Illinois Freshwater Mollusks Distribution and USEPA Recommended Ammonia Water Quality Standard

Transcription

1 Illinois Freshwater Mollusks Distribution and USEPA Recommended Ammonia Water Quality Standard

2 Overview Mussel Diversity and Presence in Illinois Knowledge Gaps concerning mussel presence USEPA National Ammonia Criteria Past and Present USEPA Final Ammonia Criteria (2013) IL EPA Mussel presence/discharger project IL EPA Adoption of National Ammonia Criteria

3 Illinois Freshwater Mollusk Diversity Number of Known Species BIVALVES (Mussels) Unionidae - Freshwater Mussels (80) Sphaeriidae - Fingernail Clams (25) Corbiculidae - Asian Clam (2) Dreissenidae - Zebra Mussels (2) GASTROPODA (Snails) Pulmonata - Lung Breathing (31) Prosobranchia - Gill Breathing (37)

4 Freshwater Mussels Imperiled Fauna In Illinois: 24% extinct or extirpated (19 species) 30% listed as threatened or endangered (24 extant species) 36% listed as Species in Greatest Need of Conservation (29 species) 90% of species in Illinois are listed or extirpated

5 Reasons For The Decline of Freshwater Mollusks Siltation Channelization Dams Ranching Chemical Pollution Mining Hydrology Construction Exotics

6 Recent Mussel Surveys Statewide mussel community project conducted 1066 samples 33 basins 52,000+ live mussels 90% of sites sampledmussel present 90% of sites sampled have watershed > 11 mi 2 (30 km 2 )

7 Mussel Presence/Absence in smaller watersheds 8 sites with extant mussels with watershed less than 20 km 2 (8 mi 2 ) 116 sites sampled no mussels present Of these 70% (82 sites) watershed size less than 30 km 2 (11 mi 2 )

8 Illinois Mussel Communities Knowledge Gaps Can mussels persist in smaller watersheds? Is there a specific watershed size where mussels can not persist? If that is the case, does the watershed size vary by geographical region or can it be applied statewide? Why do we need to address these questions? Can (do) effluent discharge or agricultural field tiles add enough flow to the streams to allow mussels to persist in what would normally be an intermittent or ephemeral stream? What type of sampling method will best answer these questions?

9 USEPA National Recommended Water Quality Criteria Ammonia (2013)

10 Ammonia Chemistry Background Ammonia primarily exists in two forms in aqueous solution: unionized ammonia (NH3) and ammonium ion (NH4+) Chemical speciation is based on ph and temperature Unionized ammonia is more prevalent at higher ph and temperature More toxic form of ammonia Aquatic life sensitivity is based on ph and temperature Given the importance of ph and temperature on ammonia speciation and toxicity, ammonia criteria must be ph and temperature dependent

11 Ammonia Criteria - Past 1976 National Ammonia Criteria (Red Book) 0.02 mg/l as unionized ammonia 1985 National Ammonia Criteria Revision Expressed as unionized ammonia, ph and temperature dependent ph dependent due to fish and invertebrate sensitivity Temperature dependent due to fish sensitivity Acute criterion: 1-hour average concentration Chronic criterion: 4-day average concentration More stringent than current IL EPA criteria

12 Ammonia Criteria - Past 1999 National Ammonia Criteria Current IL EPA criteria Expressed as total ammonia (TAN), ph and temperature relationship revised Early Life Stage (ELS) Fish Present and Absent categories added ELS Present: March Oct. ELS Absent: Nov. Feb. Acute criteria: 1-hour average Chronic criteria: 30-day average 4-day average must not be more than 2.5 times the CC

13 Ammonia Criteria - Recent 2009 Draft National Criteria Revision prompted by findings of mussel sensitivity Bifurcated acute and chronic TAN criteria Mussels present: 5x more stringent than 1999 chronic criteria Mussels absent: Less stringent than 1999 criteria Non-pulmonate snail research warranted

14 Ammonia Criteria - Present 2013 Final National Criteria Modified from 2009 draft criteria due to new data Glochidia data (mussel larvae) Non-pulmonate (gill-bearing) snail data ph and temperature slopes retained from 1999 criteria Non-bifurcated TAN criteria One set of criteria applicable to all fresh water to protect the aquatic community as a whole, including sensitive mollusks which are present in nearly all fresh waters of the contiguous U.S.

15 2013 Final Ammonia Criteria Site-specific criteria recalculations are permitted for sites where mussels are absent, as appropriate Mussels drive the acute criteria at warmer temperatures, drive the chronic criteria at all temperatures Other taxa influence criteria Oncorhynchus drive the acute criteria at lower temperatures ELS fish drive the chronic criteria (if mussels absent) Recalculated criteria with and without mussels, salmonids, and ELS fish present are provided in Appendix N of the 2013 ammonia criteria document

16 General Use Waters Adopt Mussels Present/Oncorhynchus Absent National Ammonia Criteria as Default Criteria Mussel presence in IL is ubiquitous if sufficient water and habitat exists Adopt Appendix N Mussels Absent Criteria as Site-Specific Subcategories: Extremely small headwater streams may not contain mussels Burden of proof on petitioner 16

17 Use of Mussels Absent Criteria Would require stream surveys, other documentation EPA Mussel Survey TSD - EPA 800-R Order Unionidae only Snails and fingernail clams excluded Appendix to Stream segments with mussels absent ammonia criteria Would require IL EPA, IL PCB, and USEPA approval

18 Aquatic Life vs Dischargers ~900 disinfection exempted facilities (red dots) ~3600 NPDES dischargers (blue dots) Concentration in Chicago, St. Louis Whole state coverage Dischargers influence most waters of the state

19 IL EPA Stream Project 106 USEPA Monitoring Grant Includes recreational use determinations Switch from fecal coliform to E. coli water quality standard USEPA-all waters must be protected for recreational use Mussel presence/absence determination As stated previously USEPA belief Sensitive mollusks present in nearly all freshwaters of the US

20 Survey Information What can be gained by these mussel surveys and how will this information be used? New Ammonia standard based on presence/absence of mussel species Determine if mussels can persist upstream of treatment facility Yes new standard will be based on mussel presence No (1) determine/document whyno available water, unsuitable habitat bedrock No (2) - additional surveys done downstream of effluent to ammonia decay end point to determine mussel presence/absence Determine if mussels can persist downstream of effluent to ammonia decay end point Yes new standard will be based on mussel presence No Document any natural habitat conditions that may prevent the presence of mussels - no available water, unsuitable habitat bedrock; further sampling/review may be needed

21 For this project Once mussels are detected, sampling is completed Use a qualitative method of sampling Sample all available habitats Experienced mussel samplers Best use of limited resources for presence/absence data

22 Sampling Example Ammonia Decay End Point Outfall

23 Sample 1 Upstream of effluent Sample 1 Outfall

24 Sample 2 At outfall/downstream of outfall Sample 2 Sample 1 Outfall

25 Sample 3 Ammonia decay end point Sample 3 Sample 2 Sample 1 Outfall

26 Sampling Example 1 st sample - US of effluent Found live mussels- Sampling completed No further sampling needed-mussels persist upstream of effluent Watershed size 3.57 mi 2 Field tiles upstream of effluent Provide additional input of water to stream

27 Small Watershed Size Example Wolf Creek Lower Cache River Basin Watershed size 2.59 mi 2 No Agricultural tile input Live mussels collected Pondhorn (Uniomerus tetralasmus) - known to survive desiccation

28 Small Watershed Size Example Unnamed tributary to Lick Creek - Upper Cache River Basin Watershed size 1.28 mi 2 Live mussel collected Pondmussel (Ligumia subrostrata) - known to occur in small creeks

29 Are there Illinois streams where mussels might not occur? Possibly Headwater streams that do not have agricultural tile inputs Dry except for large rainfall events Direct tributaries to large river systems such as the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Wabash Tend to be flashy intermittent systems

30 Known Mussel Presence in Effluent Receiving Streams Mussel presence based on the community study and ~900 DE facilities 157 (20%) had mussel surveys on effluent receiving stream 146 (93%) receiving streams - mussels present 23 near facility sites 14 upstream of facilities 84 downstream of facilities 21 both upstream and downstream locations 4 far downstream locations 11 sites did not have mussels 3 near facility sites 2 upstream of facilities 5 downstream of facilities And 1 we wouldn t get inaptly named Sewer Creek

31 Known Mussel Presence in Effluent Receiving Streams 2015 IL EPA Sampling-Mussel presence 61 sites Mussels present in watersheds starting at 1.27 mi 2 Watershed > 25 mi 2 12 sites- 100% mussel presence 26 of 61 sites mussels absent - however 17 sites (65%) watershed < 2 mi 2 12 sites in Illinois or Mississippi River Basins 8 sites (31%) watershed < 7 mi 2 1 site watershed 22 mi 2 bedrock present, Lower Illinois Basin

32 Illinois Mussel Communities Back to the Questions Can mussels persist in Can (do) effluent smaller watersheds? YES Is there a specific watershed size where NO mussels can not persist? If that is the case, does the watershed size vary by geographical region or can it be applied statewide? Possibly and NO discharge or agricultural field tiles add enough flow to the streams to allow mussels to persist in what would normally be an intermittent or ephemeral stream? YES

33 Conclusions Nearly all Illinois streams are capable of supporting mussels Even the smallest watersheds with the inputs from dischargers or ag tiles Convinced the nay- sayers-however- Possible IL EPA option Multi Discharger Variances (MDV) due to economics

34 Acknowledgments Alison Price Stodola Sarah Bales Douglass

35 Notorious for collecting mussels and stream booty

36 Thank You! Questions??