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Warren Yerex - Grand River Conservation Authority

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9 Th Annual <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> Watershed Water Forum<br />

Ecology


9 Th Annual <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> Watershed Water Forum<br />

Outline<br />

• The Lake Erie Environment<br />

• The Lake / <strong>River</strong> Interface<br />

• Fisheries Management in the <strong>River</strong> and the<br />

Lake : Acknowledging the Connection<br />

• Beyond Fish: Describing the Ecosystem<br />

• Documenting Ecosystem Dysfunction<br />

• Moving toward Rehabilitation


Looking Upstream


The Lake Erie Watershed<br />

ON<br />

GR<br />

MI<br />

NY<br />

Lake Erie<br />

PA<br />

OH


The Lake Environment<br />

West Central East


9 Th Annual <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> Watershed Water Forum<br />

The <strong>River</strong> / Lake Interface


<strong>River</strong>/Lake:<br />

Nutrients and Productivity<br />

• Eutrophic (high<br />

nutrient) <strong>River</strong> Water<br />

meets Oligotrophic (low<br />

nutrient) Lake Water<br />

• High primary<br />

production (planktonic<br />

algae) meets Low<br />

primary production<br />

TP (ug / L)<br />

Chlorophyl (ug / L)<br />

160<br />

140<br />

120<br />

100<br />

80<br />

60<br />

40<br />

20<br />

70<br />

60<br />

50<br />

40<br />

30<br />

20<br />

10<br />

0<br />

*<br />

01/May 01/Jun 01/Jul 01/Aug 01/Sep 01/Oct 01/Nov<br />

L.E. eastern basin nearshore<br />

<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> at Dunnville<br />

2004<br />

L.E. eastern basin nearshore<br />

<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> at Dunnville<br />

0<br />

01/May 01/Jun 01/Jul 01/Aug 01/Sep 01/Oct 01/Nov<br />

2004


Dunnville<br />

3<br />

2<br />

<strong>River</strong> Water<br />

higher conductivity<br />

1<br />

0 825 1,650<br />

412.5 Meters<br />

3.5 m depth<br />

Lake Water<br />

lower conductivity<br />

4.5 m depth<br />

Stn 3:<br />

5 km upstream<br />

Schematic:<br />

with conductivity data from June 15, 2005<br />

Stn 2:<br />

3.5 km upstream<br />

6 m depth<br />

Stn 1:<br />

2 km upstream


<strong>River</strong> / Lake: Water Levels<br />

177<br />

ABOVE DAM<br />

BELOW DAM<br />

Upstream of Lake Effect Zone<br />

<strong>River</strong> elevation (m)<br />

176<br />

175<br />

Lake Effect Zone<br />

174<br />

May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct<br />

Date (2004)


Lake / <strong>River</strong> / Lake Conceptual Model


Lake / <strong>River</strong> / Lake Conceptual Model


<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> Fisheries Management Plan<br />

• Desired Fish Community for the Lower <strong>River</strong><br />

Reach:<br />

– diverse warmwater fish community dominated by<br />

top predators<br />

– e.g., walleye, muskellunge, pike, channel catfish<br />

• Inclusive input<br />

• 1998


Lake Erie Fish Community<br />

Goals and Objectives<br />

• Great Lakes Fishery Commission - Lake Erie<br />

Committee<br />

• To secure a balanced, predominantly<br />

cool-water fish community with WALLEYE<br />

as a key predator in…<br />

• the near-shore waters of the eastern<br />

basin, characterized by self-sustaining<br />

indigenous and naturalized species that<br />

occupy diverse habitats, provide valuable<br />

fisheries, and reflect a healthy ecosystem<br />

P.A., R. Knight, R. MacGregor, G. Towns, R. Hoopes, and W.<br />

Culligan. 2003. Fish-community goals and objectives for Lake<br />

Erie. Great Lakes Fish. Comm. Spec. Publ. 03-02. 56 p.


Fish Community Objectives<br />

1. Ecosystem conditions<br />

2. Productivity and yield<br />

3. Nearshore habitat<br />

4. <strong>River</strong>ine and estuarine habitat -Protect and restore self-sustaining,<br />

stream-spawning stocks of walleye, white bass, (lake sturgeon), and<br />

rainbow trout.<br />

5. Western basin<br />

6. Central basin<br />

7. Eastern basin<br />

8. Contaminants<br />

9. Fish habitat<br />

10. Genetic diversity -Maintain and promote genetic diversity by<br />

identifying, rehabilitating, conserving and/or protecting locally adapted<br />

stocks.<br />

11. Rare, threatened, and endangered species<br />

12. Forage fish<br />

13. Food web structure


Environmental Objectives<br />

Environmental<br />

Structures, Processes<br />

or Conditions that<br />

must be addressed at<br />

a number of spatial<br />

scales to effect<br />

achievement of the<br />

FCGOs


Lake Erie Environmental Objectives<br />

• Fish Access<br />

– Improve access to spawning and nursery habitat in rivers and coastal<br />

wetlands for native and naturalized fish species<br />

• <strong>River</strong>s and Estuaries<br />

– Restore natural hydrological functions in Lake Erie rivers and<br />

estuaries<br />

• Coastal Wetlands and Submerged Macrophytes<br />

– Restore submerged macrophyte communities in estuaries and<br />

embayments and protected nearshore areas<br />

• Dissolved Oxygen<br />

– Maintain dissolved oxygen conditions necessary to complete all life<br />

history stages of fishes and aquatic invertebrates<br />

• Coastal and Shoreline Processes<br />

– Restore natural coastal systems and nearshore hydrological<br />

processes


Hydrologic issues<br />

Low flows<br />

(climate, water taking/reservoir discharge)<br />

Increased retention times (dams)<br />

-reduced water<br />

column mixing<br />

-thermal structure<br />

with depth<br />

Periods<br />

of low<br />

oxygen<br />

High nutrients<br />

(point and non-point inputs of<br />

phosphorus/nitrogen)<br />

High sediment<br />

load<br />

(erosion / disturbed<br />

clay landscape)<br />

Total<br />

suspended<br />

solids<br />

Loading and Eroding Issues<br />

reduced<br />

PAR at<br />

depth<br />

Planktonic<br />

algae<br />

(abundant)<br />

macrophytes (low)<br />

Deposition<br />

areas<br />

Zooplankton<br />

(large grazers absent)<br />

reduced<br />

habitat<br />

structure<br />

Substrate disturbing, plant<br />

uprooting, generalist fish<br />

species<br />

Benthic invertebrates<br />

(low diversity, pollution tolerant<br />

individuals)<br />

Freshwater<br />

Mussels<br />

(impacted?)<br />

Fish Community<br />

(low diversity, pollution<br />

tolerant individuals)<br />

Habitat<br />

Fragmentation<br />

Issues<br />

-reset of dynamic gradient (RCC)<br />

-Upstream areas separated from water<br />

level variation associated lake levels


Southern <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> Ecosystem<br />

Working Group<br />

• Federal Agencies<br />

– Environment Canada<br />

– Dept. Fisheries and Oceans<br />

• First Nations<br />

– Six Nations Eco-centre<br />

• Provincial Agencies<br />

– Ministry of Natural Resources<br />

– Ministry of the Environment<br />

• Local / Watershed Agencies<br />

– <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Conservation</strong><br />

<strong>Authority</strong><br />

– Stewardship Councils


Small Scale / Incremental<br />

• Small but ongoing<br />

• Incremental OR<br />

temporary stop-gap<br />

• Relatively cheap<br />

Walleye transfer at Dunnville<br />

• Local community engaged<br />

• Long time to realize<br />

improvement<br />

Cattle fencing near Wellesley


Examples<br />

• Taquanyah reservoir<br />

draw down<br />

• Pike Creek reconnection<br />

• Higher Costs<br />

• More planning and<br />

stakeholder investment<br />

• Long term benefits<br />

realized more quickly<br />

Medium Scale


Large Scale<br />

• Examples<br />

– WPCP upgrades (WQ)<br />

– Coastal wetlands (habitat)<br />

– Dunnville Dam retrofit or<br />

removal (full or partial)<br />

• Expensive and Complex<br />

• Considerable negotiation and<br />

buy-in<br />

• More objectives realized<br />

quickly


• Fish Access<br />

Large Scale Projects<br />

Multiple Environmental Objectives<br />

– Improve access to spawning and nursery habitat in rivers and coastal<br />

wetlands for native and naturalized fish species<br />

• <strong>River</strong>s and Estuaries<br />

– Restore natural hydrological functions in Lake Erie rivers and estuaries<br />

• Coastal Wetlands and Submerged Macrophytes<br />

– Restore submerged macrophyte communities in estuaries and<br />

embayments and protected nearshore areas<br />

• Dissolved Oxygen<br />

– Maintain dissolved oxygen conditions necessary to complete all life history<br />

stages of fishes and aquatic invertebrates<br />

• Coastal and Shoreline Processes<br />

– Restore natural coastal systems and nearshore hydrological processes


Remember: work in the watershed has<br />

lakewide implications


<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> is on the radar bi-nationally<br />

• Ecosystem Objectives – Rehabilitating the<br />

<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> is a bi-national Priority for<br />

fisheries objectives for Lake Erie<br />

• Recent invited presentations<br />

– International Joint Commission: Great Lakes Urban Habitat<br />

Restoration Symposium, Chicago, January 2009<br />

– Great Lakes Fishery Commission: Lake Erie Committee<br />

State of the Lake, Ypsilanti, Michigan, March, 2009


We recognize that the river lake interface is best described as a<br />

complex and dynamic niche BUT we know more about the<br />

ecology of this system than ever before.<br />

The importance of this ecosystem is recognized at scales that<br />

range from local to bi-national.<br />

We know what needs to be fixed and have several ways of<br />

moving forward.<br />

It will take a combination of small incremental steps and large<br />

leaps forward.<br />

The time it takes to realize our goals and objectives will depend<br />

upon our ability and conviction to tackle the large components.


Credits<br />

• Tom MacDougall, Rehabilitation Ecologist, Great Lakes<br />

Branch, Ministry of Natural Resources<br />

• Fieldwork: OFAH Clubs (Dunnville District Hunters and<br />

Anglers, Port Colborne <strong>Conservation</strong> Club, Fort Erie<br />

<strong>Conservation</strong> Club); Lori Richardson, Kari Killins, Daryl<br />

Davis and Janice Gilbert<br />

• Phil Ryan (retired from MNR)<br />

• Sandra George, Environment Canada<br />

• Larry Halyk, Ministry of Natural Resources<br />

• Felix Barbetti (photos)<br />

• Anne Loeffler, GRCA


9 Th Annual <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> Watershed Water Forum<br />

Key Messages


Steps To a Healthy Watershed & Great Lake –<br />

Rebuilding the Link<br />

• There are strong connections between the<br />

<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>River</strong> and Lake Erie – the health of Lake<br />

Erie is influenced by the health of the river<br />

• An ecosystem approach is needed – if we fix<br />

the land, we fix the river.. and if we fix the<br />

river, we fix the lake!<br />

• Collaboration and partnerships are key – we<br />

need a shared vision, pooling of resources and<br />

commitment to targeted upstream action


Steps To a Healthy<br />

Watershed & Great Lake<br />

– Rebuilding the Link<br />

• Actions need to<br />

be informed by<br />

a shared vision,<br />

relevant data<br />

and science to<br />

be effective.<br />

• Actions need to<br />

be taken now.

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