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

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

 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

• f Ford Lake

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

① Existing Ford and Belleville Lake 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

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

 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

③ TMDL development/Current Conditions

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

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

• n R

River r – Michiga gan A Ave: mean monthly TP

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

Ford Lak Lake: mean monthly TP

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

Bel elleville L e Lake: e: mean monthly TP

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

③ TMDL development/Current Conditions

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

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

③ TMDL development/Current Conditions

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

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

③ TMDL development/Current Conditions

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

 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

④ Remaining timeline

2019 Ford and Belleville Lakes Total Phosphorus TMDL

 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