` Ecosystem State of Condition Historical Altered Novel - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

July 29, 2014 CEER – New Orleans Presented by, Joseph Pfeiffer, PWS

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Ecosystem State of Condition

• Historical
• Altered
• Novel

*Seastedt, Hobbs, Suding: 2008

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly….

• The Good

Stable functioning ecosystems

• The Bad

Degraded ecosystems

• The Ugly

An ecosystem in a state that potentially creates direct threats to human health and well being

Altering the State of Condition Cyborg/Engineered Ecosystem

• Cyborg System – An integrated man machine system that restores function and/or

enhances the abilities of the augmented entity to function.

• Ecosystem ICU
• Going on Life Support
• Engineered Ecosystem
• Map ecosystem pathways
• Identify limiting factors

Grand Lake St. Marys – Mercer County, OH

• Grand Lake St. Marys
• 21 square mile man made lake in

West Ohio

• 52 square mile watershed
• 425 million in agricultural production
• 125 million in tourism
• Key issues
• Excessive nutrient loading resulting

in Hypo-trophic condition in lake and watershed

• Blue Green algal blooms producing

mycrosystin toxins

Grand Lake St. Marys – Mercer County, OH

• Impacts
• Algal blooms shut down all use of the

lake in 2009/10

• Estimated loss of $77 million to local

economy

• Loss in housing value of 25 million
• No Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae funding

for homes in proximity to lake

• Identified public health threat

Grand Lake St. Marys Strategic Plan

• Critical Response Actions
• Conceptual Ecosystem Revitalization Model
• Environmental
• Economic

Grand Lake St. Marys Littoral Wetland Restoration

• Critical Element in GLSM System
• Historically over 2,500 acres
• Lost due to;
• Water quality degradation
• Invasive species (carp)
• Anthroprogenic activities
• Restore by;
• Increase water clarity
• Reduce nutrient loading
• Establishing substrate

Littoral Wetland Restoration Engineered Ecosystem – Treatment Train

Prairie Creek Treatment Train

• Engineered
• Mechanical Pumping
• 1.3 MGD
• Chemical Dosing
• Alum
• Bio-Technical
• Constructed Wetlands
• 6 Acres
• Natural
• Restored Wetlands
• 10 acres

Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT

MAID System

• Controls pumping into system
• Doses chemical as required
• Tracks water quality
• Ph
• Turbidity
• Flow rates
• Allows remote monitoring and

control

Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT

Constructed Wetland Cells

• Five cells, alternating deep and

shallow water

Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT

Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT

Results

• 65% reduction in Total Phos
• 30% reduction in Total N
• Trophic shift in embayment

Prairie Creek Littoral Wetland - PCLW

Basic Design

• Deep and shallow marsh

system

• Designed to improve Fish and

Wildlife habitat

• Will receive flow from PCTT
• Encapsulation of nutrient laden

sediment

Littoral Wetland Restoration Engineered Ecosystem – Treatment Train

Cold Water Creek Treatment Train

• Engineered
• Mechanical Pumping
• 6 MGD
• Bio-Technical
• Constructed Wetlands
• 40 acres
• Flow Diversion
• Natural
• Restored Wetlands
• 250 acres

Conclusions

Current

• Engineered Ecosystems on GLSM have shown;
• Observed and measured improvements in water quality
• Observed expansion of existing littoral wetland system

On-going

• Ecosystem response to re-establishment in historic wetland zones

still being monitored Future

• Two more Treatment Trains in design, four more in planning

QUESTIONS