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Water Levels and Wetlands
Of Lake Superior
Janet Keough
US Environmental Protection Agency
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
Outline for Today:
Great Lakes Wetlands - Features and Functions
Changing Water Level….what does this mean?
Water Level Management of Lake Superior
International Joint Commission Plan of Study
Coastal Wetlands of Lake Superior
Open and Exposed to Lake
Margins of a River
Protected by a
Barrier Beach
Values of Coastal Wetlands
• Hydrological
• Recreational
• Ecological (Fish Habitat)
–
–
–
–
spawning areas
nurseries
feeding areas
47 spp. closely associated with coastal
wetlands
St
Fish Species Found in Allouez Bay Wetland:
Alewife
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Rock Bass
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
Yellow Bullhead
Burbot
Carp
Channel Catfish
Hornyhead Chub
Lake Chub
Black Crappie
Northern Redbelly Dace
Blacknose Dace
Johnny Darter
Iowa Darter
Least Darter
Sea Lamprey
Silver Lamprey
Logperch
Tadpole Madtom
Bluntnose Minnow
Brassy Minnow
Fathead Minnow
Central Mudminnow
Muskelunge
White Perch
Yellow Perch
57 species
Northern Pike
Rainbow Smelt
Pumpkinseed
Brook Stickleback
Silver Redhorse Ninespine Stickleback
Shorthead Redhorse Threespine Stickleback
Eurasian Ruffe
Stonecat
Coho Salmon
Longnose Sucker
Mottled Sculpin White Sucker
Slimy Sculpin
Brook Trout
Golden Shiner
Brown Trout
Blacknose Shiner Lake Trout
Common Shiner
Rainbow Trout
Spottail Shiner
Trout-perch
Mimic Shiner
Walleye
Emerald Shiner
Range of capture dates of larval fish species from
Allouez Bay wetland
Common Name
Yellow Perch
Unid Cyprinid
White Sucker
Northern Pike
Golden Shiner
Spottail Shiner
Johnny Darter
Logperch
Black Crappie
Rock Bass
Trout-perch
Brown Bullhead
Date
June 7
June 15 July 1 July 15 Aug 9
Total larval fish captured in Allouez Bay Wetland
Fish Species
Common Name
Total
% of
Total
Notropis hudonius
Spottail Shiner
2814
56
Perca flavescens
Yellow Perch
955
20
Catostomus commersoni
White Sucker
494
10
Etheostoma nigrum
Johnny Darter
157
3
Notemigonus
chrysoleucus
Golden Shiner
121
2.5
Cyprinidae
Unidentified Cyprinid
81
2
Percina caprodes
Logperch
58
2
Ambloplites rupestris
Rock Bass
33
<1
Esox lucius
Northern Pike
29
<1
Ameiurus nebulosus
Brown Bullhead
28
<1
Percopsis omiscomaycus
Trout-perch
14
<1
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Black Crappie
11
<1
Osmerus mordax
Rainbow Smelt
4
<1
Umbra limi
Central Mudminnow
3
<1
Gymnocephalus cernus
Eurasian Ruffe
1
<1
Culaea inconstans
Brook Stickleback
1
<1
Total
4804
Number of Species
16
Macrohabitat location of 12 most abundant larval fish
species captured in Allouez Bay
Common Name
INNER
MARSH
OUTER
MARSH
SANDY
MARSH
RIVER
Brown Bullhead
M (64)
F
F
F
Black Crappie
M (100)
Spottail Shiner
M (94)
F
Golden Shiner
M (94)
F
Rock Bass
F
F
M (88)
Unid Cyprinid
F
F
M (87)
F
Yellow Perch
F
F
M (57)
F
Northern Pike
F
F
M (53)
F
Logperch
F
F
M (47)
F
M (100)
Trout-perch
White Sucker
F
F
F
M (93)
Johnny Darter
F
F
F
M (42)
Macrophyte cover preferences of 12 most abundant
larval fish species captured in Allouez Bay
Common Name
SPARSE
(<7.5%)
MODERATE DENSE
(7.5-29%)
(30-65%)
White Sucker
M (95)
F
Unid Cyprinid
M (84)
F
Logperch
M (82)
F
F
Yellow Perch
M (74)
F
F
Johnny Darter
M (40)
M (33)
M (27)
Golden Shiner
M (46)
F
M (52)
Black Crappie
F
M (100)
Brown Bullhead
F
F
M (93)
Spottail Shiner
F
F
M (90)
Rock Bass
F
F
M (67)
Northern Pike
F
M (63)
F
Trout-perch
M (100)
Number of Larval Fish Species
4
a
3
2
Date Captured
a
b
1
0
Spring
Early Summer Mid Summer
COASTAL WETLANDS:
St. Louis River (MN)
DIVERSITY OF
HABITATS FOR FISH
AND WILDLIFE
Lost Creek (WI)
Kakagon Slough (WI)
Water Level: All the action is in the coastal zone
Great Lakes water level variation….the action is in the
Coastal zone…..picture of either wave action or flooding
Or sediment exposure
Small changes in Water Level
Make a BIG difference in
Coastal Habitats
1 FT
….even a difference as small as a few inches
6 IN.
Three Natural Types of Water Level
Change in the Great Lakes:
Less than 1 day = Seiche
Seasonal
Year-to-Year
**Most Effects Are in the Coastal Zone**
Seiche – Induced Water Level Change
Relative Water Level (cm)
30
20 in
MAJOR
FRONT
PASSAGE
20
10
1 HR
3 HR
7 HR
0
0
0
10
20
30
HOURS
40
50
SEICHE: Phenomenon that occurs following a storm surge,
when the wind abruptly subsides or barometric pressure changes
rapidly on a lake, causing the water to oscillate until it stabilizes
again
LAKE SUPERIOR
183.6
Seasonal Water Level
Patterns of the
Great Lakes
183.4
183.2
LAKES MICHIGAN AND HURON
176.6
Peak Water Level
Varies Across the
Lakes
Earliest in L Erie and
L Ontario
Lake-level Elevation (m)
Highest in Summer
176.4
176.2
LAKE ST. CLAIR
175.2
175.0
174.8
174.6
LAKE ERIE
174.4
174.2
174.0
173.8
LAKE ONTARIO
Latest in L. Superior
75.0
74.8
74.6
74.4
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
Month
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
“Long – Term” Lake Level
Lake Superior – 1918 - Present
Lake Michigan – Lake Huron, 1918 - Present
Small changes in Water Level
Make a BIG difference in
Coastal Habitats
1 FT
….even a difference as small as a few inches
6 IN.
Water Use Priorities
Domestic Water Use
Navigation
Fish Habitat
Hydropower
Distribution of Lake Superior Outflows
Edison Sault Power Plant - 21,000 cfs
Great Lakes Power Plant - 32,700 cfs
Fishery Remedial
Works - 500 cfs
U.S. Government
Power Plant - 10,400 cfs
Compensating Works - 3,000 cfs
Typical St. Marys River Outflow - 68,000 cfs
Soo Locks - 400 cfs
Chronology of Lake Superior
Regulation
 Boundary Water Treaty of 1909
 1914 IJC Orders of Approval
 Supplementary Orders: 1978, 1979, 1985
 Regulation Plans
 Sabin Rule
 Rule P-5
 Rule of 1949
 1955 Modified Rule of 1949
 SO-901
 Plan 1977
 Plan 1977-A
1909 Boundary Waters Treaty:
 Resolved disputes concerning boundary
waters at that time
 Established principles and mechanisms to
prevent and resolve future disputes
 Created the IJC with the power to:
 Approve diversions affecting levels and flows
 Advise governments on boundary issues (quality
& quantity)
1914 Orders of Approval
 Granted permission for
 Increased hydropower diversion
 Construction of control dam
 Specified conditions for construction
and operation
 Considered commercial navigation
and riparian interests
 Created International Lake Superior
Board of Control to oversee outflow
regulation
Chronology of Lake Superior
Regulation
 Boundary Water Treaty of 1909
 1914 IJC Orders of Approval
 Supplementary Orders: 1978, 1979, 1985
 Regulation Plans
 Sabin Rule
 Rule P-5
 Rule of 1949
 1955 Modified Rule of 1949
 SO-901
 Plan 1977
 Plan 1977-A
Lake Superior Regulation Plan 1977-A
 Balances levels between Lakes Superior and
Michigan-Huron--Fundamental goal is to make storage in
the 2 lakes (represented by levels) the same, when standardized
to take out the differing sizes of the lakes and their drainage
basins
 Maintains Lake Superior water levels within a
specified range when possible
 Limits high flows in the St. Marys River
 Regulates outflows within criteria,
requirements, and limitations
Range of Levels
Size of
Drainage Basins
Highest
3.9
Feet
Average
(1918-1999)
6.3
Feet
81,000
Square Miles
142,700
Square Miles
Lowest
Lake Superior
Lakes
Michigan-Huron
Lake Superior
Lakes
Michigan-Huron
This balancing takes into consideration the historic ranges of level fluctuation. The ranges
of levels (from highest to lowest) on Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron reflect the
differing sizes of their drainage basins.
Plan 1977-A
Designed to generate monthly outflows necessary to balance the
levels of Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron, taking into
consideration their long-term average and historic rate of fluctuation
Balancing Equation:
Q = Ave. Q + A (S – (Ave. S + (MH – Ave. MH) (sd S / sd MH))
Lake Superior monthly outflow =
Average Superior outflow
+ 200,000 cfs (a proportional constant)
X (Superior month start – (ave. Superior month start
+ (Mich-Hur start – ave. Mich-Hur start) X
Standard deviation of average Superior level /
Standard deviation of average Mich-Hur level))
http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil
International Lake Supeior
Board of Control Membership
United States
Canada
BG Steven Hawkins
Doug Cuthbert
Secretaries
John Kangas
Peter Yee
Regulation Representatives
LTC Richard Polo
David Fay
Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study
 1993 Levels Reference Study
Recommendations
 Recent precipitous drop in water levels
 Demographic changes
 Enhanced environmental understanding
 Climate change and climate variability
concerns
 Technological advances
 Build on experience from Lake Ontario – St.
Lawrence River study
Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study
Responsibility: To prepare a plan of study to review
operations of IJC-approved water flow control
structure at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/Michigan
Purposes of the Review:
 determine whether the requirements and criteria in
IJC Orders meet the needs of the interests including
the environment in the system,
 identify potential improvements to Lake Superior
outflow regulation and other measures to alleviate
adverse effects of water level fluctuations
http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/ijc/uglpos
Study Approach
 Understand present and future needs of interest
groups, their relationships with water levels.
 Evaluate capability and limitations of Lake Superior
outflow regulation under current climate regime and
under potential climate change.
 Identify potential improvements to Lake Superior
regulation, balance the needs of all interest groups
 Emphasis on public involvement in the study.
 Study to be conducted in 2 phases
Functional Scope
Major Interest Groups
• coastal zone
• environment/ecosystem
• hydropower
• navigation
• recreational boating and tourism
• municipal, industrial and domestic water uses
Other issues to be studied:
climate change/variability, dredging, land use, ground water,
diversions, consumptive uses, Lake Superior regulation,
flow variations at hydropower facilities
Modifications of Lake Superior Outflow Management:
Issues for Fish
Effects of INCREASED or DECREASED water level
variation on habitat loss or on access by fish?
Effects on the temperature regime of
shallow spawning reefs?
Flow variation and Water level variation on
The St. Marys River habitats
COASTAL WETLANDS, LAKE LEVEL, AND FISH HABITAT