long-term volunteer lake monitoring in the upper woonasquatucket watershed linda green uri watershed...
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Long-Term VolunteerLake Monitoring in the Upper Woonasquatucket Watershed
Linda Green
URI Watershed Watch
401-874-2905, [email protected]
WATER QUALITY IS A REFLECTION OF THE ACTIVITIES IN THE LANDS AND WATERS SURROUNDING AND LYING UPSTREAM OF ANY LOCATION
WATER QUALITY IS ALSO A
REFLECTION OF
in-water processes:
biology, chemistry,physics of the waterbody itself
Watershed:The area of land that drains to the outlet of a lake, stream or
other waterbody
Limnology:Limnology:
Scientific study of freshwater ecosystems
lakes, ponds, reservoirs, streams
Goal: Improve understanding of the physical, biological, chemical, and geological factors affecting these ecosystems
URI Watershed Watch:An Ecological Monitoring
Program
Ecological Monitoring =
Repeated measurements over time to note a condition or track a trend
URI Watershed Watch: Essential Ingredients• science-based
• locally driven
• involve the public
• educational, not regulatory
• provide good, useful information
• stable funding
Woonasquatucket Lakes
• Georgiaville Pond - 238
• Hawkins Reservoir - 90
• Slack’s Reservoir - 309
• Waterman Lake - 386
• Woon. Res. – Stump Pond - 353
Education / Awareness
Assess Impairment
Legal & Regulatory
Increasing Time - Rigor - QA - Expense $$Increasing Time - Rigor - QA - Expense $$
The Continuum of Volunteer Monitoring Data Use
URIWW has EPA-approved QAPP’s & is a RI Dept of Health certified laboratory
We measure:
– Secchi Depth– Chlorophyll– Phosphorus &
nitrogen– Dissolved
oxygen– Bacteria
To indicate:
– Water clarity– Algae– Nutrient levels
– Aquatic health
–Safe for recreation
Monitoring Equipment & Supplies
Monitoring Supplies
• Secchi Disk and View Tube (not for rivers)• Postcards (on-line data entry coming soon!)• Deep or Shallow Sampler• Sample Bottles• Chlorophyll Supplies kits• Thermometer• Dissolved Oxygen Kit• Salinity Kit
Three Tiers of Monitoring
Weekly - water clarity
(lakes and ponds)
Biweekly– water temperature– chlorophyll (algae)– dissolved oxygen– salinity
Three Tiers of Monitoring
Water Collection DaysMonthly- rivers, salty sites
May, July, Oct – lakes and ponds
A suite of water samples collected
and brought to WW lab
for lab analysis of– Acidity level– nutrients– bacteria
The ultimate goal is to ensure that good quality data
is collected by satisfied, well trained volunteers
and is used!
Rainfall
Amount Distribution
WaterWater
Lakes slow the flow of water
Lake water quality reflects the history of the water
• Particulate matter
• Soluble materials
Residence Time:Residence Time: Amount of time water spends in the lake between inflow and outflow
< 10 days algae flushed out
10-100 days nutrients collect, algae use nutrients and multiply
>100 days amount of algae limited by amount of nutrients
Accumulation
Nutrients Sediment Organic Material
Eutrophication
Time
Particulates
Runoff from storms sediments organic matter
Discharge to waterways…nutrients, pesticides,
adsorbed to above
Bacterial contamination
Airborne particulates dust pollen
Soluble MaterialsSoluble Materials
Dissolved plant nutrients, particularly P and N
Agricultural crops Lawn and garden fertilizers
Wastewater discharges
Stages of Lake Aging
Oligotrophy• Clear Water• Nutrient Poor• Sandy or rocky bottom• Inorganic sediments
Mesotrophy• Average nutrient levels• Some organic sediments
Eutrophy• Nutrient Rich• Algal blooms or dense aquatic plant growth• Basin filling with organic sediments
A Delicate Balance
Woonasquatucket Lakes
• Georgiaville Pond
• Hawkins Reservoir
• Slack’s Reservoir
• Waterman Lake
• Woonasquatucket Res. – Stump Pond
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71 81 91 101
RANK OF LAKES BY MULTI-YEARPHOSPHORUS TROPHIC STATUS
Hypereutrophic: excessive productivity
Eutrophic: high level of nutrients and biological productivity
Mesotrophic: moderate levels of nutrients and productivity
Oligotrophic: low in nutrients and algaeSlack's
StumpWaterm'n
Geo'vl
Hawkins
Bacteria Results
Fecal Coliform Maxima, upper Woonasquatucket Lakes, 1993-2005
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Georgiaville 3 26 8 7 5 19 48 9 3 20 13 38 973Hawkins 9 32 17 303Slacks 4 8 1160 28 194 960 41 124 160 108 64 92Woon-Stump 4 13 11 20 50 4 2 6 21 7 31 344 46Waterman 4 8 11 15 19 11 4 10 2 6 4 136 192
Maximum fecal coliform in each year, typically 3 samples per monitoring season. Recreational contact levels are 200 fc/100 ml water.Typically the maximum occurs during/after rainfall events.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Low water clarity
Mesotrophic - Moderate water clarity
Oligotrophic - Excellent water clarity
Secchi DepthDepth (m)
0
2
4
6
8
10
1219
90
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels
Oligotrophic - Low algae levels
Chlorophyll Levelsppb
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels
Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels
Total Phosphorus Levelsppb
Georgiaville Pond
Georgiaville Pond
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
Apr
-90
Jun-
90
Aug
-90
Sep
-90
May
-91
Jul-9
1
Sep
-91
Nov
-91
Jun-
92
Aug
-92
Oct
-92
May
-93
Jul-9
3
Oct
-93
May
-94
Jul-9
4
Sep
-94
Jun-
95
Aug
-95
Jul-9
6
May
-97
Aug
-97
Jul-9
8
Jun-
99
Oct
-99
Jul-0
0
May
-01
Aug
-01
May
-02
Jul-0
2
Jun-
03
Sep
-03
Jul-0
4
Jun-
05
Bottom Depth (m)
Georgiaville Pond Water Clarity 1990-2005(measured by Secchi Depth Transparency)
Very Clear
Moderate Clarity
Poor Clarity
Top
actual bottom depth
Dissolved Oxygen
Necessary for fish and aquatic animals
Prevents re-suspension of trapped nutrients
Content controlled by water temperature and sediment biomass
Lake Stratification
Dissolved Oxygen
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
4/17 5/6 5/28 6/18 7/11 8/1 8/27 9/17 10/8 10/29
Barber Pond
Wash Pond
DISSOLVED OXYGEN at 5 METERS
mg/l
Georgiaville Dissolved OxygenAll Years
0
2
4
6
8
10
12 1990
19911992
1994
19951996
1997
1998
19992001
2003
20042005
Georgiaville Dissolved OxygenBest - Worst - Now
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
10-M
ay
19-M
ay
25-M
ay
1-Ju
n
7-Ju
n
15-J
un
21-J
un
29-J
un
6-Ju
l
12-J
ul
20-J
ul
25-J
ul
2-Au
g
10-A
ug
18-A
ug
27-A
ug
31-A
ug
7-Se
p
14-S
ep
19-S
ep
28-S
ep
5-O
ct
10-O
ct
19-O
ct
25-O
ct
14-A
ug
1990
1996
2005
Alternate Shallow Lake Stable States
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Oligotrophic - Low algae levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels
Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels
Algae Levels(Chlorophyll)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels
Total Phosphorus Levels
Eutrophic - High nutrient levels
Depth (m)
ppb
ppb
Hawkins Pond
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
May
-02
Jun-
02
Jun-
02
Jul-0
2
Aug
-02
Sep
-02
Oct
-02
May
-03
Jun-
03
Jul-0
3
Aug
-03
Sep
-03
Apr
-04
May
-04
Jun-
04
Jul-0
4
Aug
-04
Sep
-04
May
-05
May
-05
Jul-0
5
Aug
-05
Sep
-05
Hawkins Pond Water Clarity 2002-2005(measured by Secchi Depth Transparency)
Depth (m)
Top
actual pond bottom depth
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Apr
-02
Jun-
02
Aug
-02
Oct
-02
Dec
-02
Feb
-03
Apr
-03
Jun-
03
Aug
-03
Oct
-03
Dec
-03
Feb
-04
Apr
-04
Jun-
04
Aug
-04
Sep
-04
Nov
-04
Jan-
05
Mar
-05
May
-05
Jul-0
5
Sep
-05
Nov
-05
Hawkins Multi-year Algae Levels(Chlorophyll)
ppb
Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels
Oligotrophic - Low algae levels
Slack’s Reservoir0
0.51
1.52
2.53
3.54
4.55
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Low water clarity
Secchi DepthDepth (m)
Mesotrophic - Moderate water clarity
Oligotrophic - Excellent water clarity
0
2
4
6
8
10
1219
90
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels
Oligotrophic - Low algae levels
Algae Levels(Chlorophyll)
ppb
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels
Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels
Total Phosphorus Levelsppb
Slack’s Reservoir
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
Apr-9
1
Jun-
91
Aug-
91
Oct
-91
May
-92
Aug-
92
Oct
-92
Jun-
94
Oct
-94
Sep-
95
Jun-
96
Aug-
96
Oct
-96
Jun-
97
Aug-
97
Oct
-97
Jun-
98
Aug-
98
Oct
-98
Jun-
99
Aug-
99
Oct
-99
Jun-
00
Aug-
00
Oct
-00
Jul-0
1
Sep-
01
May
-02
Jul-0
2
Sep-
02
May
-03
Jul-0
3
Sep-
03
Jun-
04
Aug-
04
Slack's Reservoir Water Clarity 1991-2004 (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency)
Depth (m)
Top
actual bottom depth
Waterman Lake0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Water Clarity(Secchi Depth)
Depth
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1419
90
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels
Oligotrophic - Low algae levels
Algae Levels(Chlorophyll)
ppb
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels
Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels
Total Phosphorus Levelsppb
Waterman Lake
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
May
-91
Jul-9
1O
ct-9
1
Jun-
92Au
g-92
Nov-
92Ju
l-93
Oct
-93
Jun-
94Se
p-94
Apr-9
5
Jul-9
5Se
p-95
May
-96
Aug-
96O
ct-9
6Ju
l-97
Sep-
97
Jun-
98Au
g-98
May
-99
Jul-9
9O
ct-9
9Ju
l-00
Sep-
00
Jun-
01Se
p-01
May
-02
Aug-
02O
ct-0
2Ju
l-03
Sep-
03Ju
l-04
Sep-
04Ju
n-05
Oct
-05
Waterman Lake Water Clarity 1991-2005(measured by Secchi Depth Transparency)
Depth (m)
Top
Actual bottom depth
Stump Pond (Woon. Res.)0
1
2
3
4
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Water Clarity(Secchi Depth)Depth (m)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated algae levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate algae levels
Oligotrophic - Low algae levels
Algae Levels(Chlorophyll)
ppb
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Eutrophic - Elevated nutrient levels
Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels
Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels
Total Phosphorus Levelsppb
Stump Pond
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
May
-91
Jul-9
1
Sep
-91
May
-92
Aug
-92
Oct
-92
May
-94
Aug
-94
Oct
-94
Jun-
95
Aug
-95
May
-95
Jun-
96
Aug
-96
Oct
-96
Jun-
97
Aug
-97
May
-98
Sep
-98
May
-99
Jul-9
9
Sep
-99
Jun-
00
Aug
-00
Oct
-00
Jul-0
1
Sep
-01
Jun-
02
Aug
-02
May
-03
Jul-0
3
Sep
-03
Jul-0
4
Oct
-04
Jul-0
5
Sep
-05
Woonasquatucket Reservoir-Stump Pond Water Clarity 1991-2005 (measured by Secchi Depth Transparency)
Max. Depth (m)
Top
actual bottom depth
The bottom line…
• All the data is invaluable
• The data point to water quality as stable or slightly improving
• This is GREAT NEWS!
Thank You!