Utah Lake Watch Report Utah State University Water Quality Extension. Prepared by:

Transcription

1 Utah Lake Watch Report 2008 Utah State University Water Quality Extension Prepared by: Eric Peterson

2 Introduction Utah Lake Watch (ULW) is a statewide monitoring program which enlists the help of volunteers to gain insight i on the health of Utah s lakes and reservoirs. These data help the Utah Division of Water Quality in their lake protection programs, and provide lake managers with a better picture of the health of their lake. Major objectives of the program include: acquiring baseline data for Utah s lakes and reservoirs; providing education to the citizens of the state on the importance of healthy lakes, how lakes function, and how we monitor lakes; and demonstrating the effectiveness of citizen monitoring in collecting water quality data which can be used to better manage and protect our lakes and reservoirs. To meet these objectives, Utah Lake Watch participants are trained to measure the transparency of a particular lake or reservoir on a regular basis from May until September. The participants record these readings and weather observations on a data sheet, and return the data to USU Water Quality Extension at the end of the season. USU Water Quality Extension compiles the raw data and delivers it electronically to the Utah Division of Water Quality. In addition, they summarize the results for each lake and return these summaries to the citizen volunteers. All of these results and interpretations are contained in this annual report. Participants measure transparency using a Secchi disk. The measurement itself is very easy; the Secchi disk, which is a white and black weighted disk attached to a line, is lowered into the water until it is no longer visible. The line is pulled slowly back up and the depth at which the Secchi disk reappears is recorded. This is referred to as the Secchi depth, which correlates to other indicators of a lake s health, such as the amount of suspended algae growing in the lake, the amount of nutrients entering the lake, and seasonal patterns of plant growth. The Secchi depth is converted to a Trophic State Index or TSI which is used to classify lake health (see Discussion Section). Results Lake Watch volunteers have been collecting data since Because we depend entirely on volunteers, not all lakes are monitored each year. In 2008, 16 lakes and reservoirs were successfully monitored. Table 1 provides a list of these lakes and reservoirs as well as the volunteers who collected the data. Since 2002, 42 different water bodies have been monitored. Data from previous years may be obtained by contacting USU Extension. The average 2008 Secchi depth measurements in each water body are displayed in Figure 1. The number of sample collections and range of dates for each lake or reservoir are summarized in Table 2. The results for each monitoring i event in 2008 can be seen in each individual lake or reservoir report. In addition, all data collected in 2008 are included in Appendix A.

3 Table 1. Participant List *Note: Some site coordinates were obtained from DWQ lake and reservoir reports. Lake / Reservoir Site Coordinates Volunteer(s) Bear Lake 1 N ' W ' Scott Tolentino Bear Lake 2 N ' W ' 23' Pretorius Family Big East Lake N ' W ' Bruce Childs Causey Reservoir N ' W ' Paul and Nathan Baker Deer Creek Reservoir N 40 24' 24'' W ' 33'' Dawn Larsen Grantsville Reservoir N 40 32' 32'' W ' 13'' Mike Enright and Bradon Candelaria Hyrum Reservoir N ' W ' Floyd Powell Otter Creek Reservoir N ' W ' James Lowe Pineview Reservoir 1 N ' W ' Keith Rounkles Pineview Reservoir 2 N ' W ' Craig Haaser Red Fleet Reservoir N ' W ' Mike Murray Mike Enright and Bradon Stansbury Lake N40 38' 40'' W ' 17'' Candelaria Starvation Reservoir N ' W ' Mike Nealley Steinaker Reservoir N ' W ' Mike Murray Utah Lake 1 N ' W ' Allen Palmer Utah Lake 2 Vernon Reservoir N ' W ' N 39 59' 35'' W ' 15'' Richard Edwards & Adam Peterson Mike Enright and Bradon Candelaria Willard Bay N ' W ' Roland Bringhurst Yuba Lake N ' W ' Chris Evans

4 Average Secchi Depth Lk/R Lake/Reservoir Secchi Depth (meters) Figure 1. Average Secchi Measurement for each lake or reservoir monitored in 2008 by ULW volunteers. The maximum average depth for 2008 was 6.9 m at Bear Lake. The minimum average depth was 0.2m at Utah Lake. The number of samples at each site varied, as well as the dates of collection, see Table 2.

5 Table 2. The number of Secchi depths collected at each site varied, as well as the dates of collection. This table summarizes the number of measurements collected at each site and the months of collection at the site. Lake / Reservoir Number of Measurements Collected Months of Collection Bear Lake 1 9 May-November Bear Lake 2 5 July-August Big East Lake 5 August-September t Causey Reservoir 4 June-August Deer Creek Reservoir 3 June-July Grantsville Reservoir 2 June-July Hyrum Reservoir 14 May-October Otter Creek Reservoir 11 June-September Pineview Reservoir 1 6 July-October Pineview Reservoir 2 4 August-September Red Fleet Reservoir 5 June-September Stansbury Lake 1 July Starvation Reservoir 22 April-September Steinaker Reservoir 9 May-September Utah Lake 1 6 June-September Utah Lake 2 3 July-August Vernon Reservoir 3 June-August Willard Bay 4 June-August Yuba Lake 6 June-August

6 Discussion Eutrophication, or lake aging, is the natural process by which a lake fills in over geologic time with erosion materials carried by the tributary streams, with materials deposited directly through the air, and with materials produced in the lake itself. The natural process of eutrophication usually requires thousands of years to happen, however, human influence can accelerate the process by altering wetlands and watersheds, shoreline vegetation, discharging sewage into lakes, and improper management of agricultural, development or industrial activities. This is known as cultural eutrophication. Lakes which experience a high degree of cultural eutrophication can experience fish kills, excessive aquatic weed and algal growth, loss of game fish, increased treatment costs for culinary water, loss of recreational usage, and other water quality related problems. As a scientific tool, classification can be a practical method useful in lake management. Scientists have developed lake classification schemes based on origin, shape, thermal range, depth, chemical content, dominant types of organisms, and trophic state. Trophic state is an important factor to use when classifying lakes for lake management decisions. This classification is loosely interpreted as the nutritional status of a lake, and can give insight to the productivity and health of a lake. A Secchi depth is only one parameter used in calculating a Trophic State Index (TSI) and caution must be used when evaluating the overall health of a lake based on one type of data collection. Two other parameters can be used to calculate the TSI value; phosphorus concentration and chlorophyll concentration. General water clarity, phosphorus concentration, and chlorophyll concentration correlate with each other. High phosphorus concentrations can stimulate more plant growth (higher chlorophyll concentrations), which can lead to lower water clarity (low Secchi depth). Waterbodies are classified using the TSI index below: Classification Definition TSI Index Value Oligotrophic Mesotrophic A waterbody having low turbidity and abundant dissolved oxygen (i.e. good water quality). A waterbody having moderate turbidity and moderate dissolved oxygen (i.e. moderate water quality). < Eutrophic A waterbody having high turbidity and low dissolved oxygen (impaired water quality). Hypereutrophic A waterbody that is extremely turbid and exceptionally low in dissolved oxygen (i.e. very poor water quality). >70 Table 3. Trophic State Classifications. The average TSI values calculated from the average Secchi depth measurements are shown in Figure 2.

7 TSI Value Average TSI Value Lake/Reservoir Figure 2. Average TSI Measurements for each lake or reservoir monitored in For this report, TSI values were calculated using the Carlson equation (Carlson, 1977): TSI = 10(6-log2SD) where SD = Secchi Depth. TSI values less than 40 indicated oligotrophic conditions or good water quality. Lakes and reservoirs are categorized into trophic classifications by various characteristics associated with each lake. In Utah, hypereutrophic classification is used to describe lakes in the extreme eutrophic range. An oligotrophic lake (e.g. Bear Lake) is typically a high elevation lake with low nutrient enrichment, crystal clear waters and rocky or sandy shorelines, es, where e planktonic and rooted plant growth are sparse, se, whereas eas a eutrophic lake (e.g. Willard Bay) is usually high in nutrient enrichment and typically shallower with a soft, mucky bottom, and water clarity tends to be poor and has a coloration. Mesotrophic lakes or reservoirs, an intermediate trophic state, display characteristics between oligotrophic and eutrophic states. According to the ULW data, most waterbodies monitored in the state appear to be mesotrophic (see Table 4 for ULW lake and reservoir classifications). This indicates that the water has moderate turbidity and dissolved oxygen.

8 Oligotrophic Mesotrophic Eutrophic Hypereutrophic Deer Creek Reservoir Bear Lake Big East Lake Causey Reservoir Grantsville Reservoir Hyrum Reservoir Pineview Reservoir Red Fleet Reservoir Starvation Reservoir Steinaker Reservoir Stansbury Lake* Willard Bay Otter Creek Reservoir Vernon Reservoir # Yuba Lake Utah Lake Table 4. ULW Lake and Reservoir Classifications. Note: This classification is based on 2008 data only and does not account for past trends. * This waterbody is shallow and the Secchi disk can hit the bottom of the lake, which does not allow for an accurate representation of the TSI value or classification. # This waterbody had a total depth fluctiation in 2008 of 29 feet in June, to 6 feet in August. This greatly affected the TSI values for The Utah Lake Watch program has been collecting data since General trends show that many of the lakes and reservoirs are mesotrophic, likely indicating that the waterbodies are healthy and that there may be few pollutants (nutrients and sediments) making it to the reservoirs. This is a good sign for many lakes and reservoirs throughout the state. We hope that the Utah Lake Watch program will continue to help us further understand the health of our local waterbodies. The results for individual lakes or reservoirs are included in the remainder of this report. Each volunteer monitor receives this portion of the report and their results from the lake or reservoir which they monitored. Thank you to all of the volunteers who participated in the 2008 Utah Lake Watch! References Utah Water Quality Division Lake Reports < Carlson, Robert E. A Trophic State Index for Lakes Limnology and Oceanography.1977:

9 Bear Lake 1 Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Scott Tolentino Bear Lake is a large natural lake on the Utah/Idaho border. A variety of water activities are available at this pristine lake, including, boating, fishing, camping, picnicking and windsurfing. According to the ULW TSI value, Bear Lake is in a steady oligotrophic state. 5/8/ : Clear 5/16/ : Clear 6/23/ : Clear 6/28/ : Clear 7/17/ : Clear 8/4/ : Clear 8/18/ : Clear 9/18/ : Clear 11/30/ : Clear Average

10 Bear Lake 2 Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Pretorius Family Bear Lake site two had a somewhat higher value for TSI than site one. According to site two, Bear Lake is on the border between oligotrophic and mesotrophic states. 7/24/ : Windy/Cloudy 7/31/ : Clear 8/7/ : Clear 8/14/ : Rain 8/28/ : Clear Average

11 Big East Lake Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Bruce Childs Big East Lake is located about 10 miles Southeast of Payson. It is the largest of the Payson Lakes. Recreational activities at the lake include camping, fishing, picnicking, and non-motorized boating. The TSI value for 2008 was putting it in a mesotrophic state. 8/8/ : Overcast 8/11/ : Clear 8/18/ : Clear 8/26/ : Partly Cloudy 9/4/ : Clear Average

12 Causey Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitors: Paul and Nathan Baker Causey Reservoir is located on the South Fork of the Ogden River above Huntsville. The average Secchi measurement in Causey Reservoir for 2008 was 2.3m, which h was very close to the 2007 measurement of 2.5m. The average TSI value for 2008 was ULW data collected over the past 5 years indicates a steady Mesotrophic state. 6/4/ : Clear 6/28/ : Clear 7/26/ : Partly Cloudy 8/23/ : Clear Average

13 Deer Creek Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Dawn Larsen Deer Creek Reservoir is located at the top of Provo Canyon in northern Utah. Much of the water for the Wasatch front comes from this reservoir and it is a popular recreation destination. The average Secchi measurement in Deer Creek Reservoir for 2008 was 4.7m. The average TSI value for 2008 was Deer Creek Reservoir shows as being in an oligotrophic state. 6/20/2008 7: Clear 6/28/ : Clear 7/26/ : Clear Average

14 Grantsville Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitors: Mike Enright & Bradon Candelaria Grantsville Reservoir is located at the base of the Stansbury mountains in western Utah. The reservoir water is used for irrigation and recreational fishing. The average Secchi measurement in Grantsville Reservoir for 2008 was 3.3m. The average TSI value for 2008 was Grantsville Reservoir is in the mesotrophic state. 6/13/ : Clear 7/11/ Clear Average

15 Hyrum Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Floyd Powell Hyrum Reservoir is in Cache Valley, Utah. The reservoir provides recreation, water storage, and wetland habitat. The average Secchi measurement in Hyrum Reservoir for 2008 was 2.3m. The average TSI value for 2008 was Past data collected by the DWQ and the ULW indicate a steady mesotrophic state. 5/19/ : Partly Cloudy 6/13/ : Clear 6/27/ : Clear 7/6/ : Partly Cloudy 7/20/ : Overcast 7/24/ : Clear 7/29/ : Clear 8/9/ : Clear 8/17/ : Clear 8/23/ : Clear 9/13/ : Clear 9/28/ : Overcast 10/2/ : Overcast 10/8/ : Clear Average

16 Otter Creek Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: James Lowe Otter Creek Reservoir is located about 20 miles South of Koosharem. It is a large, shallow reservoir used for fishing, swimming, and agricultural needs. The TSI value for 2008 was 51.9 meaning it is in a eutrophic state. This value may be somewhat high for this reservoir because the last two measurements taken were done when water levels were lower. Otter Creek is probably better classified as mesotrophic. 6/18/ : Clear 6/25/ : Clear 7/8/ : Clear 7/15/ : Overcast 7/23/ : Clear 7/29/ : Overcast 8/8/2008 8: Partly Cloudy 8/12/ : Clear 8/23/ : Clear 9/3/2008 8: Clear 9/24/2008 8: Clear Average

17 Pineview Reservoir 1 Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Keith Rounkles Pineview Reservoir is located on the Ogden River at the top of Ogden Canyon. With its close proximity to urban areas, Pineview Reservoir offers four season recreational opportunities. The average Secchi measurement in site one for Pineview Reservoir for 2008 was 2.2m. The average TSI value for 2008 was Past Secchi measurements collected by the DWQ and the ULW program indicate a fairly steady mesotrophic state. 7/14/ : Clear 8/5/ : Clear 8/16/ : Clear 9/1/ : Clear 9/13/ : Clear 10/4/ : Clear Average

18 Pineview Reservoir 2 Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Craig Haaser Pineview Reservoir site two showed similar results to site one. The average secchi depth for site two was 2.4m having a TSI value of This is somewhat lower, but very close to the results for site one. 8/10/ : Clear 8/24/ : Clear 9/14/ : Clear 9/28/ : Clear Average

19 Red Fleet Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Mike Murray Red Fleet Reservoir is located at the base of the Uinta mountains in eastern Utah. It is a state park with full recreational facilities. The average Secchi measurement in Red Fleet Reservoir for 2008 was 2.0m. The average TSI value for 2008 was This is just up from the 2007 value, which was 47.1, and results in Red Fleet Reservoir being classified as Eutrophic. 6/1/ : Clear 7/25/ : Clear 8/3/ : Clear 8/3/ : Clear 9/7/ : Clear Average Red Fleet State Park Map <

20 Stansbury Lake Summary Data Volunteer Monitors: Mike Enright & Bradon Candelaria Stansbury Lake is an artificial lake between Tooele and the Great Salt Lake. It was created as part of the landscape for Stansbury Park, a residential community. Although this average TSI value is 62.3 (indicating a eutrophic state) it is important to note that Stansbury Lake is a shallow body of water with the deepest depth site being recorded as m. It is likely that the Secchi disk hits bottom before disappearing on every measurement, therefore the TSI classification may not work properly for this site. A dye was also used in this lake in 2008 to help with the algae and plant growth problem. 7/12/ : Clear Average

21 Starvation Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Mike Nealley Starvation Reservoir is located in the Uinta Basin and is a popular state park in Duchesne County, Utah. This state park offers camping, boating, and fishing facilities. The average Secchi measurement in Starvation Reservoir for 2008 was 4.1m and the average TSI value for 2008 was This data indicates that Starvation Reservoir is in an oligotrophic condition. 4/29/ : Partly Cloudy 5/16/ : Clear 5/20/ : Partly Cloudy 5/25/ : Overcast 6/1/ : Partly Cloudy 6/7/ : Partly Cloudy 6/15/ : Clear 6/21/ : Clear 7/6/ : Partly Cloudy 7/13/ : Clear 7/15/ : Clear 7/19/ : Clear 7/25/ : Overcast 7/26/ : Overcast 8/2/ : Overcast 8/3/ : Clear 8/10/ : Clear 8/12/ : Clear 8/17/ : Clear 8/30/ : Partly Cloudy 9/7/ : Clear 9/14/ : Clear Average

22 Steinaker Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Mike Murray Steinaker Reservoir is located north of Vernal, Utah. As a state park, the reservoir offers year round recreational opportunities. The average Secchi measurement in Steinaker Reservoir for 2008 was 3.4m and the average TSI value for 2008 was According to ULW data, Steinaker Reservoir is in a mesotrophic state. 5/15/2008 9: Clear 6/1/2008 9: Clear 6/15/2008 9: Clear 6/30/2008 9: Clear 7/15/2008 9: Clear 7/25/2008 8: Clear 8/3/2008 8: Clear 8/29/ : Clear 9/7/2008 8: Clear Average

23 Utah Lake 1 Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Allen Palmer Utah Lake is a very large fresh water lake that occupies a large portion of Utah Valley. Despite its large size, it is a shallow lake with an average depth of only about 10 feet. Recreational uses include camping,boating, fishing, skiing, and picnicking. The average secchi depth for site one in 2008 was 0.3m with a TSI value of The lake is classified as hypereutrophic. 6/28/ : Clear 7/10/ : Cloudy 7/24/ : Cloudy 8/12/2008 9: Clear 9/3/ : Clear 9/18/ : Partly Cloudy Average

24 Utah Lake 2 Summary Data Volunteer Monitors: Richard Edwards and Adam Peterson Site two for Utah Lake showed similar results to site one. The average secchi depth was 0.2m, which was slightly lower than site one. The TSI for site two was 83.1, which confirms that Utah Lake is in a hypereutrophic state. 7/11/ : Partly Cloudy 7/30/ : Clear 8/13/ : Clear Average

25 Vernon Reservoir Summary Data Volunteer Monitors: Mike Enright & Bradon Candelaria Vernon Reservoir is located in the Uinta National Forest, near Vernon, Utah. The reservoir is primarily used as water storage for irrigation and offers fishing opportunities. The average Secchi measurement in Vernon for 2008 was 1.6m and the average TSI value for 2008 was Based on the data collected for the ULW, Vernon appears to be eutrophic, however, very low lake levels in the summer probably affected the data for /13/2008 8: Clear 7/11/2008 8: Clear 8/2/2008 8: Clear Average

26 Willard Bay Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Roland Bringhurst Willard Bay is located west of Willard, Utah. It serves as water storage for irrigation in the Wasatch Front. Willard Bay is a state park providing recreational benefits such as boating, swimming, fishing, and camping. The average Secchi measurement in Willard Bay for 2008 was 0.8m and the average TSI value was According to the data, Willard Bay would be classified as Eutrophic. It should be noted that lake levels were low during summer 2008 due to repairs to the dike. 6/9/ : Windy 7/1/ : Clear 8/10/ : Clear 8/28/ : Clear Average

27 Yuba Lake Summary Data Volunteer Monitor: Chris Evans Yuba Lake is located south of Nephi, Utah. It is a state park and provides a variety of recreational opportunities for visitors including fishing, boating, camping, and swimming. The average Secchi measurement in Yuba Lake for 2008 was 1.5m and the average TSI value was According to ULW data, Yuba Lake fluctuates between mesotrophic and eutrophic states. In 2008, the TSI value implied a eutrophic state. 6/8/ : Clear 6/22/ : Partly Cloudy 7/13/ : Clear 7/27/ : Partly Cloudy 8/10/ : Partly Cloudy 8/24/2008 9: Partly Cloudy Average