Nutrient Criteria Stakeholders Meeting
September 19, 2006
Elm Street Conference Center
Jefferson City, MO
In Attendance: Bob Bacon, ERC; Dorris Bender, City of Independence; Gopala Borchelt, Table Rock Lake Water Quality; Cindy DiStefano, MDC; Ted Heisel [on conference telephone], Missouri Coalition for the Environment; Candi Lordo, LMVP; Randy Lyman, City of Springfield; Dan Obrecht, UMC; Mark Osborn, MDNR; Buffy Santel, St Louis MSD; Phil Schroeder, MDNR; Tony Thorpe, LMVP; Gary Welker, EPA; Mary West, Missouri Public Utility Alliance
Table Rock Lake: Mark summarized the meeting that was held in Springfield on September 15 and gave an overview of modeling efforts on the lake. He is using the Bathtub model (developed by the Army Corps of Engineers) to evaluate eutrophication response to nutrient loading into the lake. The model includes segmentation of the lake into seven sections. Inflows into the lake are classified into tributaries with water quality data, non-point source areas defined by land use type percentages, and permitted point sources. Calibration of the model is not quite complete, once it is done simulations will be run to determine loading levels that will result in desired response levels. Gopala offered to provide additional monitoring data that may help to strengthen the model and Candi said she would check with David Casaletto to see if there was any usable information concerning private septic systems in the watershed.
The meeting in Springfield also included a presentation by Dr. Reed Green from USGS in Arkansas. Dr. Green has done some modeling for all the major reservoirs in the White River Basin, including Table Rock. He has used C-QUAL to develop two dimensional animated profiles (longitudinal and depth) that describe the temporal variations in temperature, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, and algae.
Dan and Tony followed up with presentations of LMVP data summaries from Table Rock and several other large lakes that have multiple monitoring points, including Long Branch, Mark Twain, Pomme de Terre, Smithville, Bull Shoals, Lake of the Ozarks, Stockton, Wappapello, Clearwater, Longview (only one site), Truman, and Thomas Hill, the last two of which do not have LMVP monitoring sites. These are reservoirs for which future modeling may be considered to develop more accurate nutrient criteria.
Criteria Matrix for Ozark area lakes: Mark presented proposed revisions to the matrix as it applies to the Ozark region following recommendations from previous meetings. However, the issue was not quite resolved. There were questions raised about the use of the advisory limit, which, in the current proposal was based on back calculation of the regression for total phosphorus from the 25th percentile for total chlorophyll response within each of the trophic stage categories. There was concern that lakes found to be within the above the advisory limit but below the action level would be eligible for 303(d) listing. Mark explained that that is not the intention of the advisory limit. Language will be added to the rule that will clarify that point. Also, there seemed to be a consensus that the action level for lakes designated as eutrophic was too high, and should be reduced.
The listing of Ozark lakes by eutrophic category is still open to revision, based on any further information, including anecdotal information, that may be provided on lakes for which data is not currently available.
Mark will make further revisions to the criteria matrix, based on the aforementioned comments.
Regulatory Impact Statement: Mark announced that Mubarek Hamed of MDNR WPP staff will be taking responsibility for development of the regulatory impact statement of the rule. He is requesting input from members of the stakeholder group on any information they may be able to provide and a preliminary questionnaire was provided.
Next meeting (Correction): The next meeting will be October 10 in Jefferson City at the Lewis and Clark state office building, Gasconade Camp conference room. (Mark had mistakenly announced that it would be at the USGS site in Columbia.)
Dessert: Candi provided cookies that had won 2nd prize at the State Fair. (Thank you Candi.)
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