Water Levels and Wetlands

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Water Levels and Wetlands Of Lake Superior
Janet Keough US Environmental Protection
Agency Mid-Continent Ecology Division Duluth, MN
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Outline for Today Great Lakes Wetlands -
Features and Functions Changing Water
Level.what does this mean? Water Level
Management of Lake Superior International Joint
Commission Plan of Study
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Coastal Wetlands of Lake Superior
Open and Exposed to Lake
Margins of a River
Protected by a Barrier Beach
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Values of Coastal Wetlands

• Hydrological
• Recreational
• Ecological (Fish Habitat)
• spawning areas
• nurseries
• feeding areas
• 47 spp. closely associated with coastal wetlands

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St
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Fish Species Found in Allouez Bay Wetland
Alewife Northern Redbelly Dace Northern
Pike Rainbow Smelt Largemouth Bass Blacknose
Dace Pumpkinseed Brook Stickleback Smallmouth
Bass Johnny Darter Silver Redhorse Ninespine
Stickleback Rock Bass Iowa Darter Shorthead
Redhorse Threespine Stickleback Bluegill Least
Darter Eurasian Ruffe Stonecat Black
Bullhead Sea Lamprey Coho Salmon Longnose
Sucker Brown Bullhead Silver Lamprey Mottled
Sculpin White Sucker Yellow Bullhead Logperch Sl
imy Sculpin Brook Trout Burbot Tadpole
Madtom Golden Shiner Brown Trout Carp Bluntnose
Minnow Blacknose Shiner Lake Trout Channel
Catfish Brassy Minnow Common Shiner Rainbow
Trout Hornyhead Chub Fathead Minnow Spottail
Shiner Trout-perch Lake Chub Central
Mudminnow Mimic Shiner Walleye Black
Crappie Muskelunge Emerald Shiner White
Perch Yellow Perch
57 species
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Range of capture dates of larval fish species
from Allouez Bay wetland
Date June 7 June 15 July 1
July 15 Aug 9
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Total larval fish captured in Allouez Bay Wetland
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Macrohabitat location of 12 most abundant larval
fish species captured in Allouez Bay
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Macrophyte cover preferences of 12 most abundant
larval fish species captured in Allouez Bay
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St. Louis River (MN)
COASTAL WETLANDS DIVERSITY OF HABITATS FOR
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Lost Creek (WI)
Kakagon Slough (WI)
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Water Level All the action is in the coastal
zone
Great Lakes water level variation.the action is
in the Coastal zone..picture of either wave
action or flooding Or sediment exposure
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Small changes in Water Level Make a BIG
difference in Coastal Habitats
1 FT
.even a difference as small as a few inches
6 IN.
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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
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Seiche Induced Water Level Change
20 in
MAJOR FRONT PASSAGE
1 HR
3 HR
7 HR
0
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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
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Seasonal Water Level Patterns of the Great
Lakes Highest in Summer Peak Water Level Varies
Across the Lakes Earliest in L Erie and L
Ontario Latest in L. Superior
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Long Term Lake Level
Lake Superior 1918 - Present
Lake Michigan Lake Huron, 1918 - Present
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Small changes in Water Level Make a BIG
difference in Coastal Habitats
1 FT
.even a difference as small as a few inches
6 IN.
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• Domestic Water Use
• Navigation
• Fish Habitat
• Hydropower

Water Use Priorities
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Distribution of Lake Superior Outflows
Edison Sault Power Plant - 21,000 cfs
Great Lakes Power Plant - 32,700 cfs
Fishery Remedial Works - 500 cfs
U.S. Government Power Plant - 10,400 cfs
Compensating Works - 3,000 cfs
Soo Locks - 400 cfs
Typical St. Marys River Outflow - 68,000 cfs
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Chronology of Lake Superior 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

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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 flows
• Advise governments on boundary issues (quality
  quantity)

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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

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Chronology of Lake Superior 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

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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

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Range of Levels
Size of Drainage Basins
Highest
6.3 Feet
Average (1918-1999)
142,700 Square Miles
3.9 Feet
81,000 Square Miles
Lowest
Lakes Michigan-Huron
Lake Superior
Lakes Michigan-Huron
Lake Superior
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.
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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) X Standard deviation of
average Superior level / Standard deviation of
average Mich-Hur level)) http//huron.lre.usace.
army.mil
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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

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Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study

• 1993 Levels Reference Study Recommendations
• Recent precipitous drop in water levels
• Demographic changes
• Enhanced environmental understanding
• Climate change and climate variability concerns
• Technological advances
• Build on experience from Lake Ontario St.
  Lawrence River study

Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study
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• 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

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

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Functional Scope

• Major Interest Groups
• coastal zone
• environment/ecosystem
• hydropower
• navigation
• recreational boating and tourism
• municipal, industrial and domestic water uses
• Other issues to be studied
• climate change/variability, dredging, land use,
  ground water, diversions, consumptive uses, Lake
  Superior regulation, flow variations at
  hydropower facilities

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Modifications of Lake Superior Outflow
Management Issues for Fish Effects of INCREASED
or DECREASED water level variation on habitat
loss or on access by fish? Effects on the
temperature regime of shallow spawning
reefs? Flow variation and Water level variation
on The St. Marys River habitats
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COASTAL WETLANDS, LAKE LEVEL, AND FISH HABITAT