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Water Quality Impairments: What do they mean?

This article explains the implications of water quality impairments, their causes, and their impact on designated uses. It also provides an overview of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and how it regulates water pollution control. Contact Mike Adam, Senior Biologist at madam@lakecountyil.gov or 847-377-8002 for more information.

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Water Quality Impairments: What do they mean?

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  1. Water Quality Impairments: What do they mean? Mike Adam Senior Biologist madam@lakecountyil.gov 847-377-8002

  2. Clean Water Act (CWA) • Federal legislation • 1948 - called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act • 1972, 1977 – updated and now called the Clean Water Act • Regulating discharges of pollutant and regulating standards for surface waters Cuyahoga River, OH

  3. Clean Water Act (CWA) • CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. • NPDES permit – National Pollution Discharge Elimination System • Point Sources – Pipes from sewage treatment plants, industrial, etc. • Non-point – Runoff from other sources: wildlife, lawns, stormwater • Enforcement falls to the States (IL EPA)

  4. Clean Water Act (CWA) • Requires States to report to US EPA every two years • Sections 303(d), 305(b), and 314 • 303(d) - THE LIST • 305(b) – THE REPORT • 314 - Section on lakes • States need to: • Assess waters • Identify pollutants and sources • Develop Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) calculations for each pollutant • Consider an Implementation Plan • If waters do not meet the “designated use requirements” they are placed on the 303(d) list

  5. Water Quality Impairment • “Designated Uses” • Aesthetic Quality • Aquatic Life • Fish Consumption • Indigenous (native) Aquatic Life • Primary Contact (swimming – beaches) • Secondary Contact (i.e., canoeing, fishing, etc) • Public and Food Processing Water Supply

  6. Water Quality Impairment • “Designated Uses” • Aesthetic Quality & Aquatic Life • Total Suspended Solids • Total Phosphorus • Low Dissolved Oxygen • Algae/Fish kills/other non-pollutants • Fish Consumption – Mercury/PCBs • Indigenous (native) Aquatic Life – Exotic, non-native species • Primary Contact (Swimming – Beaches) – E.coli or Fecal coliform bacteria • Secondary Contact (i.e., canoeing, fishing, etc.) – NA in Lake Co. • Public and Food Processing Water Supply – NA in Lake Co.

  7. Water Quality Impairment • One value that exceeds the standard….you’re on THE LIST

  8. Fox Chain O’Lakes Channel Catherine • 13 lakes • Glacial Lakes • Grass Lake – Riparian marsh • 13 unique lakes Marie Bluff Grass Spring Dunn’s Petite Nippersink Fox Pistakee Redhead Matthews

  9. Watershed • 1300 sq. miles (930,000 acr.) • 938 sq-miles Wisconsin • 362 sq-miles in Illinois • Lake & McHenry counties • Main tributaries include: • Fox River* • Nippersink Creek • Sequoit Creek • Squaw Creek • Trevor Creek Fox River Trevor Creek Nippersink Creek Sequoit Creek Squaw Creek

  10. Land Use Wetlands Agriculture Residential

  11. Total Suspended Solids • Solid materials suspended in water column • High concentrations can lower water quality • Absorb light, increases temperature • Decrease ability of water to hold DO • Make it difficult for aquatic plants • Make it difficult for aquatic life (fish eggs, macro-invertebrates, fish gills, etc.)

  12. Suspended Solids • Non-volatile (sediment) • Fox River Watershed 100,000 cu-yds. • Failing sea walls or eroding shorelines • Carp • Boat propeller • Volatile – organic • Plankton • Algae • Plant material • Macro invertebrates

  13. Total Suspended Solids 20% TSS Impairment 27% 177% 21% 14% 18% 50% 14% 17% 79% TSS (mg/L) 45%

  14. Total Phosphorus • Primary nutrient for plant and algal growth • Too much TP increases eutrophication • Sources : External and Internal • Human and animal waste • Soil erosion • Detergents • Sewage treatment plants • Septic systems • Runoff • Re-suspension of sediments (carp, boat) (internal) • Lake mixing (internal)

  15. Total Phosphorus 45% 29% 57% 19% 20% 12% 14% 21% 22% 78% 101% TP (mg/L)

  16. Dissolved Oxygen • DO ≤ 5 mg/L can cause stress for aquatic life. • Low DO usually a result of excess nutrients. • Bluff Lake considered impaired for DO (DO ≤ 5 mg/L at 1 ft. below surface). • Stormwater from the precipitation events carry oxygen-demanding substances.

  17. Beaches • 13 licensed beaches • 2014: Three beaches exceeded 235 E.coli/100 ml • Highwood (channel between Petite & Spring) – 16 times • Stanton Bay (Fox Lake) – 1 time • Vacation Village (Dunns) – 1 time

  18. Narrative Standard Example of blue-green algae on Dunns Lake 2014 • Offensive Conditions • “Waters of the State shall be free from sludge or bottom deposits, floating debris, visible oil, odor, plant or algal growth, color or turbidity of other than natural origin.”  • 35 Ill. Adm. Code 302.203

  19. Secchi Depth 127% 140% 70% 14% 33% 20% 5% 26% 18% 39% 54% Secchi Depth (ft.)

  20. Pistakee Lake Impairments • Fish Consumption (pregnant women, children < 15 yrs old) • Mercury (statewide, all predatory fish, 1 meal/week) • PCBs (entire Chain) – Catfish and Carp • Aesthetic Quality • Total Phosphorus • Total Suspended Solids

  21. Fish Consumption Advisory Channel Catfish Less than 18"Unlimited Consumption - or -18" to 26"1 meal/week- or -larger than 26"1 meal/monthContaminant - PCBs Carp Larger than 17" 1 meal/week Contaminant - PCBs

  22. What is a TMDL? Total Maximum Daily Load • “TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards and support designated uses.” • Stages • Stage 1: Watershed Characterization/Data Analysis • Stage 2: Data Collection (if needed) • Stage 3: Model Calibration/Implementation

  23. What is a TMDL? • TMDL = WLA + LA + MOS [+ RC] • Wasteload allocation--point sources/ NPDES • Load allocation--nonpoint sources • Stormwater runoff/Erosion • Margin of safety • Optional reserve capacity for point sources

  24. Then What? • IEPA can request special conditions be met in an NPDES permit • POTWs • Municipalities (MS4s) • Monitoring, Projects, etc. • Alternative to TMDL implementation: Watershed Workgroups • Fox River Workgroup • Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup

  25. How do we get off THE LIST? • Removal from the 303(d) list • New data • New model • Approval or establishment by USEPA of a TMDL since the last Section 303(d) list

  26. Perspective • Isthisallbad? • Consider: • Almosteverylake in Lake County islistedfor at leastoneparameter • TP, TSS, E. coli, DO • Remember, it only takes one sample • Is there anything positive? • Potential grant funding (319 funds)

  27. Invasive Species • Eurasian Water Milfoil • Curly Leaf Pondweed • Common Carp • Zebra Mussels • Gizzard Shad (native)

  28. Lake Management • The 3 Legged Stool Lake Management Watershed Management Ecosystem Structure Internal Loading

  29. Moving Forward • Watershed Planning • Lake Management Plan • Aquatic Plant Management Plan • Lakes with aquatic vegetation have better water clarity(quality) than those with no or little vegetation present.

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