Mississippi River Water Quality: Implications for Freshwater Diversions

1. Mississippi River Water Quality: Implications for Freshwater Diversions Coastal Wetland Planning, Preservation, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Outreach Committee Topic Series December 2001

2. Questions to consider... • Geologic history of Louisiana and current situation regarding coastal wetlands loss? • Role and suitability of the Mississippi River as coastal restoration tool? • Specific performance and issues regarding water quality at freshwater diversion sites.

3. What is the geologic history of coastal Louisiana?

4. World’s third largest river basin

5. DeltaAge (years) Sale/Cypremort 4600-7000 Cocodrie 3500-4600 Teche 2800-3500 St. Bernard 1000-2800 Lafourche 300-1000 Plaquemine 500-750 Modern/Balize 500

6. The Great Flood of 1927

7. 160-200 million metric tons a year

8. 1956 2050 ? Predicted coastal land loss by 2050

9. Vegetative • Structural • Hydrologic - Diversions Coastal Restoration Methods

10. Pollution and Policy

11. Pollution and Policy • National Environmental Policy Act -NEPA (1969) • Endangered Species Act (1973) • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act • (1947, 1970, 1972) • Federal Water Pollution Control Act (1972, 1977)

12. Clean Water Act (1977) Section 402 – established National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, requires permits for 4 major classes of storm water discharge and advocated use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize or eliminate the introduction of pollutants. Section 319 establishes a national program for the assessment and control of non point source pollution impacts to state waters. Section 303 requires state list of impaired water bodies.

13. How suitable is the Mississippi River’s water quality today?

14. Status of River Water Quality? • LADEQ: Healthy fish populations of bass, catfish, buffalo, and shad • Detectable toxins below FDA thresholds • In the Mississippi an impaired water body?

15. Status of River Water Quality • 5-year study to quantify types and distribution of contaminants. • Samples collected along the entire • length of River and distributaries. • Results?

16. 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 31% 31% 31% 31% 31% 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% 8% 8% 8% 8% 8% 6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 23% 23% 23% 23% 23% HYPOXIA HYPOXIA HYPOXIA 51% of the nitrogen flux into the Gulf of Mexico comes from interior basins of the upper Mississippi watershed above the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. However, this section supplies only 22% of the total volume of River water entering the Gulf. Since the mid 1980s, large hypoxic areas have been documented in the near-shore waters off the Louisiana and Texas coast. However, there have been no documented hypoxic or low oxygen conditions in the mainstem ofthe Mississippi River. 51% of the nitrogen flux into the Gulf of Mexico comes from interior basins of the upper Mississippi watershed above the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. However, this section supplies only 22% of the total volume of River water entering the Gulf. Since the mid 1980s, large hypoxic areas have been documented in the near-shore waters off the Louisiana and Texas coast. However, there have been no documented hypoxic or low oxygen conditions in the mainstem ofthe Mississippi River. 51% of the nitrogen flux into the Gulf of Mexico comes from interior basins of the upper Mississippi watershed above the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. However, this section supplies only 22% of the total volume of River water entering the Gulf. Since the mid 1980s, large hypoxic areas have been documented in the near-shore waters off the Louisiana and Texas coast. However, there have been no documented hypoxic or low oxygen conditions in the mainstem ofthe Mississippi River. Nutrients HYPOXIA HYPOXIA

17. Nitrogen Application (tons/m2/year) no data < 1.0 1 - 3.3 3.4 - 8.1 8.1 - 20 >20 Nutrients

18. Pesticides

19. 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 1977-84 1984-95 Source: USGS St. Francisville Union Belle Chase Luling Venice Plaquemines Median Fecal Coliform(colonies/100 ml)

20. Current Monitoring Programs • Toxic Release Inventory • Hypoxia monitoring • Early Warning Organic Compound • Detection System

21. How have diversions affected water quality so far?

22. Caernarvon

23. Caernarvon Bay Fienne Bay Gardene Intermediate to Brackish (Historic) 1987 1978 1960 1849 1812 Big Mar 8000 cfs Grand Lake Modified from Gagliano and Wicker 1989

24. Davis Pond

25. Most Successful Diversion?

26. “Normal” green vegetation 137,655 acres 35% “Moderately Impacted” greenish/brown vegetation 143,935 acres 38% 27% “Severely Impacted or Dead” marsh is mostly brown, black, or totally devoid of vegetation 105,570 acres “Brown Marsh” 2000-2001

27. Summary and Conclusions • Mississippi River much cleaner than 30 years ago. • Successful regulatory action of point source • discharge, improved sewage treatment, • restriction/elimination of pesticides. • Nutrients and some herbicides continue • to cause concern.

28. Summary and Conclusions • River is suitable for most coastal restoration projects, but.... • Salinity and fisheries continue to be a major issue • Is the issue water quality or water clarity? • Can we maximize the interface and retention time of River input and marsh vegetation?

29. Acknowledgements