1. Ric Lawson Watershed Planner Huron River Watershed Council MiCorps Staff

2. Outline Stormwater monitoring: what is it and why should I care? Basic training: stormwater bootcamp What’s in it for me? Benefits But does it work? A case-study Huh? Conclusions and questions

3. Why stormwater matters One of the top pollutant sources nationally. It affects everyone Stormwater regulations expanding Non-point becoming point source Regulations now require monitoring and TMDL planning Phosphorus and E. coli Municipalities often ill-equiped Watershed monitoring acceptable

4. Stormwater monitoring 101 Focus on impairments first Map regulated stormwater drainage area and network as best as possible Major tributaries Developed areas, land use Outfalls Select sites to bracket potential sources Long-term and “investigative” sites

5. Stormwater monitoring 101 What and when to monitor What: impairments/threats, surrogates, flow? When: Wet vs. dry Sample size and variability Laboratory coordination Capacity and timing Detection limits Logistical considerations

6. Volunteer Considerations Sample handling and processing training. Flow? Scheduling volunteers Not many needed Regular schedule vs. rain events Safety concerns Weather High flows Data processing

7. Benefits (and challenges) Good Mandated monitoring (in some areas) Data collection opportunity: discover issues Fund, promote, expand monitoring efforts Bring communities together: accountability Bad Complicated program Regulatory responsibility Expensive

8. Case-study: Huron River Two county stormater groups Impairments for phosphorus and E. coli Existing program in one county for baseline monitoring Expanded to include wet-weather and stormwater investigations Model for state ambient stormwater monitoring

9. Middle Huron Tributary Monitoring Volunteer-assisted program to monitor tributary sites in the TMDL watershed (Middle Huron) Focus on nutrients and stream flow to calculate loading Monthly sampling May-September Added storm sampling starting in 2007 Funded by Middle Huron Partners MDNRE funding 2008-2010 Lab analysis by Ann Arbor WTP

10. Parameters Evaluated pH Conductivity DO E. coli Total Phosphorus Total Suspended Solids Nitrate-Nitrite

11. TMDL Drainage Area

13. TP Loading in the Middle Huron

14. TP Upstream of Ann Arbor

15. TP at Ford Lake

16. TP in Belleville Lake

17. TP Concentrations (all sites)

18. TP Concentrations by site

19. Mean [TP] Comparisons Site(s)[TP] (mg/l) 2003-06 [TP] (mg/l) 2008-09 T-test Probability % Reduction Non-Ann Arbor 0.0480.0360.0124 Ann Arbor0.0720.047<0.0135 Traver Creek0.0690.046<0.0133 Swift Run0.0950.040<0.0158 Honey Creek0.0630.035<0.0145 Allens Creek0.0730.0540.0726 Malletts Creek0.0760.0590.0923 Superior Drain0.0700.0430.0338 Note: Baseline samples only. Only sites with p<0.10 are shown.

20. E. Coli

23. 2010 Total Rain: 0.62 inches in 2 hours prior to highest flow 0.97 inches total of rain received on May 11-May 13. 2003 Total Rain: 0.6 inches in 2 hours prior to highest flow 1 inches total of rain received on April 4 Prior moisture conditions: In 2003, off and on rains occurred throughout the day of the storm. In 2010, off and on rain occurred throughout 2 days prior to the storm. Both years had substantial rains 6 days prior to dates shown on graph. Note: plymouth transducer was offline Storm Comparison #1: Hydrographs

24. Conclusions Total Phosphorus concentrations have decreased Decreases significant in urban tributaries Tributaries respond differently Storm samples are different from baseline Flow differences can be detected Too early for investigative results or conclusions

25. Ric Lawson Watershed Planner 734-769-5123 ext. 609 rlawson@hrwc.org