1. Lake Michigan Pilot Study Update National Water Quality Monitoring Council Meeting Philadelphia, PA July 23, 2007

2. General Process and Flow Submitted Statement of Interest Submitted Statement of Interest Pilot selected Pilot selected Recruited initial members Recruited initial members Held “kick-off” meeting May 10, 2007 in New Buffalo, MI Held “kick-off” meeting May 10, 2007 in New Buffalo, MI Component Workgroups formed – more participates recruited (~ 50 total to date) Component Workgroups formed – more participates recruited (~ 50 total to date) Lake MI Pilot Study wiki created: Lake MI Pilot Study wiki created: http://glos.us/wiki/display/PilotNMN/Lake+Michigan+Pilot+Study+ of+the+National+Monitoring+Network+Home http://glos.us/wiki/display/PilotNMN/Lake+Michigan+Pilot+Study+ of+the+National+Monitoring+Network+Home Lake MI Pilot Study listserv created Lake MI Pilot Study listserv created

3. Map of Lake MI Pilot Study area

4. Two key Lake MI Ref Docs Lake MI Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) Lake MI Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) –Biennial updates –Snapshot of the basin –Can you eat fish, swim, drink the water? Series of indicators Series of indicators Excellent reference for Lake MI Management issues Excellent reference for Lake MI Management issues Lake MI Mass Balance Study Lake MI Mass Balance Study –1995-2005 –PCBs, Mercury, Nutrients concentrations/loadings Studied at mouths of 11 major tributaries – LMMB model Studied at mouths of 11 major tributaries – LMMB model Follow-up (10-year anniversary) in final analysis/reporting phase Follow-up (10-year anniversary) in final analysis/reporting phase See web site for details See web site for details

5. GL Monitoring Inventory Approximately 300 programs include monitoring in some portion of Lake Michigan Approximately 300 programs include monitoring in some portion of Lake Michigan Majority of the monitoring programs taking place at the state level Majority of the monitoring programs taking place at the state level

6. Metadata Fields Collected Program Information Program Information –Organization, department, website Contact Information Contact Information – Name, title, address, phone, fax, email Program Description Program Description –Program name, description, data uses, start and end dates, status (ongoing, etc.), medium monitored, sampling frequency, collection months, # of stations, methods, parameters monitored

7. Metadata Fields Collected Geographic Description Geographic Description –State/province, Great Lakes basin, focus area, sampling location coordinates Data Collection and Storage Information Data Collection and Storage Information –QAPP, # of staff, training, trainer, data available to public, data format, data location, report location Funding Support Funding Support –Funding source, annual budget

8. Monitoring Categories Fish Consumption Fish Consumption Drinking Water Drinking Water Beach Safety Beach Safety Air Monitoring Air Monitoring Water Quality Water Quality Sediment Quality Sediment Quality Soil Soil Groundwater Groundwater Climate/Weather Climate/Weather Fish Population Health Fish Population Health Urban Issues Urban Issues Aquatic Invasive Species Aquatic Invasive Species Coastal Wetlands Coastal Wetlands Wildlife Ecology Wildlife Ecology Benthic and Invertebrate Ecology Benthic and Invertebrate Ecology Plant Ecology Plant Ecology Habitat and Community Habitat and Community Atmospheric Deposition Atmospheric Deposition Nutrient Management Nutrient Management Land Use Land Use Erosion Erosion

9. Distribution of Sampling Programs by Agency

10. Distribution of Sampling Programs by Lake

11. Rivers Component Progress Progress –Developed Rivers component working group and held meeting and conference call –Developed a comparison matrix of the LMMB study, proposed NMN design, and ongoing monitoring design for major State/Federal entities. Looked at Great Lakes Inventory for other important river monitoring activities for possible inclusion in matrix. –Developed matrix of major State/Federal ongoing monitoring that includes locations, parameters, methods, management objectives, and data management information.

12. Rivers Component Progress (cont’d) Progress (cont’d) –Compared proposed nutrient method range and detection levels to major State/Federal protocol range and detection levels for nutrients. –Pulled historic water quality information for Lake Michigan river sites and from 1970 – 2001 and summarized graphically. –All information included on Lake Michigan pilot wiki

13. The Numbers Tell a Story

14. Rivers Component Needs Needs –Final information from all IWGs (nutrients, contaminants, biology) –Information for data inventory format –Format for rivers component of Lake Michigan Pilot report

15. Ground Water Component Conducted query of GL Mon Inventory for GW monitoring in Lake MI basin Conducted query of GL Mon Inventory for GW monitoring in Lake MI basin Held conference call – coming activities: Held conference call – coming activities: –Conduct an inventory of wells in the drainage areas that directly discharge to the Lake for shallow flow paths (we don't think there will be very many) –Put together GIS layers on geology and land use from either the GAP project or from the Water Availability and Use Project (or both) –Use existing models and reports to determine ground- water flux directly to the lake (RASA model, Milwaukee Model, Door Peninsula models, etc and Annotated Bibliography report)

16. Ground Water Component Thoughts on How to Proceed (cont’d) Thoughts on How to Proceed (cont’d) –Conduct NWIS and STORET queries for quality of water data in the drainage area (we haven't yet figured out how to do this) –Use flux estimates and GW data to make a rough estimate of loads of some chemical constituents to the Lake –Based on these load estimates, we will work on a monitoring plan that will improve the load estimates

17. Wetlands Component Progress Progress –Created a spreadsheet of current wetland monitoring efforts being conducted in Lake Michigan and comparing the goals of each program to the goals of the Lake Michigan Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP). The group has compiled a list of existing efforts and is continuing to add to the list as we learn about new monitoring programs. Current programs include efforts being conducted at national, state and local levels. The group has compiled a list of existing efforts and is continuing to add to the list as we learn about new monitoring programs. Current programs include efforts being conducted at national, state and local levels.

18. Wetlands Component Exploring the possibility of using methods from the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Consortium (GLCWC) as part of the monitoring design Exploring the possibility of using methods from the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Consortium (GLCWC) as part of the monitoring design –Status: The GLCWC is in the process of preparing a GL coastal wetlands monitoring plan (indicators, protocols, metrics, site selection, etc.) to be complete by September 2007. When these protocols are available, we will compare them to current monitoring efforts and determine what the cost differences may be for implementing the GLCWC design for CWs.

19. Wetlands Component Will prepare a report comparing existing efforts for Lake Michigan with a new network design (if available). If a network design is unavailable, will summarize existing efforts in Lake Michigan/Great Lakes and comment on their applicability to a nationwide design. Will prepare a report comparing existing efforts for Lake Michigan with a new network design (if available). If a network design is unavailable, will summarize existing efforts in Lake Michigan/Great Lakes and comment on their applicability to a nationwide design.

20. Embayments (Estuaries) Comp. Need to compare the 19 existing monitoring projects to the 50 randomly selected embayments chosen by the Network design in the Great Lakes region Need to compare the 19 existing monitoring projects to the 50 randomly selected embayments chosen by the Network design in the Great Lakes region Need to get our hand on the entire list of embayments that the 50 were chosen from – why 50? Need to get our hand on the entire list of embayments that the 50 were chosen from – why 50?

21. Embayments (Estuaries) Comp. 7 of the 50 randomly chosen sites are in Lake MI 7 of the 50 randomly chosen sites are in Lake MI Need to determine whether 7 sites are adequate for sampling Need to determine whether 7 sites are adequate for sampling Determine whether embayments with different surrounding landscapes (urban vs ag vs pristine) should have different monitoring goals and different monitoring requirements Determine whether embayments with different surrounding landscapes (urban vs ag vs pristine) should have different monitoring goals and different monitoring requirements

22. Atmospheric Deposition Component Great Lakes covered in full report appendix Great Lakes covered in full report appendix Looks to GLs and how PBT/toxic chemical deposition might apply elsewhere Looks to GLs and how PBT/toxic chemical deposition might apply elsewhere Still vague recommendations – awaiting national feedback Still vague recommendations – awaiting national feedback IADN is lacking in Mercury monitoring IADN is lacking in Mercury monitoring IADN will look at national recommendations IADN will look at national recommendations

23. Why air? Important pathway for input to the Lakes Important pathway for input to the Lakes Air concentrations respond rapidly to changes in emissions Air concentrations respond rapidly to changes in emissions

24. Shift to Atmospheric Inputs Over Past Decades

26. IADN Overview Joint EPA-Environment Canada project Joint EPA-Environment Canada project –Ron Hites at Indiana University is U.S. grantee In operation since 1990 (GLWQA and CAAA of 1990) In operation since 1990 (GLWQA and CAAA of 1990) Measure PBTs in air and precipitation at 15 sites around the Great Lakes (U.S. runs five) Measure PBTs in air and precipitation at 15 sites around the Great Lakes (U.S. runs five) Goals: Goals: –Determine atmospheric loadings to the Lakes –Look at trends in concentrations –Use data to measure progress made by toxics reduction efforts

27. IADN Summary Levels of “legacy” chemicals are decreasing, but they may be starting to level off. Levels of “legacy” chemicals are decreasing, but they may be starting to level off. Cities are important source areas of many chemicals (PCBs, PAHs, PBDEs, some pesticides, etc.) Cities are important source areas of many chemicals (PCBs, PAHs, PBDEs, some pesticides, etc.) Ongoing monitoring is useful for examining progress in reducing “ old ” chemicals and finding new potential problems (Dechlorane Plus, for example) Ongoing monitoring is useful for examining progress in reducing “ old ” chemicals and finding new potential problems (Dechlorane Plus, for example) IADN drawbacks: IADN drawbacks: –No Hg measurements on U.S. side (states doing some monitoring) –Urban coverage only in Chicago and Cleveland We are currently considering dropping or reducing frequency on some legacy chemicals with low detection rates to free up resources for adding chemicals of emerging concern We are currently considering dropping or reducing frequency on some legacy chemicals with low detection rates to free up resources for adding chemicals of emerging concern

28. Off Shore Component Problem with probabilistic approach – what is it based on? Problem with probabilistic approach – what is it based on? 3 programs – 30 years of data 3 programs – 30 years of data Build on existing monitoring Build on existing monitoring Few Off Shore stations – what is minimum number required to capture status/trends? Few Off Shore stations – what is minimum number required to capture status/trends? Need to determine spatial & temporal variation for extrapolating to other lakes Need to determine spatial & temporal variation for extrapolating to other lakes –10-45 meter Near Shore needs attention –Temporal variation increases Near Shore

29. Off Shore Component USGS-GLSC long-term survey of prey fish community (since 1973) USGS-GLSC long-term survey of prey fish community (since 1973) –7 different bottom trawl fixed sites around Lake MI –Acoustic survey uses a stratified random design to select transects each year No consistent water quality monitoring done on USGS vessels No consistent water quality monitoring done on USGS vessels Little communication with EPA with regard to their WQ and zooplankton sampling efforts on Lake MI Little communication with EPA with regard to their WQ and zooplankton sampling efforts on Lake MI –Perhaps this will change as a result of the NMN

30. Beaches Component Federal money Federal money Left up to local decisions on which beaches to monitor, e.g., heavier use, potential for contamination Left up to local decisions on which beaches to monitor, e.g., heavier use, potential for contamination State allocations vary – MI monitors select beaches only once/week; WI more often State allocations vary – MI monitors select beaches only once/week; WI more often GAP analysis being done for MI (close to completion) GAP analysis being done for MI (close to completion) –Began prior to LMPS selection – model to use Great Lakes Beach Association meets once/year: http://www.glin.net/glba/ Great Lakes Beach Association meets once/year: http://www.glin.net/glba/ http://www.glin.net/glba/ –Current beach conditions for GL states + Ontario online

31. Near Shore Component Need to define Near Shore area Need to define Near Shore area Utilities do monitoring of raw water intakes – shallow near shore to 30 meters Utilities do monitoring of raw water intakes – shallow near shore to 30 meters Characterizing sites – what should coasts look like? Characterizing sites – what should coasts look like?

33. Near Shore Component On WI side, sites monitored for (WDNR/UW-M): On WI side, sites monitored for (WDNR/UW-M): –Cladophora growth/densities –Zebra and quagga mussels presence –Water quality (TP,TDP,SRP,TKN,NO3,TSS, Chlora-a) –Physical parameters profile (dissolved O2, conductivity, temperature, light) –Algal tissue samples collected for nutrient analysis (C,N,P,SI) –USGS-GLSC NS studies looking at food web – invasives/native fish – changes w/ depth – to 18 meters

34. GLOS - Information Integration Regional data processing center Regional data processing center –servers, bandwidth, software Based on Service-Oriented Architecture Based on Service-Oriented Architecture Modeling clearinghouse and applications Modeling clearinghouse and applications development center development center Linkage to Great Lakes Information Network Linkage to Great Lakes Information Network National interface National interface Subsystems Components:

35. Components Data Discovery Data Visualization Data Evaluation Data Access Data Publishing Core GLOS-DMAC Functionalities Tenants Empower user/organizations Make data accessible to ALL Be extensible/expandable Minimize duplication Metadata driven Standards based Leverage open source software Service Oriented Architecture

37. Contact: Great Lakes Commission John Hummer (jhummer@glc.org) 734-971-9135 jhummer@glc.org QUESTIONS?