Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio: Distressed designation and rules implementation. Presented at the Ohio Academy of Sciences, 2012.

1. Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio:
Distressed designation and
rules implementation
By the ODNR
Division of Soil and Water
Resources
April 14, 2012

2. Grand Lake - State Response
• State Agency Directors
led development of an
action plan. 7/30/10
• New Rules Proposed
for the Agricultural
Pollution Abatement
Program.
• Winter manure
application
• Nutrient management
plans

3. Designating Watersheds
“Distressed” 1501:15-5-20
• DSWR Chief designates watershed
• Soil and Water Conservation Commission
Approval
• Once designated triggers NMP and land
application requirements
• Considerations for designation

4. Designating Watersheds
“Distressed” 1501:15-5-20
Considerations:
• Nutrient impaired by ag sources as determined
by OEPA 303 (d) or TMDL report
• Threats to public health
• Periodic evidence of algal or cyanobacterial
blooms capable of producing toxins
• Contaminants in public or private water supplies
• Contaminants in recreational water
• Nuisances impacting aquatic life

7. Ohio EPA Reports:
2010 303d (Integrated Report)
2007 TMDL Report (approved by USEPA)
Both document nutrient impacts from ag
sources (land application of manure)

8. Threat to Health
- worked with LHD/ODH
- yes, reasonable chance

9. Periodic Evidence of Algal Blooms
and Toxins?
• definitely

13. Samples Confirm Toxins
(liver, nervous system, dermal impacts…)
• microsystin (has WHO standards)
• anatoxin-a
• saxitoxin
• cylindrospermopsin

14. Benchmark Criteria Promulgated by WHO for
Microcystins:
Drinking Water: 1µg L-1
Recreational Exposure: 20 µg L-1
(guidelines based on adult exposure)
Photo By Linda Merchant- Masonbrink-Grand Lake, 2010

15. Presence or Threat of
Contaminants in Public Water
Supply
• Yes
• GLSM is a public water supply for Celina
(OAC 3745-1-29)
• 45 out of 73 samples in 2010 exceeded 1
ppb microsystin (1.1 to >2000 ppb)
• 100% of samples exceed 1 ppb in 2009
• Note: finished water no tests > 1 ppb

16. Presence or Threat of Contaminant
in Recreational Waters
• Yes
• GLSM is a primary contact recreational
water (OAC 3745-1-29)
• Eight out of 73 tests exceeded 20 ppb
microsystin in 2010 (25.2 to >2000 ppb)
• 80% of tests exceeded 20 ppb in 2009

17. Nuisance Conditions Impacting
Aquatic Life
• Yes
• Several fish kills documented in 2009 and
2010
• Division of Wildlife field officers cite
likelihood of algal blooms causing
dissolved oxygen depletion

21. GRAND LAKE ST. MARYS
• DSWR Chief and Ohio Soil
and Water Conservation
Commission - designated
“distressed” January 18,
2011
• Nutrient Management
Plans required by
December 15, 2012
• Winter Application
restrictions take effect
January 19, 2013

22. Who Must Follow This?
• Anyone in the watershed managing over
100,000 gallons or 350 tons of manure a
year
• Unless you are already under permit by
ODA or OEPA (14 out of about 300)

23. Land Application of Manure
Effective when designated “distressed”
January 19, 2011:
NRCS Standard 633 Waste Utilization must
be followed by all not under ODA/OEPA
permit

24. Nutrient Management Plans
1501:15-5-19
• Plans need to be submitted to
Mercer/Auglaize SWCD or Division of Soil &
Water Resources by December 15th 2012
• Plans can be in the form of the Ohio
Nutrient Management Workbook or NRCS
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan

25. Land Application of Manure
1501:15-5-05
Within two years after designation:
• Shall not apply manure between December 15 and March
1 without prior approval (criteria being developed for this
with local input)
• Outside of dates above – no surface application of
manure on frozen or snow covered ground
• If it can be injected or incorporated, the application
area is not considered to be frozen

26. Local Implementation
• Guiding Principles
– Respect for private property
– Respect for our resources
– Give people a chance
– Help people succeed first
– Use our regulatory backstop if needed
• recalcitrance
• gravity

27. What about Statewide Needs for
Nutrient Reduction?
• Regional Issues (Ohio River, Lake Erie)
• National Objectives (Gulf of Mexico, Great
lakes)

29. The Ohio River Basin NY
PA
OH
IL IN
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN

31. State Nutrient Reduction
Strategy
OEPA lead, ODNR key support
• Protect local waters (e.g., HABs, nutrient
impairments)
• Regional Goals (e.g., Ohio River, Lake
Erie)
• National Goals (e.g., Gulf of Mexico,
Mississippi River, Great Lakes)
• Draft due May 2011

32. Thank You
• Questions?
• Comments?
• Instructions?