Great Lakes Monitoring and Surveillance Program Paul Horvatin U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)

The North American Great Lakes

20% of world’s and 95% of US fresh surface water (6 quadrillion gallons) 40 million people 20% of all US manufacturing 58% of cars made in the US Over $100 billion in trade

GLNPO Mission “... restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.” Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978, Article II

Great Lakes National Program Office Established in 1978 to coordinate EPA’s Great Lakes program Established in 1978 to coordinate EPA’s Great Lakes program First EPA office with ecological boundaries instead of political or media boundaries First EPA office with ecological boundaries instead of political or media boundaries EPA’s knowledge center for the Great Lakes watershed EPA’s knowledge center for the Great Lakes watershed

GLNPO Monitoring Responsibility under GLWQA Responsibility under GLWQA Long-term trends Long-term trends Indicators Indicators SOLEC SOLEC GPRA GPRA IJC IJC LaMPs LaMPs Report to Congress Report to Congress

Monitoring Water Quality Water Quality Biology Biology Air Toxics Air Toxics Fish Contamination Fish Contamination Sediments Sediments

Nutrients u Total Phosphorus u Total Dissolved Phosphorus u Nitrite + Nitrate u Soluble Reactive Silica u Particulate C,N,P u IADN u Open Water u Fish Tissue Contaminants Biological Indicators Program u Phytoplankton u Zooplankton u Benthic Invertebrates

Water Quality Metrics Nutrients Total Phosphorus Total Phosphorus Total Dissolved Phosphorus Total Dissolved Phosphorus Nitrite + Nitrate Nitrite + Nitrate Soluble Reactive Silica Soluble Reactive Silica Particulate C,N,P Particulate C,N,PConventionals pH,turbidity,alkalinity,specific conductance pH,turbidity,alkalinity,specific conductance

Analytes PCB congenersOxychlordaneindeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene PCB co-planarspp, op-DDTphenanthrene hexachlorobenzenepp, op-DDEpyrene Pentachlorobenzenepp, op-DDDHg OctachlorostyreneEndrinPFOS g-BHC (Lindane)MirexPFOA a-BHCToxaphene&homologsTSM AldrinPCDD/Fs DieldrinPBDEs Heptachlor epoxide aDacthal Heptachlor epoxide bPBB-153 Cis-chlordanebenzo[b]fluoranthene Trans-chlordanebenzo[k]fluoranthene Cis-nonachlorbenzo[a]pyrene Trans-nonachlor

Toxics Reduced Ten-Fold PCBs in Lake Michigan Lake Trout

Application of a uniform fish consumption advisory for PCB concentrations in coho salmon ( 2002)

Biological Monitoring Currently sample for: Currently sample for: phytoplankton, phytoplankton, crustacean zooplankton, crustacean zooplankton, rotifers, rotifers, benthos benthos

Decline of Diporeia in Lake Michigan

Lake Erie “Dead Zone” Area of no-oxygen in Central Basin getting worse again Area of no-oxygen in Central Basin getting worse again Original problem largely solved through phosphorus control programs Original problem largely solved through phosphorus control programs Non-native invasive zebra and quagga mussels implicated but other factors also possible Non-native invasive zebra and quagga mussels implicated but other factors also possible

COORDINATED MONITORING INITIATIVE Coordinated Monitoring Initiative Schedule: Canadian Research Vessel Limnos, and the U.S. Research Vessel Lake Guardian 2003 – Lake Ontario 2003 – Lake Ontario 2004 – Lake Erie 2004 – Lake Erie 2005 – Lake Superior (Canada), Lake Michigan (US) 2005 – Lake Superior (Canada), Lake Michigan (US) 2006 – Lake Superior – Joint 2006 – Lake Superior – Joint 2007 – Lake Huron 2007 – Lake Huron 2008 – Lake Ontario 2008 – Lake Ontario 2009 – Lake Erie 2009 – Lake Erie

R/V MUDPUPPY

State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC) Biennial, binational report on progress toward meeting goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Biennial, binational report on progress toward meeting goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Target Audiences: Target Audiences: Environmental managers Environmental managers Decision-makers Decision-makers Upper administration Upper administration Public Public

GLNPO Monitoring When? Annual Monitoring Program Surveys Biannually – Spring - begins in late March/early April Summer - begins early August Survey Years: Lake Superior Water Quality Biology

Water Quality Nutrients Total Phosphorus Total Phosphorus Total Dissolved Phosphorus Total Dissolved Phosphorus Nitrite + Nitrate Nitrite + Nitrate Soluble Reactive Silica Soluble Reactive Silica Particulate C,N,P Particulate C,N,P Conventionals – pH,turbidity,alkalinity,specific conductance

Particulate Organic Carbon Particulate Nitrogen Particulate Phosphorus Total Suspended Solids Measured at Master Stations Only:

Cooperative Enhanced Monitoring Schedule 2003 – Lake Ontario 2003 – Lake Ontario 2004 – Lake Erie 2004 – Lake Erie 2005 – Lake Superior (Canada), Lake Michigan (US) 2005 – Lake Superior (Canada), Lake Michigan (US) 2006 – Lake Superior – Joint 2006 – Lake Superior – Joint 2007 – Lake Huron 2007 – Lake Huron 2008 – Lake Ontario… 2008 – Lake Ontario…

The Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN) Established in 1990 Established in 1990 Measures > 80 contaminants in air and precipitation Measures > 80 contaminants in air and precipitation - Mostly traditional organics (PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, PAHs) with some auxiliary work for Hg 15 stations 15 stations - 5 master, 10 satellite - 10 in Canada, 5 in U.S.

Changes in Species Richness * p = < 0.05

USEPA, GLNPO Contaminant Monitoring Programs IADN IADN Open Water Open Water Fish Tissue Fish Tissue

The Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN)

Overview Called for in Annex 15 of the GLWQA Called for in Annex 15 of the GLWQA Established in 1990 Established in 1990 Measure PBT chemicals in air and precip Measure PBT chemicals in air and precip Mostly traditional organics (PCBs, OC pesticides) with some auxiliary work for Hg Mostly traditional organics (PCBs, OC pesticides) with some auxiliary work for Hg 15 stations 15 stations 5 master, 10 satellite 5 master, 10 satellite 10 Cdn, 5 U.S. 10 Cdn, 5 U.S. EC (MSC and EHD) and US EPA GLNPO EC (MSC and EHD) and US EPA GLNPO

GLNPO Toxics Water Monitoring Program

Overview Organics measured in GL water by EPA in mid-90s Organics measured in GL water by EPA in mid-90s Program reinstated for Lake Michigan in Summer 2003 Program reinstated for Lake Michigan in Summer 2003 Grantee is Matt Simcik of University of Minnesota Grantee is Matt Simcik of University of Minnesota Traditional OCs, dioxins/furans, Total Hg and MeHg, PBDEs, PFOS/PFOA Traditional OCs, dioxins/furans, Total Hg and MeHg, PBDEs, PFOS/PFOA

Future 2006 – Lake Superior 2006 – Lake Superior Possibly sample in AOCs Possibly sample in AOCs Opportunity to coordinate with Environment Canada program Opportunity to coordinate with Environment Canada program

Great Lakes Fish Monitoring Program– Great Lakes National Program Office

Open Lakes Trend Monitoring Objectives Monitor contaminant trends in the open waters of the Great Lakes (using fish as biomonitors) Monitor contaminant trends in the open waters of the Great Lakes (using fish as biomonitors) Assess the overall effects of toxic chemicals on fish and fish consuming wildlife Assess the overall effects of toxic chemicals on fish and fish consuming wildlife

Open Lakes Trend Monitoring Details Lake Trout (Walleye in Lake Erie) are collected in the fall Lake Trout (Walleye in Lake Erie) are collected in the fall Fish of similar size are collected to reduce impact of size variation on data Fish of similar size are collected to reduce impact of size variation on data Whole fish are analyzed, including parts not usually eaten by humans, such as liver and bones Whole fish are analyzed, including parts not usually eaten by humans, such as liver and bones 50 fish - 10 composite samples of five fish 50 fish - 10 composite samples of five fish

Game Fish Fillet Monitoring Objectives Monitor potential human exposure to contaminants through consumption of popular sport species Monitor potential human exposure to contaminants through consumption of popular sport species

Game Fish Fillet Monitoring Details Coho salmon (even numbered years) and chinook salmon (odd numbered years) are collected in the fall when they return to spawn Coho salmon (even numbered years) and chinook salmon (odd numbered years) are collected in the fall when they return to spawn -Rainbow Trout are collected in Lake Erie Skin-on fillets Skin-on fillets Three composite samples of five fish Three composite samples of five fish

Great Lakes Fish Monitoring Program (GLFMP) Contaminant List PCB congeners PCB congeners Hexachlorobenzene Hexachlorobenzene Pentachlorobenzene Pentachlorobenzene Octachlorostyrene Octachlorostyrene alpha BHC alpha BHC Lindane Lindane Aldrin Aldrin Dieldrin Dieldrin Heptachlor epoxide-b Heptachlor epoxide-b Heptachlor epoxide-a Heptachlor epoxide-a Cis-chlordane Cis-chlordane trans chlordane trans chlordane Oxychlordane Oxychlordane cis nonachlor cis nonachlor trans nonachlor trans nonachlor pp, op-DDT pp, op-DDT pp, op-DDE pp, op-DDE pp, op-DDD pp, op-DDD Endrin Endrin Mirex Mirex Toxaphene& homologs Toxaphene& homologs PCDD/Fs PCDD/Fs PBDEs PBDEs PBB-153 PBB-153 PCNs PCNs Hg Hg Fraction lipid Fraction lipid PFOS PFOS TBBPA TBBPA SCCPs SCCPs APEs APEs chlorothalonil chlorothalonil

GLFMP data used for: LaMPs LaMPs Binational Strategy Report Binational Strategy Report SOLEC SOLEC GPRA GPRA Great Lakes Strategy Great Lakes Strategy GL Indicators GL Indicators Peer Reviewed Journals Peer Reviewed Journals

L. Michigan L. Ontario L. Huron L. Erie L. Superior PCB (ppm) * Lake Trout (Walleye in Lake Erie) PCBs in Top Predator Fish - GLNPO

Industrial Chemicals Industrial Chemicals PCB congeners PCB congeners Hexachlorobenzene Hexachlorobenzene Pentachlorobenzene Pentachlorobenzene Octachlorostyrene Octachlorostyrene Pesticides Pesticides alpha BHC alpha BHC Lindane Lindane Aldrin Aldrin Dieldrin Dieldrin Heptachlor epoxide-b Heptachlor epoxide-b Heptachlor epoxide-a Heptachlor epoxide-a Cis-chlordane Cis-chlordane trans chlordane trans chlordane Oxychlordane Oxychlordane cis nonachlor cis nonachlor trans nonachlor trans nonachlor pp, op-DDT pp, op-DDT pp, op-DDE pp, op-DDE pp, op-DDD pp, op-DDD Endrin Endrin Mirex Mirex Toxaphene& homologs Toxaphene& homologs Additional Contaminants of Concern Additional Contaminants of Concern PCDD/Fs PCDD/Fs PBDEs PBDEs PBB-153 PBB-153 PCNs PCNs APEs APEs Hg Hg PFOS PFOS TBBPA TBBPA SCCPs SCCPs chlorothalonil chlorothalonil Contaminants

R/V Mudpuppy Sediment Assessments   AOC Non-AOC As of 10/2005