1. EVALUATING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANS NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN THE LAKE ERIE BASIN AND KEY LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE ERIE WATERSHED
Ohio Stormwater Conference
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Presented by:
Sandy Bihn
Executive Director
Lake Erie Waterkeeper/Lake Erie Foundation
Great Lakes Water Quality Board
Jordan R. Rofkar, Ph.D.
Ecologist
Hull & Associates, Inc.
IJC Contract Number: P

2. Project Team Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission
Principal advisory group for reviewing and assessing progress toward goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Legacy Issues Work Group
Formed by the WQB in 2015 to develop advice and recommendations regarding legacy contaminants
Identified a need to assess watershed management plans to address nutrient loading in the Lake Erie basin
Hull & Associates, Inc. & BluMetric Environmental Inc.
Tasked with evaluating watershed plans in the U.S. and Canada, respectively

3. objectives and Scope of work
Compile nutrient management information from:
Watershed management plans within the Lake Erie watershed
A selection of watersheds outside of the Lake Erie basin
Review and assess nutrient management components:
Identify key success factors for achieving nutrient load reduction
Provide recommendations for the Water Quality Board’s consideration regarding Lake Erie restoration efforts

4. Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin
32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin
Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms
Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans
Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin
Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices
Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan
Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans
Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

5. Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin
32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin
Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms
Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans
Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin
Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices
Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan
Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans
Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

6. Lake Erie watershed selection

7. Selecting plans for detailed review
Plans screened for:
Identification of major nutrient sources
Nutrient monitoring
Documented methods to minimize nutrient loading
Nutrient monitoring specifically related to harmful algal blooms
Information on U.S. Clean Water Act 303(d) and Areas of Concern
Information on Total Maximum Daily Load reports (U.S.)

8. A Proposed implementation/not implemented
B Metric established – baseline implemented
C Post implementation metric/data available
NA Not addressed in plan

9. Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin
32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin
Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms
Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans
Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin
Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices
Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan
Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans
Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

10. Selecting plans for detailed review
Work Group reviewed screening matrices and reached consensus on which plans to include for detailed evaluation
19 plans from the Lake Erie basin
12 plans from selected locations outside the Lake Erie Basin

11. Plans selected for Detailed Review
Lake Erie basin

12. plans selected for Detailed Review for lake Erie basin guidance
Lake Champlain
Lake Simcoe
East Holland River
South Lake Champlain Basin
Red Cedar
Saginaw Bay
Lower Fox River
Chesapeake Bay
Raccoon River
Lake Okeechobee
Gulf Hypoxia
Everglades

13. Comparative metrics for detailed review
Categories evaluated on the scoring sheets:
Identification of nutrient causes and sources
Description of management measures
Estimate of nutrient load reductions expected
Criteria to determine if nutrient load reductions are achieved
Monitoring to evaluate effectiveness
Scores were used for comparing plans and making generalized observations
Higher scores generally indicate more comprehensive management plans

14. Watershed Plan Summary Sheet

15. Scoring summary Lake Erie Basin scores
U.S.: River Raisin and Portage River scored highest
River Raisin – load reduction measures
Portage River – identification of nutrient causes and sources
Canada: Grand River scored the highest
Identifies nutrient causes and sources
Outside of the Lake Erie Basin scores
U.S.: Chesapeake Bay scored higher than Lake Erie Basin scores
Includes specific benchmarks to measure and track reductions
Canada: East Holland River scored the highest
Significant historical studies

16. Project approach Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Initial review of 48 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin
32 plans from locations outside of the Lake Erie Basin
Identify plans that focus on major nutrient sources, management practices, monitoring, and harmful algal blooms
Select Watershed Management Plans for Detailed Review
Develop Comparative Metrics for Watershed Plans
Detailed review of 19 watershed management plans from within the Lake Erie Basin and 12 from outside of the basin
Complete Watershed Plan Review Summary scoresheets to compare pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation planning, recommendations and practices
Report Observations & Recommendations for a Lake Erie Watershed Management Plan
Summarize common components of the most comprehensive watershed management plans
Make recommendations for modifying plan components to support an effective watershed-scale management plan for Lake Erie

17. Summarizing nutrient management plans
Most plans listed nutrient sources
Nutrient data not correlated to harmful algal blooms
Nutrient impairments attributed to:
Agricultural practices (fertilizer & manure)
Erosion
Failing septic systems
Urban runoff
Phosphorus in wastewater treatment
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs)

18. Summarizing nutrient management plans
Prevalent strategies for minimizing nutrient loadings:
Minimize application
Limit transport to streams
Absorb runoff
Repair septic systems and connect homes to municipal sewer systems
Reduce nutrients from wastewater treatment facilities
Eliminate CSOs
Educate the public about their role in nutrient management

19. Findings & recommendations
Finding: Watershed plans outside the Lake Erie Basin typically scored higher than those inside the basin
Recommendation: Use successful plans as models
Finding: Many Lake Erie plans lack clear milestones for implementation and accountability
Recommendation: Develop clear goals and intermediate milestones
Finding: Adaptive management is the cornerstone of successful restoration projects in the Everglades, Chesapeake Bay, and Lake Champlain
Recommendation: Develop a science-driven adaptive management process including economic components

20. Findings & recommendations
Finding: There is not a consistent approach for developing watershed management plans across the sub- basins of Lake Erie
Recommendation: Develop a consistent watershed-specific approach with a network of watershed planners to develop common methodologies
Finding: Successful watershed management plans are developed by coalitions of government, citizen groups, & academics with ongoing participation
Recommendation: Develop a coalition of federal, state, local, tribal, academic, and private stakeholders
Finding: Successful management plans create a desire to conserve and restore the watershed
Recommendation: Incorporate a strategy for generating public awareness

21. Seven Findings & recommendations
Finding: A comprehensive monitoring program is required for an adaptive management program.
Recommendation: Develop a comprehensive monitoring program to update with the
latest science, understand problems, and assess progress

22. questions Evening Fishing by Liz Ellis of Circleville, OH
Source: Ohio Lake Erie Commission
2016 Life on the Lake Photo Contest
Evening Fishing by Liz Ellis of Circleville, OH

23. Sandy Bihn Lake Erie Waterkeeper Lake Erie Foundation 419-691-3788 sandylakeerie@aol.com
Jordan R. Rofkar, Ph.D.
Hull & Associates, Inc.
219 S. Erie Street
Toledo, Ohio 43604
(567)