Great Lakes Restoration: Delivering Results

Transcription

1 Great Lakes Restoration: Delivering Results Kinnickinnic River Cleanup and Bradford Beach Storm Water Management Project Milwaukee, Wisconsin Tobico Marsh Restoration Saginaw Bay, Michigan Phragmites Control at William C. Sterling State Park Ashtabula River Cleanup Ashtabula, Ohio Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program Cortland, New York Monroe, Michigan

2 The Great Lakes are a wonder of the world. They supply drinking water to more than 30 million people and support one of the world s largest regional economies. Spanning 94,000 square miles, these freshwater seas are home to some of America s best beaches, world-class fisheries, thousands of scenic islands and one of North America s most popular tourist destinations: Niagara Falls. Despite their grandeur and significance, the Great Lakes remain threatened by toxic pollutants in harbors and tributaries that threaten the health of people and wildlife; invasive species that cost the region at least $200 million per year in damages and control costs; and habitat destruction that hurts water quality, wildlife, and the region s outdoor recreation industry. Restoring the Great Lakes is a daunting task but one that can be overcome. As this report shows, communities across the region are embracing solutions to restore the Lakes. Nonprofit organizations, government agencies, private businesses and property owners are working together to clean up toxic hot spots, restore fish and wildlife habitat and protect the Lakes from invasive species. Project by project, Great Lakes restoration activities are helping improve the lives of millions of people from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where restoration efforts are helping the city attract new businesses and keep its beaches open, to Saginaw Bay, Mich., where wetland restoration efforts are helping improve water quality and provide a home for fish, birds and other wildlife. This report highlights a handful of Great Lakes restoration success stories outstanding examples of the public and private sectors working together to heal these magnificent Lakes. The bottom line: Great Lakes restoration projects deliver results and offer some of the best returns on the dollar in the federal budget. The successful restoration projects contained in this report can be replicated in communities throughout the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin if the federal government continues to support solutions to these urgent problems by funding important programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Now is not the time to scale back our nation s commitment to the Great Lakes, because there is still much work that needs to be done to clean up contamination, stop sewage overflows, and restore wetlands that keep polluted runoff from farms and cities out of the Lakes. If restoration efforts stall, the problems will get worse and more costly to fix. This report highlights solutions to restore the Great Lakes, protect drinking water, safeguard public health, create jobs and uphold the quality of life for millions of people. It s time for federal public officials to act to protect this iconic resource now and for generations to come. About the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition More than 115 organizations representing millions of people are uniting to restore one of America s greatest natural wonders the Great Lakes. The coalition seeks to stop sewage contamination, shut the door on invasive species, and restore wetlands and other damaged habitat, each of which is an essential component of restoring the health of the Great Lakes. For more information, contact: Jeff Skelding Campaign Director skeldingj@nwf.org Chad Lord Policy Director clord@npca.org Jennifer Hill Field Director hillj@nwf.org Jordan Lubetkin Communications Director lubetkin@nwf.org Written by Jeff Alexander Designed by Tuan Do 1

3 River cleanup improves conditions for fish, boaters Ashtabula River Cleanup Ashtabula, Ohio This $60 million cleanup resulted in the removal of 630,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the Ashtabula River. The toxic mud contained more than 25,000 pounds of hazardous polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, and other toxic compounds. The cleanup improved water quality and deepened the river channel, making the lower Ashtabula suitable again for maritime commerce, fishing and recreational boating. At the time of its completion in 2008, the Ashtabula River project was the nation s largest toxic waste cleanup funded by the Great Lakes Legacy Act of Once the dredging was complete, work crews and teams of volunteers including a group of 6th grade students installed rocks and planted native vegetation on the riverbanks and in the water. The project was an effort to restore healthy ecological function by creating new habitat for fish and wildlife. The Ashtabula River is one of Ohio s most significant rivers, a biologically rich tributary of Lake Erie that supports 88 fish species. The name Ashtabula (Hash-tah-buh-lah) is a Native American term meaning river of many fishes. By the early 1990s, however, the region s industrial heritage had turned the lower Ashtabula into a river of many pollutants. Unregulated industrial wastewater discharges from the 1940s through the late 1970s blanketed the last two miles of the river with a layer of toxic mud that contaminated aquatic life and disrupted navigation. The last two miles of river before its confluence with Lake Erie was placed on a list of Great Lakes toxic hot spots in In 1997, the Ohio Department of Health posted signs warning anglers to limit their consumption of fish caught in the lower river. The Ashtabula River RAP/Partnership, which worked since 1988 to bring about a cleanup of the beleaguered river; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the Ashtabula Port Authority; the state of Ohio; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The EPA provided $30 million in Legacy Act Funds for the cleanup; the Ashtabula Port Authority contributed $23 million and the state of Ohio provided $7 million. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided another $15 million to deepen a stretch of river adjacent to the cleanup to improve navigation. Dredging the contaminated sediments removed 25,000 pounds of pure toxic chemicals from the lower Ashtabula River, which flows into Lake Erie. The cleanup reduced the volume of pollutants that could affect fish, wildlife and human health. The project also cleared the way for increased commercial navigation and recreational boating in the lower river, providing a boost to the local economy. 2

4 Native salmon staging a comeback in Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program U.S. Geological Survey laboratory in Cortland, New York Lake Ontario once supported the world s largest freshwater population of Atlantic salmon. Wild Atlantic salmon vanished from Lake Ontario in the late 1800s, the victim of dams, overfishing, deforestation and pollution. Government agencies have maintained an Atlantic salmon fishery by stocking millions of the fish every year. Scientists tried for years, without success, to restore a reproducing population of Atlantic salmon in the lake. Atlantic salmon haven t reproduced in the lake for decades due to low levels of thiamine in their bodies. The trouble begins when salmon eat alewives, an invasive fish species that snuck into the Great Lakes through canals in the early 1900s. Alewives contain thiaminase, an enzyme that destroys thiamine in adult salmon and their eggs, killing newly hatched fish. The U.S. Geological Survey, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Native American tribes and the province of Ontario. Government scientists from the U.S. and Canada are working to restore the native Atlantic salmon fishery in Lake Ontario. The U.S. Geological Survey received a $1.1 million grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to build a fish-rearing facility in upstate New York to raise Atlantic salmon and other native fish species. In 2009, scientists discovered the first evidence that Atlantic salmon were reproducing on their own again in Lake Ontario. Researchers found 41 young, wild salmon in New York s Salmon River. The fish were under one year of age and were in the range of two inches long. Researchers found more wild Atlantic salmon in the Salmon River in This discovery suggests that, after many years of reproductive failure, restoration is starting to work for this species, said Jim Johnson, station chief at the USGS lab in Cortland, New York. Johnson said the discovery in 2010 of a new batch of young, wild Atlantic salmon was further encouragement that the species may be rebounding. The USGS lab recently received $1.1 million from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to construct a fish rearing facility in upstate New York. The facility will be used to bolster the number of wild Atlantic salmon reproducing in Lake Ontario. Successful restoration of the Atlantic salmon population could lead to the establishment of fisheries in the Salmon River and other Lake Ontario tributaries, providing an economic boost to riverfront communities around the lake. Atlantic salmon would be a great asset to the economy in places like Pulaski (New York), where these rivers are located, Johnson said. This has the potential to lengthen the summer fishing season by two to three months and it would provide another classic fly-fishing experience. Atlantic salmon are in the early stages of a population recovery in Lake Ontario, thanks to a reduction in the number of invasive alewives and a better understanding of fish genetics among fishery managers. 3

5 Green infrastructure resurrects polluted beach Bradford Beach Storm Water Management Project Milwaukee, Wisconsin A coalition of more than 20 government agencies, business and community groups developed and implemented a $705,500 plan for reducing bacterial pollution at Bradford Beach, a Lake Michigan beach on Milwaukee s north side. welcome.html The use of green infrastructure (rain gardens) to absorb and filter storm water reduced bacteria concentrations to safe levels. For decades, stormwater that fell on parts of Milwaukee was collected in pipes and discharged onto the shoreline at Bradford Beach, a 27-acre county park on the Lake Michigan coast. The downside of that approach to stormwater management became apparent in 2004, when elevated concentrations of E. coli bacteria in the sand and water forced health officials to close the beach on numerous occasions. The beach became known as Milwaukee s dirtiest, the public abandoned it and the recurrent pollution tarnished the image of Milwaukee s waterfront. Cognizant of the beach s important role in shaping Milwaukee s identity, officials from the city, county and Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District partnered with researchers at the University of Wisconsin s Great Lakes WATER Institute to identify the cause of the bacterial pollution and find solutions. Scientists discovered that urban stormwater discharged onto the beach, along with a large population of seagulls, was causing bacterial pollution in the sand and water. The county hired the engineering firm AECOM to design a series of rain gardens that were installed around the stormwater discharge pipes and parking lot at the beach. The gardens absorb and filter the stormwater, which helped lower bacteria concentrations in the sand and adjoining waters of Lake Michigan. The county also used dogs to scare away the seagulls, thereby reducing the quantity of bacteria-laden bird feces on the beach. When the bacteria problem was resolved, the county hired lifeguards and opened a concession stand to lure the public back to Bradford Beach. Milwaukee County s Public Works and Parks departments, the engineering firm AECOM, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Agency and the Great Lakes WATER Institute. Several corporations supported the project, including MillerCoors, which donated $500,000 for ongoing park maintenance. Bradford Beach is now one of the most popular beaches in the greater Milwaukee area. It is a hotspot for beach volleyball, hosting numerous recreational leagues and professional tournaments. The beach also hosts concerts and numerous other events, making it a popular destination for families and beachgoers of all ages. In 2009, Bradford Beach earned the coveted Blue Wave certification from the Clean Beaches Council. The national award is given to America s healthiest beaches. The resurrection of Bradford Beach was evident on a hot Sunday afternoon in May With temperatures in the 80s, thousands of Milwaukee residents flocked to the beach, creating a traffic jam that forced the Milwaukee County Sheriff s Department to close the road leading to the park for a period of time. 4

6 Dredging cleans up a river, revitalizes neighborhood Kinnickinnic River Cleanup Milwaukee, Wisconsin State and federal agencies joined forces to complete a $22 million cleanup project that resulted in the removal of 167,000 cubic yards of toxic mud from the bottom of the Kinnickinnic River, on Milwaukee s south side. Before cleanup The $22 million project demonstrated how cleaning up Great Lakes toxic hot spots could spur redevelopment and revitalize waterfront communities. Years of abuse and neglect caused a bend in the Kinnickinnic River to become a collection spot for toxic mud, garbage, sunken boats and other refuse. The accumulation of contaminated sediments and garbage made that part of the river unsightly and non-navigable. In the late 1990s, property owners and business leaders began lobbying for a cleanup of the filthy bend in the Kinnickinnic River. Over the course of several years, business leaders and local government officials joined forces with state and federal agencies to draft a cleanup plan. The goal was to create a more navigable river, spur the development of new waterfront businesses and revitalize the riverfront for the surrounding neighborhood. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, city of Milwaukee, Port of Milwaukee, Milwaukee s Business Improvement District #35 and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The EPA contributed $14.3 million toward the cleanup; the After cleanup state of Wisconsin provided the other $7.7 million, using money from a state bond that was part of the Governor s Growing Milwaukee Initiative. Federal cleanup funds came from the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a program created in 2002 to remove toxic sediments from dozens of sites around the lakes. Over the course of four months in 2009, crews dredged 167,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the river bottom. The dredging removed more than 14,000 pounds of toxic chemicals from the river, which flows into Lake Michigan. The dredging also restored safe navigation to the stretch of river that had long been avoided. The cleanup pumped new life into the riverfront community. An abandoned factory was razed to make way for a 40,000 square foot office complex and existing marinas added new docks and moorings. The cleanup increased property values along the river and gave rise to one of the Great Lakes most eccentric microbreweries the Horny Goat Brewing Co. The brewery, which opened in 2009, includes a large patio that allows patrons to dine along the river; outdoor fire pits, sand volleyball courts and a concert stage. In 2010, the OnMilwaukee.com declared the Horny Goat s deck to be Milwaukee s best patio. The s dining guide said the patio is often packed on summer nights and the view of the river from just about anywhere on the patio is spectacular and worth a visit. 5

7 War on invasive plant allows native species to return Phragmites Control at William C. Sterling State Park Monroe, Michigan In 2003, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources declared war on an invasive strain of common reed, known as Phragmites, which had taken over large areas of William C. Sterling State Park. The control program was part of an effort to restore 170 acres of natural Great Lakes marsh and lakeplain prairie on the western shore of Lake Erie, between Detroit and Toledo. The park, which lies within the River Raisin delta, provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife and supports several rare and threatened species of plants and animals. Western Lake Erie and the nearby St. Clair River are ground zero for the battle to control the spread of Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin. A crop-dusting helicopter was used to spray an herbicide on 130 acres of Phragmites in Sterling State Park. Using the helicopter made the Phragmites treatment program more effective and efficient. The aircraft could treat remote areas of Phragmites faster than crews working on foot or using allterrain vehicles or boats, and at less cost per acre. The River Raisin delta in western Lake Erie was once a complex of Great Lakes marshes and lakeplain prairies that provided a haven for fish and wildlife. But three centuries of human activities many of which were designed to facilitate the movement of boats and commerce through the marsh caused extensive damage to the delta. Vast areas of fish and wildlife habitat were altered, which allowed invasive plant species to gain a foothold and eventually replace native species. Phragmites is one of several nonnative plants that have displaced native vegetation and Before treatment the wildlife those plants supported. The invasive strain of Phragmites, which is not native to Michigan, can reach heights of 20 feet. Stands of the plant can be so dense they create walls of vegetation that can block the view of waterways and choke out all native plant After treatment species that benefit fish and wildlife. The state of Michigan in 2003 launched an effort to reduce the abun dance of Phagmites in Sterling State Park, a 1,240-acre park that lies within the River Raisin delta. The project was part of an effort to restore a Great Lakes marsh and lakeplain prairie. It was also a test of whether crews could rein in a large stand of Phragmites, which is spreading rapidly in wetlands across the Great Lakes region. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, Environment Canada and the University of Windsor. Using repeated applications of herbicides and controlled burns to kill Phragmites, crews reduced the abundance of the invasive plant by about 85 percent. With Phragmites controlled, a diverse mix of native plants returned to the marsh. 6

8 Marsh restoration protects critical wildlife habitat Tobico Marsh Restoration Saginaw Bay, Michigan Restoring Tobico Marsh was part of a larger effort to heal damaged wetlands and remove contaminated sediments from the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay. The bay is one of the prime walleye fishing and waterfowl-hunting areas in the Great Lakes, despite serious environmental problems. saginawnrda/index.html Partnerships between government agencies, property owners and conservations groups led to the preservation of more than 25,000 acres of wetlands that provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Before European immigrants settled the Midwest, the Saginaw Bay watershed contained one of the most extensive wetland and wet prairie complexes in the Great Lakes. The watershed contained about 700,000 acres of wetlands, which supported huge populations of migratory birds, fish and other aquatic life. Tobico Marsh is a 1,652-acre national landmark adjacent to Saginaw Bay. Land use changes over the past 150 years due primarily to agricultural activities and urban development polluted bottom sediments in the Saginaw River, caused significant loss of wetlands around Saginaw Bay and altered the natural movement of water and aquatic life between the bay and Tobico Marsh, which features a large lagoon and extensive marshes. Those problems were significant because fish and wildlife habitat in Tobico Marsh was a critical part of the Lake Huron ecosystem and a cornerstone of Saginaw Bay s valuable fishing and tourism economy. In 1987, the Saginaw River/Bay was designated a Great Lakes Area of Concern. The designation spurred an ambitious effort by government agencies, conservation groups and other private foundations to clean up contaminated sediments and restore wetlands around the bay. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan, Ducks Unlimited, Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, Conservation Fund and several local organizations. Collectively, those organizations contributed $3.1 million to restore wetlands in the Saginaw Bay watershed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with the state of Michigan and the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan to assess damage to natural resources in the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay. That natural resource damage assessment led to a settlement with General Motors Corp. and the cities of Bay City and Saginaw, which had discharged PCBs and other pollutants into the river and bay. The agreement provided funds for the removal of contaminated sediments in the river and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat along the river and around Saginaw Bay. More than 900 acres of wetlands were restored in Tobico Marsh and roughly 25,000 acres of wetlands around Saginaw Bay were permanently protected through land purchases and conservation easements. Restoring wetlands could pay huge dividends for the Saginaw Bay region, which is very popular among anglers, hunters and birders. A study by Southwick Associates concluded that the baseline value of recreational activities in Saginaw Bay s coastal marshes would be worth $239 million over a 30-year period. 7