DEC and HABs: Monitoring, Outreach and Collaboration. Scott Kishbaugh

Transcription

1 1 DEC and HABs: Monitoring, Outreach and Collaboration Scott Kishbaugh Chief, DOW Lake Management & Assessment Section May 10, 2016

2 2 Breaking Down the HABs Acronym H: Harmful toxins & more A: Algal (in freshwater, cyanobacteria, not true algae) B: Blooms (proliferation of cells, dense concentrations)

3 3 Cyanobacteria/Blue-green algae/habs Ancient organisms (~3.5 byo) Highly specialized and competitive Best in high temps, high light, high nutrients Moderate buoyancy Fix nitrogen Produce toxins

4 The Main Algae Microcystis ( Mike ) Unicellular- form late summer to fall Produces Microcystin and other toxins Can be highly toxic Does not fix nitrogen Anabaena ( Annie ) Filamentous- form in spring/summer Can produce Microcystin, Anatoxin,..- Mid - level toxin Strong nitrogen fixer (form heterocysts) Aphanizomenon ( Fannie ) Filamentous- form in spring/summer Can produce Anatoxin and other toxins Low level toxin Strong nitrogen fixer (form heterocysts) Oscillatoria ( Ozzie?) aka Planktothrix Filamentous- form early and late Produces Microcystin, Anatoxin,..- Highly toxic to non-toxic Mid level nitrogen fixer 4 4

5 5 Three Main Toxins Microcystins (-LR and others) Impacts liver Produced by Microsystis, Anabaena, Oscillatoria Most common toxin in New York Anatoxins (-a & -a(s)) Impacts nerves Produced by Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Oscillatoria Potentially fatal to dogs Lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins) Skin irritants and allergens Produced by most cyanobacteria Others (Cylindrospermopsin, Saxitoxins, Nodularin, BMAA, etc.)

6 A National Problem 7

7 8 DEC HABs Timeline 38 Confirmed Blooms 59 Confirmed Blooms 74 Confirmed Blooms 97 Confirmed Blooms DOH CDC Study DEC Website launches NWF Report DEC Partnership with NYC Parks Owasco & Seneca Lake monitoring programs Earlier CSLAP HABs tracking starts DEC Bloom status tracking starts Toledo water crisis DEC HABs Coordinator hired DEC HABs Program & Action Plan CEH Illness study

8 9 Factors that direct the program Goals Protect the public from health risks- worst case scenarios Document HAB problems but can t be all places at all times Link HABs to chlorophyll a, P, N, other stressors People Limited staff at DEC or DOH to conduct monitoring Interested and willing pool of trained volunteers Researchers w/ fluoroprobe/scopes, ability to measure toxins Engaged public looking for advisory information Funding Limited DEC funds, no DOH funds post CDC study Access to supplemental EPA funds Volunteers, public, other free stuff

9 10 But what about these things? (more factors) Authority DOH (OPRHP)--regulated beaches- protocols based on visual only DEC --all other unregulated sites- outreach driven by data Timing of reports & data analysis Weekly (Friday) updates in advance of recreational season Near real time reporting to partners Uncertainty Provide advisories w/o toxins or best measures of algae biomass Balance protection w/o alarming or desensitizing lake users No ELAP certification/agreement on BGA or toxin testing No federal or state standards for most measures of BGA or toxins Messaging Recreational users, potable water users, pets, visitors Distinguishing messages by level of contact and exposure `Balancing use support with use protection

10 11 DEC HABs Program Goals Protect the public from health risks Document HABs Collect data to link HABs to environmental stressors Provide outreach and education Collaborate with partner agencies, monitoring programs, academia, public to better understand the issue DOH collaboration critical to these goals Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection- Eric Wiegert, Stephanie June Bureau of Water Supply Protection- Lloyd Wilson, Jim Hyde, Mary Figgatt Outreach and Education Group- Gina Gallinger

11 12 Elements of the DEC HABs Program Program Oversight Management Research HAB Surveillance Data Analysis Outreach and Reporting Monitoring

12 13 The 3 Ps of surveillance and monitoring Programs Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) Lake Classification and Inventory Survey (LCI) Partnerships NY Federation of Lake Associations Agencies: DEC, NYS/County DOH, NYS/NYC Parks Academic: SUNY ESF, Stony Brook University Big Lakes: Honeoye Lake, Seneca Lake, Owasco Lake Select Small Lakes: Snyders Lake, Warners Lake, others Public Public reporting and periodic monitoring thru DEC web page, calls to DOH/DEC, others

13 Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) (continuously): >30,000 samples at 250 lakes >2000 volunteers lakes Program focus on eutrophication Volunteers sample 8x per year Analyzed by Upstate Freshwater Institute Subsidized program: State dedicates >$100k, staff time NYSFOLA lake associations contribute appx. $55k annually ($ per lake) EPA grants for HAB monitoring and surveillance (partnership with SUNY ESF)

14 15 The power of volunteers Committed and passionate environmental stewards Donate time and money and effort Live at lake- responsive to immediate and short-term changes Familiar with what is normal at their lake Can detect changes in lake condition Can identify when bloom occurs Environmental data used to manage lake (most lake management in NYS is local) Expands data collection throughout the state beyond Agency survey sites= greater understanding of regional patterns and issues

15 Open water HAB samples come in two forms 8x per year (biweekly) from near center of lake, grab from 1.5 meters Raw : 50 ml whole water sample analyzed for BGA content (BG chl.a) in fluoroprobe Filter: 200ml water sample filtered in the field and filter frozen Analyzed for 25 algal toxins Sent to Upstate Freshwater Institute with water chemistry samples Transported after screening to ESF 16

16 Shoreline Bloom Skim/Scum Samples 17 Bloom samples are sent directly to ESF

17 18 How samples are processed (ESF) Shoreline Bloom samples Microscopic exam FluoroProbe (%BGA initially, all genera later) Lyophilize 100ml Total cyanotoxins: Microcystins (16 congeners) Anatoxin-a (6 congeners) Cylindrospermopsins (2) BMAA PSP toxins (future) Open water filters In vivo chl /PC (UFI) from raw water vial Filter vial color coded for triaging Filter extracted (ESF) Raw open water sample vial Microscopic exam FluoroProbe (%BGA)

18 19 A word about the SUNY ESF-DEC-FOLA partnership DEC secured multiple EPA supplemental grants to support CSLAP and public HAB analysis thru ESF Work is largely subsidized by other SUNY ESF grants Very large number of samples (>2000 annually) analyzed by ESF- MANY (MANY) more than paid for thru grants Analysis includes pigment (fluoroprobe chlorophyll a), microscopics, toxins Relies heavily on expertise of Greg Boyer lab and grad students

19 Breakdown of NYS Surveillance and Monitoring 20 Category Visual- Public Visual- Professional Sampling- Microscopic Sampling- Pigment Sampling- Toxins Description Implication Decision Trigger Timing Digital images or comparison to image gallery DEC Web Notification- Suspicious DEC review Immediate (same day DEC review if needed) Beach manager visual evidence of BGA bloom DOH/OPRHP Beach Closure DOH/OPRHP review Immediate Microscopic scan of dominant taxa DEC Web Notification- Confirmed w/ evidence bloom BGA / toxin producer ID 1-2d (transitimmediate analysis/report) Unextracted or extracted chl.a, phycocyanin DEC Web Notification- Confirmed BG chla > 25-30; or PC > 50 & tchl > d (transitimmediate analysis/report) Lab PPIA/ELISA or field ELISA DEC Web Notification- Confirmed / High Toxins MC-LR > 20 ug/l (> 10 ug/l open water) 2-10d (transit + extraction) Accuracy Low to mod Mod to high? High Mod to high Mod to high Cost None None Low to mod Mod Mod to high Expertise / Availability None required Regulated sites only Few labs Some labs Few labs

20 21 Initial Bloom Report Is the observer a professional or trained citizen? No (lay person) Yes Does DEC HABs Program staff determine descriptions/photos appear to be a likely cyanobacteria bloom? Not a bloom No Yes Suspicious Bloom

21 22 Suspicious Bloom Collect a sample for analysis BG Chl.a < 25 µg/l or majority non-cyano taxa present BG Chl.a > µg/l or majority cyano taxa; microcystin <10 µg/l (open water) / <20 µg/l (shoreline) Confirmed Bloom & microcystin > 10 µg/l (open water) / 20 µg/l (shoreline) Not a bloom Confirmed Bloom Confirmed with High Toxins Bloom

22 23 DEC HABs Bloom Status: For all blooms Avoid exposure. Keep children and pets away from scums or discolored water Seek immediate medical assistance for symptoms consistent with exposure Report any symptoms to local/state Health Department Report additional and on-going blooms to DEC through digital photos, suspicious bloom form, drop box Repeated message that toxins should not drive advisory or avoidance strategies

23 24 Why BG Chl.a and not cells or toxins? Chlorophyll is a good surrogate for cell counts BG Chl tells just HABs amount Fluoroprobe is fast & cheap Less expertise needed Cell counts not yet available for factory line testing Data indicates close relationship between fluoroprobe results and presence of BGA at bloom quantities Toxins or not, avoid it! Toxins are ephemeral Analysis is expensive and slow Analytical tests not available for many toxins Guidelines on safe levels are not clear

24 25 DEC HABs Program Role Public & CSLAP reports Agency reports Lab reports Interpret and communicate results

25 26 Outreach and Reporting: Many days, many ways To the sampler/ reporter / lake association To other agencies To the public To media By s By web notification By social media Data rich Summary information only

26 27 Key points conveyed to samplers / reporters /public: Characterization of sample/report Suspicious, Confirmed, Confirmed with high toxins, no BGA Small localized, large localized, widespread, open water Next steps Agency response Monitoring (if none to date or follow up) response What they should do Avoid exposure Report symptoms consistent with BGA exposure to local and state DOH Seek medical assistance as needed Forward info to other lake residents Expectations for them Send images and field report if not already provided Keep agencies apprised of conditions Inform them report will forwarded to others Local DOH/DEC

27 Outreach to Agencies: to county group (devised by E Wiegert DOH, S Kishbaugh DEC) Forward all information- images, field report, lab results Indication of lake uses (header info) Public/private beaches or non regulated contact recreation Public water supply Location and extent of bloom (header info) Sample location and/or affected shoreline/open water Extent: Small/large localized, widespread, open water Characterization of sample/report (header info) Suspicious, Confirmed, Confirmed with high toxins, no BGA Comparison to Agency criteria used to characterize Report forwarded to others Lake association 28

28 29 Web notification (Friday outreach)

29 30 Outreach platforms: New and old tools Media Web page/ notification ListServe/MakingWaves Facebook Flickr YouTube Twitter Conservationist Flyers/brochures Press releases Signage

30 31

31 HABS in New York State ( ) Year Suspicious Confirmed High Toxins 32 Total But still many many unsampled lakes

32 Beware of shoreline scums! 33 Each level has x increase in cells Is it getting worse? may depend on where CSLAP Open water samples 2460 samples 3% BGA blooms <1% high toxins Bloom Samples 1010 samples 65% BGA blooms >23% high toxins

33 34 Sidebar: Is it getting worse? 4 looks Statewide # Lakes Reported BGA Blooms (by week) /11 5/26 6/10 6/25 7/10 7/25 8/9 8/24 9/8 9/23 10/8 10/23 11/7 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% Statewide % Sampled Lakes w/bga Blooms % 5/11 5/26 6/10 6/25 7/10 7/25 8/9 8/24 9/8 9/23 10/ Statewide # Lakes Confirmed BGA Blooms /11 5/26 6/10 6/25 7/10 7/25 8/9 8/24 9/8 9/23 10/8 10/23 11/7 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Cumulative % Routine Sampled NYS Lakes Reporting HABs end May end June end July end Aug end Sept end Oct

34 Bethesda 1 Prospect Park Lake The Lake in Central Park

35 36 Bethesda BG Chl.a: 476 ug/l Toxins: >2,000 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda 6.4 Bethesda BG Chl.a: 1,220 ug/l Toxins: 1,365 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda 7.1

36 37 72nd Lake - Bethesda 7.7 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 481 ug/l Toxins: 680 ug/l OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 1037 ug/l Toxins: 106 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda 8.2 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 320 ug/l Toxins: NA Bethesda BG Chl.a: 416 ug/l Toxins: 57 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda 8.12 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 277 ug/l Toxins: 25 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda 8.18

37 38 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 242 ug/l Toxins: 25 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda 9.3 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 225 ug/l Toxins: NA 72nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda 9.17 Bethesda BG Chl.a: 107,318 ug/l Toxins: 28,837 ug/l OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 334 ug/l Toxins: 42 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda 9.23 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 153 ug/l Toxins: 39 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda 9.29

38 39 OPEN WATER BG Chl.a: 291 ug/l 72nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda nd Lake - Bethesda 12.1

39 40 Research When? Where? Why? What? How? Y? Y? (oh Y)? What is DEC doing? Ongoing collaboration with DOH/CEH UFI/ESF grant to review extensive CSLAP HABs dataset Hazen-Sawyer NYSERDA grant evaluating land use changes and HABs Study of some in-lake management actions Research agenda needed!

40 Avoid green water No seriously don t touch it 41 (except to sample) And don t do this or this

41 42 Thank You! Questions to: May 10, 2016