Grantee Research Project Results
2008 Progress Report: Development of Alternative Approaches to Assessing the Impact of Pollutants on Environmental Systems: Part 2: Management of Environmental Quality in Urban Watershed Ecosystems
EPA Grant Number: CR830912Title: Development of Alternative Approaches to Assessing the Impact of Pollutants on Environmental Systems: Part 2: Management of Environmental Quality in Urban Watershed Ecosystems
Investigators: Driscoll, Charles T. , Effler, Steven W.
Institution: Syracuse University , Upstate Freshwater Institute, Inc.
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: June 27, 2003 through June 30, 2007 (Extended to June 28, 2009)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 27, 2008 through June 26,2009
Project Amount: $2,993,493
RFA: Targeted Research Grant (2002) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Targeted Research
Objective:
Syracuse University (SU), in collaboration with Upstate Freshwater Institute, the New York Indoor Environmental Quality (NYIEQ) Center, Tetra Tech Inc., Smith College, Cornell University and the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC), is conducting an interdisciplinary research program strategically targeted at developing the fundamental science, enabling technologies and technology transfer pathways for intelligent environmental quality systems (i-EQS) appropriate for aquatic ecosystems. Such systems would integrate advances in monitoring and modeling to yield dramatic improvements in information available for decision-making concerning the management and control of water quality in a variety of aquatic ecosystems, including urban and forested settings that are subjected to multiple disturbances.The research program takes a unified approach to develop i-EQS that will monitor and improve environmental quality across a broader range of spatial and temporal scales than are possible with current approaches. Central to our vision is the coupling of monitoring activities with models through intelligent control and data management. By linking monitoring with modeling it is possible to obtain insight on the role of disturbances in regulating the structure and function of ecosystems and the interactions of multiple disturbances. The approach is being applied to two distinct aquatic ecosystems: the Seneca River watershed in Central New York, which is a predominately urban ecosystem, and the Adirondack region of New York, which is predominately forested. For each ecosystem, the objectives include: (1) development of reliable quantitative and timely information concerning water quality status; (2) improved scientific understanding of the processes and drivers that regulate water quality and ecological conditions; and (3) development of models that effectively integrate the scientific understanding of ecosystems and monitoring information, to provide a quantitative representation of processes and their interactions, as well as reliable predictions. For the Seneca River ecosystem, we are investigating the interactions of elevated nutrient inputs (from domestic waste and agricultural activities), industrial wastes, and the invasion of zebra mussels, an exotic bivalve, Dreissena polymorpha. For the Adirondack region, our research is focused on the deposition and cycling of mercury within two lake and forest ecosystems that are representative of the numerous lakes in this region, including the interactions between atmospheric deposition of mercury and strong acids with the bioaccumulation of mercury in fish.
Progress Summary:
Seneca River Ecosystem: Urban areas, with their dense populations and concentrated industrial activities, place great demands and stress on proximate aquatic resources and ecosystems. Associated waste discharges require adequate assimilative capacity in receiving waters. Surface waters serving as water supplies for these urban areas represent striking contrasts. The pressure of ever-increasing growth and associated needs to maximize utilization and protection of our urban aquatic resources requires innovations in monitoring, information transfer and dissemination, and mathematical modeling. In response to these needs, we envision an intelligent urban environmental system (i-UES) that monitors water quality of an array of aquatic systems within an urban ecosystem, and supports control decisions for the use of these resources while protecting ecosystem and human health. The i-UES would include: (1) a network of robotic water quality monitoring units deployed in both water supply surface waters and receiving waters; (2) near-real-time (NRT) data delivery, analysis and model forecasting capabilities; and (3) a robust communication system linking sensor and model output to automated control sites or resource managers to support actions. The capabilities of the i-UES can be expanded where the results of related process studies are available. The overall goal of the research is to advance an i-UES for an urban network within the Seneca River watershed through the development, testing and implementation of a robotic monitoring network, a related data transfer system and mathematical models, the conduct support process studies and limnological analyses, and the demonstration of NRT modeling.
Robotic Monitoring Network:
Robotic monitoring platforms have successfully collected important water quality information on components of this study network and delivered the data, in near-real-time (NRT), to an array of stakeholders at www.ourlake.org. These activities have served to: (1) educate the public; (2) provide key information to managers; (3) advance the protocols for maintenance and operation of robotic monitoring networks; and (4) demonstrate the attributes of the robotic platforms for addressing research issues related to the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Research and ecosystem management capabilities documented in the peer reviewed literature that integrated the robots have addressed: (1) the impacts of zebra mussel metabolism on the water quality of a river; (2) the diagnostic value of robotic monitoring of turbidity in a polluted lake; (3) the utility of a reference lake to assess progress for a lake targeted for rehabilitation; and (4) the effective integration of robots into a "dual discharge scheme" that would allow temporal variation of the point of waste discharge. The Onondaga Lake robot is now providing critical data to managers and stakeholders as part of the monitoring program for the Superfund site. This robot, together with an Onondaga Creek robot, were central to recent (2008) work that established the seasonal plunging of this stream in the lake. This is critical information to management programs for these systems.
Mathematical Models
Mathematical models are being developed to serve as quantitative predictive tools to support research activities and management applications. Models serve to integrate multi-disciplinary information and test our understanding of ecosystems and processes. Substantial advancements in the modeling program were made in 2007 and 2008 that will help to guide managers in ongoing efforts to rehabilitate Onondaga Lake, as well as contribute to modeling efforts for other perturbed systems. These advancements have included: (1) a post-audit analysis and upgrade of a nitrogen model for Onondaga Lake, that included testing for more than 15 years; (2) the set-up and preliminary testing of a three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic/transport model (ELCOM) for Onondaga Lake; (3) the set-up and testing of a one-dimensional stratification/transport model for Onondaga Lake; and (4) the development and testing of an optics model (Secchi disc transparency [SD] and attenuation coefficient for downwelling irradiance [kd]) for Onondaga Lake. The 3D model will be used to simulate the plunging inflow dynamics of important inputs to the lake that will contribute importantly to the development, testing and application of water quality models. Moreover, this tool will support evaluation of impacts of potential turbidity inputs from the future dredge (Superfund) site, aimed at remediation of residual mercury waste impacts. The one-dimensional model has been validated for a 19 year period. It is an appropriate physical framework (submodel) to support water quality model development and application, as it represents well seasonal features of the stratification regime, as well as the plunging behavior of certain inflows. The optics model performed well in quantifying the constituents and processes that have regulated SD and kd over the nearly 30 year period of record. Moreover, it serves to establish realistic expectations for potential future improvements and establishes the important roles of inorganic particle inputs and Daphnia grazing. A journal manuscript documenting the optics model has been published. Manuscripts are planned related to the other modeling efforts.
Remote Sensing
To advance the development of mechanistic approaches for remote sensing for inland waters, the research team has focused on partitioning the contributions of various constituents to light absorption and scattering and assessment of the related emergent light flux signatures. These efforts have addressed several of the network systems and have yielded insights on optical characteristics. The study systems have been found to represent a rich range with respect to magnitudes and dynamics in these optical features. Direct in-situ measurements of absorption and scattering in the water columns of the study lakes have been demonstrated, through application of an optics model, to close (quantitatively consistent) well with paired direct measurement of remote sensing reflectance, the signal available for remote sensing reflectance. This closure (documented in a recent presentation) opens the way to develop new and improved mechanistic optics models to support remote sensing for inland (case 2) waters. These approaches may have broad application for the growing interest and initiatives for advancing remote sensing capabilities for inland waters.
Process Studies and Limnological Analyses
Mercury fluxes to three of the network lakes have been assessed through a combination of mercury and lead-210 analyses of sediment cores. The recently reported (peer-reviewed publication) findings demonstrated a range of anthropogenic effects; two lakes demonstrated increases from land use effects; while all were affected by regional atmospheric inputs (Bookman et al. 2008). Paleolimnological analyses of Otisco Lake depicted increased sedimentation rates starting in the early 1900s, shifts in the contributions of inorganic carbon (e.g., calcite) to sedimentation, and the effect of application of copper sulfate as an algicide. This work is summarized in Bookman et al. (in press).
Suspended solids analyses have been completed for sediment trap collections for the period 1980 – 2008, the longest trap program in the U.S. Dramatic reductions in both inorganic and organic components were documented for the interval following the closure of the soda ash manufacturing facility (1986). Yet further decreases in this downward flux were documented for 2008, that are likely attributable to recent decreases in primary production. These data are important features in the overall sediment budget for the lake, and may be particularly valuable in considering the “monitored natural recovery” approach for rehabilitation of this superfund site.
The utility of zebra mussels as a biological monitor of mercury is under evaluation, through the analysis of collections from mercury impacted and three reference lakes within the urban network. Collections were made in Oneida, Skaneateles, Otisco and Onondaga lakes. Tissue concentrations were the highest by far in contaminated Onondaga Lake. However, the second highest levels were in Skaneateles Lake, the most oligotrophic of the network study lakes. Related analyses and interpretations continue, and the salient findings will be published in the peer-reviewed literature.
Adirondack Ecosystem: Mercury cycling in lake-watershed ecosystems involves the interactions of complex biogeochemical processes. Recent studies have indicated that the concentrations of mercury in water and fish are strongly influenced by atmospheric deposition of mercury and strong acids, and the geochemical and biological processes occurring in lakes and their surrounding watersheds. Several mechanisms may contribute to the linkage between the enrichment of fish mercury and atmospheric deposition. Sulfate inputs may enhance conversion of ionic mercury to methyl mercury by methylation mediated by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Acidification may decrease lake biological productivity, resulting in higher concentrations of mercury in aquatic biota. Finally increases in concentrations of dissolved organic carbon may increase binding of ionic mercury and/or methyl mercury, thereby decreasing bioavailability of mercury. We envision that these processes affect the response of fish mercury concentrations to recent and future declines in atmospheric mercury and strong acid deposition within remote watersheds.
The research objective is to evaluate the response of fish mercury to changes in atmospheric deposition of mercury and strong acids by investigating mercury in lake-watersheds in the Adirondack region of New York and applying a complex mercury biogeochemical cycling model. Detailed mercury cycling studies of atmospheric mercury deposition and fate have been conducted at two intensive lake-watersheds in the Adirondacks, with a primary focus on the Arbutus Lake watershed at Huntington Forest, New York. Sunday Lake water chemical parameters differ from that of Arbutus Lake, providing a comparison of the effects of water chemistry on watershed mercury flux. These studies have included investigation of upland flux processes and watershed fate, including an assessment of event flux. The upland study involves a characterization of atmospheric mercury deposition, throughfall, plant leaf tissue and litter, soil and soil solutions, and evasive flux. Investigation of watershed flux process involved an extensive wetland porewater and surface water sampling in addition to soil, vegetation, and evasive flux analysis. Mercury dynamics were also assessed within each lake. Event sampling was also conducted to assess their influence on mercury flux processes. Field experimentation was conducted over a two-year period, ending in August 2006.
Mercury accumulated in plant leaf tissue over the growing season, with concentrations varying by species. Litterfall constituted the primary annual input to upland forest soils, approximately double the throughfall input (Bushey et al. 2008). Litter decomposition studies, supported by soil and soil water depth profile results, suggest that mercury largely remained in the surficial soil layer (Bushey et al. in review). Soil water drainage mercury losses, as determined through model estimation, were low, with concentrations of total mercury and methyl mercury near the analytical detection limit. Evasive mercury flux dominated the ecosystem losses, demonstrating the importance of understanding temporal variability in assessing upland flux processes.
Within the watershed study, wetlands strongly influenced mercury flux, particularly for methyl mercury, relative to that for the upland stream. Porewater collected within the wetland exhibited high mercury concentrations, particularly for the methyl mercury. Dissolved organic carbon and sulfate influenced stream and porewater concentrations of mercury species with wetland waters demonstrating seasonal effects. As in the upland ecosystem, evasive flux was dependent upon environmental conditions, particularly incident radiation and temperature, reinforcing the temporal dependence of measurement. Event results demonstrated the importance of flow conditions on sampling time, as flux increased substantially for elevated discharge conditions relative to base conditions. Dissolved organic carbon and total suspended solids were both important drivers for increasing mercury flux. However, volume-weighted methyl mercury concentrations increased only for the upland watershed, demonstrating the importance of hydrologic conditions on mercury flux. Results from these detailed studies have been summarized in a series of papers (Bushey et al. 2008; Selvendiran et al. 2008; Selvendiran et al. in press; Demers et al. in review).
In this research we seek to apply the understanding developed from the intensive studies of lake-watershed ecosystems to sites throughout the Adirondack region. This initiative involves a resurvey of 25 lakes for concentrations of mercury in the water column and fish that were previously surveyed in 1993. For each of the 25 resurveyed lakes, patterns of water column mercury species and fish mercury have been analyzed to evaluate if changes in lake concentrations of mercury species or fish mercury have occurred. Changes in water chemistry and fish mercury concentrations varied by lake. Twelve lakes have shown a decrease in perch mercury, six lakes have shown an increase, and in seven lakes perch mercury has not changed. These data suggest that there are four key variables influencing the change in perch mercury concentrations in the Adirondacks: watershed area, elevation, change in pH, and change in fish condition. The results from our study have led us to hypothesize that as the acidity in lakes is attenuated, the lakes may become more productive and water quality conditions less stressful to fish leading to increasing in fish condition. As fish body condition and growth rates improve, fish can exhibit “growth dilution” of tissue contaminants leading to lower fish mercury concentrations. This work is summarized in Dittman et al. (in review).
We are also applying the Mercury Cycling Model (MCM) to the sub-set of resurveyed lake-watersheds. These sites are characterized by a range of biological, physical and geochemical characteristics that have exhibited decreases in atmospheric deposition of mercury and strong acids. Rigorous uncertainty analysis will allow us to quantify the impact of limited data availability and put bounds on model results.
Future Activities:
Seneca River Ecosystem: Testing of hydrodynamic models is being completed for network systems and development of water quality submodels is underway for Onondaga Lake. Appropriate data sets for driving the water quality submodel are being configured and reviewed. Testing of the water quality submodel will be completed next year. Applications of the models to test the understanding of the system and to provide management insights will follow successful testing.
Analyses of optical measurements from the network will continue, with a special focus on coupling the underwater light field and emergent flux. We expect our analyses to yield broadly applicable insights on the potential for remote sensing to resolve an array of constituents in time within individual systems, and between different inland waters.
Analyses of mercury concentration data for zebra tissue will be completed to assess the utility of this invader for biomonitoring of this contaminant and the level of contamination of the study systems.
We will continue to disseminate the findings of this ongoing research to stakeholders and other researchers. In particular, related manuscripts will continue to be prepared for peer-reviewed professional publication.
Adirondack Ecosystem: The field work for the Adirondack mercury analysis is completed. The publication of this work will be completed. We are working on a synthesis of this work to submit to a journal for publication. The output from this study will be integrated with other studies on mercury cycling, and the generalized conclusions can be applied on a broader scale to the Adirondack region as a whole, in order to accomplish the objectives of this project.
We will complete the model analysis being conducted for this study. The MCM model will be applied to study lakes in order to compare patterns of mercury deposition and cycling across the Adirondacks. The fish bioenergetic model ONEFISH is being applied to each of the study lakes to help interpret the fish mercury data from the 25 study lakes.
Journal Articles on this Report : 11 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 47 publications | 18 publications in selected types | All 18 journal articles |
---|
Type | Citation | ||
---|---|---|---|
|
Bookman R, Driscoll CT, Engstrom DR, Effler SW. Local to regional emission sources affecting mercury fluxes to New York lakes. Atmospheric Environment 2008;42(24):6088-6097. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
|
Bushey JT, Driscoll CT, Mitchell MJ, Selvendiran P, Montesdeoca MR. Mercury transport in response to storm events from a northern forest landscape. Hydrological Processes 2008;22(25):4813-4826. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit |
|
Bushey JT, Nallana AG, Montesdeoca MR, Driscoll CT. Mercury dynamics of a northern hardwood canopy. Atmospheric Environment 2008;42(29):6905-6914. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
|
Denkenberger JS, Driscoll CT, Effler SW, O’Donnell DM, Matthews DA. Comparison of an urban lake targeted for rehabilitation and a reference lake based on robotic monitoring. Lake and Reservoir Management 2007;23(1):11-26. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit |
|
Denkenberger JS, O’Donnell DM, Driscoll CT, Effler SW. Robotic monitoring to assess impacts of zebra mussels and assimilative capacity for a river. Journal of Environmental Engineering 2007;133(5):498-506. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit |
|
Effler SW, O'Donnell DM, Peng F, Prestigiacomo AR, Perkins MG, Driscoll CT. Use of robotic monitoring to assess turbidity patterns in Onondaga Lake, NY. Lake and Reservoir Management 2006;22(3):199-212. |
CR830912 (2006) CR830912 (2008) |
Exit |
|
Effler SW, Gelda R, Perkins MG, Peng F, Hairston Jr. NG, Kearns CM. Patterns and modeling of the long-term optics record of Onondaga Lake, New York. Fundamental and Applied Limnology/Archiv für Hydrobiolgie 2008;172(3):217-237. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit |
|
Owens EM, Bookman R, Effler SW, Driscoll CT, Matthews DA, Effler AJP. Resuspension of mercury-contaminated sediments from an in-lake industrial waste deposit. Journal of Environmental Engineering 2009;135(7):526-534. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit |
|
Selvendiran P, Driscoll CT, Bushey JT, Montesdeoca MR. Wetland influence on mercury fate and transport in a temperate forested watershed. Environmental Pollution 2008;154(1):46-55. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
|
Selvendiran P, Driscoll CT, Montesdeoca MR, Bushey JT. Inputs, storage, and transport of total and methyl mercury in two temperate forest wetlands. Journal of Geophysical Research 2008;113:G00C01, doi:10.1029/2008JG000739. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit |
|
Selvendiran P, Driscoll CT, Montesdeoca MR, Choi H-D, Holsen TM. Mercury dynamics and transport in two Adirondack lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 2009;54(2):413-427. |
CR830912 (2008) CR830912 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
robotic monitoring, zebra mussels, nutrient dynamics, eutrophication, modeling, paleolimnology, mercury, atmospheric deposition, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Water & Watershed, Hydrology, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, Ecology and Ecosystems, Watersheds, ecosystem modeling, model-based analysis, monitoring, watershed, near real time modeling, modeling, integrated watershed model, water quality, robotic monitoring, ecology assessment models, watershed assessment, ecological models, intellegent environment control system, real-time monitoringRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.