Gulf Hypoxia and its Impact on Ohio Municipalities
www.epa.gov/msbasin
Hypoxic Zones are Spreading
Diaz & Rosenberg, Science, 2008
Comprised of:Federal Agencies (EPA, NOAA, USDA, USACE, USGS, DOI)States represented by Agriculture or Environment Departments (AR, IL, IA, LA, MN, MS, MO, OH, TN, WI)
Goals:Examines complex science and policy issues surrounding Gulf Hypoxia Takes collaborative actions to improve water quality
Goolsby et al. 1999, Rabalais 2002
0.6%58%18%21%[w & w2.4%]
Huge Watershed, Huge Problem
10
0
2 mg/L
Source: N. Rabalais, LUMCON
21 – 28 July 2007 Bottom-Water Hypoxia
up to 22,000 km24 - 5 m nearshore to 35 - 45 m offshore0.5 km nearshore to 100+ km offshorewidespread and severe in May – Sep
Brown Shrimp
O2> 2 mg/l
Significant fisheries resources at riskReduced habitatAltered migrationChanges in food resourcesSusceptibility of early life stagesGrowth and reproduction
Atlantic croaker Brown shrimp
0-1
1-22-4
>4
Dissolved oxygen (mg/l) Catch percentiles+
1-25%
25-50%
50-75%75-100%
0
Craig et al., 2005
NGOMEX 2002 Cruise
Time Magazine
Nutrients, Increased Growth, Low Oxygen
no d
ata
h
h
d
d
d droughth hurricane
Source: N. Rabalais, LUMCON
River N load is main long-term driver of hypoxia
(A) Total Nitrogen (B) Total Phosphorus
Alexander, et al, Environ. Sci. Tech., 2008
Nutrient Delivery to the Gulf of Mexico
Sub-basin Nitrogen Contribution
Sub-basin Phosphorus Contribution
Goals of the 2008 Action Plan
Coastal– Reduce or make significant progress towards
reducing the five-year average areal extent of the hypoxic zone to 5,000 square kilometers
Within Basin– Restore and protect the waters of the 31 states within
the MARB
Quality of Life– Improve communities and economic conditions
across the MARB
Moving Forward: Implementation
State nitrogen and phosphorus reduction strategies
Federal nitrogen and phosphorus reduction strategies
Annual Operating Plans
Annual Report
For more information
or to read the Action Plan visit:
http://www.epa.gov/owow_keep/msbasin/
Ohio River Basin Team
A partnership helping to protect and restore local waters and
the Gulf of Mexico
John Kessler, Ohio DNR
Ohio River BasinSteering Committee MembersIllinois Dept of AgricultureIndiana Dept of Environmental ManagementKentucky Dept of Environmental ProtectionKentucky Division of ConservationOhio Dept of Natural ResourcesOhio EPAPennsylvania Conservation CommissionTennessee Dept of Environmental ConsWest Virginia Conservation AgencyWest Virginia Dept of AgricultureWest Virginia Dept of Environmental ProtectionORSANCO
The Ohio River Basin
NY
PA
IL IN OH
KY
WV VA
NC TN
Biggest ChallengesAbsence of clear drivers (but this may change)– Financial (some funds shifted)
– Regulatory (nutrient criteria, TMDLs in-state and interstate or regional???)
– Public Opinion (climate change, energy)
– Working voluntarily in advance of regulation
Program Integration and Implementation Examples from Ohio
Typical Eastern Corn Belt Field with Conservation Tillage
Combinations of Practices
Rural Drainage
Rural Drainage
Urban Stormwater BMP
Scioto CREP practice
Scioto CREP practice
WQ Trading Example (holding pond and plan needed)
Urban CSO
Urban CSO
Public Treatment Works
Nutrient Load Reductions2006 Examples
Scioto Watershed CREP – 57,000 out of 70,000 acres enrolled– 36,000 lb. P/yr– 73,000 lb. N/yr
Great Miami Trading – 68,000 lb. P over 5 to 20 years– 176,000 lb. N over 5 to 20 years
Thank You