Showing papers by "Minnesota Pollution Control Agency published in 2009"

Performance assessment of rain gardens

Abstract: The most widely used approach for evaluating the performance of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens is monitoring, but this approach can involve a long time period to observe a sufficient number and variety of storm events, a high level of effort, and unavoidable uncertainty. In this paper, we describe the development and evaluation of three approaches for performance assessment of rain gardens: visual inspection, infiltration rate testing, and synthetic drawdown testing. Twelve rain gardens in Minnesota underwent visual inspection, with four determined to be nonfunctional based on one or more of the following criteria: (1) presence of ponded water, (2) presence of hydric soils, (3) presence of emergent (wetland) vegetation, and (4) failing vegetation. It is believed that these rain gardens failed due to a lack of maintenance. For the remaining eight rain gardens, an infiltrometer was used to determine the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat ) of the soil surface at several locations throughout each basin in what is termed infiltration rate testing. The median K sat values for the rain gardens ranged from 3 to 72 cm/h. Synthetic drawdown testing was performed on three rain gardens by filling the basins with water to capacity where possible and recording water level over time. The observed drain times for two of those rain gardens were in good agreement with predictions based on the median of the infiltrometer measurements. The observed drain time for the third rain garden was much greater than predicted due to the presence of a restrictive soil layer beneath the topsoil. The assessment approaches developed in this research should prove useful for determining whether the construction of the rain garden was performed properly, a rain garden is functioning properly, and for developing maintenance tasks and schedules.

Trend reversal of mercury concentrations in piscivorous fish from Minnesota lakes: 1982-2006.

Abstract: The trend of mercury concentrations in standardized length northern pike (NP55) and walleye (WE40) was evaluated for a 25-year period, 1982−2006, based on a data set of 1707 cases from 845 lakes th...

Blue-green algal toxin (microcystin) levels in Minnesota lakes

Abstract: Increased interest in blue-green algal toxins in recent years has led to increased monitoring to assess occurrence and levels of toxins in Minnesota lakes. Microcystin (MC), a hepatotoxin, is one of the primary toxins studied in Minnesota and elsewhere in North America. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has measured MC in numerous lakes across Minnesota as a part of three separate efforts: (1) A targeted survey in 2006 to assess MC levels in 12 eutrophic lakes in two south central Minnesota counties; (2) A stratified-random survey of 50 lakes in Minnesota as a part of the National Lake Assessment Project; and (3) Incident-based samples from various lakes during 2004–2007 with reports of severe nuisance algal blooms, potential for human health risk and/or documented dog deaths as a result of algal toxins. This investigation focuses primarily on the 2006 study and linkages between MC and other chemical, physical and biological measures. Of 133 MC samples, 94% were above the Method Detection Li...

From paleo to policy: partitioning the historical point and nonpoint phosphorus loads to the St. Croix River, Minnesota-Wisconsin, USA

Abstract: Paleolimnological studies show that phosphorus (P) loads to the federally protected St. Croix River, a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River, have increased about threefold over the last century. Ongoing management efforts to protect and restore the river hinge on the question of whether the increased nutrient load results from point-source discharges or nonpoint runoff from agricultural intensification and urban expansion. Here we determine the historical contribution of point source phosphorus (P) loads to the St. Croix watershed from 1900–2000 A.D. Historical point source loads were estimated based on discharge volumes, demographics, industrial sources, wastewater technologies, and facility discharge records, where available. Sewering in the basin began in 1905, and since that time, there have been as many as 169 permitted point source dischargers basinwide, including municipal, industrial, and agricultural facilities. Early wastewater management typically discharged untreated sewage; technological advances had secondary treatment in place at most facilities by the 1960s–1970s and much of the municipal population was served by tertiary treatment by the 1990s. Peak nutrient discharges from point sources occurred in the 1960s–1970s. Detergent phosphorus bans instituted in the late 1970s for Minnesota and Wisconsin, greater use of land and groundwater effluent disposal, and improvements in treatment technology brought about decreases in P loads in the 1980s and 1990s. Point-source discharges were compared to historical total phosphorus loads estimated in a whole-basin phosphorus mass balance to calculate the historical contribution of point sources, anthropogenic nonpoint sources, and natural or background sources. We estimated 1990s point source loads at 48 t P yr−1, which represents about 10% of the total phosphorus load (459 t P yr−1, flow-corrected to 412 t P yr−1) to the basin. Without further controls on nutrient inputs to the St. Croix River, annual flow-corrected P loads are projected to increase to 498 t P yr−1 by the 2020s with point source phosphorus loading contributions at 65 t P yr−1 or 13% of the total load. However, if we exclude background P loads to the St. Croix (166 t P yr−1), recent nutrient loads are primarily from anthropogenic nonpoint sources. Point sources also contribute over 19% of the current and future phosphorus load that can be attributed to human activities in the watershed. Interstate and federal efforts to decrease P loading to the St. Croix River by 20% will need to target both point and nonpoint sources.

Spatial analysis of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus distribution in the Missouri River, South Dakota

Abstract: Summary Movement and distribution of the endangered pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus has generally been documented using radio telemetry. However, because of the time and cost involved in tracking individual fish (i.e. small sample size), it is often difficult to evaluate spatial distribution of groups of fish over long time periods (> 3 years). Standardized sampling for pallid sturgeon, which relies on a variety of gear types, has been conducted on the Missouri River downstream of Fort Randall Dam annually since 2003. Using catch data from 2003 to 2006, the spatial distribution of juvenile pallid sturgeon was evaluated using spatial scan statistics. Presence/absence of pallid sturgeon was summarized from a variety of gear and distribution patterns were analyzed based on: (i) each gear per season, (ii) all gear pooled per season, (iii) each gear pooled across seasons, and (iv) pooled data from all gear and years combined. Three significant clusters of pallid sturgeon captures were identified when all gear and years were pooled. Distribution patterns identified using data from summer trammel nets agreed well with the overall pooled dataset and could be used to identify areas with a high probability of pallid sturgeon presence. This methodology can be used to identify areas where pallid sturgeon are likely to occur, thus improving sampling efficiency for monitoring vital statistics for this endangered species. Moreover, this approach could be applied to other reaches of the Missouri River using existing data from the Pallid Sturgeon Monitoring and Assessment Program. Once identified, these areas could then be evaluated to better understand the habitat requirements of pallid sturgeon.

Maintenance of Stormwater BMPs

Abstract: Many stormwater management manuals and guidance documents have stated the importance and estimated the necessary frequency of maintenance for stormwater best management practices (stormwater BMPs), but few have been able to document the actual frequency and intensity of maintenance required to maintain a desired level of performance and efficiency. Increased attention to mass balance, numerical goals, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and non-degradation requirements has created the need for more emphasis on stormwater BMP operation and maintenance (O&M) in order to meet permitting and reporting requirements. The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge about routine and non-routine maintenance so as to develop more useful O&M plans. To do so, we reviewed literature throughout the United States for maintenance costs and developed, distributed, and analyzed the results of a detailed municipal public works survey. The specific goals of the survey were to identify and inventory O&M efforts and associated costs for stormwater BMPs. Survey questionnaires were sent to 106 cities, 28 of which responded. The survey related to the following topics: number of stormwater BMPs in the city, frequency of inspections and maintenance, average staff-hours spent per routine inspection or maintenance, complexity of maintenance, most frequent causes of performance deterioration, and cost of non-routine maintenance activities. The results of the survey revealed that most (89%) cities perform routine maintenance once per year or less. The most common causes of performance deterioration and the greatest expense were sediment buildup and litter/debris for most stormwater BMPs. The nationwide literature review resulted in predictive equations for O&M cost of stormwater BMPs as a function of total construction cost. A general rule of thumb is provided for estimating the relative importance of O&M in life-cycle costs.

Multipathway screening factors for assessing risks from ingestion exposures to air pollutants.

Abstract: Regulatory agencies are frequently called upon to assess the potential for significant environmental impacts from air pollution emissions. These assessments often entail air dispersion modeling to estimate air concentrations that can be compared with standards or health benchmarks. Some air pollutants can also impact human health through pathways in media besides air. Risk assessment models are available that consider pollutant deposition, movement, uptake, and other processes on land and water and in biota, but they are typically effort-intensive. A screening-level assessment of potential multipathway effects would be useful. We developed multipathway screening factors (MPSFs) that can be applied to inhalation risk estimates to give screening estimates of risks via ingestion pathways. The MPSFs were generated using a generic multipathway risk assessment, consisting of air dispersion and deposition modeling followed by risk modeling for 42 persistent, bioaccumulative air pollutants. MPSFs are defined as the ratio of ingestion risks to inhalation risks. We report here the results of a sensitivity analysis that evaluates the effects on the MPSF ratio of varying inputs to the air dispersion and deposition modeling analysis. Model input parameters were systematically varied and multipathway risks recalculated. From the sensitivity analysis results, reasonable upper-bound values for the ratio of ingestion risks to inhalation risks for each pollutant were selected. The particle size distribution and the method of calculating particle deposition had the most disproportionate effect on inhalation versus ingestion risks and the greatest effect on MPSFs. Risk calculations are often done at the points of maximum air concentration and maximum deposition. In this study, the MPSFs were usually highest at the location of the maximum inhalation risk.