A Five Year Water Quality Monitoring Report on Caddo Lake By Roy Darville East Texas Baptist University & Caddo Lake Institute

Acknowledgements “Lots of Thanks are Due Lots of People”  Financial Support  Dwight Shellman and the Caddo Lake Institute  East Texas Baptist University  Field & Lab Help  Brian Darville  Ray Darville  Numerous ETBU students  And especially Debbie Darville

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands  An international treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran  Provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.  Currently  131 Contracting Parties to the Convention  1148 Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance, totaling 240 million acres  15 Ramsar sites in the U.S. Caddo Lake was the 13 th, dedicated in October 1993

Three Key Ramsar Concepts Local Community Involvement  Recommendation 6.3 (Ramsar COP6, 1996) called upon the Contracting Parties “to make specific efforts to encourage active and informed participation of local and indigenous people at Ramsar listed sites and other wetlands and their catchments, and their direct involvement, through appropriate mechanisms, in wetland management.” This recommendation was co-authored by the Caddo Lake Institute.  Resolution VII.8 (Ramsar COP7, 1999) “Guidelines for establishing and strengthening local communities’ and indigenous people’s participation in the management of wetlands” See Ramsar Handbook 5 for details

Three Key Ramsar Concepts Wetland Management  Article 3.1 of the Convention requires Contracting Parties to “formulate and implement their planning so as to promote the conservation of the wetlands included in the List, and as far as possible, the wise use of wetlands in their territory.”  Resolution VII.8 (COP7, 1999) encouraged “technical experts, and local and indigenous people to work together in the planning and management of wetlands to ensure that the best available science and local knowledge are taken into consideration in making decisions.” Therefore, the U.S. is required to have a management plan for Caddo Lake and local people like us are to help develop it.

Three Key Ramsar Concepts: Monitoring  Article 3.2 of the Convention states that “each Contracting Party shall arrange to be informed at the earliest possible time if the ecological character of any wetland in the territory and included in the List has changed, is changing or is likely to change”. These wetlands can be listed on the Montreux Record; example: the Everglades  we must maintain ecological and hydrological functions of Caddo Lake which ultimately provide its products, functions, and attributes (ecological character is an indication of wetland “health”) therefore, we must monitor the Caddo Lake ecosystem

Ramsar Framework for a Wetland Monitoring Program Problems/Issues Objective Hypothesis Methods and Variables Feasibility/cost effectiveness Pilot Study Sampling Analysis Reporting

The Big Cypress/Caddo Lake Watershed Watershed Facts TNRCC basin 4 (one of smallest in Texas) 2,812 square miles in northeast Texas water inputs into Caddo Lake  precipitation: 47 inches/yr  4 major streams: Big Cypress, Little Cypress, Black Cypress, James Bayou  smaller streams: Kitchen’s Creek, Harrison Bayou, Saunders’s Branch,  nonpoint runoff Caddo watershed 2000 population: 633,000 (includes Shreveport area) industry: forestry, cattle, chickens, agriculture, oil & gas production The Watersheds of Texas

Caddo Lake is part of Segments 0401 and 0402

U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA)  passed in 1972  primary objective is to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation's waters. This objective translates into two fundamental national goals: –eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the nation's waters, and –achieve water quality levels that are fishable and swimmable  In general 1) all waters must be assessed for water quality based upon federal and state standards in light of the established designated uses for the water body Designated Uses in Texas: aquatic life, general use, contact recreation, noncontact recreation, public water supply If the use is not being supported, it is termed “use impairment” 2) corrective action for water bodies that are in violation(s) must be undertaken

U.S. Clean Water Act Section 305(b)  requires Texas (TNRCC) to produce a periodic inventory comparing water quality conditions to established standards  in Texas, the assessment is done on a two year cycle with the next assessment due out in 2002  Currently, the 2002 assessment is in draft form and is available at:

Section 305(b) Assessment for Caddo Lake Primary Concerns: for Use Impairments LocationDesignated UseParameter of Concern Clinton LakeAquatic lifeLow dissolved oxygen Goose Prairie armAquatic lifeLow dissolved oxygen Harrison Bayou armAquatic lifeLow dissolved oxygen Carter’s LakeAquatic lifeLow dissolved oxygen Lower 5000 acres (midlake) GeneralHigh and low pH Clinton LakeGeneralLow pH Goose Prairie armGeneralLow pH Carter’s LakeGeneralLow pH

Section 305(b) Assessment for Caddo Lake Secondary Concerns: Not Tied to Support of a Designated Use LocationWater Quality ConcernParameter of Concern Clinton LakeFish tissue contaminantsMercury Clinton LakeNutrient enrichmentAmmonia Carter’s LakeSediment contaminantBarium Carter’s LakeSediment contaminantManganese Carter’s LakeSediment contaminantMercury Carter’s LakeSediment contaminantSelenium Carter’s LakeSediment contaminantZinc Lower 5000 acresNutrient enrichmentAmmonia Lower 5000 acresSediment contaminantLead Lower 5000 acresSediment contaminantManganese Lower 5000 acresSediment contaminantMercury Lower 5000 acresSediment contaminantZinc

Clean Water Act 303(d) List  Section 303(d) of the CWA requires TNRCC to develop a list of water bodies in Texas that do not meet established standards  The 303(d) list is based upon the 305(b) assessment and is done on a two year cycle  Texas: 2000 list is available at  The 2002 draft list will be available April, 2002 Thus, the list is now in process is opened for comment  The water bodies are referred to as "impaired waters"  The state must take appropriate action to improve impaired water bodies, such as the development of a total maximum daily load

Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)  “The objective of the TMDL Program is to restore and maintain the beneficial uses (drinking water, recreation, aquatic life, etc.) of impaired or threatened water bodies in Texas.”  Administered by TNRCC with oversight by USEPA (Dallas)  Only TMDL currently underway in Big Cypress basin is in Big Cypress below Lake Bob Sandlin and Lake O’ the Pines (segments 403 and 402)  TNRCC information on TMDLs in Texas is available at:

Objectives of Water Quality Monitoring at Caddo Lake  Long-term trends Determine long-term trends in water quality in the lake overall and in the three different habitat types (riverine, wetland, lake)  Seasonal trends Determine seasonal trends in water quality  Spill vrs. No Spill Determine differences in water quality during times when water is flowing over the Caddo Lake dam compared to when there is no flow over the dam  Water quality standards Monitoring water quality to compare with State of Texas Surface Water Quality Standards

Monitoring  monthly monitoring for 5 years  total of 7 sites, but not all sampled each year  Caddo Lake State Park boat ramp, Carter’s Lake, Clinton Lake, Turtle Shell, Harrison Bayou (near mouth), mid-lake, James Bayou (near Onion Island)  3 habitat types based upon depth, flow, vegetation  Riverine  Wetland  Lake  field methods follow those used by TNRCC in Surface Water Quality Monitoring Procedures Manual and used by the Clean Rivers Program QAPP  all lab work done at ETBU

Methods Used in Determination of Water Quality Parameters 1 AlkalinityStandard Methods 2320, titration to pH 4.5 BOD 5 Standard Methods 5210B Carbon dioxideStandard Methods 4500-CO 2 C ChlorideStandard Methods 4500-Cl -, B Color, apparent & trueHach method 8025 Specific ConductanceTNRCC Guidance Document Depth, SecchiTNRCC Guidance Document Dissolved oxygenTNRCC Guidance Document Fecal coliform bacteriaStandard Methods 9222D, membrane filtration HardnessStandard Methods 2340 Nitrogen, ammoniaHach method 8038 Nitrogen, nitrateHach method 8171 pHTNRCC Guidance Document Phosphate, reactiveHach method 8048 Phosphorus, totalHach method 8190 Solids, totalStandard Methods 2540B, gravimetric Solids, suspendedStandard Methods 2540D, gravimetric Solids, dissolvedcalculation SulfateStandard Methods 4500-SO 4 2- E TemperatureTNRCC Guidance Document TurbidityHach model 2100P, nephelometric 1. Standard Methods refers to Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 18 th ed. field methods followed the TNRCC Surface Water Quality Monitoring Guidance, using a YSI multiparameter water quality meter, model 600 and 610D

TNRCC Standard: Minimum 24 hour mean ?

Alkalinity  Def: the ability of a body of water to resist changes in pH  Acts as a buffer against acids and thus lower pHs  “Tums”  Chemically measured as carbon dioxide, bicarbonates, and carbonate  Low alkalinity = limited ability to neutralize acids Caddo Lake (East Texas in general) has a naturally low alkalinity  rule of thumb = minimum alkalinity should be greater than 20 mg/l Application – acid deposition and input at Caddo Lake will continue to lower the pH of the water

Nutrients and Eutrophication  Plant nutrients include nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)  All organisms need these to survive, grow, and reproduce  Excess amounts of these nutrients in lakes and streams contribute to a problem known as eutrophication  Nutrients enter aquatic ecosystems from point sources (wastewater treatment plants), nonpoint surface runoff, and the atmosphere  Excess nutrients cause excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants  The large amount of plants eventually die and are decomposed by bacteria and fungi  The decomposers remove dissolved oxygen from the water creating lower DO values or even anoxic conditions the data suggest that Caddo Lake is becoming more eutrophic

Nutrients and Eutrophication

Water Quality Trends Associated with Spill or No Spill Conditions at Caddo Lake ft

-24%

+ 0.22

-20%

- 29%

- 3.3

The Air-Water Connection: The National Air Deposition Program  Question: What is the source of the water quality concerns at Caddo Lake? point sources non-point surface run-off from the watershed non-point air deposition (dry and wet)  NADP  a nationwide network of over 200 precipitation monitoring sites, including a site located at Gregg County Airport  purpose – to collect data on the chemistry of precipitation for monitoring of geographical and temporal long-term trends

Sediment Metals in Caddo Lake  In lakes, sediments often act as repositories for chemicals such as metals  Metals in sediments generally are in higher concentration than metal concentrations in water  Sediment metals have been sampled recently by the TNRCC Clean Rivers Program and by the USACE around Longhorn Sampling has found high levels of some sediment metals Highest concentrations are found at the surface (top 6 inches) which is the area of most recent deposition Highest concentrations were found in the upper end of the Goose Prairie arm

Sediment Metals in Caddo Lake Element Threshold Effect Level (TNRCC) Midlake (CRP) Goose Prairie North (USACE) Goose Prairie South (USACE) B.C. -- Marshall Intake (CRP) Clinton Lake (USACE) Arsenic Barium Cadmium ND Chromium Lead Manganese Mercury Nickel Selenium Silver ND Zinc

Summary of 5 Year Water Quality Trends  Dissolved oxygen  Downward trend – less oxygen – across the entire lake  Lower dissolved oxygen during no-spill days  pH  Downward trend – becoming more acidic  Nutrients such as nitrogen  Dramatic increase in nitrogen concentrations – increased eutrophication  Water Quality Index  Caddo Lake rates in the lower “good” category  Lower WQI during no spill days  Metals  Some metals in sediment are of concern especially near LHAAP and at midlake

Possible Official Requests – Subject to STRP Comment  EPA and TNRCC multicomponent TMDL to study mercury, low dissolved oxygen, pH, sediment metals, nutrients  Texas Water Development Board: conduct bathymetric study of the entire lake  USGS Determine sedimentation rates in Caddo Lake Conduct additional sediment metal sampling in various areas of the lake Determine flow at US Hwy 43 bridge; perhaps install permanent flow gage

Possible Official Requests Subject to STRP Comment  EPA add Goose Prairie to the superfund site fund a Water Development Grant  Texas Parks and Wildlife Department continue study and elimination of invasive species; produce a restoration plan  Northeast Texas Municipal Water District through the Clean Rivers Program and TNRCC to put more funding into water quality monitoring at Caddo Lake  Develop a list of needed equipment  Need local person to coordinate the work