The Adirondack Effects Assessment Program Program Update & New Research Directions Charles W. Boylen James W. Sutherland Jay A. Bloomfield & Sandra A. Nierzwicki-Bauer Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute & Bureau of Watershed Assessment and Management, NYS DEC
Presentation Outline • AEAP Background • Current Data • Brooktrout Lake Biotic Trends Fish Restoration Project
The Adirondack Effects Assessment Program Since 1994 a study of water quality trends in acidified lakes and ponds in the Adirondack Mountain Region of New York State with a concomitant effect on biota funded by the US EPA
AEAP Scientific Collaborations representing state, federal and university investigators • Darrin Fresh Water Institute, RPI • State University of NY at Oswego & Syracuse • NYS DEC • Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia • Marist College • NYS Museum • US Geological Survey • University of Maryland
Lawrence Eichler, James Harrison, Sascha Percent, David Winkler Darrin Fresh Water Institute Robert Bombard NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Gregory Lawrence U.S. Geological Survey Robert Daniels Acknowledgments NYS Museum William Shaw Marist College Don Charles and Frank Acker Academy of Natural Sciences Bahram Momen University of Maryland Myron J. Mitchell SUNY-ESF Alfred Stamm SUNY Oswego
Study Sites • Southwest quadrant of Adirondack Park • 30 lakes and ponds initially selected • Sites are different hydrologic types • A subset of ALTM Program waters
Sampling Strategy • Mid-summer during thermal stratification • most stable part of growing season • ability to detect temporal changes in chemistry and biota • Vertical profiles – temp, DO, light • 20 chemical analytes including pH, ANC, NO 3 , SO 4 , TP, PO 4 , Al
Net Trend in pH since 1994 7.50 7.00 6.50 6.00 pH (su) The blue bar is 5.50 the mean 1994 5.00 4.50 pH for each 4.00 CON IND LON WES SQU LIM CAS MOS WIL GRA RAQ WHE SAG CAR ROU lake; the maroon bar is the net 7.50 7.00 increase in pH 6.50 through the 2004 6.00 pH (su) sampling season 5.50 5.00 4.50 4.00 LOO WLS SET BTR JOC NOR MOO SOU QUE GLA DAR SQW BRA RON WIN
Net Trend in NO 3 since 1994 35 30 25 The blue bar is the 20 mean 1994 NO 3 15 NO3 (uEq/L) 10 concentration for 5 0 CON IND LON WES SQU LIM CAS MOS WIL GRA RAQ WHE SAG CAR ROU each lake; the -5 -10 maroon bar is the -15 -20 net increase (above 35 x-axis) or decrease 30 (below x-axis) in 25 20 NO 3 through the 15 NO3 (uEq/L) 10 2004 sampling 5 0 LOO WLS SET BTR JOC NOR MOO SOU QUE GLA DAR SQW BRA RON WIN season -5 -10 -15 -20
Net Trend in SO 4 since 1994 100 80 The blue bar is the 60 mean 1994 SO 4 SO4 (uEq/L) 40 concentration for 20 each lake; the 0 CON IND LON WES SQU LIM CAS MOS WIL GRA RAQ WHE SAG CAR ROU maroon bar is the -20 -40 net increase (above x-axis) or decrease 100 80 (below x-axis) in 60 SO 4 through the SO4 (uEq/L) 40 2004 sampling 20 season 0 LOO WLS SET BTR JOC NOR MOO SOU QUE GLA DAR SQW BRA RON WIN -20 -40
Phytoplankton Species vs pH
5 Year Average Number of Zooplankton Species vs. pH 5 Year Average Number of Zooplankton Species vs pH
8.0 Aquatic Plant Species vs pH 7.0 6.0 pH y = 7.7844x - 31.346 R 2 = 0.6107 5.0 drainage seepage 4.0 40 30 20 10 0 Species per Lake
Summary of Biotic Trends of the 30 Study Lakes As pH and ANC gradually increase in some of the study lakes, documented shifts are beginning to occur in the major trophic levels of these lakes towards more circum-neutral species with the disappearance of strictly acid tolerant species.
Case Study: Brooktrout Lake
Brooktrout Lake • Watershed Area: 176.9 ha • Lake Volume: 2.41 X 10 6 m 3 • Lake Area: 28.7 ha • T hyd : 1.4 yr • Annual Runoff: 89 cm • Mean Depth: 8.4 m
Brooktrout Lake pH & ANC Trends 7.0 20.0 15.0 y = 0.0502x + 5.2853 6.5 R 2 = 0.3034 10.0 6.0 5.0 ANC (ueq) pH (SU) 5.5 0.0 -5.0 5.0 pH (su) -10.0 y = 1.3944x - 8.2007 4.5 R 2 = 0.7827 ANC (ueq/L) -15.0 4.0 -20.0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Brooktrout Lake SO 4 Trend 100 80 S O 4 (ueq/L) 60 40 y = -1.6591x + 65.964 R 2 = 0.4298 20 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Brooktrout Lake NO 3 Trend 25 20 y = -0.947x + 11.626 R 2 = 0.3935 NO3 (ueq/L) 15 10 5 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
) . Zsd (m Brooktrout Lake Trophic State Trends 100 10 1 5 0 0 2 4 0 0 2 3 0 0 2 2 0 Total P (µg/L) 0 2 Chla (µg/L) 1 0 0 2 Secchi Date 0 0 0 2 9 9 9 1 8 9 9 1 7 9 9 1 6 9 9 1 5 9 9 1 4 9 100 10 1 0 9 1 Chl a Total P (µg/L) .
Brooktrout Light Extinction Profiles 0.7 14.0 cum Ke (m-1) Ke = -8E-05t + 2.5764 R 2 = 0.56 Zsd (m) 0.6 12.0 0.5 10.0 Ke (m-1) Zsd (m) 0.4 8.0 0.3 6.0 0.2 4.0 Zsd = -0.0016t + 64.82 R 2 = 0.61 0.1 2.0 0 0.0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Brooktrout Lake Temperature Profiles 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 -5 -10 Depth (m) -15 8/22/94 9/5/95 8/13/96 8/11/97 -20 8/12/98 8/16/99 8/14/00 9/5/01 9/12/02 8/5/03 8/1/2004 8/8/2005 -25 Temperature
Brooktrout Lake Phytoplankton Trends 20 100000 16 10000 12 1000 8 100 4 10 0 1 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Chl a # Taxa Cells/mL 20 100000 16 10000 12 1000 8 100 4 10 0 1 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Chl a # Taxa Cells/mL
Brooktrout Zooplankton Densities & Community Parameters Brooktrout Lake - Zooplankton Density vs pH - 1994-2003 100000 7.50 7.00 80000 6.50 # individuals/m3 60000 pH (su) 6.00 5.50 40000 5.00 20000 4.50 0 4.00 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Crustaceans Rotifers Avg mid-summer column pH Brooktrout Lake - Zoopkankton Community Parameters - 1994-2003 15 # of species & ug/L chl a 12 9 6 3 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Crustacean Sp Richness Chl a Rotifer Sp Richness
Crustacean & Rotifer Community Composition Brooktrout Lake - Crustacean Community Composition - 1994-2003 100% 90% 80% Proportion of total density 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total Cyclopoids Total Calanoids Total Cladocerans Brooktrout Lake - Rotifer Community Composition - 1994-2003 100 7.50 90 7.00 % of total community 80 6.50 70 60 pH (su) 6.00 50 5.50 40 30 5.00 20 4.50 10 0 4.00 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 K. taurocephala P. vulgaris All others Avg mid-summer column pH
Brooktrout Lake Conclusions • As SO 4 deposition has declined, starting around 1996, BTL has experienced an increase in pH from around 5.00 to 6.00. Transparency, Al species, NO 3 and reactive Si have also declined. Chl a and Total P have also increased. • Although 13 other AEAP lakes have shown slight declines in NO 3 during the same time period (confirmed by the more-detailed ALSC LTM dataset), only BTL has shown a substantial NO3 decline during the summer months, coincident with increases in trophic state parameters. • Preliminary evidence from the 2003 BTL macrophyte survey also indicates an increase in macrophyte densities. • Both phytoplankton & zooplankton community composition have also changed. • Although piscivorous birds (for example, loons) have been observed at BTL in recent years, no evidence of fish has been noted.
Fish Restoration Project Collaborating Institutions • Darrin Fresh Water Institute • NYS Department of Environmental Conservation • NYS Museum • Cornell University
Project Description In November 2005 the DEC will stock Horn Lake strain brook trout: 1,500 fall fingerlings (3-4” average size) each year 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 Consideration given to stocking 20-40 older fish of different age classes this fall depending on Region 6 staff netting success from Horn Lake Fish will be stocked by aircraft and fin clipped Chemistry, phytoplankton, zooplankton & macroinvertebrates (both water column & benthic) sampled through growing season
BioSonics Advanced Digital Hydroacoustics Technology
Use of Hydroacoustic Use of Hydroacoustic Technology Technology
Hydroacoustics will be used to provide: • Lake bathymetry • Habitat zones • Diurnal Chaoborus gradients • Fish movements within the lake once they are introduced
Night Hydroacoustic Profiling Jeremy Farrell & James Harrison on Brooktrout Lake - DFWI
Night Chaoborus Gradient
Anticipated Project Results • Use of hydroacoustic will be first ‘state-of-the-art’ investigation of fish population recovery in the Adirondack Park • Documentation of the population of the population dynamics of the introduced species • Allow evaluation of survival following introduction and the in- lake reproduction by the older introduced individuals • Demonstrate the effect of the introduced fish on the Chaoborus population as well as other water column macroinvertebrates • Observe the interaction between the introduced fish and the resident loons on the lake
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