Table Of Content

Refe.ce'^oe^ co?y p\BS ^^^-Ze. FILE COPY LAKEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR LAKE ONTARIO STAGE PROBLEM DEFINITION I: LAKE ONTARIO* DU LAC ONTARIO MAY 1998 ^.eosr,^ IH NewYorkSlate Environment Environnement Ontario Departmentot Canada Canada .^. Environmental MidibltywlIItoLiivifonmonI Conservation il: TABLE OF CONTENTS ExecutiveSummary Chapter1 Introduction 1 1 BackgroundandPurpose 1 1 PhysicalandEnvironmentalFeaturesoftheLakeOntarioBasin 2 1 DemographicsandEconomyoftheBasin 7 1 TheLakeOntarioToxicsManagementPlanand ProgressiontotheLaMP 9 1 ScopeoftheLaMP 10 Human HealthandtheLakeOntarioLaMP 11 DevelopingLaMPEcosystemGoalsandObjectives 16 ManagementStructure 17 Chapter2 PublicInvolvement 19 2.1 Introduction 19 2.2 A LookBack...l988-1995 19 2.3 APublicInvolvementStrategyfortheLakeOntarioLaMP 21 2.4 NextSteps 23 Chapter3 ProblemIdentification 25 3.1 Introduction 25 3.2 IdentifyingLakewideProblemsandCriticalPollutants 26 3.3 LakewideBeneficialUseImpairments 27 3.4 InsufficientInformation forLakewideAssessmentbutImpairedin AreasofConcern 38 3.5 LocalizedImpairmentsinAreasofConcernandOtherNearshoreAreas 40 3.6 UnimpairedBeneficialUses 48 3.7 PollutantstoBeAddressedThroughtheLaMP 48 3.8 Sourcesand LoadingsofCriticalPollutants 50 3.9 Summary 63 Chapter4 ProgressToDate 65 4.1 Introduction 65 4.2 ProgressUnderTheLOTMP 65 4.3 ProgressUnderInitiativesOutsidetheScopeoftheLOTMP 77 4.4 ProgressIn ImprovingFishand WildlifeHabitatand Populations 81 4.5 Environmental Trends intheLakeOntarioEcosystem 84 Chapter5 FutureAgendafortheLaMP 93 5.1 Introduction 93 5.2 Ongoingand FutureBinationalActivities 94 5.3 Ongoingand FutureActivitiesintheU.S 94 5.4 Ongoingand FutureActivitiesinCanada 98 5.5 Binational LaMPWorkplan 101 5.6 Summary 10! LakeOntarioLaMP May1998 Appendices A Glossary B HistoryofLakeOntarioPriorityContaminants C LakeOntarioLetterofIntent D InformationContacts: LaMPManagementTeam,RAPContacts,andLaMPDocument Repositories E LakeOntarioSportfishAdvisories F UpdatedLOTMPCommitmentTable G References H PublicInvolvementProcessforDevelopmentofStage 1 LakeOntarioLaMP ListofTables 1-1 BasinLandUse(%) 8 1-2 ShorelineLandUse(%) 8 3-1 SummaryofLakeOntarioLakewideBeneficialUseImpairmentsand RelatedCriticalPollutantsandOtherFactors 28 3-2 SummaryofBeneficialUseImpairmentsinSixLakeOntarioAreasofConcern(AOC)and OtherNearshoreAreas 41 3-3 PreliminaryEstimatesofLakeOntarioCriticalPollutantLoadingsInformation 51 3-4 EstimatesofAtmospheric,Point,andNon-pointSourceContaminantLoadingsEntering LakeOntarioviaTributaries(Kg/yr) 53 3-5 PreliminaryEstimateofLakewideCritical PollutantsEnteringLakeOntariovia DirectDischargesintheU.S.(1989-1995) 55 3-6 PreliminaryEstimateofLakewideCriticalPollutantsEnteringLakeOntariovia DirectDischargesinCanada(1989-1995) 56 4-1 StatusofRAPDevelopment 77 5 Binational WorkplanfortheLakeOntarioLaMP 102 ListofFigures 1-1 LakeOntarioDrainageBasin 3 1-2 SedimentationBasinsinLakeOntario 4 1-3 LakeOntarioLaMPManagementStructure 18 3-1 Point SourcesDirectlyDischargingtoLakeOntario 54 LakeOntarioLaMP May1998 ) ListofFigures(continued) 3-2 SummaryofNon-pointSourceLoadingsInformation forPCBs(1990-1995) 58 3-3 SummaryofNon-pointSourceLoadingsInformationforTotalDDT(1990-1995) 59 3-4 SummaryofNon-pointSourceLoadingsInformationforMirex(1990-1995) 60 3-5 SummaryofNon-pointSourceLoadingsInformationforDieldrin(1989-1995) 62 4-1 CagedMusselTissueConcentrations(n=l NiagaraRiver, 1993-1995; BloodyRunCreek 68 4-2 CagedMusselTissueConcentrations(mean±SD,N=3) NiagaraRiver, 1985-1995; PettitFlume 68 4-3 LakeOntarioHabitatRestorationProjects 81 4-4 OCSConcentrationson SuspendedSolidsatNiagara-on-the-Lake, 1989-1995 (samplingbegun 1989) 86 4-5 HCBDConcentrationson SuspendedSolidsatNiagara-on-the-Lake, 1986-1995 86 4-6 MirexConcentrationson SuspendedSolidsatNiagara-on-the-Lake, 1986-1995 87 4-7 PCBConcentrationsin SpottailShinersatFortErieandNiagara-on-the-Lake 87 4-8 DioxinanalysesofsedimentfromthemouthoftheNiagaraRiver,takenat variousdepthsbelowthelakebottom,showthatlevelsofthiscontaminant decreasedsignificantlybetween 1960and 1980 88 4-9 TotalPCBcongeneranalysesofsedimentsfromthemouthoftheNiagaraRiver, takenatvariousdepthsbelowthe lakebottom,showthatlevelsofthiscontaminant decreasedsignificantlybetween 1960and 1980 88 4-10 DDEinHerringGull Eggs 90 4-11 PCBsinHerringGull Eggs 90 LakeOntarioLaMP May1998 ACRONYMS AOC AreaofConcern ARCS AssessmentandRemediationofContaminated Sediments ARET AccelerateReduction/EliminationofToxics BCC BioaccumulativeChemicalsofConcern CEPA CanadianEnvironmental ProtectionAct COA Canada-OntarioAgreementRespectingtheGreatLakesBasinEcosystem CSO Combined SewerOverflow CWS Canadian WildlifeService DEO DepartmentofFisheriesandOceans(Canada) EEM Environmental EffectsMonitoring EC EnvironmentCanada GIS Geographic InformationSystem GLIMR GreatLakesInformationManagementResource GLfN GreatLakesInformationNetwork GLRC GreatLakesResearchConsortium GLWCAP (Canada's)GreatLakesWetlandsConservationActionPlan GLWQA GreatLakesWaterQualityAgreement GLWQG GreatLakesWaterQualityGuidance IJC InternationalJointCommission LaMP LakewideManagementPlan LOTMP LakeOntarioToxicsManagementPlan MISA MunicipalandIndustrial StrategyforAbatement MNR OntarioMinistryofNatural Resources MOU MemorandumofUnderstanding MOE OntarioMinistryoftheEnvironment NPDES NationalPollutantDischargeElimination System NRTMP NiagaraRiverToxicManagementPlan NYSDEC NewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation OLMC OnondagaLakeManagementConference OMAFRA OntarioMinistryofAgriculture,Food,andRuralAffairs PAHs PolycyclicAromatic Hydrocarbons PCBs PolychlorinatedBiphenyls PISCES PassiveIn-SituChemical ExtractionSamplers PPA PerformancePartnershipAgreement PSL PrioritySubstancesList RAP RemedialActionPlan RCRA ResourceConservationandRecoveryAct SPDES StatePollutantDischargeElimination System TSDF Transfer,StorageandDisposal Facility USACE U.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers USEPA UnitedStatesEnvironmental ProtectionAgency USF&WS U.S.FishandWildlifeService Note: PleaserefertotheglossaryinAppendixAfordefinitionsoftechnicalterms. Foryourconvenience, eachtermappearingintheglossary isitalicizedthefirsttimeitisused inthetext. LakeOntarioLaMP May1998 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction In 1987, the governments of Canada and the United States made a commitment, as part of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA),todevelopaLakewideManagementPlan(LaMP)foreachof the five Great Lakes. Accordingtothe 1987 Agreement, "LaMPs shall embodyasystematicandcomprehensiveecosystemapproachtorestoring and protecting beneficial uses in ... open lake waters", including consultationwiththepublic. ThisStage 1 LaMP(the"problemdefmition"document)forLakeOntario has been developed by Region II ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Environment Canada (EC), the New York State DepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation(NYSDEC),andtheOntario Ministry ofthe Environment (MOE) (the Four Parties), in consultation with the public. Stages 2 through 4 ofthe Lake Ontario LaMP (the scheduleforloadreductionactivities,selectionofremedialmeasures,and resultsasdocumentedbymonitoring)willbedeveloped,withpublicinput, overthenextseveralyears. Althoughthisdocumentservesasthe Stage 1 document,itincludesinformationfromStages2-4whereavailable(i.e., some remedial measures have been or are being implemented and monitoringprogramshaveindicated improvements). Background Lake Ontario Toxics ManagementPlan and Progression tothe LaMP Inresponsetoanidentifiedtoxicsproblem intheNiagaraRiverandLake Ontario,aNiagaraRiverDeclarationofIntentwassignedonFebruary4, LakeOntarioToxics ManagementPlanGoals: 1987, by the Four Parties. Thisdocument requiredthata Lake Ontario Drinkingwaterandfish ToxicsManagementPlan(LOTMP)bedeveloped. Themainpurposeof ttiataresafefortiuman the LOTMP was to define the toxics problem in Lake Ontario and to consumption. develop and implement a plan to eliminate the problem through both Naturalreproduction, individual andjointagencyactions. The FourPartiesdevelopedadraft wtihtehminosttheseencsoistyisvteenma,tiovfe ToxicsManagementPlanwhichwaspresentedforpublicreviewin 1988. species,suchasbald Thecompleted LOTMPwaspublished in 1989. UpdatesoftheLOTMP eagle,osprey,mink,and werecompleted in 1991 and in 1993. riverotter. The LOTMP identified 11 priority toxic chemicals in the lake and provided information regarding ongoing load reduction efforts. The LOTMP has been the primary binational toxic substances reduction planningeffortforLakeOntario. Assuch,itservesasafoundationforthe developmentoftheLakeOntarioLaMP. InMayof1996,theFourParties signed a Letter of Intent agreeing that the LaMP should provide the binationalframeworkforenvironmentalprotectioneffortsinLakeOntario. LakeOntarioLaMP May1998 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Four Parties have reviewed and incorporated all relevant LOTMP commitments intothisStage I Plan. Scope ofthe LaMP TheLakeOntarioLaMPfocuseson resolving: Lakewide beneficial use impairments as defined in the Great Lakes WaterQualityAgreement(Annex2)anddescribedinChapter3ofthis LaMP; Critical pollutants contributing to, or likely to contribute to, these impairmentsdespitepastapplicationofregulatorycontrols,duetotheir toxicity, persistence in the environment, and/or their ability to accumulateinorganisms; and Physicalandbiologicalproblemscausedbyhumanactivities. TheLaMPwilladdresssourcesoflakewidecriticalpollutants,whichare those substancesresponsible forbeneficial use impairments intheopen lake waters ofboth countries, as well as those substances that exceed RemedialActionPlanswere criteria and are, therefore, likely to impair such uses, which require alsorequiredbytheGLWQA. binational actions for resolution. The Plan will be coordinated with Theseplansaddress RemedialActionPlanswithintheLakeOntariodrainagebasinandother localizedenvironmental problemswithinanAreaof localizedeffortswhicharebestsuitedtoaddress issuesoflocalconcern. Concern(AOC). AOCsare In addition, the Plan will utilize linkages to other natural resource specificgeographicareas management activities, such as the development ofLake Ontario fish wheresignificantpollution community objectives by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the problemshavebeen identifiedasimpairing LakeOntarioCommitteeoffisheriesmanagers. TheLaMPwilladdress beneficialusessuchas impairmentsfoundinopenwatersofthelakeandnearshoreareas,without swimming,eatingfish,or duplicating the efforts oflocalized remedial action plans. Tributaries, drinkingwater. including the Niagara River, are treated as inputs to the lake. The St. LawrenceRiveristreatedasanoutputfromthe lake. In addition to the Lake Ontario LaMP, there are a number of other environmental planning efforts upstream and downstream ofthe Lake Ontario basin. Plans are being implemented for the Niagara River, including Remedial Action Plans in both Canada and the U.S., and a binational Toxics Management Plan. The major sources ofpollutants withinthedownstream St. Lawrence Riverare beingaddressed through threeongoingplanningefforts: CanadianandU.S.RemedialActionPlans fortheSt. LawrenceRiveratCornwalland Massena,respectively,anda St. LawrenceRiverActionPlanforthesectionoftheriverlocated inthe ProvinceofQuebec. LakeOntarioLaMP IVIay1998