Ric Lawson Watershed Planner Huron River Watershed Council MiCorps Staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Lab analysis by Ann Arbor WTP

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

TMDL Drainage Area

TP Loading in the Middle Huron

TP Upstream of Ann Arbor

TP at Ford Lake

TP in Belleville Lake

TP Concentrations (all sites)

TP Concentrations by site

Mean [TP] Comparisons Site(s)[TP] (mg/l) [TP] (mg/l) T-test Probability % Reduction Non-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor < Traver Creek < Swift Run < Honey Creek < Allens Creek Malletts Creek Superior Drain Note: Baseline samples only. Only sites with p<0.10 are shown.

E. Coli

2010 Total Rain: 0.62 inches in 2 hours prior to highest flow 0.97 inches total of rain received on May 11-May 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

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

Ric Lawson Watershed Planner ext. 609