Joseph DePinto, Todd Redder, Ed Verhamme, Jeremy Grush, Ric McCulloch LimnoTech Ann Arbor, MI

1. 516(e) Program Meeting Ann Arbor, MI (May 18, 2011) Development of a Linked Hydrodynamic – Sediment Transport – Water Quality Model for the Lower Maumee River and Western Lake Erie Basin Joseph DePinto, Todd Redder, Ed Verhamme, Jeremy Grush, Ric McCulloch LimnoTech Ann Arbor, MI Funded by USACE-Buffalo District through sub-contract to Ecology & Environment, Buffalo, NY

2. Presentation Outline • Project Background & Objectives • Overview of Model Development • Model Calibration: • Sediment Transport • Water Quality / Eutrophication • Model Application Results: • Sediment Transport • Water Quality / Eutrophication

3. Project Background • Maumee Bay / Toledo Harbor dredging: • Annual volume: ~640,000 yd3(2004-08) • ~70% to open lake disposal • Annual cost: ~$5 million • Major sediment “sources”: • Maumee River • Wind-wave resuspension • Need for linked watershed-receiving water model to support comprehensive system management planning: • Sediment management • Nearshore water quality management (GLRI) • Navigation • Coastal erosion • Flood control

4. Harmful Algal Blooms and Nuisance Benthic Algae August 2003 Microcystis bloom in Maumee River plume in western Lake Erie Lyngbya wolleiblooms wash up on western basin shoreline

5. Project Objectives • Quantitatively connect external (tributary/ watershed NPS, point sources) and internal (sediment resuspension and porewater flux) pollutant sources to lake ecological endpoints: • Sediment  sedimentation and turbidity • Nutrients  nuisance & harmful algal blooms • Support USACE management decisions: • Minimize need for dredging and impact • Beneficial reuse • Habitat enhancement (shoal areas) • Synthesize monitoring/modeling data and advance our understanding of the system (WLEB Partnership)

6. LMR-MB Model Framework EFDC Model “Simulating Waves Nearshore” (SWAN) Hydrodynamic Sub-Model • Hydrodynamics • Water level • Current velocity Wind-Wave Sub-Model • Current velocity • Wind-Waves • Significant height • Direction • Frequency Shear Stress Sediment Transport Sub-Model Nutrient & Eutrophication Sub-Model (RCA) • Water Quality Linkage • Flows • Suspended solids • Settling/resuspension rates

7. Detroit Huron • Grid Characteristics: • Curvilinear Grid • 4,613 Horizontal Cells • 26,387 Total Cells (3D) Stony Raisin Ottawa Maumee Cedar Portage

8. Navigation Channel Navigation Channel Ottawa Maumee

9. Model Development / Calibration • Physical Data: • Bathymetric: NOAA, USACE • Hydrodynamic (flow, WL): USGS, NOAA • Atmospheric (wind, etc.): NOAA/GLERL • Sediment Data: • Sediment bed characteristics: • Bathymetry changes (USACE dredge surveys) • Particle size distribution (GeoSea) • Suspended sediment characteristics: • Maumee River @ Waterville (Heidelberg) • Maumee Bay (T. Bridgeman, UT) • Satellite imagery (MODIS, Landsat) • Water Quality Data: • Heidelberg University – Waterville load data • University of Toledo – Maumee Bay data • IFYLE – western basin data

10. Predicted vs. Observed Deposition in Navigation Channel (3/23/04 – 5/11/05)

11. Model-Data Comparison for Total Suspended Solids (6/18/2004) Maumee Flow: 28,200 cfs Data provided by Tom Bridgeman, University of Toledo

12. Model-Data Comparison for Total Suspended Solids (8/23/2004) Maumee Flow: 5,500 cfs Data provided by Tom Bridgeman, University of Toledo

13. Total Suspended Solids Animation (March – June 2004)

14. Key UT Water Quality Monitoring Stations Data provided by Tom Bridgeman, University of Toledo

15. Model-Data Comparison: "MB18" Total Phosphorus Soluble Reactive P

16. Model-Data Comparison: "MB18" Chlorophyll a

17. Chlorophyll-a Animation (April-October 2004)

18. Model Application • Evaluation of reduced Maumee River sediment and nutrient loadings impacts on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; • Evaluation of the stability of potential alternative locations for open-lake disposal of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor navigation channel; • Evaluation of the impact of sediment and nutrient releases occurring during open-lake dredge disposal activities on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; and • Evaluation of the potential impact of removing the Maumee Bay causeway on entrainment of larval fish by the Bayshore coal power plant.

19. Sediment Accretion in Nav Channel for Load Reduction Scenarios (3/23/04 – 5/11/05)

20. Water Quality Response: 40% total phosphorus and sediment load reduction Total Phosphorus (mg/l) (August 2004) Baseline Loads 40% load reduction Chlorophyll a (ug/l)

21. Model Application • Evaluation of reduced Maumee River sediment and nutrient loadings impacts on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; • Evaluation of the stability of potential alternative locations for open-lake disposal of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor navigation channel; • Evaluation of the impact of sediment and nutrient releases occurring during open-lake dredge disposal activities on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; and • Evaluation of the potential impact of removing the Maumee Bay causeway on entrainment of larval fish by the Bayshore coal power plant.

22. Simulation of Bed Elevation Changes in Proposed Shoal Areas During 2004-05

23. Model Application • Evaluation of reduced Maumee River sediment and nutrient loadings impacts on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; • Evaluation of the stability of potential alternative locations for open-lake disposal of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor navigation channel; • Evaluation of the impact of sediment and nutrient releases occurring during open-lake dredge disposal activities on water quality conditions in Maumee Bay and the Western Basin; and • Evaluation of the potential impact of removing the Maumee Bay causeway on entrainment of larval fish by the Bayshore coal power plant.

24. Summer average TSS for dredge disposal scenarios 0.8M CY disposal No disposal 1.25M CY disposal Show dredge disposal animation

25. Differential for summer average TSS for 1.25M CY open-lake dredge disposal vs. no disposal Municipal Water Intake Locations

26. Use of LMR-MB Model to Support Management Programs • Quantify relative contribution of all sources to ecosystem endpoints of concern • Turbidity in Maumee Bay and western basin • Sedimentation in navigation channel • Nutrient concentration distributions • Harmful and nuisance algal blooms • Support planning and management decisions for BMP’s and erosion control in the watershed • Reduction in dredging needs as a function of watershed actions • Improvement in water quality in western basin as a function of watershed actions • Support USACE sediment management planning • Locate dredged material disposal areas (open-lake, habitat enhancements) and assess long-term stability • Design of in-stream and /harbor bay control structures that reduce dredging costs and sediment impacts in lake

27. EXTRA SLIDES

28. Use of LMRM to Support Management Programs • Evaluate stability of potential disposal sites • Shoal areas for fish habitat • Fate of dredging material releases • Evaluate impact of causeway removal • Larval fish entrainment • Evaluate Maumee River solids load reductions (e.g., 25%, 50%) • Impact on nav channel deposition, turbidity