Gulf Hypoxia and its Impact on Ohio Municipalities

www.epa.gov/msbasin

Hypoxic Zones are Spreading

Diaz & Rosenberg, Science, 2008

Comprised of:Federal Agencies (EPA, NOAA, USDA, USACE, USGS, DOI)States represented by Agriculture or Environment Departments (AR, IL, IA, LA, MN, MS, MO, OH, TN, WI)

Goals:Examines complex science and policy issues surrounding Gulf Hypoxia Takes collaborative actions to improve water quality

Goolsby et al. 1999, Rabalais 2002

0.6%58%18%21%[w & w2.4%]

Huge Watershed, Huge Problem

10

0

2 mg/L

Source: N. Rabalais, LUMCON

21 – 28 July 2007 Bottom-Water Hypoxia

up to 22,000 km24 - 5 m nearshore to 35 - 45 m offshore0.5 km nearshore to 100+ km offshorewidespread and severe in May – Sep

Brown Shrimp

O2> 2 mg/l

Significant fisheries resources at riskReduced habitatAltered migrationChanges in food resourcesSusceptibility of early life stagesGrowth and reproduction

Atlantic croaker Brown shrimp

0-1

1-22-4

>4

Dissolved oxygen (mg/l) Catch percentiles+

1-25%

25-50%

50-75%75-100%

0

Craig et al., 2005

NGOMEX 2002 Cruise

Time Magazine

Nutrients, Increased Growth, Low Oxygen

no d

ata

h

h

d

d

d droughth hurricane

Source: N. Rabalais, LUMCON

River N load is main long-term driver of hypoxia

(A) Total Nitrogen (B) Total Phosphorus

Alexander, et al, Environ. Sci. Tech., 2008

Nutrient Delivery to the Gulf of Mexico

Sub-basin Nitrogen Contribution

Sub-basin Phosphorus Contribution

Goals of the 2008 Action Plan

Coastal– Reduce or make significant progress towards

reducing the five-year average areal extent of the hypoxic zone to 5,000 square kilometers

Within Basin– Restore and protect the waters of the 31 states within

the MARB

Quality of Life– Improve communities and economic conditions

across the MARB

Moving Forward: Implementation

State nitrogen and phosphorus reduction strategies

Federal nitrogen and phosphorus reduction strategies

Annual Operating Plans

Annual Report

For more information

or to read the Action Plan visit:

http://www.epa.gov/owow_keep/msbasin/

Ohio River Basin Team

A partnership helping to protect and restore local waters and

the Gulf of Mexico

John Kessler, Ohio DNR

Ohio River BasinSteering Committee MembersIllinois Dept of AgricultureIndiana Dept of Environmental ManagementKentucky Dept of Environmental ProtectionKentucky Division of ConservationOhio Dept of Natural ResourcesOhio EPAPennsylvania Conservation CommissionTennessee Dept of Environmental ConsWest Virginia Conservation AgencyWest Virginia Dept of AgricultureWest Virginia Dept of Environmental ProtectionORSANCO

The Ohio River Basin

NY

PA

IL IN OH

KY

WV VA

NC TN

Biggest ChallengesAbsence of clear drivers (but this may change)– Financial (some funds shifted)

– Regulatory (nutrient criteria, TMDLs in-state and interstate or regional???)

– Public Opinion (climate change, energy)

– Working voluntarily in advance of regulation

Program Integration and Implementation Examples from Ohio

Typical Eastern Corn Belt Field with Conservation Tillage

Combinations of Practices

Rural Drainage

Rural Drainage

Urban Stormwater BMP

Scioto CREP practice

Scioto CREP practice

WQ Trading Example (holding pond and plan needed)

Urban CSO

Urban CSO

Public Treatment Works

Nutrient Load Reductions2006 Examples

Scioto Watershed CREP – 57,000 out of 70,000 acres enrolled– 36,000 lb. P/yr– 73,000 lb. N/yr

Great Miami Trading – 68,000 lb. P over 5 to 20 years– 176,000 lb. N over 5 to 20 years

Thank You