CHARLOTTE COUNTY WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT PHASE I: DATA ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LONG-TERM MONITORING by Brian E. Lapointe, Laura W. Herren, Armelle Paule, Anne Sleeman, and Rachel A. Brewton Florida Atlantic University-Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Marine Ecosystem Health Program
Brian Lapointe, Ph.D. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-FAU Harmful Algal Bloom Lab -over 40 years of HAB research 2
The Common Thread – Nutrient Pollution "The fundamental driving force is the accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus in fresh water on its way to the sea." Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reducing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution. (NRC 2000) 3
Critical Issues Facing Florida’s Estuaries and Coastal Waters • Nutrient, microbial, and contaminant pollution • Harmful algal blooms • Loss of seagrass and coral reef habitat • Decline of fisheries • Emerging diseases and mortalities in wildlife (corals, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, pelicans, fish, shellfish) and humans 4
Charlotte County Commitment to “Blue Water” FDEP Water Quality Criteria Analytes Charlotte� Harbor� Proper Tidal� Peace� River Tidal� Myakka� River Total� phosphorus 0.19 0.31 0.50 Total� nitrogen 0.67 1.02 1.08 Chlorophyll� a � 6.10 11.70 12.60 5
Partners 6
Charlotte Harbor Impairment Status Segments of Charlotte Harbor are listed on the EPA 303d list as impaired for: • Nutrients • Dissolved oxygen • Chlorophyll a • Bacteria in shellfish • Mercury in fish tissue 7
Lee County 2004-2007: Red Drift Algae 15 N values ranged +5.7 to +7.1 per mille in blooms along beaches in Lee County in 2004, wastewater implicated 8
Florida Red Tide: Karenia brevis Brand & Compton 2007 9
Lee County 2005: Red Tides ( Karenia brevis ) 15 N values ranged +6.8 to +9.5 per mille in this bloom in 30 psu water off Sanibel Island, September 7, 2005; wastewater implicated again
Charlotte Harbor: Dense Septic Tanks, Stormwater Runoff, and Fecal Pollution (2001) 11
Septic Systems: An “Unseen” Source of P ollution in Florida’s Waters • About 1/3 of households use septic • Soils unsuitable for septic systems - porous sands, karst limestone - low organic content, high water table •Effluent contaminants: nitrogen, phosphorus, pharmaceuticals, hormones, bacteria, viruses • Substantial N -load from septic systems: Fertilizer: 308,647,167 lb/yr Septic systems: 52,910,942 – 108,026,508 lb/yr Atmospheric inputs: 13,007,273-20,723,453 lb/yr Reclaimed water: 264,554-573,201 lb/yr (Badruzzman et al. 2012) 12
Charlotte County PHASE I: Design of a Long- Term Water Quality Sampling Program 1. Datamine and Synthesize Historical Data 2. Reconnaissance Field Trips, QA/QC sampling across study area 3. Identify Long-Term Monitoring Stations and Outline Sampling Design 4. Identify Laboratories & Volunteer Networks to Collect & Analyze Samples Charlotte Harbor 13
Numeric Nutrient Criteria 400 Charlotte County 300 200 100 Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 6 • Long-term historical data obtained from public 4 records 2 • Data include canals and estuaries within 0 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 Charlotte County 4 • Values above line exceed NNC Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 3 • Nitrogen peaks evident 2 in El Niño years 1 • Reveals a history of impairment 0 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 14
Charlotte County Population Numeric Nutrient Criteria Charlotte County Population (thousands) 1200 200 800 Chlorophyll a ( µ g/L) 400 150 300 250 100 200 150 50 100 50 0 0 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 15
East and West Spring Numeric Nutrient Criteria 2.0 Lake Wastewater Pilot Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 1.5 Program Area: Surface Water 1.0 • Sampled independent 0.5 of tidal stage 0.0 2015 2016 • Total nitrogen values 1.0 were similar to NNC Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 0.8 • Some nitrogen and 0.6 phosphorus values 0.4 exceed NNC 0.2 0.0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 16
East and West Spring Macroalgae bloom threshold 0.25 Lake Wastewater Pilot 0.20 Program Area: Ammonia (mg/L) Surface Water 0.15 0.10 • Ammonia values above threshold for 0.05 macroalgae blooms 0.00 2015 2016 Numeric Nutrient Criteria • Fecal coliforms 1000 750 Fecal coliform (cfu/100 mL) present 2012-2016 500 250 100 • Suggests pollution 80 via septic tank 60 40 effluent 20 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 17
Septic T ank Effluent East and West Spring 80 Lake Wastewater Pilot Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 60 Program Area: Groundwater 40 • TN and TP above NNC 20 • Higher levels than surface 0 2015 2016 waters suggests septic contamination 200 100 40 • Total Phosphorus (mg/L) Some phosphorus values 35 exceed raw effluent 30 25 • Very high phosphorus may 20 reflect interactions between 15 wastewater & natural 10 deposits 5 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 18
East and West Spring Lake Wastewater Pilot Program Area: Groundwater • Ammonia higher than surface waters • Ammonia levels above macroalgae bloom threshold • Fecal values similar to surface waters 19
East and West Spring Lake Wastewater Pilot Program Area: Distance of Septic Drainfield to Seasonal High Water Table Winter Spring Summer Fall 2 Ground Level 1 Depth to Seasonal High Water Table (ft) 0 -1 71% -2 non- -3 compliant -4 -5 Distance -6 required by FAC -7 -8 -9 2013 2014 2015 2016 20
Reconnaissance Sampling 21
NNC Tidal Myakka River NNC Tidal Peace River 3.0 Reconnaissance 2.5 Sampling Nutrient Concentrations Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 2.0 1.5 • Highest TN at El Jobean, 1.0 decreases to east 0.5 • TN at all sites ≥ NNC 0.0 El Jobean Ackerman Spring Lakes Yacht Club 30 • 25 TN at all sites > the previous data (East and 20 Chlorophyll a ( m g/L) West Spring Lake 15 Wastewater Pilot Program) 10 • Chl a at Yacht Club > NNC 5 0 El Jobean Ackerman Spring Lakes Yacht Club 22
Bacteria in Surface Water 1500 Surface water quality criteria 1250 • 1000 Bacteria present at all sites 600 Fecal coliform (cfu/100 mL) 400 • Similar spatial trend for fecal & 200 Enterococcus 80 60 • Enterococcus exceeded criteria 40 20 at 3 of 4 sites 0 El Jobean Ackerman Spring Lakes Yacht Club • 4000 Highest at El Jobean, decreased 3000 2000 west to east 1000 Enterococcus (cfu/100 mL) 800 600 400 • El Jobean & Ackerman 200 100 = “poor water quality” 80 60 per DOH (>71 cfu/100mL) 40 20 0 El Jobean Ackerman Spring Lakes Yacht Club 23
a. Ackerman El Jobean Yacht Club Spring Lakes Hog Island 10 Oyster Macroalgae Stable Nitrogen 8 Isotopes & C:N Ratio Sewage 6 δ 15 N o / oo Trophic Shift • Macroalgae & 4 oysters effective bioindicators of 2 wastewater 0 Hydroid C. virginica G. tikvahiae G. tikvahiae G. tikvahiae G. tikvahiae C. gracilis H. wrightii • Reveals a strong b. 20 El Jobean Yacht Club Spring Lakes Hog Island septic signal in N-limited surface waters 15 C:N Ratio (macroalgae) 10 • Low C:N ratio in macroalgae indicate 5 high nitrogen levels 0 G. tikvahiae G. tikvahiae G. tikvahiae G. tikvahiae C. gracilis H. wrightii 24
Human Tracer: Sucralose a. Charlotte County Groundwater • Not naturally occurring 70 Surface Water 50 Sucralose ( m g/L) • Higher levels in 30 groundwaters 10 3 2 • Present in surface 1 0 waters OMLS MW66 MW67 MW68 EJ AM SL YC b. Martin County • Indicative of septic 70 contamination 50 Sucralose ( m g/L) 30 • Similar pollution issues 10 in Martin County 3 2 1 0 GG-S1 GG-S2 GG-S3 GG-I GG-D GG2 GG3 GG4 GG5 25
Martin and St. Lucie Counties Beaches Closed 26
Conclusions • NNC exceedance at reconnaissance sites – TN ≥ NNC at all 4 sites – TP > NNC at El Jobean – Chl a > NCC at Yacht Club • Strong septic signal in surface waters and groundwaters – Stable nitrogen isotopes – C:N ratio – Sucralose • 71% of the Spring Lakes area does not meet state standards for distance from ground surface to water table • These data support previous studies that septic systems are a significant source of pollution to Charlotte Harbor 27
Recommendations SURFACE WATER GROUNDWATER • Continue and expand • Strategically placed spatial coverage of canal monitoring wells and discharges to other sub- piezometers to study watersheds groundwater mounding • Sample at ebbing tides • Monthly sampling schedule • Expand stable nitrogen isotope monitoring using • Wet and dry season algae, oysters, and fish sampling for aqueous isotopes and sucralose • Model water quality using heat maps to discover • Geospatial study of critical areas contributing drainfield distance to septic pollution groundwater, including soil characteristics 28
Acknowledgments • Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners • Charlotte County Utilities Department • Charlotte County Public Works Departments • Captain Betty Staugler with Florida Sea Grant & Florida Sea Grant volunteers, Born Stornes and Dianne Quilty • Captain Marcus Shore with Sea Tow • Lisa Beever and Judy Ott with CHNEP • Dennis Hanisak with HBOI-FAU Marine Botany Laboratory 29 29
Questions? 30
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