URI Watershed Watch: 25 Years of Documenting RI s Waters

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1 URI Watershed Watch: 25 Years of Documenting RI s Waters Linda Green & Elizabeth Herron lgreen@uri.edu July 12, 2013 University of Rhode Island Natural Resources Science URI Cooperative Extension

2 URI Watershed Watch Long term volunteer water quality monitoring Began in 1988 with 14 lakes Now has ~400 volunteer monitors on 250+ sites on 180+ waterbodies Lakes, ponds & reservoirs Rivers, streams & tributaries Salt ponds, surfing sites, etc. Provides ~90% of RI s lake baseline data

3 What We Monitor Field Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) Water Temperature Dissolved Oxygen Algae (Chl a) Laboratory Nutrients Bacteria Chl-a ph & alkalinity Chlorides

4 We have Wonderful Volunteers! 350+ active volunteer monitors all 14 major watersheds most RI communities several CT towns >1000 Monitoring Families

5 Annual & Multi-Year Summaries Apr ppb Apr 11-May Depth (m) mg/l Apr 11-May 25-May 25-May 8-Jun 8-Jun 22-Jun Low water clarity - Eutrophic Moderate algae levels - Mesotrophic Low algae levels - Oligotrophic 22-Jun 6-Jul Moderate water clarity - Mesotrophic Excellent water clarity - Oligotrophic Elevated algae levels - Eutrophic 11-May 6-Jul 20-Jul 20-Jul 3-Aug 3-Aug 17-Aug CHLOROPHYLL LEVELS 17-Aug 31-Aug WATER CLARITY (Secchi Depth Transparency) 25-May 8-Jun 31-Aug DISSOLVED OXYGEN / TEMPERATURE 22-Jun 6-Jul 20-Jul 3-Aug 17-Aug 14-Sep 14-Sep 1m 6.5m Surface Temp 1m 6.5m 31-Aug 14-Sep 28-Sep 28-Sep 28-Sep 12-Oct Secchi Depth Bottom Depth 12-Oct 12-Oct 26-Oct 26-Oct Degrees C Oct Depth (m) ppb ppb ppb Annual Median (Middle) Secchi Depth Transparency Low water clarity - Eutrophic 2007 Moderate water clarity - Mesotrophic Excellent water clarity - Oligotrophic Annual Median (Middle) Chlorophyll Level 1999 Elevated algae level - Eutrophic Moderate algae level - Mesotrophic Low algae level - Oligotrophic Annual Mean (Average) Total Phosphorus Level Elevated nutrient level - Eutrophic Moderate nutrient level - Mesotrophic Low nutrient level - Oligotrophic Annual Mean (Average) Total Nitrogen Level Elevated nutrient level - Eutrophic Moderate nutrient level - Mesotrophic Low nutrient level - Oligotrophic

6 Nutrient Enrichment in Fresh Water = eutrophication P-fresh N-salt Algae Water Clarity Dissolved Oxygen (Deep Water) Oligotrophic Mesotrophic Eutrophic

7 Total Phosphorus

8 Lake Phosphorus, 2012 compared to Average TSI RANK OF LAKES BY PHOSPHORUS TSI Average P 2012 P VERY HIGH HIGH Moderate LOW

9 Local Water Quality Trends URIWW Locations with 3 or more years of data only

10 1972 to 2007 National Comparison: algae levels

11 Chlorophyll - Algae

12 Lake Algae Levels, 2012 Compared to Average TSI Multi-year CHL TSI 2012 CHL TSI VERY HIGH HIGH 45 MODERATE 35 LOW

13 Weather 30 yr normal 30 yr normal

14 Increased Algae Blooms, Particularly Cyanobacteria Aka blue-green algae Melville Pond, Portsmouth T. Gray Slack s Res, Smithfield J. Sawyers, RI DEM

15 Overall WQ Trends URIWW Locations with 3 or more years of data

16 Bacteria Dry weather - swimming areas generally OK Rain increases bacteria levels everywhere Watershe d code MONITORING LOCATION MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. GEOMEAN Most Probable Number of Enterococci per 100 ml A Annaquatucket - RR Xing NA Buckeye Brook Novelty Rd NA Buckeye Brook Lockwood Brk NA Buckeye Brook Warner Brook NA Buckeye Brook Mill Cove WD Falls River D - Step Stone WD Falls River C - Austin Farm WD Falls River B - Sand Banks WD Falls River A - Twin Bridges GB GB #2 - Burger King 31 > >795 GB GB #3 - Rte > >253 GB GB #4 - Mill Creek 52 > >320 GB GB #5 - Hardig Upstream GB GB #6 - Tuscatucket Br < GB GB #7 - Southern Creek A Himes River H HW #1A- Scrabbletown Falls H HW #1B - Rte 4 Bridge H HW #5 - Sandhill Brook (Saw Mill Inlet) H HW #6 - Hunt Forge Rd TH Moosup Upstream >24196 >608 TH Moosup A - Fairbanks Bridge TH Moosup C - Deerfield Drive WD Pawcatuck Bradford PA Pawtuxet River - near Rhodes WD Queen Locke Brk WD Queen Sherman Brk < WD Shickasheen Rte DRY DRY WD Miskiania Road WD Barber Pond Outlet <2 6.3 WD Shickasheen Rte WD Shickasheen Liberty Lane WD White Horn Bike Trail WD White Horn Ministerial Rd WO Woonasquatucket Greystone Pnd WO Woonasquatucket Donigian >9678 >404 WO Woonasquatucket Waterplace GB GrBay #6 - Ponaug Marina GB GrBay #13 - EG Town Dock 42 < WD Pawcatuck River - North of WWTP <10 - <10 23 WD Pawcatuck River - South of WWTP < WD Pawcatuck River - At the Mouth 64 <10 <10 < <10 SK Sapowet Marsh #1 > >208 SK Sapowet Marsh #2 > < >39 SK Sapowet Tributary # SK Sapowet Tributary # NA Wickford Cove - West of Loop Dr < Lab error NA Wickford Cove - East of Loop Dr < Lab error

17 Chlorides

18 Take Home Messages Algal blooms and water temperatures are increasing Intense storms increase runoff Bacteria levels after rainfall are high EVERYWHERE (urban drainages worse, but ) In general many of our waterways have been resilient so far Value of monitoring increases with each passing year