1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program OfficeU.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Goverance Challenges to Addressing
Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes:
EPA-Great Lakes National Program Office
Perspective
T. Kevin O’Donnell
NCER 2013
August 2, 2013
2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office 2
Maumee River @ Waterville, Ohio (March-June) Lake Erie
October 9, 2011
2011 Spring Phosphorus &
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Photo: Thomas Bridgeman, Univ. Toledo & Steve Davis, NRCS
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office 4
Maumee River @ Waterville, Ohio (March-June) Lake Erie
July 11, 2012
2012 Spring Phosphorus &
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Year-to-Year Issue or Trend?
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900
1000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Area(sq.km.)
Western Lake Erie Basin Average HAB Area
6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Goverance Challenges Highlighted in
Today’s Presentation
• State of HAB Science
• From Planning to Implementation to
Assessment
• Setting Realistic and Understandable
Goals Going Forward
7. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Synthesizing Available
Science & Recommendations
8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
International Joint Commission
Great Lakes Eutrophication Work Group
• Dreissenid to
Nearshore
Soluble
Reactive
Phosphorus
Relationship
• 26 Studies
• 12 indicate (+) relationship
• 13 indicate (–) relationship
• 1 indicate no relationship
9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Forecasting Lake Erie HABs
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Area(sq.km.)
Streamflow(cfs)
HAB Area vs.
Spring Maumee River Stream Flow @ Waterville, OH
Average Stream Flow (cfs) Avg High CHL
10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Goverance Challenges Highlighted in
Today’s Presentation
• State of HAB Science
• From Planning to Implementation to
Assessment
• Setting Realistic and Understandable
Goals Going Forward
11. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
• Obama Administration
Initiative
– FY2010: $475 million
– FY2011: $300 million
– FY2012: $300 million
– FY2013: $284 million
13. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Using Available
Agency Expertise and Planning Tools
14. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
GLRI Priority Watershed Meeting
Findlay, Ohio – July 11, 2013
14
Feedback Used for Planning Actions & Needed Adaptations
15. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
GLRI Watershed/Water Quality Projects
FY2010-11
16. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
GLRI Watershed/Water Quality Projects
FY2012
17. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Use of Science in GLRI Efforts
Data dissemination
Analysis and results
Data
collection
18. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Goverance Challenges Highlighted in
Today’s Presentation
• State of HAB Science
• From Planning to Implementation to
Assessment
• Setting Realistic and Understandable
Goals Going Forward
19. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Previous Lake Erie
Water Quality Goal Setting
• Total Phosphorus Target Load
– Developed in 1978 as part of the Great Lakes
Water Quality Agreement
– 11,000 metric tons/year
– Objective of year-round aerobic conditions in
Central Lake Erie Basin
20. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Annual loading of total phosphorus to Lake Erie by major source from 1967-2011.
(Data provided by Dr. David Dolan of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay (May 2013).
Graph prepared by Heidelberg NCWQR staff.)
22. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Year-to-Year Issue or Trend?
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Area(sq.km.)
Western Lake Erie Basin Average HAB Area
24. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program OfficeU.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office
Questions?
T. Kevin O’Donnell
EPA-Great Lakes National Program Office
odonnell.thomas@epa.gov
