Lake Erie Critical Issues and Current Research Endeavors OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY C. William Swank Program Dr. Kristen M. DeVanna Fussell Ohio Sea Grant College Program November 19 th, 2014

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Critical Issues 1.Sediment and Dredging ‒750K of seds from Maumee ‒Raised homes in Toledo and Ag fields 2.Monitoring of HABs

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Critical Issues 3.Deadzone (CB and WB) ‒ Linked to HABs o Where do blooms go? o Internal loading (WB)

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Critical Issues 4.Nutrient management issues ‒Less point …. now non-point (dissolved) ‒Nature of the problem has changes 5.Climate Change (Heidelberg data) ‒All decisions within different framework

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY 6.Coastal and Economic Development ‒Relationship with OH tourism ~12 of 40b 7.Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Critical Issues Photos courtesy of

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Bench-scale evaluation of in-situ ultrasonic remediation of contaminated sediments (Weavers and Lenhart at OSU) Beneficial reuse of dredged material (Dayton and Fiksel at OSU; also OHSG Task Force) Methane release associated with hypoxia/anoxia vs. natural underground deposits (Townsend at U of Cinn) Hypoxia and internal loading in Lake Erie (OHSG)

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Rick Stumpf and NOAA….HABs forecasting ability ‒Calibration and validation experiments to produce satellite- based spectral algorithms to measure biological and geochemical water constituents; Adem (C of Charleston) and Ortiz (Kent State) ‒Establishing sources of phosphorus promoting toxic HABs using gene expression; Gobler and Harke at SUNY Stony

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Mapping drain tile and modeling agricultural contribution to nonpoint source pollution in the western Lake Erie basin (University of Toledo) Understanding dam removal impacts on a formerly prolific Great Lake’s walleye population (ODNR)

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY One of the Most Important Lakes in the World Dead lake image of 60s and 70s; poster child for pollution problems in US Also best example of ecosystem recovery in world Photos courtesy of Cleveland Press Collection at Cleveland State University Library and Wikipedia EPA est. on Dec 2 nd, st Earth Day on April 22 nd, 1970 Clean Water Act of 1972

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Shared by 4 states and 2 countries Drinking water for 11 million people Houses over 20 power plants (greatest water use) Houses 300 marinas in Ohio alone Walleye Capital of the World 40% of all Great Lakes charter boats Also, Ohio’s charter boat industry is largest in North America $1.5 billion sport fishery The most valuable freshwater commercial fishery in the world Coastal tourism value is over $12 billion (~40) Lake Erie Stats Photos courtesy of Photo courtesy of Grave Yard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay Photos courtesy of

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Setting the Stage for HABs

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY

Great Lakes Land Use Image: Ohio Sea Grant

1 st 2 nd Least 10% Great Lakes Land Use Continued

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY More sediment and nutrients (i.e., fertilizers and sewage) than all the other Great Lakes Above are exacerbated by storms ‐We are seeing more frequent and severe storms due to climate change ‐Data to come …. Don’t forget, it is also the shallowest (sunlight) As a result Lake Erie is the most productive of the Great Lakes, and always will be!! Because of Land Use Lake Erie Gets…..

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY (Not exact, but instructive) 50:2 Rule Lake Superior: 50% of the water and 2% of the fish

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Lake Erie: 2% of the water and 50% of the fish (Not exact, but instructive) 50:2 Rule

OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY 80% of water from upper lakes 10% from Lake Erie tributaries 10% direct precipitation 80:10:10 Rule ~5% of all LE tributary water YET 50% of LE phosphorous !! The Maumee River