........................................................................................................14 Compliance with Guidelines ..................................................................................................14 Preliminary Trend analysis (LOWESS) .................................................................................14 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION............................................................ 16 Data Caveats..........................................................................................16 Sampling Frequency...............................................................................................................16 Nutrient Data............................................................................................................................17 Metals Data ..............................................................................................................................17 Pesticide Data..........................................................................................................................17 Dissolved Oxygen Data ..........................................................................................................17 ii 2005 Report on Water Quality lprca_WQ Technical Report 2007_draft_July.doc Draft: 10/23/2007 Bacteria and Pathogen Data ..................................................................................................17 Water Quality Conditions in the Long Point Region..........................18 Big Otter Creek Watershed ....................................................................................................18 Physical Conditions ........................................................................................................................19 Streamflow..................................................................................................................................19 PH ...............................................................................................................................................22 Dissolved Oxygen.......................................................................................................................22 Summer Temperature..................................................................................................................22 Nutrient Conditions.........................................................................................................................22 Nitrate .........................................................................................................................................23 Nitrite ..........................................................................................................................................24 Unionized Ammonia...................................................................................................................24 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) ..................................................................................................24 Total Nitrogen (Nitrate + Nitrite + Kjeldahl Nitrogen) ..............................................................26 Phosphorus..................................................................................................................................27 Non-filterable residue (NFR)......................................................................................................28 Chloride.......................................................................................................................................29 Bacterial Conditions........................................................................................................................30 Reservoir Conditions ......................................................................................................................31 Big Creek Watershed..............................................................................................................32 Physical Conditions ........................................................................................................................32 Streamflow..................................................................................................................................32 PH ...............................................................................................................................................35 Dissolved Oxygen.......................................................................................................................35 Summer Temperature..................................................................................................................35 Nutrient Conditions.........................................................................................................................35 Nitrate .........................................................................................................................................35 Nitrite ..........................................................................................................................................37 Unionized Ammonia...................................................................................................................37 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) ..................................................................................................37 Total Nitrogen (Nitrate + Nitrite + Kjeldahl Nitrogen) ..............................................................37 Phosphorus..................................................................................................................................40 Non-filterable residue (NFR)......................................................................................................41 Chloride.......................................................................................................................................42 Bacterial Conditions........................................................................................................................42 Reservoir Conditions ......................................................................................................................43 Lynn River................................................................................................................................44 Physical Conditions ........................................................................................................................45