Long-Term Volunteer Lake Monitoring in the Upper Woonasquatucket Watershed

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Scot Johnston
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1 Long-Term Volunteer Lake Monitoring in the Upper Woonasquatucket Watershed Linda Green URI Watershed Watch , WATER QUALITY IS A REFLECTION OF THE ACTIVITIES IN THE LANDS AND WATERS SURROUNDING AND LYING UPSTREAM OF ANY LOCATION 1

2 WATER QUALITY IS ALSO A REFLECTION OF in-water processes: biology, chemistry, physics of the waterbody itself Watershed: The area of land that drains to the outlet of a lake, stream or other waterbody

3 Limnology: Scientific study of freshwater ecosystems lakes, ponds, reservoirs, streams Goal: Improve understanding of the physical, biological, chemical, and geological factors affecting these ecosystems URI Watershed Watch: An Ecological Monitoring Program Ecological Monitoring = Repeated measurements over time to note a condition or track a trend 3

4 URI Watershed Watch: Essential Ingredients science-based locally driven involve the public educational, not regulatory provide good, useful information stable funding

5 Woonasquatucket Lakes Georgiaville Pond - 38 Hawkins Reservoir - 9 Slack s Reservoir - 39 Waterman Lake Woon. Res. Stump Pond The Continuum of Volunteer Monitoring Data Use Education / Awareness Assess Impairment Legal & Regulatory Increasing Time - Rigor - QA - Expense $$ URIWW has EPA-approved QAPP s & is a RI Dept of Health certified laboratory 5

6 We measure: Secchi Depth Chlorophyll Phosphorus & nitrogen Dissolved oxygen Bacteria To indicate: Water clarity Algae Nutrient levels Aquatic health Safe for recreation Monitoring Equipment & Supplies 6

7 Monitoring Supplies Secchi Disk and View Tube (not for rivers) Postcards (on-line data entry coming soon!) Deep or Shallow Sampler Sample Bottles Chlorophyll Supplies kits Thermometer Dissolved Oxygen Kit Salinity Kit Three Tiers of Monitoring Weekly - water clarity (lakes and ponds) Biweekly water temperature chlorophyll (algae) dissolved oxygen salinity 7

for lab analysis of Acidity level nutrients bacteria The ultimate goal is to ensure

8 Three Tiers of Monitoring Water Collection Days Monthly- rivers, salty sites May, July, Oct lakes and ponds A suite of water samples collected and brought to WW lab for lab analysis of Acidity level nutrients bacteria The ultimate goal is to ensure that good quality data is collected by satisfied, well trained volunteers and is used! 8

9 Rainfall Amount Distribution Water Lakes slow the flow of water Lake water quality reflects the history of the water Particulate matter Soluble materials 9

10 Residence Time: Amount of time water spends in the lake between inflow and outflow < 1 days algae flushed out 1-1 days nutrients collect, algae use nutrients and multiply >1 days amount of algae limited by amount of nutrients Accumulation Nutrients Sediment Organic Material 1

11 Eutrophication Time Particulates Runoff from storms sediments organic matter 11

12 Discharge to waterways nutrients, pesticides, adsorbed to above Bacterial contamination Airborne particulates dust pollen 1

13 Soluble Materials Dissolved plant nutrients, particularly P and N Agricultural crops Lawn and garden fertilizers Wastewater discharges 13

Some organic sediments Eutrophy Nutrient Rich Algal blooms or dense

14 Stages of Lake Aging Oligotrophy Clear Water Nutrient Poor Sandy or rocky bottom Inorganic sediments Mesotrophy Average nutrient levels Some organic sediments Eutrophy Nutrient Rich Algal blooms or dense aquatic plant growth Basin filling with organic sediments A Delicate Balance 1

15 Woonasquatucket Lakes Georgiaville Pond Hawkins Reservoir Slack s Reservoir Waterman Lake Woonasquatucket Res. Stump Pond 8 RANK OF LAKES BY MULTI-YEAR PHOSPHORUS TROPHIC STATUS 7 Hypereutrophic: excessive productivity 6 Eutrophic: high level of nutrients and biological productivity 5 Mesotrophic: moderate levels of nutrients and productivity 3 Geo'vl Oligotrophic: low in nutrients and algae Slack's Hawkins Waterm'n Stump

Bacteria Results Fecal Coliform Maxima, upper Woonasquatucket Lakes, 1993-1993 199 1 3 Georgiaville 3 6 8 7 5 19 8 9 3 13 38 973 Hawkins 9 3 17 33 Slacks 8 116 8 19 96 1 1 16 18 6 9 Woon-Stump 13 11

16 Bacteria Results Fecal Coliform Maxima, upper Woonasquatucket Lakes, Georgiaville Hawkins Slacks Woon-Stump Waterman Maximum fecal coliform in each year, typically 3 samples per monitoring season. Recreational contact levels are fc/1 ml water. Typically the maximum occurs during/after rainfall events. 16

17 Georgiaville Pond Eutrophic - Low water clarity Mesotrophic - Moderate water clarity Oligotrophic - Excellent water clarity 7 Depth (m) Secchi Depth ppb 1 Chlorophyll Levels 1 Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels 8 6 Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels Oligotrophic - Low algae levels ppb 3 Total Phosphorus Levels Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels 5 Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels Georgiaville Pond Apr-9 Jun-9 Aug-9 Sep-9 May-91. Top 1. Jul-91 Sep-91 Nov-91 Jun-9 Aug-9 Oct-9 May-93 Jul-93 Oct-93 May-9 Jul-9 Sep-9 Jun-95 Aug-95 Jul-96 May-97 Aug-97 Jul-98 Georgiaville Pond Water Clarity 199- (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency) Jun-99 Oct-99 Jul- May-1 Aug-1 May- Jul- Jun-3 Sep-3 Jul- Jun-5 Poor Clarity. 3. Moderate Clarity. 5. Very Clear actual bottom depth Bottom Depth (m) 17

18 Dissolved Oxygen Necessary for fish and aquatic animals Prevents re-suspension of trapped nutrients Content controlled by water temperature and sediment biomass Lake Stratification 18

19 Dissolved Oxygen mg/l 1 DISSOLVED OXYGEN at 5 METERS Barber Pond Wash Pond /17 5/6 5/8 6/18 7/11 8/1 8/7 9/17 1/8 1/ May 5-May 7-Jun Georgiaville Dissolved Oxygen All Years 1-Jun 6-Jul -Jul -Aug 18-Aug 31-Aug 1-Sep 8-Sep 1-Oct 5-Oct

1 1 8 Georgiaville Dissolved Oxygen Best - Worst - Now 6 199 1-May 19-May 5-May 1-Jun 7-Jun 15-Jun 1-Jun 9-Jun 6-Jul 1-Jul -Jul

20 1 1 8 Georgiaville Dissolved Oxygen Best - Worst - Now May 19-May 5-May 1-Jun 7-Jun 15-Jun 1-Jun 9-Jun 6-Jul 1-Jul -Jul 5-Jul -Aug 1-Aug 18-Aug 7-Aug 31-Aug 7-Sep 1-Sep 19-Sep 8-Sep 5-Oct 1-Oct 19-Oct 5-Oct 1-Aug Alternate Shallow Lake Stable States

21 Hawkins Pond Depth (m) Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) 1 ppb Algae Levels (Chlorophyll) 1 Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels 8 6 Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels Oligotrophic - Low algae levels 1 3 ppb Total Phosphorus Levels 3 Eutrophic - High nutrient levels 5 15 Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels 1 5 Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels May- Jun- Jun- Top Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- May-3 Jun-3 Jul-3 Aug-3 Sep-3 Apr- May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Hawkins Pond Water Clarity - (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency) May-5 May-5 Jul-5 Aug-5 Sep Depth (m) ppb 1 actual pond bottom depth Hawkins Multi-year Algae Levels (Chlorophyll) 1 8 Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels 6 Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels Oligotrophic - Low algae levels Apr- Jun- Aug- Oct- Dec- Feb-3 Apr-3 Jun-3 Aug-3 Oct-3 Dec-3 Feb- Apr- Jun- Aug- Sep- Nov- Jan-5 Mar-5 May-5 Jul-5 Sep-5 Nov-5 1

22 Slack s Reservoir Eutrophic - Low water clarity Mesotrophic - Moderate water clarity.5 Oligotrophic - Excellent water clarity 5 Depth (m) Secchi Depth 3 ppb 1 Algae Levels (Chlorophyll) 1 Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels 8 6 Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels Oligotrophic - Low algae levels ppb 3 Total Phosphorus Levels 5 Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels 15 Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels 1 5 Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels Slack s Reservoir A pr-91 Jun-91 Aug-91 Oct-91 May-9 Aug-9 Oct-9 Jun-9 Oct-9 Sep-95 Jun-96 Aug-96 Oct-96 Jun-97 Aug-97 Oct-97 Jun-98 Aug-98 Oct-98 Jun-99 Aug-99 Oct-99 Jun- Aug- Oct- Jul-1 Sep-1 May- Jul- Sep- May-3 Jul-3 Sep-3 Jun- Aug-..5 Top Depth (m) actual bottom depth Slack's Reservoir Water Clarity - (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency)

23 Waterman Lake Depth Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) ppb Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels Algae Levels (Chlorophyll) 8 6 Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels Oligotrophic - Low algae levels ppb Total Phosphorus Levels Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels Waterman Lake May-91 Jul-91 Oct-91 Jun-9 Aug-9 Nov-9 Jul-93 Oct-93 Jun-9 Sep-9 A pr-95 Jul-95 Sep-95 May-96 Aug-96 Oct-96 Jul-97 Sep-97 Jun-98 Aug-98 May-99 Jul-99 Oct-99 Jul- Sep- Jun-1 Sep-1 May- Aug- Oct- Jul-3 Sep-3 Jul- Sep- Jun-5 Oct-5. Top Depth (m) Actual bottom depth Waterman Lake Water Clarity - (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency) 3

24 Stump Pond (Woon. Res.) Depth (m) Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) ppb Algae Levels 1 (Chlorophyll) 1 Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels 8 6 Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels Oligotrophic - Low algae levels ppb 3 Total Phosphorus Levels 5 Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels Stump Pond May-91 Jul-91 Sep-91 May-9 Aug-9 Oct-9 Top May-9 Aug-9 Oct-9 Jun-95 Aug-95 May-95 Jun-96 Aug-96 Oct-96 Jun-97 Aug-97 May-98 Sep-98 May-99 Jul-99 Sep-99 Jun- Aug- Oct- Jul-1 Woonasquatucket Reservoir-Stump Pond Water Clarity - (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency) Sep-1 Jun- Aug- May-3 Jul-3 Sep-3 Jul- Oct- Jul-5 Sep Max. Depth (m) actual bottom depth

25 The bottom line All the data is invaluable The data point to water quality as stable or slightly improving This is GREAT NEWS! Thank You! 5

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