Browsing by Author "Axler, Richard P"

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Amity Restoration Assessment: Water quality, fish, bugs, people
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2013) Axler, Richard P; Brady, Valerie; Ruzycki, Elaine; Henneck, Jerald; Will, Norman; Crouse, A; Dumke, Josh; Hell, Robert V
This project is also a new contribution from the Weber Stream Restoration Initiative (WSRI) that began in 2005 via private endowments to create a Partnership of university scientists and extension educators, and local, state and federal agency staff to restore and protect Lake Superior Basin trout streams (www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/weber/index.html). The WSRI features a demonstration project targeting the turbidity and sediment impaired Amity Creek watershed for multiple restoration activities. It was awarded an Environmental Stewardship Award from the Lake Superior Binational Forum in 2010 and was honored state-wide by the [Minnesota] Environmental Initiative in May 2013 by being awarded the “Partnership of the Year” for its activities, key elements being: (1) its website for local community education about watershed and water resource issues; (2) creation of interactive, on-line animations of real-time water quality with interpretive information from a site near Amity’s discharge into the Lester River just above its discharge into Lake Superior (within the St. Louis River AOC); (3) development of a multi-agency/organization partnership to pursue trout stream restoration and conservation activities throughout the western Lake Superior basin; (4) designing and carrying out two major Amity restoration projects in 2009 with the City of Duluth and South St. Louis SWCD; (5) mapping landscape stressors for highlighting areas of higher risk for environmental impacts as well as conducting a detailed reconnaissance of riparian zone sediment sources for priority remediation (SSL SWCD, 2009); and (6) developing a successful EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) project to fund additional restoration related activities from 2010-2014 (MPCA, NRRI-UMD, SSL SWCD partnership, 2010, $843,616).
Analytical Chemistry and Quality Assurance Procedures for Natural Water Samples 1994-1995
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1991) Axler, Richard P; Owen, Christopher J
One of the fundamental responsibilities of water management is the establishment of continuing programs to insure the reliability and validity of data. Effective research in water pollution and management depends on a valid laboratory data base, which in turn may contribute to sound evaluations of both the progress of the research itself and the viability of available water pollution and management alternatives.
Analytical Chemistry and Quality Assurance Procedures for Natural Water, Wastewater, and Sediment Samples, 1998
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1998) Ameel, John J; Ruzycki, Elaine; Owen, Christopher J; Axler, Richard P
One of the fundamental responsibilities of water management is the establishment of continuing programs to insure the reliability and validity of data. Effective research in water pollution and management depends on a valid laboratory data base, which in tum may contribute to sound evaluations of both the progress of the research itself and the viability of available water pollution and management alternatives.
Analytical chemistry and quality assurance procedures for natural water, wastewater, and sediment samples, 2015
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015-06-01) Ruzycki, Elaine; Henneck, Jerald; Axler, Richard P
Assessing Acid‐Sensitive Lakes in the Superior National Forest
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2019-04) Ruzycki, Elaine; Henneck, Jerald; Bartsch, Will; Axler, Richard P
This collaboration between the Superior National Forest unit of the US Forest Service (USFS SNF) and the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) began in late 2015 and has continued since. Initial discussions, with additional input from MPCA staff, led to four main goals, all intended to increase SNF’s long-term ability to determine the present condition of their lakes and if statistically significant trends exist: (1) Assess the current water quality – in particular, the acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) – of three SNF study lakes in northeastern Minnesota by analyzing a suite of major ions and nutrients in samples collected by FS staff; (2) Compile available historical SNF lake water quality data, assure the quality of these data, and then combine them into a searchable database; (3) Conduct exploratory statistical analyses to identify long-term trends in any of the datasets; and (4) Compare SNF lake summary statistics to those for lakes within the broader Upper Midwest ecoregion determined by the US EPA National Lakes Assessment (NLA) and by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for the Laurentian mixed forest (# 212) province.
An Assessment of Phytoplankton Nutrient Deficiency in Northern Minnesota Acid-Sensitive Lakes
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1991) Axler, Richard P; Tikkanen, Craig A; Rose, Charles
The Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion of Minnesota contains thousands of lakes, characterized by their sensitivity to acid rain, and their typically low productivity. Four acid- sensitive lakes were studied for 1988-1991 to determine if phytoplankton were deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, or both N and P, and if nutrient input via atmospheric deposition could increase primary production. The relative accuracy of predictions based on growth response bioassays, physiological assays, and nutrient deficiency indices was also evaluated. Our results show that: (1) N enrichment generally caused a greater biomass response than P, although N+P almost always yielded the greatest effect and co-limitation was likely in two of the lakes; (2) predictions based on DIN:TP ratios generally agreed with the growth bioassays, TN:TP and DIN:SRP were not useful and could be misleading; and (3) atmospheric deposition could satisfy most of the daily algal N demand and increase the fertility of these lakes. These results suggest that although water quality protection based solely upon phosphorus may not protect against this non-point source of nutrients, without these control strategies, P-inputs would be expected to have a disproportionally greater impact on phytoplankton growth.
Completion Report for Minnesota Technology, Inc. (June 30, 1999): Development of Salmon and Trout Aquaculture in Mine Pit Lakes (1989-1991); Commercial Aquaculture Implications for Water Quality (1991-1993); Constructed Wetlands for Treating Aquaculture Wastes (1993-1996)
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1999) Axler, Richard P
The assessment of environmental impacts associated with intensive salmonid aquaculture, development of tools for predicting impacts, and the development of techniques for mitigating the effects of these potential negative impacts on water resources were the focus of three MTI grants in the period 1989-1996. They are: (1) Development of Salmon & Trout Aquaculture in Mine Pit Lakes, (1989-1991); (2) Commercial Aquaculture Implications for Water Quality, (1991-1993); and (3) Constructed Wetlands for Treating Aquaculture Wastes, (1993-1996) All of these grants were "matched" with grant funds obtained from the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board, the Minnesota Sea Grant Program (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The development of constructed wetlands(#3) subsequently led to the development of an ongoing research, development and demonstration program focused on broader on-site wastewater disposal systems for rural, residential and business needs.
Conservation Design Toolkit for LakeSuperiorStreams.org Stormwater Pollution Prevention Pilot Project
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2006) Axler, Richard P; Schomberg, Jesse; Will, Norman; Reed, Jane; Lonsdale, David; Granley, Mindy; Hagley, Cynthia
Duluth, Minnesota has 43 named streams, 12 trout streams, and borders both pristine Lake Superior and the Duluth-Superior-Harbor Area of Concern. Duluth's storm water infrastructure includes 93 miles of streams and wetlands, and urbanization and rural development impact these waters by increasing runoff and velocity, temperature, turbidity and sediment, road salt, organic matter and nutrients. In 2002, an EPA (Environmental Monitoring for Public Access & Community Tracking) grant established a Partnership called DuluthStreams between the City of Duluth, University of MinnesotaDuluth professionals at the Natural Resources Research Institute and Sea Grant Program, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Western Lake Superior Sanitary District. Their goal was to enhance public understanding of streams and their connections to watershed land use by using real-time data and interpretive materials to illustrate the nature and consequences of degraded stormwater and its real costs to society. This has included issues associated with too much runoff such as flooding, with a key issue in the region being sanitary sewer overflows from infiltration and inflow (I&I). These events have imposed risks to public health and environmental risks to the coastal zone of Lake Superior and the Duluth-Superior Harbor, and required costly programs to reduce stormwater flows from key neighborhoods and construct storage tanks for temporary storage of stormwater enhanced sanitary sewer flows. The consequences of excess water and peak flows have also included excess sediment and turbidity, and potentially excess nutrients and pathogens. High salt concentrations for significant periods in late winter and early spring runoff from winter road and parking lot de-icing can present additional stress to trout and their prey. Increasing impervious surface and direct and indirect removal of riparian vegetation increases peak temperatures, especially during base flow periods creating additional periods of stress to cold water species with the additional potential stress of lowered dissolved oxygen. In 2003, sixteen governments and groups in the North Shore Region joined to form the Regional Stormwater Protection Team (RSPT). The Team's mission is to protect and enhance the region's shared water resources through stormwater pollution prevention by providing coordinated educational programs and technical assistance. One of the vehicles that the RSPT has harnessed for its stormwater education campaign is the DuluthStreams website as part of a regional effort to provide water pollution information to the public. The project has now expanded to now include 22 communities, agencies and organizations. In 2005 the website was re-named lakesuperiorstreams.org to reflect the broader geographic region that it represents in terms of climate, soils, quality of life, natural resources, the Lake Superior watershed, and culture. The website now averages more than 300,000 "hits"/month and >75,000 "page requests"/mo with a national target audience that includes: the general public; students and teachers; contractors, consultants and developers; decision makers; and agencies (local, state, and federal). Additional information is best found by examining http://lakesuperiorstreams.org.
Data for Discovery and Decision-Making: LakeSuperiorStreams.org
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2010) Axler, Richard P; Will, Norman; Henneck, Jerald; Carlson, Todd; Ruzycki, Elaine; Host, George E; Sjerven, Gerald; Schomberg, Jesse; Kleist, Chris; Hagley, Cynthia
An estimated 720 perennial and 127 intermittent streams flow into L. Superior, including 309 trout streams and their tributaries (>2100 miles) along the North Shore and St. Louis River Estuary alone. Bedrock escarpments create a high density of stream corridors in forested watersheds with steep gradients, thin erodible soils, typically low productivity, and “flashy” hydrology. These high-quality trout streams are sensitive to urbanization and rural development by factors raising water temperature and increasing water and sediment runoff, e.g. openings in riparian cover/canopy, impervious surfaces, road crossings, construction runoff, and the warming and increased frequency of severe storms predicted by climate change models (Wuebbles & Hayhoe 2003). Tributary streams are increasingly threatened by development as urbanization and rural development place increased pressure on the Lake Superior region’s coastal communities. Between 1992 and 2001, a 33% increase in low-intensity development occurred within the basin with an alarming transition from agricultural lands to urban/suburban sprawl (Wolter et al. 2007). In the early 1990s, over 50 new lodging establishments were constructed along the Superior North Shore, and from 1990-1996 Cook County, MN experienced a 24% population increase (MPCA 2000). Stream fish, amphibians, and the invertebrates that sustain them are being adversely impacted by increased temperature, excessive peak flows, turbidity and suspended solids, road salts, organic matter, and nutrients from increased development (Anderson et al. 2003). This conclusion is supported by the fact that 11 of 27 major Minnesota North Shore trout streams have been listed as Impaired (2010) since the 1990s and remain on the State 303(d) list - primarily for turbidity, temperature, and fish tissue-Hg. The integrity of these watersheds is also critical to the condition of the coastal and offshore waters of Lake Superior. The streams discharge directly into the nutrient and sediment sensitive coastal zone of ultra-oligotrophic L. Superior, or indirectly into the lake via the St. Louis River Estuary, itself an IJC designated Area of Concern and a zero discharge (of persistent organic pollutants (IJC 1999; MPCA 2000), in part because of its levels of phosphorus and suspended sediment. This is particularly important because the lake’s nearshore zone is the source of much of its biological productivity and recreational use, but is nutrient deficient and therefore, very sensitive to excess inputs of nutrients, suspended solids, turbidity and organic matter (e.g. Sterner et al. 2004; Rose and Axler 1998). Therefore, despite the fact that Lake Superior and its tributaries are among the most pristine waters in Minnesota and in the entire Great Lakes Basin, some of these resources are already stressed by increased urbanization and tourism. This creates the unusual challenge of how to inform the public, businesses, and local units of government (LGUs) that these resources need protection when few problems are obvious to the untrained eye. This project has built on the foundation established by the award-winning project www.LakeSuperiorStreams.org (LSS) that was created in 2002 via an EPA grant to a Partnership of the City of Duluth Stormwater Utility, the University of Minnesota –Duluth (Natural Resources Research Institute, Minnesota Sea Grant, and Department of Education), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (Duluth Office), the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, the Great Lakes Aquarium, and the Lake Superior Zoo (Axler et al. 2006, 2003; Lonsdale et al. 2006). The original partnership has remained substantially intact since 2002. The ultimate goal continues to be to improve environmental decision-making by: (1) Enhancing public understanding of the connections between weather, hydrology, land use and the condition of water resources in urban and rural watersheds, and (2) Providing easy access to tools for accomplishing the protection of un-impaired resource and cost-effective restoration of degraded sites.
Demonstration of the FIS-C Aqucultural Bioenergetics Model for Estimating Waste Loads and Optimizing Feeding at Two Commercial Rainbow Trout Farms
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1995) Axler, Richard P; Schuldt, J; Tikkanen, Craig A; McDonald, Michael E; Henneck, Jerald
Fish culture has great potential in Minnesota but the potential for water quality impacts has slowed its development. Since 1989 we have been developing an aquacultural effluent model (FIS-C) for assessing the actual and potential impacts of Chinook salmon waste loads. FIS-C is a based on a bioenergetics model where growth = (consumption - waste losses - respiration losses), where waste losses are egestion and excretion, and metabolic costs are incorporated into respiration losses. The model provides a novel way of estimating the magnitude and seasonality of discharges, because it can discriminate among waste fractions, and also has excellent potential for predicting the effects of different waste collection strategies. The model has already proven to be a robust estimator of consumption, when fish growth is known, for a variety of wild species and for net-pen cultured Chinook salmon. Maximum utility for Minnesota's industry requires expanding its library of physiological parameters to other species and culture systems, and then verifying its predictions in the field. Although FIS-C would be applicable to recirculating systems, land-based flow-through facilities, with short detention times and minimal "in-water" transformations such as solubilization, sedimentation, mineralization and nitrification, provide the best opportunity to accurately verify its predictions. The present study developed the model for rainbow trout, an economically important species in Minnesota, assessed its accuracy for two different successful, commercial trout farms, and initiated the development of an extension bulletin for disseminating our results to the industry.
Development of Alternative On-site Treatment Systems for Wastewater Treatment: A Demonstration Project for Northern Minnesota
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1997-12-31) McCarthy, Barbara J; Axler, Richard P; Monson Geerts, Stephen D; Henneck, Jerald; Crosby, Jeff; Nordman, Del; Weidman, Peter; Hagen, Timothy S; Anderson, James; Gustafson, David; Kadlec, Robert; Otis, Richard; Sabel, Gretchen
The major objectives at the northern site were 1) to design, construct, monitor and compare the yearround performance of alternative treatment systems, with respect to a conventional trench system, for treatment of typical single family wastewater flows (based on the removal of fecal coliform bacteria, BOD5, TSS, phosphorus, and nitrogen); 2) to compare subsurface water quality at several depths below drainfield trenches receiving discharge water from a conventional (i.e., septic tank) and alternative systems; 3) to design, construct, and monitor the performance of a subsurface drip irrigation system at different depths in the s0il; 4) to design, construct, and monitor the performance of a pressurized sewage treatment system utilizing small diameter pipe and a subsurface flow, constructed wetland treatment system for a .cluster of lakeshore homes on Grand Lake in order to demonstrate that this alternative technology could correct a problem representative of numerous other situations in Minnesota; and 5) to develop a technology transfer plan for effectively communicating the results of this study to the private sector, the public (i.e., potential users), and the appropriate local and state agencies.
Development of Alternative Onsite Treatment Systems [On-site treatment systems for domestic wastewater: A field comparison of alternative technologies] (1995-1997)
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1999) Axler, Richard P
Approximately 500,000 Minnesota residences depend on individual or small community on-site wastewater treatment systems and 55-70% of them are either not in compliance with State Rules or are failing hydraulically to the surface. This is a direct human health threat from diseases, causes groundwater, stream and lake water quality degradation, and is a major impediment to the environmental and economic sustainability of the State’s water resources. The MTI projects over the period 1995-1999 keyed the development of an extremely successful state-wide partnership between the University (NRRI, UMD and UM-St. Paul), government resource & regulatory agencies (county, region, state and federal), and the private sector (engineering and consulting firms, contractors, vendors) to establish year-round, long-term performance, design criteria, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of alternative technologies for removing pathogens & nutrients from domestic wastewater. The program incorporates existing and newly created technology transfer and outreach/extension programs to efficiently transfer our findings to the private sector, to private citizens, to public planners and to policy makers to expedite potential changes in state or local rules. New business opportunities for new or existing companies have already occurred as a result of this project (>50 industry partners) and the total Match from 1995- 1999 was estimated to be $1,335,280 compared to MTI funding of $189,581 over the same period. Besides the business opportunities related to this project, effective alternative wastewater treatment systems will contribute to resolving some of our rural wastewater problems (e.g. affordable sewage systems for resorts and other commercial establishments throughout rural Minnesota) including the environmentally and politically sensitive northshore of Lake Superior, in addition to numerous other smaller, but sensitive lakes, and in geologically sensitive areas.
Duluth Area Lakes Water Quality Assessment: Caribou, Grand, and Pike Lakes - 1999; Pike Lake Fall Overturn Studies - 1996-1998
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2001) Anderson, Jesse; Heiskary, Steven; Axler, Richard P; Henneck, Jerald
Minnesota is divided into seven regions, referred to as ecoregions, as defined by soils, land surface form, natural vegetation and current land use. Since land use affects water quality, it has proven helpful to divide the state into regions where land use and water resources are similar. Data gathered from representative, minimally-impacted (reference) lakes within each ecoregion serve as a basis for comparing the water quality and characteristics of other lakes. Caribou, Grand, and Pike Lakes are located on the northern edge of the Duluth Metropolitan Area (Figure 1) in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion (Figure 2). Caribou Lake has an area of 569 acres (230 hectares), and a maximum depth of 21 feet (6.4 meters). The majority of the lake is less than 10 feet deep, and is dominated by emergent and submergent aquatic vegetation. Grand Lake has an area of 1742 acres (705 ha). Baby Grand Lake flows into Little Grand, which flows into Grand Lake. Similar to Caribou, much of Grand Lake (~ 95%) is less than 10 feet (3 m) deep, and vegetation dominates the shoreline and near-shore areas. Pike Lake has an area of 508 acres (206 ha), and is much deeper. The maximum depth is 60 feet (~18 m), and most of the lake is between 20-50 feet deep (6-15 m). These lakes all have relatively developed shorelines and are likely to experience increased development pressure in the next decade. They have also experienced some degree of water quality problems in the past. Efforts are underway to improve wastewater treatment on two of these lakes. Construction of a sanitary sewer was recently (1999) begun around Pike Lake, and a constructed wetland wastewater treatment system servicing a cluster of nine (9) lakeshore homes was installed at Grand Lake in late 1995. The present study was conducted because local units of government desired additional water quality information on these Duluth area lakes for planning purposes. The Pike Lake Association also desired some follow-up work for comparison to a previous MPCA study (Bauman 1994), and to better define current lake water quality prior to the installation of a sanitary sewer in the basin.
DuluthStreams heads north: Making North Shore stream data make sense to citizens and local officials
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2007-09-25) Axler, Richard P; Will, Norman; Host, George E; Henneck, Jerald; Lonsdale, David; Sjerven, Gerald; Reed, Jane; Ruzycki, Elaine; Hagley, Cynthia; Schomberg, Jesse; Carlson, Todd; Lonsdale, Marnie
The Duluth Streams website initially focused primarily within City of Duluth boundaries, but some of the streams that intersect Duluth originate in the surrounding communities of Hermantown and Proctor. In addition, Duluth and Superior share the St. Louis River watershed. The current project enabled us to fully expand the DuluthStreams website into a regional entity. It was built on a previous, but limited, Lake Superior Coastal Program Enhancement Fund effort to Minnesota Sea Grant at the University of Minnesota and partners that created web links to Proctor, Hermantown and Superior on the DuluthStreams website. This made these communities ideal as the first candidates for a regional expansion. As the project continued to evolve it became clear from discussions within the RSPT and with state agencies that there was a need to expand the focus area of the website to include the “greater Western Lake Superior” region and more specifically the Minnesota North Shore and Wisconsin South Shore in order to better manage Superior Basin water resources by supporting the mission of the RSPT regarding developing regional technical cooperation and collaboration, common educational materials, and presentation of case studies of successful stormwater designs. Minnesota streams draining into the Lake Superior coastal zone and St. Louis River Estuary are typically sensitive, low productivity, high-quality trout streams. Some (Miller, Amity, Lester, Talmadge, French, Poplar, Brule) are currently listed on the MN Clean Water Act (303d) List of Impaired Waters - most commonly for turbidity and Fish-Hg (MPCA 2006). Steep topography and thin, erodible soils make these streams particularly sensitive to development. Effective management and remediation of these streams requires an understanding of their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, which can only be obtained by monitoring, particularly during storm and snowmelt runoff events, when the most dramatic impacts occur. These data are critical for developing and assessing BMPs, particularly in the face of increased development in the high growth watersheds along the North Shore of Lake Superior (e.g. Anderson et al. 2003; MPCA 2000; IJC 1999). MPCA initiated long-term monitoring of 6 critical streams along the North Shore in 2002. However, MPCA has lacked the resources to install automated water quality sensors, which are needed to capture critical pollutant loading events during high flows - important for developing cost-effective remediation and mitigation strategies.
DuluthStreams.org: Community Partnerships for Understanding Urban Stormwater and Water Quality Issues at the Head of the Great Lakes
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2004-12) Axler, Richard P; Lonsdale, Marion; Reed, Jane; Hagley, Cynthia; Schomberg, Jesse; Henneck, Jerald; Host, George E; Will, Norman; Ruzycki, Elaine; Sjerven, Gerald; Richards, Carl; Munson, Bruce
This final report summarizes the accomplishments of the Duluth Streams Partnership from its inception through an EPA Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program grant in January 2002 through September 2004. Duluth, Minnesota lies at the westernmost end of Lake Superior, the source and headwaters of the entire Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystem. Although perhaps better known for its extremely cold winters, Duluth residents and visitors know it as a city of forested hills, wetlands and trout streams with 42 named creeks and streams moving through the City in 30 subwatersheds. Duluth's park system is one of the most extensive in the nation, and the City owns and maintains 11,000 acres, including 125 municipal parks. Streams form the fabric of the aesthetic appeal and character of Duluth (Duluth Vision 2000), but are also the core of the City’s stormwater runoff system, with 250 miles of storm sewer, 93 miles of creek, 4,716 manholes, 2 lift stations, 13 sediment boxes, and over 138 miles of roadway ditches. Urbanization and rural development have placed increased pressure on the region’s coastal communities and on Duluth’s urban streams, in particular, on the 12 (with 2 more pending) that are designated as Trout Streams and 14 that are classified as Protected Waters. In addition, since the early 1990s, over 50 new lodging establishments were constructed along Lake Superior’s North Shore. One county located along the North Shore of Lake Superior (Cook) experienced a 24% population increase during that time. Stream communities of fish and amphibians and the invertebrates that sustain them are being adversely impacted by increased temperature, excessive turbidity and suspended solids, road salts, organic matter, and nutrients. Some of these streams have been placed on the Minnesota List of Impaired Waters, and several have been targeted for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development. Further, all of these streams discharge either directly into ultra-oligotrophic Lake Superior or indirectly via the St. Louis River Estuary- Duluth Superior Harbor. This is particularly important because Lake Superior has been designated as a zero-discharge demonstration project by the International Joint Commission for eliminating inputs of persistent toxic chemicals to the Great Lakes system. Second, the lake’s nearshore zone, the source of much of its biological productivity, is extremely nutrient deficient and sensitive to increased inputs of nutrients, suspended solids, turbidity, and organic matter. Lastly, the Harbor itself is one of the 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) because of serious impairments to its beneficial uses. There are also significant social and economic impacts associated with this region - the Minnesota DNR reports that angling in North Shore streams and Lake Superior produces $63 million in direct sales and income and over 1,200 jobs. For North Shore streams alone, the numbers are over $33 million direct sales and income, and over 435 jobs. Stormwater issues have become increasingly important to resource and regulatory agencies and to the general public. In 1998 the City of Duluth established a stormwater utility to address the quality and quantity of surface water moving through the City and in 2003 was issued a Stormwater Permit under Phase II of the federal Clean Water Act’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Beginning in January 2002, under funding through EPA EMPACT in combination with in-kind effort from various agencies, the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) and Minnesota Sea Grant formed a partnership with the City of Duluth, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the Great Lakes Aquarium, and the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) to create Duluth Streams. Additional partners have since joined together to form a Regional Stormwater Protection Team (RSPT). The Partnership's chief goal is to enhance the general public's understanding of aquatic ecosystems and their connections to watershed land use to provide both economic and environmental sustainability. The project’s majors objectives were to: 1) link real-time remote sensing of water quality in four urban streams and GIS technology to current and historical water quality and biological databases (all 42 Duluth streams) using advanced data visualization tools in World Wide Web and information kiosk formats; 2) incorporate visually engaging interpretive text, animations and videos into the Duluth Streams website to illustrate the nature and consequences of degraded stormwater and the real costs to society; and 3) engage the public in the stormwater issue via programmatic activities such as establishing high school directed neighborhood stewardship and/or monitoring of 3 streams, developing curricula for high school and college students for inclusion in our Water on the Web curriculum, hosting a Duluth Streams Congress as a community forum for presenting all project results, and adapting the Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program to the greater Duluth Metropolitan Area. This final report summarizes the accomplishments of the Duluth Streams Partnership from its inception in January 2002 through September 2004. The website at htttp://duluthstreams.org is the focus of the project and offers water quality, biological, and GIS data in the context of a variety of school- and community-oriented educational material.
Effects of Aquaculture on Mine Pit Lakes near Chisolm, MN: Restoration of Twin City-South pit lake by fallowing and status of Fraser pit lake
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1995) Axler, Richard P; Yokom, Shane; Tikkanen, Craig A; Henneck, Jerald; McDonald, Michael E
Net-pen salmonid aquaculture was carried out from 1988 to 1993 in the Twin City-South mine pit lake on the Mesabi Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota. A water quality controversy enveloped the aquaculture operation from its inception in 1988. In 1992 the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency mandated that all intensive aquaculture operations in the Twin City - South mine pit lake be terminated by July 1993 and that restoration to baseline (i.e. preaquaculture) conditions be demonstrated within three years. This "fallowing" has led to a rapid recovery to near baseline water quality conditions and an oligomesotrophic, i.e. unproductive, status. Water column improvement in regard to phosphorus and hypolimnetic oxygen concentrations has been particularly rapid. Although baseline conditions were not well defined for TC-S, the P budget for the lake in September and November 1994 was typical of reference pit lakes in the area. Oxygen concentrations in near-bottom water remained above 5 mg02/L in November 1994 even without artificial mixing or aeration during the 1994 growing season. Algal growth was low in 1993, as expected due to artificial mixing, and remained low in 1994 without any artificial mixing. Ammonium has been naturally converted to nitrate which is decreasing faster than expected and at a rate similar to its increase during intensive aquaculture. More rapid reductions in water column phosphorus and nitrogen might have been accomplished during the first summer by allowing the lower hypolimnion to become anoxic in order to promote denitrification and minimize sediment resuspension. The natural burial of sedimented aquaculture wastes due to high ambient rates of erosion of inorganic sediment from the basin walls has effectively minimized sediment nutrient transport to the overlying water column. Fallowing for several years appears to be an effective method for lake restoration of these pit lakes. Our data, and our analysis of the NPDES monitoring data, has shown no change in the water quality of Chisholm's drinking water source, the Fraser pit lake, attributable to aquaculture impacts. This, and no apparent change in the water quality of two nearby pit lakes, Grant and Ironworld in recent years, suggests little or no significant off-site migration of aquaculturally impacted water.
Environmental Indicators for the Coastal Region of the U.S. Great Lakes
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2006) Niemi, Gerald J; Axler, Richard P; Brady, Valerie; Brazner, John; Brown, Terry; Ciborowski, Jan H; Danz, Nicholas P; Hanowski, JoAnn M; Hollenhorst, Thomas; Howe, Robert; Johnson, Lucinda B; Johnston, Carol A; Reavie, Euan D; Simcik, Matthew; Swackhamer, Deborah L.
The goal of this research collaboration was to develop indicators that both estimate environmental condition and suggest plausible causes of ecosystem degradation in the coastal region of the U.S. Great Lakes. The collaboration consisted of 8 broad components, each of which generated different types of environmental responses and characteristics of the coastal region. These indicators included biotic communities of amphibians, birds, diatoms, fish, macroinvertebrates, and wetland plants as well as indicators of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) photo-induced toxicity and landscape characterization. These components are summarized below and discussed in more detailed in 5 separate reports (Section II). Stress gradients within the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region were defined from 207 variables (e.g., agriculture, atmospheric deposition, land use/land cover, human populations, point source pollution, and shoreline modification) from 19 different data sources that were publicly available for the coastal region. Biotic communities along these gradients were sampled with a stratified, random design among representative ecosystems within the coastal zone. To achieve the sampling across this massive area, the coastal region was subdivided into 2 major ecological provinces and further subdivided into 762 segment sheds. Stress gradients were defined for the major categories of human-induced disturbance in the coastal region and an overall stress index was calculated which represented a combination of all the stress gradients. Investigators of this collaboration have had extensive interactions with the Great Lakes community. For instance, the Lake Erie Lakewide Area Management Plan (LAMP) has adopted many of the stressor measures as integral indicators of the condition of watersheds tributary to Lake Erie. Furthermore, the conceptual approach and applications for development of a generalized stressor gradient have been incorporated into a document defining the tiered aquatic life criteria for defining biological integrity of the nation’s waters. A total of 14 indicators of the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region are presented for potential application. Each indicator is summarized with respect to its use, methodology, spatial context, and diagnosis capability. In general, the results indicate that stress related to agricultural activity and human population density/development had the largest impacts on the biotic community indicators. In contrast, the photoinduced PAH indicator was primarily related to industrial activity in the U.S. Great Lakes, and over half of the sites sampled were potentially at risk of PAH toxicity to larval fish. One of the indicators developed for land use/land change was developed from Landsat imagery for the entire U.S. Great Lakes basin and for the period from 1992 to 2001. This indicator quantified the extensive conversions of both agricultural and forest land to residential area that has occurred during a short 9 year period. Considerable variation in the responses were manifest at different spatial scales and many at surprisingly large scales. Significant advances were made with respect to development of methods for identifying and testing environmental indicators. In addition, many indicators and concepts developed from this project are being incorporated into management plans and U.S. 8 EPA methods documents. Further details, downloadable documents, and updates on these indicators can be found at the GLEI website - http://glei.nrri.umn.edu.
Environmental Indicators for the US. Great Lakes Coastal Region
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2006) Niemi, Gerald J; Axler, Richard P; Brady, Valerie; Brazner, John; Brown, Terry; Ciborowski, Jan H; Danz, Nicholas P; Hanowski, JoAnn M; Hollenhorst, Thomas; Howe, Robert; Johnson, Lucinda B; Johnston, Carol A; Reavie, Euan D; Simcik, Matthew; Swackhamer, Deborah L.
The goal of this research collaboration was to develop indicators that both estimate environmental condition and suggest plausible causes of ecosystem degradation in the coastal region of the U.S. Great Lakes. The collaboration consisted of 8 broad components, each of which generated different types of environmental responses and characteristics of the coastal region. These indicators included biotic communities of amphibians, birds, diatoms, fish, macroinvertebrates, and wetland plants as well as indicators of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (P AH) photo-induced toxicity and landscape characterization. These components are summarized below and discussed in more detailed in 5 separate reports (Section II). Stress gradients within the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region were defined from 207 variables (e.g., agriculture, atmospheric deposition, land use/land cover, human populations, point source pollution, and shoreline modification) from 19 different data sources that were publicly available for the coastal region. Biotic communities along these gradients were sampled with a stratified, random design among representative ecosystems within the coastal zone. To achieve the sampling across this massive area, the coastal region was subdivided into 2 major ecological provinces and further subdivided into 762 segment sheds. Stress gradients were defined for the major categories of human-induced disturbance in the coastal region and an overall stress index was calculated which represented a combination of all the stress gradients. Investigators of this collaboration have had extensive interactions with the Great Lakes community. For instance, the Lake Erie Lakewide Area Management Plan (LAMP) has adopted many of the stressor measures as integral indicators of the condition of watersheds tributary to Lake Erie. Furthermore, the conceptual approach and applications for development of a generalized stressor gradient have been incorporated into a document defining the tiered aquatic life criteria for defining biological integrity of the nation's waters. A total of 14 indicators of the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region are presented for potential application. Each indicator is summarized with respect to its use, methodology, spatial context, and diagnosis capability. In general, the results indicate that stress related to agricultural activity and human population density/development had the largest impacts on the biotic community indicators. In contrast, the photoinduced P AH indicator was primarily related to industrial activity in the U.S. Great Lakes, and over half of the sites sampled were potentially at risk of P AH toxicity to larval fish. One of the indicators developed for land use/land change was developed from Landsat imagery for the entire U.S. Great Lakes basin and for the period from 1992 to 2001. This indicator quantified the extensive conversions of both agricultural and forest land to residential area that has occurred during a short 9 year period. Considerable variation in the responses were manifest at different spatial scales and many at surprisingly large scales. Significant advances were made with respect to development of methods for identifying and testing environmental indicators. In addition, many indicators and concepts developed from this project are being incorporated into management plans and U.S. EPA methods documents.
Evaluation of the potential effects of methoprene and Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) on non-target organisms: A summary of before-and-after sites in western Wright County for 1988, 1989, and 1990
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1992-07) Niemi, Gerald J; Axler, Richard P; Barnidge, Phyllis; Hanowski, JoAnn M; Hershey, Anne E; Regal, Ronald R; Shannon, Lyle J
This report summarizes the results of a multi-year study initiated in 1987 to assess the effects of two mosquito control agents, methoprene and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). Methoprene is a juvenile growth inhibitor which suppresses metamorphosis of mosquito larvae from pupating, while Bti acts as a poison to the mosquito stomach. Each of these control agents is currently in wide use in the seven county metropolitan area. Wetlands in Wright County, MN were selected as the study area. This area is beyond the current control program of the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD), but was selected because of the lack of any prior treatment to the study sites. Two of six possible townships in western Wright County were randomly selected for detailed study, Victor and Corinna Townships. · The experimental design established in 1987 specified ·a "before-and-after" study in which baseline information would be collected for several years prior to treatment. After three years of data collection (1988, 1989, and 1990), the SPRP and invesitigators of this study decided to initiate treatment in 1991. This report is a summary of the "before .. phases of the study prior to any treatment with mosquito control agents. The non-taget organisms selected for this study included: Red-winged Blackbird populations, the general breeding bird community, aquatic insect populations, and zooplankton populations. The study is primarily focused as a statistical sample of a randomly selected group of wetlands representative of western Wright County. As such the sampling is designed to provide "snapshots" of the respective communities over time and to detect selected changes to the communities in response to applications of mosquito control agents. Sampling of Red-winged Blackbirds consisted of measuring clutch sizes, growth rates of nestlings, fledging success, foraging behavior by adults, and population levels of adults in the wetland sites. Sampling of breeding bird, aquatic insect, and zooplankton communities consisted of gathering replicated samples from each of the wetland sites during critical growing season periods. Several additional activities also were included to better understand critical aspects of the wetlands and to verify applications of methoprene and Bti to these wetlands prior to any treatment. Detailed maps of each of the wetland sites were developed to characterize the vegetation and location of sampling stations for each of the subdisciplines. In addition, procedures were developed to independently verify methoprene and Bti application and approximate the dosage. Analysis of data from the pre-treatment phase of the study indicates that populations of birds, aquatic insects, and zooplankton are highly variable among years. For instance, a wetland with a relatively high population for birds, aquatic insects, or zooplankton one year did not necessarily have a high population the next year. Moreover, we also observed that water levels fluctuate annually greatly within and among wetlands. A wetland with a relatively high water level one year may not have a high level the next. On a regional scale rainfall may appear to be relatively uniform, but on a local scale the pattern of rainfall is ~ot uniform. Red-winged Blackbird nest failure rates have been high overall, varying from 72 to 77 % per year. High nest failure rates are likely due to high predation from both birds and mammals, flooding of nests, cold weather periods, and storms. As expeded, many measurements of Red-winged Blackbird reprodudion varied significantly among years, but few differences were observed between the two study regions. Of the 28 bird species commonly found using these wetlands, many showed significant annual variation. In particular, populations of Red-winged Blackbirds decreased from 1988 to 1990 as well as those of two other common wetland species, the Swamp Sparrow and Common . Yellowthroat. The drought years of 1987, 1988, and 1989 likely are associated with these population changes. However, populations of Yellow.:.headed Blackbirds and Marsh Wrens have decreased over the study period. A total of· 96 genera of aquatic inseds from 23 families ·and 5 orders have been sampled from the 27 wetland sites .. Populations of aquatic insects were highest. in 1988 compared with 1989 and 1990. Little data are available on aquatic insect communities of wetlands to make any comparisons; however, the drought of 1987 and 1988 is the likely cause of decreased populations of aquatic insects in 1989 and 1990. It is unclear how quickly these populations will recover from these extremely dry conditions. Zooplankton populations were less variable between years despite dear differences in rainfall, water depth, and temperature among years. However, sampling was limited in 1988 because of the extreme drought conditions when all sites could not be sampled. The first year that all sites could be sampled was in 1990. A method was developed to measure methoprene to a limit of detection of 0.4 ug/1 (ppb). In samples gathered from the 28 wetland sites, no detectable methoprene was found. Similarly, a method was developed to detect Bti in the water. However, because of the relatively low concentrations that methoprene is active and the rapid decline of Bti once applied, it is likely impractical to verify the amount of. ambient methoprene or Bti in each wetland following treatment. As an alternative, protocols were developed to capture methoprene and Bti in particle samplers on each site to verify treatment. · Using the 1988 to 1990 data, 23 variables were selected to test for differences between wetland sites assigned to methoprene treatment, Bti treatment, or to be maintained as reference sites. Sites were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups and the groups then treated to see whether there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in any of the variables. After 458 randomizations, a suitable combination of the sites was identified which will be used in subsequent applications of methoprene and Bti for the "after" phase of the experiment. A review of the statistical power of the experimental design based on the 1988 to 1990 "before" sampling phase indicated that reasonable differences can be detected between treatment groups and reference sites with the experimental design. If treatment with methoprene or Bti have an effect on non-target species in these wetlands then it will be reasonable to detect differences in Red-winged Blackbird reproduction, foraging, or populations; zooplankton size, egg production, or densities; or aquatic insed densities. Despite widely varying environmental conditions such as drought and the lack of consistent trends among the sites, many differences can be detected if they occur due to treatment.
Evaluation of the potential effects of methoprene and BTI (Bacillus thurinqiensis israelensis) on wetland birds and invertebrates in Wright County, MN, 1988 to 1993
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1995) Niemi, Gerald J; Axler, Richard P; Hanowski, JoAnn M; Hershey, Anne E; Lima, Ann R; Regal, Ronald R; Shannon, Lyle J
This report summarizes the results of a six year study (1988 to 1993) to assess the potential effects of two mosquito control materials, methoprene (applied as Altosid sand granules) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti, applied as Vectobac-G granules) on zooplankton, aquatic insects, and breeding birds in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The study was a before-and-after design with 1988 to 1990 as pre-treatment and 1991 to 1993 as treatment years. A total of 27 wetlands in western Wright County were randomly selected and randomly placed within one of three groups of sites: 9 control, 9 Bti-treated, and 9 methoprene-treated. Selected populations of zooplankton, aquatic insects, and breeding birds were sampled within each of these wetlands. Each site was also monitored to verify the applications of Bti or methoprene to the respective sites and to verify that the control sites were not treated. In 1992, the number of study sites was reduced to 26 because of the loss of one methoprene-treated site from sampling. No effects could be attributed to treatment on zooplankton or breeding birds. Aquatic insects, however, were considerably reduced following treatments in 1992 and 1993. Chironomids comprised approximately 60% of the total individuals sampled, and were greatly reduced in both methoprene and Bti sites compared to controls. We focused on this group particularly because of their abundance, but also because they are closely related to mosquitoes and known to be susceptible to both larvicides. However, our results showed that all insect groups were similarly affected by both larvicides. Both Bti and methoprene applications to these wetlands reduced aquatic insect densities by a range of 57-83% and biomass by a range of 50-83% in the second and third years of treatment. Following the effects of treatments observed in 1992, populations of aquatic insects recovered to pre-treatment levels at the start of 1993, but quickly declined again following treatment. No food chain effects of these declines, with the possible exception of increases in the density of some copepods in methoprene-treated sites, were observed in either zooplankton or in breeding birds. High nest loss rates due to predation may have been a greater limiting factor to birds than mosquito control treatment. The carrying capacity of bird populations may also be lower than that affected by food reductions, especially since alternative foods tended to be available for Red-winged Blackbirds outside of the wetland study sites. Even though this study represents one of the largest ever conducted to assess the effects of mosquito control materials on non-target organisms, a variety of questions regarding the overall effects of mosquito control treatments remain unanswered. Among the most pressing questions are the determination of the long term effects (e.g., > 5-10 yrs) of the control program and whether populations of aquatic insects can continue to recover within these treated areas.

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