PREPARED FOR: THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY BOARD PREPARED BY: HULL & ASSOCIATES, INC. 3401 GLENDALE AVENUE SUITE 300 TOLEDO, OHIO 43614 AND BLUMETRIC ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. 171 VICTORIA STREET NORTH KITCHENER ONTARIO CANADA N2H 5C5 MARCH 2016
EVALUATING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANS - NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN THE LAKE ERIE BASIN AND KEY LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE ERIE WATERSHED
HULL & ASSOCIATES, INC.
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MARCH 2016 TOLEDO, OHIO IJC001.100.0015
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
....................................................................................................................................................III
1.0
INTRODUCTION
................................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1
Report Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 1
1.2
International Joint Commission Role and Background ................................................................... 2
2.0
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN INVENTORY
..................................................................................... 4
2.1
Approach/Methodology Overview .................................................................................................. 4
2.2
Preliminary Screening .......................................................................................................................... 4
2.3
Project Team Review and Selection of Plans .................................................................................. 6
2.4
Inventory and Evaluation ..................................................................................................................... 6
2.5
U. S. and Canadian Programmatic Approach ................................................................................ 7
2.5.1
U.S. Programmatic Approach .............................................................................................. 7
2.5.2
Canadian Programmatic Approach ................................................................................... 8
2.6
Limitations of Inventory and Evaluation ............................................................................................ 8
3.0
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT COMPONENTS OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANS
................ 10
3.1
Major Nutrient Sources and Load Allocations .............................................................................. 10
3.1.1
Agriculture ............................................................................................................................ 10
3.1.2
Erosion ................................................................................................................................... 10
3.1.3
Livestock ................................................................................................................................ 10
3.1.4
Aging Septic Systems ......................................................................................................... 11
3.1.5
Inadequate Wastewater Treatment and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) .... 11
3.1.6
Urban Runoff ....................................................................................................................... 11
3.2
Strategies and Management Practices for Minimizing Nutrient Loading ............................... 12
3.2.1
Minimize Application of Nutrients ................................................................................... 12
3.2.2
Limit Transport of Nutrients from Agricultural Soils...................................................... 12
3.2.3
Implement Green Infrastructure Techniques to Absorb Runoff .................................. 12
3.2.4
Repair Septic Systems or Connect Homes to Municipal Sewer Systems .................. 13
3.2.5
Update Wastewater Treatment Facilities ..................................................................... 13
3.2.6
Eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) ............................................................. 13
3.2.7
Educate the Public about Their Role in Nutrient Management .................................. 13
3.3
Modeling Nutrient Removal ............................................................................................................. 14
3.4
Nutrient Monitoring ........................................................................................................................... 14
3.5
Correlating Nutrient Loads to
HABs ............................................................................................... 15
3.6
Downstream Effects ........................................................................................................................... 15
3.7
Measurement Metrics and Report Cards ...................................................................................... 16
3.8
Adaptive Management .................................................................................................................... 16
4.0
SUMMARY OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN SCORES
............................................................. 18
4.1
Lake Erie Watershed ........................................................................................................................ 18
HULL & ASSOCIATES, INC.
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MARCH 2016 TOLEDO, OHIO IJC001.100.0015
TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT.) PAGE
4.2
Plans from Outside of the Lake Erie Watershed ........................................................................ 19
5.0
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND STRATEGY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE LAKE ERIE BASIN BASED ON RESEARCH FINDINGS
.......................................................... 21
6.0 REFERENCES
..................................................................................................................................................... 24
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Initial Inventory of Watershed Plans and Agencies within Lake Erie Basin Figure 2 Watershed Plans within Lake Erie Basin Included for Detailed Review Figure 3 Watershed Plans Outside Lake Erie Basin Included for Detailed Review
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix A Watershed Management Plans
–
Screening Matrix Appendix A-1 Lake Erie Watershed Plans Appendix A-2 Watershed Plans Outside of Lake Erie Appendix B Watershed Management Plans
–
Review Sheets Appendix B-1 Lake Erie Watershed Plans Appendix B-2 Watershed Plans Outside of Lake Erie Appendix C Summarized Scoring of Watershed Management Plans Appendix C-1 Lake Erie Watershed Plans Appendix C-2 Watershed Plans Outside of Lake Erie