STATEMENT ON
WATER POLLUTION IN1 THE LA'.CE ERIE BASTN
Prepared for the Natural Ferources and POWCJ
Subcommittee of the House Con.-,u ttei- on
Goverrapent Operati ens,
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTCUIOR
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
Great If.kes-Illinois River Basins Project
Lske Erie Program Office
Cleveland, Ohio
August 1966
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PREFACE
This statement by the Department of the Interior on water
pollution in the Lake Erie Basin summarizes the principal problems
within the Lake proper and the contributions to those problems by
the various tributaries and direct discharges to the Lake.
Recommendations for renedial action, as agreed upon by the
various states concerned and the Federal Government are contained
herein. The recommendations, when fully implemented, should im-
prove and maintain the quality of Lake Erie water at a level
adequate for all legitimate uses. Implementation requires the full
cooperation arid coordination of water pollution control agencies
at all levels of government.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Sub.ject
1 Introduction
2 Summary
3 Lake Erie
4 Maumee
5 North Central Ohio
6 Greater Clevel3,nd-Cuyahoga
7 Northeastern Ohio
B Pennsylvania
9 New York
10 Michigan
11 Federal Enforcement Activity
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LIST OF FIGURES
After
Number ' ' ILltle Page No.
3-1 Location Map 3-1
3-2 Bottom Deposits and Topography 3-1
3-3 Generalized Surface Current Flow 3-3
3-4 Dissolved Oxygen Bottom Waters 3-11
5-1 North Central Ohio Basin 5-1
5-2 North Central Ohio Municipal Waste
Discharges 5-4
5-3 North Central Ohio Industrial Waste
Discharges 5-6
6-1 Rocky-Cuyahoga - Chagrin Basins 6-1
6-2 Rocky-Cuyahoga - Chagrin Basins 6-2
7-1 Grand-Ashtabula - Conneaut Basins 7-1
7-2 Grand-Ashtabula - Conneaut Basins 7-2
8-1 Pennsylvania Basin 8-1
8-2 Pennsylvania Basin 8-1
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LIST OF TABLES
Number Title Page No.
3-1 Municipal Waste Treatment Facilities 3-14-18
3-2 Industries in Lake Erie 3-20-22
3-3 Industrial Waste Discharges 3-24-26
3-4 Suspended Solids Inputs 3-27
3-5 Chloride Inputs 3-29
3-6 Total Nitrogen Inputs 3-31
3-7 Soluble Phosphate Inputs 3-33
7-1 Northeastern Ohio Municipal Waste
Inputs 7-4
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CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
AUTHORITY
Comprehensive water pollution control studies were authorized
by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1956, as amended
(33 USC 466 et seq,). Initiation of the Great Lakes-Illinois River
Comprehensive Program Activity followed an appropriation of funds by
the 86th Congress late in 1960. In accordance x;ith the provisions of
the Act, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare delegated the
responsibility for the study to the Division of Water Supply and
Pollution Control of the Public Health Service. Passage of the "Water
Quality Act of 1965" gave the responsibility for these studies to the
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (FWPCA). As a result
of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1966, the FWPCA was transferred from
the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to the Department of
the Interior effective May 10, 1966.
PURPOSE
This document discusses the quality characteristics of the
waters of Lake Erie and its tributaries as they exist today and
some of the trends in recent years. It evaluates the effect of
waste discharges on water uses, summarizing the. principal problems
and recommended corrections.
SCOPE
The area covered by this report includes the waters of Lake
Erie proper and the tributary basins in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsyl-
vania. Detailed descriptions of Michigan and New York tributaries
have been the subjects of separate reports and are not discussed
except in very general terms.
ORGANIZATION
After initial funds for the Great Lakes study were appropriated
by Congress in 1960, the overall Great Lakes-Illinois Fiver Basin
Project, and eventually separate Basin Program Offices were estab-
lished. The Lake Erie Program Office at Cleveland, Ohio was opened
in October 1962 to begin the Lake Erie portion of the Great Lakes
study. The Lake Erie Program Office is now located at 21929 Lorain
Road, Cleveland, Ohio. Its permanent staff includes specialists in
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several professional skills, including sanitary and hydraulic
engineers, chemists, biologists, bacteriologists, and oceanographers.
The Program has drawn freely on the resources of the Robert A. Taft
Sanitary Engineering Center at Cincinnati, Ohio and the Communicable
Disease Center at Atlanta, Georgia. Additional, assistance and guidance
in many fields have been obtained from the Great Lskes-Illinois Piver
Basin Project in Chicago.
ACPCNOWLEDOMEJ.TS
The statement is based on studies made over the past three years
by the Lake Erie Program Office, As required by the authorizing
legislation, the Lake Erie Program Office has worked closely with
state, local, and other Federal agencies to develop a water pollution-
control program. A list of the principal agencies which have partici-
pated through preparation of special reports or through their release
of supporting information is as follows:
Michigan:
State Water Resources Commission
Department of Health
Indiana:
State Board of Health
Stream Pollution Control Bosrd
Ohio:
Water Pollution Control Board
Department of Health
Department of Natural Pesources
U. S. Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers
U. S. Department of Commerce
Weather Bureau
Office of Business Economics
U. S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries
Bureau of Outdoor Recreation
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife
Geological Survey
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CHAPTER 2 - SUMMARY
Lake Erie and its tributaries are polluted. The main body
of the Lake is deteriorating; in quality at a rate greater than
that of normal aging due to inputs of pollution resulting free;
the activities of man.
Pollutants which damage water uses in Lake Erie are sewage
and industrial wastes, oils, silts, sediments, floating solids,
and nutrients (phosphates and nitrates). They cause significant
damage to recreation, commercial fishing, sport fishing, navigation,
water supply, and esthetic values.
Eutrophication, or over-fertilization, of Lake Erie and the
Mauraee River is of major concern. Problems from algal growths
stimulated by nutrients are occurring along the Lake shoreline and
at some water intakes. Algal growths can be controlled. Eutrophi-
cation of Lake Erie may be retarded and perhaps even reversed by
reducing one or more nutrients to below the level required for
extensive growth.
Soluble phosphate is the one nutrient most amenable to re-
duction or exclusion from Lake Erie and its tributaries. Present
technology is capable of removing a high percentage of soluble
phosphates from sewage at a reasonable cost.
More than three-fourths of the soluble phosphates reaching
Lake Erie are from municipal waste discharges. (Municipal discharges
include some industrial wastes which are routed through municipal
facilities.) Secondary sewage treatment plants, if properly designed
and operated, will remove a significantly greater amount of phosphorus
compounds that primary treatment plants can remove.
Discharges of municipal and industrial wastes originating in
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York are endangering
the health or welfare of parsons in states other than those in which
such discharges originate. This pollution is subject to abatement
under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
The Mauir.ee, San dusky, Black, Rocky, and Cuyahoga Rivers and
their tributaries, all of which are tributary to Lake Erie in Ohio,
are grossly polluted. This pollution is caused by refuse, sewage,
and sludge which result in low dissolved oxygen, algal growths,
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bacterial contamination, and odors. Other pollutants found in
significant areas of lake Erie tributaries are oil, silt, and sedi-
ment. Specifically, phenols and nitrogenous compounds cause taste
and odor problems in municipal water supplies. Pollution interferes
with water uses for municipal and industrial supply, recreation,
fishing, and esthetic enjoyment.
Lake Erie and its tributary streams in the Pennsylvania Basin
are polluted by discharges of municipal and industrial wastes,
combined sewer overflows, accidental spnlls from vessels and in-
dustries, wastes from Lake vessels, and land drainage. This pol-
lution has caused taste and odor problems in domestic water supplies,
bacteria] contamination of bathing beaches, fish kills, and algal
growths. In addition, wastes which cause the receiving waters to
foam, turn blackish-brown, and have a foul odor have interfered
with recreation and esthetic enjoyment.
Lake Erie and its tributary streams in the western New York
Basin and the Eric-Niagara Basin in New York are polluted by
municipal and industrial wastes. Discharges of those wastes cause
interferences with municipal and industrial supplies, recreation,
fish and aquatic life. In addition, these wastes cause discolora-
tion of the receiving waters, foul odors, and algal growths.
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CHAPTER 3 - LAKE ERIE
DESCRIPTION OF AREA
General Descript ion
Lake Erie is the oldest, southernmost, and warmest of the Great
Lakes. It is by far the shallowest, and the only one with its entire
water mass lying above sea level. Lake Erie contains the smallest
volume of water; it is the raost turbid; it is subject to the widest
fluctuations in water level; it has the. flattest bottom; and it
undergoes the raost violent wave activity. It is also the raost studied
and probably the least understood. At least in recent years, it
apparently has changed the most rapidly in its chemistry and biology.
Lake Erie (Figure 3~1) is approximately 240 miles long with
its long axis oriented at about N 70° E. It is more than 50 piles
wide near the iaid-point of its long axis. The lake covers an area
of 9,940 square miles, and contains a total x.?ater volume of approxi-
mately 113 cubic miles.
Figure 5~2 shows the topography of the Lake Erie bottom, with
a 20-foot contour interval, as interpreted from II. S. Lake Survey
charts and soundings made by the Ohio Division of Geological Survey.
Topographically, Lake Erie is separated into three basins. The
relatively small shallox'/ western basin is separated from the large,
soraewhat deeper, flat-bottomed central basin by a rocky island chain.
The relatively deep, bowl-shaped eastern basin is separated from the
central basin by a low, wide sand and gravel ridge near Erie.Pennsyl-
vania. The average depth of the western basin is 24 feet, the central
basin, 60 feet, and the eastern basin, 80 feet.
In general, the water in the western basin is the most turbid.
It is much less turbid in the central basin and is usually very
clear in the eastern basin.
Hydrology
Precipitation on the lake surface is a direct contribution to
its water supply and the lake level is affected immediately. Overvater
precipitation measurements are lacking; thus perimeter weather station
data must be transposed to the lake area. Average annual precipitation
over the lake has been estimated at 34.6 inches.
3-1
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FIGURE 3-2
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Surface runoff from the drainage area enters the lake via the
w.ny tributary rivers or by direct runoff from the shore areas.
/\vcraj;e annual runoff since 1937 has been estimated at 21,000 cubic
feet per second (cfs), equivalent to 29.1 inches of water over the lake's
surface, and corresponding to 35 percent of the overland precipitation.
About 90 percent of the total inflow to Lake Erie comes from
the Detroit River, the drainage outlet for Lake Huron. The average
annual inflow, as measured by the U. S. Lake Survey near the head of
the Detroit River is 182,000 cfs, equivalent to 251.1 inches of water
on Lake Erie.
The outflow from Lake Erie is through the Niagara River at
Buffalo and the Welland Canal diversion at Port Colborne. Combined
outflow averages about 202,000 cfs annually. Seasonally, both inflow
and outflow are generally higher in the early summer and lower in the
winter.
Evaporation from the lake surface is controlled by climatological
conditions, and it is difficult to assess with confidence. According
to one estimate, it averages annually 33.5 inches. The minim^r; average
monthly evaporation occurs in April when the air-water temperature
difference is snail and the water temperature rises sharply, absorbing
heat from the atnosphere. In September, when the water temperature
decreases sharply, dissipating heat into the atnosphere, the naximur.
average monthly evaporation occurs. The low evaporation season extends
frora January through June, and the high evaporation season is from July
through December,
The variations of lake level on an annual basis are small,
though on a monthly basis they may be relatively large. The average
annual change in lake storage in the period 1937-1959 has been in-
significant and it is therefore uninportant in the computations of
an average annual water budget.
Lake Current^
The net movement of water in Lake Erie is from west to east,
draining into Lake Ontario via the Niagara River. Figure 3~3 shows
the generalized flow pattern within the upper 30 feet.
About 90 percent of the input to Lake Erie is from the
Detroit River, Most of this flow comes down the center of the river,
fanning out and continuing far southward into the western basin.
The flow along the west side of the river continues along the Michigan
shore to mix with the Mauree River discharge. This flow then con-
tinues eastward along the Ohio shore. The flow along the east side
of the Detroit River appears to move eastward along the Canadian shore,
3-2
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The western basin waf.c.r mixes in the island area, and most of
it then drains into the central basin via Pelee Passage. Apparently,
a dominant flow toward the vest exists in the southern channels,
creating a rotary nover.
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FIGURE 3-3
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Canadian portion of the T.ai.e F.rlc i'r?;.n, This is almost three tiues
the 1910 population. Population of the U. S, Portion of the Basin
is expected to double vithlv. the n]y divided he?;wecn Michigan and Ohio.
Counties which have- shown the. morf rapid growth rater, during
the 1950-1'JCO decade include Ma.oomb and 0 a! eland Counties in Michigan,
and Lal;e and Geauga Counties in Ohio, In terns of actual numbers s hov,T-
ever, the largest increases ivere in Oakland, 1'acoiob , and \'ayne Counties
in Michigan; Allen County in Indiana; Eric County in Hew York; and
Cuyaho«a, 5>umit, Lorain, and Lucas Counties in Ohio. These nine.
counties of th^ total of A5 in the Basin accounted for 50 percent of
the 1 950-1 9CO increase in population. P re .sent indications are that
these 3ar;;e riftropol i tan counties will account for ari even greater
share of the total population of the Basin in the future.
fjp 0:101 u'.cs
Industrial activity as rr.aasured by Value Added by Manufacture,
although occurring in substantial voluwe in roost counties, is for
the riost part highly concentrated in a few i..e tropolitan areas. The
leading counties in 1958 wore: Wayne, Michigan; Cuyahoga, Ohio;
F.rie, New York ; Sura, it. , Ohio; Luca^s Ohio; and Oakland and Hacor'b in
Michigan, in the order list rid. These seven counties in 195G accounted
for 75 percent of the total Value Added by Manfacture in the entire
watershed, Ma.nuf acturinj is even i.iore concentrated in c siaal 1 group
of counties t'uan is tho. population. Vhareas the total population of
the x/atershed will i .ore than double by the. year 2020, industrial activity
may increase six- or seven-fold.
The dominant industries in the largest r-etropolitan areas in
this highly industrialized region are as follows:
Automotive and related industry, steel, chemicals, pulp and
paper, petroleun refining, and rubber,
Tcilcdo
Autoi.'.otive , glass, petroleurr refiuing, and steel.
SLcel, steol fabricating, aut emotive , and chei.dcal,
i-A
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*"•r L'!
Pulp and paper, and general Maaufacti-riiir.
jUi_f f al_o
Steel, cha'.aicalj automotive, p'.Op and paper, Portland ceir.er.t,
flour railing, and electrical equip'^eat.
i^POP.TAatT. OF LA::K KRTF. Af; A I;.Y;TR PKSOUJTK
Lake Erie is u;:ed as a source of i.unicipal water supply by
27 waterworks serving, uany i.u'iicipali ties. Thor-r r.unicipal syster.s
scrvv lore th.aa 3,2 rillioa peoplf, sac' a nu^her of industrial
fin .s, with s o;:>? 61cj uillioa Callous par day.
A suDi.iary by states shewing the riin'-'ber of rau-icipa] i ties,
population served, and estimated \-ater u:;a; >> i:- f-iven below. The
Ohio portion of the 7>c.r,jr< account.", fo7~ r.bcul" t\,a%-tliirds of the use.
I-Iu'ilicr of F.Rtr'.i.'ated Estj-iated
!lnr,icifial Population V/ster Us5;;e
Ohio
llichi«an
Pennsylvania
New York.
27 3,257,000 619
I n du r, t r i a 1 \ 1 a t '.• r I
6
2
1
8
2,239
2 "'•
160
&°»5
,OOU
,000
,000
,U.JO
A09
3
/;4
163
Industries uf.c an er-;tiru-ite'.l 6,7 Milieu ^f 1 lc'-is of water
daily fron Lake Erie. Ar the tahulation belcv- shows, pc-er pro-
duction (cooling water) recounts for sore CO percent of the in-
duEtrial withdrawals, Hater used fcn~ otlier iadustr.ial cooling
accounts for appi 'ixiisately 15 perr.cnt . / ppro:-:ii:ately 100 i.dll ion-
gallons per day (r,[;d) is vri th''rar-at directly hy industries as
process water. In add.itlou, r-n tnikr.ei/r. apiount of industrial
process \:ater is obtained fro/i v.umic'ipa] supplies.
S_tate_
Ohio
Michi j;rn
Pennsylvania
New York
Total
Incus trial
'.."ithdiiraxral
(v--d)
2,210
337
170
2,020
Ar.ount Used
for Power
(r.rd)
1,920
190
140
1,'-,00
Ar-ount Usec
for Cooling
(r^:c) _
270
o
20
350
•;
4,717 3,850 642
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L•:!•:o Eric Corinerce
Lake Erie is fourth in size of the five Great Lakes, but
its total freight tonnage of 107.5 million tons was second only
to that of Lake Huron in 1962.
The domestic shipping in 1962 on Lake Erie was 74.7 million
tons, or 70 percent of the total tonnage. Domestic shipping
included all commercial movements between points in the conti-
nental United States. The foreign shipping (93 percent Canadian)
was 32.8 million tons, 30 percent of the total. In ton-mileage,
Lake Erie accounted for 12.6 billion ton-miles,
Lake Erie has eleven major U. S. ports: Toledo, Detroit,
Cleveland, Buffalo, Ashtabula, Lorain, Sandusky, Conneaut, Fairport,
Erie, and Huron. During the period from 1953 to 1962, eight of
these ports have sho:«*n a decline in total tonnage. In 1964, the
Corps of Engineers dredged about 3.3 million cubic yards frcm Lake
Erie ports at a cost of about $1.2 million for routine maintenance
of navigation channels.
Lake Erie has few long vide sand beaches. The best beaches
are at Catawba Island; Cedar Point at Sandusky; and Erie, Pennsylvania,
These highly developed recreational areas attract thousands of people
each year. The beaches in most other areas are relatively narrow.
Some cities, such as Cleveland, have developed artificial beaches in
order to serve the people in the area.
Lake Erie is used extensively for other recreational purposes
such as fishing and boating. There are ninny boat launching ramps
along the lake shore; and therefore,it is possible for people froin
a wide area to use the resource. A large number of boats are trailered
to various sites each weekend, many from outside the area. Due to
this fact, it is difficult to determine exactly how many boats &re
actually using the Lake. However, an estimate can be made by total-
ing the boats registered in the counties near the Lake. This is '
the basis for the second column in the tabulation below.
Ohio
Michigan
Pennsylvania
New York
*Estinsate mack
Total State
Boat Registration
(1964)
142,922
362,112
78,359
335,000*
Estimated ^umber
73,000
79,000
6,000
34,000
918,393 192,000
by State of New York, Department of Conservation
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Commercial fishing has been practiced in Lake Erie for nore than
a. century and a half. It has always produced nore fish and a greater
variety of fish than the other Great Lakes. However, dramatic
changes have occurred during the past; 30 to 60 years. The species
cor.position has varied greatly, and the annual harvest has diminished.
Lake herring practically vanished around 1890, and whitefish have
declined greatly since about 1920. Lake trout, which never reached
great nuubers, are practically non-existent today. The blue pike, a
highly desirable species, declined froin a peak annual U. S. catch of
20 million pounds in 1936 to a meager 7,400 pounds in 1960. Sauger
also declined sharply from a U. S. c^tch of about 6 million pounds
in 1916 to alnost none in I960.
The importance of sport fishing in Lake Erie is reflected in the
numbers of fishermen and in the. annual harvest of sport fishes. In
the counties bordering Lake Erie, nore than one-half million fishing
licenses were issued in 1964. Presi inrely, a good r.mr.y of those people
fish in Lake Erie. According to a 1964 ?"eport by the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources, boat paglers in 1960 harvested 1,300,000 pounds
of fish. During that year, the Ohio conr.ercial catch was 1,290,000
pounds. Species that predominated the sport harvest were yellow perch,
sheepshend, white bass, Si-.oll-movth bass, channel catfish, and
walleyes. The highest intensity of sport fishing was in the island
area. Fishing pressure is also heavy in the Michigan and Pennsylvania
waters.
LAK7, KUTROPUICATIO:;
Lake Enrichment
Eutrophicaticn is a tern: that is increasingly used to r.ean
enrichment of waters through either nan-created or natural means.
Natural enrichment produces a rate of lake aging that may be
measured only by the clock of" geologic time. Additional fertili-
zation will accelerate the rate of lake aging, making noticeable
changes in w^ter quality within a decade or even less. For exar-ple,
growing cities aud expanding industries are pouring nutrients into
tlie nation's waterways at an ever-increasing rate, and aquatic weed
and algne nuisances ?re occurring in areas where they did not exist
before.
To the layman, the most perceptible characteristics are nuisance
growths of suall suspended plants or algal scuns, developing areas
of attached algae, and odors associated with decaying vegetation.
Here subtle changes can be found by the investigator as indicated by
3-7
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decreased light penetration; decreased dissolved oxygen in bottom
waters; increased nitrogen ?nd phosphorus concentrations in the
bettor: sediments in the deeper witers; significant increases and
c.h r,r. gr-. =; in the algal population; and increases in the kinds and
nui.-crs oT bottot.i dwelling c: -ga
There are many elements that are essential to life processes.
Among these are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus,
pot.-u;siuta; sulfur , and several trace r.inr.rals . Nitrogen, phos-
phorus, and potassium are the elements nost often applied as
fertilizer in agricultural practice. Of the above elements, the
one:-' nost amenable to artificial control as inputs to lakes are
nitrogen and phosphorus — particularly phosphorus. Phosphorus in
the foni of phosphate is usually present only in snail amounts in
unpolluted water. The discharges of dories tic sewage and certain
industrial wastes increase the concentration of phosphate. Organic
phosphate in sewage and sinple and cor.plex phosphates frora synthetic
detergents are the principal sources. Decomposition of the organic
material, along with soluble phosphates, results in phosphate con-
centrations in the Lake higher than the requirement for plant growth.
It is well documented that many lakes throughout the country
have been fertile reservoirs for algal development for many years
and have been labeled eutrophic. Included among these, arc Lake
Zoar in Connecticut, Lake Sebastioook in Maine, the Madison Lakes
in Wisconsin, Lake Erie, the Detroit Lakes in Minnesota, Green
Lake rnd Lake Washington in Washington, and Klanath Lake in Oregon.
Of these, Lake Erie is the largest.
When the. concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and soluble
phosphate exceed 0.3 r.ig/1 arid 0.03 mg/1, respecitvely , prior to
the algal growiiig season and when other growth conditions such as
light, temperature, tuiimlcnce, and turbidity are favorable, algal
blooius develop. Those algae that would usually occur in small
numbers in infertile lakes become supplanted by larger populations
of more troublesome kinds.
As nutrient concentrations increase, the numbers of algal
cells increase. Nuisance conditions occur, such as surface scuris
and f oul-sraelling water. Filter-clogging problens r.ay occur at
municipal water supplies. Filamentous algae, especially Cl^dorhor^,
grew profusely on suitable subsurfaces. They, too, cause nuisance
conditions when they break loose and wash ashore at bathing beaches
to fom windrows of stinking, vegetation. Growths of filamentous
algae and sliue.r, hauper con icrcial fishir.f. by adhering to acts,
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and interfere with municipal and industrial water supplies by clogging
intake screens.
At this stage of eutrophication, other changes occur in the Lake.
The bottom changes by increased deposition of organic material; this
habitat then changes from one suitable for mayfly nymphs, scuds, and
other small organisms favored as food by desirable fish to one where
only sludgeworms and bloodworms can exist. Fish populations change
to the coarser species because the habitat is more favorable to them.
Nutrient concentrations in Lake Erie indicate that soluble
phosphate values in the western basin consistently exceed the stated
critical value during studies in 1963 and 1964 with average concentra-
tions ranging fron 0.05 to 0.15 rig/1. The central and eastern basins
now have phosphate concentrations at the critical threshold value and
any increase in present levels will produce a corresponding increase
in algal populations.
Water clarity as demonstrated by Secchi disc readings indicates
that visibility of the white and black disc extends through 4 feet
in the western basin, and through 13 feet in both the central and
eastern basins. Because this test measures relative turbidity caused
by a combination of algae and other suspended material, it indicates
undesirable changes in the western basin.
The biology of the western Lake Erie basin has changed drastically
during the past 35 years, especially the past 15 years. In the Bass
Island area, samples collected in September, 1964 showed suspended algal
populations of 3,500 organisms per millilLter (about 3.5 million per
quart) compared to a maximum 1,000 per milliliter found in a study
conducted between 1938 and 1942. Species composition has also changed
from one predominantly of diatoms to one presently dominated by blue-
green algae which are common to enriched waters.
A long-term progressive increase in suspended algal populations
is also apparent from data published for the area adjacent to Cleveland
in the central basin of Lake Erie. Annual averages have increased
from 200 to 400 cells per milliliter between 1920 and 1930 to between
1,500 and 2,300 cells at the present tir.c. Also, there have been sig-
nificant changes in dominant organisms with blue-green algal forms
becoming increasingly present even in this area.
Although historical data are not available for the suspended
algae of the eastern basin, Public Health Service studies in 1963 and
1964 revealed that the kinds are similar to those that occurred in the
3-9
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central basin, and that the number of cells per riilliliter ranged
from 100 to 1,300 with an average of about 400 during the sampling
period.
The filamentous green -alga Cljidophora is encouraged by enriched
waters to grow on any suitable attachment site. When it natures, •
it characteristically breaks loose, floats to the water surface, and
creates an odorous nuisance when deposited on beaches by wind and
waves. An estinated 340 square miles of Lake Erie has shoal waters
with a subsurface suitable for ^Ijadjjj^hora growth. Nuisance conditions have
become so serious that restricted swimming and sunbathing have occurred
in the island area and at the beaches in the eastern basin, especially
east of Erie, Pennsylvania and near Dunkirk, New York.
The four groups of bottom-dwelling animals that occur abundantly
in Lake Erie include sludgeworms, bloodworms, and fingernail clams,
all of which are found in a lake bed covered by decaying organic
ooze; and scuds which prefer a relatively clean lake bed. Of the
four groups, scuds are preferred as food by the more desirable fish
species. Although all of these organisms were found in all three basins
of Lake Erie, there was a difference in the relative abundance of each.
In the western basin, sludgeworms and bloodworms were predominant
in three large areas. One area extended from the Detroit River mouth
southward for more than ten miles. Another fan-shaped area extended
from the mouth of the Maumee River for a distance of ten miles. The
third area extended about 4 miles lakeward from the mouth of the River
Raisin.
Sludgewcrris, bloodworms, and fingernail clams predominated in
the bottom populations in almost the entire western two-thirds of
the central basin. In the. eastern third of the central basin, as in
the eastern basin, scuds were the predominant animals.
The present biological conditions are in sharp contrast to the
kinds of bottopi-dwelling organisms that lived in the x-:estern basin in
past years. Prior to 1953, burrowing mayfly nymphs were the predominant
bottom organisms. In September 1953 the western basin became thermally
stratified and dissolved oxygen was depleted in the deeper waters,
Great numbers of mayflies were killed. Although some areas were re-
populated by mayflies in 1954, the overall distribution of these important
fish food organisms declined year by year, and by 1959 only a few
organisms could be found. During this same period, the caddirffly,
another desirable fish food organism, virtually disappeared from the
deeper waters surrounding the islands. Sludgeworus and bloodworms
3-lo
-------
have supplanted the mayflies and caddisflies as the predominant
bottom-dwelling animals. Restoration of mayfly and caddisfly popula-
tions vill not be possible as long as periodic depletion of dissolved
oxygen occurs.
The above biological evidence indicates a general degradation of
Lake Erie fron east to west, reflecting the major influence of the
large sources of waste at the west end of the Lake.
'^J PS_olved Oxygen Defi^t in the Bottom Uaters
Lew dissolved oxygen concentrations were detected in the bottom
waters of the central basin as early as August 1929 when DO values
of 4.4 and 4.8 rag/I were recorded nt two stations in the central
basin. A low value of 0,8 ing/I vas measured at one station near
Marblehead, Ohio in August 1930,
Low PO values fron 1948 through 1951 of 2 to 4 ir.g/1 were recorded,
and in September 1959 the DO was found to be less than 3 mg/1 in a
large area of the central basin bottcn water. A survey in August 1960
revealed a similarly large area where the DO was less than 3 mg/1.
One zero DO was recorded in August 1959 near the south shore.
In August 1964, an area of about the same magnitude was found
where the DO concentrations were even lover (Figure 3~4) • Host of
the affected area had DO values of 2 mg/1 or less. This area was
about 2,600 square miles, or about 25 percent of the entire Lake.
In summary, late sumiver dissolved oxygen values in the bottom
(hypolinnion) waters of the central basin of Lake Erie appear to have
decreased during the past 35 years fror. about 5 mg/1 to less than
2 mg/1, with many parts near zero.
This change is caused largely by lake enrichment and thermal
stratification of water. As explained earlier, the Lake is enriched
by the introduction of such materials as nitrogen and phosphorus,
which encourage plant growth. Thermal stratification occurs when the
upper layer of the lake water becomes one temperature, a lover layer
of water becomes a different temperature, and a third layer of water
called the themocline is sandwiched between them. The thermocline is
the layer where a sharp temperature differential exists.
During summer stratification, the upper water layer is as much
as 163C higher than, the bottom layer, A density barrier is thus
created between the upper and lower water and no mixing occurs between
3-11
-------
FIGURE 3-4
-------
ths two /.ones. Plant material sinks to the botton and decays, using
oxyr-.cu which cannot be replenished frr.ui above and oxygen depletion
OCCi;r.t; .
Tap western basin decs not be cone stratified except during periods
of cclr: because it is so shallow that wind-induced turbulence creates
t'ioro'.:;v. nixing frou~. surface to botton.
Both the central and eastern ba."ins do become stratified, usually
fro:-; June to October. A serious dissolved oxy;:rn deficit does not
develop in the eastern basin because it is nuch deeper than the central
basin. The thariaocline , or middle layer of water, lovers quickly
in the cent rcil basin as stratification is established until it is about
50 feet below the surface. The lover layer of water in the central
basin bccor.es thin, sonatinas only £ to 10 feet thick. At the sane
tiue, the eastern basin, which is about 150 feet deep, r.ay have a
cold botton Iryer 100 foet thick. The oxygen supply in the central
basin is obviously ruch less than in the eastern basin and is depleted
r.rach riore rapidly.
The cent)",'5] basin is ncij.icent to the western basin where tr.cte
are lar^e inputs of VoSteL and where the heaviest: ~rovths of svispenced
algae occur. The overall ersterly I'.over'cnt of water i:iay carry scr;e of
this L.aterirl to the quictei vaters of the central basin v.-licre it
settles to the rotton.
There are sever."! opinions as to the declina of ccnniercial fich-
inj; in Lake Lrie. Ohio co^rercial f '.fshcivt.ti tend to blane Oliio
fishiuf, re£ul rticns that lisve reouired tb.en to use larger nesh nets
than the Canadians use. They also believe thrt sport fishcrr.cn and
pollution have contributed to their problems.
SOP.C fishery biologists r.r.ree in pait with the Ohio comnercial
fisherr.,en, but take a norc cax-tions viev. They recognize that the
dyneirics of fishery biolopy allows for population ar.d species con--
position fluctuation:;, ar.J are well cware that natural clianj;es occur
even in rerota x.'ildcrness Irlu^s. Tiie fishery biologist is al?o cog-
nizant of the changes in vater quality end species composition that
have resulted fron rirn's activities. Studies of hake F^rie water
quality date back to Civil War tines, and reliable records are avail-
able for the past 50 years, Thosr records show a sharp rise in
certain r.:iner;:l constituents such as chlorides and sulfates during
this period, and particularly in the prst 30 years. Presuriakly ,
3 "12
-------
other materials such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic suspended
solids have increased comparably. Xnrked changes in the bottom
fauna of western Lake Erie occurred about 20 years ago. "any biologists
believe these changes vere caused by organic sedimentation and scrue-
ti: os by dissolved oxygen deficits. If this is so, the Detroit,
"on roe, and Toledo areas are the likely pollution sources.
Fish species composition has also been affected by the introduction
of carp and snelt; and by the introduction of alevife and lamprey,
which gained entry to the Great Lakes through the Uelland Canal and
the New York State Barge Canal.
Smelt and alewife populations have increased greatly within the
past 10 years. Unfortunately their market value is less than the fonrer
predominant species. Perch have also increased and are now the prin-
cipal Lake Erie commercial species. Whether perch will remain so is
problematical.
WASTE INPUTS TO LAKE ERIE
Municipal sewage and industrial wastes are the principal pollution
materials discharged continuously into the waters of Lake Erie, These
waste sources, along with other sources such as land runoff; combined
sever overflow; wastes from lake vessels, barge tows and pleasure craft;
and materials from dredging operations are all adding to the pollution
of the Lake by direct discharge or by increasing the tributary loadings
of rivers draining into the Lake,
Municipal Wastes
Approximately 10 million people inhabit communities throughout the
Lake Erie Basin. These cormunities discharge their waste directly into
Lake Erie or into rivers tributary to it. Table 3-1 shows the. approximate
unsewered and sewered populations discharging into the various rivers
from each stace bordering the Lake. The table also shows the decree of
treatment, primary and/or secondary, received by the sewered population.
Population equivalents are given of the sewered industrial loads as well
as the municipal loads.
About 79 percent of the total municipal waste in Ohio-Lake Erie
Basin receives secondary treatment. About 3.5 percent of the population
is not served by sewer systems.
3-13
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3-18
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In the Michigan Basin, almost the entire population is in and
around Detroit. The Detroit primary sewage treatment plant serves
about 3.1 million people. While 94 percent of the southeastern
Michigan population is severed, only 11 percent of the total popula-
tion receives secondary treatment.
In New York, the wastes fror.i 78 percent of the total population
receives primary treatment. The Cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls,
and part of Tonawand? have sewage treatment plants that five only
primary trcatnent. These three cities serve over a million of the
1.2 million people receiving primary treatment,
The wastes from almost 100 percent of the sewered population in
Pennsylvania receive secondary treatment. The City of Erie is the
largest city in Pennsylvania whose discharge reaches Lake Erie. Its
sewage treatment plant discharges directly into the Lake and it pro-
vides treatment for 173,000 population equivalent (PE) or about 90
percent of the total.
Industrial vaste information in this report was obtained fron
records of the Michigan Water Resources Commission, Indiana Stream
Pollution Control Board, Ohio Department of Health, Pennsylvania
Sanitary Water Board and New York Water Pollution Control Board,
Industrial Waste Sources
State Classification (1965)
State Adequate Iiigcjec^uaje Jnaiox.Ti
Ohio 116 36 9
Indiana 92-
Michigan 49 19 8
Pennsylvania 522
New York 347
Total 182 63 26
The above tabulation shows that there are 271 known sources
of industrial wastes that discharge to the Lake and tributaries,
The states have classified about 23 parcent of these industries as
having inadequate treatment facilities. The adequacy of an addi-
tional 10 percent of the industries has not been determined. Table
3-2 lists the total number of industries in each major subbasin in 1965.
The individual industries are listed in the following chapters,
3-19
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-------
Tai'le 3-3 lists the industrial establishments that discharge directly
tr t.ie L.-'ke or to the lower rivers in the lake-affected areas. This
r •".-'-iiti- .-'bout 20 percent of total industrial discharges in the Basin.
r>:~ (:';-':-r 53 industries, 22 were reported to have inadequate treatment
; : j ' . Ks by the state agencies in 1965.
!_:.- u~ ; oj flon_sti tuen 1 3
The waste substances thrt are discharged to the Lal:e from municipal
and industrial outfalls, tributaries, and land drainage are many, and
their effects on water uses are varied, Many substances such as acid,
oil, cyanide, iron, colifom bacteria, phenol, and oxygen-consuning
iraterials have severe effects on water uses in the localities of the
discharge. These will be dealt with in discussions of local water
UKC problems and damages.
Those substances that have damaging effects on the water use of
the total waters of the Lake are suspended solids (sediment) , carbona-
ceous oxygen consuming materials, nitrogen compounds and soluble phos-
phate. A discussion of chlorides and dissolved solids is also included
here, not because they have reached damaging concentrat: ens , hut be-
cause their dramatic increases are indicative of the rate at which
water quality has been degraded. Tables 2~4 through 3 ~7 present
summaries of the uajor known inputs to Lake Eric of suspended solids,
chlorides, nitrogen compounds, and soluble phosphates,
Damage to Lake Erie resulting from suspended natter entering
from waste discharges and tributaries are dependent on the nature
of the material. Suspended natter from municipal discharges is
primarily organic and its deposition results in enriched bottom nuds
or sludge banks whose effects arc largely local end can be corrected
by proper treatment for removal of these wastes. Suspended matter
from certain industries and the material fror. tributaries originating
as land runoff is largely inorganic and its effects en settling result
in the filling of harbors, enbayments, ship channels and the Lake.
The principal sources of suspended solids discharged to Lake
Erie are the Detroit, llaumee, Cuyahoga and Orand Ilivers which
represent a total of 11,000,000 pounds per day of known discharges.
The Detroit River, because of its large volume, constitutes the
najor source or 73 percent of this total, the Maumee 13.5 percent,
the Cuyahoga 4.0 percent, and the Grand 3 percent. Table 3~4 lists the
known sources of suspended solids.
3-23
-------
TABLE 3-3
LAKE ERIE
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
MICHIGAN
Detroit Edison
EnrJ co-Fermi Station
OHIO
Standard Oil Co.
Gulf Oil Co.
Interlake Iron
Sun Oil Co.
Toledo Edison
Llbbey-Owens Fords
Allied Chemical
U. S, Steel Corp.
Republj c Steel
Bolt & Nut Div.
Mill Scale
Standard Oil Corp.
#1
#2
U. S. Steel Corp.
Blast Furnace
Pickling
Mill Scale
E. I. DuPont
Republic Steel
Coke Plant
Blast Furnace
Rolling Mill
Pickling
L Steel Corp.
Pickling
Blast Furnace
Mill Scale
Statc Cla Rsi f ica 11 on
Status
Type of
Waste
Direct to Lake Erie
Power
Kaumee River (0 - lU.9 Miles)
' Oil Refinery
Oil Refinery
Steel
Oil Refinery
Pover
Glass Momrf&cture
Plastics
Black River (0 - 10.2 Miles)
Steel
Cujahoge River (0 - 6.6 Miles)
Steel
Acid Iron I
Oil Refinery
I
Steel
I
I
I
I
Chemical
Steel
I
I
I
I
Required
Improvements
Solids
Pickling Liquor
Oil and phenol
Solids
Pickling Liquor
Solids
Metals
Solids - Increase
Efficiency-
Oil & Solids -
Increase Efficiency
Pickling Liquor
Pickling Liquor
f
f
-------
TABLE 3-3 (Continued)
LAKE ERIE
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
State Classification
Industry
Harshaw Chemical Co.
Sherwin-vJillieras
Elco Lubricant Corp
Diamond Alkali Co,
U, S. Rubber Co.
Type of
Waste
Chemicals
Chemical
Oil
Status
I
I
Grand River (0-2.3 Miles)
Chemical
Chemical
Ashtabula River (0 - 3.3 Miles)
Olin Mathieson Chemical
Cabot Titania Corp. Chemical
Titania Dioxide Plant Chemical
Titania Tetrachloride Chemical
Detrex Chemical Ind. Chemical
Reactive Metals Chemical
Sodium & Chlorine
Plant
Metal Reduction
Plant
Extrusion Plant
Diamond Alkali Co. Chemical
General Tire & Rubber Co, Chemical
Direct to leke Erie
Aluminum & Magnesium Metals
Co., Sandusky, Ohio
United States Gypsum Paper
Gypsum
Cleveland Electric Power
Illuminating Co.
Avon Lake
Eastlake
Ashtabula
Ohio Edison Co.
Lorain
The Lubrizol Corp.
Wickliffe
Thompson Ramo Woolridge
Euclid
Power
Chemical
Metal Finishing
Required
Improvement s
Reduction of metallic
salts
Acids & Alkaline Sludges
Acids & Alkaline Sludges
Solids - pH
Solids
Solids
Solids - Chloride
Iron Hydrocarbon
Solids
Solids and pH
Solids
Solids
Solids
Solids
Metals Reduction
3-25
-------
Industry
Industrial Rayon Co.
Painesville
Union Carbide Corp.
Metals Division
Ashta"bu]a
Itetrex Chemicel Ind.
Chloro-Alkali
Plant
Ashtabula
PENNSYLVANIA
Hammermill Paper Co.
Erie, Pa.
Interlake Iron Corp.
Erie, Pa.
Pennsylvania Electric
Erie, Pa.
NEW YORK
Bethlehem Steel Co.
Lackavanna
Perm-Dixie Cement Co.
Lackavanna
TABLE 3-3 (Concluded)
IAKE ERIE
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
Type .of
Waste
Textile
Steel Acid-iron
Chemical
Status
I
State Classification
Required
Improvement s
Metals Reduction
Direct to Lpke Erie
Paper
Metal
Flyash
I
I
Direct to Lake Erie
Steel
Inorganic Solids I
I - Inadequate Treatment
3-26
-------
TABLE 3-4
SUSPENDED SOLIDS INPUTS TO LAKE ERIE
Source Pounds/Day
MICHIGAN
Discharge by
Detroit River 8,600,000
Huron River 10,000
Raisin River 1*8,000
OHIO
Maumee River 1,600,000
Portage River 130,000
Sandusky River 130,000
Black River 73,000
Rocky River . 64,000
Cuyahoga River 1^90,000
Chagrin River 70,000
Grand River 360,000
Ashtabula River 15,000
NEW YORK
Buffalo River _ 100,000
TOTALS — Major Known Sources 11,710,000
3-27
-------
About 1.5 million pounds of the Detroit River discharges are
frou industrial and municipal sources. The Maurice discharges are
largely silt originating froir. land runoff. The greatest quantity
is released during periods of heavy rain and high runoff, therefore
control nust be instituted. through improvements in land use practices
on the -watershed. The Cuyahoga discharges are believed to be largely
of industrial origin with sor/e contribution fron municipal wastes
and land runoff. This load on the Cleveland harbor and channels-
results in severe discoloration end. the need for frequent dredging.
The Crsnd River sources are believed to be similar to the Cuyahoga.
Carbonaceous oxygen-consur.ing raterinls , usually Treasured by
the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (30Dtr) are generally considered
direct pollutants to streams in that they depress dissolved oxygen
levels. This ira-ediate effect is not evident in lakes such as Lake
Erie. However, BOIV is a measure of wastes that are used by
bacteria in cell growth and reproduction, thereby creating sludge
which settles to the lake bcttcn. Thus BOD^ is a measure of wastes
which produce the sai..e end effect as nutrients, as discussed below.
Carbonaceous BODr of wastes is most effectively rc-noved. by secondary
treatment.
Chloride
The concentration of chloride in the headwaters of the Detroit
River averaged 7 ng/1, 22 r.ig/1 at the Detroit River nouth, and 23
ng/1 at Buffalo, A threefold increase within the length of the
Detroit. River completely overshadows the siaall increase within Lake
Erie. Major known sources of input are the municipal and industrial
contributaions at Detroit, about 3 million pounds per day, the Crand
River, 2.2 million pounds per day, and the ITaunee end Cuyahoga, 1 mil-
lion pounds per day. Table 3-5 lists the known chloride inputs to
Lake Erie.
A large input of chloride frcn street and highway salting
for ice control during winter drains to the Lake through runicipal
sewers and tributaries, Salt use for this purpose in 1964 in the
Basin was at least 800,000 tons, which could represent an increase
of at least 2.4 ng/1 to the chloride level of Lake Erie.
Historical data indicate that concentration of chloride in
Lake Erie was 7 iag/1 at the beginning of this century. At that
-------
TABLE, 3-5
CHLORIDE INPUTS TO LAKE ERIE
Source
MICHIGAN
Head of Detroit River
Additions to Detroit River (incl.Canada)
Discharges "by
Huron River
Raisin River
OHIO
Discharges "by
Maumee River
Portage River
Sandusky River
Black River
Rocky River
Cuyahoga River
Chagrin River
Grand River
Ashtalnala River
Municipalities
Toledo
Sandusky
Lorein-Avon
Lakewood
Cleveland-Westerly
Cleveland-Easterly
Euclid
Industrial --Direct to Lske—Ohio
PENNSYLVANIA
Municipalities
Erie
Small sources
Industrie 1
NEW YORK
Buffalo River
Other sources
CANADA (other than Detroit River)
Sum of Known Sources
Discharged at Niagra River
Pounds/Day
6,500,000
11,500,000
90,000
1^0,000
,000
100,000
170,000
170,000
110,000
660,000
60,000
,200,000
20,000
80,000
7,000
17,000
10,000
37,000
1^0,000
1^,000
unknown
12,000
unknown
70,000
4,000
22,551,000
25,100,000
3-29
-------
time, a noticeable increase was observed. Concentrations have doubled
in each successive twenty-year period, resulting in the present-day
level of 23 mg/1.
Pissolved: Solids
Dissolved solids concentrations at the head of the Detroit River
average 1?,6 mg/1 and at Buffalo 192 mg/1. These levels represent
daily inputs of 13.6 million pounds per day from the watershed above
Detroit and a discharge of 210 raillion pounds per day to the Niagara
River from Lake Erie.
The concentration of dissolved solids in Lake Huron has remained
fairly constant at 110 to 115 tfg/1 since 1900, whereas the increase in
Lake Erie at Buffalo in the same period was from 115 to 192 mg/1.
Kitrqgcn_Compounds
The major known sources of nitrogen compounds entering Lake Erie
are listed in Table 3-6. The largest, input is the Detroit River, which
consists of the nitrogen residual from the upper Great Lakes and the
contributions from the Detroit metropolitan area. Other important
sources are the Maumee and Cuyahoga Rivers and the discharges at Toledo
and Cleveland.
The origin of these materials in waste discharges is largely
from organic wastes, wioh sixeaMe contributions frcra specific manufac-
turers of ammonia and nitrogen salts. Except for local effects of dis-
charges of these materials, the principal effect on Lake Erie is that
of fertilization. However, the institution of secondary treatment will
significantly reduce nitrogen inputs and thereby aid in the control of
local problems as well as reduction in total inputs to the Lake,,
Soluble Phosphate
Phosphorus, in its inorganic form of orthophosphate (PO^) is
an essential element of life. As such, it is used extensively as an
agricultural fertilizer. Therefore, it is difficult to implicate this
substance as a pollutant since it has so many beneficial qualities, but
it is recognized seriously for its effect on the biology of lakes and
streams.
3-30
-------
TABLE 3-6
TOTAL KITROCE:; INPUTS TO LAKE
Source Founds/Day
MICHIGAN
Discharge by
Detroit Fiver 500,000
Huron River 1,600
Raisin River 3,800
OHIO
Tributaries
Ilaumee River 65,000
Portage River 19,600
Sandusky River *
Black River 13,200
Rocky River *
Cuyahor^i River 52,100
Chagrin River *
Grand River 4,000
AfehtaLula River *
Municipalities
Toledo 40,000
Sandusky 3,500
Lorain-Avon 8,700
Lakexvooc! 5,200
Cleveland-Westerly 19,000
Cleveland-Easterly 71,000
Euclid 6,900
Industrial—Direct to Lake *
PENNSYLVANIA
Erie 12,000
NEW YORK
Buffalo River
Other Sources
CANADA (Other than Detroit River) *
Gun of Known Inputs 821,700
*Unknovn
3-31
-------
Because phosphate is so important to life, it can become a
controlling factor in the rate of £routh or size of crop, and under
conditions of limited abundance cs prevail in Lake Erie, it is the one
factor most easily controlled.
Excessive phosphate in Lake Erie results in hij;h production of
algae followed by decay of this organic natter. The decay, in turn,
produces zones of oxygen depletion in bottom x;aters in summer.
Phosphate inputs from principal sources are presented in Table 3-7.
Of the total of 174,000 pounds of soluble phosphate discharged fro:.;
known sources daily, 67 percent is from municipal and industrial sources
discharging directly to the L?ke, and 33 percent from tributaries
(including the St. Clair River) and other small sources. The St. Clair
River input is 6.8 percent of this total.
A 65 percent reduction of phosphate input can be achieved through
secondary sewage treatment, operated to effect optimum phosphate
removal. The major controllable sources and the amount of reduction
that can be achieved by the secondary treatment described above are
listed belou:
Detroit
Toledo
Sandusky
Lorain-Avon
Lakewood
We s t e rly
Easterly
Euclid
Erie
A3,500 pounds per da\
2,900
700
1,700
600
3,500
6,800
1,300
1,300
80% reduction
Michigan Industry
64,300
S.OOO
Total Reduction
72,300 pounds per day
Thus, at least 40 percent; of present FO/ input (174,000 pounds
per day) can be removed by secondary treatment at. the principal waste
sources. The reduction rate, based on present-day factors, trust be
constantly improved in order to overcome increases in phosphate load-
ings resulting from population, industrial, and agricultural growth.
3-32
-------
TABLE 3-7
SOLUBLE PHOSPHATE INPUTS TO IAKE ERIE
Source
Pounds/Day
MICHIGAN
Discharge from Take Huron
Municipal
Industrial
Tributaries
Huron River
Raisin River
OHIO
Municipalities
Toledo
Sandusky
Lorain-Avon
lakevood
Cleveland Westerly
Cleveland Easterly
Euclid
Industrial—Direct Discharge
Tributaries
Kauraee River
Portege River
Sandusky River
Black River
Rocky River
Cuyahoga River
Chagrin River
Grand River
Ashtabula
PENNSYLVANIA
NEW YORK
Erie
Other sources
Buffalo River
Other sources
CANADA (est.-Municipal)
Sum of Major Known Sources
Discharge at Niagra River
11,800
70,000
10,000
2,000
900
8, toO
1,000
2,600
1,100
5, too
1^,900
2,100
unknown
11,000
1,100
6,000
3,100
3, too
3,500
300
100
2,600
2,900
2,300
2,500
5.000
17^,000
2^,000
3-33
-------
CHAPTER k - MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
A detailed statement on the Mauinee River Basin has been prepared
for release at this hearing. The following is a summary of this
statement.
The effects of pollution in the Maumee River Basin are particu-
larly evident in the Ottava River, the Upper Maumee River, and at
Toledo. Biological, chemical, microbiological, and physical investi-
gations have affirmed this pollution. The once clear -waters of this
river Basin have been degraded so that few legitimate uses may be
made of them. In some areas, the water quality is too poor for even
waste assimilation. The once-prevalent fishery is now virtually
nonexistent. Further evidence of pollution includes the abandonment of
the beaches in the Toledo area, taste and odor problems in water
sources, objectionable algal blooms and the generally esthetically
unpleasing appearance of the vaters.
Industry, cities, and agriculture are all icajor vaste sources
in the Maumee Basin. The effluents from municipal sewage treatment
plants deplete the receiving vaters of oxygen and cause algal growths.
Industrial waste discharges deplete oxygen, cause taste and odor
problems and interfere with esthetic enjoyment. The wastes from
agricultural sources cause extreme turbidity, result in a need for
channel dredging, and help produce the abundant algal growths,
The Kaumee Basin's population will increase from 1,1^0,000 to
2,700,000 by 2020. Industrial activity will also increase consider-
ably. Unless extensive measures are taken now end continue into the
future, the present problems will be greetly compounded.
The need for implementation of a program for water pollution
control in the Maumee River Basin is immediate. The program must
emphasize new and enlarged sewage facilities with tertiary treatment
in some areas; proper operation of facilities; and continuous moni-
toring of operation, waste treatment efficiency, and voter quality.
-------
CHAPTER 5 - NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
DESCRIPTION OF ARM
The major Ohio tributaries to Lake Erie in N^rth Central
Ohio are the Portage, Semclusky, Huron, Vermilion, and Black
Rivers (Fig. 5~l)- They drain en area of ^,109 square miles,
with a population of 600,000. The principal cities are Lcrain,
Elyria, and Sandusky.
Hydrology
The rivers vithin this ares are not hydraulically controlled
to any great extent except for en occasional run-of-the-river dam.
Low flows (those exceeded 90^ of the time) &re estimated at the
U. S. Geological Survey gage nearest to the Lake as follows:
Portage, 5 cfs; Sandusky, 31 cfs; Huron,•1^ cfs; Vermilion, h cfs;
end Black, 2 cfs.
Economy
The economy of the area is diversified. Farm lands occupy
91 percent of the Basin. In 19^2 cash receipts from agriculture
in nine counties of the Basin totaled ikk million dollars. In-
dustry is found in communities throughout the Basin, but heavy
industry is concentrated in the Elyria-Lorain area on the Black
River. Manufacture and production of clay, glass, end stone
products predominate in the western portion of the Basin> vhile
heavy metals, transportation, and electrical industries are im-
portant in Sandusky and Lorain County. The Value Added by Manu-
facture in nine counties of the Basin in 1962 vas 720 million
dollars. The Basin is a leading producer of the mineral products
from lime, limestone, and sandstone.
WATER USES
Municipal
The average amount of water used by all municipalities in North
Central Ohio vas 53 mgd in I960. Lake E: ie is the most significant
source of municipal water, supplying 35 mgd. Not only do lakefront
municipalities draw water from Lake Erie, but Elyria, located 30
miles inland, depends on the Lake for its municipal supply. Although
inland surface waters of the Basin supplied 13 mgd, Bowling Green
5-1
-------
FIGURE 5-1
-------
imported its municipal vater from the Maumee River, 10 miles
ex-ray. The lack of dependable ground water is illustrated "by the
fact that only 5 mS<3 vas supplied by this source.
Rural
The total water use in rural areas of North Central Ohio in
1955 was estimated at 2-t mgd, Vater uses were fairly evenly divided
between suburban and farm domestic uses, livestock watering, and
irrigation. The greatest concentration of farm irrigation in Ohio
occurs in Lorain County, and, surprisingly, golf course watering
exerts a significant demand.
Industrial
Industrial water use in North Central Ohio in 1955 vas 228 mgd,
and water used in thermal power generation was 521 mgd. Of the total
industrial water use, 7 mgd was used in each of the Portage and
Sandusky River Basins, and 2lk mgd was used in the Huron to Black
River Basins. The greatest industrial wster use (over 200 mgd) was
by the steel industries in Lorain and Elyrie, where approximately
85 percent of the water was used for cooling.
Wafcerborne corratierce in North Central Ohio is served by the port
facilities of Lorain, Huron, and Sandusky. These three ports handle
only 9 percent of the tonnage moved through all Lake Erie ports.
This cargo still amounted to 11.5 million tons in 1962. No commercial
navigation exists above the Lake-affected portions of the Bs sin's
rivers.
Recreation
Water-oriented recreation is popular throughout North Central
Ohio. Lake Erie end its shoreline are the most prominent features
the area has to offer. The islands of Lake Erie (offshore of
Sandusky and Port Clinton) are one of Ohio's principal recreational
areas. In this area, including Catavba Peninsula and Sandusky Bay, are
found a national monument and wildlife refuge. State facilities
include a fish hatchery, a beach, five wildlife refuges, four parks,
and tw. memorials. There are also numerous private and local recre-
ation facilities. Cedar Point has one of the finest amusement parks
and bathing beaches in the country.
Transportation between the rrainlar.d and islands is provided by
5-2
-------
ferry service end "the world's shortest airline". Nine recreational
harbors and other private marinas serve the area. Winter ice fishing
is popular around the islands. East Harbor State Park's bathing
beaches attracted almost 1-1/2 million people in 1963.
Outside of the island area, recreational harbors are found
near the mouths of the Huron, Vermilion, and Black Rivers, and
several creeks; and bathing beaches are found in many locations
between Huron and Avon Point.
Upstream on the Sandusky, Huron, and Black Rivers are located
State memorials and parks, wildlife areas, and local recreational
developments. Canoeing is popular on these three streams as well
as on the Vermilion River.
Esthetics
The upstream reaches of these rivers flow through predominantly
farm lands, where water quality is slowly degraded by salt and aquatic
growths. However, as the streams flow toward the Lake through urban
areas and industrial completes, the rivers rapidly become more de-
graded and in places grossly polluted. Their color changes to un-
natural hues, tmd repulsive sights end noxious odors develop by the
time they reach the Lake. This is not true for all streams in North
Central Ohio, and some recover from their pollution before flowing
into Lake Erie,
The Portage River is often septic end black below Bowling Green,
and turbid-white and rust-colored within Fostoris. The Black River
is multicolored from industrial wastes in Slyria arid the city's
Cascade Park. In Loroin, the navigation channel of the Black River
is sometimes covered by oil slicks. Upstream the rivers are green-
colored by algae and often covered with the scum of aquatic growths.
River bank trash dumps are found on all rivers, end the streams ere
clogged in places with logs end debris,
SOURCES OF WASTES
Municipal
Forty-three municipalities with a total population of 442,000
discharge treated municipal wastes to the waters of North Central
Ohio, These major communities and numerous smaller ones (population
under 1,COO) discharge a waste load of 29,000 pounds of BOD^ per day
to the Basin, The population equivalent (PE) of this waste lead,
based on 0,1.67 pounds of BOD^ per capita per day, is 171,000. In
addition to the wastes from municipal treatment systems, organized
5~3
-------
communities with a tote.l population of 7^-,(XX) discharge domestic
sevage from individual hor.c treatren.t units (septic tanks) with a
voste load of 12,000 pounds of BOD- per day. Sometimes,, however,
this vaste is discharged directly underground or to a receiving
stream without the treatment provided by 8 leach field. The community
of Bellevue, population 8,2o5, ditKchorgeK rav untreated sewaf3 from a
municipal collection system to en underground limestone cavern, which
is suspected of affecting so-ae ground v.-iter supplies. The population
end type of municipal vjsle treatment in each of the subbssins of
North Central Ohio is si;r:r«?rlzed below. The locations of the major
municipal vaste sources ere shown in Figure 5~2. A tabulation of
the load ond treatment facilities of the major municipal vaste sources
is presented as follows:
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT
River Basin Secondary Primary Minor
Plants Population Plants Population Population
Portage 3 32,000 2 If, 000 15,000
Sandusky 5 UU,000 2 23,000 15,000
Huron 3 ' 23,000 2 3,000 3,000
Vermilion 2 5,000 0 0 3,000
Black 7 6^,000 1 76,000 9,000
Minor Tributaries 5 17,000 1 2,000 13,000-8,000*
Lake Erie 2 16,000 8 59,000 8,000
Totals 27 201,000 l6 167,000 7^,000
* Collection system but no treatment
Approximately 75$ of the 600,000 population of North Central
Ohio live in organized co:niiiunities. Of this ^;'f2,000 population, 85
percent (368,000 people) are served by central sewage treatment
plants. Fifty-five percent of the totsl severed population is served
by secondary treatment. Most of the prinary treatment plants ere
located on Lake Erie; or, as at Lorain, at the routh of the Black
River. Inland from lake Erie, 85 percent of the population (185,000
people) are served by secondary sevage treatment.
Despite the widespread inland use of secondary sevage treatment,
the wsste load, which is summarized below, often exceeds the assim-
ilative capacity of the Basin's streams. This is especially true in
the headwater reaches and below the larger municipalities, The average
BODr reduction by secondary treat.7T.ent is approximately 80 percent, but
the reiraining load of 7,000 pounds of EODr per day is still equivalent
to the rav sevage of ^2,OCO people. Including primary treatment, the
total BODc load to inland waters is 17,000 pounds per day.
-------
:.iw»i^^s«»"ras^ •Esr
to
to
1C
OJ
FIGURE
-------
River Basin
MUNICIPAL WASTE LOAD
Population Pounds per day
Equivalents* BOD
From Sewage Treatment Plants
Raw
Discharged
Portage
Sandusky
Huron
Ve railion
Black
Minor Tribu-
taries
Lake Trie
60,650
87,690
32,555
^,710
150,125
12,655
9,205
36,795
6,500
1,815
Jt7,o6o
2,8fc5
Raw
10,100
lit, 600
Discharged
115,865
Totals
66,965
171,185
787
25,100
2,110
19,300
6,lltO
1,090
303
7,860
11,200
77,500 28,600
63> reduction
*P.E. = 0.l67#BOD /day
The 11 major municipalities discharging treated wastes to Lake
Erie (including Lorain) serve ItO percent of the Basin's population
and contribute almost two-thirds of the total municipal waste dis-
charge. The reason for this is that the average reduction of BOD^
from the primary treatment plants on Lake Erie is only 55 percent.
This efficiency, however, is good for primary treatment and indi-
cates well-operated plants. Basin-vide the efficiency of primary
treatment plants for BOD, removal is ^3 percent but includes very
poor results from Tiffin (20 percent removal).
Indus tri_al_
Industrial wastes from hi industries are discharged to the
waters of Worth Central Ohio. The greatest waste loads in the Basin
are discharged to the Black River by an automotive and two steel
industries. The largest volumes of waste are discharged to Lake
Erie by two power-generating stations in Lorain County. Aside from
the large industries concentrated along the Black River, the re-
mainder of the industrial waste discharges are scattered throughout
the Basin.
Food processors and metal finishing operations are the most
numerous industries. The food processors are located in the agri-
cultural western subbasins. Many are small seasonal operations
which employ spray irrigation or holding lagoons for waste treatment.
The metal finishing industries discharge a small volume of waste
containing heavy metals and toxic compounds. These industries quite
often discharge to small streams.
5-5
-------
The other industrial waste sources include enother steel in-
dustry, paper mills, chemical and rubber plants, railroad yards,
and oil producers. The locations of the industrial waste discharges
are shown in Figure 5-3- Data on the industrial waste discharges
are now being obtained and evaluated.
land Runoff
Rural land runoff is the source of e significant portion of the
vaste load to North Central Ohio streams. The runoff carries silt,
nutrients, organic matter, and microorganisms into the streams. Silt
and nutrients are the greatest pollutants. The sediment transport
amounts to over 100,000 tons per month during the spring runoffs in
the Sandusky River 8 lore,
Estimated nutrient loads of nitrogen and phosphate in rural land
runoff are tabulated belov:
Nutrient - Iffio Organic N NOo Total N PO^
Tons per yr.-250 3oO 520 1,090 160
The extent of urban land -runoff has not been fully defined in
North Central Ohio, Most of the covm-unities in the Basin have com-
bined or partially combined sever systems. These permit the dis-
charge of untreated renr sewage to the lake or nearest water course,
The overflow from combined sewers arid runoff from developed septic
tank areas contain organic r.otter, nutrients, end microorganisms.
Microbiological pollution is the most serious result of these
discharges. It jeopardises the use: of bathing beaches and othei-
recreational areas. Organic discharges cause septic conditions
which result in severe local nuisance conditions.
EFFECTS OF WASTES OIT WATER QUALITY AliD WATER USES
During periods of lov flow the dissolved or.ygen (DO) drops to
less than h.O og/1 belov Upper Sandusky, Tiffin, and Fremont on the
Sandusky River. Forty percent of the samples collected at the crit-
ical point belov Upper Sandusky shoved oxygen concentrations of less
than k.O mg/] . On three occasions there vas no measurable oxygen,
and accompanying BOD's reached 39-0 rcg/1. Intensive sampling programs
below Tiffin and Fremont revealed that durinr the low flow period
under normal loadings frcra tho treatment plants, tVe dissolved oxygen
concentrations were near 1.0 mg/1. The Sandusky River, however, is
5-6
-------
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FIGURE 5-3 Cont'd.
-------
able to assimilate the wa'ste loads it receives and recovers rapidly
from these dissolved oxygen deficits. Below Upper Sandusky the
oxygen sag extends approximately four miles below the treatment
plant.
There are similar problems on the West Branch of the Black River
and Plum Creek from Oberlin to the lake-affected area in Lorain. The
July 196H average of dissolved oxygen for this reach was 2 mg/1. ' The
highest average seasonal BOIt in North Central Ohio was 20 mg/1 below
Elyria. Even at mile point d.6 in the nouth of the river where lake
dilution is high, the dissolved oxygen averaged only 3.^ mg/1 during
the fall of 1961*.
The most serious problems from low dissolved oxygen on the
Portage River occur above the area of study below Bowling Green and
Fostoria. Septic conditions have been reported in the stream at both
locations.
Microbiology
Domestic pollution, as indicated by total coliform. densities, is
prevalent throughout most of the Basin. Because the waters of the
Basin are used for recreation and water supply, the microbial pol-
lution presents a potential health hazard. On the Portage River at
mile point O.^t, median densities during the summer and fall of 196k
were 130,000 organisms per 100 ml. During the summer, the median
fecal coliform density was 21,000 organisms per 100 ml. The fecal
coliform to fecal streptococci ratio for this period was 21:1, which
indicates pollution from human wastes.
The Sandusky River had median total coliform densities of 190,000
organisms per 100 ml. belov Fremont at mile point 13.6 during the fall,
196U. In Sandusky Bay at the mouth of the river, the median total
coliform density was less than 1,000 organisms per 100 ml. with a max-
imum of 1,300 organisms per 100 ml. Below Fremont's treatment plant
was the only station where the fecal coliform to fecal streptococci
ratio (3-'l) indicated pollution from human wastes.
The median total coliform density in the Black River at mile point
10.2 below the Elyria treatment plant was 300,000 organisms per 100
ml. during the first three months of 196H. The maximum density reached
15,300,000 per 100 ml. During April and May, 1964 the median density
was 1^0,000 organisms per 100 ml. At this same station, the median
fecal coliform density was 57»000 organisms per 100 ml. during April
and May.
Biology
Biological conditions in the Portage, Huron, and Vermilion Rivers
5-7
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are generally good except for the areas near the Lake which are de-
graded by siltation and local waste sources. No effect upon the
Lake by these rivers could be detected more than 1,000 feet into the
L.'-ike. The Sandusky River below Upper Sandusky, Tiffin, and Fremont
shows evidences of biological degradation. All pollution sensitive
bottom-dwelling animals are absent below each area, and full recov-
ery does not occur until the next water source. Between Tiffin and
Frenonl, the nutrient-rich waters support a dense growth of attached
algae which completely cover the bottom in summer. Between Oberlin
and the mouth of the Black River, biological conditions typical of
a polluted stream are found.
Chem.ist.ry
Oil slicks from floating oil are found on the Sandusky, Huron,
and Black Rivers. Emulsified oil has turned the Portage River turbid
at Fostoria. The major problems fror.i industrial wastes occur in the
industrialized Black River. The steel, automotive (metal-plating),
and chemical industries in Elyria, sonn of whose wastes are treated
by the municipal sewage treatment plant, are the sources of metals
and cyanide in the river at Kile point 10.2. Maximum concentrations
in mg/1 during 196^ were: copper^ 0. 31; cadn.iuirijO.03; nickel,0.^2;
zinc, 0.28; chromium^1.32; and lead, 0.0^.
In the navigation channel of the Black River pher.'Cl concentra-
tions averaged 15-1 rnicrograns per liter during the first three
months of 196'f. At this location, mile point O.6., a maximum phenol
concentration of 65.9 microrrans per liter was found. The steel
industry is a significsnt source of phenol wastes, and with the re-
activations of coke operations, these waste discharges could increase
greatly. These industrial wastes are significant because two major
municipal water intakes are located near the raouth of the Black River.
EFFECT3 ON THE LAKE
All the wastes emanating from the rivers in Ilorth Central Ohio
are diluted to the background concentration of the Lake within a
mile of the shoreline. The Sandusky River flows through the 15 mile
long Sandusky Bay before reaching Lake Erie. Any effects which the
Sandusky River might have on Lake Erie are exerted in Sandusky Bay.
Microbial pollution is found near the mouth of the Black River. The
196H median total coliforri density at the east entrance to Lorain
Harbor was 27,000 organisms per 100 ml.
5-8
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\
....
< cc
> Id
D >
I
0
o
°
o
V
V
X
! I
FIGURE 6-1
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CHAPTER 6 - GREATER CLEVELAJ'JD-CUYAIIOGA
AREA DESCRIPTION
The Greater Cleveland-Cuyahoga River Basin consists of the
Rocky, Cuyahoga, and Chagrin Rivers. These three rivers drain an
area of 1,^92 square miles in and around the Greater Cleveland and
Akron areas. The I960 populations of these two cities were
876,000 and 290,000 respectively and the total population in the
Basin was 2,270,000.
Except for its upper reaches, much of the Greater Cleveland-
Cuyahoga Basin is highly urbanized. Cleveland arid Akron with their
expanding suburban communities occupy large sections of the Basin.
The Cuyahoga River rises in the farm lands of Geauga County
and meanders for 103 miles through gorges and flat lands into the
central basin of Lake Erie. Its network of tributaries drains an
area of 8l3 square miles. The fall of the upper Cuyahoga River is
9 feet per mile in a shallow channel cut through glacial drift.
At Cuyahoga Falls, the river falls 220 feet in 1.5 miles through a
sandstone gorge. The lower Cuyahoga Pivcr flows through a vide
preglacial valley with a fall of 6 feet per mile until it reaches
the navigation channel in Cleveland.
The Rocky River forms as two trenches in rural Medina County
and drains an area of 29-t square miles. The Kast Branch forms near
Hincklcy and the West Branch near Medina. The tvo branches con-
verge below Bcrea and flow 1? iriles through the western edge of
metropolitan Cleveland to Lake Erie. Approximately 30 miles of
this river system flow through the Cleveland Metropolitan Park.
The Chagrin River drains an area of 267 square miles with a
population of 158S000. Its hea.dwo.tcrs rise in rural Geauga County
near Chardon. The river flows southwesterly to Chagrin Falls where
it is joined by the Auror? Branch. In Chagrin Falls the river
crosses an escarpment and falls over 100 feet before flowing north
to Lake Erie through the eastern fringe of the suburban Cleveland
area.
Precipitation averages 3^ inches a year with a fairly uniform
distribution throughout the year. The Cuyahoga River provides the
6-1
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highest safe yield of runoff per square mile of any Ohio stream
floving into Lake Erie. Low flow (flow equaled or exceeded 90
pervent of the time) in the upper Cuyahoga is fairly high; 18.9 cfs
at Hiram Rapids, 30.5 cfs at Kent, 71-0 cfs at Old Portage "below
A",\ro:\, and 90.0 cfs et Independence above Cleveland. Streams trib-
utary to the Cuyahogs bcloif Akron have little sustained flow during
dr;. veather end some go dr^' part of the ;. ear. Tinkers Creek, Brandywine
Creek, Hud Brook, and Big Cre^V. are exceptions.
Three reservoirs above Kent with a total capacity of 10 billion gallons
furnish Akron with water fro::! the Cuyahoga. Six mgd are available
from the 2.3 billion gallon Mogadore Reservoir on the Little Cuyahoga
R.lv<~-" In Akron. Through nvjxiir.urn development of reservoir sites in the
Bcjsin, the present safe yield at Independence could be tripled.
Ground water yields of over 100 gpm are found only in isolated
areas of the Basin. Ground water use is significant in the Akron <
end Cuyahogo Falls area.
Although run-of-the-river dams are located on both branches of :
the Rocky River, the discharge of wastes from 15 sources supply the
greatest part of the dry weather flow. The low flow at the United
States Geological Survey g&ge at Berea is 6.^ cfs.
There ere no major water developments on the Chagrin River.
The river has a relatively high dry weather flow of 0,110 cfs/sq. mi.
or 27.7 cfs which results in part from ground water discharge from
sandstone outcrops throughout the Basin,
»
Econo.-ny {
_ t
Although the Greater Cleveland-Cu\aho^a Basin contains only 5 '
percent of the land in the Lohe Erie Basin, its 2.3 million people I
represent 20 percent of the total population. Twelve municipalities . i
within the Basin each have populations of 50,000 or greater. A j
steady growth pattern since 1900 indicates thct by the year 2020 the i
population of the Basin will have climbed to six million. j
I
The economic growth expected within the Basin should follow the
increasing population. The Cleveland area is one of the great steel j
producing and fabricating areas in the country, and Akron supplies j
75 percent of the world's rubber needs. In addition to these two i
industries, automotive manufacturing and chemical industries play a j
large role in the economy of the Basin. These industries end others '
account for over 600,000 jobs. The Value Added by Manufacture in {
the Basin is over three billion dollars. j
Besides industry's contribution to the economy of the Basin, j
6-2
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I \ ^"^
rj V AKRON
J *- ^«-T
\ t^,.r -
SCALE IN MILES
5 0 "~" " 5 " 10 ' IS
ROCKY- CUYAHOGA-
CHAGRIM RIVER BASINS
FIGURE 6-2
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agriculture is still important. Dbiry products are important in
Geyuga County, and Cuyaho~-a County is a leading county in Ohio for
vegetable, nursery, end greenhouse products. The cash receipts
fron the sale of agricultural products in the Basin is estimated
a 'I ?,j F' 3 lion do!3.ars 8 raws 11 y.
WATER USES
From its headvsters, downstreora. to lake Rockwell, the Cuyahoga
Kjver supplies 50 rcgd to the City of Akron's municipal vater supply
sysb^n. At Cuyahoga Palls, the river recharges that city's veil vater
supply during periods of high flow. We 3,1s supply 8 mgd of the muni-
cipal vr?ter supply in the Cuyahoga snobs sin. Medina end Berea are
the only municipalities using the Rocky River for vater supplies.
They each use an average of 1.7 mgd. The City of Cleveland, -which
obtains its vater fror.i leke Brie, supp3_ies 22 mgd to irunicipsl? ties
within the Rocky Rjvcr subbasin. Only one municipality, Willovghby,
depends upon the Chsgrin River for its nunicipal vater supply. It uses
en average of 1.9 rngd. The City of Cleveland supplies T.9 ^cd of the
10, h mgd Biutiicipal vater dc:;3nd in this su/bcasin. Wells Fuppl;/ only
0.6 mgd in the Chagrin River subtasin.
leke Erie is the most significrnt source of municipal vater
supplies in the Greater Cleveland-Coyahoga Basin. Cleveland's four
vater filtration plants supply an eve re go of 20-'t mgd from leke Erie
to nost coiT^/vmities in Cuyphoga Coimty end some outlying ones.
Rural
Rui-al vater use in the Greater Cleveland-Cu;ahoga Basin amounted
to 17 mgd in 1955- Golf course -watering accounted for over 9 mgd of
the total.
In the upstream portion of the Cuyahoga suhtasin, industrial
ve31 fields tap underground supplies for l8 mgd in Akron. Surface
vater rcscts an additional l£0 ragd industrial deirand in this portion
of the su"b"basin. Between Akron end the navigation channel in
Cleveland, 120 itigd ere vithdrawn for industrial use. Water supplied
fron the navigation channel of the Cuyr.hoga River is 300 Kgd. This
cannot be directly attributed to river yield since the vater levels
in this section are deterpined "by lake elevations. The Chagrin River
supplies 1.6 Kgd of industrial vater at Chagrin Fells.
Kunieip.il vater supplies are ample for industrial vater needs
in the re.T.sir.rler of the Basin. Cooling voter for paver generation
6--
-------
is -withdrawn from Lake Er:ie at Cleveland, and E&stleke. The withdrawal
is estimated at 723 mgd. Approximately 10 mgd of industrial water
for other uses is also withdrawn directly froiri Lake Erie.
Wat erborne Conner ce_
The Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, reported that in 1962 over.
l6 million tons of cargo moved through the port of Cleveland. Iron
ore and related materials for the steel industry, petroleum products,
end materials for the cbei'iicsl industry were the itsjor types of cargo.
The Cuyahoga River is dredged to a depth of 23 feet for a distance
of 5-^ miles above its mouth to provjde for navigation. There is no
commercial navigation on the Rocky or Chagrin Rivers.
Recreation
The upstream sections of the Cuyahoga River are used for fishing
and "boating. This area supports myny species of fish. B low Leke
Rockwell, the species of fish "become less desirable and the quantities
decrease. Below Akron, to lake Erie, the river is nearly devoid of
aquatic life. Reaches of the ri\er "below Akron are unsuitable for any
type of water recreation.
Along the Cleveland metropolitan lake-front there are 10 public
beaches and several boat irarinos. Because of the hJ gh microbiological
densities in the nearshore zone, the city has adopted a "st/im if you
must" bathing beach program. Cuyahoga County has closed beaches in
Rocky River because of pollution,
The Rocky River flows throurv. Cleveland Metropolitan Park from
near the Cuyshog-'i Connl y line (nn the I'ast Branch) to leke Erie where
extensive recreational use is Kcde of the rjver, Tvo roarings ore
located near the mouth of the rJver. Hinckley and Tenter Lakes af-
ford good recreation?! sites upstream.
Recreation in the Chagrin River is limited to fishing and boating.
Three boat clubs and four rcarinss are located in the mouth of the
river. Facilities are at present rather poor but anticipated con-
struction by the II. S, A nay Corps of Engineers will improve naviga-
tion conditions for pleasure boating. Fishjng is good throughout
the length of the river and. its tributaries.
Esthetics
Deb.ris-f illed, oil-slicked, dirty -looking waterways are not pleas-
ant. One or more of these terns defines the Cujahoga River at any
place along its course. Eone reaches are blocked completely by dead
trees and sturrps, while the banks are dotted with rrany small dur.tps.
Trash, ranging from tin cans to refrigerators, is a coranon sight in the
-------
river. In the navigation channel, where the Cuyahoga flows through
Cleveland, even more debris exists, and the water surface often becomes
"black with oil or sulfides from the industrial outfalls. As long as
these situations remain,, the Cuyahoga will "be a liability to the cities
and adjacent property owners which it serves.
Debris is the biggest esthetic problem on the Cleveland lakefront.
It is also a navigation hazard. The discolored water and floating
debris, particularly behind the Federal Break water, have reduced the
esthetic value of the lake-front. The visual nuisances consist of
discarded lumber, tree limbs, metal cons, paper products, dead fish,
oil-slicks, grease, and scum. Debris-littered beaches are also found
near the mouth of the Chagrin and Rocky Rivers.
Since much of the lower Rocky Ri\er flows through a well-used
Metropolitan Perk, the poor esthetic character of the stream reduces
the park's value as a recreational area. Debris and floating fecal
solids have been observed at numerous locations. During the summer,
the water is a deep green color due to blue-green algal blooms. When
flow is low, the lover 15 miles of the stream often reek with the
characteristic odor of septic sewage. The problem is particularly
severe below the Berea municipal sewage treatment plant.
The esthetic value of the Chagrin River is impaired by multi-
colored dye discharges in Chagrin Falls and municipal refuse dumps
along the river banks in Willoughby and Eastlske.
SOURCES OF WASTES
There are 892,000 people served by 18 secondary treatment plants
and 31,000 people served by 6 primary plants which ere tributary to
the Cuyahoga River. Thirty -five thousand people in organized com-
munities are not served by any central treatment plant. Cleveland's
Southerly Sewage Treatment Plant and Akron's Water Pollution Control
Station together treat the wastes from 826,000 people. The waste
load discharged, by the l8 secondary treatment plants is 2^,000 pounds
of BODc- per day. This is equivalent to a rev sewage load from 1^2,000
people. The discharge from the six primary plants is 3,300 pounds of
BOD5 per day.
There are 12 secondary treatment plants serving 63,000 people
and one small primary plant tributary to the Rocky River. Twenty-
six thousand people in organized communities are not served by any
central treatment plant. The vaste load discharged to the Rocky River
is 1,^00 pounds of BODc per day. This is equivalent to the raw sewage
of 8,000 people,
There are 8,000 people served by two secondary treatment plants
6-5
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and 28,000 people served by one primary (intermediate) plant which
are tributary to the Chagrin River. The waste load discharged to
the Chagrin River is 2,900 pounds of BODc per day. This is equiva-
lent to the raw sewage of 17,000 people.
Lake Erie, which is the most important source of water supply
in the Basin, is also the most used for a municipal waste disposal.
Cleveland Easterly Sevage Treatment Plant is the only lakeshore
secondary treatment plant in this Basin. It serves 6o4,000 people and
discharges 19,000 pounds of EODc per day to Lake Erie. Four primary
sewage treatment plants serve ^06,000 people and discharge ^9,000
pounds of BODr per day to Lake Erie. This is equivalent to the raw
sewage of 288,000 people,
Industrial
There are 4l industrial operations of 30 industries under permit
to discharge v^stes to the Cuyahoga River. These industries range
from snail packing houses with overflowing septic tanks to three
"giants" of the steel industry, which each discharge an estimated 20
ingd of waste water to the navigation channel,
Only two metal pitting industries are under permit by the Ohio
Department of Health to discharge directly to the Rocky River. Five
industries discharge to the Chagrin River, and three industries (one
is a power plant) discharge directly to lake Erie.
In addition to the kO industries under permit to discharge wastes
directly to the waters of the Basin, there are 20 industries dis-
charging to storm sewers in Cleveland's eastern suburbs. Also, not one
of the industries in Akron is under perrdt by the Ohio Department of
Health for their direct discharges to the Cuyahoga River and its
tributaries,
Data on industrial waste discharges in the Greater Cleveland-
Cuyahoga Basin is now being collected and evaluated. To this date
only one industry, Republic Steel's Bolt and Nut Division and Cleve-
land District Plants, has nade its waste discharge data available to
the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration for study.
Land Runoff
A substantial portion of the City of Cleveland is served by a
combined sewer system. This system collects both sanitary and storm
waters, and is designed to discharge overflows to the nearest water-
course. Combined sewers ere tied together with interceptor sewers
to collect the dry wsather ser,,"3ge flow and transport it to sewage
treatment plants. Borne allowance is made for increased flow due
to storm waters. Overflow structures are provided at most junctures
•6-6
-------
between the combined severs and the Interceptor sever so that heavy
storm vster flow may continue to pass directly to the nearest water-
ccmrr-e.
T:e City of Cleveland has approximately 383 combined sewer over-
flow structures. During periods of storm runoff, they discharge raw
sev.r-ge aurl industrial vasi.es, inixec! vitl. storm, vater, directly to
Loke Erie end to streairs vhlch flow through Cleveland. There are 21 storm
t.ater outfalls that discharge directly to the lake and hO outfalls that
discharge to 6 small strcerns flowing through eastern Cleveland to Lake
Erie. The outfalls const i.tute o major intermittent source of pollution.
Plumed and defective overflow structures or sewers continuously dis-
charge wastes which are not diluted by storm water. These malfunctioning
devices are responsible for 8 large portion of the pollution from com-
bined sewers.
ON WATER QUALITY Affi) WATER USES
There are large dissolved oxygen deficits below Kent, Stow and
Akron, end in the navigation channel in Cleveland. During 19^4,
oxygen concentrations downstream from Kent's treatment plant ranged
fro'ii a high of 9-2 ing/1 in the winter to a low of 0 mg/1 in the simmer
with a yearly average of 2.4 iug/1. The average dissolved oxygen "below
Akron's Water Pollution Control Station was 3-3 tf-g/l snd the range was
from 7«6 to 0.4 mg/1. In the navigation channel., which is below
Cleveland.' s Southerly Treatment Plant pnd amid the industrial complex,
values ranged between 0.0 rng/1 rnd 1.2 rng/1 with H yearly average of
0.2 rng/1. The usually accepted minimur; dissolved oxygen range for
most water uses is between. 3-0 and 5-0 rag/1. Accompanying the oxygen
concentrations in these areas are BODr, concentrations that average 10.2
mg/1, 11.3 rng/1 and 8,9 nig/1 respectively. Because of these conditions,
the water cannot support most forms of aquatic life.
Dugway Brook and ITinerrule Creek on Cleveland's east side were
sampled several timer, in 19o3 end iy6k end shoved indications of
gross pollution. The dissolved oxygen concentrations in both creeks
were generally zero and the BODC- concentrations varied from 9 to 30 mg/1.
The stream was septic when sampled in 19^3 following precipitation, but
not in 1954 when no precipitation occurred before sampling.
From nurucipal sewage, the organic load to the Rocky River hsd
depleted the oxygen concentration at mile point 2.9 to below k ing /I
50 percent of the tire during the summer. Waste discharges above the
confluence of the branches created only local areas of pollution.
Average BODr concentrations remained above h mg/1 below Eerea's
sewage treatment plant.
6-7
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No dissolved oxygen depletions were found in the lower Chagrin
River. Except for esthetic complaints, the water quality is little
impaired.
Microbiology
Bacterial pollution of the Cuyahoga River exists fron Rockwell
Darn to its mouth. Median total coliforri values per 100 ml range
fron a low of 9,?00 organisms per 100 ril. at Rockwell Dan to a high
of ^70,000 organisms per 100 ml at the head of the navigation channel.
The fecal coliform to fecal streptococcus ratio is greater than 3 :1
at all sampling stations and reaches a maximum of 10:1, indicating
a human origin of the Microbes. The enteric pathogen study conducted
in the Cleveland reach of the river revealec Ik different species of
S_a2jnoj]ella organisms. SnJ-poneilja \r»n detected 65 percent of the times
sampled. These human pathogens are transmitted almost exclusively by
fecal contaminateon of water, food, or milk.
In order to determine the effect of storii. water overflows, sam-
pling stations were established above and below an overflow on Euclid
Creek. The total coliform density was 77*0,000/100 ml above and
5,000,000/100 ml below the outfall. Collaring these counts to the
2,200/100 rd obtained in the 19o3 survey during dry veather gives an
indication of the effect storm water overflows have on streams such
as Euclid Creek.
Discharges from sewage treatment plants, storm water overflows,
and ditches carrying septic ta.nk drainage are causing high densities
of bacterial organisms in the Rocky River. The routine and special
studies on the main stc:,i of the Rocky River above the Jake-affected
area showed fecal pollution which impairs the water use for recrea-
tion. Maximum total coliforr.i densities ranged fron ^5,000 to
1,000,000 organisms per 100 ml at the stations sampled.
Biology
In the impounded waters of the Cuyt-hoga River ebove Kent, and
between Kent arc! Akron, there is a prolific growth of algae and
aquatic weeds which create a nuisance condition and degrade the es-
thetic value of the river. Decomposition of these growths which
are nourished, by the effluents from, the sewage treatment plants of
Ravenna, Kent, and Stow exert an oxygen demand on the river.
The waters flowing from Lake Rockwell support clean water com-
munities of bottom-dwelling animals, but are rapidly degraded below
this point. Between Kent and the river nouth only pollution tol-
erant forms of bottom organisms were found. In the lower Cuyahoga,
conditions were so severe that even the most tolerant forms were
totally absent.
6-8
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The nutrients from the upstream sewage treatment plants on the
Rocky River fertilize the impounded areas of the stream to such an
extent that large algal blooras develop during the summer months.
The rooted aquatics increase correspondingly. This plant life causes
nuisance problems in the Metropolitan Park, as well as taste and color
problems in the Berea water supply. Show-flowing and stagnant pools
in the river provide ideal breeding areas for mosquitoes which create
a serious nuisance condition in the park and surrounding areas.
Phenols
Results of phenol determinations on the Cuyahoga River for
illustrate a continual concentration increase from Rockwell Dam to
Lake Erie. The average summer concentrations at Lake Rockwell were 1.8
jig/1, increasing to 7-2,ug/l above Akron, and 20.8 ;ug/l above Cleve-
land. In the navigation channel, the average was 58.0 ;ug/l and
reached a maximum of 175 Jig/1. Besides creating odor problems, phenols
are toxic to many forms of aquatic life.
EFFECTS OK LAKE*
At the Cuyahoga River-Lake .Erie interface, dispersion or dilu-
tion of river water takes place. The dissolved oxygen values approach
saturation, and other substances approach background concentrations
of the Lake. Conductivity values at 30 harbor stations show no ap-
preciable concentration gradients one-half mile beyond the breakvall.
Because of the large sewage treatment plants located along the
Cleveland shoreline, it is difficult to trace bacterial pollution
from the Cuyahoga into the lake. Nevertheless, the fecal coliform
to fecal streptococcus ratios in the harbor area range up to 30"1-
This ratio decreases to below 1:1 at stations further from the shore.
The population of bottom-dwelling animals shows that the Lake
is affected by Cleveland area pollution. Sludgeworms, which thrive
on organic materials averaged U00,000 per square meter in the harbor.
Numbers of organisms decreased between the harbor mouth and the two-
mile contour, and no significant variation could be detected beyond
this line.
The effect the Rocky and Chagrin Rivers have on Lake Erie is
less significant than that of the Cuyahoga River.
6-9
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CHAPTER 7 - NORTHEASTERN OHIO
AREA DESCRIPTION
The Northeastern Ohio Basin covers an area 1,208 square miles,
of which 86 percent is in Ohio, the remainder in Pennsylvania. The
principal tributaries to the Lake in this area are the Grand River,
the Ashtabula River, and Conneaut Creek (Figure 7-1),
The Grai^d River is the largest stream draining an area of 712
square miles. Its headwaters are in Geauga County and it flows for
98 miles to Lake Erie at Fairport Harbor. The average fall of the
river is 5.6 feet per riile through gently rolling terrain.
The Ashtabula River, draining 137 square miles, originates in
Ashtabula County as two branches. The East and West Branches flow
for 12 miles where they join to form the nain stem. The river
continues, at an average fall of 11.6 feet per mile for another 28
miles, flowing into Lake Erie at the City of Ashtabula.
Conneaut Creek, draining 191 square miles, originates in
Crawford County, Pennsylvania. It flows north through Pennsylvania
for 25 miles, then x-/est for 20 miles through Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Here it makes a sharp bend and flows in a northeasterly direction
for 13 miles to Lake Erie at Conneaut, Ohio. The average fall of
Conneaut Creek is 11.3 feet per mile.
These Northeastern Ohio streams rise in the glaciated Allegheny
Plateau province and flow across a narrow band of Lake Plains sub-
province into the Lake. The two provinces are divided by an escarp-
ment through which the Ashtabula River and Conneaut Creek have cut
deep, steep-walled gorges. The Grand River, however, flows across the
escarpment, through a broad valley. The terrain is undulating through-
out the Northeastern Ohio Basin.
The soils of the glaciated plateau are heavy till soils of the
Mahoning Truinbull family. In the Lake Plain, the soils are generally
clay and relatively heavy. The soils and overburden of glacial till
are of low permeability and contain little ground water to supplement
dry weather flow. Sustained flow in these streams is very low as
shown by the flows tabulated as follows:
7-1
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FIGURE 7-1
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NORTHEASTERN OHIO STREAM FLOWS
Stream Location Drainage Area Period of Yield*
(Sq. Miles) Record (Yrs.) (cfs)
Grand River Madison 587 30 9.50
Ashtabula Ashtabula 118 27 0.21
Conneaut Amboy 178 18 5.60
*Flow equaled or exceeded 90 percent of the time
Economy
The area in the Basin is 86 percent rural. The population of
approximately 180,000 is concentrated in Lake County or along the
lakeshore. The largest population centers in the Basin are Paines-
ville, Ashtabula, and Conneaut (Figure 7-2) with populations of 16,000,
25,000, and 11,000 respectively.
•
Painesville, Ashtabula, Conneaut, arid Fairport Harbor are all
areas of large industrial activity. The production of chemicals and
allied products is the principal industry. The Value Added by Manu-
facture (VA10 in 1962 was 264 million dollars for Lake and Ashtabula
Counties combined.
Agriculture in the Northeastern Ohio Basin is quite diversified.
In 1962, cash receipts from agriculture totaled as estimated 24 nil-
lion dollars. Dairy, greenhouse, rnd nursery products accounted for
half of this total. Ashtnbula County in 1962 ranked second among
Ohio counties in cash receipts from sale of dairy products. Lake
County ranked first among Ohio counties in cash receipts from the
sale of greenhouse and nursery products.
The commercial centers of Northeastern Ohio are Fairport Harbor,
Ashtabula, and Conneaut. In 1962, these ports handled 11 percent of
the total Lake Erie tonnage.
The Port of Conneaut, at the mouth of Conneaut Creek, and
Fairport Harbor, at the mouth of the Grand River, each handled 3.1
million tons of cargo in 1962, pnd ranked eighth and ninth respec-
tively in tonnage handled on Lake Erie. The Port of Ashtabula, at
the mouth of the Ashtabula River, handled 9.0 million tons of cargo,
ranking fifth among Lake Erie ports.
WATER USKS
Municipal
Lake Erie provides 12,7 mgd or 83 percent of the municipal water
7-2
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|£
A
CONNEAUT^
FAIRPORT
HARBOR
SCALE IN MILES
GRAND - ASHTABULA -
CONNEAUT RIVER BASiNS
10
FIGURE 7-2
-------
supply in the Basin. Only two communities, Geneva and Jefferson,
withdraw municipal water from inland surface streams. These com-
munities, located in the Grand River Basin, withdraw 0.9 mgd from
the Grand River and 0.25 ngcl fron Mill Creek respectively. Only
1,43 ingd of nunicipal water supplies are taken from wells.
Ijuju s tjcj..a_l
Industrial water use in the Northeastern Ohio Basin totaled
290 ngd in 1955 and water used in thermal power generation totaled
540 ngd. Primary metals industries used 180 ngd; chemical and
allied products industries used 110 mgd. Lake Erie furnished 98
percent of the industrial water in the Basin. Sixty-six percent was
used by industries in F airport Harbor, Cooling water accounted for
93 percent of industrial water usage,
There are five main shoreline recreation areas in Lake County
and four in Ashtabula County: Mentor Twp. Park, Headlands State
Park, Fairport Beach, Painesville Twp. Park, Madison Twp. Park,
Geneva-ori-the-Lake , Geneva Twp. Park, Walnut Park, and Conneaut Twp.
Park. These beach areas are used for swimning, boating, water skiing,
and fishing, and serve the people of Greater-Cleveland as well as
local residents. The beaches have replaced the Cleveland lakefront
as recreation centers owing to the letter's heavy pollution.
PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF WASTE
Municipal
Nine municipalities with a total population of 71,000 (1960
census) treat their wastes. These major communities and the smaller
ones (under 1,000 population) discharge 8,000 pounds of BOD^ per day.
The population equivalent (PE) of this discharged waste load based
on 0.167 pounds of BOD5 per person per day is 46,000. A tabulation
of loads and types of treatment is presented in Table 7-1. All nine
of these communities are served by sewer systems that keep separate
sanitary wastes from storm waters.
In addition to the load discharged by these treatment plants,
a population of approximately 20,000 discharge domestic sewage (3,000
pounds of BODr per day) into septic tanks.
7-3
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TABLE 7-1
NORi'FKASTEia OHIO
PRINCIPAL ?!IIi;ICIPAL WASTE DISCHARGES
Treatment
Estimated
Severed
Pop ill?, lion
Population
Equivalent*
Loads per day
BOD
Raw Discharged Raw Discharged
Fairr.'orl Harbor,Ohio Primary ^,2b7
Pain2.-;ville, Ohio Primary 16,135
Chardon, Ohio Secondary 3,155
Jefferson, Ohio Secondary 2,115
Ashtabu]a River
3,110 2,090 519
16,300 10,700 2,720
3,630 755 606
1,980 250 331
1,790
126
^pnneaut_ Creek
Albion. Pa.
Minor Lake Tributaries_
Madison, Ohio
Geneva, Ohio
Di rect to JLake
Ashtabula, Ohio
Conneaut, Ohio
Secondary .2,200 2,200 330
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Primary
285
55675 5,380 2,160
28,738 32,000 19,800
10,557 Ih,500 9,250
367
90
5,31*0
2,1(20
36
3,310
1,5^0
Population equivalent based on 0.167 poionds of BOD per day per capita
-------
Industrial
There are 26 industries located in Northeastern Ohio. Three of
these industries discharge their wastes directly into Lake Erie.
The remainder discharge wastes to inland surface streams. For ex-
ample, Fields Brook, a trihutary of the Ashtabula Fiver, receives -
wastes from nine of the industries in the Ashtabula area. Other
major industrial areas are near Painesville and Fairport Harbor.
Chemical and allied products are the principal industries of
Northeastern Ohio. The wastes from these industries are mainly in-
organic solids, predominantly chlorides.
Discharges from the metal finishing operations in the Basin
are small compared to those of the chemical industries, hut the
wastes are extremely toxic. They consist of acid and alkaline,
phenolic or other solvents, cyrnide, chron«e, and other heavy metals
which are being treated or used for plating*
EFFECTS OF WASTES ON WATER QUALITY & WATER USE
The lower three miles cf the river are brightly colored, with
hues ranging from bright green or yellov to bltck. The green and
yellow colors result from chemical discharges , but the black color
has been attributed to boiler fly ash discharges. The. banks of the
river in this section are covered with white sediment fron chemical
discharges.
Chloride concentrations of 3,620 mg/1 and 5,260 rag/1 were found
during the summer and fall of 1964 respectively at mile point 2.3. This
station is below the discharges of several chemical industries. Above
the station, chloride concentrations during the sane seasons were
40 t.ig/1 and 44 nig /I respectively.
Total solid concentrations in the Grand River also increased
below the chemical industries. The average concentration during the
summer increased from 314 mg/1 at mile point 5,3 to 5,280 mg/1 at mile
point 2.3. Total dissolved solids averaged 4,710 mg/1 during this
period.
Median total coliforn densities within the river \v-ere always
below 10,000 organisms per 100 r.l except below the Fairport Harbor
and Painesville sewage treatment plants. At these locations, the
median values were 67,000 organisms per 100 ml during the summer, 1964
and 150,000 organisms per 100 ml during thft f?ll. Total coliform
densities were less than 1,000 organisms per 100 ml at the mouth of the
river and did not indicate a great health hazard. There were no
dissolved oxygen problems in the chemically polluted Trand Piver; the
highest seasonal BOD was only 5.0 mg/1.
7-5
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Between Painesville and the river mouth, bottom-duelling organ-
isms were United to pollution tolerant sludgeworms arid bloodworms.
At mile point 3.3 and above, the water is of excellent quality.
The lowest dissolved oxygon concentration found w«?s 6.6 mg/1. Sea-
sonal BOIV averages were below 2.9 rig/1 during 1964. The highest total
dissolved solids' seasonal average, was 332 rng/1 and the highest seasonal
average chloride concentration was 42 mg/1. Even though nile point
3,3 is within the. center of Ashtabula, the seasonal median total
coliform densities were always under 7,900 organisms per 100 ml and
under 750 organises per 100 ir.l in the winter and spring.
Median total coli f oria densities of A3, 000 and 250,000 organisms
per 100 ml were found at nile point 0.7 during the summer and fall, 1964.
Since Ash tabu la has a separate sewer system, these values may represent
vessel pollution.
An enteric pathogen study at mile point. 0.7 during the first
three months of 1964 reverJcd only one organism, No enteric patho-
gens were found at mile point 5.5.
Industrial pollution, which is so significant in the Grand River,
is only minor in the Ashtabula River. The chemical and allied
products indu5itri.es at Ashtabula discharge tho.ir wastes into a
large marshy area of Fields Brook. The marsh acts as a treatment
lagoon for the wastes, but create;- a severe local problem,
BODr and dissolved oxygen were not major problems in the lower
portion of the Ashtabula Kivcr. The dissolved oxygen concentration
at mile point 2.3 was below 4 mg/1 25 percent of the time during
the summer. The lowest concentration recorded was 1.2 r.g/1. The BOD^
average was 10 mg/1 during October and November, 1964. Both of these
conditions existed during the extremely low flows of 7 cfs during
the summer and 3 cfs during October and November of the same year.
Biological investigations made in 1963 revealed bottom sediments
of rock, sand, and silt in the harbor and outside the breakwall ; the
river bottom consisted of gravel, rubble, and silt. Benthic organisms
in the harbor were fingernail clams, snails, bloodworms, and sludgewonns ;
in the river, there were only sludgeworms. Outside the breakwall,
pollution intolerant scud and snails were found.
7-6
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Two secondary treatment plants in Pennsylvania constitute the
only municipal waste discharges to Conneaut. Creek. Their conbined
discharge is 60 pounds of BODc per day.
A meat packing operation at Springboro, Pennsylvania, discharges
approximately 140 pounds of BODc per day to Conncaut Creek from a
secondary treatnent plant. Even though strear.iflow is low, the stream
gradient near the headwaters of Conneaut Creel; seep sufficient to
prevent problems of low dissolved oxygen from developing in this
reach of the streara.
EFFECTS ON LAKE
The total lording to Lake Erie frora the Grand River was measured
2.3 miles above the inouth. The results showed that the following
average pounds per day were being contributed during 1964.
Chlorides 2,200,000
Chevaical Oxygen Demand 140,000
Biocher.ical Oxygen Per1 and 7,000
Total Solids 9,500,000
Phenols 75
NH3 - X 1,353
1I03 - N 2,610
The. actual load was greater because an undetermined quantity of
industrial wastes were being discharged to the river belcw this trib-
utary loading station. The principal contributions of the Grand
River to the Lake, however, consisted of total solids and chlorides.
Loads of the Ash tabula River to Lake Erie in pounds per day at
the tributary loading station 3.3 miles from the mouth were as
follows:
Chlorides 17,000
Chemical Oxygen Demand 14,000
Biochemical Oxygen Denand 13,000
Total Solids 170,000
Phenols 1
P04 55
NH3 - N 78
NO., - N 230
7-7
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Chemical data sho-" thpt the Grand River exerts an influence on
Lake Erie as far as two niles from the river mouth. Conductivity
iuiC CO') data show that nost of the river flow is out into Lake Erie
r": rou'-h the entrance of the harbor. The conductivity and COD averaged
1,V. ; ;:. hos and 14.0 mg/1 respectively 3t the mouth of the Grand
l-Mvcy. At the entrance to the harbor, the respective averages were
59''; ;, hos and 12.2 nig/]. As far in tha Lake as two miles from the
river nouth, conductivity remained at about 360 yumhos, which is
above the average of 290 /jr.'hor, for the Central Basin of Lake Erie.
The COD at all stations except in the entrance to the harbor averaged
between 10.2 mg/1 and 11,5 mg/1. This is also above the average of
8,f rg/1 for the Central Basin of Lake Trie.
Chloride concentrations which were very high in the river averaged
between 40 and 50 mg/1 outside the breakwall and 107 mg/1 flt the
entrance to the harbor.
Microbiological data show that median total coliforr, densities
were below 660 per 100 nl in Fairport Harbor, Two miles into the Lake,
the median total colifoin density was 10 per 100 ml, which is the same
concentration of total coliforms found offshore in this section of the
Lake.
Two diffusion studies in Fairport Harbor revealed that, x,
-------
A Median total coliforn value of 2,300 organisms per 100 ml was
foum" at the station offshore from the Ashtabula sewage treatment plant.
i": e average COD concentration was 10.9 ng/1.
ironerally, the shoreline of Lake Erie in eastern Ohio is of good
bactrrial quality. -
7-9
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CHAPTER 8 - PENNSYLVANIA
DESCRIPTION OF AREA
The Pennsylvania Basin (Figure 8-1) of Lake Erie includes the
area from Twentymile Creek on the east to, but not including, Conneaut
Creek on the west. The area comprises 3p^i square niles and is lo-
cated within Erie County, Pennsylvania and Chautauqua County, New
Yoi-k. The Basin is kf> miles long; and. varies in width from 6 to 13
miles. The land rises from the lake in a steep bluff 100 to 200
feet high. This makes it generally inaccessible and unusable for
recreation, with the notable exception of Presque Isle State Park, a
seven-mile long sand and grave] peninsula at Erie. This peninsula
encloses Erie Harbor, thus protecting it and making it an important
lakeport.
The streams in this area have steep gradients as they descend
from the uplands. Flow is considerably slower through the lake
plain. Several streams drop over a steep bluff as they flow into
Lake Erie, making fish migration impossible. Streams of importance
are Crooked, Elk, Mill, Sixteenmile, Twentymile, and Walnut Creeks.
In Sixteenmile Creek, flow has varied from 0.2 cfs (1951) to
9,710 cfs (!Pli2). Average stream flow varied from 3 cfs on Fllicott
Creek to 130 cfs or. Flk Creek.
Erie (Figure 8-2), with a 19^0 population of 158,000, is the
third largest city in Pennsylvania. The Erie Metropolitan complex
is Pennsylvania's fifth largest, with 210,000 people.
There is a. variety of industrial production in this area. Over
200 manufacturers produce machinery, steel, paper, plastics, and
other products. Erie's port facilities annually handle o~ver six
million tons of Lake shipping. Tourism is a rapidly developing in-
dustry. The lakefront, particularly Presque Isle State Park, attracts
people from as far as Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo.
WATER USES
Municipal and Industrial
The predominant source of water for both municipal and industrial
usage is Lake Erie. The Lake supplies over 00 percent of domestic
water supplies. The other 10 percent is supplied from reservoirs
and shallow wells. Three major industries and a power plant maintain
their own supply systerrsfro^ the Lake. The City of North East has
8-1
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-------
N
SCALE IN MILES
PENNSYLVANIA BASIN
10
15
FIGURE 8-2
-------
developed Sixteennile Creek and French Creek (in the Allegheny River
Watershed) for its water supply. Only 7,000 people in urban areas use
"T.-oun : vater as their domestic vater source.
R_e_c r e p-tj_o n
Other than vater supply, the largest vater use in the Basin is
recreation. Swimming, boating, vater skiing, fishing, and the
esthetic enjoyment of clean vater are available throughout most of
the Basin. The nucleus of this development is Presque Isle State
Park and Bay. Park attendance on a warm summer weekend is over
100,000 people. Between three and four million people visit the park
anruflly. The recent completion of new roadways and other facilities
will further stimulate this important water use. Higher development
of acjscent beach areas to the east and west is expected.
Although there are only U,hOO boat registered in Erie County,
the area is used extensively for pleasure boating. On a weekend in
the mid-summer of 19&2, the Pennsylvania Department of Fish and Game
counted 12,000 boats in the lakefront area.
Fish and Aquatic Life
Excellent year-round fishing exists in many of the az-ea's
streams. Twentymile Creek, Trout Run, and Godfrey's Run are good
trout streams. All other streams support fish life (from, trout to
suckers) except Sixteennile Creek from Route 89 to Route 5, Cascade
Creek, Mill Greek belov West Thirtieth Street, and Garrison Run. Many
fish of various types are taken from Presque Isle Harbor and all along
the shore and into the Lake.
SOURCES OF WASTES
Municipal wastes, combined sewer overflows, and industrial waste
are principal sources of discharge into the shore region. Other
wastes, discharged intermittently, also have severe, though temporary
effects. Among these are accidental spills from vessels or industries,
wastes from lake vessels and pleasure crafts, and material from
dredging operations.
Municipal
The major sources of municipal wastes are Erie, Girard, Lake City,
and North East. All major treatment plants in this basin provide
secondary treatment and remove an average of 85 percent of the organic
loading. North East and Erie chlorinate their sewage treatment plant
effluents. Lake City and Girard are enlarging their treatment plants
8-2
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and plan to include chloriuation, as required by the State of
Pennsylvania.
Bacteria], tests of Mill Creek and Garrison Run indicate that
they are receiving domestic wastes. Samples collected in the harbor
off Mill Creek in 196H revealed high coliforrn counts.
Combined Sever Over flows
Lake City and North East have separate sewers for domestic
wastes and stormwater runoff. Girard and Erie each have a combination
of separate and combined systems. Erie's combined system exists
mainly in the downtown area.
Industrial
One industry, Hammermill Paper Company, contributes 90 percent of
the total oxygen demand loading to this area's water. This part of
Hammermill's waste will soon be largely removed with the installation
of deep well disposal. However, this will not alleviate the problem
caused by the industry's discharge of tannins and lignins from spent
pulping liquors. These wastes cause the water to foam, turn brownish
black in appearance, and produce a strong stench.
Other industries having discharges with a more localized effect
are Gunnison Brothers, Interlake Iron Corporation, General Electric,
and Parker-White Metal. Noticeable quantities of oil and iron have
been observed on Fourrnile Creek.
EFFECTS OF WASTES Oil WATER QUALITY AND WATER USES
Various communities along the lakefront have individual pollution
problems. Generally, beaches to the west of Presque Isle have main-
tained good quality, while those to the east, including Beach 11 on
Presque Isle, have at times been severely polluted. The pollution
problems at the beaches have been both bacterial and esthetic.
Fish kills have occurred sporadically in the history of the
lakeshore area and the various tributaries. The majority of the fish
kills were caused by industrial waste discharges. Others have been
caused by water temperature fluctuations. A combined effort by state
.and local officials, and wildlife organizations has helped to curb
illegal industrial discharges.
Erie Harbor
As Erie Harbor is enclosed by Presque Isle and has only s, small
8-3
-------
cper.in.-- Into Lake I'rie, it is veil protected and flow in and out is
restricted. Water color in the harbor and veil up the east shore is
?, deep brownish-tan, caused by pulp and paper wastes. Turbidity is
re1 r/ i'~ely low in the harbor and is further reduced outside the
hf'.roor. Filamentous green algae (Cladaphora and Chara) can be found
:'i. -•_.-., rreas of the harbor where the depth is less than six feet.
Fetter: deposits in the harbor are a brownish black combination
of rv.iii, silt, and detritus (including wood fiber). The harbor shows
'- viue variety of pollution intolerant benthic organisms, indicating
that the paper mill wastes in the concentrations that normally enter
the harbor are not toxic to bottom organisms. Much sport fishing
ta,]-:c." 7x1 ace in the harbor which contains an adequate fish population.
Studies have shown that the part of Erie Harbor immediately
along the downtown marina facilities and docks, and off Mill Creek,
contains high coliform densities. They range from 1,000 to 500,000
organisms per 100 ml near Mill Creek and in the ship channel. The
source of this pollution is probably Mill Creek, where coliforni
densities of over 1,000,000 organisms per 100 ml have been found and
from other local sources of pollution. Enteric pathogen studies re-
vealed Salmonella were isolated in both of these locations 80 percent
of the times sampled. This same organism was found in Erie's sewage.
Lake _Erie__ Shoreline
In many areas outside the harbor the Lake bottom is composed
of coarse sand and rock. This, along with relatively fast offshore
currents, prevents the accumulation of detritus or other materials on
the bottom to the east of Hamr.erird.ll. This habitat reduces the variety
of "bottom organisms that can be supported, but an assortment of clean
water associated organisms have been found.
The Hanmernu.ll Paper Company's waste outfall is located just east
of the mouth of Erie Harbor. With the prevailing winds in the area
from the west, Hammermill's effluent affects the esthetic conditions
of beaches and boating areas for 10 to 20 miles eastward. This line of
foam and foul smelling colored water is commonly visible at Sixteenmile
and Twentymile Creeks. This effluent hinders the development of the
eastern portion of the Basin as a water supply and as a recreational
area. Also, it reduces the usefulness of potentially valuable lakefront
property. When the wind is from the east, these wastes make parts or
all the beaches on Presque Isle unusable for water contact sports.
In addition to their adverse esthetic effects, these discharges
cause severe problems with tastes and odors in domestic water supplies.
In the spring of 196!l, for a period of 5 to 10 days, when the prevailing
8-1;
-------
vind was from the east, the City of Erie had high tannin concentrations
in its water intakes. They caused severe taste and odor problems and
required extensive extra treatment. Periodically, Erie closes its
eastern intake to avoid such high tannin concentrations.
In the summer of 196'-, the Erie County Health Depa.rtrr.ent carried
out an intensive microbiological examination of the beaches at Presque
Isle State Park. Presque Isle State Park officials, the U. S. Public
Health Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the City of
Erie cooperated in this study. A surj.iary of the data collected in the
summer of Ip6h from over ^,000 separate tests appears below:
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESULTS FROM PRFSQUE ISLE ETATI
SUTLER 196 H
PARK
Beach.
Presque Isle
Presque Isle
Presque Isle
Presque Isle
i.
8
10
11
Total Coliform Density-*
% Greater
M_edian Than_ j^OO^
*
36 \%
23 0/j
20 ' 0%
700 33%
Fecal Streptococcus
Density*
Median
10
1
*Count per 100 nil
Filter Technique
- preliminary evaluation, 196h data, Milliporc
The data in the above table indicate that Beach 1 on the vest
end of the park has an occasional source of pollution which diminishes
as it progresses down the beach, whereas Beach 11 on the eastern tip
is affected by larger and more constant sources of pollution.
Preliminary analyses indicate that, except for short periods,
all of the beaches except Beach 11 are relatively free from pollution.
All beaches, but particularly Beach 11, appear to be influenced by
heavy rainfall, strong wind from any direction which causes turbulence
in the water, and winds of any velocity but long duration from the
east. Beach 11 was closed as a precautionary measure several times
during the summer of 1965 by Park officials while all western beaches
remained open at all times.
8-5
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CHAPTER 9 - NEW YORK BASINS
A report on the New York basins tributary to Lake Erie was
submitted at the Rochester meeting of the subcoiranittes and is
therefore not included in this report.
9-1
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CHAPTER 10 - DETROIT RIVER AND MICHIGAN TRIBUTARIES
The Detroit River and.Michigan tributaries draining into Lake
Erie have been described in the Federal V.'ater Pollution Control
Adninistration's "Report on Pollution of the Detroit River, Michigan
Waters of Lake Erie, and their Tributaries", April, 1965, available
fror.i the Lake Huron Prog.rarr. Office, F'.fPCA, Crosse lie, Michigan.
10-1
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11 - FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES
The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration has proceeded
in compliance with all the recommendations of the conference in the
matter of pollution of the navigable waters of the Detroit River and
Lake Erie and their tributaries (Michigan) and the conference in the
matter of pollution of Lake Erie and its tributaries (Michigan - Indiana •
Ohio - Pennsylvania - New- York) for which it has responsibility. The
progress and accomplishments noted below are provided only in regard
to the Detroit River and the western and central portions of Lake Erie.
That is, that portion bordered by the States of Michigan, Indiana
and Ohio.
Detroit River
Recommendations
The summary of the second session of the conference in the matter
of pollution of Detroit River and Lake Erie and their tributaries held
June 15-18, 19^5 and issued by the Secretary of Health, Education, and
Welfare contained the following conclusions and recommendations unani-
mously agreed upon by the conferees:
1. The Detroit River and Lake Erie within the State of Michigan,
and their tributaries within the State of Michigan, are navigable waters
within the meaning of section 8 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act.
2. Pollution of navigable waters subject to abatement under the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act is occurring in the Detroit River,
the Michigan waters of Lake Erie, and their tributaries within the
State of Michigan. The discharges causing and contributing to the
pollution come from various industrial and municipal sources.
3. While many sources of waste discharge in the area have adequate
facilities, many sources still have inadequate waste treatment facilities.
The delays in controlling the pollution problem of the area covered
by the conference are caused by the lack of such adequate facilities
and the complex municipal-industrial nature of the problem.
h. Cognizance is taken of the excellent work and programming of
the Michigan State authorities. Most wastes in the area receive a
measure of treatment or control.
5« The "Report on Pollution of the Detroit River and the Michigan
Waters of Lake Erie and Their Tributaries," prepared by the U. S.
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, dated April 19^5> will
be submitted to the Michigan Water Resources Commission for implementa-
n-i
-------
tion under State and local lav. Action taken by the Michigan Water
Resources Commission will be reported to the conferees at six-month
intervals at public meetings to be called by the Chairman of the
conference. Tfte conferees expect that a time schedule for the control
of pollution in the area covered by the conference will be established
by the Michigan Water Resources Commission regarding all sources of
pollution within one year fron the date of the issuance of rhis summary.
6. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare will consult
with the Michigan Water Resources Conauission on action taken under State
law by that Commission relating to specific problems of the Detroit
River and Michigan waters of Lake Erie. Staff members of the Department
of Health, Education, and Welfare will be available for presentation of
evidence and testimony at conferences and hearings before the Michigan
Water Resources Commission.
7« All municipalities and industries be required to provide a
degree of treatment sufficient to protect all legitimate uses. Where
the effluent contains significant bacterial loadings deleteriously
affecting legitimate water uses, disinfection of the effluent will be
required.
8. Sewerage systems with collection sewers terminating in adequate
treatment facilities be provided in those areas along the Michigan shore
of Lake Erie and the Detroit River where sewers do not now exist and
homes discharge either raw wastes or septic tank effluent to the water-
course.
9. Waste treatment facilities be designed to prevent the necessity
of bypassijng untreated wastes during maintenance and renovation operations.
Cognizance is taken of the fact that many installations provide this
protection at the present time.
10. Programs to reduce the likelihood of accidental spills of
waste material to the river be continued and strengthened.
11. All municipal waste water treatment plants and industries dis-
charging wastes analyze regularly significant waste constituents contrib-
uting to pollution, and furnish such reports and records to the Michigan
Water Resources Commission as specified by it.
12. A Department of Health, Education, and Welfare water pollution
control surveillance station be established in the lower section of the
Detroit River. This will ba in addition to the Department station now
in operation at the head of the Detroit River so as to indicate changes
in water quality after improvements are made.
11-2
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13- Surveillance vill be the primary responsibility of the State
of Michigan. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare will
assist the State at such times as requested. Surveillance vill include
regular sampling of waste effluents and overflows from combined sewers
as well as aerial and power boat reconnaissance as practiced by the
Michigan Water Resources Commission. Expansion of this activity is
encouraged and recommended;
lU. The conference may be reconvened on the call of the Chairman.
Accomplishments
In compliance with recommendation 6 of this conference, a Federal
representative vas invited and did consult with the Michigan Water
Resources Commission on action taken under State law by that Commission
relating to specific problems of the Detroit River and Michigan Waters
of Lake Erie. The Federal representative attended all the meetings of
the Michigan Water Resources Commission in which the Detroit River
pollution problems were discussed and presented testimony on the occasions
where requested.
The Federal scientists provided the Michigan Water Resources
Commission with current information on the removal of phosphates by
sewage treatment processes.
A water pollution control surveillance station has been established
in the lower section of the Detroit River by the FWPCA as required by
recommendation 12 of the Detroit River-Lake Erie conference summary.
Automatic and continuous naasurements will be cade on temperature,
dissolved oxygen, conductivity and turbidity. This station has been
established as one of the national water pollution surveillance stations
of the FWPCA, which means that samples will be collected weekly for
the entire spectra of water quality measurements, including radiochemistry
and chlorinated hydrocarbons (p3sticid.es). In addition, the station
includes a low-flow rate carbon filter for organic analysis.
Finally, in compliance with recommendation 13, the ongoing surveil-
lance of the FWPCA which includes regular sampling of waste effluents
and overflows as well as aerial and power boat reconnaissance as
practiced by the Michigan Water Resources Commission was reinforced
with State personnel and control of the operations gradually shifted
to the State which cow has taken the major role in surveillance of the
Detroit River, tributaries, s.nd waste sources. The Detroit field unit
of the International Joint Commission continues to monitor the water
quality in the Detroit River, and the Ontario Water Resources Commission
also collects additional samples. Corsnunieation between all agencies
is maintained to prevent overlap or conflict.
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Lake Erie
Ree OBEuendat Ion s
The summary of the second session of the conference in the matter
of pollution of Lake Erie and its tributaries held August 10-12, 1965
and issued by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare contained
.the following conclusions and reconvaenciations unanimously agreed upon
by the conferees;
1. The waters of Lake Erie within the United States are interstate
waters within the meaning of section 8 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act. The waters of Lake Erie and its tributaries within the
United States are navigable waters within the meaning of section 8 of
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
2. Lake Erie and many of its tributaries are polluted. The main
body of the Lake has deteriorated in quality at a rate many times greater
than its normal aging processes, due to the inpats of wastes resulting
from the activities of man.
3. Identified pollutants contributing to damages to water uses
in Lake Erie are sewage and industrial wastes, oils, silts, sediment,
floating solids and nutrients (phosphates and nitrates). Enrichment
of Lake Erie, caused by man-made contributions of nutrient materials,
is proceeding at an alarming rate. Pollution in Lake Erie and many
of its tributaries causes significant damage to recreation, cornmercial
fishing, sport fishing, navigation, water supply, and esthetic values.
k. Eutrophication or over-fertilization of Lake Erie is of major
concern. Problems are occttrring along the Lake shoreline at some water
intakes and throughout the Lake from algal groirths stimulated by
nutrients. Reduction of one or more of such nutrients will b3 beneficial
in controlling algal growths and eutrophication.
5« Many sources of waste discharge reaching Lake Erie have inadequate
waste treatment facilities. Tne delays in controlling this pollution
are caused by the lack of such adequate facilities and the complex
municipal, industrial and biological nature of the problem.
6. Interstate pollution of Lake Erie exists. Discharges into Lake
Erie and its tributaries from various sources are endangering the health
or welfare of persons in States other than those in which such dis-
charges originate. In large measure tnis pollution is caused by
nutrients which over-fertilize the Lake. This pollution is subject
to abatement under the Federal Water pollution Control Act.
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7. Municipal wastes are to be given secondary treatment or treat-
ment of such nature as to effectuate the maximum reduction of BOD and
phosphates as well as other deleterious substances.
8. Secondary treatment plants are to be so designed and operated
as to maximize the removal of phosphates.
9. Disinfection of municipal waste effluents is to be practiced
in a manner that will maintain coliform densities not in excess of
5,000 organisms per 100 ml. at water supply intakes, and not in excess
of 1,000 organisms per 100 ml. where and when the receiving waters in
proximity to the discharge point are used for recreational purposes
involving bodily contact. It is recognized that bathing water quality
standards are established by statute in New York State.
10. All new sewerage facilities are to be designed to prevent
the necessity of bypassing untreated waters.
11. Combined storm, and sanitary sewers are to be prohibited in
all newly developed urban areas, and eliminated in existing areas
wherever feasible. Existing combined systems are to be patrolled and
flow-regulating structures adjusted to convey the maximum practicable
amount of combined flows to and through treatment plants.
12. Programs arc to be developed to prevent accidental spills
of waste materials to Lake Eric and its tributaries. In-plant surveys
with the purpose of preventing accidents are recommended.
13« Unusual increases in waste output and accidental spills are
to be reported immediately to the appropriate State a.gency.
lU. Disposal of garbage, trash, and other deleterious refuse in
Lake Erie or its tributaries is to be prohibited and existing dumps
along river banks and shores of the Lake are to be removed.
15. The conferees are to meet with representatives of Federal,
State and local officials responsible for agricultural, highway and
community development programs for the purpose of supporting satis-
factory programs for the control of runoff which deleteriously affects
water quality in Lake Erie.
16. Industrial plants are to improve practices for the segrega-
tion and treatment of waste to effect the maximum reductions of the
following:
a. Acids and alkalies
b. Oil and tarry substances
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c. Phenolic compounds and organic chemicals that contribute
to taste and odor problems
d. Ammonia and other nitrogenous compounds
e. Phosphorous compounds
f. Suspended material
g. Toxic and highly-colored wastes
h. Oxygen-denanding substances
i. Excessive heat
j. Foam-producing discharges
k. Other wastes which detract from recreational uses,
esthetic enjoyment, or other beneficial uses of the
waters.
17. The Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York water
pollution control agencies are to undertake action to insure that
industrial plants discharging wastes into the waters of Lake Erie and
its tributaries within their respective jurisdictions institute programs
of sampling their effluents to provide necessary information about waste
outputs. Such sampling shall be conducted at such locations and with
such frequency as to yield statistically reliable values of all waste
outputs and to show their variations. Analyses to be so reported are
to include, where applicable: pH, oil, tarry residues, phenolics,
ammonia, total nitrogen, cyanide, toxic materials, total biochemical
oxygen demand, and all other substances listed in the preceding paragraph.
18. Waste results are to be reported in terms of both concentra-.
tions and load rates. Such information will be maintained in open files
by the State agencies for all those having a legitimate interest in
the information.
19- The U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare is to
establish water pollution surveillance stations at appropriate locations
on Lake Erie. Surveillance of the tributaries will be the primary
responsibility of the States. The Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare will assist the States at such times as requested.
20. The U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare will
be responsible for developing up-to-date information and experience
concerning effective phosphate removal and the control of combined
sewer systems. This information will be reported to the conferees
regularly.
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21. Regional planning is often the most logical and economical
approach toward meeting pollution problems. The water pollution control
agenc-'es of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, and
the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare will encourage such
regional planning activities.
?2. Within six months after the issuance of this Summary, the
State vater pollution control agencies concerned are to present a
schedule of remedial action to the Conferees for their consideration
and evaluation.
23. The Federal Conferee recommends the following for the considera-
tion of the State agencies:
a. Recommended municipal treatment; Completion of plans
and specifications, Augv>£t, 1966; completion of financing,
February, 39^7; construction started, August, 19^7 J
construction completed, January 1, 19^9 j chlorination of
effluents, May 15., 19^6; provision of stand-by and
emergency equipment to prevent interruptions in operation
of municipal treatment pl&utn, August, 19^6; patrolling
of combined sewer systems, immediately.
b. Discontinuance of garbage a.nd trash dumping into waters;
immediately.
c. Industrial waste treatment facilities: Completed and
in operation by January 1, 1969.
2U. Federal installations; Waste treatment facilities are to
be completed and in operation by August of 1966.
25. Representatives of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers are to
meet with the Conferees, develop and put into action a program for
disposal of dredged material in Lake Erie and its tributaries which
will satisfactorily protect water quality. Such a program is to be
developed with six months after the issuance of this Summary and
effectuated as soon as possible thereafter.
2.6. The conferees will establish a Technical Committee as soon
as possible which will evaluate water quality problems in Lake Erie
relating to nutrients and irake recommendations to the conferees within
six months after the issuance of this Summary.
27• The conference may be- reconvened on the call of the Chairman.
•11-7
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Ace oiiipli shmerrl 3
The FWPCA, in compliance vith recommendation 11, has established
aria v'll continue the process of reviewing urban renewal projects for
proper separation of stoi-a eud sanitary sewers. The FWPCA recormr.enda-
ticn for the construct: on of separate storm and sanitary sewers will
be complied with at the University-Euclid Urban Renewal Project in
C"U>v-jl?r_d, Ohio, the Vistula. Meadows Urban Renewal Project in Toledo,
Ohio, ar.d the Casca.de Ut'ban Renewal Project in Akron, Ohio.
In keeping with reccrT;aeur],?tion 15 of the lake Erie conference
surxary b. meeting has b.-en held with the Bureau of Public Roads and
state highway officials in pursuit of programs to control runoff which
dele teriously effects Lokn Erie. The Federal and State highway officials
indicated great interest in minimizing pollution, and have received
an Instructional Memorandum from the Federal Highway Administrator to
conduct the Federal highway program in such a way as to be in compliance
with president Johnson's Executive Order No. 11288,
In corapliar.ee with reccmn
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Drain in Macomb County, Michigan, $110,715j^and Sylvania, Ohio, $20,340.
The total 10 percent grant increases amount to $209,679. Meetings
have also been held with some Conference Area regional planning agencies.
In addition to the 10 percent construction grant increases, a
total of lU regular construction grants, amounting to $3>927^790> ^n
support of eligible construction of $13?583>1^7> have teen made to
communities in the western and central portions of the Lake Erie Basin
since last summer.
In compliance with rceoccuendation 25 a. meeting was held with
representatives of the Chief of the Corps of Engineers to discuss the
problem of dredged material disposal. The Corps of Engineers has
proceeded diligently in the development of plans for disposal that
would minimize pollutional effects.
Recommendation 26 of the L?-"ke Erie conference summary calling for
the establishment of a Technical Committee has been fulfilled. The
conferees appointed a Technical Committee which met, heard testimony
from a number of Federal, State and private consultants, prepared
an interim report, and presented their preliminary recommendations to
the conferees. This Technical Committee continues to function and
will provide a Eiore detailed report to the conferees.
In a continuing effort to carry out the recommendations of the Lake
Erie Conferences and to stimulate necessary action on the part of ell
concerned, the conferees met again on June 22, 1966. At that time the
States of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio reported their ovn progress and
accomplishments in the western and central portions of the Lake Erie
Basin since the previous conference; and all the conferees agreed that
to assure continued progress they would meet again in six months. At
that time, when municipalities have proceeded with their plans for
the construction of adequate waste facilities, a detailed abatement
schedule may "be drawn up which will include both municipalities and
industries.
Federal Insto.ll£.tions
In support of Executive Order 11288 concerning the waste treatment
practices of Federal installations and recommendation 2U of the Lake
Erie conference summary all such installations in the western and
central portions of the Lake Erie Basin are providing adequate treatment
or have initiated satisfactory abatement programs,
2-~ r~*
s In the Detroit River Conference Area the Naval Air Station at
Groose lie has improved its primary treatment plant and provided con-
tinuous chiorination. Further treatment facilities were not required
because the Station is scheduled for closing by September 1, 1967 •
11-9
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A package aeration plant with chlorination was put into operation at
the t>oat dock and the airplane washing wastes are now being treated
by the Grosse He Sewage treatment plant. The U. S. Coast Guard
Detroit River Lighthouse is to be converted to an axitomatic operation
within the next 12 months. The Corps of Engineers in response to FWPCA
recommendations has ordered that the practice of dumping ship's garbage
and trash at the dredged material disposal area be stopped; that closer
control be maintained in order to prevent the spillage of dredged
material outside of the disposal areas; and that treatment units be
provided on board dredging vessels for sanitary wastes. All other
Federal installations in the Detroit Conference Area discharge to
municipal systems.
Jn the western and central portions of the Lake Erie Conference
Area involving the States of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio the following
installations have adequate treatment facilities e.nd s.re in compliance
with the conference suroiary:
U. S. Coast Guard installations, Lake Erie
Marblehead Lifeboat Station, Ottawa Co., Ohio
SaneJusky ]>.y Light Station, Ohio
Cleveland Roserve Training Unit, Ohio
Chesterland Radio Station, Gates Mills, Ohio
Fairport Harbor Light Station, Ohio
Perry's Victory a.nd International Peace Memorial National Monr^^nt,
South Bass Island, Ohio
Erie Army Depot, Post Clinton, Ohio
Locust Point Firing Range
Post Office, Eellevue, Ohio
Cleveland Army Tank Automotive Plant, Clevalc-.nd, Ohio
The Lewis Research Center, NASA, Cleveland, Ohio
Army NIKE Sites, Cleveland Area (Sitec 29C and 3^1,)
GSA Materials Depot, New Haven, Indiana,
Post Office, Berne, Indiana
The following installations (all U. S. Coost Guard facilities)
are not in compliance with the recom&snclations and conclusions of the
conferees at present, but are expected to be in August 1966;
^•Toledo Harbor Light Station, Ohio/'- < ••''• /*•*?*>.>«'•-'.•<• • 'an./•,-,... •', j £
• Put-In-Bay Light Station, Ohio$.<>. --"- ••' *J-'-'' ' t '-••.•/ '--.«,• , '
^Lorain Lifeboat Station, Ohio {'\^-^.- ,• ' ' ',-..'4*'•",''*';' ' ' ' ' -^ ^
Cleveland Lifeboat Station, Ohio /•""'" ' > ' f "?••' •' ' " ' ''•" * '
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Although Selfridge A-r Force Ease is not included within^an
enforcement conference area, the discharges to the Clinton River have
"be 3ri the subject of "both State and Federal concern; and the accomplish-
ments with regard to this problem, are noteworthy. FWPCA recommendations
called for the Air Force to install sewage treatment facilities ca.pable
cf pro-?'i^ins an effluent having very low biochemical oxygen demand,
sur;;erred solids, total phosphates, colifonas and oil and to initiate
a vigor "jur; program of sampling and analysis for these parameters. The
FT,/PCA re:co:rrr.ended that the sevage from the /army HIKE Sites and the
Missile Ilaintenar.es Area at Selfridge be pumped to the Air Force sewage
plant for treatment or that the effluent from the septic tanks either
(l) be pompsd out of the basin, (2) be contained in evaporation lagoons,
or (3) if discharged to the Clinton River, shall not exceed strict
requirements for biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, total
phosphates and coliforms. If the last alternative is implemented, an
ac'oJve. ongoing testing program is to be conducted. On July 18, 1966
representatives of the FWPCA, the Air Force and the Army met, the
recommendations of the FWPCA were accepted, and the following time
schedules set;
U. S. Army NIKE Sites and Mlssle Maintenance Area
1. Plans completed for abatement
program December 31 j
2. Final plans and specifications
and contract award July 1,
3. Construction couple ted December 31.>
Selfridge Air Force Base Sewage Treatment Plant
1. Final plans and specifications
and contract award October 1,
2. Construction completed October 1, 1968
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