Transcript Slide 1

Climate Change and Watershed Management
September 28, 2010
Mike McNutt, B.A., B.S.
Watershed Coordinator
Cuyahoga County Board of Health
What is a Watershed?
• An area of land which drains to a central
location
Causes of Impairment
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Organic Enrichment
Nutrient Enrichment
Low In-stream Dissolved Oxygen
Toxicity
Sedimentation
Habitat Degradation
Hydrocarbons
Too Much Water
Bacteria
Heavy Metals
Yet Unknown Impairment (s)
Great Lakes Quick Facts
• 6 quadrillion gallons of fresh water; one-fifth of the world's fresh
surface water (only the polar ice caps and Lake Baikal in Siberia
contain more)
• Spread evenly across the continental U.S., the Great Lakes would
submerge the country under about 9.5 feet of water
• 95 percent of all fresh water in the U.S.
• More than 94,000 square miles/244,000 square kilometers of water
(larger than the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire combined
• 11,700 sq mi Ohio’s drainage basin to Lake Erie
• 3 million Ohioans use Lake Erie as primary source of drinking water
Adapted from Health Canada, Climate Change Office, 2005
Climate Change and Public
Health Risks
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Asthma
Allergens
Flooding
Heat Island Effect
Drought
Lowering of Lake Levels
Water Pollution
Food Shortages
Pathogens, Bacteria, Viruses
Extinction of Flora and Fauna
How Will Climate Change Impact Ohio?
www.climate-speakers.org.uk
Ohio’s Climate Change Projection
for the 21st Century
• Ambient Temperature: 7 – 12 degrees Fahrenheit in the Winter and
6 – 14 degrees Fahrenheit in the Summer
• Precipitation: Average rainfall may not change but may see seasonal
variability in precipitation (Summer less and Winter more) Overall
drier conditions
• Extreme Events: 24-hour and Multiday events will increase over
time
• Reduced Lake Erie water levels: (warmer temperatures, decreased
ice cover, increased pressure for water removal)
• Increase in Lake Erie water temperatures
Source: Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region, Impacts on Ohio Communities and Ecosystems, Union of Concerned
Scients
http://ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/ucssummaryohfinal.pdf
Source: Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Great Lakes Transportation pg. 5, Frank
Quinn (General Circulation Model Predictions)
United States climate division trends in frequency of precipitation events of 7-day duration exceeding a 1-yr recurrence interval for 1931–96.
Shaded circles indicate upward trends while open circles indicate downward trends. The magnitude of the trend is given in terms of the
percent increase or decrease over the period 1931–96, relative to the 1931–96 mean. As indicated by the key, the magnitude of the trend is
linearly proportional to the radius of the circle. A tail attached to the upper right indicates positive trends with local significance at the 5%
level, two-tailed test; a tail attached to the upper left indicates locally significant negative trends. An “×” indicates a climate division with no
stations with complete records for the period 1931–96.
Source: Long-Term Trends in Extreme Precipitation Events over the Conterminous United States and Canada
Kenneth E. Kunkel and Karen Andsager
Water Extraction Issue
• Great Lakes Compact Implementation
• Great Lakes states offer thresholds for the
withdraw of water based on stream flow and
biological diversity (Exceptional WWH, WWH,
LRW, Modified)
• Withdraw amounts range from 100,000 gpd to 5
mgd
• Ohio proposes 2 mgd
• “Put-in-Bay importing water for Labor Day
weekend because of algae issues” –Toledo Blade
August 31, 2010
Water Quality and Public Health Concerns with Climate Change
http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/nps/What_is_NPS/agr.htm
http://www.henrycountyswcd.com/?q=node/8
microcystis
WLEB HAB Sample Locations
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Centers/H
ABS/western_lake_erie.html
Primary Contact Recommended
Limitations
WHO Recommended Guidelines
Drinking water = 1µg/L
Low risk recreational = 2-4µg/L
Moderate risk recreational - 20µg/L
High risk recreational = avoid visible scums
Station
Location
Depth Surface
(m)
Temp (°C)
Secch Microcystin
i (m)
Concentration (ug/L)
WE 1
5.1
20.0
0.5
0.34
WE 2
6.1
20.1
0.9
0.07
WE 3
8
20.2
1.2
0.10
WE 4
9.1
20.4
1.7
0.12
WE 5
8.7
20.3
1.3
0.13
WE 6
3
19.1
0.3
1.34
WE 7
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20.0
0.4
0.39
WE 8
5
20.4
0.7
0.26
WE 9
2.6
18.3
0.4
0.46
Sample Date September 2, 2010
Station
Location
Depth
(m)
Surface Temp
(°C)
Secchi
(m)
Microcystin
Concentration (ug/L)
WE 1
4.6
27.6
0.8
3.24
WE 2
5.4
28.9
1.5
0.81
WE 3
7.1
27.1
1.5
0.67
WE 4
7.1
27.1
2.0
0.81
WE 5
7.1
27.2
1.9
0.20
WE 6
3.0
28.4
0.6
3.26
WE 7
3.9
28.7
0.6
3.10
WE 8
4.5
27.3
0.9
3.84
WE 9
2.5
29.3
0.5
10.63
FR 1
5.5
27.8
1.0
2.34
FR 2
7.1
27.5
1.0
15.00
FR 3
7.1
28.1
1.4
20.77
FR 4
7.1
27.4
1.5
3.25
FR5
4.5
28.3
0.9
5.86
Sample Date August 2, 2010
Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB’s)
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Cyanobacteria are considered a Blue-Green Algae
Produces hepatotoxins and neurotoxins
Destroys liver cells and effects the nervous system
Skin contact: Contact with the skin may cause rashes, hives, or skin blisters
(especially on the lips and under swimsuits).
Breathing of water droplets: Breathing aerosolizing (suspended water
droplets-mist) from the lake water-related recreational activities and/or
lawn irrigation can cause runny eyes and noses, a sore throat, asthma-like
symptoms, or allergic reactions.
Swallowing water: Swallowing HAB-contaminated water can cause:
Acute (immediate), severe diarrhea and vomiting
Liver toxicity (abnormal liver function, abdominal pain, diarrhea and
vomiting)
Kidney toxicity
Neurotoxicity (weakness, salivation, tingly fingers, numbness, dizziness,
difficulties breathing, death)
NOAA Large Basin Runoff Model
Beach Safety
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http://www.ohionowcast.info/index.asp
Huntington Beach
Edgewater Beach
Cuyahoga River
Advisory Issued when E. Coli
Communities exceed 235 per/mL
ODH 2009 Beach Monitoring Report
Beach Bather Study
• 21,015 interviews
• 4 different beaches (West Beach,
Huntington Beach, Silver Beach,
Washington Park Beach)
• 7.3% reported new GI Illness (9.0%
children)
• 5.7% reported URI (10.6% children)
• 2.7% reported rash (4.1% children)
From: “High Sensitivity of Children to Swimming-Associated Gastrointestinal Illness”
(Epidemiology, Volume 19, Number 3, May 2008)
Failing HSTS
Photo by Carl Preusser R.S.(CCBH)
HSTS in Cuyahoga County
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9,929 Total Active Systems
1,390 Failing Systems
3,683 Systems Aged 50+ Years
Average Lifespan of HSTS Systems is 25
Years
What We Do To Our Water
Traditional CCBH
Programs
• Household Sewage
Program
• Semi Public Sewage
Program
• Beaches
• Food Safety
• Nursing
• Epidemiology
• Community Health
New CCBH Sustainable
Environment Unit Programs
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Storm Water Program
Household Sewage Program
Semi Public Sewage Program
Beaches/Nowcast
Marinas
Water Quality Program
Educational Outreach
Watershed Planning & Management
Restoration Projects
FOG (Fats, Oils, Greases)
Pharmaceutical Take-Back Program
Climate Change
Urban Agriculture
Marketing
Solid Waste/Recycling/Composting
Built Environment/Brownfields
What We Have Been Doing
Courtesy: Biohabitats, Inc.
Agricultural BMP’s
Filter Strip
http://ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/displayimage-2459.html
Riparian Buffer
Windbreak
http://www.madisonswcd.org/practices.html
Grass Waterway
Green Infrastructure
Thank You!
Mike McNutt
[email protected]
216-201-2001 x1224