DESIGNING PROVINCIAL-SCALE WATER MONITORING NETWORKS TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) Provincial Stream Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN) Presentation for Solinst Symposium on Recent Advances in Watershed and High Resolution Monitoring Ontario Ministry of Environment October 2009 File: U:\ Solinst October 2009.ppt
The Ontario Experience 2
BACKGROUND The Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation Ontario, the Conservation Authorities, and 10 Municipalities implement two provincial- scale water monitoring programs: � Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) Program � Provincial Stream Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN) Program 3
PRESENTATION This Presentation will provide: 1) an overview of the current program objectives 2) an overview of the current network designs 3) some examples of current program utility / products 4) anticipated future needs 5) current activities to meet future needs 4
(1) CURRENT PROGRAM OBJECTIVES 5
1a) CURRENT PGMN (Groundwater) OBJECTIVES � Monitor ambient groundwater levels and chemistry to: • support drought response decisions • support groundwater management activities such as: source water protection, water allocation, planning decisions • identify trends and correlations, • support policy, standard, and guideline development/assessment � Monitor precipitation at selected sites to: • better understand correlations between precipitation, groundwater levels and groundwater chemistry � Share information with Local Health Units on potential water quality concerns (ie. PGMN Exceedence Protocol) � Share information with other water resource managers, public, consultants, academia, etc 6
1b) CURRENT PWQMN (Stream Water) OBJECTIVES � Monitor ambient stream water chemistry to : • support stream water management activities such as: source water protection, planning decisions, impacts to near shore environments of the Great Lakes • identify trends and correlations, • support policy, standard, and guideline development / assessment • provide information on emerging contaminants � Share information with other water resource managers, public, consultants, academia, etc. 7
(2) CURRENT NETWORK DESIGNS 8
DESIGN FOUNDATION Program design is based on the following concepts : � implementation through a partnership arrangement made between the Province and the Conservation Authorities or participating Municipalities. � creation of a continuous, ambient monitoring framework within which special studies or research can be performed and in which enhancements can be made. � watershed-scale monitoring � selection of sites in consultation with program partners; balancing local and provincial interests 9
2a) CURRENT DESIGN OF THE PGMN PROGRAM The PGMN (groundwater) Program monitors: • ambient groundwater levels once per hour at 474 monitoring wells • ambient groundwater chemistry once per year at about 360 monitoring wells • precipitation at ~ 85 monitoring wells (in progress) • barometric pressure once per hour at ~ 35 monitoring wells • continuous chemistry at 2 monitoring wells in high infiltration areas It supports : • Source Water Protection activities • Low Water Response Program (in progress) • Standards and Guideline Development • Water Allocation / PTTW issuance • Linkages between Groundwater Monitoring and Health Units • Understanding Potential Climate Change impacts on the Groundwater Levels and Chemistry • Nutrient Management activities • Groundwater Industry 10
Distribution of PGMN (Groundwater) Monitoring Wells 11
PGMN NETWORK INSTRUMENTATION / TECHNOLOGY Field Instrumentation: � 474 level loggers � 220 dedicated pumps � 282 telemetry systems serving 336 wells - mainly cell phone - 2 satellite � 35 baro-loggers � 85 rain gauges � 2 in-situ water quality monitoring stations Data Management � 1 web-based information system � posting on Ministry Geo-portal and public web site (in progress) 12
PGMN WELL WITH TELEMETRY SYSTEM 13
RAIN GAUGE TIPPING BUCKET ON MAST NEXT TO WELL WITH TELEMETRY SYSTEM 14
Continuous Groundwater Continuous Groundwater Quality Monitoring with Quality Monitoring with Satellite Communication Satellite Communication This site collects continuous groundwater quality and level data. The technology uses in-situ probes that measure the following parameters once per hour and uses satellite communication to send the information to the PGMN information system daily. � temperature � pH � nitrate � electrical cond. � chloride � diss. Oxygen A dedicated pump also allows for the manual collection of a water sample for QA/QC 15
Groundwater Chemical Analyses under the PGMN Program • Initial Comprehensive Set of Chemical Analyses includes most of the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Chemical Standards set out in Regulation 169 of the Safe Drinking Water Act : • Major ions ( Ca ++ , Mg ++ , Na + , K + , Cl - , SO4 - - , HCO 3 - ) • Nutrients ( NO 3 - , NO 2 - , NH 4 + , NH 3 , P) • Metals • Volatile Organics • Pesticides / Herbicides • Subsequent Rounds of Chemical Analyses: focuses on: • Major Ions • Nutrients • Metals 16
2b) CURRENT DESIGN OF THE PWQMN PROGRAM The PWQMN (stream water ) Program monitors: • ambient stream water chemistry typically 8 times per year (in wet and dry periods) at over 400 core-program monitoring stations; • nutrient monitoring about 20 times per year at 15 agricultural-based watersheds; • pathogen monitoring about 20 times per year at 3 monitoring stations, • urban contaminants monitoring about 12-15 times per year at 10 urban-based watersheds. It supports : • Source Water Protection activities • Nutrient Management activities • Standards and Guideline Development • Linkages between Stream Water Monitoring (pathogens) and Health Canada • Water Allocation / PTTW issuance • Understanding Potential Climate Change impacts on the stream water chemistry • Pesticides in Urban and Non-urban watersheds • Consulting Industry 17
Distribution of PWQMN (Stream Water) Monitoring Stations 18
NUTRIENT MONITORING STATIONS NUTRIENT MONITORING STATIONS • Monitoring initiated in 2004 to assess the influence of the Nutrient Management Act activities on stream water quality in agricultural watersheds. • Fifteen small (<60 km 2 ) watersheds are being monitored. • About 20 water samples are collected at the outlet of each watershed. Both baseflow and storm events are collected. • A turbidity threshold system has been installed in the Nissouri Watershed to measure changes in water quality in response to storm events. 19
URBAN CONTAMINANT MONITORING STATIONS URBAN CONTAMINANT MONITORING STATIONS • Initiated in 2003 to characterize the range of contaminants and quantify loadings to Lake Ontario from different land uses. • Ten sites are monitored in 6 watersheds (Etobicoke, Mimico, Humber, Don, Highland, Rouge). (1 forested, 6 urban, 3 agricultural) • 12-15 water samples are collected throughout year during base flow and storm events. • A continuous water quality station was established at Etobicoke Creek to measure changes in water quality in response to storm events. 20
PATHOGEN MONITORING STATIONS PATHOGEN MONITORING STATIONS Program began in 2007 3 tributaries: ! ( ! ( ( ! ! (! ( ( ! ! ( ! ! ( ( ! ( ! (! ! ( ! ( ( ! • Nith River ( ! ( ! ! ! ( ( ! ( ( (! ( ! ! ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ! ( ( ( ! ( ( ! # * # * # * # * ! * # ! ( ( ! ( ( ! # * # * • Canagagigue Creek ( ! * # * # ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ( ! ! ( ( ! ( ! ! ( ! • Schneider Creek ( ! ! ( ( ( ! ( ! Stream W ater Sites - Microbiology ( ! PW Q MN Sites with Microbiological Analysis Lake O nt T ributary Study Sites ! ( # * Source Protection - Protozoa Study Sit es # * Source Protection - C-EnterNet Sit es Nutrient Management Project Sites ( ! � 0 12.5 25 50 75 100 Kilometr es 21
PWQMN NETWORK INSTRUMENTATION/TECHNOLOGY Field Instrumentation � grab samples are taken from core monitoring sites � 10 automated sampling stations (urban contaminants) � 1 Turbidity Threshold Station (TTS – nutrient monitoring program) Data Management � posting on Ministry Geo-portal and public web site (in progress) 22
Automated Sampling at 10 Stations in the Greater Toronto Area Automated Sampling at 10 Stations in the Greater Toronto Area Automated Sampling Cellular communication Remote triggering Large volume samples – PAHs – PCBs – General chemistry • Metals, ions, nutrients – Fluorinated compounds 23
Turbidity Threshold Station in Nissouri Creek Sampling boom 24
Stream Water Chemical Analyses • Core Monitoring Stations: - temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen – field parameters - total phosphorous, phosphate - nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, total kjeldahl nitrogen - suspended solids, turbidity - pH, alkalinity, conductivity - chloride - major ions ( Ca, Mg, Na, K) - hardness - pesticides are monitored at a limited number of stations • Nutrient Management Monitoring Stations - special focus on nutrients • Pathogen Monitoring Stations -cryptosporidium -giardia • Urban Contaminant Stations - special focus on urban contaminants 25
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