Report on Biological & Water Quality Monitoring in the East Branch DuPage Watershed: 2011

1. Report on Biological & Water Quality Monitoring in the East Branch DuPage Watershed: 2011 DuPage River-Salt Creek Work Group August 28, 2013 Chris O. Yoder Center for Applied Bioassessment and Biocriteria Midwest Biodiversity Institute Columbus, OH

2. DuPage-Salt Creek Work Group Goals • Verify low D.O. segments & determine effectiveness of abatement and mitigation efforts • Determine extent of nutrient enrichment • Comprehensive assessment of biological assemblages – establish baseline for comparison to future conditions in response to management • Determine roll of potential stressors at the local reach scale • Identify and prioritize stream segments where restoration will have greatest benefits • Support TMDL development and nutrient criteria

3. The Development of a Biological Assessment Plan for the DuPage and Salt Creek Watersheds DuPage-Salt Creek Work Group March 7, 2006 Chris O. Yoder Center for Applied Bioassessment and Biocriteria Midwest Biodiversity Institute Columbus, OH

4. " / # V ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ! ( ( ! ( ! # V ( ! ( ! ( ! 6 # V ! ( ! ( V # ! ( ( ! ! ( ( ! ! ( ( ! ( ! EB 07 V # ( ! EB 08 ! ( ( ! EB 10 ! ( ! ( ( ! EB 05 EB 04 ( ! ( ! ( ! ! ( V # ( ! ! ( EB 01 ( ! ( ! # V # V ( ! ! ( ( ! ! ( Bloomingdale-Reeves EB 29 EB 25 EB 24 EB 23 EB 22 EB 26 Glendale Heights Spatial sampling design is critical for accurately detecting impairments and providing data at the same scale at which restoration is applied. EB 21 EB 42 Alt. EB 44 EB 36 Glenbard - Lombard EB 19 EB 15 GlenbardWWTP EB 17 EB 30 EB 13 EB 14 EB 12 EB 11 Downers-Grove EB 06 EB 31 EB 37 EB 03 EB 32 Woodridge EB 40 EB 33 Bolingbrook #1 EB 43 EB 35 Bolingbrook #2 EB 38 EB 34 EB 39 EB 41

5. CORE INDICATORS • • • Fish Assemblage Macroinvertebrates Periphyton (Use Community Level Data From At Least Two) Physical Habitat Indicators Chemical Quality Indicators • • • • Channel morphology Flow pH Temperature • • • • Substrate Quality Riparian Conductivity Dissolved O 2 AQUATIC LIFE RECREATIONAL WATER SUPPLY Base List : Base List : Base List : • • • Ionic strength Fecal bacteria Fecal bacteria • • • Nutrients, sediment Ionic strength Ionic strength • Supplemental List : Supplemental List : Nutrients, sediment • • Metals (water/sediment) Other pathogens Supplemental List : • • • Organics (water/sediment) Organics (water/sed.) Metals (water/sediment) • • • Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll a Organics (water/sed.) • Other pathogens • HUMAN/WILDLIFE CONSUMPTION Chlorophyll a Base List : • Metals (in tissues) • Organics (in tissues) Core indicators are measured routinely – independent of assessment & management questions For Specific Designated Uses Add the Following: Supplemental indicators are added depending on designated uses, study area setting, and monitoring objectives and questions

6. E. Branch DuPage Bioassessment: 2011 Survey • 21 mainstem & 15 tributary sites sampled for fish, macroinvertebrates, and QHEI in 2011. • 7 mainstem sites sampled for fish and QHEI in 2012 to follow-up Churchill Woods dam removal. • Fish sampled with MBI methods – pulsed D.C. methods; 3 person crew. • Macroinvertebrates sampled with IEPA methods. • Water chemistry at all sites (37); sediment chemistry at 23 sites; continuous monitoring at 5 sites. • Data analyzed using IEPA indices and either Illinois WQS or IPS thresholds. • Stressor analysis accomplished to determine principal causes & sources of biological impairments.

7. What is a Bioassessment? Bioassessment is the essential implementation tool for a TALU based approach • Bioassessment – a systematic assessment of the aquatic resource using biological indicators AND chemical/physical indicators in a supporting role. • Biocriteria – numerical benchmarks for determining attainment of a goal expressed in the definition of an aquatic life designated use in the state WQS. • Reasonably available tools and criteria exist to assess and evaluate this for all waterbody types.

8. Invertebrate organisms contribute vital functions in an aquatic ecosystem including energy flow, conversion, and production. This assemblage is the longest used indicator group. Numerous techniques and approaches have been developed.

9. Benthic MacroinvertebratesActive Sampling Methods Examples Scrubbing substrates Picking Dome Sampler Net-based methods (including kicks, dips, jabs, sweeps, & picks) Grab samplers

10. We followed IEPA methods for field collections & lab processing

11. Fish are a widely identifiable component of aquatic systems and are valued for their recreational uses. Most species, however, are more obscure, and comprise the second most endangered group.

12. Illinois DNR “electric seine” MBI pulsed D.C. electrofishing methods

13. The Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) QHEI Includes Six Major Categories of Macrohabitat • Substrate - types, origin, quality, embeddedness • Instream Cover – types and quantity • Channel Quality – sinuosity, development, stability • Riparian – width, quality, bank stability & quality • Pool/Run/Riffle – depth, current types, embedded-ness, morphology • Gradient – local gradient (fall per unit distance) Source: The Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (Rankin 1989)

14. Illinois EPA Fish Index of Biotic Integrity

15. Illinois EPA IBI Narrative Evaluations General Use Attainment Threshold

16. Illinois EPA Macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity

17. Illinois EPA Macroinvertebrate IBI Narrative Ranges General Use Attainment Threshold

18. Chemical/Physical Field Procedures Chemical/Physical Field Procedures Water column grab sampling Depth integrated sampler Water column grab sampling Depth integrated sampler Time-of-travel dye injection Automatic composite samplers Time-of-travel dye injection Automatic composite samplers

19. Ohio EPA Chemical Effluent & Exposure Sampling Ohio EPA Chemical Effluent & Exposure Sampling Procedures Procedures Permitted Discharges are Sampled for Permitted Discharges are Sampled for Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Testing a Variety of Chemicals - This Provides Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Testing a Variety of Chemicals - This Provides is Performed Primarily on Effluents Data to Determine Pollutant Loads is Performed Primarily on Effluents Data to Determine Pollutant Loads Fish Tissue Analysis Reveals Fish Tissue Analysis Reveals Bioaccumulative Pollutants and Risks Bioaccumulative Pollutants and Risks to Human and Wildlife Health to Human and Wildlife Health Biochemical Markers (Biomarkers) are Biochemical Markers (Biomarkers) are Useful for Discerning Problem Useful for Discerning Problem Pollutants Pollutants

20. Environmental Indicator ". . a measurable feature which singly or in combination provides managerially and scientifically useful evidence of ecosystem quality, or reliable evidence of trends in quality." ITFM (1995)

21. 1. Stressor Indicators (pollutant loadings, land use, habitat) – best used to indicate impacts 2. Exposure Indicators (e.g., chemical-specific, biomarkers, toxicity tests) – best used to indicate risk of harm or undesirable changes 3. Response Indicators (e.g., biological community condition) – best used to indicate whole effects and as a performance end-point Types of Environmental Indicators: How Each is Used Makes a Difference Problems occur when indicators are used as surrogates outside their most appropriate role

22. USGS Gage @Downers Grove

23. Effluent Data from WWTPs

24. BollingbrookWWTP 3rd Quarter Effluent

26. E. Branch Nitrate-N 2011 vs. 2007

27. E. Branch Total Phosphorus 2011 vs. 2007

28. E. Branch Daytime D.O. 2007 vs. 2011 The consequences of nutrient enrichment are frequently indirect affecting instream processes such as photosynthesis and respiration.

29. E. Branch Total Nitrate-N Mainstem vs. Tribs.

30. E. Branch Total Phosphorus Mainstem vs. Tribs.

31. E. Branch Mainstem Chlorides IPS derived thresholds were used in lieu of current IEPA WQS to judge effects to aquatic life. Chloride is an example of a parameter with an outdated criterion.

32. E. Branch Chlorides Mainstem vs. Tribs.

34. E. Branch Habitat 2007, 2011, & 2012

35. E. Branch Macroinvertebrates 2007 vs. 2011

36. E. Branch Fish 2007, 2011, & 2012

37. Incremental improvement in fish IBI due to improved habitat resulting from Churchill Woods dam removal.

38. E. Branch DuPage Watershed: Major Observations • Incremental improvement in QHEI and fIBI following Churchill Woods dam removal. • D.O. regime exhibited wider nutrient related diel swings in 2011 vs. 2007. • Nitrate-N highly elevated in 2011 vs. 2007. • Elevated nutrients primarily in mainstem. • Elevated chlorides in 2011 vs. 2007 watershed wide. • Biological assemblages mostly fair-poor throughout watershed – multiple causes.