Report on Biological & Water Quality Monitoring in the East Branch DuPage Watershed: 2011

Report on Biological & Water Quality Monitoring in the East Branch DuPage

Watershed: 2011

DuPage River-Salt Creek Work GroupAugust 28, 2013

Chris O. YoderCenter for Applied Bioassessment and Biocriteria

Midwest Biodiversity InstituteColumbus, OH

DuPage-Salt Creek Work Group Goals Verify low D.O. segments & determine effectiveness

of abatement and mitigation efforts

Comprehensive assessment of biological assemblages – establish baseline for comparison to future conditions in response to management

Determine extent of nutrient enrichment

Identify and prioritize stream segments where restoration will have greatest benefits

Support TMDL development and nutrient criteria

Determine roll of potential stressors at the local reach scale

The Development of a Biological Assessment Plan for the DuPage and

Salt Creek Watersheds

DuPage-Salt Creek Work GroupMarch 7, 2006

Chris O. YoderCenter for Applied Bioassessment and Biocriteria

Midwest Biodiversity InstituteColumbus, OH

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Bloomingdale-Reeves

Glendale Heights

Glenbard - Lombard

Glenbard WWTP

Downers-Grove

Woodridge

Bolingbrook #2Bolingbrook #1

Spatial sampling design is critical for accurately detecting impairments and providing data at the same scale at which restoration is applied.

• Fish Assemblage • Macroinvertebrates • Periphyton(Use Community Level Data From At Least Two)

Physical Habitat Indicators• Channel morphology • Flow• Substrate Quality • Riparian

Chemical Quality Indicators• pH • Temperature• Conductivity • Dissolved O2

For Specific Designated Uses Add the Following:

HUMAN/WILDLIFE CONSUMPTIONBase List:• Metals (in tissues)• Organics (in tissues)

CORE INDICATORS

AQUATIC LIFEBase List:• Ionic strength• Nutrients, sedimentSupplemental List:• Metals (water/sediment)• Organics (water/sediment)• Chlorophyll a

RECREATIONALBase List:• Fecal bacteria• Ionic strengthSupplemental List:• Other pathogens• Organics (water/sed.)• Chlorophyll a

WATER SUPPLYBase List:• Fecal bacteria• Ionic strength• Nutrients, sedimentSupplemental List:• Metals (water/sediment)• Organics (water/sed.)• Other pathogens• Chlorophyll a

Core indicators are measured routinely – independent of

assessment & management questions

Supplemental indicators are added depending on

designated uses, study area setting, and monitoring objectives and questions

E. Branch DuPage Bioassessment: 2011 Survey

21 mainstem & 15 tributary sites sampled for fish, macroinvertebrates, and QHEI in 2011.

7 mainstem sites sampled for fish and QHEI in 2012 to follow-up Churchill Woods dam removal.

Fish sampled with MBI methods – pulsed D.C. methods; 3 person crew.

Macroinvertebrates sampled with IEPA methods. Water chemistry at all sites (37); sediment chemistry

at 23 sites; continuous monitoring at 5 sites. Data analyzed using IEPA indices and either Illinois

WQS or IPS thresholds. Stressor analysis accomplished to determine

principal causes & sources of biological impairments.

What is a Bioassessment?

Bioassessment – a systematic assessment of the aquatic resource using biological indicators AND chemical/physical indicators in a supporting role.

Reasonably available tools and criteria exist to assess and evaluate this for all waterbody types.

Biocriteria – numerical benchmarks for determining attainment of a goal expressed in the definition of an aquatic life designated use in the state WQS.

Bioassessment is the essential

implementation tool for a TALU based approach

Invertebrate organisms contribute vital functions in an aquatic ecosystem including energy flow, conversion, and production.

This assemblage is the longest used indicator group. Numerous techniques and approaches have been developed.

Benthic Macroinvertebrates Active Sampling Methods Examples

Net-based methods (including kicks, dips, jabs, sweeps, & picks)

Picking

Grab samplers

Scrubbing substrates Dome

Sampler

We followed IEPA methods for field collections & lab

processing

Fish are a widely identifiable component of aquatic systems and are valued for their recreational uses. Most species, however, are more obscure, and comprise the second most endangered group.

Illinois DNR “electric seine”

MBI pulsed D.C. electrofishing

methods

The Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI)

Substrate - types, origin, quality, embeddedness

QHEI Includes Six Major Categories of Macrohabitat

Source: The Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (Rankin 1989)

Instream Cover – types and quantity Channel Quality – sinuosity, development, stability Riparian – width, quality, bank stability & quality Pool/Run/Riffle – depth, current types, embedded-

ness, morphology Gradient – local gradient (fall per unit distance)

Table 3. Ten metrics selected for inclusion in revised Illinois IBIs. Metrics in bold type are new to

Illinois IBIs; four others are slight variants of previous metrics.

Metric Name Description Species-richness metrics NFSH Number of native fish species NSUC Number of native sucker species (i.e., in family Catostomidae) NSUN Number of native sunfish species (i.e., in family Centrarchidae) INTOL Number of native intolerant species NMIN Number of native minnow species (i.e., in family Cyprinidae) NBINV Number of native benthic invertivore species Trophic- or reproductive-structure metrics SBI Proportion of individuals of species that are specialist benthic invertivores GEN Proportion of individuals of species that are generalist feeders LIT0T Proportion of individuals of species that are obligate coarse-mineral-substrate

spawners and not "tolerant" (i.e., excludes creek chub and white sucker) Tolerance metric PRTOL Proportion of tolerant species

Illinois EPA Fish Index of Biotic Integrity

Prior IBI-score Range

Class

Description

51 - 60

A

Unique Aquatic Resource (Exceptional)

41 - 50

B

Highly Valued Aquatic Resource (Good)

31 - 40

C

Moderate Aquatic Resource (Fair)

21 - 30

D

Limited Aquatic Resource (Poor)

< 21

E

Restricted Aquatic Resource (Very Poor)

Illinois EPA IBI Narrative Evaluations

General Use Attainment Threshold

Metric Response to Stress Best Value Coleoptera taxa Decrease 5

Ephemeroptera taxa Decrease 10.2 Total Taxa Decrease 46

Intolerant taxa Decrease 9 MBI Increase 4.9

Percent Scraper Decrease 29.6 Percent EPT Decrease 74

Illinois EPA Macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity

Index Score

Lower Upper Boundary Boundary Comparison to Reference Narrative

73 100 >75th percentile Exceptional 52.7 72.9 >25th percentile Good 26.4 52.6 bisect 25th percentile (upper) Fair

0 26.3 bisect 25th percentile (lower) Poor

Illinois EPA Macroinvertebrate IBI Narrative Ranges

General Use Attainment Threshold

Chemical/Physical Field ProceduresChemical/Physical Field Procedures

Water column grab samplingWater column grab sampling Depth integrated samplerDepth integrated sampler

Automatic composite samplersAutomatic composite samplers Time-of-travel dye injectionTime-of-travel dye injection

Ohio EPA Chemical Effluent & Exposure Sampling Ohio EPA Chemical Effluent & Exposure Sampling ProceduresProcedures

Permitted Discharges are Sampled for Permitted Discharges are Sampled for a Variety of Chemicals - This Provides a Variety of Chemicals - This Provides Data to Determine Pollutant LoadsData to Determine Pollutant Loads

Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Testing Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Testing is Performed Primarily on Effluentsis Performed Primarily on Effluents

Biochemical Markers (Biomarkers) are Biochemical Markers (Biomarkers) are Useful for Discerning Problem Useful for Discerning Problem PollutantsPollutants

Fish Tissue Analysis Reveals Fish Tissue Analysis Reveals Bioaccumulative Pollutants and Risks Bioaccumulative Pollutants and Risks to Human and Wildlife Healthto Human and Wildlife Health

Environmental Indicator

". . a measurable feature whichsingly or in combination provides managerially and scientifically useful evidence of ecosystem quality, or reliable evidence of trends in quality."

ITFM (1995)

Types of Environmental Indicators: How Each is Used Makes a Difference

1. Stressor Indicators (pollutant loadings, land use, habitat) – best used to indicate impacts

2. Exposure Indicators (e.g., chemical-specific, biomarkers, toxicity tests) – best used to indicate risk of harm or undesirable changes

3. Response Indicators (e.g., biological community condition) – best used to indicate whole effects and as a performance end-point

Problems occur when indicators are used as surrogates outside their most appropriate role

10

100

1000200720112007 sample2011 sample

Flow

(cfs

)

Date

May June July August September

USGS Gage @Downers Grove

Mean September Flow (MGD)

Glendale Heights STP

Glenbard STP

Bloomingdale-Reeves WRF

Bolingbrook STP#1

Downers Grove SD WTC

Woodridge STP

8%

27.7%

8.02%

5.78%

25.8%

24.8%

Effluent Data from WWTPs

Bollingbrook WWTP 3rd Quarter Effluent

0

2

4

6

8

10

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Bolingbrook STP - 3Q

FLO

W (M

GD)

0.01

0.1

1

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011


NH 3-N

(mg/

l)

0

2

4

6

8

10

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011


CBO

D 5 (mg/

l)

0

5

10

15

20

25

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011


TSS

(mg/

l)

0

2

4

6

8

10

May

/22

Jun/

28

Aug/

3

Sep/

9

Oct

/16

Army Trail Road - EBAT - 2009

Diss

olve

d O

xyge

n (m

g/l)

Daily

Min

imum

Date

3.5 mg/l Never-to-be-Exceeded Criteria (Aug-Feb)5.0 mg/l Never-to-be-Exceeded

Criteria (Mar-Jul)

0.1

1

10

100

0510152025

20112007N

itrat

e +

Nitr

ite N

itrog

en (m

g/l)

River Mile

Bloomingdale-ReevesGlendale Glenbard

DownersGrove Woodbridge

Bollingbrook

Churchill Woods Dam(removed Feb. 2011)

Former impoundment

E. Branch Nitrate-N 2011 vs. 2007

0.01

0.1

1

10

0510152025

20112007

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus (

mg/

l)

River Mile



Bollingbrook


Former impoundment

E. Branch Total Phosphorus 2011 vs. 2007

E. Branch Daytime D.O. 2007 vs. 2011

0

5

10

15

20

0510152025

year2007year2011M

ean

(Max

) Diss

olve

d O

xyge

n (m

g/l)

River Mile

Bloomingdale-Reeves

Glendale Glenbard


Bollingbrook


Former impoundment

The consequences of nutrient enrichment are frequently indirect affecting instream processes such as photosynthesis and respiration.

0.1

1

10

Tribs - 2011Mainstem - 2011Tribs - 2007Mainstem - 2007

2011

Tota

l Nitr

ate-

N (m

g/l)

2007

E. Branch Total Nitrate-N Mainstem vs. Tribs.

0.01

0.1

1

10

Tribs - 2011Mainstem - 2011Tribs - 2007Mainstem - 2007

2011

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus (

mg/

l)

2007

E. Branch Total Phosphorus Mainstem vs. Tribs.

E. Branch Mainstem Chlorides

0

50

100

150

200

250

0510152025

year2007

year2011

Tota

l Chl

orid

e (m

g/l)

RIVER MILE



Bollingbrook

Churchill Woods Dam (removed)

Fish

Macros

IPS derived thresholds were used in lieu of current IEPA WQS to judge effects to aquatic life. Chloride is an example of a parameter with an outdated criterion.

100

1000

Tribs - 2011Mainstem - 2011Tribs 2007Mainstem - 2007

2011To

tal C

hlor

ide

(mg/

l)

2007

E. Branch Chlorides Mainstem vs. Tribs.

0

20

40

60

80

100

0510152025

year2007year2011year2012

QH

EI

RIVER MILE


Poor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Very PoorFormer impoundment


DownersGrove

Woodbridge

Bollingbrook# 1 & #2

Glenbard(Lombard)

E. Branch Habitat 2007, 2011, & 2012

0

20

40

60

80

100

0510152025

year2007

year2011

Mac

roin

vert

ebra

te IB

I

RIVER MILE

Fair

Good

PoorChurchill Woods Dam (removed Feb. 2011)Former impoundment

*


DownersGrove

Woodbridge


Glenbard(Lombard)

E. Branch Macroinvertebrates 2007 vs. 2011

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0510152025

year 2007year 2011year 2012

Fish

IBI

RIVER MILE

Fair

Good

Poor


Former impoundment


DownersGrove

Woodbridge


Glenbard(Lombard)

E. Branch Fish 2007, 2011, & 2012

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2007 fIBI 2011 fIBI 2012 fIBI

Fish

IBI

Fair

Good

Poor

East Branch Dupage River Upper Mainstem RM 23.5-19.0

FIBI Trend

Year

Incremental improvement in fish IBI due to improved habitat resulting from Churchill Woods dam removal.

E. Branch DuPage Watershed: Major Observations

• Incremental improvement in QHEI and fIBI following Churchill Woods dam removal.

• D.O. regime exhibited wider nutrient related diel swings in 2011 vs. 2007.

• Nitrate-N highly elevated in 2011 vs. 2007.• Elevated nutrients primarily in mainstem.• Elevated chlorides in 2011 vs. 2007

watershed wide.• Biological assemblages mostly fair-poor

throughout watershed – multiple causes.

Documents

Report on Biological & Water Quality Monitoring in the East Branch DuPage Watershed: 2011