EVALUATING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANS NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN THE LAKE ERIE BASIN AND KEY LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE ERIE WATERSHED Ohio Stormwater Conference Thursday, May 11, 2017 Presented by: Sandy Bihn Executive Director Lake Erie Waterkeeper/Lake Erie Foundation Great Lakes Water Quality Board Jordan R. Rofkar, Ph.D. Ecologist Hull & Associates, Inc. IJC Contract Number: P1600078

Project Team Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission Principal advisory group for reviewing and assessing progress toward goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Legacy Issues Work Group Formed by the WQB in 2015 to develop advice and recommendations regarding legacy contaminants Identified a need to assess watershed management plans to address nutrient loading in the Lake Erie basin Hull & Associates, Inc. & BluMetric Environmental Inc. Tasked with evaluating watershed plans in the U.S. and Canada, respectively

objectives and Scope of work Compile nutrient management information from: Watershed management plans within the Lake Erie watershed A selection of watersheds outside of the Lake Erie basin Review and assess nutrient management components: Identify key success factors for achieving nutrient load reduction Provide recommendations for the Water Quality Board’s consideration regarding Lake Erie restoration efforts

Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin 32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin 32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

Lake Erie watershed selection

Selecting plans for detailed review Plans screened for: Identification of major nutrient sources Nutrient monitoring Documented methods to minimize nutrient loading Nutrient monitoring specifically related to harmful algal blooms Information on U.S. Clean Water Act 303(d) and Areas of Concern Information on Total Maximum Daily Load reports (U.S.)

A Proposed implementation/not implemented B Metric established – baseline implemented C Post implementation metric/data available NA Not addressed in plan

Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin 32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

Selecting plans for detailed review Work Group reviewed screening matrices and reached consensus on which plans to include for detailed evaluation 19 plans from the Lake Erie basin 12 plans from selected locations outside the Lake Erie Basin

Plans selected for Detailed Review Lake Erie basin

plans selected for Detailed Review for lake Erie basin guidance Lake Champlain Lake Simcoe East Holland River South Lake Champlain Basin Red Cedar Saginaw Bay Lower Fox River Chesapeake Bay Raccoon River Lake Okeechobee Gulf Hypoxia Everglades

Comparative metrics for detailed review Categories evaluated on the scoring sheets: Identification of nutrient causes and sources Description of management measures Estimate of nutrient load reductions expected Criteria to determine if nutrient load reductions are achieved Monitoring to evaluate effectiveness Scores were used for comparing plans and making generalized observations Higher scores generally indicate more comprehensive management plans

Watershed Plan Summary Sheet

Scoring summary Lake Erie Basin scores U.S.: River Raisin and Portage River scored highest River Raisin – load reduction measures Portage River – identification of nutrient causes and sources Canada: Grand River scored the highest Identifies nutrient causes and sources Outside of the Lake Erie Basin scores U.S.: Chesapeake Bay scored higher than Lake Erie Basin scores Includes specific benchmarks to measure and track reductions Canada: East Holland River scored the highest Significant historical studies

Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin 32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

Summarizing nutrient management plans Most plans listed nutrient sources Nutrient data not correlated to harmful algal blooms Nutrient impairments attributed to: Agricultural practices (fertilizer & manure) Erosion Failing septic systems Urban runoff Phosphorus in wastewater treatment Combined sewer overflows (CSOs)

Summarizing nutrient management plans Prevalent strategies for minimizing nutrient loadings: Minimize application Limit transport to streams Absorb runoff Repair septic systems and connect homes to municipal sewer systems Reduce nutrients from wastewater treatment facilities Eliminate CSOs Educate the public about their role in nutrient management

Findings & recommendations Finding: Watershed plans outside the Lake Erie Basin typically scored higher than those inside the basin Recommendation: Use successful plans as models Finding: Many Lake Erie plans lack clear milestones for implementation and accountability Recommendation: Develop clear goals and intermediate milestones Finding: Adaptive management is the cornerstone of successful restoration projects in the Everglades, Chesapeake Bay, and Lake Champlain Recommendation: Develop a science-driven adaptive management process including economic components

Findings & recommendations Finding: There is not a consistent approach for developing watershed management plans across the sub- basins of Lake Erie Recommendation: Develop a consistent watershed-specific approach with a network of watershed planners to develop common methodologies Finding: Successful watershed management plans are developed by coalitions of government, citizen groups, & academics with ongoing participation Recommendation: Develop a coalition of federal, state, local, tribal, academic, and private stakeholders Finding: Successful management plans create a desire to conserve and restore the watershed Recommendation: Incorporate a strategy for generating public awareness

Seven Findings & recommendations Finding: A comprehensive monitoring program is required for an adaptive management program. Recommendation: Develop a comprehensive monitoring program to update with the latest science, understand problems, and assess progress

questions Evening Fishing by Liz Ellis of Circleville, OH Source: Ohio Lake Erie Commission 2016 Life on the Lake Photo Contest Evening Fishing by Liz Ellis of Circleville, OH

Sandy Bihn Lake Erie Waterkeeper Lake Erie Foundation 419-691-3788 sandylakeerie@aol.com Jordan R. Rofkar, Ph.D. Hull & Associates, Inc. 219 S. Erie Street Toledo, Ohio 43604 (567) 200-4594 jrofkar@hullinc.com