Blue Green Algae in Indiana: The Role of the State

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Blue Green Algae in IndianaThe Role of the
State
Environmental Quality Service Council
Meeting October 26, 2009 Senate Chamber, State
House

• Bruno Pigott
• Assistant Commissioner
• Office of Water Quality
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management

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Introduction

• Inception of Program Activities
• What We Have Learned
• Statewide Coordination
• Reporting to the Public
• IDEM Monitoring Activities in Upper Fall Creek
  Watershed
• Future IDEM activities

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Inception of Programs

• Public concerns about algae blooms in Geist
  Reservoir in 2007
• Dr. Tedesco/CEES work in reservoirs
• Senator Gards call for coordinated approach to
  examining this issue

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What We Have Learned

• Traditional assumptions of when algae blooms
  occur have been challenged.
• Nutrient loadings from a variety of sources,
  including residential, agricultural, point
  sources contribute to the problem.
• Existence of cell counts does not necessarily
  imply high toxin levels.
• High toxin levels can occur with low cell counts.

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Statewide Coordination

• IDEM has partnered with DNR, ISDH,
  Indianapolis/Veolia Water, and IUPUIs Center for
  the Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES) to
  monitor local reservoirs.
• IDEM/ISDH partner on Blue Green Algae level
  advisories to provide public with information.

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World Health Organization Thresholds
Reporting To the Public
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Reporting To the Public

• IUPUI CEES reports cell levels and toxin counts
  for Morse, Geist, and Eagle Creek Reservoirs to
  IDEM
• www.in.gov/idem/algae
• Provide public with Information about
• Toxins from algae
• Risks associated with toxins
• Precautions you can take
• Information from other organizations
• Several links to other websites
• Post IDEM/ISDH precautionary advisories

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Reporting To the Public Recommendations

• Wise users take certain sensible precautions
• Prepare before entering the water
• Bring appropriate gear .
• Be sure to check weather conditions
• While in the water
• Recreate in groups
• Always supervise children
• Try to avoid consuming large amounts of water
• When youre finished
• Make sure you shower

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Water Quality Issues in the Upper Fall Creek
Watershed

• 303(d) list of Impaired Waters 2008
• Impairments in the Upper Fall Creek Watershed
• E.coli
• Fall Creek, Sugar Creek, Honey Creek
• PCBs in Fish Tissue
• Geist, Fall Creek, Devon Creek
• Mercury in Fish Tissue
• Fall Creek, Geist Reservoir
• Taste and Odor
• Geist Reservoir
• Algae
• Geist Reservoir

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IDEM Upper Fall Creek Watershed Work

• IDEM Sampling Upper Fall Creek Watershed
• 73 sites for
• Nutrients
• Metals
• Chemistry
• 30 sites for pesticides

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IDEM Upper Fall Creek Watershed Work

• An IDEM Watershed Team
• Cross Section of IDEM Office of Water Quality
  programs including
• Drinking Water
• Permits
• Compliance
• Assessment
• Watershed Planning
• Purpose
• Review monitoring data
• Identify extent of impaired waters within the
  watershed
• Identify sources causes of impairments
• Review permit, compliance information in the
  watershed
• Work with Watershed Groups

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IDEM Upper Fall Creek Watershed Work
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Future IDEM Activities

• Continued maintenance of Algae Website
• www.in.gov/idem/algae
• Continued reporting of algae levels
• Work to better understand the circumstances that
  cause algal blooms.

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Questions?

• Bruno Pigott
• Assistant Commissioner
• Office of Water Quality
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management
• 233-2550
• bpigott_at_idem.in.gov