1. Innovative Surface Water Systems for Nutrient Removal to Control Algal Blooms: Grand Lake St. Mary’s
Presented by,
Chris Overcash, PE, BCEE, ENV SP
For
USGS Maryland-Delaware-D.C.
Water Science Center
Baltimore, Maryland
March 15, 2016 `

2. Presentation Overview
Recent Events Bring Hazardous Algal Blooms (HABs) to the Forefront of Water Quality Discussions
Brief Background on HABs
Current and Expected Regulatory Climate
Case Study: Grand Lake St. Mary’s
Working backwards…. Overview, local, wetland itself

3. Microcystin HABs at the Forefront of Water Quality Discussions
Toledo WTP Shutdown 2014
500,000 without water for 56 hours
75 year old plant, sedimentation, chlorination
2013 town of 2,000 issued similar restriction – first on record
Other local situations:
Grand Lake St. Mary’s - No lake use of any kind
Drinking Water and Surface Water Impacts Linked by microcystin
Reuters – Toledo Microcystin Bloom
Toledo Aug 1 – 3, 2014
Intake >5.5 ppb, drinking water at up to 3.1 ppb.
Grand Lake summer >2000 ppb. CAG 12,000 people drinking water ok.
2015 – readings to 106 ppb

4. Lake Erie and the Summer 2014 Bloom
NOAA Great Lakes CoastWatch Lake Erie MODIS image

5. Grand Lake St. Marys – Mercer County, OH
Impacts
Algal blooms shut down all use of the lake in 2009/10
Estimated loss of $77 million to local economy
Loss in housing value of $25 million
No Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae funding for homes in proximity to lake
Identified public health threat

6. Grand Lake St. Marys – Mercer County, OH
Ohio Governor Strickland News Conference – July 30, 2010
The Daily Standard Celina, Ohio

7. Cyanotoxins
HABs are composed of cyanotoxins from certain types of blue green algae (cyanobacteria).
A metabolite of cyanobacteria: Microcystis, Anabaena, Planktothrix
Microcystin - one of three identified as toxic and occurring regularly.
Phosphorus loading indicated as root cause
Regulatory focus
U.S. EPA

8. Microcystin Effects Humans, Pets
Dermal
Ingestion
Brazil on dialysis - 50 die from Microcystin
Maryland – not common. bloom in Sassafrass River in 1998.
In the 1960s common in the Potomac just above Washington DC
U.S. EPA

9. Microcystin Treatment of Drinking Water
The 5 Most Effective Treatment Methods
ozone – up to 100%
ozone with hydrogen peroxide - up to 100%
membrane separation with reverse osmosis - up to 99%
membrane filtration with ultrafiltration - up to 98%
powdered activated carbon -up to 100 % only some microcystin strains
U.S. EPA's "Drinking Water Treatability Database" for microcystins, several processes are considered effective for the removal/oxidation of microcystins. The five most effective are ozone (up to 100 percent), ozone with hydrogen peroxide (up to 100 percent), membrane separation with reverse osmosis (up to 99 percent), membrane filtration with ultrafiltration (up to 98 percent), and powdered activated carbon (up to 100 percent for some microcystins, but less for others).
Picture: Ultrafiltration equipment at the Emmons Country Water Treatment Plant
U.S. EPA

10. Current Regulatory Climate Surrounding HABs
1990s - WHO set recommended limit of 1 ppb microcystin in drinking water. Recommended limit for Drinking water and for surface water use contact
No federal standards for cyanobacteria in drinking water
Cyanotoxins added to the US EPA CCL (Contaminant Candidate List) in 1998
States Regulating Individually…………
EPA uses CCL to prioritize research to determine if contaminant has sufficient data to meet regulatory determination criteria specified in SDWA
•As of 2012, three cyanotoxins are listed on the CCL 3:
•anatoxin-a
•microcystin-LR
•cylindrospermopsin

11. Current Regulatory Climate Surrounding HABs
Examples of US State Drinking Water Guidance/ Action Level
Toledo Aug 1 – 3, 2014
Intake >5.5 ppb, drinking water at up to 3.1 ppb.
EPA uses CCL to prioritize research to determine if contaminant has sufficient data to meet regulatory determination criteria specified in SDWA
•As of 2012, three cyanotoxins are listed on the CCL 3:
•anatoxin-a
•microcystin-LR
•cylindrospermopsin

12. Current Regulatory Climate Surrounding HABs
Surface Water - Example

13. HAB Regulatory Climate – What’s Next?
HAB and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014
Comprehensive HAB and Hypoxia Research Plan and Action Strategy
$20.5M per year through 2018
Report on Implementation of the HAB and Hypoxia Action Strategy
Great Lakes Hypoxia and HAB Integrated Assessment
Great Lakes HAB and Hypoxia Plan
Progress Report on Northern Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
AWWA Feb 2015 – Source Reduction of Nutrients is the key
….. EPA and USDA, should use existing authorities to give much higher priority to nutrient reduction projects that protect downstream drinking water supplies and therefore, public health. 
More information necessary to define Regulatory approach at Federal Level

14. HAB Regulatory Climate – What’s Next?
EPA Reaction –
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) - $12 million to federal & state agencies to target harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.
June Drinking water Health Advisories (HAs) for microcystin-LR and others ppb and 0.3 ppb.
Drinking Water Protection Act (of the SDWA) – Aug Algal Toxin Risk Assessment and Management Strategic Plan for Drinking Water – Nov. 2015
Considering inclusion of cyanotoxins, in the 4th round of Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UMCR 4) in 2018.
UMCR - every five years EPA must issue a new list of up to 30 unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems.
Algal Toxin Risk Assessment and Management Strategic Plan for Drinking Water – Nov 2015
Algal Toxins and Their Human Health Effects
Health Advisories
Factors Likely to Cause Harmful Algal Blooms
Analytical Methods
Frequency of Monitoring
Treatment Options
Sources Water Protection Practices

15. Grand Lake St. Marys – Mercer County, OH
21 square mile man made lake in West Ohio
52 square mile watershed
425 million in agricultural production
125 million in tourism
Key issues
Excessive nutrient loading resulting in Hypo-trophic condition in lake and watershed
Blue Green algal blooms producing microsystin toxins

16. Grand Lake St. Marys – Mercer County, OH
Impacts
Algal blooms shut down all use of the lake in 2009/10
Estimated loss of $77 million to local economy
Loss in housing value of 25 million
No Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae funding for homes in proximity to lake
Identified public health threat

17. Grand Lake St. Marys Strategic Plan
Critical Response Actions
Conceptual Ecosystem Revitalization Model
Environmental
Economic

18. Grand Lake St. Marys Littoral Wetland Restoration
Critical Element in GLSM System
Historically over 2,500 acres
Lost due to;
Water quality degradation
Invasive species (carp)
Anthroprogenic activities
Restore by;
Increase water clarity
Reduce nutrient loading
Establishing substrate

19. Littoral Wetland Restoration Engineered Ecosystem – Treatment Train
Prairie Creek Treatment Train
Engineered
Mechanical Pumping
1.3 MGD
Chemical Dosing
Alum
Bio-Technical
Constructed Wetlands
6 Acres
Natural
Restored Wetlands
10 acres

20. Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT
MAID System
Controls pumping into system
Doses chemical as required
Tracks water quality Ph
Turbidity
Flow rates
Allows remote monitoring and control
Mobile Alum Injection Device

21. Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT
Constructed Wetland Cells
Five cells, alternating deep and shallow water

22. Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT

23. Prairie Creek Treatment Train - PCTT
Results
65% reduction in Total Phos
30% reduction in Total N
Trophic shift in embayment

24. Prairie Creek Littoral Wetland - PCLW
Basic Design
Deep and shallow marsh system
Designed to improve Fish and Wildlife habitat
Will receive flow from PCTT
Encapsulation of nutrient laden sediment

25. Prairie Creek Treatment Train - Expansion

26. Littoral Wetland Restoration Engineered Ecosystem – Treatment Train
Cold Water Creek Treatment Train
Engineered
Mechanical Pumping
4 MGD
Bio-Technical
Constructed Wetlands
17 acres
Flow Diversion
Natural
Restored Wetlands
250 acres

27. Cold Water Creek Treatment Train

28. Grand Lake St. Mary’s Status
Current
Engineered Ecosystems on GLSM have shown;
Observed and measured improvements in water quality
Observed expansion of existing littoral wetland system
On-going
Ecosystem response to re-establishment in historic wetland zones is being monitored
Future
One more Treatment Train under construction and one in design, four more in planning

29. QUESTIONS