Water Levels and WetlandsWater Levels and WetlandsOf Lake SuperiorOf Lake Superior

Janet KeoughJanet KeoughUS Environmental Protection AgencyUS Environmental Protection Agency

Mid-Continent Ecology DivisionMid-Continent Ecology DivisionDuluth, MNDuluth, MN

Outline for Today:Outline for Today:

Great Lakes Wetlands - Features and FunctionsGreat Lakes Wetlands - Features and Functions

Changing Water Level….what does this mean?Changing Water Level….what does this mean?

Water Level Management of Lake SuperiorWater Level Management of Lake Superior

International Joint Commission Plan of StudyInternational Joint Commission Plan of Study

Coastal Wetlands of Lake Superior

Open and Exposed to Lake

Protected by aBarrier Beach

Margins of a River

Values of Coastal Wetlands

• Hydrological• Recreational• Ecological (Fish Habitat)

– spawning areas– nurseries– feeding areas– 47 spp. closely associated with

coastal wetlands

St

Fish Species Found in Allouez Bay Wetland:

Alewife Northern Redbelly DaceNorthern Pike Rainbow SmeltLargemouth Bass Blacknose Dace Pumpkinseed Brook SticklebackSmallmouth Bass Johnny Darter Silver RedhorseNinespine SticklebackRock Bass Iowa Darter Shorthead Redhorse Threespine SticklebackBluegill Least Darter Eurasian Ruffe StonecatBlack Bullhead Sea Lamprey Coho Salmon Longnose SuckerBrown BullheadSilver Lamprey Mottled SculpinWhite SuckerYellow BullheadLogperch Slimy Sculpin Brook TroutBurbot Tadpole Madtom Golden Shiner Brown TroutCarp Bluntnose Minnow Blacknose Shiner Lake TroutChannel CatfishBrassy Minnow Common ShinerRainbow TroutHornyhead Chub Fathead Minnow Spottail Shiner Trout-perchLake Chub Central Mudminnow Mimic Shiner WalleyeBlack Crappie Muskelunge Emerald Shiner

White PerchYellow Perch

57 species

Common Name

Yellow Perch

Unid Cyprinid

White Sucker

Northern Pike

Golden Shiner

Spottail Shiner

Johnny Darter

Logperch

Black Crappie

Rock Bass

Trout-perch

Brown Bullhead

Range of capture dates of larval fish species from Allouez Bay wetland

Date June 7 June 15 July 1 July 15 Aug 9

Fish Species

Common Name

Total

% of Total

Notropis hudonius

Spottail Shiner

2814

56

Perca flavescens

Yellow Perch

955

20

Catostomus commersoni

White Sucker

494

10

Etheostoma nigrum

Johnny Darter

157

3

Notemigonus chrysoleucus

Golden Shiner

121

2.5

Cyprinidae

Unidentified Cyprinid

81

2

Percina caprodes

Logperch

58

2

Ambloplites rupestris

Rock Bass

33

< 1

Esox lucius

Northern Pike

29

< 1

Ameiurus nebulosus

Brown Bullhead

28

< 1

Percopsis omiscomaycus

Trout-perch

14

< 1

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Black Crappie

11

< 1

Osmerus mordax

Rainbow Smelt

4

< 1

Umbra limi

Central Mudminnow

3

< 1

Gymnocephalus cernus

Eurasian Ruffe

1

< 1

Culaea inconstans

Brook Stickleback

1

< 1

Total

4804

Number of Species

16

Total larval fish captured in Allouez Bay Wetland

Common Name

INNER MARSH

OUTER MARSH

SANDY MARSH

RIVER

Brown Bullhead

M (64)

F

F

F

Black Crappie

M (100)

Spottail Shiner

M (94)

F

Golden Shiner

M (94)

F

Rock Bass

F

F

M (88)

Unid Cyprinid

F

F

M (87)

F

Yellow Perch

F

F

M (57)

F

Northern Pike

F

F

M (53)

F

Logperch

F

F

M (47)

F

Trout-perch

M (100)

White Sucker

F

F

F

M (93)

Johnny Darter

F

F

F

M (42)

Macrohabitat location of 12 most abundant larval fish species captured in Allouez Bay

Common Name SPARSE (<7.5%)

MODERATE (7.5-29%)

DENSE (30-65%)

White Sucker M (95) F F

Unid Cyprinid M (84) F

Logperch M (82) F F

Yellow Perch M (74) F F

Johnny Darter M (40) M (33) M (27)

Golden Shiner M (46) F M (52)

Black Crappie M (100)

Brown Bullhead F F M (93)

Spottail Shiner F F M (90)

Rock Bass F F M (67)

Northern Pike F M (63) F

Trout-perch M (100)

Macrophyte cover preferences of 12 most abundant larval fish species captured in Allouez Bay

Spring Early Summer

0

1

2

3

4

Num

ber

of L

arva

l Fis

h S

peci

es Date Captured

b

a

a

Mid Summer

COASTAL WETLANDS:

DIVERSITY OFHABITATS FOR FISHAND WILDLIFE

Lost Creek (WI) Kakagon Slough (WI)

St. Louis River (MN)

Great Lakes water level variation….the action is in the Coastal zone…..picture of either wave action or floodingOr sediment exposure

Water Level: All the action is in the coastal zone

1 FT

6 IN.

Small changes in Water LevelMake a BIG difference in

Coastal Habitats

….even a difference as small as a few inches

Three Natural Types of Water Level Change in the Great Lakes:

Less than 1 day = Seiche

Seasonal

Year-to-Year

**Most Effects Are in the Coastal Zone**

HOURS

0 10 20 30 40 50

Rel

ativ

e W

ater

Lev

el (

cm)

0

10

20

30

Seiche – Induced Water Level Change

20 in

0

7 HR

1 HR

3 HR

MAJORFRONT

PASSAGE

SEICHE: Phenomenon that occurs following a storm surge, when the wind abruptly subsides or barometric pressure changes rapidly on a lake, causing the water to oscillate until it stabilizes again

LAKE SUPERIOR

183.2

183.4

183.6

LAKES MICHIGAN AND HURON

176.2

176.4

176.6

LAKE ST. CLAIR

174.6174.8175.0175.2

LAKE ERIEL

ake-

lev

el E

lev

atio

n (

m)

173.8174.0174.2174.4

LAKE ONTARIO

Month

D J F M A M J J A S O N D J

74.474.674.875.0

Seasonal Water LevelPatterns of the

Great Lakes

Highest in Summer

Peak Water LevelVaries Across the

Lakes

Earliest in L Erie andL Ontario

Latest in L. Superior

“Long – Term” Lake Level

Lake Michigan – Lake Huron, 1918 - Present

Lake Superior – 1918 - Present

1 FT

6 IN.

Small changes in Water LevelMake a BIG difference in

Coastal Habitats

….even a difference as small as a few inches

Domestic Water UseNavigationFish HabitatHydropower

Water Use Priorities

Great Lakes Power Plant - 32,700 cfs

Compensating Works - 3,000 cfs

Fishery Remedial Works - 500 cfs

U.S. GovernmentPower Plant - 10,400 cfs

Edison Sault Power Plant - 21,000 cfs

Soo Locks - 400 cfs

Typical St. Marys River Outflow - 68,000 cfs

Distribution of Lake Superior Outflows

Boundary Water Treaty of 1909 1914 IJC Orders of Approval

Supplementary Orders: 1978, 1979, 1985 Regulation Plans

Sabin Rule Rule P-5 Rule of 1949 1955 Modified Rule of 1949 SO-901 Plan 1977 Plan 1977-A

Chronology of Lake Superior Regulation

1909 Boundary Waters Treaty:

Resolved disputes concerning boundary waters at that time Established principles and mechanisms to prevent and

resolve future disputes Created the IJC with the power to:

Approve diversions affecting levels and flowsAdvise governments on boundary issues (quality & quantity)

1914 Orders of Approval

Granted permission for Increased hydropower diversion Construction of control dam

Specified conditions for construction and operation

Considered commercial navigation and riparian interests

Created International Lake Superior Board of Control to oversee outflow regulation

Boundary Water Treaty of 1909 1914 IJC Orders of Approval

Supplementary Orders: 1978, 1979, 1985 Regulation Plans

Sabin Rule Rule P-5 Rule of 1949 1955 Modified Rule of 1949 SO-901 Plan 1977 Plan 1977-A

Chronology of Lake Superior Regulation

Lake Superior Regulation Plan 1977-A

Balances levels between Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron--Fundamental goal is to make storage in the 2 lakes (represented by levels) the same, when standardized to take out the differing sizes of the lakes and their drainage basins

Maintains Lake Superior water levels within a specified range when possible

Limits high flows in the St. Marys River Regulates outflows within criteria, requirements,

and limitations

6.3Feet3.9

Feet

Highest

Average(1918-1999)

Lowest

Lake Superior LakesMichigan-Huron

Range of Levels

81,000Square Miles

142,700Square Miles

Lake Superior LakesMichigan-Huron

Size ofDrainage Basins

This balancing takes into consideration the historic ranges of level fluctuation. The ranges of levels (from highest to lowest) on Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron reflect the differing sizes of their drainage basins.

Plan 1977-A

Designed to generate monthly outflows necessary to balance the levels of Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron, taking into consideration their long-term average and historic rate of fluctuation

Balancing Equation:

Q = Ave. Q + A (S – (Ave. S + (MH – Ave. MH) (sd S / sd MH))

Lake Superior monthly outflow =

Average Superior outflow+ 200,000 cfs (a proportional constant)X (Superior month start – (ave. Superior month start + (Mich-Hur start – ave. Mich-Hur start) XStandard deviation of average Superior level / Standard deviation of average Mich-Hur level))

http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil

International Lake Supeior Board of Control Membership

International Lake Supeior Board of Control Membership United States Canada

BG Steven Hawkins Doug Cuthbert Secretaries

John Kangas Peter Yee

Regulation Representatives

LTC Richard Polo David Fay

Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study

1993 Levels Reference Study Recommendations

Recent precipitous drop in water levelsDemographic changesEnhanced environmental understandingClimate change and climate variability

concernsTechnological advancesBuild on experience from Lake Ontario –

St. Lawrence River study

Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study

Responsibility: To prepare a plan of study to review operations of IJC-approved water flow control structure at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/Michigan

Purposes of the Review: determine whether the requirements and criteria in

IJC Orders meet the needs of the interests including the environment in the system,

identify potential improvements to Lake Superior outflow regulation and other measures to alleviate adverse effects of water level fluctuations

http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/ijc/uglpos

Study Approach

Understand present and future needs of interest groups, their relationships with water levels.

Evaluate capability and limitations of Lake Superior outflow regulation under current climate regime and under potential climate change.

Identify potential improvements to Lake Superior regulation, balance the needs of all interest groups

Emphasis on public involvement in the study.

Study to be conducted in 2 phases

Functional ScopeMajor Interest Groups• coastal zone• environment/ecosystem• hydropower• navigation• recreational boating and tourism• municipal, industrial and domestic water usesOther issues to be studied:climate change/variability, dredging, land use, ground water,

diversions, consumptive uses, Lake Superior regulation, flow variations at hydropower facilities

Modifications of Lake Superior Outflow Management:Issues for Fish

Effects of INCREASED or DECREASED water levelvariation on habitat loss or on access by fish?

Effects on the temperature regime of shallow spawning reefs?

Flow variation and Water level variation onThe St. Marys River habitats

COASTAL WETLANDS, LAKE LEVEL, AND FISH HABITAT