Waterford Waterway & Tichigan Lake 2017 Water Quality and Algae Sampling Report

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1 Waterford Waterway & Tichigan Lake 2017 Water Quality and Algae Sampling Report September 20, 2017 Prepared for: Waterford Waterway Management District Prepared by: James Scharl 0 Toll Free:

2 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION / SUMMARY... 2 WATERBODY MORPHOLOGY WATER QUALITY MONITORING - METHODS WATER WAULITY MONITORING RESULTS AND DISCUSSION... 3 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS... 8 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A Figure 1 Toll Free:

3 INTRODUCTION / SUMMARY The Waterford Waterway Management District (WWMD or the District) is a group responsible for the management and protection of the water quality and recreation enjoyment of the Waterford Waterway. The District has worked with numerous consultants on a wide variety of studies to try and deal with various interrelated issues, including but not limited to: watershed, nutrient loading, lake management plans, dredging, water quality, nuisance and toxic algae, sedimentation, excessive aquatic plant growth, and aquatic invasive species. Wisconsin Lake & Pond Resource, LLC (WLPR) was contacted by the District to provide water quality monitoring for nutrient levels, primarily phosphorus, potential toxic blue-green algae levels, and a report summarizing 2017 results and historical comparisons for the Waterway. WLPR furnished all materials, tools, and equipment necessary to perform all operations. This report provides a summary of observations and conclusions from 2017 and recommendations for Waterbody Morphology Waterford Waterway is an 1132-acre impoundment of the Fox River located in the Town of Waterford, Racine County, Wisconsin. The Waterway includes Tichigan Lake, the Fox River, and various shallow backwater areas of the reservoir, which has a maximum depth of 63 feet with a mean depth of 6.3 feet. The Waterway has a very large watershed which contributes to its nutrient load and can lead to elevated levels of phosphorus. Blue green algae, or cyanobacteria, are potentially toxic and recently discovered at high levels in 2016 in portions of the waterway. Populations of cyanobacteria grow to nuisance levels, or blooms, and can be fueled by high phosphorus levels Water Quality Monitoring - Methods Based on critical locations within the impoundment, water samples were collected for algae identification and enumeration; total phosphorus; and free reactive phosphorus throughout the waterway at various periods. Areas sampled include the following and are displayed on Figure 1; Site 1: Waterford Lake Site 2: Elm Island Bay Site 3: southeast bay on Tichigan Lake Site 4: northeast bay on Tichigan Lake Site 5: Buena Lake Site 6: Island View Bay All above locations were collected with GPS location noted and submitted to SePro Research & Technology labs with the following parameters to be analyzed; Total Phosphorus & Free Reactive Phosphorus Sites 1-4: June 21 and July 20, 2017 Algae types and species present Sites 1-4: June 21, July 20, August 30, and September 13, 2017 Sites 5-6: September 13, Toll Free:

4 The above samples were collected by WLPR staff. All required equipment, instructions, and sample bottles were provided by WLPR. Samples for total and free reactive phosphorus were not collected for August or September at the request of the District. An additional concern at the project s conception was from runoff input into Tichigan Lake proper by an un-named inlet emptying into the northeast bay. Periodic samples were to be collected by a WWMD volunteer periodically during runoff events and included one sample on the east side of the HWY 164 culvert while the other to be collected near its confluence into Tichigan Lake. These samples were to be collected to gauge nutrient loading from watershed runoff and appropriately size remediation actions to be installed within the inlet. Initial actions were to install a series of polymer floc-logs to bind up incoming phosphorus and suspended solids from the primarily agricultural watershed east of HWY 164 drained by the inlet. This practice is commonly used in stormwater ponds to alleviate the same issues. After further discussion with regulatory authorities and the DNR on permit requirements, this stage of the project was abandoned due to DNR concerns on potential toxicity of the floc-logs to non-target aquatic organisms. As a result, only one sample taken on June 28, 2017 was completed Water Quality Monitoring Results and Discussion To test runoff input into Tichigan Lake in the northeast, unnamed inlet one sample was taken on June 28, 2017 following a period of rain during an active runoff event. Surprisingly low amounts of suspended solids were present, <4.0 mg/l. Total and free reactive phosphorus were both elevated and indicate a direct source of nutrient input into Tichigan Lake at times of runoff. Typical of small, intermittent streams chlorophyll-a was very low due to flowing water not allowing planktonic algae to accumulate. Table 1: Tichigan Inlet Sample Results, June 28, 2017 Parameter Unit Result Free Reactive Phosphorus ug/l 76 Total Phosphorus ug/l Total Suspended Solids mg/l <4.0 Chlorophyll a ug/l <10 The Waterford Waterway is a dynamic system with a very large watershed. Many locations of the waterway are slightly removed from direct flow-through by the Fox River and can experience varying degrees of nutrient input and loading. To assess potential problem areas, these areas were sampled for total and free reactive phosphorus along with identification and enumeration of planktonic algae species present, specifically blue-green algae. 3 Toll Free:

5 The waterway is generally considered impaired due to the amount of phosphorus available in water. This can have two primary sources; external (e.g. from the watershed) and internal (released from sediment or by recycling). Excessive phosphorus can cause water quality issues, such as algae blooms or exacerbating dense aquatic plant growth. Phosphorous levels in water for much of the waterway were considered to be in the impaired range for fish and aquatic life, per State and Federal guidelines (Table 2 and Chart 1). Table 2: Total and Free Reactive Phosphorus, Waterford Waterway, Racine County, Wisconsin. Total Phosphorus (ug/l) Free Reactive Phosphorus (ug/l) Waterbody Location Sample ID 2016 June, 2017 July, 2017 Average /21/2017 7/20/2017 Average Percent of Total Waterford Lake % Elm Island Bay % Tichigan Proper East Bay % Tichgan Proper North % Tichigan Proper - Mid Lake CLMD - WDNR^ ^ CLMD - WDNR: Citizen Lake Monitoring Data from WI Department of Natural Resources. Chart 1: Total Phosphorus Levels, Waterford Waterway, Racine County, WI In-Water Total Phosphorus Levels and Associated Impairment Levels* Waterford Lake Elm Island Bay Tichigan Proper - East Bay Tichgan Proper - North Tichigan Proper - Mid Lake Total Phosphorus (ug/l) Impairment to FIsh and Aquatic Life Impairment to Recreation June, 2017 July, 2017 Average *Waterbody Impairment Levels as according to WisCALM Parameters, 2014 for Shallow Lowland 4 Toll Free:

6 Total phosphorus includes all types of phosphorus within the water, including that which is bound by plants or chemical properties and biologically unavailable. Free reactive phosphorus is the portion of total phosphorus in forms readily available to be used by plants or algae. In areas where plant or algae growth is dense even though the total phosphorus reading may be elevated, most is already locked up biologically within the plant and/or algae biomass, resulting in low free reactive phosphorus. High amounts of nutrients, including phosphorus, in the water can lead to excessive algae growth and blooms. Algae blooms impact enjoyment of the water and can be a potential health hazard if composed of certain species of blue-green algae. Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, can produce toxins which become released into the water when the cells die by natural cycles, chemical treatment, or through digestion by people or animals. In high concentrations these toxins can cause various ailments including; skin, eye, or throat irritation, fever, nausea, and vomiting including more serious effects such as paralysis, respiratory failure, and seizures. Animals, including pets, are also susceptible to blue-green algal toxins. As blue-green algae blooms increase so do does the associated risk of impact to water users increase. However, it is important to note that though blue-green algae cell counts may be high it is not an indication that high levels toxins are present. Specific laboratory tests must be completed on water samples to test for the presence of toxins. Water samples taken for blue-green algae showed generally low results throughout much of the Waterway except for Waterford Lake (Tables 3 and 4). Excluding Waterford Lake, total amounts of blue-green algae reached into the moderate risk level (>20,000 cells/ml) on two occasions within Tichigan Lake proper; August 30 in the east bay and September 13 on the north side (Chart 2). On both occasions the other Tichigan Lake sample site was in the low risk range indicating that blue-green algae accumulation is likely dependent on wind direction. Table 3: Blue-green algae sample results. Blue Green Algae Density (cells/ml) Waterbody Location Sample ID /21/2017 7/20/2017 8/30/2017 9/13/2017 Average Waterford Lake* Elm Island Bay Tichigan Proper - East Bay 3 ---** Tichigan Proper - North Buena Lake Island View Bay * - Waterford Lake displayed on Table 4 & Chart 3 ** - Filamentous Blue-green Algae was identified, but not associated to cell count 5 Toll Free:

7 Cyanobacteria Cell Count (cells/ml) Chart 2: Blue-green algae sample results, Waterford Waterway excluding Waterford Lake Cyanobacteria Levels and Associated Toxin Risk* HIGH Elm Island Bay Tichigan Proper - East Bay Tichigan Proper - North Buena Lake Island View Bay MODERATE LOW /21/2017 7/20/2017 8/30/2017 9/13/2017 Average *Risk of cyanotoxin exposure threshold from World Health Organization Waterford Lake showed initially high levels of blue-green algae in 2016, exceeding the threshold for high (>100,000 cells/ml) associated cyanobacteria toxin risk. Continued sampling in 2017 showed low risk levels in June and July, which elevated beyond high risk levels in August (300,000 cells/ml) and continued into September (200,000 cells/ml) (Table 4). Blue-green algae levels were comprised of four various species in 2017, including cylindrospermopsis. Cylindrospermopsis is a non-native cyanobacteria which originated from warmer regions and typically thrives in warm (>70 degrees F) conditions. It is important to note that this strain is also able to fix its own nitrogen, an additional nutrient for algae growth. In many waters of Wisconsin, nitrogen is the limiting nutrient for plant and algae growth. Water samples during 2017 showed continued high levels of phosphorus in Waterford Lake (Table 1). The ability of cylindrospermopsis to fix, or create, its own nitrogen allows it an advantage in propagation over other cyanobacteria strains. 6 Toll Free:

8 Cyanobacteria Cell Count (cells/ml) Table 4: Blue-green algae sample results by species, Waterford Lake. Waterford Lake - Blue Green Algae Density (cells/ml) Cyanobacteria Species 8/10/ /8/2016 6/21/2017 7/20/2017 8/30/2017 9/13/2017 Average Cylindrospermopsis sp Merismopedia sp Planktolyngbya sp Planktothrix sp Pseudanabaena sp TOTAL Chart 4: Waterford Lake blue-green algae sample results by strain Waterford Lake - Cyanobacteria Levels and Associated Toxin Risk* Cylindrospermopsis sp. Merismopedia sp. Planktolyngbya sp. Planktothrix sp. Pseudanabaena sp. TOTAL HIGH MODERATE LOW 8/10/ /8/2016 6/21/2017 7/20/2017 8/30/2017 9/13/2017 Average - *Risk of cyanotoxin exposure threshold from World Health Organization Toll Free:

9 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS It is important that appropriate management actions continue for monitoring of and management of potentially harmful blue-green algae within the Waterford Waterway. Outside of Waterford Lake, much of the monitored waterway experienced low to occasionally moderate risk levels of blue-green algae. However, blue-green algae was again prevalent and within the high risk range within Waterford Lake. Based on these data the following actions are recommended: Continue monitoring of blue-green algae within Waterford Lake monthly from May October. If levels exceed 100,000 cells/ml, appropriate action should be taken to notify landowners and the Racine County Health Department and post nearby access points. Even in times of cooler water where swimming is not common these actions should be taken, as blue-green algae at high levels is still potentially harmful to humans and animals. Control or reduction of phosphorus levels within Waterford Lake. Phosphorus is a driving nutrient for problematic algae blooms and recorded levels in 2017 were continually high. Application of binding agents, such as Phoslock or Alum, can reduce phosphorus in the water column. If chosen, this action would require a permit from the DNR and have an anticipated lifespan of 1-5 years, depending on additional input from the Waterford Lake watershed. Treatment of blue-green algae using herbicides or algaecides is not recommended. Monitoring of blue-green algae at other locations throughout the Waterway may be warranted if conditions indicate the presence of a nuisance bloom. The Waterford Waterway Management District must remain proactive in their approach with a continued commitment to ensuring the health, aesthetic and recreational values of the Waterford Waterway. 8 Toll Free:

10 Appendix A Figure 9 Toll Free:

11 Water Quality & Algae ID Sampling Sites Waterford Waterway Racine County Figure 1

Boy Lake CASS COUNTY

Boy Lake CASS COUNTY Boy Lake 11-143- CASS COUNTY Summary Boy Lake is located near Remer, MN in Cass County. It covers 3,452 acres, which places it in the upper 1% of lakes in Minnesota in terms of size. Boy Lake has two main