2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL Existing Ford - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ① Existing Ford and Belleville Lake Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) ② 2018 Court Ruling and TMDL revision timeline ③ TMDL development/Current Conditions ④ Remaining timeline Michigan DEQ, April 9, 2019

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ① Existing Ford and Belleville Lake TMDL  TMDLs are developed for water bodies that do not meet water quality standards  Ford and Belleville Lakes have historic and ongoing nuisance algae blooms and are not meeting WQS  “The primary purpose of the TMDL program is to protect public health and the health of impaired ecosystems.” USEPA

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ① Existing Ford and Belleville Lake TMDL  Current USEPA approved Ford and Belleville TMDL  TP goal of 30 ug/l for Belleville Lake was established by the Michigan Water Resources Commission in 1987 to reduce nuisance algae blooms  Severe summer algae blooms, typically of cyanobacteria (blue- green algae) tend to occur at concentrations above 30 ug/l  Loading capacity was expressed as a phosphorus concentration of 50 ug/l on the Huron River upstream of Ford Lake

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ② 2018 Court Ruling and TMDL revision timeline  October 3, 2018 Appeals Court ruling stated: “Appellee will re-evaluate and will propose revisions to the TMDL”  Initial order required TMDL to be submitted to EPA by 12/3/2018. Revised agreed upon deadline is 7/3/2019 (9 month project)

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ③ TMDL development/Current Conditions  TMDL revision includes  Technical review of existing files/data  Evaluate geographic scope of the TMDL watershed  Obtain and review external data  Analyzed DEQ data collected since 2014  Evaluate current TMDL goal  Develop new loading capacity (WLA and LA)  Write TMDL

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ③ TMDL development/Current Conditions  New TMDL content will be updated to current format  TMDL ‘watershed’ will likely be the same, but recognize Upper Huron TP load  Goals for the lakes will be set to ensure the lakes meet WQS  WLA will include the current NPDES permits (including regulated stormwater)  New TMDL will use existing data from all available sources to the best of our ability.

Huron on R River r – Michiga gan A Ave: mean monthly TP 180 160 140 Total Phosphorous (ug/L) April 120 May 100 June 80 July August 60 September 40 20 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2009 2012 2014 2016 2018

Ford Lak Lake: mean monthly TP 160 140 120 Total Phosphorous (ug/L) April 100 May June 80 July August 60 September 40 20 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2009 2012 2014 2016 2018

Bel elleville L e Lake: e: mean monthly TP 180 160 140 120 April May Total Phosphorous (ug/L) 100 June 80 July August 60 September 40 20 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2009 2012 2014 2016 2018

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ③ TMDL development/Current Conditions  2015 and 2018 algae blooms on both lakes reported to DEQ  Oct 2017 Oakland University study found bloom in Belleville Lake with low levels of microcystin  Ford Lake  Cyanobacteria blooms throughout Sept 2018  Microcystin levels high, up to 1300 ug/L in scums  Belleville Lake  Cyanobacteria blooming or present in Sept 2018  Microcystin present but low, except for Sept 12 (700 and 120 ug/L)

Belleville Lake 9/2018

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ③ TMDL development/Current Conditions  DEQ Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring:  2014-No signs of anoxia  2016-Ford: July, August; Belleville: June, July, August  2018-Ford: July, August; Belleville: June, July, August  Bottom TP on the above dates ranged from 31-800 ug/L (avg 200 ug/L)  Draft TMDL will likely include internal load in the Load Allocation

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ③ TMDL development/Current Conditions  Court Order agreed that the “… science involved with artificial mixing could provide a basis for lowering the phosphorus limits contained in the permits.”  EPA requires targets that will ensure WQS will be met without need for other management  Ongoing evidence of lake bottom anoxia, algal blooms, and elevated phosphorus concentrations in Ford and Belleville Lakes

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL ④ Remaining timeline  Draft TMDL public noticed planned in May  30 day comment period  Short turn around time to make revisions  Submit TMDL to EPA by July 3, 2019 Ford Lake 9-19-2018