Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Basin Indicator Project

John H. HartigU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Michael A. ZarullEnvironment Canada

Emily E. WilkeDetroit River International Wildlife Refuge

What is an Indicator?

● An indicator is a measurable feature that provides useful information on ecosystem status, quality or trends and the factors that affect them.

● Indicator reporting clearly communicates ecosystem trends to policy makers and managers to aid in decision-making.

● Indicators measure progress toward management goals and objectives.

Project Purpose:

● compile and analyze available, U.S. and Canadian data on various indicators of ecosystem status, quality, and trends, andthe factors that affect them

● translate and communicate indicator trends clearly for policy-makers and managers

● identify data gaps and future indicators to be able to comprehensively assess the state of this ecosystem

Projects Benefits :

● educate policy-makers and decision-makers on status and trends of indicators

● improve accessibility of data and information

● measure and celebrate progress

● foster adaptive management

● foster watershed level ecological health assessment

● build support for additional remedial and preventive management actions

● promote stewardship through broad-based education

INDICATOR – Coastal Wetland LossThe 1815 map of the Detroit River shows coastal wetlands up to a mile wide along both sides of the river for most of its length, prior to shoreline development.

By 1982 there had been a 97% decrease

Restored wetland at Grosse Ile, MI Nature Area

1815 1982

INDICATOR- Oil Pollution of the Detroit and Rouge Rivers

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

Gal

lons

Total volume oil/other petroleum products spilled in Detroit River in gallons per year (1995-2005).

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

1946-1948 1961Year(s)

Gal

lons

Total volume oil/other petroleum products spilled in Detroit River in gallons per year (1946-1948 and 1961).

INDICATOR – Phosphorus Discharges from DWWTP

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02

Year

Efflu

ent T

otal

Pho

spho

rus

Con

cent

ratio

n (m

g/L)

1970 Polymer and Pickle

Liquor Feeding Facilities Added

1971 Michigan Limits Phosphorus in

Cleaning Agents to 8.7%

1973-1976Construction of

Aeration Facilities

1977 Michigan's

Phosphorus Detergent Ban

1979-80 Implementation of Alternative Sludge Removal Process

1981 Consistent Secondary Treatment

Total phosphorus concentration (a) and loading (b) from Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1966–2003.

(a)

(b)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02Year

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus Lo

adin

g (m

etric

tons

/yea

r)

INDICATOR – Common Tern Reproduction● During 1960-1980, approximately 4,500 common tern nests were reported on Belle Isle and Mud, Grassy, Bob-Lo, and Fighting Islands in the Detroit River.

● By 2003, there had been over an order of magnitude decline in common tern nests. Common tern nests are now only found on two man-made bridge protection piers within the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River.

4,500

316 285 275

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

1960-1980 2003 2004 2005Year

Num

ber o

f Nes

ts

INDICATOR- Contaminants in Herring Gull Eggs

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1974 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003

Year

Conc

entra

tion

(ug/

g w

et w

eigh

t)

MiddleFighting

0.001.002.003.004.005.006.007.008.009.00

10.00

1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004Year

Conc

entr

atio

n (u

g/g

wet

wei

ght)

MiddleFighting

DDE in herring gull eggs on Fighting Island and Middle Island, 1974-2004.

PCBconcentrations in herring gull eggs on Fighting Island and Middle Island, 1974-2004. PCB levels in herring gull eggs have declined by 85% on Fighting Island.

Bald eagle Peregrine falcon

Canvasback Lake sturgeon

WhitefishYellow perch

Hawk trends - Southeast Michigan Raptor Research, U.S. Hawk trends - Holiday Beach Conservation Area, Canada

Common tern Coastal wetland loss

Water celeryBurrowing mayfly

Christmas Bird Count - Rockwood Christmas Bird Count - Detroit

Western Lake Erie fish communityWestern Lake Erie walleye

Contaminants in herring gull eggsPhosphorus loadings from

Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant Combined sewer overflows

Mercury in Lake St. Clair walleye

Contaminants in Western Lake Erie fishZebra mussel - water clarity trends in Western Lake Erie

Phosphorus, Chlorophyll, Phytoplankton in Kingsville Water Intake

Algal Blooms Oil Spills

Southeast Michigan population trends Southeast Michigan land use changesSouthwest Ontario population trends Southwest Ontario land use changes

Transportation trends Asthma trends

Lead poisoning in Detroit childrenAir quality trends - Windsor/Detroit Chlorides in Monroe Water Intake

Contaminants in Western Lake Erie sediments Sediment remediation projects

List of Indicators – Over 30

State of the Strait

The Indicator Project will be the focus of the next U.S.Canada State of the Strait Conference in December2006. A project report will follow in early 2007.

Indicator Project Websitehttp://www.epa.gov/med/grosseile_site/indicators/index.html