Lake Erie Overview: Physical Characteristics, Economic Importance, and Recreational Value

1. Lake Erie Overview: Physical Characteristics, Economic Importance, and Recreational Value Dr. Jeffrey M. Reutter, Director Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory The Ohio State University Western Lake Erie Basin Conference 10 March 2009

2. Most Important Lake In the World? • “Its our lake. I see it every day. It can’t be the most important lake in the world.” • Dead lake image of 60s and 70s. • Poster child for pollution problems in this country. • But, most heavily utilized of any of the Great Lakes. • Shared by 4 states and 2 countries. • Most productive of the Great Lakes. • Best example of ecosystem recovery in world.

3. “I heard Lake Erie is the place fish go to die.” --Johnny Carson, 1976

4. Blue-green Algae Bloomcirca 1970, Lake Erie

6. 80:10:10 Rule • 80% of water from upper lakes • 10% from Lake Erie Tributaries • 10% direct precipitation

8. Lake Erie Cross Section

9. Percent of Basin Forest /Agriculture / Residential /Other

10. Most agriculture of the Great Lakes.

12. As a Result, Lake Erie Gets: • More sediment • More nutrients (fertilizers and sewage) • More pesticides • (The above 3 items are exacerbated by storms, which will be more frequent and severe due to global warming and climate change.) • And is still biologically, the most productive of the Great Lakes

14. 50:2 Rule(Not exact, but instructive) • Lake Superior: 50% of the water and 2% of the fish • Lake Erie: 2% of the water and 50% of the fish

15. Lake Erie Stats • Drinking water for 11 million people • Over 20 power plants • 300 marinas in Ohio alone • Walleye Capital of the World • 40% of all Great Lakes charter boats • $1 billion sport fishery • One of top 10 sport fishing locations in the world • Largest freshwater commercial fishery in the world • Major asset to Ohio’s $10.7 billion tourism industry

16. Perspective on Lake Erie Problems • Our job is to solve problems, prevent them from happening, minimize their impact, protect human health, and maximize the value of Lake Erie. • While Lake Erie has many problems, it also has many values and is likely to always be the most important lake in the world and the most productive of the Great Lakes.

17. Lake Erie’s Biggest Problems • Sedimentation • Phosphorus and nutrient loading • Harmful algal blooms • Aquatic invasive species • Dead Zone • Climate Change—Makes the others worse

18. Sediment Entering Lake Erie—4/2/08

19. Impacts of Sedimentation • Water quality is reduced • Nutrients and contaminants enter the Lake attached to sediment particles • Can trace Maumee River sediments beyond Fairport • Open Lake Disposal Issue—1.3 million cubic yards annually from Maumee R.

20. Why does Lake Erie get the most sediment? • Because it has the most agriculture in its basin. • Maumee River brings more sediment into Lake Erie than all tributaries carry into Lake Superior, and Lake Superior is 20 times larger in volume than Lake Erie.

21. Nutrients and Phosphorus

22. Why does Lake Erie get most nutrients? • Because it has the most agriculture in its basin and 5 major urban centers—Detroit/Windsor, Toledo, Cleveland/Lorain/Akron, Erie, and Buffalo.

23. Blue-green Algae Bloomcirca 1970, Lake Erie

24. Maumee Cuyahoga Sandusky Grand Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus Source: P. Richards, Heidelberg College

25. Impacts of Increased Phosphorus Concentrations • HABs • Microcystis • Microcystin levels 60 times WHO • Cylindrospermopsis • Nuisance Algae Blooms • Lyngbya—Western Basin Attached • Cladophora—Whole Lake Attached • Dead Zone

26. HABs(Harmful Algal Blooms):Western Basin Problem

30. HAB Requirements • Warm water (summer problem) • High phosphorus levels • Zebra/quagga mussels (remove competition)

31. HABs:Western Basin ProblemBut Contribute to Oxygen Demand inthe Central Basin, i.e.the Dead Zone

32. Dead Zone:Central Basin Problem

33. Lake Erie Cross Section

34. AIS • Over 180 species in Great Lakes • 75% since Seaway opened • Zebra and quagga mussels • Phragmites and loosestrife • Round gobies • Next? • How do we close the door?

35. Zebra Mussel vs Quagga Mussel

36. Because Lake Erie is the southernmost, shallowest, warmest, and most nutrient-enriched of the Great Lakes, it is likely that AIS will always present the greatest problem, and have the greatest impact, in Lake Erie.

37. Climate change is real and will make these problems worse! • Warm water favors HABs • Warm water increases oxygen depletion rates • More severe storms will resuspend more sediment and increase erosion and sediment loading • Lake levels uncertain

38. Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab Ohio State Univ. 1314 Kinnear Rd. Col, Oh 43212 614-292-8949 Reutter.1@osu.edu www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/ Stone Laboratory Ohio State Univ. Box 119 Put-in-Bay, O 43456 614-247-6500 For more informationDr. Jeff Reutter, Director

39. Power Production Impacts • No Free Lunch • Wind • Bird Mortality • Coal or Nuclear • Cooling water impacts on fish • Mining impacts • Air pollution impacts • Volume of material—fuel and waste

40. Fish Impingement at Power Plants

41. Summers Are Warmer….. Source: Roger Knight, ODNR

42. Winters Are Milder………. Source: Roger Knight, ODNR # days <39oF

43. The Forecast: • Increased sedimentation—lower water clarity (also means reduced coastal property values) • Lower Lake Levels • More nutrients—algal mats, flies, HABs and toxins • AIS—new one every 8 months • Dead Zone—bigger and longer lasting • Water treatment costs will increase • Lake Erie will continue to be the most important lake in the world

44. Reasonable Goals • Elimination of beach closures and water quality improvements • CSO reductions will help • Everything else will likely be worse for Water Quality • Elimination of Dead Zone • Important to drinking water quality • May not be possible • Elimination of HABs • Very important to human health • Can be achieved • Will also improve Dead Zone and beaches