Development of a Linked Hydrodynamic – Sediment Transport – Water Quality Model for the Lower Maumee River and Western Lake Erie Basin Joseph DePinto, Todd Redder, Ed Verhamme, Jeremy Grush, Ric McCulloch LimnoTech Ann Arbor, MI Funded by USACE-Buffalo District through sub-contract to Ecology & Environment, Buffalo, NY 516(e) Program Meeting Ann Arbor, MI (May 18, 2011)

Presentation Outline Project Background & Objectives Overview of Model Development Model Calibration: Sediment Transport Water Quality / Eutrophication Model Application Results: Sediment Transport Water Quality / Eutrophication

Project Background Maumee Bay / Toledo Harbor dredging: Annual volume: ~640,000 yd 3 ( ) – ~70% to open lake disposal Annual cost: ~$5 million Major sediment “sources”: Maumee River Wind-wave resuspension Need for linked watershed-receiving water model to support comprehensive system management planning: Sediment management Nearshore water quality management (GLRI) Navigation Coastal erosion Flood control

Harmful Algal Blooms and Nuisance Benthic Algae Lyngbya wollei blooms wash up on western basin shoreline August 2003 Microcystis bloom in Maumee River plume in western Lake Erie

Project Objectives Quantitatively connect external (tributary/ watershed NPS, point sources) and internal (sediment resuspension and porewater flux) pollutant sources to lake ecological endpoints: Sediment  sedimentation and turbidity Nutrients  nuisance & harmful algal blooms Support USACE management decisions: Minimize need for dredging and impact Beneficial reuse Habitat enhancement (shoal areas) Synthesize monitoring/modeling data and advance our understanding of the system (WLEB Partnership)

LMR-MB Model Framework Hydrodynamic Sub-Model EFDC Model Sediment Transport Sub-Model “Simulating Waves Nearshore” (SWAN) Wind-Wave Sub-Model Nutrient & Eutrophication Sub-Model (RCA) Shear Stress Hydrodynamics Water level Current velocity Water Quality Linkage Flows Suspended solids Settling/resuspension rates Wind-Waves Significant height Direction Frequency Current velocity

Raisin Huron Portage Maumee Ottawa Stony Cedar Detroit Grid Characteristics: Curvilinear Grid 4,613 Horizontal Cells 26,387 Total Cells (3D)

Maumee Ottawa Navigation Channel

Model Development / Calibration Physical Data: Bathymetric: NOAA, USACE Hydrodynamic (flow, WL): USGS, NOAA Atmospheric (wind, etc.): NOAA/GLERL Sediment Data: Sediment bed characteristics: – Bathymetry changes (USACE dredge surveys) – Particle size distribution (GeoSea) Suspended sediment characteristics: – Maumee Waterville (Heidelberg) – Maumee Bay (T. Bridgeman, UT) Satellite imagery (MODIS, Landsat) Water Quality Data: Heidelberg University – Waterville load data University of Toledo – Maumee Bay data IFYLE – western basin data

Predicted vs. Observed Deposition in Navigation Channel (3/23/04 – 5/11/05)

Model-Data Comparison for Total Suspended Solids (6/18/2004) Data provided by Tom Bridgeman, University of Toledo Maumee Flow: 28,200 cfs

Model-Data Comparison for Total Suspended Solids (8/23/2004) Data provided by Tom Bridgeman, University of Toledo Maumee Flow: 5,500 cfs

Total Suspended Solids Animation (March – June 2004)

Key UT Water Quality Monitoring Stations Data provided by Tom Bridgeman, University of Toledo

Model-Data Comparison: "MB18" Total Phosphorus Soluble Reactive P

Model-Data Comparison: "MB18" Chlorophyll a

Chlorophyll-a Animation (April-October 2004)

Model Application 1. Evaluation of reduced Maumee River sediment and nutrient loadings impacts on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; 2. Evaluation of the stability of potential alternative locations for open-lake disposal of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor navigation channel; 3. Evaluation of the impact of sediment and nutrient releases occurring during open-lake dredge disposal activities on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; and 4. Evaluation of the potential impact of removing the Maumee Bay causeway on entrainment of larval fish by the Bayshore coal power plant.

Sediment Accretion in Nav Channel for Load Reduction Scenarios (3/23/04 – 5/11/05)

Water Quality Response: 40% total phosphorus and sediment load reduction Baseline Loads 40% load reduction (August 2004) Total Phosphorus (mg/l) Chlorophyll a (ug/l)

Model Application 1. Evaluation of reduced Maumee River sediment and nutrient loadings impacts on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; 2. Evaluation of the stability of potential alternative locations for open-lake disposal of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor navigation channel; 3. Evaluation of the impact of sediment and nutrient releases occurring during open-lake dredge disposal activities on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; and 4. Evaluation of the potential impact of removing the Maumee Bay causeway on entrainment of larval fish by the Bayshore coal power plant.

Simulation of Bed Elevation Changes in Proposed Shoal Areas During

Model Application 1. Evaluation of reduced Maumee River sediment and nutrient loadings impacts on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; 2. Evaluation of the stability of potential alternative locations for open-lake disposal of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor navigation channel; 3. Evaluation of the impact of sediment and nutrient releases occurring during open-lake dredge disposal activities on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; and 4. Evaluation of the potential impact of removing the Maumee Bay causeway on entrainment of larval fish by the Bayshore coal power plant.

Summer average TSS for dredge disposal scenarios No disposal 1.25M CY disposal 0.8M CY disposal Show dredge disposal animation

Differential for summer average TSS for 1.25M CY open-lake dredge disposal vs. no disposal Municipal Water Intake Locations

Use of LMR-MB Model to Support Management Programs Quantify relative contribution of all sources to ecosystem endpoints of concern Turbidity in Maumee Bay and western basin Sedimentation in navigation channel Nutrient concentration distributions Harmful and nuisance algal blooms Support planning and management decisions for BMP’s and erosion control in the watershed Reduction in dredging needs as a function of watershed actions Improvement in water quality in western basin as a function of watershed actions Support USACE sediment management planning Locate dredged material disposal areas (open-lake, habitat enhancements) and assess long-term stability Design of in-stream and /harbor bay control structures that reduce dredging costs and sediment impacts in lake

EXTRA SLIDES

Sediment Transport Model Processes Sediment Load Water Column Sediment Bed Deposition Resuspension Suspended, Bedload Transport Armoring Consolidation Bed handling Shear Stress (wave-current induced) Sediment Classes: Cohesive  3 classes Non-cohesive  3 classes (f. sand, m. sand, cobble)

Use of LMRM to Support Management Programs Evaluate stability of potential disposal sites Shoal areas for fish habitat Fate of dredging material releases Evaluate impact of causeway removal Larval fish entrainment Evaluate Maumee River solids load reductions (e.g., 25%, 50%) Impact on nav channel deposition, turbidity