Iowa s Water Quality Mary Skopec, Ph.D. Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Section Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Take home message 1: Water Quality is not a single issue
Biological What is Water Quality?? Chemical Physical Physical parameters e.g., temp, ph, DO, suspended solids Toxic Pollutants acute and chronic Non-toxic Pollutants e.g., sediment, nutrients Algal biomass and aquatic plants The quality of the water resource Habitat In-stream and riparian Fish and benthic macroinvertebrate Hydrology communities Synthetics Pesticides, antibiotics, industrial compounds, etc. alterations of timing/amount
Lags in the system means it can take years, decades, or longer to see changes in water quality Lack of comprehensive, long-term, systematic data collection makes tracking changes in water quality challenging
Take home message 2: Alteration of Iowa s hydrology has played a key role in our water quality issues
Decreased infiltration, increased runoff = more mobilization of contaminants Undeveloped Conditions Precipitation Evaporation Transpiration 40% Highly Developed Conditions Precipitation Evaporation Transpiration 25% Runoff 10% Runoff 55% Recharge 50% Recharge 20%
Watershed Coefficient Cedar River at Cedar Rapids: Watershed Coefficient 1903 thru 2008 0.60 Yearly Coefficient 0.40 5-year Moving Average of Coefficient 0.20 0.00 1903 1918 1933 1948 1963 1978 1993 2008 Middlemis-Brown, R. and Skopec, M., 2009
Drainage Districts Levee Districts Dams Channelized Streams Hydrologic Alterations Iowa DNR
Take home message 3: Water Quality has improved for some contaminants largely due to CWA and municipal wastewater treatment.
mg/l Rock River 6.7 Big Sioux River Example 16 14 Big Sioux River Jan 16, 1973 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Water quality standard Oxygen Ammonia-N
mg/l 18 Big Sioux RIver at Akron 2010-2012 16 14 12 10 8 Dissolved Oxygen 6 4 Water quality standard 2 0
Take home message 4: There is work left to do...
Iowa DNR Ambient Stream Monitoring (1986-2015) 30 North Raccoon River near Sac City (Sac Co.) 25 Nitrate+ Nitrite-N (mg/l) 20 15 10 5 0 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 Year
Iowa DNR Ambient Stream Monitoring (1986-2015) Year 10 North Raccoon River near Sac City (Sac Co.) Total Phosphorus (mg/l) 1 0.1 0.01 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986
Nutrients Average Nitrate Levels (as N) in 1905-1907, 1944-1951, 1980-1998 & 1998-2006 Milligrams per Liter (as N) 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Cedar River Des Moines River 1905-1907 1944-1951 1980-1998 1998-2006 Graph Courtesy of Cedar Rapids Water Department; Data from USGS, Cedar Rapids Water Department and Des Moines Water Works
Iowa s Water Quality Index: All Years Average
Take home message 5: Citizen Engagement is Key (and monitoring in small watersheds is a must to show improvement)
Citizen Science As a Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner, I am interested in water quality in local streams so that I can better inform the public. Data collected by IOWATER volunteers is used by the city of Ames to enhance the city s own monitoring program and is used as a first alert for major problems such as sewer breaks. IOWATER data is also important for recommending conservation practices to agriculture producers, storm water managers and residents. More recently, IOWATER data collected in the Squaw Creek Watershed over the last 14 years has provided baseline water quality information for the newly formed Squaw Creek Watershed Management Authority to develop a 20-year plan to improve water quality in this major tributary to the South Skunk River. ~ Erv Klaas, IOWATER Citizen Scientist
www.iowadnr.gov/iowater Mary.Skopec@dnr.iowa.gov
Additional Slides
Originally, Iowa s Water Flow and Quality Shaped by the Prairie Rain caught in leaves, evaporates If dribbled to ground, soaked into soil, ( did not run over ground surface) Ground held water like a sponge, released it SLOWLY Then, water absorbed by plant roots (transpiration) Water constantly released back to atmosphere Slide Source: Connie Mutel Credit Casey Kohrt, IDNR
Land Use Altered
Increases in Drainage Efficiency Kathy L. Andersen; Historic Alteration of Surface Hydrology on the Des Moines Lobe; Water Fact Sheet 2001-15
http://ia.water.usgs.gov/projects/nawqa/factsheets/fs-129/fig2.gif
Soil Erosion 2002-2010 Source: Losing Ground by Cox, Hug, Bruzelius; 2011; www.ewg.org/losingground
Bank Erosion >50% of Sediment Photo: Tom Marshall, IDNR
Challenges with Legacy Sediments Post-settlement alluvium ISU NREM
Hydrologic Modification From A Watershed Year Edited by Cornelia Mutel
DNR Beach Monitoring
Water Quality Index February 2014
Historical Accounts of Iowa s Wildlife Diversity Indian agent Joseph Street said it well in 1833 when he described his trip across Iowa: I had never rode through a country so full of game. In the early 1800s Iowa's deep soil, free-flowing rivers and streams, and favorable climate had combined to produce the welcoming habitats that supported a surprising variety of animals. Based on hundreds of primary sources: chronicles of military expeditions, field reports by early naturalists, first-person accounts by fur traders and hunters to up-to-date county checklists.
Loss of River and Floodplain Function Nishnabotna River
Fish Kills in Iowa Streams 1995-2007