FOREWORD
James M. Quigley, Commissioner
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
U. S. Department of the Interior
Lake Erie, for the volume of water it contains, is one of the most
polluted bodies of water in the Nation. A priceless national heritage and
lifeblood of eleven million persons, this lake suffers from the continual
outpourings of industrial and domestic wastes and silt pollution. The
effect of this pollution on the water quality of Lake Erie is devastating.
Pollution plagues the fisherman, limits the recreational value of the lake,
and poses a major impediment to commerce.
Lake Erie's use as a fishing resource for commercial and sport
fishermen is declining. Once rich with such prize fish as sauger, sturgeon,
pike, cisco, whitefish, and walleye, the catch now usually contains yellow
perch, smelt, sheepshead, whitebass, and carp.
Water pollution has caused many lakeshore areas to be posted against
bathing. Other areas are littered continuously with rotting masses of algae
and dead fish. In fact, where the recreational needs around the lake are
the greatest, the water quality is the poorest.
Industrial and domestic wastes and silt pollution block the harbors
and navigational channels. Each year six million tons of ugly sediment
must be removed from the harbors to maintain navigation. This foul material
is in turn carried to the lake and dumped.
Although Lake Erie remains the best source of water supply for its
citizens, occasional problems do occur from unpleasant tastes and odors
in drinking water. In addition to these problems, Lake Erie is aging
faster than natural processes would exhibit, hastened by the spoils of
society.
In spite of the fact that the states bordering Lake Erie have long
fought for pollution control in the watershed, the conditions in Lake Erie
have continued to worsen. Recognizing this, in 1961 Gov. John Swainson of
Mich'igan requested a federal enforcement conference on the Detroit River
and Michigan waters of Lake Erie. In 1965, Gov. James A. Rhodes of Ohio
expanded the scope of enforcement powers by requesting a conference on
all of Lake Erie. I am pleased to report that accelerated action programs
have been instituted to finally stem the tide of pollution in Lake Erie.
This is not all that has been done. In 1961, the Water Supply and
Pollution Control Division of the Public Health Service began an exhaustive
study of water quality in the Great Lakes. The study, continued under the
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, early focused attention
on Lake Erie, since it contained the most obvious and most serious instances
of water pollution found in the Great Lakes.
The results of these studies are covered in this report, which con-
tains (1) a detailed analysis of the nature and extent of pollution in
Lake Erie, (2) its causes, (3) what must be done to abate it and prevent
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its recurrence, and (4) what it will cost to control it. This report covers
the major drainage areas of Lake Erie. These are: Southeast Michigan area;
Maumee River and North Central Ohio basin; Greater Cleveland-Akron area;
Northeast Ohio basin; Pennsylvania and New York area.
The course of action recommended in this report is based largely upon
the decision of the people of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and
New York, who live in the basin—a decision manifested by the repeated
pronouncements of their public officials and many interested clean water
groups — that the waters of Lake Erie are to be fit habitats for desirable
species of fish, suitable sources for all forms of recreation, and ex-
cellent source of water supply. They must be esthetically pleasing in
appearance, and generally clean, refreshing, and sparkling.
These are demanding goals in terms of water quality, but no lesser
goals have ever been publicly advanced. Secretary of the Interior, Stewart
Udall, has said that "the Great Lakes represent the finest fresh water re-
source that the Nation has. The lakes are in trouble and the one that is
in the most trouble is Lake Erie." Senator Robert Kennedy of New York re-
peated this concern when he said, "Lake Erie is polluted and now it's a
question of doing something about it."
Much speculation exists in the minds of many on the ultimate outcome
of Lake Erie. Can we merely retard its aging process? Can we call a complete
halt to old age? Or most of all, can we make it young and fresh as it once
was many years ago? These provoking questions need not plague us into doing
little or nothing, but should make us unite in a giant effort to do all we
can with the hope that the best will come true. As more information unfolds,
more must be done but the tools are at hand now to begin and make better.
This report sets forth a plan to do something about it and to make
the goals a reality. Whether this plan will achieve its purpose is also a
decision which rests largely with the citizens of the Lake Erie basin.
U.S. Environ-':? Ruction Agency
Rei : -
Region 5,L: .
ii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Foreword i
Table of Contents • iii
Introduction 1
Summary -- A General View 5
Chapter 1 -- Implementation 1-1
Chapter 2 -- Description of the Lake Erie Basin 2-1
Chapter 3 -- Water Uses 3-1
Chapter 4 -- Waste Sources 4-1
Chapter 5 -- Water Quality Problems 5-1
iii
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INTRODUCTION
Authority
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 466 et seq.)
contains among its provisions a directive to the Secretary of the Interior
to develop comprehensive programs for controlling pollution of interstate
waters and their tributaries. The following document presents such a
program for Lake Erie. It is the result of a painstaking study of the water
quality of Lake Erie and its surrounding watershed, the use of the lake
system, the factors that affect water quality, the probable nature of the
economic development of the basin and its impact on water quality, and
the nature of measures that must be taken both to abate pollution in the
watershed and to prevent recurrence of pollution.
While the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration prepared
this report and bore the major responsibility for developing the study,
a number of federal,state, local and private agencies provided important
assistance in collecting and analyzing data. In particular, the water
pollution control agencies of the States of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana,
Pennsylvania, and New York accepted a large role in developing both infor-
mation and concepts.
An enforcement action on the Michigan waters of the Detroit River
and Lake Erie, called at the request of former Governor Swainson of
Michigan in 1961 under the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act, provided an early start toward achieving many of the de-
sired water quality improvement measures. A timely enforcement action on
all of Lake Erie, called at the request of Governor Rhodes of Ohio in
1965 under the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
added further impetus to the early achievement of many of the requirements
for pollution abatement.
Purpose
This report presents an action program of water pollution control,
designed to provide high quality waters in Lake Erie through abatement of
existing pollution, and to provide continuing control of pollution through
preventive actions scheduled in anticipation of future problems. The report
and resulting program have been developed from both extensive and intensive
information on present water quality, water uses, and trends in water usage;
present and anticipated future waste loads from existing and projected
population and economic growth, and other relevant facts gathered by the
Lake Erie Program Office (LEPO), Federal Water Pollution Control Admini-
stration, Department of the Interior, during its study of the Lake Erie
Basin.
Acknowledgments
As required by the authorizing legislation, the Lake Erie Program
Office has worked closely with State, local, and other Federal agencies
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to develop a water pollution control program. A list of the principal
agencies which have participated through preparation of special reports
or through their release of supporting information is as follows:
Michigan:
Water Resources Commission
Department of Public Health
Indiana:
Board of Health
Stream Pollution Control Board
Ohio:
Water Pollution Control Board
Department of Health
Department of Natural Resources
Pennsylvania:
Department of Health
Sanitary Water Board
Department of Forests and Waters
New York:
Department of Health
Division of Pure Water
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
Canada:
Ontario Water Resources Commission
Department of National Health and Welfare
Department of Lands and Forests
Department of Mines and Technology
International Joint Commission
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A citizens' group, the Maumee River Basin Water Users Committee
has been especially helpful in defining water uses for various stretches
of the principal streams within that subbasin. The following are the
chairmen of the various groups of that Committee:
Municipality Co-Chairraen
Sharon D. Bresler, Lima, Ohio
Paul Fulkerson, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Industry Co-Chairmen
Russell ¥. Abbott, Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Co., Toledo, Ohio
Donald E, Bodiker, Sohio Chemical Co., Lima, Ohio
Agriculture Chairman
Charles Young, Hew Bavaria, Ohio
Recreation Co-Chairmen
Ralph W. Peters, Defiance, Ohio
Carl Mosley, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus, Ohio
,The Lake Erie Technical Committee guided the Program Office in the
fulfillment of its mission. Membership in this Committee consists of the
following:
Albert G. Ballert - Karl M. Mason
Great Lakes Commission Pa. Department of Health
Ann Arbor, Michigan Harrisburg, Pa.
John J. Chester Loring F. Oeming
Chester &. Rose Attorneys Michigan Water Resources Comm.
Columbus, Ohio Lansing, Michigan
George H. Eagle Blucher A. Poole
Ohio Department of Health Indiana Board of Health
Columbus, Ohio Indianapolis, Indiana
Mrs. Donald T. Francis Charles E. Spahr
League of Women Voters Standard Oil Co.
Cleveland Hts., Ohio Cleveland, Ohio
Walter E. Gerdel Mededith H. Thompson, M.D.
Dept. of Public Utilities New York Dept, of Health
Cleveland, Ohio Albany, New York
Richard J. Kotis Michael E. Wargo
Fred Arbogast Co., Inc. Presque Isle State Park
Akron, Ohio Erie, Pa.
The Lake Erie Enforcement Conference Technical Committee delved
into the dynamics of pollution ecology in the lake, with special emphasis
on the complex relationships existing between phosphorus and accelerated
aging of the lake (eutrophication). Membership in the C-.ommittee consists
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of the following:
Perry E. Miller
Indiana Board of Health
Indianapolis, Indiana
Earl Richards
Ohio Department of Health
Columbus, Ohio
Donald B. Stevens
New York Dept. of Health
Albany, N.Y.
Grover Cook, past Chairman
FWPCA
Chicago, Illinois
George Harlow, present Chairman
FWPCA
Cleveland, Ohio
Carlos Fetterolf
Michigan Water Resources Cotnm.
Lansing, Michigan
Walter A. Lyon
Pa. Sanitary Water Board
Harrisburg, Pa.
Recognition is also made to municipalities, industries, universities,
civic groups, the press, and the various authors who, through their writings,
have added to the science of Lake Erie.
Dr. LaVerne Curry of Central Michigan University entered into the
study through research into the biology of Lake Erie. Dr. Donald O'Connor
of Manhattan College consulted on the mathematics of stream deoxygenation
and reaeration.
Without the combined effort of these participating agencies and
organizations, both public and private, this study would not have been
possible.
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SUMMARY--A GENERAL VIEW
WATER USES
The waters of Lake Erie are used for many important purposes,
each critical in its own right. One major use, of course, is that of a
water supply—as a source of water for such things as drinking, washing,
and bathing; industrial processes and cooling; for hydroelectric power
generation; and irrigation and stock watering. Other important uses
include shipping, commercial fishing, a habitat for fish and waterfowl,
recreation and scenic beauty, and finally waste assimilation.
Water Supply
Lake Erie holds 125 trillion gallons of water, enough water to
serve municipal and industrial water supply needs in the Erie basin for
34 years without replenishment, or to serve these needs nationwide for
approximately one year.
To serve the 11 million citizens of the Lake Erie region, municipali-
ties use 1.3 billion gallons per day with 41 per cent being taken directly
from the lake,42 percent from the Detroit River, and 17 per cent from
inland sources. The Detroit area alone withdraws 0.55 billion gallons
per day.
Industries use 10 billion gallons per day, withdrawing 48 per cent
of this from the lake and 32 percent from the Detroit River; . Of the
total withdrawal, 38 per cent is used for industrial cooling and processing,
the rest goes for hydroelectric power production. Detroit area industry
heads the list by using 3.4 billion gallons per day.
Lake Erie water is not directly withdrawn in significant quantities
for either irrigation or stock watering. However, several million gallons
per day are withdrawn from inland surface streams and groundwaters for
nurseries, truck crops, golf courses, lawns, and livestock.
Commercial Shipping
Industries in the Lake Erie basin account for approximately 10 per
cent of the country's manufacturing output, a factor enhanced by the
rich natural resources of the area and the availability of both interlake
and international waterborne commerce. In 1962, eleven major U. S. harbors
around the perimeter of the lake handled 125 million tons of cargo. Lake
Erie waters carried 13 billion ton-miles of shipping in 1963.
Commercial Fishing
For almos_t__50years, Lake Erie has led the Great Lakes in fish
production.C^oweyierT/^n^ recent years ,
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the lowest since 1879, and the 1964 catch was even lower with a dollar
value of only 1.2 million. This compares with the value of the 1951
catch of $44 million. This figure was even higher in earlier years when
higher dollar value species of fish were plentiful.
In earlier decades fisherman relied heavily on such select species
as sturgeon, pike, cisco, sauger, and whitefish to sustain the industry.
Now these fish are gone or are rare, and perch, smelt, sheepshead,
whitebass, and carp make up the bulk of the commercial catch today.
Even though the value is declining, total poundage of fish caught
has remained relatively steady, averaging approximately 50 million pounds
annually through 1964. In the past five years, the Canadian catch has
doubled that dfif the U.S.
Recreation
Tourism in the Lake Erie basin is a major industry and the lake
itself is the main attraction. The basin does not have an abundance of
.scenic beauty or other factors to make it especially attractive to
tourists. Therefore, tourism is confined to activities in which the lake
plays a part such as boating, water skiing, swimming, and sport fishing.
During 1963, 75 million visits were made to the 170 federal, state, and local
parks in the basin. Five parks, Middle Rouge County and Belle Isle in
Detroit, Rocky River in Cleveland, Presque Isle in Pennsylvania, and ^At?.,-,
River Reservation in New York, accounted for almost 50 per cent of the
visits.
Summer water temperature makes Lake Erie well-suited to water
contact sports. Available beaches are heavily used because of dense
population and the relative scarcity of good beaches. The most notable
beaches are Metropolitan Beach, Belle Isle Beach, and Sterling State
Park in Michigan; Crane Creek, East Harbor, and Headlands State Parks.
Cedar Point, and Mentor, Geneva, Walnut, and Conneaut Townships in
Ohio; Presque Isle in Pennsylvania, and Evangola and Lake Erie State Park
in New York. In 1963 approximately 15 million visits were made to these
beaches.
Inland lakes in the Lake Erie watershed basin also provide ex-
cellent opportunities for swimming, boating, sport fishing, and water
skiing. The great majority of these lakes are located in southeast
Michigan. Six million outdoor enthusiasts visited these inland lakes in 1963.
Sport fishing is a major recreational attraction in Lake Erie, and
at times the catch in Ohio waters exceeds the commercial catch,especially
in yellow perch fishing. During winter the fishermen venture onto the
ice in large numbers to continue their fishing. The heaviest sport
fishing activity occurs in the western basin and particularly in the
island area.
During a warm summer day, pleasure boats navigate Lake Erie in
large numbers. Over 200,000 pleasure boats are registered in the Lake
Erie basin.
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Waste Disposal
About 10 million people in the U.S. portion of the Lake Erie basin
are served by sewers and sewage treatment discharging wastes amounting
to 1.3 billion gallons per day. Fifty-five per cent of these are served
by primary treatment only. Another half million people live in areas
which are unsewered.
Approximately 270 industrial waste producers utilize the streams
and lakes within the basin for disposal purposes. Their discharges
total 10 billion gallons per day. The hydroelectric generating plants
contribute 62 per cent of this amount. Known industrial wastes account
for another 2 million population equivalents.
In addition to the above contributors, there are several hundred
combined storm and sanitary sewer outfalls. These outfalls discharge
an estimated 40 billion gallons per year and approximately 50 per cent
of this is untreated municipal wastes; i.e. sewage entering sewer
systems that were bypassed during a rainstorm. The estimated population
equivalent for these wastes is 1/2 million.
WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS
The population of the Lake Erie basin is expected to more than
double by the year 2020 (see Fig. 1) and along with this there is ex-
pected to be a five-fold increase in industrial activity. This increase,
of course, will bring attendant waste discharges. Unless steps are taken
now to halt the growing tide of pollution and the more than'doubling
of the load by the year 2020, the pollution problems in Lake Erie will
increase accordingly.
Lake Enrichment
The greatest pollution problem in the lake is also the one with
the most awesome potential--over-enrichment of the lake's waters with
nutrients. Over-enrichment fosters excessive plant productivity (algae
growth) and rapidly accelerates the natural aging process of the lake.
Even without the presence of man, the lake would be in a more
advanced state of enrichment (eutrophication) than the other Great Lakes
because of its relative warmth, shallowness, and soil fertility. Add
the population factor, however, and the rate of enrichment accelerates
rapidly. Within the last two generations, man has dumped enough refuse
into Lake Erie not only to make the aging rate measurable, but to make
it glaringly obvious. Since 1900, this aging rate has shown a marked
increase, and, in fact, during the last 10 years, has exhibited an
even sharper upturn.
Much evidence exists to show both directly and indirectly the
state of eutrophication of Lake Erie. Profuse algal growths occur in
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EASTERN
\ BASIN
POPULATION PROJECTIONS
IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
Figure 1 -- Population trends for the Lake Erie basin.
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the Western basin and along the southern shoreline where nutrient levels
are highest. For its size, Lake Erie's algae-producing capacity is among
the highest in the world and its rate of algae production is presently
at its highest peak. The varieties of aLgae are changing to those which
are more suitable to highly enriched environments.
When these organisms die and sink to the bottom, they decompose,
thereby utilizing the water's life-giving oxygen. During summer temperature
stratification periods in Lake Erie, the oxygen is consumed at a rate
faster than it is replenished;leading to the annual occurrence of low
dissolved oxygen (DO) in bottom waters. The length of time of existence
of low oxygen levels is also increasing.
Low DO in turn has changed the aquatic food chain by killing off
certain bottom dwelling organisms, such as the mayfly, which were an
important food for the desirable carnivorous fishes. Thus, these fishes
are suffering for lack of food, and scavenger type fishes are replacing
them. Low DO and undesirable habitat are also killing young fish and
fish eggs. Stated simply, select fishes are vanishing from the lake be-
cause of undesirable alteration of their environment by water pollution.
Other evidences of over-enrichment are the increasing problems of
surface algal scums, algal littering of beaches (with a subsequent de-
crease in shoreline property values), algae-produced bad taste and odor
in drinking water supplies, and the clogging of intakes by algae. In
spite of this, Lake Erie, even though it contains the lowest quality
water of the five Great Lakes, remains a highly satisfactory source of
raw water supply when compared with inland and groundwater supplies.
Phosphorus is the key element in the over-enrichment problem in
Lake Erie. Because it is an essential and most vital nutrient, it
accelerates the process of over-enrichment, when present in excess.
The excess begins in Lake Erie when the daily phosphorus input exceeds
a total of 23, OOOlbs/day from municipal, industrial, and rural and
urban runoff sources. These sources are now adding 147,000 Ibs/day of
phosphorus. The phosphorus contribution from within the Lake Erie basin
is composed of 68 per cent from municipal wastes, 16 per cent from
rural runoff, *> per cent from industrial wastes and 7 'per cent from
urbam, runoff. In municipal wastes, 66 per cent of the phosphates come
from detergents. This one source, detergents, accounts for 4^7per cent
of the total phosphorus load going to the lake from all major sources.
The Detroit and Maumee Rivers contribute 55 per cent of the total load
to Lake Erie, Table 1.
Assuming that the Lake Huron input and other runoff sources are
not easily controllable, the enrichment process can be retarded by
limiting the discharge of total phosphorus from municipal and industrial
sources to no more than 9,000 Ibs/day within the entire basin. This
would include 1,000 Ibs/day from Canadian sources. This requires 92
per cent removal of the present municipal and industrial phosphorus
load and 100 per cent removal by the year 2020.
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TABLE 1
SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF PHOSPHORUS DISCHARGES TO LAKE ERIE, Ibs/day
(exclusive of Lake Huron input and shore erosion)
Basin
Western Basin
Central Basin
Eastern Basin
Ontario
TOTAL
Municipal
Waste
56,900
27,400
3,000
11,900
98,200
Industrial
Waste
8,000
3,200
2,100
unknown
13,300
Urban
Runoff
4,800
3,410
650
450
9,310
Rural
Runoff
14,300
2,970
1,000
5,500
23,770
Total
84,000
35,980
6,750
17,850
144,580
Nearshore Bacterial and Blight Problems
Many bathing beaches in Lake Erie are plagued by pollution problems.
A danger to health is caused in the nearshore water by bacterial loading
derived primarily from sewage discharges and combined sewer overflows.
The greatest bacterial problems are found nearest the metropolitan centers
where many beaches are unsafe for water contact recreation because of
these problems, Table 2. In fact, even though there is a high demand for
water contact recreation on Lake Erie from its 11,000,000 residents,
much of this goes unsatisfied because water pollution limits the use.
The nearshore waters of Lake Erie are generally unattractive, being
polluted by debris, silt, and dead and decaying aquatic life and occasion-
ally oily wastes. Nearshore waters are ordinarily very turbid in all of
Lake Erie and in the western basin turbidity may extend from shore to
shore. Turbidity in Lake Erie is high compared to the other Great Lakes.
The turbidity is caused by silt washing in from the land, suspended
solids from municipal and industrial wastes, plant life suspended in
the waters, and lake shallowness which lets wave action stir up bottom
muds. Total silt load to the lake is estimated at 134 million Ibs/day.
Harbors in Lake Erie are now characteristically and continuously
foul, unpleasant, and odorous because of waste discharges. Industrial
and municipal discharges at Detroit and Monroe, Michigan; Cleveland,
Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; Buffalo, New York, are particularly obnoxious
in this respect. So much waste is added to major harbors that annual
dredging is required to maintain them. Up to this time, dredged material
has been dumped into the lake, further adding to the polluted condition.
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TABLE 2
BATHING BEACHES ON LAKE ERIE THAT ARE UNSAFE FOR SWIMMING
DUE PRIMARILY TO BACTERIAL POLLUTION FROM SEWAGE DISCHARGES
MICHIGAN OHIO
Estr^l Beach ' Little Cedar Point, Toledo
Maple & Milleville Beach Lakeview Park, Lorain
Sterling State Park Century Park, Lorain
NEW YORK Rocky River Park
Hamburg All Cleveland Beaches
Silver Creek Euclid Beach
Westfield
Removal of nearshore blights will require bacteria control in
waste discharges, control of silt and suspended solids from land runoff
and municipal and industrial wastes, control of nutrients to limit algae
growth, oil control from industries and passing ships, and control of
debris and trash dumped on the land and in the waters. Control of harbor
fouling requires treatment for siltation and suspended solids from munici-
palities and industries, and discontinuation of the practice of dumping
the dredged material in the lake.
Dissolved Solids
The dissolved solids content of Lake Erie has increased rapidly in
the past 30 years. A major factor is the increase in chlorides which
have doubled during this time interval (see Figure 2). Presently 1$^" J
million pounds of chlorides are discharged to Lake Erie daily from
sources within the basin. Of this amount, approximately ^ per cent
comes from de-icing streets in winter, $&• per cent from industrial
wastes, and 10 per cent from municipal wastes. One chemical industry in
the Painesville, Ohio area contributes 21 per cent of the total chloride
load to Lake Erie.
These inputs of chlorides to Lake Erie must be controlled in order
to maintain a high quality water supply. The chloride concentration in
Lake Erie should be maintained at a level not above that which presently
exists.
Biochemical Oxygen Demanding Substance
The discharge of wastes to streams and tributaries within the
Lake Erie basin as measured by the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand test
10
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40
S3
o
- SO
S "
a.
is
V)
a: 10
itoo
ItSO 1*40
YEAR
CHANGES IN CHLORIDE CONCENTRATIONS OF LAKE ERIE
Figure 2 — Trends in
solido loading to Lake Erie.
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is 2.3 million pounds per day. Of this amount sources within the U.S.
portion of the basin contribute 1.4 million pounds and the Lake Huron
input is equivalent to 0.9 million pounds, (see figure 3)
The oxygen demand of these substances is critical in tributary
waters; many reaches have virtually continuous depressed dissolved oxygen
levels. The effect is not serious in Lake Erie proper because most of
the demand is satisfied before the wastes reach Lake Erie and also because
the lake has tremendous oxidative capacity.
The discharge of BOD5 substances should be reduced to a basin total
of 320,000 pounds per day from the present total of 1.4 million pounds.
This requires at least a 90 per cent reduction of the raw BOD load now
being discharged and at least 98 per cent by the year 2020.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The five Lake Erie basin states have agreed to the recommendations
arising from the Detroit and Lake Erie Enforcement conferences and have
instituted programs designed to achieve the aims of the conferees. The
information contained herein amplifies the Enforcement recommendations
and projects water pollution control needs to the year 2020, For current
needs, it follows closely the program outlined by the conferees; it also
points out remedial measures that were beyond the scope of the conferees.
Present Needs
1. Each of the states of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania
and New York should control municipal and industrial waste discharge to
the extent that when discharged to the waters of the Lake Erie basin,
they will not contain more than 320,000 Ibs/day of oxygen-consuming
substances as measured by the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand test. This
discharge,amounting to secondary treatment or 907o reduction, should be
allocated among the 5 states in the following manner:
Michigan 150,000 Ibs/day
Indiana 10,000 Ibs/day
Ohio 140,000 Ibs/day
Pennsylvania 16,000 Ibs/day
New York 4,000 Ibs/day
No cities or industries in the Lake Erie watershed that discharge
oxygen consuming substances presently treat to this degree of removal
on a continuous basis. It is recognized, however, that the state water
pollution control agencies of Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are committed
to complete such facilities in their respective states by 1971. Michigan
and New York, although endorsing secondary treatment, have adopted a lesser
11
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l,«« 3,000
0
.-„ THOUSANDS OC
300 LBS. ft* DAY
PRESENT AND PROJECTED
BOD5 LOAD DISCHARGED
IN THE
LAKE ERIE BASIN
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degree of removal and .are also asking to have the remedial facilities
completed by 1971. These two states should upgrade their requirements to
907o efficiency of treatment. In some inland areas, even higher removal
rates will be required to maintain desired water quality.
2. Each of the states of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania
and New York should control its municipal and industrial waste discharges
to the extent that when discharged to the waters of the Lake Erie basin,
they will not contain more than 8,000 Ibs/day of phosphorus. The discharges
from agricultural and urban runoff should be limited to 15,000 pounds per
day. This discharge should be allocated among the five states in the
following manner:
Michigan
Indiana
Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
11,600 Ibs/day
850 Ibs/day
9,600 Ibs/day
700 Ibs/day
250 Ibs/day
No cities or industries that discharge phosphorus presently treat
to this level in the Lake Erie watershed although it is recognized that
the states are embarking on a program of treatment. Therefore, the
Lake Erie states should order their cities and industries to have such
facilities in operation by 1971 in accordance with the above allocation,
with each state being responsible for apportioning the amounts among
their respective producers of phosphorus waste.
3. In order to protect inland streams in portions of the Lake Erie
watershed, the following municipalities need advanced waste treatment to
effect a 98 per cent reduction of oxygen consuming substances as measured
by the BOD5 test:
Indiana
Ohio
Auburn
Decatur
Fort Wayne
Garrett
Akron
Amherst
Archbold
Attica
Bellevue
Berea
Bloomdale
Bloomville
Bowling Green
Brookpark
Bryan
Bucyrus
Carey
Cleveland Southerly
Clyde
Columbus Grove
Crestline
Cuyahoga Falls
Delphos
Delta
Elyria
Findlay
Fostoria
Fremont
Genoa
Gibsonburg
Grafton
12
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Ohio continued
Greenwich New London Stow
Kent New Washington Strongsville
LaGrange North Baltimore Tiffin
Lakewood North Royalton Toledo
Lima Norwalk Upper Sandusky
Lodi Oberlin Van Wert
McComb Olmsted Falls Wapakoneta
Medina St. Marys Wauseon
Middleburg Hts. Spencer Welland
Wellington
New York
Arcade Gowanda
Cattaraugus Hamburg Village
East Aurora Holland
Eden Twp. North Collins
4. Emergency measures must be instituted by the states of Michigan
and Ohio to protect the health of bathers using the beaches in western
Lake Erie and the Cleveland metropolitan area (from Lorain, Ohio to
Painesville, Ohio). Since the major cause of the public health problem
at bathing beaches is the discharge of fecal matter from combined storm
and sanitary sewers and inadequately treated sewage, the emergency measures
should take the form of disinfection at the outlets in the vicinity of
bathing areas and diversion of troublesome outlets to remote areas away
from beaches. Existing public beaches should be opened for bathing as
soon as adequate emergency control measures are taken; this should be
no later than the 1969 bathing season. Crews should be assigned by the
state water pollution control agencies to carefully patrol the sewer
outlets that have been designated as affecting bathing beach areas to
4 see that all discharges are adequately disinfected. In addition the
a beaches themselves should be
i
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requirements for waste constituents in order to best protect and
enhance water quality. Furthermore, no outfall discharging to public
waters should exceed these levels at any time, nor should it be con-
strued that the industry should be permitted to redesign sewer systems
in order to meet these levels without reducing the overall flow of waste
materials.
Suspended solids 35 mg/1
Oil 5 mg/1 or to the extent that no visible oil
film appears on the surface of the receiving
stream.
Iron 17 mg/1
Cyanides 0.025 mg/1
Phenol 0.050 mg/1
pH between 5.5 and 10.6
r\
The industries to which these requirements ar€ applteetrte are,;
Ford Motor Co. Rouge Plant Detroit, Michigan
Great Lakes Steel Corp. Detroit, Michigan
McLouth Steel Corp. Detroit, Michigan
Interlake Iron Corp. Toledo, Ohio
U. S. Steel Corp. Lorain, Ohio
Republic Steel Elyria, Ohio
U.S. Steel Corp. Cleveland, Ohio
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. Cleveland, Ohio
Republic Steel Corp. Cleveland, Ohio
Bethlehem Steel Corp. Lackawanna, N.Y.
Republic Steel Buffalo, N.Y.
Donner Hanna Coke Buffalo, N.Y.
7. The petroleum industry should install and operate or other-
wise increase waste reduction facilities to effectively reduce phenolic
discharges to the extent that taste and odors are eliminated; oil
wastes should be reduced to the extent that no oil films are visible
in the receiving stream.
The following effluent limitations are recommended as the maximum:
Phenols 0.050 mg/1
Oils 5 mg/1
The industries to which the requirements aee- applicable are; -as— fortows:
Mobil Oil Detroit, Michigan
Gulf Oil Toledo, Ohio
Sun Oil Toledo, Ohio
Pure Oil Toledo, Ohio
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Standard Oil Toledo, Ohio
Ashland Oil Findlay, Ohio
Standard Oil Lima, Ohio
Mobil Oil Buffalo, N.Y.
8. The heavy chemical industry should install and operate waste
reduction measures or otherwise control its discharge of chlorides to
Lake Erie so that the combined flow from all such plants does not contain
more than 9 million Ibs/day. The industries and their respective allocations
to which this recommendation refers are as follows.
Lbs/day
Allied Chemical Corp. Solvay Div., Detroit, Michigan 2,800,000
Pennsalt Chemical Corp., Detroit, Michigan ' 508,800
Wyandotte Chemical Corp., Detroit, Michigan 1,850,000
Diamond Alkali Corp., Painesville, Ohio 3,900,000
Midland Ross Corp., Painesville, Ohio . 40,000
Reactive Metals, Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio 308,000
Olin Mathieson Corp., Ashtabula, Ohio 15,000
Cabot Titanium Corp., Ashtabula, Ohio 21,000
9. The paper industry should install and operate waste reduction
measures or otherwise control the discharge of BOD and suspended solids
to Lake Erie so that the flow from such plants meets the state require-
ments for the total allocated BOD load to the lake. ^ke, '•'fiTiAo •/. u//;^ f; ,ir
d J
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farm sources.
f—\ 5. The states of the Lake Erie basin should encourage and provide
V . assistance in development of institutional arrangements that bring
appropriate communities, industries, and metropolitan areas together for
the purpose of planning and financing pollution control measures within
the framework provided by drainage areas. _. --,£' cru'
6. Municipal and industrial plant inspection, data^ gathering, and
monitoring activities of the Lake Erie states and theCFWPCAT should be
coordinated and expanded to maintain intimate knowledge of waste loadings,
bypasses, treatment plant efficiencies and illegal discharges in order that
such information may be used in day-to-day water quality management.
7. By 2020 all cities in the Lake Erie watershed should have
complete separate sewer systems. The storm water outlets should then be
disinfected and directed away from recreational areas.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL NEEDS
Over the next 50 years, it will be necessary to spend approximately
$8 billion on construction of sewers and treatment systems in the Lake
Erie Basin. The area to be serviced by this construction will encompass
most of the 23,000 square miles of land in the drainage basin.
The estimated costs to implement the recommendations in this report
are itemized as follows:
Current Needs
Municipal1 $850,000,000
Industrial $255,000,000
Expansion to secondary treatment with phosphate control and improve-
ments to existing secondary plants, plus tertiary treatment in some cases.
Long Term Needs
Municipal2 $2,200,000,000
Industrial 1,000,000,000
Sewer Separation 3,000,000,000
Rural Runoff 400,000,000
2
Includes expansion to tertiary treatment by 2020, improvements, new sewer
construction, and operation and maintenance of existing plants.
The most complex water pollution control problem facing the citizens
of the Lake Erie basin is the potential political difficulty of integrating
and managing the engineering requirements. Inadequate machinery presently
exists for doing this with any amount of organization or efficiency beyond
the state water pollution control agencies and the federal enforcement
procedures.
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The engineering solutions, complex in themselves, are relatively
well known and are also relatively easy to apply, but large sums of
money are required to see them through. Solutions to the engineering pro-
blems must, by their nature, be solved along the lines of the natural drain-
age basins.
At certain stages in the process toward development of the lake-
wide engineering solutions, entire new sewer systems will have to be
built. In some instances, existing treatment facilities will have to be
abandoned and new plants will have to be built, either at existing ;
sites or on completely new locations. Existing treatment plants will J ^J
also have to consolidate into large centrally managed plants. -i-x^
The enforcement conferences and other programs of the FWPCA such
as enforcement of interstate standards, grants to municipalities for the
construction of sewage treatment plants, state and interstate programs
and planning grants, demonstration grants, and research, provide assistance
for carrying out the recommendations of this report.
Since Lake Erie is an international body of water, the International \
Joint Commission, by treaty, has responsibility for pollution control. \
Since some of the wastes, roughly 10%, entering Lake Erie come from !
Ontario sources, a basin wide control program must necessarily consider \
Canadian waste disposal, and cannot be limited to only states in the I
U.S. Cleanup on either side of the border, without a corresponding '
effort from the adjacent nation, would not result in total pollution
control for the Lake Erie basin. Therefore, IJC must play a ma j or^o ' ^- ;
i-f—aerCtfie ~leatT tale, in implementing the pollution control program for
Lake Erie.
• -i - v ; '
To guide and plan lake-wide pollution control above the state
level, the Great Lakes River Basin Commission, recently*organized and Xl
constituted, should set up as its first priority feffie-^implementarhieH. $f
this Lake Erie comprehensive report. Thte^commission was called for
under the Water Resource Planning Act of 1965 and agreed upon by the
governments of the'Lake %&e states and the Secretary of the Interior.
It will serve to integrate all governmental organizations and activities
to see that the best purposes are being served in achieving high quality
water in Lake Erie and its tributaries.
Below the state level, drainage basin organizations should
develop and integrate plans for pollution control. The closest approach
to the ideal is that recommended by the National Sanitation Foundation
for southeast Michigan. Another approach, called the Northwest Ohio
Water Redevelopment Council, is being used in northwest Ohio. This
council is in its infancy and if it would give the attention to water
pollution that it is giving to water supply, it could develop into an
effective tool for pollution control in northwest Ohio. Such a scheme, if
proven effective, should also be developed in northeast Ohio. In the
Pennsylvania and western New York portions of Lake Erie, where population
densities are light, existing local governments will be able to manage
pollution problems effectively for a long period of time.
In New York State, the Erie-Niagara basin is being actively studied
17
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by the Erie-Niagara Water Resources Regional Planning and Development
Board. This board was set up under article 5 of the New York State
Conservation Law. Its purpose is to facilitate water resources planning
on a basin basis. Also, county-wide comprehensive sewerage studies are
under way in the New York counties of Erie and Niagara. These studies
are being conducted under Section 1263-a of the New York State Public
Health Law and are supported by 1007, state grants.
In spite of the above considerations, local units of government
are ultimately the best suited and equipped for the financial, engineering
and operational aspects of water pollution control. However, they must
be answerable to the basin organizations.
When local units of government become concentrated and contiguous,
problems arise from overlap, "spillover," duplication and disorganization.
It is then necessary for a metropolitan authority for water supply and
pollution control to step in. Such a need presently exists in the metro-
politan areas of Detroit, Michigan; Toledo, Cleveland, and Akron, Ohio;
and Buffalo, New York. The need is pressing also in Ft. Wayne, Indiana;
Lima, Lorain, Elyria, and Painesville, Ohio, and Erie, Pa. The local
units of government in these metropolitan areas should band together to
form a workable metropolitan authority for water supply and pollution
control. (IJ^ is recognized that the Detroit area is currently working
on arrangements for metropolitan control.) Other cities in the Lake
Erie basin do not need such an arrangement at this time.
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The first phase of the comprehensive programmer the Lake
Erie basin is contained in the recommendations and conclusions
agreed to by the Lake Erie Federal Enforcement Conference .
The significant point in those recommendations and conclusions
is an agreement, or commitment, by the conferees to initiate
an action program to effect certain improvements on a scheduled
basis. This program calls for improvements in (1) the col-
lection, treatment and disposal of various wastes, (2) the
sampling and. reporting of waste outputs and (3) in sur-
veillance programs in receiving waters.
The key point here is that the Lake Erie Enforcement
Conference, which now has come into being as a continuing
entity for an indefinite period, in effect constitutes the
organization to implement the initial phase of a comprehensive
program for Lake Erie and its tributaries. It does this by
attaching a degree of formality to the agreements and
commitments of the conferees. Adding to its effectiveness
as an organizational approach are various other features,
including the chairman's authority to .reconvene the conferees;
their authority to review progress, to alter schedules, and
to establish further agreements; and the ultimate possibility,
should this prove necessary, of applying the sanctions of a
Federal court to compel needed remedial measures.
However, the subsequent phases of a comprehensive program
for Lake Erie require organization and authority which the
enforcement conference approach is unable to provide. In
this regard there is a need for a control authority with -----
jurisdiction over an entire drainage basin, and with the
capacity 'to administer programs now in the developmental
stage. New arrangements could be initiated to finance water
pollution control on a basin-wide basis, rather than the
present local community by community approach." Thus it is .
recommended that the Lake Erie Basin Commission be officially
constituted.
Some conclusions related there to are presented in the
following discussion and depicted in figure _ QL, .
1. The basic organizational components- of the outlined
approach are two:' a central Lake Erie Basin Commission
for the entire basin, including the Detroit river, and
a series of local control authorities for individual
tributary streams and areas. .("Area" is used to denote
the possible selection in special cases of a metropolitan .
area, contiguous counties, etc., as an authority's
geographical area of juri.;1 iction, )
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-2-
The nature of each local authority would depend on a
variety of factors.' These include the nature of any
additional water quality management plan developed by
the comprehensive study, the extent of its acceptance
locally, other water resource problems and programs
in the basin or area,.whether the basin or area is
intrastate or interstate, pertinent local and State
statutes, local attitudes, etc.
Thus in Michigan'-s waters of the basin, as an example,
the local authority for the Detroit river and metro-
politan area, might be the Detroit Board of Water
Commissioners, perhaps modified as proposed by the
National Sanitation Foundation. On rivers such as "the
Huron and Raisin in Michigan, in contrast, the river
management district concept, which already has been
proposed for the Huron under a new Michigan statute,
might be used to create the control authority. f:
Inclusion of the Huron river basin -- and perhaps other
basins &s=$eeil, as Southeastern Michigan becomes even
more urbanized — in the Detroit system, a proposal
now also under consideration, is still another
alternative.
In the case of Ohio, the conservancy district approach
has a long history, and its organic l*w specifically
includes the collection and disposal of sewage and
other wastes among its authorized functions. Thus the
existing Maumee Watershed Conservancy District, modified
to deal with the interstate situation, might serve as
. the control authority in that basin. Again there are
alternatives, among these an interstate compact being a
distinct possibility. The Northwest Ohio Water Develop-
ment Council could be the local control authority for
Northwest Ohio but it should be expanded to include the
Indiana and Michigan portions of the Maumee,
Functionally too, of course, there could be significant
differences among the local authorities. Some of the
tributary basins and areas might confine the authority's
role to water quality management, while others might
include water supply, flood control, etc. Other important
differences could pertain to independent financing
powers, and the authority to abate pollution, construct
and operate waste collection and treatment facilities,
etc.
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n.
-3-
4. Key structural and functional details of the proposed
central authority for the entire basin, are shown in
figure ~Qs .
Functionally, the proposed Lake Erie Basin Commission
closely resembles the river basin planning commissions
authorized in the Federal Water Resources Planning Act.
However, it is recognized that the role proposed for the
commission goes somewhat beyond that of a planning
agency. Hence the suggestion that it 'be est'abllsEed by
a Federal-State compact or by other special Federal
legislation. In that event, however, it is suggested that
the .entity so created also be given the powers of a river
basin planning commission.
5. This proposes minimum disturbance of the complex of
powers and operating responsibilities under present
Federal and State laws.. This is consistent with a
basic principle of the Federal system.
Three related points need emphasis. The first is that
the proposed system would leave intact enforcement autho-
rity under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
This is an important essential. The second point:
Formal Federal-State cooperation under a Federal-State
compact or other comparable stututory authoriztion is
proposed only at the level of the Lake Erie Basin
Commission, but it is not suggested at the level of the
local control authorities.
The third point provides a necessary balance to the
previous one. In lieu of the Federal-State compact or
comparable approach as the basis for Federal-State or
Federal-local cooperation, an administrative agreement--
in particular agreements between the various Federal
agencies or the Lake Erie Basin Commission, on the one
hand, and State agencies or local control authorities,
on the other could be used.
Less formal than the intergovernmental compact and less
rigid in its requirements for specific legislative
(Federal and State) authorization and/or approval, the
administrative agreement would seein to Have an especially
useful potential in implementing the comprehensive
programs.
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Although it must have a statutory basis, the administra-
tive agreement normally can be formulated and adopted by
water pollution control authorities at various levels
of government and others without any action by any
legislative body on the specific agreement reached.
It thus avoids the time-consuming legislative ratification
frequently encountered by compacts in the Congress and
in the State legislatures. Carefully prepared, it can
become not only a statement of long-rangs objectives
and procedures but also a working guide setting forth
the Federal, State, or other participant's obligations
in achieving' those objectives, a time-table for that
purpose, etc. Because of its non-legislative character,
the administrative agreement also offers flexibility;
as conditions change and new needs suggest new obligations
on the part of any participant, the agreement can easily
be revised. (An excellent example, of course, are the
agreements and commitments resulting from an enforcement
conference.)
• 6. On the matter"of timing, establishment of new local
control authorities in most instances is not the
immediate need. It would, however, not be premature
even now to initiate appropriate studies and discussions
.with the States and others, looking toward developing
agreements and tentative conclusions on organizational
needs, objectives, and procedures.
As to the timing on the creation of a Lake Erie Basin-
Commission, if there is agreement on its desirability,
a number of reasons support early action. One is the
momentum going on Lake Erie as a result of the Enforce-
ment Conference. A second is the recent enactment of
the Water Resources Planning Act. Another.jreason is ,—-_
the issuance of this comprehensive^lan^o_r_th^jievelpp-j
ni§n.t_o^.J±i^JwJaJtLeiL....an.d.." .r:g.la,ted_ land re sources... .of.... the. Lake j
TCrie_b a s in~]and for jjnrjiyjjig_jjifexr^£en^y_ao^rdInatlo n
~r^a^T7nr~Ts^the~~promulgating of interstate water quality
standards in the Lake Erie water 'shed.
7. Referring to" the upward-pointing arrows in the organiza-
tional sketch, several explanatory comments are in order.
First, there will be~a need to relate the Lake Erie
comprehensive program and the .Lake Erie Basin Commission
to the Great Lakes Basin Commission. An important role
of the Lake Erie Basin Corliss ion, therefore, would be
to to effect the necessary liaison v.'ith cornoaracle
authorities on the other Great Lakes and the Great Lakes
Ba s in C onrni s s i on i
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-5-
Second, there will remain the need to coordinate United
States and Canadian programs in the Lake Erie Basin.
Other organizations on the Great Lakes -- the Inter-
national Joint Co^isjsiqn, the Great Lakes Fishery
Commission, and^t^ie'^con^truction and operation of the
St. Lawrence Seaway -- have utilized some form of dual
or parallel authority. The necessary coordination in
any new water resource programs of the two countries
could be achieved under a similar arrangement, and
probably'to continue under the supervision of the IJC.
In the Lake Erie Basin Commission, the United States
section of the IJC would gain a new and valuable source
of advice and aid.
The other arrow denotes a somewhat similar relationship
between the Lake Erie Basin Commission and the Federal
Water Resources Council.
8. Nothing has been said thus far about the possible role
of the Great Lakes Commission. Its special contribution
in the past has been to provide a "forum for focusing
attention on Great Lakes water resource problems and
needs and for obtaining discussion, and hopefully agree-
ment, among the States on these problems and needs.
.Among its limitations in the immediate context are its
present orientation toward problems' of the Great Lakes
system as a whole rather than those of each lake basin,
' its lack of regulatory and management authority, and the
exclusion of the Federal Government. -
In the present situation its special usefulness would
seem to lie in two areas. One is to serve as a forum
in which proposals such as this and others can be
discussed, and the viewpoints of all of the Great Lakes.
States elicited. The Commission also can render
important service in educating and informing the public.
A specific role which might be strengthened is its part
in stimulating the organization of viable and effective
citizen groups with interest in water resource programs.
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CHAPTER I
IMPLEMENTATION
This chapter summarizes the measures necessary to restore and
preserve water quality in the Lake Erie watershed. It states specifically
what should be done, and by whom; it includes an estimate of the financial
needs to sustain the recommended programs; finally, it discusses the bene-
fits to be derived.
Controlling pollution and restoring satisfactory water quality in
the Lake Erie basin will require international cooperation, the concerted
efforts of the five Lake Erie states, many Federal agencies and local govern-
ments. The broad principles underlying such a program have been presented
as recommendations.
Specific water pollution control measures should include; secondary
treatment in 85 communities; plant improvements in 46 communities; tertiary
treatment in 45 locales; emergency disinfection measures to abate pollution
from combined storm and sanitary sewer overflows in 7 cities; vast improve-
ments in industrial waste abatement, especially from such industries as
iron and steel, chemical, petroleum, and pulp and paper; and area-wide
master water pollution control plans in four areas. Waste abatement mea-
sures must also include removing phosphorus and preventing it from reaching
Lake Erie. The requirements listed above are needed now and will cost ap-
proximately $1.1 billion to achieve.
Needed by 1990, at a cost of $2.7 billion, will be tertiary treatment
almost without exception throughout the basin; control of pollution (includ-
ing phosphorus from barnyards and cultivated farmlands; control of sediment
lo,ss from bank erosion, highway construction, urban redevelopment and farm-
ing; final solution to the storm water overflow problem; area-wide master
planning in 5 more metropolitan areas; and continuing industrial waste treat-
ment.
INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS
Article IV of the Boundary Waters Treaty of January 11, 1909, states
that boundary waters and waters flowing across the boundary shall not be
polluted on either side to the injury of health and property on the other
side. The Governments of Canada and the United States have agreed that
all such boundary pollution problems should be referred to the International
Joint Commission (IJC) for control.
On October 7, 1964 the Secretary of State for External Affairs for the
Government of Canada and the Secretary of State for the Government of the
United States requested the IJC to investigate and report upon the extent,
causes, locations, and effects of pollution in the waters of Lake Erie and
to recommend the most practicable remedial measures. The Commission was re-
quested to inquire into and to report upon the following questions:
1-1
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1. Are the waters of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the international
section of the St. Lawrence River being polluted on either side of the
boundary to an extent that is causing or is likely to cause injury to
health or property on the other side of the boundary?
If the foregoing question is answered in the affirmative, to what
extent, by what causes, and in what localities is such pollution taking
place?
3. If the Commission should find that pollution of the character
just referred to is taking place, what remedial measures, in its judg-
ment, would be most practicable from economic, sanitary, and other points
of view and what would be the probable cost thereof?
The Commission is conducting its technical investigations through
boards composed of federal, provincial and state officials. Because of
the magnitude and complexity of the problems involved, it will be some
time before these investigations can be completed. The Commission has now
been apprised by its boards of relevant and important information deriving
from various studies (notably those of the FWPCA) which have already been
made. This information reveals that the situation in Lake Erie is serious
and the water quality is deteriorating. For this reason, the Commission
has concluded that the facts should be brought to the attention of the two
governments.
The report of the IJC to the two governments on boundary water pol-
lution problems of Lake Erie is scheduled for completion in 1969. The com-
prehensive water pollution control program described in this report will
form a major share of the U. S. input to the IJC report.
The IJC report when accepted by the two governments, will establish
the means for control of Lake Erie pollution on an international scale.
FWPCA recommends that IJC accept this report in its entirety and
that the Commission assume fefce responsibility for seeing that the recom-
mendations of FWPCA are carried out in full. Further, it is suggested the
IJC Advisory Board meet every six months to receive a progress report from
each state and provincial government stating what is being done to comply
with the report. If control is not forthcoming in accordance with the re-
port, the Advisory Board should refer the problem to the IJC for necessary
action.
It is hoped that in the future IJC will exercise more authority in
controlling pollution. This agency will be strengthened, and abatement
action steps taken, only if the Advisory Boards consistently bring to the
attention of the Commission recommendations for control whenever a polluter
is lagging.
Because the states and provincial agencies are heavily represented on
the board, they exert a major voice in making certain that appropriate
action is taken through the IJC. The problem of pollution of Lake Erie
cannot be minimized, and it is up to the state and provincial agencies to
1-2
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use the powers of the IJC immediately to achieve pollution control. With
this strong backing, the IJC would be in a position to act as a regulatory
agency or "Compact" for controlling pollution in Lake Erie.
FEDERAL AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS
Federal agencies which have responsibilities in water pollution con-
trol are the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration of the Depart-
ment of the Interior, the Corps of Engineers, the Department of Agriculture,
the Bureau of Public Roads, and the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment.
FWPCA
The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration obtains, analyzes,
and disseminates information regarding water quality; advises all Federal
agencies on water quality control; administers grants for basin planning,
training, research, demonstration projects, and construction of sewage
plants, and for state and interstate water pollution control programs;
provides modifications to the comprehensive plan for pollution control so
that the plan will maintain its utility in the face of changing conditions;
conducts research; and enforces water pollution control in interstate
streams and lakes. All activities of the FWPCA should be geared to im-
plementing the comprehensive program on Lake Erie.
Because of the need to obtain more knowledge of the dynamics of
water quality in Lake Erie, the FWPCA should continue its surveillance program
of the lake and expand the program to include interstate tributaries. This
program will serve the following purposes:
1) Reflect water quality responses upon completion of remedial works.
2) Unfold new problem areas which may require comprehensive program
adjustments.
3) Provide emergency service in case of serious and sudden spills.
4) Assess compliance with water quality standards established pursuant
to the Water Quality Act of 1965.
5) Judge whether the intent and purpose of the comprehensive program
is being carried out.
The FWPCA along with other Federal agencies and the soap and detergent
industry must step up research to find a suitable substitute for phosphorus
in detergents. Approximately one-half of all phosphorus entering Lake Erie
originates from detergents and it will be difficult if not impossible to
sufficiently reduce the level of phosphorus discharge to the lake without
finding a replacement for phosphorus in detergents. This is an urgent need
1-3
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and should be an immediate goal.
In its program to find new and improved methods to control pollution
from combined sanitary and storm sewers, the FWPCA must concentrate its
efforts on Lake Erie. Means of abating this pollution are being explored
and some should find application in the Lake. Some of the engineering
proposals and solutions to the problem of combined sewers are discussed
later in this chapter in the section on "Alternatives."
Finally, the FWPCA should enforce compliance with the comprehensive
program where it has jurisdiction, and all grants administered by the
FWPCA should be in accordance with the recommended program. This authority
will necessarily be tied in with enforcing compliance with interstate stream
standards.
Bureau of Public Roads and Department of Housing and Urban Development
The FWPCA has the responsibility, through Executive Order 11288, to
control pollution from Federal installations and in projects where Federal
monies are expended. Two areas where this applies are the Bureau of Public
Roads (BPR) in highway construction, and the Department of Housing and Urban
Development in urban renewal.
Sediment load entering the watercourses from highway construction and
urban development causes unnecessary pollution in the watershed. Highway
contractors currently do not reseed the graded areas until a particular
job is completed. It would be of great benefit to pollution control if the
areas were immediately reseeded after grading, and basins were provided
during construction to catch the sediment that washed away in the interim.
The same applies to area development. Often entire areas are left bare
for long periods of time before construction begins.
The FWPCA should establish policies and guidelines in respect to
these problems, and see that recommended control procedures are strictly
adhered to. In connection with the highway projects that are financed by
the Bureau of Public Roads, the FWPCA should set policy directing the BPR
to install separate sewers during highway construction.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development should utilize its
means of reducing water pollution. It administers a grant program for
construction of sewers; these grants should be given to implement the
comprehensive program of this report. Furthermore in the urban renewal
program, the Department should establish a policy of prohibiting the
installation of combined sewers, another means deemed advisable to control
pollution.
Corps of Engineers
The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers fcas a variety of responsibilities
1-4
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related to pollution control. The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (admin-
istered by the Corps) specified that it is unlawful to deposit refuse into
waterways that interferes with navigation. Refuse has been interpreted to l^.H^lO"
include oil and suspended solids from municipal and industrial wastes. Oil \p' V,
pollution is a problem, at a number of locations in Lake Erie especially in ry
the harbor areas of Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo. The Corps of •{
Engineers should enforce the law to the fullest extent and prosecute violators
who allow oil to be deposited in navigable waterways. \\
^
;\vi
Much of the sediment deposited in the streams of the Lake Erie watershed
finds its way to the harbors and blocks navigational channels. The Corps of
Engineers dredges these harbors annually and deposits the polluted spoils
into the lake. Each year, six million cubic yards of sediment are removed
from the lake's harbors.
The Corps of Engineers currently charges certain industries that add
sediment to the navigational channels in the Rouge and Raisin Rivers in
Michigan a portion of the cost required to remove the sediment. This system
of charges by the Corps should be extended to all ports in Lake Erie where
dredging is required.
Furthermore, where it is determined that spoils contain contaminants
that will pollute the lake, places of disposal other than in the lake should
be found. Toward this end, the Corps of Engineers is presently conducting
a study in cooperation with FWPCA to seek alternate methods of disposal.
In certain harbors on the seacoast the Corps of Engineers is authorized
to operate scavenger vessels to remove floating debris and oil from naviga- I/•/.-. /..
tion channels. A proposal is now being considered for a scavenger crew /
and boat in Lake Erie only for the purpose of removing floating debris, not,
oil. This proposal should be extended to include oil removal.
The Corps of Engineers, as the principal construction agency of the
Federal Government, constructs multipurpose reservoirs, in accordance with
Congressional approval, in areas where they are needed. Three such reser-
voirs are in various stages of development in the Lake Erie watershed: One
on Mill Creek in the Huron River, (Michigan) one in the Sandusky River, and
one on Cattaraugus Creek in New York. For the first two reservoirs, the
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration has made studies to determine
the amount of storage necessary to provide flow augmentation for water quality
control. Reports of these studies have been given to the Corps of Engineers.
The study on Cattaraugus Creek Reservoir has just begun and it will be some
time before an analysis is completed.
Department of Agriculture;
The Department of Agriculture administers a sewer grant program to
rural communities. These grants should be awarded in accordance with the
plan outlined in this report.
1-5
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The Agriculture Department -- specifically the Soil Conservation
Service-- should accelerate the construction of small watershed improvement
projects to implement recommendations for reducing the solids load to Lake
Erie. In the Maumee River Basin the Department of Agriculture has under
consideration the construction of 27 of these projects. To date, however,
only one of these watershed improvement projects has been funded by Congress
even though the Maumee River contributes a heavy nutrient and silt load to
Lake Erie.
Another area in which the Department of Agriculture should assume
greater responsibility is in control of pollution from barnyards and animal
feed lots. Animals excrete approximately 10 times more pollutants than
humans, based on a nation-wide average. It is not known how much of the
animals' wastes reach the streams in the Lake Erie basin (much is absorbed
by the soil), but it is undoubtedly a significant amount. To reduce this
pollution, the Department of Agriculture should initiate a program to control
contamination from animal .wastes. In ,.cponeration with FWPCA, ways for ac-
1 • 1 • 1 • J • --'VtCltlf blV-^tf^J * TAt't'ltilf- 1 • ,_ 1_
complishing this reduction might incrude technical assistance, research,
grants, and enforcement. This is an area that has been relatively untouched
and should receive immediate attention.
State Programs
FWPCA recommends that state water pollution control agencies integrate
the program set forth in this report with their ongoing programs. State
groups should become the agencies for implementation of this report in the
areas where they have principal authority. In most cases, the state agencies
already have sufficient laws to carry out the recommendations, but they lack
authority or compulsion in the areas of sediment pollution, pollution from
agricultural lands and animal feed lots, and areas where extreme financial
burdens would become overwhelming (such as sewer separation) and in master
planning. The states should enact laws or direct activities to adequately
cope with these problems.
In Ohio and Michigan, the state water pollution control programs are
vested in more than one agency. A more efficient program would result if
all functions in water pollution control were delegated to one agency.
All the states excepting Pennsylvania have authority to impose sewer
construction bans where pollution is occurring and abatement not forthcoming.
This authority should be used in many more instances than it is in the Lake
Erie watershed. It should be extended to include methods whereby area-wide
master sewerage schemes can be ordered. It is recommended that this authority
be extended to Pennsylvania.
State agencies, especially in Ohio, lack sufficient manpower to carry
out all their responsibilities. Because of these manpower shortages, the
states have been delinquent in municipal and industrial plant inspections,
planning for long-term needs, and pollution surveillance.
Thorough municipal and industrial waste treatment plant inspections
-------
should be conducted at least annually and plants causing any significant
problems in water quality of the receiving streams should be inspected as
frequently as the situation requires. Status of sewage plant operators
should be upgraded and the states should continue and expand annual train-
ing programs and certify all operators.
All tributaries to Lake Erie should be patrolled and surveyed by means
of visual and analytical measurements to locate new sources of wastes and
spills, to determine additional needs, and to provide data for enforcement.
Provisions should be made by the states for onshore disposal of vessel
wastes at major ports. Provision for control of waste disposal from all
classes of vessels.including pleasure craft should be instituted.
The state water pollution control agencies should prepare and enact
enforceable water quality standards for all water courses of the state.
Furthermore, each state should enact programs of financial aid to cities
to gain the maximum benefit from Federal aid programs.
, i»
In northeast Ohio and the New York portions of the Lake Erie basin* j-^J
the states should develop basin-wide, long-range plans for water supply 1 "^
and waste disposal. Such plans have been prepared for southeast Michigan) (-y
and northwest Ohio and these two plans should be used as guides. There \
is a matching Federal grant of 50 percent available to state agencies to !
assist in the preparation of Master plans.
A major obstacle facing pollution control by state agencies is lack
of power to enforce the necessary requirements until after a water quality
problem has occurred. Once a pollution problem has occurred it is almost
too late, because of the difficulty of tracing the source of pollution.
Many sources could have been at fault and water bodies, being what they
are, are subject to a wide variety of influences. Because of this fact,
states are often reluctant to press charges, even for the most flagrant
violations.
To correct such occurrences the states often rely on the power of
persuasion, using the threat of court action as a final measure to be
taken. The irony of this approach is that polluters know the problems
involved in reaching a decision in court and therefore often evade responsi-
bility for gross abuse of water.
There is a need to strengthen the states' position in these matters
and to extend their programs by law, if necessary, to include limits on
waste discharge levels in their system of permits. In this way, enforce-
ment authority could be initiated more effectively and as soon as waste
discharge levels are exceeded regardless of whether the stream has yet
been harmed. Thus, pollution would be prevented before it occurred.
Michigan has adopted this approach in the Detroit River area. Other
states have been less anxious to go this way; New York and Ohio have been
* It would be advantageous to the whole program to include all the Niagara
Frontier as well
1-7
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the most vague in the adoption of waste abatement orders.
States also need strong, enforceable legislation in the area of trash
and garbage dumps along watercourses. Traditionally, these have been the
areas where dumps are located and little or no control has been exercised
over the material entering the waterway. Strict enforcement of the law
would be necessary to apprehend violators. Garbage and trash dumps are
particularly prevalent in Ohio.
Local Governments
. The local governmental agencies take many forms. Some are county
operated, some are run by city control boards, and some are a city staff
function. These local government agencies have the responsibility in most
cases for design, financing, and operation of waste treatment works and
sewer systems. Local governments should continue to exercise this responsi-
bility subject to state approval and FWPCA approval when Federal grant
monies are allocated. The approval should be based on the recommended plan.
Each city tends to operate independently and as a result there is little
coordination, and a large number of small, poorly operated plants and sewer
systems abound. This is especially true in the large metropolitan areas of
Detroit, Toledo, Akron, Cleveland, and Buffalo.
The barriers of city limits and jurisdictional responsibility must be
broken down in the Lake Erie basin if effective and efficient control on an
area-wide or basin approach is to be achieved. This type of approach will
be cheaper in the long run and result in better water quality.
Where metropolitan control of sewage treatment is needed (Detroit,
Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, and Buffalo) the functions of water supply, sewage
treatment and sewer construction should be vested in one central local agency
responsible to a local board or commission with representation on the board
(on an equitable basis) of the various cities and communities involved. The
Detroit Water Board and its system of operation is one example of this. The
system of financing the agency and the board through revenue on water and
sewers should be subject to approval by the state.
All local governments should have strictly enforced sewer codes. Many
have adopted codes in the past, but have paid no attention to them. Any
establishment discharging waste to the system should be required to conform
to the code. In almost all cities the sewer codes need revising and strengthen-
ing.
Many local governments have provided substandard operation and maintenance
of sewers and treatment plants. Personnel have been poorly paid, some plants
are not even operated, and many have been bypassed without the knowledge of
local officials. Sewer breaks have been a major problem especially in the
older metropolitan areas such as Cleveland and Detroit. Often damage to the
sewer systems has resulted in extended bypass periods while the system was
under repair.
1-8
-------
Many sewage plants bypass daily because of overload^ poor design or
poor operation. A glaring example of this is the Toledo plant. Treatment
plants have also been designed without built-in safety factors, and minimum
criteria have been applied in the design.
Cities should strive to overcome these problems by strengthening the
local water pollution control agency. Sewers should be inspected continually
and replaced (without the necessity of bypassing) where obsolescence occurs.
Each agency should have a staff on industrial wastes to see that industries
tied to the sewer system are providing proper pretreatment and proper payment
for use of the sewer system. Status of the sewage plant operator should be
substantially upgraded. Sewage plants should be designed with built-in
safety features and bilateral design criteria and finally, cities should
verify that the plants are operated with high degree of removal efficiency
and without need for bypassing.
One of the major problems that plague metropolitan areas (especially
Cleveland) is the tremendous amount of litter, junk, logs, and debris that
find their way into Lake Erie. This problem is especially acute in the late
spring after the ice melts. The cities of Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Erie
and Buffalo should continue and strengthen programs to clean up this mess.
Programs should be extended upstream to remove material at its source. Fur-
thermore, the cities should pursue aggressive programs to apprehend and pros-
ecute anyone found deliberately littering the lake and its tributaries.
Private Interests
Many private organizations are involved in water pollution control
activities in the Lake Erie watershed. They include Kiwanis, Isaac Walton
League, League of Women Voters, Rotary, Citizens for Land Water Use, United
Auto Workers, Clean Water, Inc., Lake Erie Cleanup Committee, Knights of
Columbus, the newspapers and others. These service, conservation, and
other organizations, although without legal responsibility for pollution
control, have shown an active interest by promoting public awareness of
water pollution problems and by supporting pollution control measures taken
at all levels of government. The services provided by these organizations
are vital and indispensable in the implementation of this or any water pol-
lution control program. Several private individuals have also been extremely
prominent in the water pollution field and have devoted much time to focus-
ing public attention on the problem.
It is hoped that these groups will continue to support Lake Erie cleanup
programs, and nationwide programs too, doing their part through meetings,
forums, publicity, and lobbying to see that the recommendations of this report
are carried out.
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
The population of the Lake Erie basin is expected to more than double by
1-9
-------
the year 2020, with most of the growth occurring in the metropolitan areas.
To cope with this growth, many new, enlarged and consolidated treatment schemes
will have to be devised.
At the present time, the area should be served by treatment resulting
in at least 907» removal of BOD and suspended solids and 927. removal of
phosphorus. By the year 1990 in many cases treatment should be increased to
at least 98 percent removal of BOD and suspended solids, and 97 percent removal
of phosphorus, and by the year 2020, 100 percent of phosphorus.
The balance of this section will be devoted to a discussion of the
municipal waste treatment needs for various areas around the Lake Erie Basin.
Southeast Michigan
Maintenance of water quality in southeast Michigan is largely dependent
on the development and implementation of a comprehensive program for the entire
basin. The complex nature of the metroplitan area, which crosses natural
watershed boundaries, together with the relatively flat, natural terrain has
led to development of interceptor drainage systems for both stormwater and
sanitary wastes that are regional in extent. The relatively small size of the
tributary streams in comparison to the heavy waste loads resulting from urbani-
zation has caused a serious deficiency in the water quality even with secondary
treatment by the communities throughout the basins.
Several studies have been made for regional water systems and regional
sewage interceptor systems. These systems would have the effect of removing
the waste products from the major communities and industries throughout the
southeast Michigan area and transporting them to the downstream ends of the
small streams where discharge of the highly treated effluent into the Detroit
or St. Glair Rivers would have a minimal effect on those large streams. The
Clinton River is a prime example of the action necessary to restore and enhance
the water quality. Waste assimilation studies by the Michigan Water Resources
Commission and the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (FWPCA) have
shown that during summer low flow periods, the stream is unable to cope with
the secondary effluents presently discharged to it.
A plan is now being implemented to carry the waste from the large com-
munities in the basin, as well as Selfridge Air Force Base, through an inter-
ceptor system to the City of Detroit for treatment. This action resulted
from a sewer construction ban imposed by the Michigan Department of Public
Health, in which they declared that further development of the area would not
be approved ^ntil a satisfactory waste treatment system was established.
Major cities and townships having treatment facilities in Macomb County have
agreed to connect to the Detroit Water Board regional interceptors. Two
remaining cities, Warren and Mt. Clemens, should also connect to this system,
but as of this date have not agreed to do so because of the many millions of
dollars they have presently invested in treatment facilities for which bond-
ing commitments have not as yet been satisfied.
The Rouge Riyer urbanizing area has for the most part been served by
1-10
-------
interceptors which transport the waste material to the downstream area.
The Raisin and Huron River areas are faced with similar problems, but as yet
have not taken definite steps to implement an area-wide interceptor system.
To maintain water quality in these areas the existing treatment plants must
be operated to provide maximum removal of nutrients and organic loadings
until regional interceptors are available.
Programs for development of low flow augmentation systems through
storage reservoirs might have the .effect of delaying the need for regional
interceptors, but long-range projections indicate that eventually interceptors
will provide the best solution to the water quality problems in the basin.
The individual septic tank systems in the basin, especially those located
near lakes, reservoirs, and tributary streams, must be considered as temporary
measures and provision made for collection and discharge to the central system
as it becomes available. The nearness to the watercourse, the poor soil
characteristics, and the unauthorized connections to water courses or drains
permit the accumulation of pollutants, especially nutrients, in these small
lakes and streams.
In providing connections to the regional interceptor, particular attention
must be given to the problem of combined sewers which exist in the basin,
especially in sections of long-established communities. Although present
policy of the Michigan regulatory agencies is not to approve future construction
of combined systems, a careful evaluation of older systems must be made in
order to benefit from the regional system of interceptors. Where only part
of the system is combined and where the area is scheduled for eventual re-
development, separation of sewers should be considered as an immediate need.
Where combined systems are extensive in sections of a municipal area, these
sections should be isolated from the remainder of the system and enter the
interceptor as an entity with provision for separate handling of overflows.
Treatment of overflows would then be limited to combined overflows, and
the ever-increasing quantity of separate sanitary sewage could be handled
by the treatment plant.
In order to maintain acceptable water quality in the southeastern
Michigan basin, even with removal of the major waste sources, low flow
augmentation must be available to remedy the effects of "natural" pollution
and storm runoff both from urban and agricultural sources. The construction
of additional recreational areas in the upper reaches of the main stem and
tributaries should include the provision for water storage for low flow
augmentation. Site selection must be made with this multi-purpose use in
mind as recreational use requirements include minimum change in water levels
and minimum depths to be suitable for boating. The provision of access ramps
at different levels, bank modification and stabilization, and control of
shoreline vegetation would make a small reservoir suitable for these multiple
purposes. These areas will be needed to supply the recreational needs of
the expanding basin population.
To implement the overall program necessary to achieve water quality and
objectives for the basin, a watershed management system must exist. The
function of this group must include total resource planning. For many
1-11
-------
functions extra basin authorities will also exist. These functions include
water supply and wastewater disposal which would efficiently be administrated
by the regional authority or Detroit Water Services. For large-scale park
and recreation site development, both the state and the Huron-Clinton Metro-
politan Authority already have a vested interest. The watershed management system
would coordinate the planning and zoning activities of the various regional
local and county units affecting the water resources of the basin. Such acti-
vities as flood plain zoning, bankside development, and the creation of river
parkways are proper functions of this group. A prime function would be that
of education of the citizens of the basin in matters which affect the water
resources of the basin.
The Detroit River-Lake Erie Project, an enforcement action by the Public
Health Service under Section 8 of Public Law 660, recommended improvements
throughout the Detroit River and Michigan portion of Lake Erie. The Michigan
Water Resources Commission has obtained agreements with all industrial and
municipal units in this area to provide the recommended levels of treatment
by 1970. The State of Michigan, in compliance with the Water Quality Act of
1965 has established water quality standards for the waters of Lake Erie,
Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, and St. Clair River.
As each industry and municipality expands, its treatment facilities
must keep pace so as not to violate the interstate standards established
for these waters.
The stormwater overflows throughout the Detroit system are presently
being studied and control measures are being developed by the City of Detroit
in an attempt to reduce the number of overflows to controls of levels within
the interceptor system.
In Southeast Michigan, especially in the Detroit metropolitan area, the
primary need is for expanding the interceptor sewer system and integrating
and consolidating sewage treatment plants. Such a pla'n has been recommended
by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and is depicted in Figure 1-1.
This master plan, endorsed by FWPCA, calls for:
1. Intercepting the wastes originating primarily along the St. Clair
River and in the Counties of St. Clair, Sanilac, and Lapeer, with waste treat-
ment being provided near the City of Algonac on the St. Clair River.
This area is presently served by 5 primary and 6 secondary sewage treat-
ment plants which have a connected population estimated at 63,000. This portion
of the plan should be constructed by 1990 with treatment level providing 907»
removal, or waste discharge not to exceed 7000 Ibs/day BOD. The cost of this
portion of the plan is estimated at $40 million.
2. Expansion of the present service area of Detroit to intercept the
wastes originating in Macomb and Oakland Counties and draining to the Clinton
River and Lake St. Clair, with treatment at the site of the now-existing Detroit
sewage treatment plant.
Nineteen secondary and nine primary sewage treatment plants with an
1-12
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SIX-COUNTY
PROPOSED INTERCEPTORS
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE STUDY
NATIONAL SANITATION FOUNDATION
BOARD OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS
ABEL WOLMAN, CHAIRMAN
LOUIS HOWSON OEOR6E HUBBELL
,*'
\
\
\
\
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
LAKE ERIE
PLANNED INTERCEPTORS
« 3 EXISTING
•••••••» FIRST STAGE
• ••»• SECOND STAGE
TREATMENT PLANTS
Q EXISTING
PROPOSED
FIGURE -6-2--
-------
estimated connected population of 3,000,000 presently serve this area. This
portion of the plan should be constructed in the next ten years with treat-
ment level providing 90% removal or waste discharge not to exceed 100,000
Ibs/day BOD. The cost of this portion of the plan is estimated at $380 mil-
lion.
3. Interception of waste drainage of the Huron River and much of the
Raisin River and Monroe County drainage, including the western shoreline of
Lake Erie down to the Ohio border and the city of Monroe, with centralized
treatment on Lake Erie at the mouth of the Huron River.
This area is now served by 15 secondary plants and 7 primary plants
with a connected population estimated at 180,000. The first stage of the
Huron River system should be constructed in the next ten years with treat-
ment providing 90% removal or waste discharge not to exceed 43,000 Ibs/day
BOD. The cost of this portion of the plan is estimated at $165 million. The
second stage, which should be constructed by 1990, will increase the treat
ment requirements at this plant to 957<> removal of BOD. The cost of this por-
tion of the plan would be an additional $140 million.
The proposal of the NSF with modifications by FWPCA represents the
long-range master plan for pollution control in southeast Michigan. For im-
mediate pollution control, the needs are summarized in Table 1-1. The esti-
mated cost of the immediate needs is $433 million. Figure l-^^-graphically
illustrates the short and long term pollution control requirements. Some
communities in the Detroit River-Lake Erie Project Enforcement area are
bound by stipulations set forth by the Michigan Water Resources Commission
in 1966 The communities involved and their immediate treatment needs are
listed in Table 1-2.
Maumee River Basin and Northcentral Ohio Area
The major need for this portion of the Lake Erie watershed is expan-
sion of waste treatment facilities to secondary treatment, and installation
of tertiary treatment at 47 locations.
With the exception of a few population centers, the area is predom-
inantly rural. The present population stands at approximately 1.7 million.
By 1990 it is expected to grow to 2.6 million and by 2020 to 4.0 million.
Immediate treatment needs are listed in Table 1-3. The cost of these
needs is estimated at $85 million. For long range requirements it is felt that
by the year 2000, tertiary treatment will be needed at almost all locations
at a cost of $300 million.
The Northwest Ohio Water Development Plan of .the State of Ohio covers
Ohio's portion of this drainage basin. The plan contains excellent pollution
control requirements which in many ways are commensurate with those recom-
mended in this report. The Northwest Ohio Water Development Plan and this
report should be used as the guide for implementing all water resource de-
velopments in the area.
3
Figure 1-) shows the short and long range treatment needs for this
area.
1-13
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TABLE 1-1
IMMEDIATE MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS for SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
Location
Needs
ST. GLAIR RIVER BASIN
St. Glair River
Port Huron
Marysville
St. Glair
Marine City
Cottrelville T.
Kimball T.
St. Clair T.
Clay T.
Algonac
East China T.
Black River
Deckerville
Yale
Fort Gratiot T.
Peck
Pine River
Emmett
Belle River
Imlay City
Clinton River
Clinton T.
Mt. Clemens
Sterling T.
Utica
Warren
Pontiac
Rochester
Oxford Village
Harrison T.
Eraser
Shelby T. (Part)
Leonard
Washington
Expand to secondary
Expand to secondary
Expand to secondary
Expand to secondary
Collection system &
Collection system &
Expand to secondary
Collection system &
Collection system &
Expand to secondary
secondary
secondary
secondary
secondary
Collection system & lagoon
Lagoon modifications'
Collection system
-------
TABLE 1-1 (cont.)
Location
Needs
LAKE ERIE BASIN
Lake Erie (Minor tributaries)
Maybee
Bedford T.
Erie T.
Huron River
Ann Arbor T.
Ypsilanti T.
Pittsfield T.
Superior T.
Dexter
Pinckey
South Lyon
South Rockwood
Stockbridge
Wixom
Flat Rock
Rockwood
Ann Arbor Metro
Raisin River
Blissfield
Britton
Brooklyn
Cement City
Clayton
Clinton
Deerfield
Dundee
Madison T.
Ash T.
Onstead
Palmyra T.
Petersburg
Tecumseh
Monroe Metro
Collection system &. lagoon
Collection system &. lagoon
Collection system & lagoon
Connect to Ann Arbor Metro
Connect to Ann Arbor Metro
Connect to Ann Arbor Metro
Connect to Ann Arbor Metro
Expand to Secondary
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & secondary
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & secondary
Improve collection system; secondary
Improve collection system; secondary
Collection system & expand secondary
Expand to secondary
Collection system &. lagoon
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & lagoon
Expand to secondary
Collection system &. lagoon
Expand to secondary
Collection system & secondary
Connect to Monroe Metro
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & secondary
Collection system & lagoon
Expand collection system & treatment
collection
Expand to secondary &. increase.r
1-15
-------
LEGEND
MUNICIPAL NEEDS
M - METROPOLITAN PLANT
S - SECONDARY TREATMENT
T - TERTIARY TREATMENT
R - COLLECTION SYSTEM
C - CONNECT TO METROPOLITAN PLANT
E - EXPANSION
I - IMPROVEMENTS
Q 1970 NEED
O "90 NEED
2O20 NEED
NOTE: ALL MUNICIPAL PLANTS SHOULD HAVE 92% PHOSPHORUS
TREATMENT BY I9TO. ALL EFFLUENTS SHOULD BE
WSWFECTED TO LEVELS NOT TO EXCEED OOO
COLFORM BACTERIA/lOOml.
INDUSTRIES NEEDING IMPROVEMENTS
CHEMICAL PAPER
METAL FINISHING
a
FABRICATING
LAKE
HURON
ERIE
rrr-M
»rn.it
MAJOR MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA
-------
TABLE 1-2
WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES
Location
Needs
Detroit Metro
Grosse lie
Riverview
Wayne County System*
Wyandotte
Trenton
Trenton
Estral Beach
Berlin T.
Luna Pier
Frenchtown T.
Monroe T.
Expand collections! secondary (to serve 18 ad-
ditional communities by 1970)
Improve collection; secondary
Expand to secondary
Expand to secondary
Expand to secondary
Expand to secondary
Collection system and secondary
Collection system and secondary
Collection system and secondary
Connect to Monroe Metro
Connect to Monroe Metro
*Wayne County System also serves Rockwood and Flat Rock
1-16
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TABLE 1-3
IMMEDIATE POLLUTION ABATEMENT NEEDS FOR MUNICIPALITIES
IN MAUMEE RIVER BASIN AND NORTH-CENTRAL OHIO AREA
Communi ty
Michigan
Reading
Hudson
Indiana
Auburn
Butler
Garrett
Waterloo
Berne
Decatur
Diversified
Utilities, Inc.
Ft. Wayne
Ohio
Edgerton
Montpelier
New Bremen
Rockford
St. Marys
Ada
Bluffton
Columbus Grove
Continental
Cridersville
Delphos
Dunkirk
Elida
Findlay
Forest
Lima
Paulding
Payne
Spencerville
Van Wert
Wapakoneta
Archbald
Bryon
Fayette
Stryker
West Unity
Antwerp
Defiance
Hicksville
Delta
Subbasin
Location
St. Joseph R.
Tiffin River
St. Joseph
St. Joseph
St. Joseph
St. Joseph
St. Marys
St. Marys
Maumee
Maumee
St. Joseph
'St. Joseph
St. Marys
St. Marys
St. Marys
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Auglaize
Tiffin
Tiffin
Tiffin
Tiffin
Tiffin
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Present
Treatment
Minor
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Lagoon
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Minor
Prim.
Sec.
Prim.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Minor
Minor
Sec.
Minor
Sec.
Lagoon
Minor
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Lagoon
Lagoon
Minor
Minor
Intermediate
Sec.
Sec.
Needs
Secondary & disinfection
Expansion
Advanced Waste Treatment
Disinfection
Advanced Waste Treatment
Disinfection
Disinfection
Advanced Waste Treatment
Expansion
Advanced Waste Treatment
Secondary & disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Expansion & disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Expansion & disinfection
Disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Disinfection
Disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary 6. disinfection
Secondary &. disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary & disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Disinfection
Secondary 6. disinfection
Disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Disinf ed tion ;- c
Disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Expansion
Expansion
Advanced waste treatment
1-17
JUN 28 1967
-------
Immediate Pollution Abatement Needs (cont.)
Community
Ohio (cont.)
Deshler
Holgate
Leipsic
Perr^ysburg
Swan ton
Toledo
Waterville
Wauseon
V7eston
Whitehorse
Sylvania
Trilby
Bloomdale
Bowling Green
Elmore
Fostoria
Genoa
Gibsonburg
Lakeside
McComb
N. Baltimore
Oak Harbor
Oregon
Pemberville
Port Clinton
Woodville
Attica
Bloomville
Bucyrus
Carey
Clyde
Crestline
Fremont
Green Springs
Nevada
New Washington
Sandusky
Tiffin
Upper Sandusky
Bellevue
Huron
Milan
Monroeville
Norwalk
Willard
Greenwich
New London
Vermilion
Amherst
Subbasin
Location
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
Maumee
10-mile Creek
Silver Creek
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Portage
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Huron
Huron
Huron
Huron
Huron
Huron
Vermilion
Vermilion
Vermilion
Black
Present
Treatment
Lagoon
Minor
Sec.
Intermediate
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Minor
Minor
Sec.
Minor
Sec.
Lagoon
Minor
Primary
Primary
Sec.
Primary
Minor
Minor
Intermediate
Minor
Minor
Minor
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Minor
Minor
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Minor
Intermediate
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Lagoon
Secondary
Primary
Secondary
Needs
Disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Disinfection
Secondary
Disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Expansion & disinfection
Advanced waste treatment
Disinfection
Expansion
Expansion
Secondary & disinfection
Secondary & advanced waste
treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary and advanced
waste treatment
Secondary
Secondary &. AWT
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary
Connect to Toledo Metro
Secondary
Secondary d. diffuse outfall
Secondary
Secondary &. AWT
Secondary & AWT
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary &. AWT
Secondary & diffuse outfall
Secondary & AWT
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary & AWT
Secondary d diffuse outfall
Secondary
Secondary
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Secondary &. diffuse outfall
Advanced waste treatment
JUM2.8 1967
1-18
-------
Immediate Pollution Abatement Needs (cont.)
Community
Subbasin
Location
Present
Treatment
Needs
Ohio (cont.)
South Amherst
Avon
Avon Lake
Sheffield Lake
Elyria
Grafton
La Grange
Lodi
Lorain
Oberlin
Spencer
Wellington
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Combine with Amherst
Secondary Combine into one
Primary secondary plant and
Minor diffuse outfall
Secondary Advanced waste treatment
Secondary Advanced waste treatment
Secondary Advanced waste treatment
Secondary Advanced waste treatment
Primary Secondary & diffuse outfall
Secondary Advanced waste treatment
Minor Secondary & AWT
Secondary Advanced waste treatment
1-19
JUN28 1967
-------
,MICH.
IND.
AJ
KXJSTRCS NEEDWS
y
._/
1THL
LOR Atf
" M>0 "CtO
K)TI: ALL IUKML PUMTS SXOULO HAVt tl% PHOVMOU
TICATHCHT kv 1970. ALL CrFUJCMTS SHOULD 1C
DOMFICTCO TO U«tL* MT TO (ICU9 BOO
COLrcM ucTimA /no»
MAJOR MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN AND
NORTHCENTRAL OHIO AREA
-------
Greater Cleveland-Akron Area
In this area of Ohio, three streams drain to the lake: Cuyahoga, Rocky,
and Chagrin Rivers. Each river travels through heavily populated areas and
becomes progressively polluted as it nears the lake.
The Rocky River and, to a degree the Chagrin River, form the core of
the Cleveland Metropolitan Park system even though these streams are pol-
luted to the extent that recreational and water supply uses are impaired.
In both the Cleveland and Akron areas, metropolitan master planning
for water pollution control is needed. Both cities should form metropoli-
tan sanitary districts and by the year 1990, when the areas will grow to-
gether, an amalgamation of the two sanitary districts will be necessary.
The metropolitan plan calls for halting the practice of proliferous
construction of small sewage plants. With this in mind, all sewage plants
in the Rocky and Chagrin Rivers should be phased out and the communities
should be ordered to connect to the metropolitan system.
As an alternate but less desirable approach, the cities on the Rocky
and Chagrin Rivers could expand to tertiary treatment (98% BOD removal).
Table 1-4 shows the individual immediate needs in the Cleveland-Akron
area. The cost of an immediate program to meet these needs is estimated at
$260 million, with a following annual expenditure of $12 million to keep
pace with population growth. The short and long term treatment needs for the
Greater Cleveland-Akron area as well as the Northeast Ohio area, are graph-
ically shown in Figure l-£.
A
Northeast Ohio Area
Major pollution in Northeast Ohio occurs at the mouths of the tribu-
taries where industry and municipalities are located. There are also small
isolated problems upstream.
In the Painesville, Ohio area, the cities of Fairport, Painesville,
Painesville East, Orwell, and Grand River should integrate and consolidate
their sewer systems and treatment plants into one collection system with
secondary treatment on the lake. In the Conneaut area the cities of Con-
neaut and Lakeville should do likewise. Additional treatment needs primarily
include expanding to secondary treatment, providing collection systems, and
disinfecting municipal plant effluents.
By 1990 the recommended treatment works will have to be expanded to
meet an expected doubling of the population. In the Grand River Basin, ter-
tiary treatment will be necessary by 1990.
The cost of municipal waste treatment is estimated to be $28 million
for the immediate needs. An annual expenditure thereafter of $1 million will
be needed to keep pace with population growth and to provide expanded and
advanced treatment where needed.
The immediate pollution control needs are given in Table 1-5.
1-20
-------
TABLE 1-4.
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Municipality
Present
Treatment
Plant Needs
Rocky River Basin
Berea Secondary
Broadview Heights Minor
Brook Park Secondary
Lakewood Secondary
Medina Secondary
North Olmsted Secondary*
North Royalton Secondary
North Royalton Minor*
Olmsted Falls Minor
Strongsville Minor*
Westlake Minor
Westview Minor
County Districts
Breezewood Secondary
Brunswick SD 100 Secondary
Beverly Hills SD 8 Secondary
Medina Co. SD 5 Secondary
Middleburg Hts. Secondary*
Cuyahoga River Basin
Akron Secondary*
Bedford Secondary
Bedford Hts. Secondary
Cleveland Southerly Secondary
Cuyahoga Falls Secondary
Independence Minor
Kent Secondary*
Mantua Secondary*
Maple Hts. Secondary*
Middlefield Primary
Munroe Falls Minor*
Northfield Secondary
Oakwood Primary*
Oakwood Minor*
Ravenna Secondary
Sagamore Hills Minor
Connect to metro system
Sewers & connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Discharge outfall to Lake Erie
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Sewers & connect to metro system
Sewers package plant & connect to
metro system
Sewers & connect to metro system
Sewers package plant & connect to
metro system
Sewers package plant & connect to
metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Advanced waste treatment
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Advanced waste treatment
Connect to metro system
Sewers & connect to metro system
Expansion
Expansion
Connect to metro system
Expansion
Sewers & connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Sewers & connect to metro system
Advanced waste treatment
Sewers package plant d. connect to
metro system
*Works under construction, but may not meet criteria proposed
1-21 JUN 2 8 1967
-------
TABLE 1-4 (concluded)
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Municipality
Present
Treatment
Plant Needs
Cuyahoga River Basin
Sawyerwood Minor
Solon Secondary
Tallmadge Secondary
Twinsburg Secondary
Valley View Minor
County Districts
Brecksville SD 13 Secondary
Northeast SD 1 Secondary
Northeast SD 6 Secondary
Northeast SD 15 Secondary
Seven Hills SD 2 Secondary
Sewers & connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Sewers & connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect
Connect
Connect
Connect
to metro system
to metro system
to metro system
to metro system
Stow Twp SD 4
Walton Hills SD 20
Chagrin River Basin
Aurora
Chagrin Falls
Pepper Pike
County Districts
Chester Twp. SD 1 &
Richmond Heights
Direct to Lake Erie
Cleveland Easterly
Cleveland Westerly
Euclid
Willoughby-Eastlake
County Districts
Rocky River SD 6
Primary*
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Sewers & connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Connect to metro system
Expansion & extend outfall
Secondary & disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
Secondary & disinfection
*Works under construction, but may not meet criteria proposed
1-22 JUN 28 1967
-------
MUNICIPAL NEEDS
H - MXTMOPOLrTAN PLANT
t - KCONOMT TK1TIKNT
WPttOVEUCNTS
i*ro Ntto
I»K> NCCD
IOM WED
WJMCTU. PLANTS SHOULD x*tl »% fwvious T«»r«t«r ir
. M.U EFrutKNTS SHOULD K DBMFECTEO TO LEVELS NOT TO
EXCEED IOOO COLIFORU tACTEMIA/OOml.
MAJOR MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREAS
-------
TABLE 1-5
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR NORTHEASTERN OHIO
Sewerage
Service Area
Present
Treatment
1960
Population
Served
Plant Needs
Grand River
Fairport
Painesville
Chardon
Jefferson
Painesville -
Northeast
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Grand River Septic Tanks
Orwell Septic Tanks
Conneaut Creek
Conneaut
Lakeville
Primary
Septic Tanks
Albion Secondary
Springboro Septic Tanks
Conneautville Septic Tanks
Small Tributaries
Intermediate 4,267 Secondary (Metropolitan system
16,116
3,154
2,116
1,265
10,557
A,180
1,630
583
" 1,200
^/
Secondary (Metropolitan system/*'
1)
Expansion and Disinfection
Expansion and Disinfection
Collection system and Secondary
477 Collection system and Secondary
(Metropolitan system/v 1)
1/0"- ^ I1 i
I «
819 Collection system and Secondary
Secondary (Metropolitan system-'-
2)
Collection system and Secondary
(Metropolitan system ,/V 2)
Expansion
Collection system and Secondary
Collection system and Secondary
Madison
Secondary
1,347 Expansion and-Disinfection*
North Septic Tanks
Kingsville
Direct-to-Lake
Ashtabula
Intermediate
Lake County Primary
SD #1 Madison
Lake County SD Intermediate
Willoughby-
Mentor
1,854 Collection system and Secondary
28,738 Secondary
6,000 Secondary
Secondary
* - New plant to be in operation summer 1967,
1^-23
JUN2M967'
-------
Pennsylvania and New York Areas
The area of coverage for this Lake Erie comprehensive report includes
the Buffalo River.
In New York State, the Erie-Niagara Basin is being actively studied
by the Erie-Niagara Water Resources Regional Planning and Development Board.
This board was set up under article 5 of the New York State Conservation
Law. Its purpose is to facilitate water resources planning on a basin basis.
Also, county-wide comprehensive sewerage studies are under way in the New
York counties of Erie and Niagara. These studies are being conducted under
Section 1263-a of the New York State Public Health Law and are supported by
1007o state grants.
At Erie, Pa. the greatest need is for large scale expansion of the
existing secondary treatment facilities to accept the pretreated waste from
the Hammermill Paper Company and achieve an overall BOD and phosphorus re-
moval of 90%.
A metropolitan system should be established for the Dunkirk-Fredonia
area. This will require a secondary treatment plant in Dunkirk with dis-
charge to Lake Erie.
At Gowanda, N. Y. there is need for a tertiary treatment plant of
sufficient capacity to accept the pretreated waste discharged by the Moench
Tannery and the Peter Cooper Glue Works.
The greatest need in the Buffalo area is for a long-range, area-wide
master sewer and treatment plan. This plan would cover the entire Niagara
Frontier area as well as the drainage to the Buffalo River and other tribu-
taries to Lake Erie.
Many small treatment plants dot the area, especially in the suburbs
surrounding the large cities. Any long range plan should call for phasing
out these small plants and connecting to a large municipal system. Also,
the plan should consider intercepting of most of the municipal waste drain-
age in the Buffalo River watershed, including the area as far down the lake
as the city of Blasdell. Centralized treatment should be provided at an ex-
panded secondary treatment plant at Buffalo. The plan should also consider
intercepting the municipal waste drainage of Eighteenmile Creek with cen-
tralized treatment at the mouth of the creek on the lake. An entirely new
secondary treatment plant would have to be built here.
There are approximately 14 major municipal sewerage facilities that
discharge to the Lake Erie watershed from the Greater Buffalo area. Of
these, six provide some form of secondary waste treatment. Fifteen major
municipal sewage plants discharge partially treated effluents to the water-
shed in the rest of the basin. Four of these plants provide some form of
secondary treatment.
The immediate goal in the treatment of municipal wastes is the pro-
vision for at least secondary treatment. Such treatment provides 90 percent
BOD5 removal and is considered adequate in the lakefront communities. To
regain the desired water quality, tertiary or advanced treatment must be
1-24
-------
TABLE 1-6
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA AREAS
Municipality
Present
Treatment
Plant Needs
Blasdell (V)
Cheektowage SD3 (T)
Depew (V)
Eden (T)
Hamburg (V)
Hamburg (Woodlawn)
Hamburg (Mt. Vernon)
Hamburg (Wanakah)
Hamburg (Master)
Holland (T)
Lackawanna (C)
Lancaster (V)
West Seneca SD 6 (T)
Erie County SD 2
East Aurora
Arcade
Gowanda
Gowanda State Hosp.
Dunkirk
Fredonia
Springville
Angola
North Collins
Westfield
Brocton
Ripley
Derby
Cattaraugus
Erie, Pa.
Girard, Pa.
Lake City, Pa.
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Primary
Primary
Septic Tanks
Primary
Secondary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Primary
Primary \
Secondary J
Primary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Intermediate
Secondary
Connect to Buffalo metro
Connect to Buffalo metro
Connect to Buffalo metro
Sewers and Advanced Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment
Ex pansion
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Sewers & Advanced Waste Treatment
Connect to Buffalo metro
Connect to Buffalo metro
Connect to Buffalo metro
Expansion
Advanced Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment
Secondary
Integrate into one
secondary plant
Secondary
Sewers and Advanced Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment*
Advanced Waste Treatment*
Sewers and Advanced Waste Treatment*
Advanced Waste Treatment*
Sewers and Advanced Waste Treatment*
Sewers and Advanced Waste Treatment*
Expansion and Collection for Un-
sewered Areas
Secondary
Secondary Improvements
* Secondary if discharged to the lake
1-25
-------
constructed in most inland areas. Adequate effluent disinfection is con-
sidered to be a necessity in the study area--particularly where recreational
use of the receiving waters is prevalent or desired. There is also a major
present need for increased phosphorus removal. Municipal waste treatment con-
struction needs for the major communities of the area are given in Table 1-6,
and illustrated in Figure 1-fr. The construction cost of the recommended im-
mediate municipal needs for Pennsylvania and New York is $45 million, with an
annual expenditure after 1971 of $3.5 million needed to maintain high quality
water in the face of population growth.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
Industries in the Lake Erie basin insist that, for the most part, fierce
competition with similar industries elsewhere in the nation prevent them from
voluntarily installing additional waste abatement facilities. In general,
only through regulatory agency action have industries installed present treat-
ment facilities. In many cases industry is unwilling to provide facilities
because it is entirely unprofitable, and since there is no outside source of
finance to offset this loss, they continue to pollute. There is a pressing
need for nationwide regulation to make pollution requirements uniform through-
out the United States, so that industry cannot use less rigid requirements
in some other location as an excuse to move. Establishing water quality stan-
dards for interstate streams will improve this situation.
Industry is also often reluctant to install abatement equipment be-
cause of the lack of assurance that the planned program will solve the prob-
lem. If the operations do not work satisfactorily (as is often the case be-
cause of their frequently experimental nature) the industry has lost a great
deal of money. Demonstration grants for control of industrial wastes will
partially help to solve this problem.
Wherever feasible, industries are encouraged to connect to municipal
plants after they have provided suitable pretreatment of waste. In this way,
overall waste treatment can be improved and financial gains will result be-
cause the city could qualify for an increased federal construction grant.
Perhaps the best way to control industrial discharges is by in-plant
process changes to prevent or lessen the original waste products. Industrial
incentives are needed to encourage this type of abatement.
The industries that discharge significant waste products into the Lake
Erie basin are the heavy chemical, steel, paper, and oil -induetries.
All industries should abide by the following general effluent require-
ments for waste constituents to protect and enhance Lake Erie water quality.
Furthermore, no outfall discharging to public waters should exceed these
levels at any time, nor should it be construed that industry will be per-
mitted to redesign sewer systems in order to meet these levels without re-
ducing its overall flow of waste constituents.
Suspended Solids 35 mg/1
Biochemical Oxygen Demand 30 mg/1
E-Z6
-------
C
73
^(BUFFALO
FNOTE: ALL MUMCWL PLANTS SHOU.O H*I 92% PHOSPHORUS
TREATMENT BY 1970, ALL IFFUJENTS SHOULD BE
MSffECTEO TO LEVELS NOT TO EXCEED WOO
COLFORM BACTERIA /KX)ml.
D
O
O
MUNICIPAL NEEDS
METROPOLITAN PLANT
SECONDARY TREATMENT
TERTIARY TREATMENT
COLLECTION SYSTEM
CONNECT TO METROPOLITAN PLANT
EXPANSION
•^MOVEMENTS
l»70 NEED
M90 NEED
2020 NEED
INDUSTRIES NEEDING IMPROVEMENTS
cO d) 6 a o
ON.
QCMCAL SLUE WORKS PAPER STEEL
a TANNERY
MAJOR MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
PENNSYLVANIA 8 NEW YORK AREAS
-------
Oil 5 mg/1
Iron 17 mg/1
Phenol 0.050 mg/1
Heavy metals and CN (toxic) 0.03 mg/1 each
Coliform bacteria 1000 MPN/100 ml
pH Between 5.5 and 10.6
Industries which are already below these levels should not be permitted
to increase their waste discharges to the maximum values, but should be re-
quired to maintain their concentrations at existing levels, or, if possible,
to decrease their discharges.
Dissolved solids are not covered in the preceding recommendations be-
cause information is scarce on practical methods to control them. Their con-
centrations are increasing in Lake Erie, however, and unless something is
done to halt their increase, the levels will continue to rise as cities and
industries expand. With this in mind, industries should be required to main-
tain the flow of dissolved solids from their factories at the present level
of discharge, or to decrease this discharge. Industry itself is in the best
position to arrive at a solution whereby this may be achieved.
In regard to oil, it is recognized that often the allowable effluent
level of 5 mg/1 will not prevent an oil film from appearing on the surface
of the water. Where a film is noticeable, the oil discharged should be re-
duced below the level of 5 mg/1 to the extent that the oil film does not
appear.
Specific industrial waste treatment needs will be discussed separately
for each basin draining to the lake.
Southeast Michigan Area
More than 90 individual industries in this area discharge in excess of
one billion gallons of wastewater each day. Some effluents contain no signifi-
cant concentrations of contaminants, while some are grossly polluted with
waste material.
The following is a summary of the adequacy of these treatment facili-
ties rated by the Michigan Water Resources Commission:
Adequate treatment - 42
Inadequate treatment - 22
Unreliable treatment - 9
Adequacy not established - 18
Need not established - 1
Most of the industries with inadequate treatment in the Detroit fed-
eral-state enforcement conference area are currently under stipulations for
1-27
-------
improvements in treatment. These industries and the pollution requirements
are shown in Table 1-7. This table also includes the municipal waste require-
ments covered in the stipulations.
Table 1-8 is a summary of the industrial waste treatment needs for
Southeast Michigan. The cost of construction of these facilities is estimated
at $85 million.
Maumee River Basin and North-Central Ohio Areas
Ninety-five industries have been placed under the permit system in the
Maumee River Basin and North-Central Ohio areas. According to the State of
Ohio, 58 have adequate treatment facilities and the remaining 37 are causing
pollution problems. Also, an industry in Indiana is listed as causing problems.
As with domestic wastes, industrial wastes require a very high degree
of treatment in this region in order to provide suitable stream conditions.
Most industries in the basin are aware of the acute problems caused by their
wastes and have programs which, when put into effect, will all but eliminate
their waste problems. (For example, Sohio at Lima is spending more than a
million dollars a year for operating costs of its treatment facilities.)
Besides BOD, the main industrial problems are caused by oils, phenols,
ammonia, and solids. The waste discharge loadings from severaLofthe industries
listed are small, but due to the extremely low flows in many areas of the basin,
these loadings are quite important. The cost of industrial waste abatement is
estimated at $30 million. Table 1-9 lists the immediate industrial waste
treatment needs for the Northwest Ohio area.
Greater Cleveland-Akron Area
Table 1-10 lists the immediate industrial waste treatment needs for this
area. The cost of construction of these facilities is estimated to be $90
million. The waste discharge from several of the industries listed are small,
but are important due to the extremely low flows in several parts of the area,
The major industrial pollution materials which enter the area's waters are:
solids, toxic materials, complex organic compounds, iron, acid, oil, heat, and
color.
More efficient in-plant controls for reducing the volume of wastes to
be treated should be instituted, yaste storage facilities and standby treat-
ment units should be installed to permit normal maintenance work on treatment
facilities; to prevent by-passing; and to prevent accidental spills and leakages
from entering the area's waterways. Industrial wastes should be discharged to
municipal sewage systems whenever adequate treatment can be provided by the
sewage .plant.
Northeast Ohio Area
1-28
-------
I
N>
\O
o
TABLE 1 ,
SUMMARY OF MICHIGAN RESOURCES COMMISSION STIPULATION FOR INDUSTRIAL POLLUTERS
Municipalities
and Industries
Allied Chem.Corp.
Semet-Solvay Div.
Solvay Process
E. I. duPont de «>
Nemours & Co.
Time Container Corp.
Monroe Paper Prod.
Scott Paper Co.
Consolidated Pack-
aging Coi. No. Plant
So. Plant
Ford Motor Co.
Monroe Plant
Union- Bag- Camp Co.
Susp. Solids
mg/1 Ib/day
-
30
•_ -
35 650
30
35 2,200
35 2,100
-
35 1,350
Tot.
Coli.
Sol. Phos. Phenols Oil BOD MPN
(as PO^)
Ib/day g/1 Ib/day mg/1 mg/1 Ib/day
(1)
2 _ ..
_ _ - - _ . -
300 1000
31,000
2,400 1000
1,500 1000
200 15 - 1000
2,500 1000
Constr.
Cotnple.
Date
4/1/67
4/1/68
4/1/67
1/1/69
11/1/68
1/1/69
1/1/69
1/1/68
1/1/69
(1) The effluent should not contain oil in amounts sufficient to create a visible film on the surface waters
of the State.
M •_«•« * •* jt j-J
& r -? f, $r* "** •• -
-------
Municipalities
and Industries
Susp.
mg/1
Solids
Ib/day
TABLE 1-7
-------
TABLE 1-7 contd.
o
u>
Municipalities
and Industries
City of Riverview
City of Trenton
Grosse Isle Twp.
(formerly Wayne
Co.)
City of Monroe
Great Lakes Steel
Blast FurnaceDiv.
Strip Mill
Ecorse Plant
Susp.
mg/1
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
Solids
Ib/day
470
935
500
1200
-
Sol.Phos.
(as P04>
Ib/day
35
138
20
128
-
Phenols
8/1 Ib/day
0.2
5
1
-
180
Oil
mg/1
15
15
15
-
15
15
15
BOD
mg/1 Ib/day
920
1840
980
350
-
Tot.
Coli.
MPN
1000
1000
1000
1000
-
Constr.
Comple.
Date
11/1/70
11/1/70
11/1/70
5/1/69
4/1/68
4/1/68
4/1/68
Ford Motor Co.(Rouge) 50
70
15
4/1/69
-------
TABLE 1-8
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Location
Needs
ST. GLAIR RIVER BASIN
Black River
Michigan Milk Producers Assn. Peck
Port Huron Paper Co. Port Huron
Belle River
Michigan Milk Producers Assn. Inlay City
Vlasic Food Products Co.
LAKE ST.CLAIR BASIN
Clinton River
Briggs Manufacturing Co.
Chrysler Corp.
Midhigan Missile Plant
Ford Motor Co.
Chassis Parts
Inlay City
Sterling T,
Sterling T.
Sterling T.
TRW, Inc. ,
Thompson Products,Mich.Div. Sterling T.
LAKE ERIE BASIN
Huron River
General Motors Corp.
Fisher Body Div.
Huron Valley Steel Corp,
Longworth Plating Co.
Peninsular Paper Co.
River Raisin
Buckeye Products Corp.
Dundee Cement Co.
Simplex Paper Corp.
Willow Run
Belleville
Chelsea
Ypsilanti
Adrian
Dundee
Palmyra
1-32
Establish treatment needs
Establish adequacy of treatment
Establish adequacy of
treatment (Irrigation) '.
Establish adequacy of
treatment (holding ponds)
Establish adequacy of
treatment (lagoon)
Establish adequacy of
treatment (lagoons)
Establish adequacy of
treatment for oil and
sanitary wastes
Improve reliability of
treatment of oil wastes
Establish adequacy of
treatment of sanitary wastes
Establish adequacy of
treatment (coagulation
& lagoon)
Improve treatment (solids
in wastewater)^
Establish adequacy of treatment
Improve treatment
Establish adequacy of treatment
Improve treatment reliability
Establish adequacy of treatment
-------
TABLE 1-9
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR THE MAUMEE
RIVER BASIN AND NORTH-CENTRAL OHIO AREAS
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Needed
Toledo Edison
Gulf Oil Company
Sun Oil Company
Pure Oil Company
Standard Oil Company
Libbey-Owens-Ford
Interlake Iron
Johns-Manvilie Company
Campbell Soup Company
Central Foundry (Div..GM)
S.K. Wayne Tool Co.
Weatherhead Corporation
International Harvester
Franke Plating Works ,
General Plating
Parrot Packing Co. y
Hayes Industry -
Decorative Division
Ohio Decorative Products
Buckeye Sugar
National Refinery
(Ashland Oil)
Rusco Inc.
Excello Corporation
Ford Motor Company
Republic Creosote
Standard Oil Company
Refinery
Chemical
Petrochemical
Lower Maumee
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Waterville, Ohio
Napoleon, Ohio
Defiance, Ohio
Defiance, Ohio
Upper Maumee
Antwerp, Ohio
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Auglaize
Spencerville, Ohio
Spencerville, Ohio
Blanchard
Ottawa, Ohio
Findlay, Ohio
Pandora, Ohio
Ottawa
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
General Control Measures
&. Improvements
COD, Oil
Solids
Oil, COD, and Phenols
Phenols, Oil, COD
Oil, Solids, Color
Phenols, Solids
Solids, BOD, Phenol
BOD
Solids, BOD
General Control Measures
Oils and Solids
Oils, solids, heavy metals
Cyanides, heavy metals
Chrome and acid treatment
BOD
Solids
Solids, Housekeeping
BOD
Oil, General Housekeeping
Oil, Solids, Secondary
Treatment of sewage
General Housekeeping
Oil
Phenol
Evaluate completed improvements
Ammonia
Evaluate completed improvement!
1-33
-------
TABLE 1-9 (cont)
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Needed
Edgerton Metal Products
Kitchen Quip, Inc.
Borg-Warner, Inc.
St. Joseph
Edgerton, Ohio
Waterloo, Indiana
Auburn, Indiana
Chrome treatment, acid
neutralization
Chrome treatment, acid
neutralization
Chrome treatment, acid
neutralization
Weston Paper
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Beatrice Foods Co.
Essex Wire Company
Dana Corporation
Foster Duck Farm
Agrico Chemical Co.
Hirzel Canning Co.
G. E. Lamp Plant #242
Central Soya
Bechtel-McLaughlin, Inc.
Lake Erie Cannery Co.
Muskalonge View Dairy
Northern Ohio Sugar Co.
Seneca Wire & Mfg. Co.
Swift & Co.
Pioneer Rubber Co.
Pa. R.R.
NASA Plum Brook
U. S. Gypsum Co.
St. Marys
St. Marys, Ohio
St. Marys, Ohio
St. Marys, Ohio
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Tenmile Creek
Toledo, Ohio
Portage River
Allen Township
Pemberville, Ohio
Sandusky River
Bellevue, Ohio
Bellevue, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Fremont, Ohio
Fremont, Ohio
Fostoria, Ohio
Fostoria, Ohio
Attica, Ohio
Crestline, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Gypsum, Ohio
Huron River
BOD
General Housekeeping
General Housekeeping
Phenol
Oil
BOD
BOD
BOD
Oil
Acids, chrome, solids
BOD
BOD
BOD
Metals, solids
BOD, oil", color
BOD, rubber
Oil
BOD
BOD
Clevite Corp.
B & 0 R.R.
Milan, Ohio
Willard, Ohio
Acids, metals, solids
Oil
U. S. Steel Corp. '
CEI
Republic Steel
Ternstedt Div. GM Corp.
Buckeye Pipeline
Black River
Lorain, Ohio
Avon Lake, Ohio
Elyria, Ohio
Elyria, Ohio
1-34
Solids, Oil, phenols, Fe
Solids
Solids, Oil, phenols, Fe
CN, chrome
Oil
-------
TABLE 1-10
INDUSTRIAL WASTE NEEDS FOR GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Industry
Location
Control Measure Needed
Cuyahoga River
Republic Steel
U. S. Steel
E. I. DuPont
Jones &. Laughlin
Harshaw Chemical
Ford Motor Co.
E. W. Ferry Screw
Cuyahoga Meat
Bailey Wall Paper
Burdett Oxygen
Master Anodizers
Owens-Illinois Glass
Co., Mill Div.
Cornwell Tools
S. K. Wellman, Division
American Brake Shoe Co.
Ferro Chemical, Division
Ferro Corp.
Zirconium Corp. of America
Diamond Crystal Salt Co.
Firestone Tire & Rubber
General Tire & Rubber
B. F. Goodrich Co.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Sunoco
Lamson & Sessions Co.
Smallwood Packing Co.
Cleveland
Cleveland
Cleveland
Cleveland
Cleveland
Brook Park
Brook Park
Cleveland
Cleveland
Cleveland
Bedford
Northfield
Mogadore
Bedford
Bedford
Solon
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Munroe Falls
Kent
Middlefield
Rocky River
Astoria Plating Corp. Cleveland
Allison Division General Hinckley
Motors Corp., Testing Area
Chagrin River
Chase Bag Co.
Solids, Iron, Oil, Ammonia, Acids
Solids, Iron, Oil, Acids
Solids, Zinc
Solids, Iron, Oil, Acids
Solids, Fluorides, Heavy Metals, Acids
Oil
Heavy Metals, Oil, Others*
BOD, Others*
Color, BOD, Others*
Others*
Heavy Metals, Cyanide
Others*
Heavy Metals, Cyanide
Heavy Metals, Cyanide
Heavy Metals
Solids, Chlorides
Solids, Chlorides
Solids, Others*, Oil
Solids, Others*, Oil
Solids, Others*, Oil
Heavy Metals, Solids, Cyanides,
Others*, Oil
BOD
Solids, Oil
BOD, Oil, Others*
Heavy Metals, Color, Cyanide
Solids
Chagrin Falls Color, Solids, BOD
Lakefront
Cleveland Municipal
Light Plant
Cleveland Electric
Illuminating Co.
Eastlake Plant
Lakeshore Plant
Cleveland Bottom & Fly Ash, Heat
Eastlake Bottom & Fly Ash, Heat
Cleveland Bottom & Fly Ash, Heat
* Presently do not report materials in waste outfall.
1-35
-------
The principal industrial waste problem of Northeast Ohio is related
to the disposition of soluble chemicals. These chemicals are not removed
by the usual biological waste treatment methods. The most logical possible
solutions for their removal include evaporation, recovery and utilization
in the form of some marketable product, deep-well disposal, and in-plant
control through process change, conservation of materials, good housekeeping,
and source control. Other industrial waste problems involve settleable
materials and organic waste loads, and are amenable to treatment by established
methods using equipment and procedures that are readily available.
Expenditures necessary to abate industrial pollution in this area will
depend upon control measures 'adopted by the industries involved. An esti-
mated cost of $15 million is based on the experiences of other industries
which have utilized deep-well injection into sub-surface strata containing
highly mineralized waters, unsuitable for water supplies and unlikely to be
used for any purpose except the extraction of useful minerals.
Industrial waste treatment needs for Northeast Ohio are given in Table
1-11.
Pennsylvania-New York Area
The principal industrial waste treatment needs for this area are
control of steel, chemical and oil wastes in the Buffalo River, control of
wastes from a glue works and tannery at Gowanda, New York, and treatment
or control of pulp and paper wastes at Erie, Pennsylvania.
In this area, even though the industries are few in number, their
waste volumes are large. Bethlehem Steel at Lackawanna, New York discharges
the-largest volume of waste products of any industry in the Lake Erie water-
shed and Hammermill Paper Company at Erie, Pennsylvania is the largest waste
producer of the paper companies in the Lake Erie basin. The answer to Ham-
mermill 's problem is to discharge pretreated wastes to the Erie, Pennsylvania
sewage treatment plant.
At the Bethlehem plant, a special problem results from the disposal of
refuse slag in Lake Erie. As a long-range solution, it is recommended that
Bethlehem Steel use the slag to build a dike along the entire waterfront
area of the plant, enclosing the area around Smokes Creek and South Ditch
for a large final treatment lagoon. This lagoon should not replace treatment
facilities planned or under construction within the plant, but should serve
as an effluent polishing device and as emergency treatment in case of spills
or equipment breakdown. The outer wall of the dike should be reinforced with
riprap to prevent erosion.
The most obvious pollution problem in this area and perhaps one of the
most well-known and appalling in the nation occurs in the Buffalo River. It
is partly caused by industrial wastes. The river, already heavily polluted
and stagnant from upstream sewage discharges, receives massive outfalls of
1-36
-------
TABLE 1-11
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR NORTHEAST OHIO
Industry by Subbasin
Location
Control Measures Needed
GRAND RIVER BASIN
Calhio Chemical, Inc.
Diamond Alkali Co.
U. S. Rubber Co. - Uniroyal
A. E. Staley Manufacturing Co,
ASHTABULA RIVER BASIN
Cabot Titania Corp.
Titanium Dioxide Plant
Cabot Titania Corp.
Titanium Tetrachloride Pit.
Detrex Chemical Industries,
Inc. Chlorinated Solvents
Diamond Alkali Co.
Semi-Works
General Tire & Rubber Co.
Chemical Division
Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp.
TDI Facility
Reactive Metals, Inc.
Metals Reduction Plant
Reactive Metals, Inc.
Sodium & Chlorine Plant
CONNEAUT CREEK BASIN
Albro Packing Co.
SMALL TRIBUTARIES
True Temper
DIRECT TO LAKE
Midland Ross Corp.
IRC Fibers Division
Cleveland Electric
Illuminating Co.
Detrex Chemical Ind. Inc.
Chlorine-Alkali Plant
Perry
Painesville
Painesville
.Grand River
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Springboro
Geneva
Painesville
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Solids, chlorides
Solids, chlorides, ammonia,
phenol, color
Solids
BOD, oils, solids, & connect
'to city sewers
Solids, chlorides, color,pH
Solids, chlorides, pH
COD, solids, chlorides, pH
COD, solids, chlorides
Solids
Solids
Solids, chlorides, pH
Solids, pH
BOD, solids, and connect
to city sewers
Oils, solids
Color, oils, solids,
chlorides, zinc, BOD
Fly and bottom ash
Solids, chlorides
1-37
?•§
-------
TABLE 1-11 (cont.)
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR NORTHEAST OHIO
Industry by Subbasin
Location
Control Measures Needed
Union Carbide Corp.
Linde Division
Union Carbide Corp.
Metals Division
Ashtabu la
Ashtabula
Solids
Solids
1-38
JUK
-------
industrial waste from Republic Steel, Donner Hanna Coke, Mobil Oil, and
Allied Chemical just before emptying into Lake Erie.
Expenditures necessary to abate industrial pollution in this area
are estimated at $35 million. Industrial waste treatment needs for
Pennsylvania and New York are given in Table 1-12.
ALTERNATIVES
The pollution abatement program presented in this report represents
the best solutions to the water quality problems of the Lake Erie Basin
based on present known technology. It is not, however, either a final
Xor a maximum solution. Other pollution control possibilities exist and
more will become evident as technology and knowledge of the lake advance.
The most obvious alternative is simply to allow quality to deteriorate,
with only enough waste treatment provided to avert a public nuisance. The
next most obvious solution is to maintain the status quo---let water quality
get no worse and no better.
More acceptable alternatives that deserve mention, although they do
not fit into the desired plan of this report, include:
1. Instream reaeration in reaches suffering from lack of DO.
2. Mid-lake reaeration within the period of summer thermocline formation
to break up the thermocline and allow the lake waters to mix.
3. Provisions for flow augmentation at many locations.
4. Diversion of water from the Hudson Bay drainage system into the
Great Lakes.
5. Dredging of the entire bottom of Lake tErie.
6. Building a pipeline around Lake Erie and treating municipal and
industrial wastes at the outlet of the lake.
Each of the possibilities will be discussed separately in this section.
In addition, methods for abating pollution from combined sewer overflow which
have been proposed, or are being studied, will be discussed here.
Instream reaeration is obvious where dissolved oxygen concentrations
in the stream are less than those demanded by uses. By reaerating the watery-
it is possible to maintain a higher DO level under circumstances where the
process of waste assimilation is continuing and would otherwise result in
oxygen depletion. Unlike flow augmentation and waste treatment, reaeration
is specific in its operation. Its benefits extend only to dissolved oxygen,
whereas waste treatment and flow augmentation provide multiple benefits.
1-39
-------
c
TABLE 1-12
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS FOR PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW YORK
Industry
Location
Control Measures Needed
Allied Chemical, Buffalo Dye
Bethlehem Steel
Donner Hanna Coke
General Mills
Mobil Oil
Lehigh Cement
Pennsylvania Railroad
Pillsbury
Republic Steel
Silver Creek Preserving Co.
Moench Tannery Co.
Peter Cooper Glue Works
Gunnison Brothers
Hammermill Paper Company
Welch Grape Juice
Seneca Westfield Maid
Growers Coop Grape Juice
Welch Grape Juice
Pro-Canners Coop
Gro-Packers Coop
Allegheny-Ludlum Steel
Niagara Mohawk
Hanna Furnace
Symington Wayne
Buffalo
Lackawanna
Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo
West Seneca
Buffalo
Buffalo
Cattaraugus Indian
Reservation
Gowanda
Gowanda
Girard Township,Pa.
Erie, Pa.
Westfield, N.Y.
Westfield, N.Y.
Westfield, N.Y.
Brocton, N.Y.
North Collins
North Collims
Dunkirk, N.Y.
Dunkirk, N.Y.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Depew, N.Y.
Color, solids, BOD, acid,
phenol
Oil, CN, phenol, solids
color, ammonia, acid, iron
Oil, phenol, BOD
Sewage & connect to Buffalo
metro
Oil, phenol
Solids
Oil
Sewage & connect to Buffalo
metro
Oil, solids, color, acid, iron
Solids, color, oil
BOD, solids, connect to
Gowanda STP
BOD, solids, connect to
Gowanda STP
Tertiary treatment for removal
of BOD and solids
Secondary treatment for re-
moval of BOD, color, foam,
and taste and odor, connect
to Erie, Pa. STP
Connect to city sewers
Connect to city sewers
Connect to city sewers
Connect to city sewers
Connect to city sewers
Connect to city sewers
Solids, oil, acids
Solids
Solids
Oil, BOD & Color
1-40
-------
Except for a few local areas, serious DO depletions occur most frequently
at the mouths of major tributaries where navigational channels have been built.
Reaeration could be accomplished at these locations by installation of mechanical
devices to induce turbulence and force oxygen into solution with the water. The
stream reaches requiring this extend for several miles. Because of the sluggish-
ness of these reaches, it would be necessary to reaerate practically the entire
stretch of stream. Attempts to employ this method of stream pollution control
have met with only limited success in other parts of the country. At best,
instream reaeration should follow high-level waste treatment as an emergency
measure or last step and should never be used to take the place of treatment
at the source.
The only location in the watershed where a possibility exists for using
this alternative with success is the Ottawa River below Lima, Ohio. After
was,te treatment facilities have been installed by the city and the Standard
Oil Company, reaeration should be employed if the DO in the river still falls
below desired levels
Because of the limited success and disappointing results of instream
reaeration elsewhere, its narrow benefits, and its questionable application
to the Lake Erie watershed, it is not considered generally in the overall
recommendations of this report.
Mid-Lake reaeration is being used experimentally in a few locations
in this country not so much to increase the DO of the hypolimnion but as a
means of breaking up the thermocline. In the summer months, mid-Lake Erie
suffers from lack of DO in the hypolimnion; this leads to many of the lake's
problems. If the lake waters could be mixed in such a way to prevent formation
of the thermocline, overall water quality conditions would improve. This idea
is strictly experimental, but is worthy of an attempt in Lake Erie. Even this
method, if it works, should in no way take the place of the best waste treat-
ment tributaries.
Flow augmentation through construction of multipurpose reservoirs appears
beneficial to water quality control at three locations in the Lake Erie water-
shed; namely, the Huron River in Michigan,Sandusky River in Ohio, and Cat-
taraugus Creek in New York. Primarily because of the geologic nature of the
basin, other areas are not suitable for this alternative. The watersheds of
the western end of the lake are extremely flat, and the watersheds at the eastern
end are small, Low flow augmentation would prove beneficial only to tributary
waters; it would not benefit the lake.
The areas of worst pollution are at the mouths of tributaries. Sustained
flows during dry periods would not be sufficient to benefit the water quality
in these areas. One possibility does exist, however, for using low flow aug-
mentation to improve water quality at the tributary mouths. Once all treatment
has been provided by industries and municipalities, it would be possible to
pump lake water to the uppermost end of the navigational channel, or further,
if economics and the pollution nature of the stream warrant such extensions.
Thi's would provide a means to keep the sluggish waters moving during dry weather
to prevent a buildup of pollutants.
1-41
-------
Areas where this approach appears feasible are the lower reaches of
the Rouge, Raisin, Cuyahoga, and Buffalo Rivers. It is already being
practiced in the Buffalo River with recirculation of 100 cfs of lake water
through the river. But improvement will not be noticed in the Buffalo River
until waste treatment^ecommended in this report^ is installed. This method,
like others included here as alternates, should be considered only as an
additional step after adequate waste treatment has been installed.
The Cuyahoga River basin is a special case, where additional flow
provisions should be considered. The Cuyahoga is used extensively from
headwaters to mouth and, beginning a few miles above Akron, becomes so de-
graded in quality that it is fit only for waste disposal. In fact, during
low flow periods, the city of Akron uses the entire flow of the river for
its water supply. The only practical means for augmenting flow above Akron
(because of the limited size of the watershed) is to pump water out of Lake
Erie and recirculate it rhough the entire Cuyahoga River. This would require
elevating the water 480 feet and pumping it a distance of 20 miles from Lake
Erie to the headwaters of the Cuyahoga River. It is not an urgent need at
present because impounded waters above Akron will be sufficient for water
supply for approximately 30 years. After that, this alternate approach
should be strongly considered both for water supply and quality control
benefits.
Diversion of water into the Great Lakes from the J»mes Bay Drainage has
been proposed by T. W. Kierans, Consulting Engineer from Sudbury, Ontario.
He calls it the "Grand Canal Concept." He claims that a system delivering
25,000 cfs could be built for $2 billion to deliver water to the Great Lakes
at less than 1.5c per 1,000 gallons. He also states that the diverted water
would help to regulate lake levels and reap sizable benefits to water quality.
The starting point of this proposal would be a low-level barrier across James
Bay which would keep the water of several rivers that flow into the bay from
mingling with salt waters. The fresh water would be pumped over the divide
at its lowest elevation--about 969 feet--through a canal and into the Ottawa
River, Ontario. From there, it would be pumped through another canal into
the Great Lakes at Georgian Bay (see Fig. l-£).
The FWPCA has evaluated the benefits to water quality in Lake Erie from
such an approach and considers the improvement to be minor and not worth the
expense for pollution control purposes alone. Therefore it is not a satisfactory
alternate .to the water pollution abatement program recommended, nor is it deemed
advisable even as an adjunct to the recommended program.
Dredging Lake Erie to remove the polluted sediments has been proposed.
One theory states that long after necessary pollution abatement projects are
completed, the lake bottom will continue to exude pollutants into the waters,
and the continued recycling of contaminants will cause the lake to remain
polluted for many years.
To remove the top 3 feet of sediments would require $14 billion and many
years to accomplish. Also to be considered is the question of where to dump
the material after removal from the lake.
Because of the complete absence of knowledge about actual benefits of such
1-42
-------
PUMPING POWER AVAILABLE
LOW DAM
iS COLLECTS RIVER
WATER
BMOOBACKJt
SERIES OF DAMS AND PUMPING
STATIONS REVERSES FLOW OVER 960
FT. DIVIDE INTO OTTAWA RIVER.
SAUUT STE. NORTH BA
SUDBURY.
DIVERSION CANAL
TO FRENCH RIVER
PENNSYLVANIA
GRAND,CANAL CONCEPT
FIGURE
-------
an undertaking and the questionable nature and great expense, this proposal
is considered impractical. The FWPCA does not believe that it will be neces-
sary to remove bottom sediments~Tni orHer"to restore take Erie water quality.
Building a pipeline around Lake Erie and treating the municipal and
industrial wastes at the mouth of the lake has been proposed. This would
require a pipeline approximately 400 miles long, ending in a giant 5,000 mgd
secondary treatment plant in the Niagara Falls area. The proposed pipeline
would rest on the lake bottom just offshore. Estimating the cost of the pipe-
line and connections at $2 million per mile and cost of the treatment plant at
$500 million, an expenditure of $1.3 billion would be required. This fantastic
idea is considered impractical. It is more costly than the recommended plan,
extremely difficult to implement and ignores the ability of waters to absorb
a certain amount of chemicals without causing problems. Furthermore, overcoming
the problems in Lake Erie with this approach might create similar problems in
Lake Ontario.
Combined Sewer Overflow
Combined sewer overflows are responsible for a large pollutional load to
Lake Erie. In the Detroit area, for example, as much as 10 per cent of the
sanitary and industrial waste generated and discharged to city sewers periodically
escapes directly to the river without ever reaching the treatment plant. These
wastes enter the river during overflows and are considered to be simply bypassed
raw sewage. Studies made in the Detroit area ha^e shown that, in a general way,
the pollution effect from separate storm sewers on a watercourse is approximately
10 percent that of combined sewers, as shown in Table 1-13. Several proposals
have been made for solving this overflow problem which exists nationwide--not
just in Lake Erie.
The solutions listed for the combined sewer problem are those which present
technology has made available. Undoubtedly, the future will present many new
approaches to the problem. But, regardless of the methods used, the cities in
the Lake Erie Basin should begin today to consider an effective course of action
to eliminate combined sewer discharges. The citizens of the basin must realize
and accept the fact that, in the changeover of individual household or building
connections, considerable expense will be involved. Clean water costs money.
Sewer Separation would require that the sanitary and industrial wastes
would receive treatment at all times. During periods of rain, however, the
urban runoff would .go directly to the lake, and since runoff does carry a slight
waste load, some pollution would still occur.
Separating sewers in the Lake Erie Basin would cost approximately $3 billion.
If this figure were extended over a 50-year period to the year 2020, it would
cost $5/capita/year.
In new construction and in redevelopment areas, separate storm and sanitary
sewers should be laid. In the course of redeveloping cities, it costs relatively
little to lay separate sewers when the streets are repaved, buildings are rebuilt,
1-43
-------
c
TABLE 1-13
COMPARISON OF DISCHARGE FROM COMBINED AND SEPARATED SEWER SYSTEMS
DETROIT ANN ARBOR
Analysis Combined Sewer Overflow Separate Sewer System
Pounds per acre Pounds per acre
Phenols
BOD
NH3-N
Organic Nitrogen
Soluble phosphorus
Total phosphorus
N03-N
Total Coli*
Fecal Coli*
0.042
90
6.2
1.6
1.9
3.7
0.15
17,000,000
3,100,000
0.002
31
0.7
0.4
0.3
0.9
0.8
1,700
78
,000
,000
* Densities per 100 ml and data from studies conducted in 1964. Results
are median densities of monthly geometric means.
or sewer and water lines wear out. Over a period of 50 to 100 years, a city
is mostly redeveloped anyway, so that sewerrseparation, if considered in this
light, would be practical.
The $3 billion figure cited above for sewer separation does not include
connections to individual buildings, separation of house laterals, roofdrains,
etc.--this cost might be an additional $3 billion.
Underground Storage has been proposed by the City of Chicago to serve a
21 square mile area in the southern suburbs at a cost of approximately $85
million. Excess storm and sanitary runoff collected during and shortly after
a rain would be stored in underground caverns and then bleed through the sewage
plant for treatment during dry weather. This idea might be applicable to some
communities on Lake Erie.
Sedimentation Basins have been used on a small scale in a few places and
have been sonsidered by such cities as Toledo and Cleveland on a grand scale.
The process involves treating the combined sanitary and storm runoff by settling
in gigantic catch basins built either of concrete or made by diking in large
portions of lake waterfront. It would be necessary to have sludge draw-off
facilities in these basins. The supernatant overflow could be treated by
chlorination or piped to the centralized treatment plant of the city.
The City of Toledo has calculated that this plan would cost approximately
$29 million to store a 1-inch rain.
1-44
-------
Express Sanitary Sewers are presently being utilized by Cleveland to
bring the sanitary wastes from the suburbs, .where separated sewers exist,
directly to the city's three large treatment plants. This plan is fine for
the suburbs and does help the sewer system of the inner city by relieving
the combined sewers of the load from the suburbs. It does not, however,
totally solve the sewer problem of the inner city, and long-range plans
should consider alternate solutions for the combined sewer area.
The cost of installing three major trunk sewers to carry sanitary
wastes from the suburbs to the Cleveland treatment plants has been estimated
at $20 million.
Storage in Existing Sewer System has been used in a number of large
cities—for example, Detroit, Michigan and Washington, D.C. It involves
building the combined sewers much larger than would be necessary to handle
dry weather flow. When rain occurs, the excess runoff can be stored in the
sewer system and drawn off to the treatment plant during dry weather. This
plan ha_s been of limited effectiveness in Detroit because the sewers were
no t fprTginalTy ^buil t <
This alternative is not considered to be applicable to cities in the
Lake Erie Basin. To make the sewers big enough to achieve the desired result
of eliminating overflows would require a giant sewer construction program
which would cost almost as much as separating the sewers.
Detroit and a few other large cities in the country are attempting to
make more effective use of their existing system by automation, through use
of a series of centrally controlled gates, pumps, and rain gages. Instead
of merely storing the excess runoff in the portion of the system where a rain-
storm occurs, they will be able to store an isolated rain in the entire city
sewer system. This plan, however, should only be considered temporary, since
it will reduce the number and duration of overflows but will not eliminate
them.
Sanitary Force Mains Inside Existing Combined Sewers is an idea being
put to test by a few cities which involves constructing -a pipeline for carrying
the sanitary sewage inside the existing combined sewer. Actually, this is a
form of sewer separation, but does not involve the major street and sewer
rehabilitation construction that separate sewers require. Cost for such a sys-
tem is not known at this time, but the idea, as proposed, seems feasible and
practical.
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL NEEDS
The costs over the next five years to meet present needs for the Lake Erie
'watershed are estimated at $850 million for municipal treatment and $225 million
for industrial waste treatment. Afterwards, the annual cost needed to maintain
and operate facilities and meet the future demands is estimated at $44.5 million
for municipal wastes. An additional $3 billion will be needed for complete sewer
1-45
-------
separation by the year 2020, $1.0 billion for industrial waste treatment
and $400 million to control rural runoff of soil, phosphorus, and farm
animal wastes. These figures are summarized in Table 1-14 and Figure 1-
shows this by subdrainage basins.
TABLE 1-14
PRESENT AND FUTURE FINANCIAL NEEDS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL
IN THE LAKE ERIE WATERSHED
State
PRESENT NEEDS1
(millions of dollars)
2
Municipal
Industrial"
LONG RANGE NEEDS
(billions of dollars)
Michigan
Indiana
Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York4
TOTAL
432
8
365
10
35
850
85
3
132
5
30
255
Municipal
Industrial
Sewer Separation
Rural Runoff
2.2
1.0
3.0
0.4
6.6
Present financial needs are those that exist now and for the next 5 years
during which proposed construction of remedial works will be completed.
Municipal costs are divided almost evenly between treatment plant and
sewer construction. Municipal costs assume secondary treatment for all
cities; tertiary treatment in 45 cases (most of these are in the flat,
primarily rural area of northwest Ohio where tertiary lagoons would be
adequate, and this is the type of treatment for which the cost figures
were calculated) and development of master sewage collection and treat-
ment systems in Cleveland, Detroit, Akron, Toledo, and Buffalo.
Industrial costs are those for industries that drain to the watershed.
4
The cost figures for the New York area includes the Buffalo River water-
shed, and only that portion of the western New York watershed that drains
into Lake Erie.
Long range municipal cost estimates include expansion of all treatment to
tertiary by the year 2020, plant operation and maintenance, improvements
and new sewer construction.
There is no direct financial aid to industries for construction of
waste control facilities. Indirect aid in the form of tax relief is
available from both state and Federal Governments.Afc industry can deduct
1-46
-------
NOTE: ANNUAL COST INCLUDES SEWER
AND TREATMENT PLANT MAINTAINANCE
AND OPERATION - NEW SEWER AND
TREATMENT PLANT. CONSTRUCTION AND
WATER QUALITY STUDIES.
NOTE: COSTS oo NOT INCLUDE
SEWER SEPARATION.
T -fl !?LC!L_ -
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA
COSTS ARE IN MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS
\
MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTE TREATMENT COSTS
-------
from its Federal income tax liability up to seven per cent of the con-
struction cost of waste treatment facilities.
Industries are also financially aided indirectly to the extent that
some industrial wastes are treated by municipal waste treatment plants
which receive construction grants from non-local sources. It is therefore
in industry's best interest to discharge its waste to a municipal sewerage
system if the local plant provides adequate treatment.
Financial arrangements among municipal, state, and Federal
apportionments depend on the state's water pollution control program.
The following financial aids are currently available.
1. If a municipality's plans have been approved by the appropriate
state water pollution control agency and the Secretary of the Interior,
the Federal Government will contribute up to 3070 of the cost if the
municipality agrees to pay the remaining 707o.
2. If the state has a matching grant program, that is one in which
they will match the municipal expenditures, the Federal Government will
contribute 407. of the cost, leaving 307o each for the state and munici-
polity. The Federal Government grant program is operating for a period
through June, 1971.
The states in the Lake Erie basin are considering legislation for
a matching grant-bond program. The State of New York already has a match-
ing grant program and along with Pennsylvania, financial assistance for
plant operation.
3. If the state has a matching grant program, and in addition,
has established enforceable water quality standards for the waters into
which the proposed plant will discharge, the Federal Government will
contribute up to 50% of the cost, with the state and municipality each
contributing 257..
An additional 107. of the amount of Federal grant can be contributed
if the grant is to be applied to a metropolitan area which conforms to
comprehensive plans that have been developed or are being developed for
that area.
Through 1971, approximately $160 million in Federal monies will
be available for Lake Erie if the full Federal share is granted.
1-47
-------
BENEFITS FROM WATER QUALITY CONTROL IN THE
LAKE ERIE WATERSHED
The water quality control programs recommended for the subbasins
of the Lake Erie watershed will, in many instances, contribute to a
greatly improved living environment in future years; in others, it
will assure the continuance of existing high quality water resources.
The improvement or maintenance of water quality for municipal and in-
dustrial use, the enhancement of recreational opportunities including
the overall betterment of the esthetic aspects of lake shores and
tributaries, will result not only in dollar savings but also in greater
personal enjoyment for millions of people. The projected population
and industrial growth stated previously indicates not only the magnitude
of future benefits, but also emphasizes the need for adequate water
quality and quantity if such growth is to take place.
The benefits from water quality control measures are not always
apparent to the public because such measures frequently constitute
insurance for future usefulness of a vital resource or result in
benefits which are indirect or intangible. Some benefits, however,
such as improved fishing or swimming, or the reduction of health
hazards are somewhat more apparent. Also, for many industrial uses,
the quality of water supply as determined by its physical, chemical,
jai. biologicarcharacteristics is of great importance. Suitable water
quality is frequently either an enhancing factor or a necessity to new
industry or expanding existing industry. Substantial benefits may accrue
to communities when the costs of extensive treatment of water supply
can be avoided.
Accomplishment of the program objectives will result in benefits
to the people of the area in particular, and to the people who reside
along the shores of Lake Ontario, our Canadian neighbors to the north,
and to the Nation as a whole. As the waters of Lake Erie serve many
states and are of national importance, all will share in the benefits
resulting from the enhancement and protection of thesewaters for both
present and future needs. Let it be emphasized again that all
recommendations must be carried out to the fullest extent if Lake Erie
is to be saved. Any one omitted due to indifference of the people may
seal the fate of Lake Erie and doom it for posterity.
The 13 million people who will reside in the area by 1980 will
benefit from the assurance of a safer, more palatable water supplied
to their homes, business establishments, industries, schools, and public
buildings. Owners of property adjacent to and near bodies of water will
derive increased esthetic enjoyment and enhanced property values from
1-48
-------
the elimination of ugliness and unsightly conditions resulting from
water pollution, including nuisance algal blooms stimulated by over-
fertilization.
Residents and visitors from outside the basin who use the lake
for swimming, water skiing, boating and other water-oriented sports
will be protected against infectious diseases which can be spread as
a result of water pollution.
The need for water-oriented recreational activity in the Lake
Erie basin underscores the importance of its water resources. At
present, there are nearly 250 million activity days of demand within
its boundaries. Of these, over 100 million are water-depe.ndent; the
remainder consist mainly of water-enhanced activities such as camping,
picnicking, sightseeing and hiking. Estimates of the value of one day
of recreation activity vary somewhat, but one dollar per person per
activity "day is considered reasonable--perhaps conservative. At one
dollar per person, the annual value of such recreation presently would
be a minimum of 100 million dollars. By the year 2020, it is likely to
be at least 4 times this amount. These benefits are direct benefits
to participants and do not include the millions of dollars of income
accruing to motels, restaurants, and suppliers of boats, fishing
tackle and other water-oriented equipment.
Although not all of the future dollar benefits would result from
water quality control programs, some approximations of such benefits
to participants are possible. The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, in its
report "Water Oriented Outdoor Recreation--Lake Erie Basin," projects
that the number of occasions of participation in water-dependent
activities during summer activity days will approximate 315 million
in the year 2020, with present quantity and quality of facilities and
almost 370 million with improvements in quantity and quality of such
facilities. Even an average difference of 20 million activity days
per year between the present and 2020 would result in a loss of direct
benefits of at least a billion dollars--and many more millions due
to loss in sales of water-oriented services and equipment. The value
of protecting the benefits from current participation rates and expenditures
must also be considered.
The chances are more than good that the once-prevalent sport
fish, such as whitefish, cisco, sugar and blue pike may once again
return to Lake Erie to challenge the skill of the sport fisherman.
This will not come about without considerable effort and careful
planning because even after all remedial measures have been employed,
water quality needed to support these highly prized fish will not
arrive overnight. Furthermore, the agency responsible for restocking
the lake will have to apply utmost care and use the most advanced
techniques of fishery management to restore the sport fish and maintain
its delicate ecological balance.
During 1964, the average price received for the commercial catch
sold was 9.4 cents per pound. This average price includes the price
received for the total pounds caught and sold of all species, e.g. the
1-49
-------
51 cents per pound received for lake whitefish and the 1.7 cents per
pound for sheepshead.
Total amount of fish caught and sold by the U.S. fishing industry
on Lake Erie was approximately 13.4 million pounds with a resultant
value of about $1,250,000. The total demand for fishery products from the
Great Lakes is likely to increase four-fold by the year 2020--the portion
of the total demand which could be met from Lake Erie is more likely to
increase six-fold due to Lake Erie's inherent productivity. If the
average of pounds caught and sold by U.S. industry were to approximate
50 million pounds per year at 10 cents per pound, the value of fish
caught and sold during a fifty year period, such as 1970 to 2020 would
total about a quarter of a billion dollars. Substantial values or benefits
would also result from the increased purchases of boats and equipment and
from increased employment of fishermen.
To achieve such widespread benefits would necessitate not only the
attainment and preservation of suitable water quality but also development
of an effective management program including regulatory, biological, and
marketing aspects. Considerable research effort would be necessary and
justified to achieve these benefits.
In addition to these immediate and direct benefits resulting from
the control of pollution, the preservation and protection of the quality
of the waters of Lake Erie are essential to the Nation's growth and
prosperity. This immense fresh water resource, among the greatest in
the world, is showing the effects of man's carelessness and abuse.
Lake Erie is a clear demonstration that size is no protection against
pollution and that man has the capability of destroying the usefulness
of even a major water resource. As this lake is serving as an example
of what will happen to the other Great Lakes if pollution remains
unchecked, it may also serve as an example of what man can do to restore
the quality of his environment and provide more useful benefits to the
total population.
Of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie shows the greatest deterioration
of water quality, in spite of the fact that 80% of the input to the lake
is high quality water from Lake Huron. Of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie
is most amenable to a significant degree of restoration of water quality,
because the principal sources of pollution are essentially within its
own drainage basin and because Lake Erie has a large flowthrough in
relation to volume.
The benefits derived from improved Lake Erie water quality will
not accrue overnight. It will take years and much of it will depend on
the long-term effect of residual pollution remaining in the lake after
all objectionable wastes have been removed. The flowthrough time in
Lake Erie is 2-1/2 years and this is another factor which prevents the
water quality from improving rapidly.
Seeing what the future offers, it is believed that the people of
this Great Lake will rise to the occasion, fulfilling their obligations
of stewardship for the benefit of mankind and for those generations
yet unborn.
1-50
-------
CHAPTER 2
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE ERIE BASIN
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
General
The area of the Lake Erie basin is about 32,500 square miles—
about Ho,000 square miles if the Lake St. Clair drainage area is included.
Nearly one third (9,9^0 square miles) of the Lake Erie Basin is covered
by the lake itself, a ratio vhich is approximated in each of the other
Great Lakes basins. However, Lake Erie receives the drainage of the
(£5up lake basins above it, so that the total watershed supplying Lake
Erie is in reality 260,000 square miles.
In terms of surface area, Lake Erie ranks fourth of the five Great
Lakes. Only twelve fresh-water lakes, in the world are larger. The
depth of Lake Erie, however, is remarkably shallow, averaging only 60
feet and reaching a maximum of 216 feet. Its total storage is 125
trillion gallons, the smallest of the Great Lakes (see Fig. 2-1 and
Table 2-1).
The water of Lake Erie lies entirely above the surface level of
Lake Ontario, into which it drains. Lake Erie owes its existence both
to the Niagara bedrock sill, which acts as a dam, and to glacial scouring
during the Ice Age. The form of Lake Erie reflects the bedrock structure
of the area, Fig. 2-2.
The landscape of the Lake Erie basin is characterized by thousands
of square miles of flat terrain, broken only by occasional ancient beach
ridges and relatively steep valley walls in many of the major tributaries.
Even these features are subdued in the western part of the lake. The
terrain is less monotonous from Cleveland eastward, along the south shore,
where the basin reaches into the northwestern perimeter of the Appalachian
uplands with their rolling hills. However the basin there is relatively
narrow between the lake and the drainage divide.
Soils in the extensive flatlands of the Lake Erie basin are char-
acteristically dominated by poorly drained and relatively impervious
clays, derived from old lake and glacial sediments, Fig. 2-3. These
soils are fertile and,because of this, have been artificially drained to
a great extent. The uplands along the southeast edge of the basin are
well-drained, rock-derived, and less fertile. Old beach ridges through-
out the basin are extensively used for highways and farming.
Streams entering Lake Erie are generally low-gradient and winding
but with steep-walled valleys. They carry large silt loads where they
traverse easily eroded clay flatlands and smaller loads in the rocky
hilly areas. Excluding the Detroit River input, only two streams, the
Maumee River in Ohio and the Grand River in Ontario, supply significant
quantities of water to the lake.
2-1
-------
o
o
THE GREAT LAKES
/ NEW YORK
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
SI
OHIO
^
./I PENNSYLVANIA
\
l_-
ELEV. 600.4
ELEV. 371. •
ELEV. S70.4
GREAT LAKES
PROFILE
LAKES .
MICHIGAN $
HURON
LAKE
ONTARIO
30-
Y7//
zo-
10-
SUPERIOR
MICHIGAN
HURON
ERIE
ONTARIO
GREAT LAKES STORAGE
2-2
-------
TABLE 2-1
PHYSICAL FEATURES OF GREAT LAKES SYSTEM
Lake
Superior
Michigan
Huron
St. Glair
Erie
Ontario
Length
(miles)
350
307
206
26
21+1
193
Breadth
(miles)
160
118
183
21*
57
53
Water Area
(sq. miles)
U.S. Canada
20,700
22,1*00
9,110
200
1*,990
3,600
11,200
-
13,900
290
l*,9l*0
3,920
Mean
Depth
Total (feet)
31,820
22,1*00
23,010
1*90
9,930
7,520
1*87
276
195
10
60
283
Drainage
area
(sq. miles)
80,000
67,860
72,620
7,1*30
32,1*90
3l*. 800
Totals
61,000 31*,170 95,170
295,200
2-3
-------
14
GEOLOGY OF THE GREAT LAKES
I I 1
i I I I
KEY
PENNSYLVANIA* AND MISSISSIPPI*" ROCKS, UNOtFFEftENTIATEO.
UPPER DEVONIAN ROCKS, MAINLY SHALES: ANTRIM SHALE IN MICHIGAN.
LOWER DEVONIAN ROCKS, IN UNITED STATES: DEVONIAN UNOIFFERENTIATEO IN CANADA.
UPPER SILURIAN ROCKS, IN ONTARIO AND NEW YORK. (MAINLY DOLOMITE.)
SILURIAN SALINA GROUP ROCKS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN AND ONTARIO. (INCLUDES SALT BE03.)
MIDDLE SILURIAN NIAGARAN SERIES ROCKS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN, ONTARIO. AND NEW YORK t SILURIAN
HOCKS UNDIFFERENTIATED IN WISCONSIN, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, AND OHIO.
LOWER SILURIAN ROCKS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN, ONTARIO, AND NEW YORK.
OROOVICIAN ROCKS, UNOIF FERENTIATEO.
CAMBRIAN ROCKS, UNOIFFEHENTIATEO,
PRECAMBRIAN ROCKS, UNOIFFERENTIATED. (MAINLY METAMORPHIC AND IGNEOUS ROCKS.)
Fig. 8. Geologic map of the Great Lakes region.
were formed more than a half-billion years ago. Some of them
were laid down in extensive seas of either salty or fresh water, but
they have been metamorphosed into slates, quartzites, phyllites,
gneisses, or other types, depending on their composition and
degree of metamorphism. Large areas of the shield contain granite
and other igneous rocks, cooled from the molten state. Earth forces
have folded the
have been worn!
The details o
the history of th
distribution of tl
form a framewn
i
Superior.
Lapping ontc
proximately 18;
which were de;i
the sea flooded |
a tendency for <:
was most mark':
the Lower Penii
;j,cosyncline, wb
Pennsylvania, a
Paleozoic rocks
the region the
out on the flan
in this part of t
and sandstones.
arc not strongh
As with the
history are of s
The sea water
Paleozoic era, ;
lion of the rep
present Great 1
I'alcozoic seas.'
tilted slightly, ;
processes in a •
which later de;
A brief exai
there is a defin
lions'of the la
exerted by the
Chap. 4, for a 1
shore of Lake
Fig. 2-2 — Geologic map of the Great Lakes region.
2-1*
-------
I
vn
LEGEND
OLD LAKE DEPOSIT , PRIMARILY
SILT AND CLAY.
GLACIAL DRIFT, CLAY WITH
INCLUDED GRAVEL.
;•;•: I WATER-LAID GLACIAL MORANE-,
•'••• -I MAINLY SAND AND GRAVEL.
O- I LEW-LAID GLACIAL MORANE;
-O I CLAY, SAND AND GRAVEL.
??§J OUTWASH SAND AND GRAVEL.
SURFACE GEOLOGY
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
Lake Erie proper is unique among the Great Lakes in several of
its natural characteristics, each of which has a direct bearing on its
condition with respect to pollution. Lake Erie is by far the shallowest
of the Great Lakes and the only one with its entire water mass above
sea level. It has the smallest volume, 113 cubic miles, and its flow-
through time of 988 days is the shortest. It is the most biologically
productive and the most turbid. It has the flattest bottom; it is
subject to the widest fluctuations in water level (13 feet maximum);
and its seasonal average surface levels are the most unpredictable. It
is the only one of the Great Lakes with its long axis paralleling the
prevailing wind direction and is subject to violent storms. Lake Erie
is also the southernmost, warmest, (averaging 51° F) and the oldest
(12,000 years) of the Great Lakes. Although it has been studied the
most, its phenomena are probably the least understood.
Geology and Topography
Lake Erie's shores are characterized by easily eroded banks of
glacial till and not much sand. Bluffs of limestone or shale bedrock
exist in the islands area, between Vermilion and Cleveland, Ohio, and
around the eastern end of the lake. Good sand beaches are few in number,
but where developed, are built to the extreme. Examples are Long Point,
Pointe aux Pins, and Point Pelee, Ontario; Cedar Point, Ohio; and Presque
Isle, Pennsylvania. The till and lake clay bluffs recede by erosion
at rates up to 5 or more feet per year, contributing an average of 16
million tons of sediment annually to the lake.
Topographically, Lake Erie is separated into three basins, Figure 2-U,
The relatively small shallow western basin is separated from the large,
somewhat deeper, flat-bottomed central basin by the rocky island chain.
The deep, bowl-shaped eastern basin is separated from the central basin
by a low, wide sand and gravel ridge near Erie, Pennsylvania. The
western basin averages 2k feet deep with a maximum of 63 feet in South
Passage; the central basin averages 60 feet with a maximum of 80 feet;
the eastern basin averages 80 feet with a maximum of 216 feet. The areas
of the western, central, and eastern basins are approximately 1,200,
6,300, and 2,UOO square miles, respectively.
The bottom sediments of Lake Erie show patterns closely related to
topography and relief, Fig. 2-5. In general the broad, remarkably flat
areas of the western and central basins and the deeper, smoother part
of the eastern basin have mud bottoms and are the recipients of nearly
all of the sedimentation in Lake Erie. Ridges and shoreward-rising
slopes are generally comprised of sand and gravel and are characterized
by either erosion or the deposition of coarse sediments. Rock is ex-
posed in the western basin and in strips along shores in the central and
eastern basins.
Climate
The climate of the Lake Erie basin is temperate, humid-continental
2-6
-------
N.Y.
PENN.
NOTE:
WESTERN BASIN
CENTRAL BASIN
LAKE ERIE
BOTTOM TOPOGRAPHY
CONTOUR INTERVAL 20 FEET.
CONTOURS IN FEET ABOVE
INTERNATIONAL GREAT LAKES
DATUM FOR LAKE ERIE (568.6)
-1935.
EASTERN BASIN
LAKE ERIE
LONGITUDINAL
CROSS SECTION
-------
-------
with the chief characteristic of rapidly changing weather.
The annual average temperatures for land stations in the Erie
basin range between 1+7°F and 50°F. Temperatures generally decrease
northeastward from the southwestern end of the basin. The highest
average temperature at recording stations is at Put-in-Bay on South
Bass Island with an annual average of 51.2°F.
The highest average monthly temperatures occur in July, ranging
from TO°F to lh0V at land stations. These also generally decrease
northeastward across the basin, Fig. 2-6. Put-in-Bay again is highest
at T5-1°F. The lowest average monthly temperatures occur in January
at the west end of the basin and February at the east end, and range
from 2l+°F to 28°F. The extremes of temperature in the Lake Erie basin
are about -20°F and 100°F.
Average annual precipitation at land stations in the basin is well-
distributed throughout the year, Fig. 2-7, and ranges from about 30.5
inches to more than ho inches with an overall basin average of about
3^ inches. Yearly precipitation has varied between the extremes of
2U and U3 inches. Precipitation shows a striking correlation to land
elevation and topography, Fig. 2-8. Low-lying flat areas of the basin
have the lowest precipitation. Highest precipitation occurs in the
southeastern part of the basin.
Most of the precipitation in the Lake Erie basin is derived from the
flow northeastward of warm, moisture-laden air of low pressure systems
from the Gulf of Mexico. Precipitation results when this clashes with
colder, northern air of high pressure systems, moving in from the west
and northwest. This kind of weather is characteristic of spring, summer,
and early fall, and usually occurs in cycles of a few days. Humidity is
high along with high temperatures, and south to southwest winds persist
for long periods.
In winter, however, the colder Canadian air masses push south-
eastward and dominate the weather, resulting in less precipitation and
less humidity. However, heavier precipitation (usually snow) is ex-
perienced in the southeastern part of the basin, explaining the shift
in the annual precipitation pattern in that area. This phenomenon is
largely local, caused by air moving across Lake Erie, picking up
moisture enroute, and precipitating it when the air rises along the
front of the hills on the southeastern shore. Snowfall is greater in
the eastern part of the basin with Buffalo having an annual average snow-
fall of 72 inches, as compared to less than 36 inches for Toledo.
Southwesterly winds prevail in the Erie basin in all months of the
year, a characteristic common to the northern hemisphere temperate region.
However, in fall and winter, northwesterly winds occur frequently,
reaching high velocities (UO-50 mph) in storms. In spring the same is
true of northeasterly winds except that velocities (30-^0 mph) are usually
lower.
2-9
-------
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-------
c
o
z
TOLEDO
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC.
C
.5-
z
o
X
o
z
I
o
P UT-I N-B AY
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. . JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC.
JAN. FEB.
MAR.
CLE
V EL
AND"
APR. MAY JUN. JUL.
" BU
F FA
LO '
AUG.
•
-
SEP.
OCT.
NOV.
DEC.
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC.
C
AVERAGE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION AT LAND
LAKE ERIE BASIN
STATIONS
2-11
-------
I
H
ro
Tf V
NOTE - ISOHYET INTERVAL
ONE INCH
PRECIPITATION
IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
SCALE IN MILES
0 60 7
csa. E-sii 'Frsa
10 0 10 ZO 30 40 30 60 7O 60 SO IOO
mn ir"-»i
-------
The percent of possible sunshine is greatest in midsummer and
least in winter, Fig. 2-9, although precipitation might indicate
otherwise. Less sunshine in winter is due to the cloud-producing
effects of the lake. December and January ordinarily have less than
kO percent of possible sunshine, while June and July average more
than TO percent at most stations. The percentage over the lake proper
in summer is even greater.
Lake Erie has a marked moderating effect on the climate of the
basin, especially for a few miles inland from the shore. This is
demonstrated by the length of the frost-free season—near shore it is
greater than 200 days, while only a few miles inland it is as much as
30 days less. This longer frost-free season is due to a warming effect
from the lake water. During the late fall and early winter the lake
water is still relatively warm and delays the first killing frost.
Land Use
General land use for the Lake Erie basin is shown in Fig. 2-10
as compiled by the U. S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. The uses shown
thereon are predominant, but a wide variety of uses can, of course, be
found within each section.
Urban Development: In the Lake Erie basin urban development is
concentrated largely along the U. S. lake shore, primarily in the
metropolitan areas of Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo. These
areas are growing rapidly as are many smaller intervening cities. The
Canadian shore, in contrast, is characterized by widely spaced small
fishing ports, except in the Windsor area adjacent to Detroit and in
the Niagara Falls area near Buffalo.
The urbanized area of the Lake Erie basin is estimated at about
10 percent of the total land area, and about 90 percent of this is on
the American side of the lake.
Rural Development: At least 90 percent of the Lake Erie watershed
land area is rural in character. Very little of it is truly forested,
although there are significant areas (about five percent of the total
"basin) of cut-over scrub land, especially in the hills of the southeastern
part, "between Cleveland and Buffalo.
Rural land in the Lake Erie basin is fertile and much of it is
cultivated. The rich lands of the Raisin, Maumee, Portage, and Sandusky
river "basins, and the western part of the Canadian portion of the basin
support a large production of cash grain crops and associated livestock.
In the eastern half of the basin, much land is also devoted to farming,
with greater emphasis on dairying and the production of fruit. In areas
near the lake, truck farming, fruit-growing, and nursery production are
prevalent. Tobacco raising is important on the Canadian side in the
eastern half of the basin.
2-13
-------
TOLEDO
«(J — — . . ...
t- so
z
ilJ
o:
UJ
°- ,0
n - .... — _,
J-.I_.--'IJ-'--T^:
80
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC.
CLEVELAND
n
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCI NOV. DEC.
BUFFALO
70 "•
n
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC.
MONTHLY PERCENT OF POSSIBLE SUNSHINE 1965
2-lU
-------
N
i
LEGEND
I. URBAN - TRUCK CROPS
2. DAIRY - CATTLE
3. FRUIT - DAIRY
4. FRUIT - TRUCK CROPS
5. DIVERSIFIED - GENERAL FARMING
6. SUGAR BEETS
7. CORN - LIVESTOCK
IO O IO CO BO 4O DO
GENERAL LAND USE PATTERN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
Land capable of agricultural production, but standing idle, is
not in abundance, although many small areas can be found between
Cleveland and Buffalo, especially within a mile or so of the lake shore.
Some of this land is apparently held in speculation of urban or suburban
development.
WATER RESOURCES AND HYDROLOGY
Since the recommended water pollution control program allows
for the discharge of wastes to a stream system, the program design must
consider hydrologic characteristics of the system. Surface flow features—
primarily volume, velocity, distribution, and temperature, and changes in
each—directly affect waste assimilation capacity and, therefore, program
requirements. Hydrologically then, a pollution control program should
be designed according to some low flow or drought flow of the stream to
which wastes are discharged. The lowest average seven-day flow which
can be expected to recur not more than once in ten years is herein con-
sidered adequate for design purposes.
For descriptive purposes, Lake Erie tributaries can be conveniently
divided into three types: (l) Lake Huron outflow, (2) major tributaries
with average flows greater than 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), and
(3) minor tributaries with average flows less than 1,000 cfs. Flow data
are given in Table 2-2. Average tributary flows at gaging stations are
shown in Figure 2-11.
Lake Huron Outflow
Lake Erie receives 80 percent of its water supply from upper lake
drainage. The large volume and high quality of this inflow has a great
dilutional effect on Lake Erie, and any significant decrease in either
the volume or quality could be disastrous.
The Lake Huron outflow is the only source of water to Lake Erie
which is not controlled by precipitation over the Erie basin, being
controlled instead by precipitation in the basins of Lakes Superior,
Michigan, and Huron. Diversion out of Lake Michigan at" Chicago, diversion
into Lake Superior, and flow regulation from Lake Superior affect to a
minor degree the Lake Huron discharge.
According to U. S. Lake Survey measurements, the Lake Huron out-
flow has averaged 187,^50 cfs between i860 and the present. The monthly"
averages have ranged from a high of 2U2,000 cfs in June 1896 to a low of
99,000 cfs in February 19^2. Lowest flows ordinarily occur in February
(average 159,000 cfs) and the highest in July or August (average 199,000
cfs), Fig. 2-12. Other tributary runoff to Lake Erie is generally at a
minimum during periods of high Lake Huron outflow.
Though the variation in flow volume from Lake Huron is great, it
is still the most uniform of the tributary drainages to Lake Erie, This
2-16
-------
TAobE 2-2
RUNOFF STATISTICS FOR TRIBUTARIES OF THE LAKE ERIE BASIN
7 -Day Low
Drainage Period of Average Average Flow, 10 yr. Runoff
Area Record Max. Flow Min. Flow Flow Yield Recurrence Precip.
Stream (mi. 2) (years) (cfs) (cfs) (cfs) (cfs/mi.2) (cfs/mi. ) (cfs at mouth) (percent)
S.t. Glair River
(Lake Huron outflow)
Clinton River
Rouge River
Huron River (Mich.)
Raisin River
Maumee River
Portage River
Sandusky River
Huron River (Ohio)
Vermilion River
Black River
Rocky River
Cuyahoga River
Chagrin River
Grand River (Ohio)
Ashtabula River
Conneaut Creek
Cattaraugus Creek
Buffalo River
Grand River (Ontario)
Big Creek
Otter Creek
Kettle Creek
Thames River
ro
^
740
467
890
1,125
6,586
587
1,421
403
272
467
294
813
267
712
137
191
436
565
2,614
281
316
200
2,000
106
31
35
19
28
40
33
39
15
15
21
34
34
36
40
34
28
25
25
24
7
13
est. -
est. 7
187,450
21,200
13,000
5,840
12,900
94,000
11,500
28,000
25,800
20,500
24,000
21,400
24,800
28,000
21,100
11,600
17,000
35,900
' 35,000
47,800
3,060
4,140
2,400
38,500
1
4
2
20
0
4
2
0
0
0
14
3
0
0
0
6
2
65
54
10
est. 7
est. 58
.8
.0
.0
.0
.3
.4 :
.2 !
;o
.0 j
.2
.0
.0
.0
.0
.2
.0
.8
.0
.0
.8
est.
470
235 .
556
714
4,794 .
403
1,021
296
228
302
273
850 1
333 1
784 1
169 1
257 1
705 1
784 1
2,405
256
312
185est.
1,840
.635
.503
.625
.635
.728
.687
.719
.732
.840
.647
.929
.045
.247
.101
.234
.346
.617
.388
.920
.911
.987
.902
.902
.052
.033
.044
.027
.013
.001
.010
.004
.051
.003
.000
.006
.129
24
7
24
19
86
0
14
5
0
0
1
112
It
2
0
1
55
.8
.3
.6
.0
.1 est.
.6 est.
.5 est.
.0
.0
.2
.0
.2
28
22
27
28 -
29
28
28
28
33
29
35
39
46
40
45
49
58
55
36
35
37
34
36
-------
LAKE
HURON
LEGEND
STATIONS WITH LESS THAN
5 YEARS DATA
LONG-TERM GAGING STATIONS
WITH AVERAGE FLOWS IN CFS
AVERAGE DISCHARGE
AT U.S.G.S. AND CANADA
W.R.B. GAGING STATIONS ON
LAKE ERIE TRIBUTARIES
-------
ro
I
LAKE
HURON
NOTE
FLOW SCALE IN THOUSANDS
OF CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
MONTHLY TRIBUTARY FLOWS
TO LAKE ERIE
FROM THE ST. CLAIR, MAUMEE,
AND CUYAHOGA RIVERS
OCT. 1963 TO SEPT. 1965
-------
is because of the regulating effect of the upper lakes storage.
Major Tributaries
Only four Lake Erie tributaries beside the Lake Huron outflow,
exceed an average discharge of 1,000 cfs to Lake Erie. These are the
Maumee and Sandusky Rivers in Ohio and the Grand and Thames Rivers in
Ontario, Table 2-2. The Thames discharges to Lake St. Clair. These
rivers supply a total flow of approximately 10,000 cfs—the Maumee River
accounting for about one-half of this.
All four major tributaries drain land which is largely agricultural
and rather intensively cultivated. Precipitation on the Grand and Thames
basins is slightly higher than on the Maumee and Sandusky basins,
Fig. 2-7- However, the percentage of precipitation appearing as runoff
is considerably greater in the Canadian basins, 36 percent compared to
28 percent, the difference being accounted for in topography and soil
characteristics. The average water yield per square mile is just over
0.7 cfs in the Maumee and Sandusky River basins, and over 0.9 cfs for
the Grand and Thames River basins.
Drought flow volumes are very low for the Maumee and Sandusky
Rivers. Seven-day, 10-year recurrence low flows are estimated at 86
cfs and lU cfs, respectively, at the mouths of these streams. Drought
flows of the Grand and Thames Rivers appear to be much higher per unit
area, indicating that ground water is significant in contributing to
those flows. The low ground water contribution in the Maumee and Sandusky
basins can be attributed to the relatively flat topography and to the
dense and relatively impermeable clay soils.
In many upstream locations there is virtually no flow during the
critical low flows, high temperature, high evaporation months of July
through October, thus compounding waste assimilation problems. Low flow
is even more of a problem on tributaries to the main streams; and flow
related to time of travel is a problem, especially in the lower reaches
of the major tributaries where pollution load is greatest.
For example; in the lower several miles of the Maumee River the
flow volume is low, the cross-sectional area of the river is large, and
the gradient is virtually nil. This results in a very long time for
water to travel through the Toledo area—frequently a month or more. A
similar situation, but less severe, exists in the lower several miles of
the Sandusky River.
At other localities in both basins, time of travel is lengthened
by pooling effects of both natural and artificial features. Long time
of travel is not only detrimental to stream quality in the presence of
wastes, but is detrimental to lake quality near the stream mouths,
primarily because of the cumulative storage of nutrients as the water
moves downstream. The building of navigational channels and harbor en-
2-20
-------
largement projects at the mouths of tributaries have compounded the
pollution problem by increasing the time-of-travel of the stream water.
Minor Tributaries
All other tributaries to Lake Erie contribute only minor water
flow to the lake. Although their flows are relatively low, their con-
tribution to the pollution of Lake Erie is relatively high. The more
important of the minor tributaries, with pertinent hydrologic data,
are listed in Table 2-2. These streams have average flows between 200
and 900 cfs.
The Portage and Raisin Rivers are similar in most characteristics
to the Sandusky and Maumee Rivers except for much lower average and
drought flows. The minor tributaries in Ontario are also similar to
the Grand and Thames Rivers.
The Huron River in Ohio is similar to the Sandusky in flow char-
acteristics except that it has a higher base flow per unit area and its
basin is partly in higher land, approaching the hilly section of the
lake watershed. Ground water appears to be more important as a part of
this stream supply.
From the Huron (Ohio) basin eastward along the Ohio shore, pre-
cipitation generally increases (Fig. 2-8) and a greater share of the
precipitation reaches the lake as runoff (Table 2-2). Drought flows
are, however, widely variable and again reflect the ability of ground
water to support stream flow. In addition, these streams have higher
gradients and runoff is much faster. The upstream reaches of most of
these streams may be completely dry during much of the summer-fall low
flow period.
All of the streams along the south shore become sluggish in the
lower few miles, a characteristic accentuated by the harbor enlargement
of stream cross-section. This is a particularly important problem where
waste inputs are very high, such as in the navigation channels of the
Black, Cuyahoga, and Grand Rivers in Ohio, and the Buffalo River in New
York. The problem is most critical in the Cuyahoga and Buffalo Rivers
where the pollution load is the heaviest and the time-of-travel in the
dredged channels is often a week or more. The 7-day low flow volume for
the Cuyahoga River (Table 2-2) is relatively high, due to impoundments
and large waste water discharges to the river, rather than ground water
supply.
The important minor tributaries in Michigan are the Clinton, Rouge,
Huron, and Raisin Rivers. The Clinton discharges into Lake St. Clair,
the Rouge into the Detroit River, and the Huron and Raisin directly into
Lake Erie. All are highly polluted streams, passing through the urbanized
and industrialized area of southeast Michigan. They all drain relatively
flat land, and not only is precipitation the lowest, but the proportion of
2-21
-------
runoff to precipitation is also the lowest in the Lake Erie basin.
However, their drought flows are higher than average per unit area,
indicating that perhaps there is significant release of ground water
or surface storage. The Clinton and Huron are fed by several small
natural lakes, but the Rouge and Raisin are not. There are several
low-head dams near the mouth of the Raisin River.
The lower few miles of Michigan tributaries are dredged, sluggish,
and lake-affected. Time of travel is long and especially long in summer
and fall. The streams are similar to the south shore minor tributaries
mentioned above in having long time-of-travel characterisitcs in the
zones of the heaviest pollution loads. The Raisin and Rouge Rivers rank
with the Cuyahoga and Buffalo in degree of severity.
Ground Water
Ground water in the soil and rocks surrounding Lake Erie varies
widely in both quantity and quality, Figs. 2-13 and 2-lH. Quantity alone
is not a good indicator of supply capacity because of differences in re-
tention characteristics of the soil. For example, glacial clays may
contain much water, with the water table very near the surface, but
their low permeability makes them a poor source of water supply.
Although characteristics vary, the basin as a whole is a rather
poor producer of ground water. Tills, lake clays, and shales which are
prevalent over much of the basin are not good aquifers—producers of
water. Where they do produce significant quantities, it is not uncommon
for the water to have a high sulfur content. Locally high quantities of
water may be available where deep sandy soils occur as the result of
beach-building or glacial outwash, or in old valleys filled with gravelly
soils. Porous limestones are also locally good aquifers as are sandstones,
but all of these sources, except for sandstones, may contain sulfur.
Lake Hydrology
The first consideration in the hydrology of Lake Erie proper is
•that of the water balance, or balancing the water inputs to the lake with
losses. The factors can be formulated, for a given period, in the
equation;
P + R + U+I-0±D-E= AS
where:
P = precipitation directly on the lake's surface
R = runoff from the lake's land drainage area
U = ground water - considered plus in the aggregate
I = inflow from lake above
0 = outflow from lake
D = diversion; plus if into lake, minus if out of lake
2-22
-------
i
ro
LEGEND
10 GPM OR LESS
10 TO 100 GPM
OVER 100 GPM
LAKE ERIE BASIN
GROUND WATER
AVAILABILITY
-------
-------
E = evaporation from the lake's surface
A S = change in amount of water stored in the lake;
plus if supplies exceed removal, minus if removals
exceed supplies
Precipitation (P) on the lake's surface is difficult to measure
and must be interpolated from perimeter land precipitation measurements.
It is generally considered that over-lake precipitation is less than
that over land and precipitation on the lake's surface approximately
equals evaporation in the long run. In the balance shown here, the
precipitation (29 inches annually) at Put-in-Bay has been used.
Runoff (R) is measurable to a degree by stream gaging but is
highly variable due to areal differences in precipitation, topography,
soil type, and vegetation. Runoff is estimated by applying factors,
derived from stream gaging, to stream drainage basin areas.
The ground-water contribution (U) is virtually unknown, is not
directly measurable, and is usually considered negligible in lake water i ^-7
budget computations. It is regarded as positive in the equation, meaningJ
that it is actually a negative factor. I
Inflow (I) from the lake above and natural outflow (0) are not
difficult to measure, and the U. S. Lake Survey has done this for more
than 100 years. The measurements are considered reliable and adequate
for balance calculations.
Diversion (D) in Lake Erie is of two kinds, diversion out of the
basin and consumptive, or transient, use within the basin. Water is
diverted out of the basin as a supply for the Welland Ship Canal. In
the balance, the U. S. Lake Survey estimate of 7»000 cfs annually has
been used. Within the basin, water is diverted for man's use out of
and back into the lake. A small portion is consumed and not returned
in this process. The total consumption is measurable, but in the total
lake water balance it is considered negligible. The diversion factor
in Lake Erie is always minus. Diversion to the lake from outside the
basin is non-existent.
Evaporation (E) is a net loss from the lake. Its measurement with
unquestioned accuracy is not possible with present methods. It is
usually calculated by solving the water budget equation for E. This
calculation obviously depends upon the accuracy of the other factors.
In the balance presented here it has been calculated to be 3^.3 inches
per year.
Changes in storage (AS) are easily measured by recording water
levels over the period. Changes in water levels at a particular site
induced by factors other than those in the equation; i. e., wind set-up,
seiches, and tides, are not'considered as changes in storage. The long
term change in storage is assumed to be nil for Lake Erie.
2-25
-------
A Lake Erie vater budget study by Derecki (1961+) has been used
to determine monthly percentages of precipitation and runoff. Annual
runoff was calculated from U. S. Geological Survey and Canadian Water
Resources Branch surface water gaging data. Inflow and outflow were
calculated from U. S. Lake Survey reported measurements. Changes
in storage were calculated from average monthly water levels as re-
ported by the U. S. Lake Survey. Evaporation was obtained by solving
the equation for it.
The annual supply sources for the Lake Erie water balance are
detailed in Table 2-3. The relative importance of each of the tribu-
taries to the Lake Erie water supply is graphically shown in Fig. 2-15,
In the water balance table, Table 2-h, cubic feet per second
(cfs) has been used for the unit of volume. The values shown can be
converted to inches of water in Lake Erie by dividing by 735 •
A study of the water balance indicates the following significant
factors: (l) annual evaporation nearly equals runoff to the lake, (2)
evaporation exceeds precipitation, (3) change in storage over a long
period is significant, and (h) evaporation is greatest in late winter
and in autumn.
Calculations show that 80 percent of the net basin supply is
derived from Lake Huron inflow via the Detroit River, 9 percent is pre-
cipitation upon the lake's surface, and only 11 percent is contributed
by basin runoff. Loss of water from Lake Erie consists of 86 percent
outflow, 3 percent diversion, and 11 percent evaporation.
Lake Levels
Lake levels vary over short periods of time due to such phenomena
as wind set-up, seiches, and lunar and solar tides. But, lake levels
show changes in storage only when averaged over long periods of time.
Changes in storage for Lake Erie reflect precipitation fluctuations over
it and the upper Great Lakes. From i860 (the beginning of U. S. Lake
Survey records) to the present, change between minimum and maximum
levels for Lake Erie has been 5.3 feet—almost nine percent of the
lake's average depth.
Short-period fluctuations mentioned above are manifested, not by
changes in volume, but by changes in the shape of the vater mass. Tidal
effects are negligible, but wind set-up and seiches may be quite pro-
nounced, especially at the ends of the lake.
A wind set-up is the result of wind drag across the lake. Water
is pushed toward the leeward shore in greater quantity than can be
2-26
-------
TABLE 2-3
WATER SUPPLY TO LAKE ERIE
Source
Supply
(cfs)
Percent of
Total
Lake Supply
Percent of
Basin
Supply
Western Basin
St.Clair River (Lake Huron, outflow) 187,450 79.774 92.921
Black, Pine, Belle Rivers 688 .293 .338
Clinton River 470 .200 .231
Rouge River 235 .100 .115
Thames River 1,840 .783 .903
Miscellaneous Runoff 1,799 .766 .883
Precipitation (Lake St.Clair) 919 .391 .451
Subtotal (Detroit River) 193,401 82.307 94.943
Huron River (Michigan) 556 .237 .273
Raisin River - 714 .304 .351
Maumee River ' 4,794 2.040 2.353
Portage River 403 .172 .198
Miscellaneous Runoff 1,271 .541 .624
Precipitation (Western Basin) 2,564 1.091 1.259
Subtotal 10,302 4.384 5.057
Total Western Basin 203,703 86.691 100.000
Evaporation -3,042 -1.295 -1.493
Central Basin
Western Basin
Sandusky River
Huron River (Ohio)
Vermilion River
Black River
Rocky River
Cuyahoga River
Chagrin River
Grand River (Ohio)
Ashtabula River
Conneaut Creek
Otter Creek
Kettle Creek
Miscellaneous Runoff
Precipitation (Central Basin)
Total Central Basin
Evaporation
200,661
1,021
296
228
302
273
850
333
784
169
257
312
185
1,410
13.508
220,589
-16,023
85.396
.435
.126
.097
.129
.116
.362
.142
.334
.072
.109
.133
.079
.600
5.749
93.877
-6.819
90.966
.463
.134
.103
.137
.124
.385
.151
.355
.077
.117
.141
.084
.639
6.124
100.000
-7.264
2-27
-------
WATER SUPPLY TO LAKE ERIE (continued)
Source Supply
(cfs)
Percent of
Total
Lake Supply
Percent of
Basin
Supply
Eastern Basin
Central Basin 204,566 87.058 94.746
Cattaraugus Creek 705 .300 .327
Buffalo River 784 .334 .363
Grand River (Ontario) 2,405 1.024 1.114
Big Creek 256 .108 .119
Miscellaneous Runoff 2,023 .861 .937
Precipitation (Eastern Basin) 5,172 2.201 2.395
Total Eastern Basin 215,911 91.886 100.000
Evaporation -6,135 -2.611 -2.841
Lake Outflow 209,776 89.275
2-28
-------
-------
TABLE 2-4
WATER BALANCE IN LAKE ERIE
(cfs)
p + R + r
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
Average
18,000
18,200
22,500
27,200
26,900
24,000
24,000
24,000
21,600
18,800
21,600
18,800
22,000
32,000
44,300
56,400
54,000
32,000
21,300
8,100
8,100
8,300
8,100
12,700
20,600
25,000
168,700
159,600
172,500
185,600
191,900
196,400
199,600
199,800
198,400
196,500
193,900
186,500
187,000
0
193,400
187,300
192,100
201,400
213,300
216,200
212,800
209,900
204,800
200,800
200,800
200,100
203,000
D
--
--
--
5,250
10,500
10,500
10,500
10,500
10,500
10,500
10,500
5,250
7,000
E
27,400
39,400
38,600
-4,050
-4,000
2,200
10,500
30,100
45,100
45,200
44,700
28,850
25,000
AS
-2,100
-4,600
20,700
64,200
31,000
12,800
-2,100
-18,600
-32,100
-33,100
-27,800
8,300
2-30
-------
simultaneously returned in subsurface flow. The water rises at the lee-
ward side and is depressed at the windward side. Lake Erie is par-
ticularly susceptible to high amplitude wind set-ups because of its
shallowness and the orientation of its long axis parallel to predominant
southwest and northeast winds. Amplitudes in excess of 13 feet have
been recorded simultaneously between the ends of the lake during storms.
In general the highest amplitude wind set-ups occur in spring
and fall with northeasterly e.nd westerly winds, respectively. Flooding
and erosion are severe when high amplitude wind set-ups occur during
periods of high lake levels (times of increased storage).
A wind set-up, which generally lasts less than 2k hours, forms a
standing wave which will persist when the wind subsides. The standing
wave, called a seiche, will persist and gradually diminish until another
wind set-up. A typical example of wind set-ups and following seiches
is shown in Figure 2-16 for simultaneous lake level readings at five
different stations. Influencing winds and barometric pressure are also
shown.
The primary seiche period of Lake Erie is lH.2 hours, that of
the uninodal oscillation between the ends of the lake. This seiche
period is nearly always apparent on water level records from west of
Cleveland and east of Ashtabula, Ohio. Any number of seiches can exist
together and each can have several nodes, giving rise to seemingly
unintelligible water level records. Even the harbors, where most re-
corders are located, can have short-period seiches called surges or
harbor resonance.
The shortest period oscillations of water level are simple surface
waves caused by wind. In Lake Erie these waves ordinarily have periods
of less than six seconds. Wave heights are limited by lake depths and
fetch or length of water surface over which the wind blows. In general,
maximum possible wave heights increase from west to east in Lake Erie.
Waves over six feet in height are rare in the western basin, while
similar conditions may produce wave heights of 15 or 20 feet in the
eastern basin. Violence of waves in Lake Erie is caused by short wave
lengths and the resulting wave steepness.
Waves are destructive to shore property in Lake Erie. The
shoreline of Ohio is particularly susceptible because beaches are
narrow and most banks are clay. Waves, of course, are more destructive
during high lake stages and in areas of simultaneous wind set-up. In
the western basin, wave action is believed to be the principal agent in
maintaining the relatively high turbidity of the shallow water by
stirring up bottom sediments.
Lake Water Temperatures
Lake Erie is the warmest of the Great Lakes. Mid-lake surface
2-31
-------
570
568 MONROE, MICH
570
568 MARBLEHEAD, 0
570
568 CLEVELAND, 0.
570
568 BARCELONA, N.Y,
570
• 568 BUFFALO, N.Y.
SIMULTANEOUS LAKE 'ERIE LEVELS
WIND AT BUFFALO AIRPORT
•30.00 IN.
•29.50 IN.
29.00 IN.
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AT BUFFALO
9/19/64! 9/20 I 9/21 I 9/22 I 9/23 I 9/24 \ 9/25 I 9/26 I 9/27-19/28 I g/29 ' 9/30 '
LAKE LEVELS AND WINDS
SEPTEMBER, 1964
FIGURE 4-6
2-32
-------
water reaches an average maximum of about 75°F usually in the first
half of August (Figure 2-17). Occasionally the summer temperature in
mid-lake surface water rises above 80°F. Nearshore water normally
reaches a maximum along the south shore of 80°F or more.
The most important characteristic of lake temperatures in summer
is temperature stratification. Upper warm water (epilimnion) becomes
separated from bottom cold water .(nypolimnion), Figure 2-18. The
transition zone between these layers is called the thennocline.
Surface water temperatures throughout much of the ice-free seasons
reflect water depth with temperature decreasing toward deep water. This
inverse relationship changes to a direct relationship in the fall and
early winter.
Water temperature is, of course, changed by variations in air
temperature, and the relationship is direct. Slight modifications
to the relationship are caused by the amount of sunshine, strength and
duration of winds, and by humidity.
Temperature phenomena in Lake Erie vary between the basins quite
significantly, and these phenomena are important in the lake's processes.
Under average conditions the western basin freezes over completely in
winter. The freeze usually occurs in January and the ice breaks up
in early March. The remainder of the lake freezes over only under the
most severe conditions. Normally it freezes only along the shores with
a varying cover of floe ice in mid-lake. Ice normally disappears in
Lake Erie by May 1.
Warming of the lake water usually begins immediately after the ice
break-up. The rate of warming is remarkably uniform until about the
first of July when the maximum temperature is being approached and the
rate flattens out.
A comparison of surface water temperature curves and air temperature
curves (Figure 2-17) shows that during the ice-free season there is a
definite and expected parallelism. The water temperature curve lags
the air temperature by 9 to 12 days in spring and by 12 to 15 days in
fall. The greatest departure is in midsummer when the air temperature
decline begins about three weeks before the water temperature decline.
Temperature of the surface water of Lake Erie is of less sig-
nificance than the three-dimensional temperature structure. This
structure influences circulation of the water and its dissolved and sus-
pended substances, and also has a marked influence on the chemical and
biochemical activity at the bottom sediment-water interface.
Western Basin; Figures 2-19a, b, and c diagrammatically show the
development of seasonal temperature structure in each of Lake Erie's
three basins. Figure 2-19a for the western basin shows the simplest
2-33
-------
YEARLY WATER TEMPERATURE CURVE, PUT-IN-BAY, OHIO
AND AIR TEMPERATURE AT TOLEDO, OHIO
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT { NOV | DEC
/
X80-^' X
Av. Water Temp.
Water Temp. Range,
1918-1965
-30-
55 r
54
53
52
51
5O
49
1920
1930
1940
1950
I960
ANNUAL AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURES AT
PUT-IN-BAY, OHIO AND ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA 1918-1965
(FROM OHIO DIV. OF WILDLIFE AND U.S. BUR. CONIM. FISH. DATA)
FIGURE 4-19
-------
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LAKE ERIE -WESTERN
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BASIN -ANNUAL TEMPERATURE DEVELOPMENT
AUG. . SEP. . OCT. . NOV. , DEC. . JAN. . FEB. . MAR.
DIURNAL RISE AND FALL *-LAKE SURFACE-'
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LAKE ERIE - EASTERN BASIN-ANNUAL TEMPERATURE
APR.
MAY
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AUG.
SEP.
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"•-LAKE SURFACE—''
DEVELOPMENT
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DIURNAL RISE AND FALL
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SLIGHT WARMING
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2-36
-------
thermal structure. In spring the temperature of the entire water column
rises gradually. In summer the water is usually nearly isothermal verti-
cally. A transient secondary thermocline of little importance can be
formed near the surface during hot calm periods. During periods of
normal winds and above average air temperatures, a thermocline can be
formed near the bottom, simultaneously with the development of a secondary
thermocline in the central basin. This thermocline is accompanied by
rapid de-oxygenation of the bottom water due to oxygen consuming material
and the inability of oxygen to penetrate the thermocline.
Storms equalize temperatures in the western basin top to bottom.
In August when cooling begins, the western basin water is vertically
isothermal and remains so as it cools in fall and winter.
Central Basin: The central basin water, Figure 2-19b, has a simple
fall, winter, and spring thermal structure. In summer the structure is
more complex than in the western basin. The temperature at the beginning
of the first summer weather cycle in early June is approximately the
temperature of the following hypolimnion.
The stable thermocline and hypolimnion are formed relatively
suddenly during the first storm ending this weather cycle. The intensity
of this storm determines the depth of the thermocline, and the thermo-
cline remains at approximately its initial elevation until the lake
begins to cool in August. During this time the hypolimnion loses oxygen
and may lose it all because it does not mix with the water above, and it
contains oxidizing organic matter.
Summer storms cause upwelling, downwelling, and amplify internal
waves in the central basin, especially during northwesters. The hypo-
limnion slides around in the basin. This water movement probably brings
bottom sediments into suspension and this may increase oxygen consumption,
bringing about relatively sudden oxygen depletion in the hypolimnion.
Summer weather cycles cause the epilimnion to alternate in structure
between one layer and three layers. Storms equalize the temperature of
the epilimnion. Figure 2-20 shows the summer cyclic development at a
station in the central basin for the month of June. In August the
epilimnion begins to cool uniformly. The density gradient at the thermo-
cline decreases and the thermocline deepens, disappearing entirely by
October.
Eastern Basin; The temperature structure of the eastern basin is
probably like that of the deeper Great Lakes, Figure 2-19c. In winter
it is nearly isothermal and may have reverse stratification. In spring
it mixes top to bottom and is vertically isothermal. The upper waters
warm gradually and a shallow thick thermocline forms early, thinning and
deepening as summer progresses. The epilimnion is mixed more often or
more constantly than in the central basin. Figure 2-21 shows a typical
summer thermal development at a station in the eastern basin.
2-3T
-------
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WATER TEMPERATURES-STA^-^j
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WATER TEMPERATURES -STA. 14 & 12
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-------
Mixing in the epilimnion of the eastern basin may be aided, greatly
or perpetuated by relatively high amplitude thermoclinal waves. Sig-
nificant internal wave motion is virtually constant throughout the
summer with an inertial IT to 18-hour period dominant. The thermocline
thins and deepens rapidly after the epilimnion begins to cool. Just
before the thermocline disappears, usually in November, it has reached
a depth of 100 feet or more. With its disappearance the hypolimnion
zone warms somewhat, due to mixing, and then begins to cool to winter
temperatures.
Effects of Temperature Phenomena; Temperature plays a most im-
portant role in the pollution of Lake Erie, as does the temperature-
related density stratification. Some of the more important effects are:
1. Actual temperature controls plant and animal productivity
of the lake to some degree; in general the higher the
temperature, the greater the productivity.
2. Intermittent thermal stratification near the bottom of the
western basin leads to rapid de-oxygenation of the water in
the hypolimnion, when and where it occurs. The warmer the
hypolimnion the more rapid the de-oxygenation will be.
3. Stable summer thermal stratification in the central basin
leads to the annual de-oxygenation of hypolimnetic water.
U. Thermal stratification in the eastern basin does not have
serious consequences because of the much greater thickness
and less rapid circulation of the hypolimnion.
5. Temperature is important in controlling water movements in
nearshore areas. Density barriers may confine warmer waters
and pollution substances to the nearshore zones, especially
along the south shore, in spring and summer.
6. Temperature rises in general limit top to bottom mixing;
temperature declines favor it.
Lake Currents
Water movements in Lake Erie appear to be complex, and at any one
time the circulation pattern may differ markedly from that of another
time.
Horizontal currents generally have more energy than vertical
currents, but all currents tend to relocate and disperse suspended or
dissolved constituents. Water movement is quite different "between off-
shore and nearshore waters because of the effects of "bottom topography,
temperature differences, and other density variations.
2-UO
-------
It is very difficult to describe Lake Erie's predominant flows
three-dimensionally as such directions vary with both depth and location
in each basin. Therefore, the discussion of Lake Erie's currents will
deal mainly with surface and bottom currents.
Western Basin Circulation - A pattern of most probable dominant
surface currents has been compiled, Figure 2-22, using the data from all
of these studies.
The surface currents in the western half of the basin are dominated
by the Detroit River inflow. In the eastern half of the basin the surface
flow is greatly influenced by the prevailing southwesterly winds, and
this effect produces a clockwise flow around the islands. Eddy current
effects along the sides of the Detroit River inflow lead to sluggish move-
ment of surface water west of Colchester, Ontario and between Stony Point,
Michigan and Toledo. These eddies tend to retain waters contained within
them, leading to higher concentrations of pollutants commonly found in
these areas.
The surface flow of the western basin water is often altered by
changes in wind direction and intensity. The effect of strong winds
on surface circulation is essentially to skim the surface water and move
it in the direction of the wind. A sufficiently strong wind will move
most of the surface water in the same direction.
Surface flow tells nothing about bottom circulation. It has been
found that^ in summer, bottom currents in the western part of the basin
are similar to surface currents, being dominated by the Detroit River in-
flow (Figure 2-23). However, in the island area, the bottom currents are
apparently the reverse of the surface currents with a counter-clockwise
flow around the islands.
Like the surface movement, bottom currents can also be changed
by the wind, although it probably takes a stronger wind to create a
major change of pattern. With very strong winds, which cause major
changes of water level, the bottom currents are essentially the reverse
of surface currents. This means, for example, that a strong westerly
wind will cause bottom currents toward the west and a strong easterly
wind will cause bottom currents to shift toward the east.
Seiches and changing winds complicate the patterns which occur at
any particular, time. An ice cover will enable the existence of a more
or less stable pattern which should be similar to the dominant pattern
of summer surface flow.
The most significant effects of current patterns in the western
basin are:
1. Concentrations of contaminants from the Detroit, Raisin,
and Maumee Rivers may build up along the west shore under
the conditions of dominant flows, both surface and bottom.
2-1*1
-------
DOMINANT SUMMER SURFACE
• FLOW PATTERN
LAKE ERIE
(DIRECTION ONLY)
-------
83° 50'
• 3"
SO'
62°
HILtl
DOMINANT SUMMER BOTTOM
FLOW PATTERN
IN
LAKE ERIE
(DIRECTION ONLY)
RGURE
-------
2. Concentrations of contaminants may similarly build up to
even higher values under ice cover since wind then has
less effect.
3. Winds cause mixing and redistribution of contaminants
over the entire basin in ice-free periods.
U. A portion of central Lake Erie water may recirculate in
and around the island area of the western basin.
Central Basin Circulation - The wind exerts a dominating effect on
the water circulation of the central basin of Lake Erie. The orientation
of the basin, with its long axis essentially parallel to the prevailing
southwesterly winds, makes this effect especially important.
The predominant surface water movement in central Lake Erie is also
illustrated in Figure 2-22. The pattern is for summer but should be
similar for winter months except for a decided shift in movement toward
the southeast and south as a result of the more frequent occurrence of
northwesterly winds.
Surface currents do not exactly parallel the wind direction but
move to the right of it because of the Coriolis effect. The predominant
pattern is essentially that of resultant movement over an extended
period, at any one time, surface movement may be greatly different or
even reversed.
Because surface currents are generally moving water in much greater
quantity than can be removed from the basin, the balancing movement must
be subsurface and essentially a return flow over most of the basin. The
predominant bottom flow pattern for summer is shown in Figure 2-23- In
this case, bottom flow means -the motion at the lake bottom in unstratified
water, but where the lake is thermally stratified it means the predominant
movement at the bottom of the epilimnion. It is generally westward and
more or less opposite to the surface flow.
High velocity currents (up to 2 ft/sec.) have been measured in
the hypolimnion during storms. These are brought about during upwelling
and downwelling when the hypolimnion water is forced to slide around in
the basin. This phenomenon results in higher velocity currents at the
bottom in late summer and early fall when the hypolimnion is thin and
sharply divided from the epilimnion.
Bottom currents near shore are pronounced in summer and are quite
different from bottom currents off shore, indicating a separate system
of water movement. There is a distinct eastward movement of nearshore
water, top to bottom. Water temperature structure supports this con-
clusion with a spring and summer band of warmer water near the south
shore.
-------
Transport of sediments near the water line along the south shore
of the central basin is not necessarily indicative of prevalent flow
of water. For example, from Avon Point westward, beach sediment
accretion patterns indicate a general drift toward the west. This
results from wave action in the nearshore zone which is stronger from
the northeast. Sediments are moved toward the west during the inter-
mittent periods of northeasters. The slower but more prevalent water
circulation toward the east is unable to transport the sediments. From
Avon Point eastward, the nearshore sediment drifts toward the east, the
same as prevailing water flow, because increased westerly fetch makes
waves from that direction more effective.
A different type of situation exists along the north shore of
the central basin. In summer, the zone of separate nearshore flow, if
it exists at all, is limited. Temperature measurements indicate that
the near-shore water is cooler throughout the summer than along the
south shore. This implies removal of warm upper water and replenishment
by lower cooler water.
The Canadian shore of the central basin is more irregular than
the south shore, and the irregularity has a pronounced effect on wave
action and beach drift along the shore. On the east side of Pelee
Point the drift is toward the south-southwest, moving sediment to the
tip of Pelee Point. Between Wheatley and Erieau, Ontario, the drift
reverses and at Erieau it is toward the east. Along the eastern side
of Pointe-aux-Pins, the drift is toward the south. Eastward, the drift
reverses again and at Port Stanley and eastward the drift is strongly
toward the east. All of these drift phenomena are functions of wind,
fetch, and resulting wave force in the nearshore zone, and do not
necessarily reflect prevailing nearshore water movement.
The most significant change in circulation in the central basin
water, in fall and winter, is the disruption of the confining influence
of temperature differences. Usually in September the surface waters of
Lake Erie become nearly uniform in temperature , and by the first of
October, the thermocline has disappeared from the central basin. The
higher temperatures which previously existed along the south shore dis-
appear, and there is no longer a density restriction to water movement.
In effect then, the nearshore flow is more free to move water lakeward,
and cooler tributary water can flow under the lake water. The bottom
flow return circulation in mid-lake reaches to the lake bottom where
the thermal barrier (thermocline) previously blocked it from the lake
bottom.
In spring when the shore water warms to several degrees above the
temperature of mid-lake water, the south shore nearshore flow zone is
re-established. Warmer tributary discharges may be even more confined
to the nearshore zone.
-------
Conclusions which can be made regarding the pollutional effects
of currents in central Lake Erie ore as follows:
1. In spring and summer, tributary and lake outfall discharges
along the south shore tend to stay near shore and move east-
ward primarily as a result of the prevailing southwesterly
winds.
2. In fall and early winter, the same kinds of discharges can
flow under the lake water and can be distributed over the
basin.
3. Contaminants reaching more than three miles off shore are
likely to be distributed over the entire basin.
k. A vertical circulation in mid-lake exists year-round with
easterly moving surface flow and westerly moving bottom
flow.
5. The hypolimnion of mid-summer may not have a net circulation
flow but does have occasional high-velocity flow with up
and downwelling. This flow is capable of resuspending un-
compacted bottom sediments.
6. Surface waters in summer move toward the south shore and
away from the north shore.
7. Velocities at any level can be up to 2 feet per second
during storms.
8. Vertical turbulent mixing is very effective in storms in
the epilimnion in summer and throughout in unstratified
water.
9. Dispersion of suspended materials is slow and limited.
Eastern Basin Circulation - Water circulation in" the eastern basin
is primarily wind-controlled. Flow-through currents become important
near the headwaters of the Niagara River but are otherwise insignificant,
The surface water movement in the eastern basin appears to be
similar to that of the central basin in that the dominant flow is east-
ward and toward the south shore (Figure 2-23). The predominant surface
flow over most of the eastern basin is probably similar throughout the
year, but with a shift more toward the south in fall and winter.
The surface flow in the nearshore zone along the south shore is
predominantly to the east, but an essentially independent summer zone
is much narrower than in the central basin and is probably most im-
portant in spring and early summer.
2-1+6
-------
Net subsurface flow in summer is somewhat confused in the lower
layers of the epilimnion. The resulting areal pattern is as shown in
Figure 2-23 for the lake bottom in unstratified water and the lower
layers of the epilimnion in stratified water. Short term patterns
often seem disrupted and confused by commonly occurring internal
thermoclinal waves, leading to difficulties in determining net flows.
Just below the thermocline the predominant motion is apparently similar
to that Just above the thermocline. It appears that a vertical cir-
culation may be important in the hypolimnion. The horizontal lake
bottom currents are nearly the reverse of currents just below the
thermocline. Velocities at the bottom are ordinarily very slow
however, increasing upward. When upwelling occurs, high velocity
currents are not associated as in the central basin.
The thermocline disappears in the eastern basin ordinarily in
November. The circulation changes to one system, with a predominant
southeastward moving surface flow and a westward moving current at
the lake bottom. Velocities decrease with depth and are probably
insignificant at the bottom except within a few miles of shore in
shallower waters.
In summary the eastern basin circulation is similar to the
central basin and in general is as follows:
1. A vertical circulation exists above the thermocline in
summer. The dominant flow is eastward at the surface and
westward in the lower part of the epilimnion.
2. A vertical circulation, similar to above, exists, top and
bottom in early winter, and perhaps all winter, with a
slower but greater volume of movement at the bottom in
deeper water.
3. Internal waves on the thermocline lead to turbulent mixing
in the epilimnion.
U. Discharges from tributaries are carried to deep water quickly
at nearly all times of the year. A somewhat broader near-
shore current, which restricts dispersion, is limited to
spring and early summer.
5. Discharges not caught in the Niagara outflow can be distributed
over the entire basin.
6. Surface water moves toward the south shore and away from the
north shore and vice versa at depth.
7. Discharges into upper waters of either the central or eastern
basins may at one time or another be found nearly anywhere
in either of these basins. (
2-1+7
-------
8. Water below the level reached by the summer thermocline may
be trapped there due to incomplete overturns for long
periods, on the order of a year or more.
General Observations - During periods of quiet weather in summer,
rotational currents, due to internal waves with an inertial period, are
created in the central and eastern basins with no net transport in-
volved.
It appears that, at least in summer, the bulk of the drainage from
Lake Erie is from surface water, much of which has been moved to, and
is moving along the south shore of the central and eastern basins.
This tends to create two retention systems, one of which is much
shorter than the theoretical retention time, and one which is much
longer.
Present Management of Water Resources
Water resources in the Lake Erie basin are for the most part not
managed for flow regulation and flood control. Supply storage reservoirs
have been constructed, i. e., at several places on the Maumee River, on
the Cuyahoga River by the city of Akron, and on the Rocky River by the
city of Berea. There are several upground reservoirs in the Maumee
River basin. Some of these reservoirs (i. e. at Lima) impound almost
the total flow of the stream. Other than those just mentioned, dams are
few in number and of little consequence to the purposes of this report.
The stream basins in the Lake Erie watershed are not generally
adaptable to large storage reservoirs because of flat land and narrow
valleys. An exception is the Grand River valley in Ohio where a large
reservoir is being contemplated as part of a proposed Lake Erie-Ohio
River canal system.
At this time flow regulation for waste assimilation is being con-
sidered in a number of river sections, particularly in the lower reaches,
such as the Buffalo, Cuyahoga, Maumee, and Raisin Rivers.
Flow of the upper Niagara River is controlled by diversionary works
for power production. These works are capable of greatly affecting the
flow of the river above the Falls, and minimum seasonal and daily flows
have been established by international agreement. The control works
do not appreciably affect Lake Erie proper and the discharge rate from
it. They are not of concern to pollution within the Lake Erie basin as
considered in this report.
POPULATION AND ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS
A water quality program must be based not only upon present but
also upon future needs, which of course, are dependent upon the economic
2-1+8
-------
and population growth of the area. This section describes the factors
in general terms for the Lake Erie basin and for economic subregions of
the basin. The basin has been divided into thirteen subregions on the
basis of similar economic characteristics.
Population
In I960 more than 10 million persons lived in the United States
portion of the Erie basin and 1.2 million lived in the Canadian portion.
This is almost a three-fold increase over the 1910 population,
Figure 2-2l*. About 80 percent of the basin population is shared evenly
by Michigan and Ohio.. Figure 2-25 shows the I960 population and projections
for 1990 and 2020 for various economic subregions. It is anticipated that
the population will double in the next 50 years, and the population in
the U. S. part of the basin may exceed 23 million by 2020. Although the
rate of future overall growth is comparable to the national growth rate
(Figure 2-210, past and estimated future growth rates show great differences
within the watershed.
Counties which have shown the most rapid growth rates in terms of
percent during the 1950-1960 decade are Macomib and Oakland counties
(northern Detroit area) in Michigan and Lake and Geauga counties (eastern
Cleveland area) in Ohio. In terms of numbers, however, the largest in-
creases were in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties (Detroit area) in
Michigan; Allen County (Fort Wayne area) in Indiana; Erie County (Buffalo
area) in New York; and Cuyahoga County (Cleveland area), Summit County
(Akron area), Lorain County (Lorain and Elyria areas), and Lucas County
(Toledo area) in Ohio. These nine counties out of a total of 1*5 in the
basin, accounted for 50 percent of the 1950-1960 population increase.
Present indications are that these large metropolitan counties will
account for an even greater share of the total population growth in the
future. Already the population in the Erie basin is more than 85 percent
urban.
Economy
The Lake Erie basin population enjoys a thriving economy. It is
diversified although heavily weighted in favor of manufacturing.
Manufacturing: Industrial growth in the Lake Erie basin appears to
be paralleling the growth of the states. About 25 percent of the total
production of the five Lake Erie states is within the basin.
Industrial activity as measured by value added by manufacture, is
for the most part concentrated in a few highly populated metropolitan
areas, and most manufacturing is near the lakeshore because it relies
on a plentiful water supply as well as waterborne commerce. The leading
counties in 1963,listed in descending order, were: Wayne, Michigan;
Cuyahoga, Ohio; Erie, New York; Summit, Ohio; Lucas, Ohio; and Oakland
and Macomb, Michigan. These seven counties accounted for 75 percent of
2-1*9
-------
I9ZO
1940
I960
1980
2000
2020
POPULATION PROJECTIONS
2-5O
-------
ro
i
\n
HILLSDALE I LENAWEE | MONROE
I MICH. I
to e to 10 jo 40 so
POPULATION PROJECTIONS
•FOR
ECONOMIC SUBREGIONS
IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
the total Value Added by Manufacture in the entire watershed (Figure 2-26).
Figure 2-27 lists the chief types of manufacturing for each of the
economic subregions of the U. S. part of the basin. Chemical industry
activity is projected to quadruple in the Lake Erie basin by the year
2020, primarily in the subregions in which it is now significant. All
other industrial activity is expected to approximately double. However
industrial water use, although expected to increase somewhat, will not
increase by the same proportions, because the demand will be less per
unit of activity due to increased inplant efficiency.
Agriculture; Agricultural activity decreases with expanding
urbanization but remains a vital part of the Lake Erie basin economy.
Its importance is due to the high fertility and tilth of the old lake
bed and beach soils, the large area and flatness of the region, and the
moderating influence of the Great Lakes upon the climate of the area.
Because of the predominance of some factors over others, specialized
farming predominates in some areas, i. e. truck crops, nursery products,
fruits, etc.
Figure 2-28 illustrates for the economic subregions, the value of
agricultural sales in the U. S. portion of the Erie basin for the year
1959- As this figure indicates, the most intensively cultivated land
is in and around the Maumee and Sandusky River basins.
In general the kind of agricultural crop activity changes from
west to east in the basin, from general farming to truck crops to
nursery products to fruit crops at the east end, Figure 2-10, Land Use.
Also, in general, agricultural activity increases inland from the lake
shore.
Agricultural production in the Erie basin is expected to double by
the year 2020, paralleling the population growth, even though areas
under cultivation will probably decrease.
Commerce: The Lake Erie basin is near the commercial center of one
of the most industrially productive areas in the world. The five states
of the basin contribute more than 36 percent of the nation's manufacturing
output. In addition, these states contain or are near the nation's largest
coal reserves and the richest agricultural lands. These factors, combined
with the availability of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway for
waterborne commerce and the restrictive effect of Lake Erie on the con-
vergence of land routes, have made the basin a major distribution area
for both raw materials and finished products.
The basin is traversed by an excellent network of state, federal,
and interstate highways and railroads. It has eleven major U. S. ports:
Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky, Huron, Lorain, Cleveland, Fairport, Ashtabula,
Conneaut, Erie, and Buffalo. Table 2-5 lists the major Lake Erie ports
and their total export and import tonnages. Also listed is the largest
2-52
-------
ro
X
s
1
/
^— ^-^
>--•
X
- X
/""
J
/
j
MICH
IND.
VALUE ADDED
BY MANUFACTURE -1963
IN
ECONOMIC SUBREGIONS
OF
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
ro
i
LEGEND
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
£2_J TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT
o Co
^> AUTOMOBILES
r"J FOOD AND KINDRED PRODUCTS
•{ h ELECTRICAL MACHINERY
.J^J NON-ELECTRICAL MACHINERY
11 ' | | STONE a CLAY PRODUCTS
21 FABRICATED METALS
< > PRIMARY METALS
^ CHEMICALS
X-N ***~
(o) RUBBER PRODUCTS
GLASS PRODUCTS
| PAPER PRODUCTS
V~
_MJCH.
IND.
MAJOR MANUFACTURING
IN
ECONOMIC SUBREGIONS
OF
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
GEND
25 — MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
25 — MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
LIVESTOCK SALES
AGRICULTURAL SALES-1959
IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
TABLE 2-5
TRADE AT LAKE ERIE PORTS
(thousands of tons)
Port
Detroit
Toledo
Sandusky
Huron
Lorain
Cleveland
Fairport
Ashtabula
Conneaut
Erie
Buffalo
Total tonnage
in 1962
27,023
36,536
4,154
1,546
5,800
16,900
3,051
9,051
3,063
2,550
15,587
Largest Commodity
Coal and iron ore import
Coal export
Coal export
Iron ore import
Iron ore import
Iron ore import
Limestone import
Iron ore import
Iron ore import
Iron ore import
Iron ore import
2-56
-------
commodity handled at each port.
In 1963 Lake Erie accounted for 13 billion ton-miles of shipping
out of a total of 95 billion on the Great Lakes. The Detroit River
must accommodate all water-borne traffic between Lake Erie and the
upper lakes. In 1962 this amounted to more than 100 million tons of
cargo.
Mining and Lumbering; Mining is not an important part of the
overall economy of the Lake Erie basin, although in certain areas it
is significant. Wherever mining occurs, it is confined to non-metallics,
and is not expected to increase significantly except for salt production.
Sand and gravel are stripped from open pits at many places in the
basin, usually in old beach ridges and glacial end moraines. Sand and
gravel are also removed from the lake bed in Maumee Bay, Pelee Passage,
between Vermilion and Pelee Point, off Fairport, and northwest of Erie,
Pennsylvania. This yield amounts to about one million tons annually,
valued at about three million dollars.
Salt is mined at Detroit, Cleveland, and at Fairport, Ohio. The
latter two mines are beneath Lake Erie. All are deep and mined by shaft
and room-and-pillar method. In 1961* some eight million tons were mined
with a value of nearly 50 million dollars.
Gypsum is mined both by the drift room-and-pillar method and by
the open-pit method at Port Clinton, Ohio. Total production is on the
order of one-half million tons annually.
Limestone and dolomite are quarried in the western part of the
basin, the main activity concentrated near Sandusky, Ohio. Some lime-
stone quarrying is also done in the east end of the basin. Total pro-
duction is estimated at 30 million tons annually with a value of 1+5
million dollars.
Sandstone quarrying is an important operation at Amherst, near
Lorain, Ohio. It is not significant elsewhere.
Oil and gas production, formerly significant in the economy of the
U. S. portion of the basin, especially at Lima and near Cleveland, is no
longer of consequence. However, the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
New York are now considering leasing portions of the lake bottom for
drilling. The bottom of Lake Erie is now producing significant quantities
of gas in Canadian waters northeast of Point Pelee and in the vicinity of
Long Point Bay. There are some producing wells on Pelee Island and
along the Canadian shore. Drilling for oil in the lake can add to
pollution problems and could have a serious bearing on water quality
unless careful controls are maintained.
A minor amount of fire clay is produced near Cleveland, and marl
2-57
-------
has "been quarried near Sandusky.
Lumbering is not important in the Lake Erie basin although it
has been to some extent in the past.
Tourism: In the Lake Erie basin tourism is a major industry,
adding hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the basin's economy.
The lake itself is the main attraction. In general the basin does not
have an abundance of scenic beauty or other factors to make it especially
attractive. Therefore tourism is largely confined to activities in
which the lake plays a part, such as boating, swimming, and fishing.
The largest and fastest growing tourist enterprises are the Presque
Isle State Park at Erie, Pennsylvania, and Cedar Point beach and amusement
park at Sandusky, Ohio. The remainder of the tourism industry can be
classified as group endeavors, or many clusters of small enterprises
such as in the island area, along the shore from Huron to Cleveland,
and inshore suburbs of larger towns. The economy of the larger islands
and some towns, such as Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, are largely dependent
upon summer residents, vacationers, and visitors.
State and provincial parks such as East Harbor and Headlands in
Ohio, Presque Isle in Pennsylvania, and Long Point in Ontario are re-
sponsible for attracting large numbers of visitors, and they are becoming
increasingly important for bolstering the tourism industry.
In winter, providing accommodations for ice fishermen has also
become important. In previous years this was mainly confined to the
islands, but it is now increasing at many places along the shores.
Excursion trips, once of importance on Lake Erie, are no longer
significant.
Tourism can be expected to increase in parallel with the development
of recreational facilities on which it largely depends. The development
of facilities is not rapidly expanding except in a few local areas where
state governments or large private enterprises are developing facilities.
The total tourism industry should double its present activity by the year
2020. However, certain facets of the industry, especially those centered
around small boating activities, are now expanding rapidly and should
increase at a significantly greater rate than population growth.
Commercial Fishing: In the past, fishing in Lake Erie was an
important segment of the economy, and particularly at many of the smaller
port cities along the lake, especially in the western half of the basin.
For example, only a few years ago Sandusky, Ohio laid claim to being
one of the largest freshwater fishing ports in the world.
Within the last 20 years the fishing industry on the United States
side of Lake Erie has suffered an almost disastrous decline because of
2-58
-------
the disappearance of prized species, such as walleye, blue pike, and
whitefish, upon which the industry depended so heavily. Reluctance
of the industry to adapt to less desirable types of fish also con-
tributed to this decline. There is still about 20 million dollars of
capital investment in the Ohio commercial fishing industry, but this is
only about one-third of the investment in sport fishing.
The Canadian fishing industry has offset the decline, in volume,
of the U. S. fisheries. It has maintained the industry through im-
proved efficiency and flexibility in adapting its efforts to the less
desirable species, primarily smelt and yellow perch. It has made
large capital investments since 1950, with governmental assistance.
Total catch in Lake Erie, in pounds, appears to be tenuously
holding its own; but dollar value is decreasing. For example, in the
1950-59 decade, an average annual catch of 53 million pounds of fish
brought 7-5 million dollars, while between 1960 and 1961*, a catch of
52 million pounds brought only 3-9 million dollars, Table 2-6.
Projecting the economic future of commercial fishing is virtually
impossible. The market demand for desirable fish will probably parallel
population growth, but this will have little effect on production if
the proper kinds and quantity of fish are not available. Attempts at
fish management have had little effect up to now on production. It is
not known with complete assurance whether pollution control alone can
re-establish the Lake Erie fishery, and the effects of attempts to
utilize less desirable species are also unknown. The economic future of
commercial fishing does not appear bright. Other reasons for the
probable future decline are changes in church attitude toward meat
fasting, reluctance toward eating other than the traditional species, and
public concern for possible pollution effects on fish quality.
2-59
-------
TABLE 2-6
AVERAGE ANNUAL LAKE ERIE COMMERCIAL FISHING PRODUCTION AND VALUE
BY STATES AND PROVINCE
(Thousands of Pounds; Thousands of Dollars)
ro
Ohio
Period
1934-1939
1940-1949
1950-1959
1960-1964
Ibs.
24,882
21,233
21,793
14,900
Value
1,430
2,825
3,719
i
1,266
Michigan
Ibs.
1,083
1,211
1,473
1,624
Value
50
109
122
123
Pennsylvania
Ibs.
3,183
2,715
1,827
1,336
Value
259
416
409
121
New York
Ibs.
1,213
1,182
726
355
Value
105
168
147
56
Ontario
Ibs.
13,552
14,272
24,415
33,799
Value
771
2,220
3,677
2,365
Total
Ibs.
43,913
40,613
53,234
52,014
Value
2,615
5,738
7,534
3,931
U. S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries data, 1966.
-------
CHAPTER 3
WATER USES
Since water quality requirements vary with the uses demanded, the
goals of an adequate water pollution control program are determined by
the uses of the water supply. Upon improvement of the water quality,
the variety of practical uses should be expanded whenever possible.
Otherwise, the pollution control program would offer no greater benefits
than maintaining current conditions of use.
Two basic kinds of water uses must be satisfied: (l) consumptive
transient uses and (2) non-consumptive water environment uses. Consump-
tive uses include drinking and household supply, industrial supply,
power supply, irrigation, and stock watering. Non-consumptive uses
include commercial shipping, recreation, fish and wildlife propagation,
and waste water assimilation. The effect of pollution on these uses
is discussed in Chapter 5»
Municipal Water Use
Lake Erie is presently a good raw water source in both quantity
and quality for domestic supply, although tastes and odors in drinking
water occasionally occur and bacterial problems have been observed at
water intakes. Municipal supplies often provide some water for industrial
uses. Major water intakes are shown in Figure 3-1.
Lake Erie now supplies about kQ percent or 638 MGD (million gallons
per day) of the municipal water needs of the basin. Another Ul percent
or 551 MGD is supplied by the Detroit River. Other surface and under-
ground sources supply the remainder of 158 MGD or 11 percent. This
ratio will undoubtedly change because inland sources in many cases have
almost reached their productive capacity while the demand continues to
increase. Thus it is projected that Lake Erie will be supplying over
57 percent of the 2020 demand of nearly it ,100 MGD, the Detroit River
and Lake Huron another 3^ percent, and the remaining 19 percent will
be supplied by inland surface and ground water. In the future, Detroit
intends to take its municipal water supply from Lake Huron. This supply
will be used to provide the water needs of all of Southeast Michigan.
The locations of present surface municipal water sources in the Lake
Erie basin are shown in Figure 3-2.
It is expected that municipal water use will increase at a rate
greater than the population increase, meaning that the per capita con-
sumption will increase. The per capita consumption is projected to be
25 percent greater in 1990 and 33 percent greater in 2020 than it is
today.
Municipal water use, present and projected, for the United States
portion of the basin, "by subbasin, is shown in Figure 3-3. The total
present and projected use is shown graphically in Figure 3-1*.
3-1
-------
x^
-------
FIGURE 3-2
u>
u>
-------
In general, the quality of municipal water supplies taken from
Lake Erie is good. In the lower Detroit River quality is affected
by upstream sewage discharge and taste and odor producing substances.
In the upper Detroit River (the main source of water for Detroit) the
quality is excellent, being primarily uncontaminated water from Lake
Huron. Groundwater contamination caused by underground sewage disposal
occurs in the Bellevue, Ohio area. Tastes and odors, not particularly
harmful, are occasional nuisances and the most difficult to overcome.
These problems are increasing in the central and eastern basins and
they have occurred for many years in the western basin supplies. The
Lake Erie water supply generally improves from west to east in the basin.
Inland sources of supply are greatly inferior to lake supplies, many
lacking quantity and most suffering from quality problems.
Industrial Water Use
Industries in the Lake Erie basin use tremendous quantities of
water from both the lake proper and its tributaries for product
processing (1 percent), power generation (62 percent), and cooling
(37 percent). Industrial water use, for purposes of this report,
is considered to be that which is self-supplied. Some is obtained
from municipal systems. Several of the largest self-supplied lake
intakes are shown in Figure 3-5. Figure 3-6 shows present industrial
process surface water sources in the Lake Erie basin.
Present and projected industrial water use quantities are shown
in Figure 3-3 and total basin-wide projections in Figure 3-^. The
total basin-wide projected industrial water use for the year 2020
is more than 21,000 MGD. As with municipal supply, Lake Erie will
become the prime source of water as inland supplies become inadequate.
At that time the industrial usage will be equivalent to nearly IT per-
cent of the total input to Lake Erie.
Industrial water supply is contaminated by both municipal and
industrial wastes and industry is often the victim of its own waste
discharges. Particularly obnoxious streams used for industrial water
are the Rouge River, Raisin River, Cuyahoga River, and "the Buffalo River.
Rural Use
Rural water use includes household supply, irrigation, and live-
stock watering. Included in irrigation is general crop, nursery, and
golf course watering. Surface water sources for irrigation and stock
watering are shown in Figure 3-7.
Total rural water use in the United States portion of the Lake
Erie basin is estimated at 12U MGD. This will probably rise to about
250 MGD by the year 2020. Much of the water for rural use is lost, by
evaporation and transpiration. An ever-increasing amount of rural
water will come from Lake Erie as inland supplies become inadequate.
Quality has not been a serious problem except for taste in many ground-
water supplies.
3-1*
-------
D INLAND SOURCE
. MUNICIPAL OR
INDUSTRIAL
PRESENT AND PROJECTED
WATER USE IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
Fig. 3-3
Present and projected water use in the subbasins of the Lake Erie watershed
-------
c
FIGURE 3-
PROJECTED MUNICIPAL WATER USE
LAKE ERIE SOURCE
I960
30'
o
x
I960
eooo
zoio
PROJECTED INDUSTRIAL WATER USE
1970
2020
LAKE ERIE SOURCE
2020
3-6
3-4
-------
3-7
-------
MD
00
O
-------
-v *CJ vi /—
3 "2- ^ "3.
"* £ et
Q
^
O
en
'O
M
3-9
-------
Commercial Shipping
Shipping is a use not so much dependent upon quality as upon
quantity in the Lake Erie "basin. Lake levels and corresponding water
depths have an economic impact upon bulk carriers by reducing or in-
creasing load limits as much as a thousand tons per foot of vessel draft.
The loss or gain may be significant over the length of a shipping season.
Tributaries, except for the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, are used
for shipping only in their lake-affected portions at and near their
mouths. Navigation routes are controlled by the water depths in the
western basin of the lake (Figure 3-8). Because of the natural shallowness
of the lake, most harbors have long dredged channels which extend far
into the lake, especially in the western basin. Large amplitude, short-
period changes in lake level are occasionally limiting.
Commercial cargo carriers use lake water transiently for engine
cooling, ballast, and potable water supply. The last of these obviously
requires high quality water since sometimes it receives no treatment.
The potable water use is equivalent to that of 1,200 persons for eight
months of the year. This use may be expected to more than double by
the year 2020.
Fish and Wildlife Propagation
Fish populations depend upon the adequacy of water and its quality
in regard to their specific needs. Quantity is not ordinarily a problem
in the Lake Erie basin but deteriorating quality caused by inadequately
treated municipal and industrial wastes has upset the fishery, so much
so that fish can no longer exist in parts of most major tributaries.
Also great changes for the worst have taken place in the lake because
of its declining water quality. Water areas presently supporting a
variety of fish are shown in Figure 3-9.
Lake Erie proper is capable of supporting and does support a
tremendous fish population although the type of fish found has changed
to less desirable fish. Pollution of the lake is the main reason for
this change. The fish are extensively exploited by both commercial and
sports fishermen (Figures 3-10). It appears now that commercial fishing
will continue to decline but that sports fishing will increase in pro-
portion to the population increase. Fish populations, in total, will
probably remain essentially constant. Detailed information on the fish
problem is contained in Chapter 5.
Wildlife, especially waterfowl, is water dependent. The marshes
along the shore of western Lake Erie are important parts of flyways.
Most of the marshes are somewhat dependent upon the water level of
Lake Erie. Although the water quality has not /been a serious problem
in the marshes, it has been in some of the tributaries where pollution
has been known to be deadly to waterfowl.
3-10
-------
FIGURE 3-8
MAJOR COMMERCIAL
CARGO VESSEL ROUTES
IN
LAKE ERIE
-------
FIGURE 3-9
-------
Waterfowl and other wildlife are not expected to increase sig-
nificantly in the Lake Erie basin except locally as a result of
management. Pollution control will not materially increase populations1.
However, unabated pollution will decrease the populations of waterfowl
still further.
Recreation
While water-dependent and water-enhanced outdoor recreation is
not critical to man's survival, it is the use commanding the most atten-
tion. In the Lake Erie basin the lake itself is the prime attraction,
although many inland areas are also popular. Figure 3-11 shows water
areas of the basin with present or anticipated use for whole- and partial-
body contact recreation. Figure 3-12, showing public park areas
and attendance at major beaches, illustrates the importance of
recreation, as does Table 3-1 showing present and projected summer
activity days for water-oriented activities in the basin.
Summer water temperature and climatic conditions make Lake Erie
well suited to swimming, the single most popular form of water-oriented
recreation, and to water skiing. These two forms are whole-body
contact and water quality is most critical to them. •
Most of the lake shore is in private ownership and much of it is
naturally unsuitable for heavy recreational use because of steepness
and lack of sand. Available beaches, because of their relative scarcity
and dense population are heavily used, even though some are frequently
contaminated and unsafe. The more notable of public beach areas are
Sterling State Park in Michigan; Crane Creek, East Harbor, and Headlands
State Parks, Cedar Point, Mentor Township, Geneva Township, Walnut
(Ashtabula), and Conneaut Township Parks in Ohio; Presque Isle State
Park in Pennsylvania; and Evangola Beaver Island and Lake Erie State
Parks in New York. Ontario also has several excellent beaches including
those at Pelee Point, Rondeau, Long Point, Crystal Beach, and at several
small ports. All of these beaches together attract millions of persons
annually although several are affected by fecal contamination and most
by decomposing algae. Several other beaches, which are less suitable
because of physical or pollution problems, also attract large numbers
of persona.
Sport fishing is a major recreational attraction in Lake Erie, so •
much so that in Ohio waters, for example the sport fishing catch fre-
quently exceeds the commercial catch, especially in yellow perch fishing.
It is not uncommon on summer weekends to find forty thousand or more
sport fishermen fishing from boats in Ohio waters alone and similar
numbers from structures which offer access to lake waters. The heaviest
sport fishing activity occurs in the western basin and particularly in
the island area (Figure 3-10).
3-13
-------
FIGURE 3-10
MAJOR
SPORT S COMMERCIAL
FISHING AREAS
IN LAKE ERIE
-------
"FIGURE 3-11
vn/\T&'G.
-------
FIGURE
N
UJ
d"
FEDERAL AREA
STATE AREA
LOCAL AREA
••w.. -^~ BASIN BOUNDARY
1400 ATTENDANCE IN THOUSANDS
AT SELECTED AREAS-1983
RECREATION AREAS
IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
. V '
-------
TABLE 3-1
EXPECTED SUMMER (JUNE, JULY, AUGUST) PARTICIPATION IN SELECTED
WATER-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES IN 2000 AND 2020, LAKE ERIE BASIN
Activity
Water-Dependent
Swimming
Fishing
Boating
Water Skiing
Canoeing
Sailing
Subtotal
Wa t er - Enhanc ed
Camping
Picknicking
Sightseeing
Nature Walks
Hiking
Subtotal
TOTAL (Water-
Oriented)
Winter Sports
1960
1 '. TI "V
Summer
Activity
Days
(thousands)
41,718
18,379
13,370
1,862
592
423
76,344
3,639
21,071
24,455
5,416
1,862
56,443
132,787
13,623 -
2000 Summer Activity
Days (thousands)
Without
Opportu-
nityl
143,093
36,758
46,795
9,012
2,072
1,480
239,210
14,301
52,678
70,186
14,569
6,871
158,605
397,815
47,303
With
Opportu-
nity2
166,872
36,758
55,753
10,725
2,469
1,764
274,341
23,472
65,109
115,917
14,569
11,377
230,444
504,785
47,303
2020 Summer Activity
Days (thousands)
Without
Opportu-
nity1-
193,781
40,800
63,508
12,587
2,812
2,009
315,497
19,632
68,482
93,052
19,146
9,376
209,688
525,185
64,143
With
Opportu-
nity2
229,449
40,800
76,944
15,157
3,408
2,435
368,193
33,389
87,128
161,648
19,146
16,135
317,466
685,639
64,143
1. Without opportunity - based on 1960 per capita quality and
quantity of facilities.
2. With opportunity - assumes improvement in 1960 per capita
quality and quantity.
3-17
-------
Sport fishing in winter (ice fishing) has become an increasingly
popular form of recreation. Catches during ice fishing season are
frequently phenomenal. In fact, fishermen refer to catches in summer
as numbers of fish, while in winter they commonly refer to catches in
pounds of fish.
Boating activity has increased greatly in the past few years as a
result of affluence. Boats, of course, furnish a "base of operations"
for swimming and fishing, in addition to providing enjoyment in their
own right.
Table 3-2 lists the number of pleasure boats using Lake Erie
as estimated from the number of boat licenses issued in the bordering
states. Large numbers of boats are trailered to Lake Erie on summer
weekends, many from 100 or more miles away. According to the Ohio
Division of Wildlife, twenty thousand boats have been counted in the '
Ohio waters of Lake Erie on a warm summer weekend in 1963. This number
nay be equaled or exceeded in Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River.
Major small boating areas are shown in Figure 3-13.
Waste Water Assimilation
Lake Erie is the eventual recipient of nearly all waste water in
the Erie basin. The lake, being such a large body of water, has
generally been thought capable of assimilating the tremendous quantities
of wastes that flow into it. This has not been the case, however, as the
lake is suffering from the throes of pollution caused by man's unwise
control of his waste products.
Waste assimilation is an unfortunate use for Lake Erie's water.
However, it is one which must be accepted, and it is a use which will
undoubtedly continue* The problem is to change the wastes to forms
which are not seriously detrimental to water quality.
The quantity of wastes which Lake Erie and its tributaries must >
accommodate is roughly equivalent to the quantity of municipal and
industrial water used since this water is essentially returned to the
system. The present input is approximately 11,000 MOD and will increase
to 19,000 MGD by 1990 and 28,000 MGD by 2020. Approximately 3h percent
of the total wastewater is now discharged directly to the Detroit River
and Ho percent directly to Lake Erie. The remainder (26 percent) is
discharged above lake-affected protions of tributaries.
Areas of major waste water sources are the Detroit-Maumee region,
the Cleveland-Akron region, and the Buffalo region. A detailed break-
down of the important waste input constituents is given in the chapter
on "Waste Sources."
3-18
-------
TABLE 3-2
PLEASURE BOATS REGISTERED IN-LAKE ERIE
State Number
Ohio 73,000
Michigan 101,000*
Pennsylvania 6,000
New York 34.000
Total 214,000
*Includes Lake St. Glair
3-19
-------
FIGURE 3-13
MAJOR
SMALL BOATING AREAS
IN
LAKE ERIE
•- (U.S. PORTION )
-------
Water Quality Objectives
The goal of the water pollution control program in the Erie
basin is clean water. Because clean water is not necessarily pure
water, the program must have definable use-directed objectives for
various constituents. Those objectives should not be determined by
present uses—instead, they should be determined by potential uses.
Uaes vary from place to place within the basin, but few, if
any, places can now be found where water quality is consistently
adequate for all uses. However, many places can be found where
water quality is not adequate for any legitimate use.
Objectives must be high and relentlessly pursued. Prohibitive
cost, as an excuse for inaction, is no longer valid. Technological
ignorance in treatment methods is also no reason for delay.
Objectives will not be presented here for all uses. Because
water supply, recreation, and aquatic life have the most rigorous
requirements, a pollution control program serving these needs will.
more than meet the requirements of other important uses. Objectives
are therefore given for these three uses in Table 3-3 for both
triburaty and lake waters. In some cases, the lake objectives have
been listed as those values which now exist, i.e., dissolved solids
and chlorides, because these values are now fully adequate for all
major uses. If the objectives, in these cases, were relaxed, it
would in effect be permitting lake water quality to deteriorate and
this, by law, is not permissible.
3-21
-------
TABLE 3-3
SUMMARY OF WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES BY USAGE
PARAMETER
Dissolved Oxygen
BOD
pH
LO Temperature*
ro
M Turbidity**
Dissolved Solids
Chlorides
Toxic Metals
Phenols
Total Phosphorus
Total Coliform Bacteria
WATER SUPPLY
Tributary Lake
•^75? satura-
tion
<3 mg/1 at all
times-av.<1.5
mg/1
> 6 . 5 and^9
<85°F
<5 JCU
<500 mg/1
<250 mg/1
None
<.005 mg/1
<.10 mg/1
<5000 MPN/
100 ml
>90$ and
•£110$ satura-
tion
^1 mg/1
>7.5 and48.5 i
<.70°F
£.5 JCU
<185 mg/1
•425 mg/1
None
<.001 mg/1
<.025 mg/1
<1000 MPN/-
100 ml
RECREATION
Tributary Lake
>85# satura-
tion
^2 mg/1
76.5 and^8.5
85$ satura-
tion
4L1 mg/1
>7.5 and^.5
^.25 JCU
<200 mg/1
^UO mg/1
None
^..005 mg/1
<.025 mg/1
90$ satura-
tion
£-3 mg/1
76.5 and<9
^.100 JCU
90/5 satura-
tion
<1 mg/1
•5,7.5 and<8.5
<25 JCU
-------
CHAPTER U
WASTE SOURCES
-------
CHAPTER k
WASTE SOURCES
The principal pollution materials discharged into Lake Erie and
its tributaries are municipal and industrial vastes. It is difficult
to state vhich source is the greater contributor to pollution problems.
These major vastes consist not only of continuous, direct discharges,
but also of combined sever overflovs and those of treatment plants
which are seldom adequate.
Other significant sources of pollution are wastes from agricultural
runoff, wastes from commercial and pleasure craft, and those from harbor
dredging operations. Urban runoff and shore erosion are also important
contributors. All of these combined are now potentially disastrous to
Lake Erie water quality.
Three geographical areas are primarily responsible for the present
condition of Lake Erie (Table U-l). These areas in order of decreasing
effect on the overall quality of Lake Erie water are (l) Detroit, Mich.
and its surrounding municipalities (2) the Cleveland-Cuyahoga River,basin,
and (3) the Maumee River basin. The Buffalo area has high waste inputs
b'ut these wastes affect the Niagara River more than Lake Erie. Many
other areas have problems which are primarily local, but cumulatively,
they also have a profound effect on the general water quality.
The remarkably degrading effect which the Detroit and Maumee areas
have on Lake Erie can be shown by subtracting their discharges of almost
any constituent from the total input of that constituent to the lake.
If all the wastes from these two areas were somehow to be removed from
Lake Erie, the lake water quality would be better overall than that of
Lake Michigan and not much behind Lake Huron. If only wastes from the
Detroit area were removed, Lake Erie would still rival Lake Michigan in
most respects.
TABLE k-1
PERCENT IN-BASIN WASTE CONTRIBUTION OF MAJOR SOURCE AREAS IN
LAKE ERIE BASIN
Detroit and Toledo- Cleveland-
Southeast Michigan Maumee River Akron-Cuyahoga
Phosphorus 38.0 16.6 18.5
BOD5 60.3 15-5 11.0
Chloride 51.0 1*.7 - 10.6
-------
Municipal Wastes
Municipal waste or sevage is defined as the water-carried waste
from residential, public, commercial, and industrial sources dis-
charged into a collection system for transport to a central treatment
and/or discharge point. Approximately 10 million people inhabit com-
munities throughout the U.S. portion of the Lake Erie basin, discharg-
ing their wastes directly into Lake Erie or into its tributaries. The
total volume of municipal waste water is and will continue to be approx-
imately equal to the amount of municipal water used (refer to Figure
3-10.
In the southeast Michigan area almost the entire population is in
and around Detroit. The Detroit primary sewage treatment plant serves
about 3.1 million people. While 91* percent of the southeastern
Michigan population discharges wastes to sewers, the wastes from only
11 percent of the total population receive secondary treatment.
About 79 percent of the total municipal waste in the Ohio portion
of the Lake Erie basin receives secondary treatment. About 3.5 percent
of the population is not served by sewer systems.
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.
In New York the wastes from 78 percent of the total population
receive primary treatment. The cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and
part of Tonawanda have sewage treatment plants that give only primary
treatment but these wastes are discharged to the Niagara River and
flow into Lake Ontario. These three cities include over a million of
the 1.2 million people served by primary treatment.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is the main municipal degradant to
tributary waters. It is not especially harmful to the lake proper.
The most harmful municipal contribution to the lake is in the form of
nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus although locally bacteria
are causing serious problems.
Industrial Wastes
Industrial wastes are those spent process waters associated with
industrial operations which are discharged separately and not in com-
bination with municipal wastes. Lake Erie and its tributaries receive
industrial wastes from 2?±- known sources. A summary of these, by states,
is given in Table k-2t along with their treatment adequacy, according to
classification by state control agencies. About 23 percent of the in-
dustries are classified as having inadequate treatment facilities and
10 percent are listed as adequacy unknown.
-------
Industries are responsible for 86 percent of total waste flow
discharged to Lake Erie and its tributaries. If power production
is not included in waste flows, the total drops to 75 percent. In
general, waste flows are essentially equal to water use, Figure 3-3.
About hk percent of the total industrial waste discharges in the
basin flows directly to the lake or to lake-affected portions of the
tributaries; another Uo percent is discharged to the I)etroit_Ri_ver_._.f0
Twenty-two of the industries with direct discharges f~were~reported, n*£
by the state agencies in 1965, to have inadequate treatment facilities.
Industries discharge millions of tons daily of dissolved solids
to Lake Erie; for example, they discharge 11 million tons of chlorides
daily and a similar quantity of sulfates. The chloride input is ex-
pected to double by 1990 and quadruple by 2020 unless restrictions
are placed upon inputs. Industries have a major pollutional effect,
especially in tributaries, by adding a variety of substances such as
phenols, iron, cyanides, toxic heavy metals, acids, and alkalis. They
also add heat.
Agricultural Runoff
Agricultural land is a major source of nutrient and silt pollu-
tion in Lake Erie resulting largely from surface erosion of intensively
cultivated, fine-grained soils with sparse crop cover. While silt
covers the bottom of the lake and may be influential in the fisheries
problem, the nutrient input is of greater immediate concern. Large
quantities of nitrogen compounds and phosphates are used in fertilizers
and these substances find their way to the lake during runoff.
TABLE l*-2
INDUSTRIAL WASTE SOURCES
STATE CLASSIFICATION (1965)
£ne
°'
State
Ohio
Indiana
Michigan
Pennsylvania
New York
Adequate
116
9
1*2
5
3
TREATMENT
Inadequate
36
2
31
2
1*
Unknown
9
-
19
2
7
Total
175
75
37
fc-3
-------
In the Ohio portion of the basin alone, during the last half of
1966, more than 21,000,000 pounds of phosphorus were sold in commer-
cial fertilizers, most of it in the Maumee basin - and the use rate
is increasing. The percentage of commercial fertilizer nutrients
reaching Lake Erie is unknown. It is known that much of the phosphorus
used in fertilizers becomes tightly bound in the soil, and reaching the
waterways mainly in this form and not as leached compounds.
Nutrients are also contributed by runoff from animal wastes.
Some studies indicate that animal wastes, when used as fertilizer, may
be a significant source of nutrients to a drainage system.
If an estimated rate of 365 pounds of total phosphorus per square
mile per year (in the Maumee basin the rate is higher, other areas
lower) is used to calculate the agricultural contribution, more than
eight million pounds is supplied to Lake Erie per year from this source.
The nitrogen input from runoff is at least ten times this amount.
An estimated eight million tons of silt are discharged to Lake
Erie from agricultural runoff each year. Nearly half of this is dis-
charged to the western basin.
The Maumee River is the greatest contributor to rural runoff pol-
lution, in both nutrients and silt, in the Erie basin. About two
million tons per year of silt enter the lake from this drainage basin.
It is not likely that the rate of silt input from rural runoff will
increase by any significant amount in the future because of improved
soil conservation practices. In fact it appears that the present rate
is considerably less than it has been in the past and will continue to
decrease.
The inputs of nutrients from rural runoff are likely to increase
by a small amount because of efficiency of utilization, soil conserva-
tion practices, and decreasing agricultural area.
Urban Runoff
Urban runoff, like rural runoff, is variable and difficult to
study. It is known however, that it contributes significant quantities
of suspended solids, chlorides, BOD, debris, nutrients, and bacteria.
This is because of the general untidiness of cities, the use of salt in
street deicing, and the use of fertilizers in lawn and garden care. Here
again nutrients are the most significant factors. It is estimated that
an average of 530 pounds of phosphorus per square mile per year is de-
rived from urban runoff. This is about 50 percent greater per unit area
than that from rural runoff. The rate of nitrogen runoff is again about
10 times that of phosphorus. The present phosphorus contribution is now
in the vicinity of one million pounds annually. It is expected to rise,
by 2020, to more than three million pounds annually.
-------
Combined Sewer Overflows
Many large cities in the Lake Erie basin have combined sewer
systems which carry both sewage and surface drainage water. During
dry weather the sewer systems supposedly direct all flow to a sewage
treatment plant. During periods of precipitation the excess flow by-
passes the treatment plant and goes directly to the drainage system.
Many of the systems are in such poor condition that sewage is contin-
uously by-passed.
Combined sewer systems are recognized as very significant sources
of pollutants both to tributaries and to Lake Erie. The more impor-
tant materials contributed, as far as Lake Erie is concerned, are BOD,
bacteria, and the nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus. Beaches are
closed in many places because of the bacterial loadings.
At present the largest contributors to Lake Erie pollution from
combined sewers are the cities of Detroit and Cleveland. These have
an immediate detrimental effect, particularly at bathing beaches in
the vicinity.
Approximately hO billion gallons per year flow from combined
sewers directly to the basin's waterways. About half of this flow is
untreated municipal waste; i.e. sewage by-passed to the overflow during
rainstorms.
Construction of combined sewers is no longer permitted in Ohio,
but is still continued in Michigan. The load due to existing combined
systems will increase somewhat with the increase in population in areas
served by them. The present flow of ^0 billion gallons per year may
increase to 50 billion gallons per year by 2020 with 60 percent of this
flow being due to municipal wastes if combined sewer systems continue
to exist.
Vessel Waste
The contribution of vessels to the pollution of Lake Erie is not a
significant factor in the overall water quality of the lake, but it can
be locally damaging especially in the harbor areas. Possible sources
of pollution from vessels include cargo spillage, dunnage, ballast and
bilge waters, fuel spills, garbage, and sanitary wastes. Uncontrolled
discharge of these wastes can result in serious pollution problems for
beaches, shore property, recreational waters, fish and aquatic life, and
municipal and industrial water supplies.
It is estimated that the bacterial and nutrient pollution load from
commercial vessels on Lake Erie is equivalent to the raw sewage of 1,200
persons for eight months of the year, or a permanent population of 800.
By the year 2020 this waste source may increase by 50 percent.
-------
The pollution contribution from pleasure craft is much greater,
and is estimated to be equivalent to the raw sewage of a permanent
population of 5,500. This pollution load is locally damaging in har-
bors and marinas. By 1990 this load will double, and by 2020, will
triple.
The U.S. Public Health Service has established regulations govern-
ing vessel waste discharges in the Great Lakes based upon its legal
responsibility for the interstate control of communicable diseases.
Restricted areas have been established in which the discharge of
sewage, ballast, or bilge water from vessels is prohibited. Restricted
areas include the water within a three-mile radius of domestic water
intakes.
Vessel wastes are sources of pollution in all harbors and marinas.
Areas of particular concern are around Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky,
Vermilion, Rocky River, Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo.
Stream Bank and Shore Erosion
Erosion of the lakeshore contributes an est imated 16 million tons
of silt to Lake Erie per year. The rate is much higher during higher
lake stages. Shore erosion is responsible for most of the near shore
turbidity during storms. Silting and nutrient contribution are the
major pollution factors. Phosphorus is the major nutrient, being con-
tributed to the lake at a rate of approximately 11 million pounds
annually. More than 80 percent of the annual loss of shore materials
occurs in the central basin.
Stream bank erosion has the same effect as shore erosion during
times of high precipitation. Its nutrient content has been considered
a part of rural runoff. Both stream and shore bank erosion cause debris
such as trees, stumps, and dumped materials to be carried into the lake.
Various kinds of trash are used as bank protection in many places and
this also contributes debris to Lake Erie, Debris without control may
increase, but nutrients and silting should remain essentially constant
'in the future.
Dredging Dumps
All harbors along the United States shore are dredged periodically
to maintain navigation channel depths. In most harbors the removed
material is a combination of silt and municipal and industrial wastes,
amounting to some six million tons (Table U-3) annually in the Erie basin,
almost one-fourth of the total silt load to Lake Erie. In many cases
the wastes harm water quality by the addition of BOD and nutrients. It
has been the policy to dump the dredged materials in the lake within a
few ,iles of the dredging sites, which may be .transferring highly pol-
luted substances to relatively unpolluted areas.
-------
TABLE lt-3
1967 ESTIMATED HARBOR DREDGING SPOIL TO BE DUMPED
IN LAKE ERIE
Volume
Harbor cu. yds.
Principal
sludge source
Monroe (Raisin River) 250,000
Bolles Harbor 186,000
Toledo (Maumee River) 1,000,000
Sandusky 600,000
Huron 180,000
Lorain (Black River) 500,000
Rocky River 60,000
Cleveland (Cuyahoga River) 1,300,000
Fairport (Grand River) 360,000
Ashtabula 350,000
Conneaut UOO.OOO
Erie 200,000
Dunkirk 26,000
Buffalo 620,000
industrial
rural
rural
rural
rural
industrial
municipal
industrial, municipal
industrial, rural
industrial, rural
rural
municipal
industrial
industrial
TOTAL
6,032,000
-------
It is difficult to show a lasting effect of these wastes upon
the general quality of Lake Erie, but the immediate effect is apparent
in turbidity. A study is now underway by FWPCA and the Corps of
Engineers to determine precise effects. One of the effects is ordin-
arily for dredged materials to cover the natural sediments over a wide
area. The dredged materials are often of low density and can be moved
easily over large areas. For example a large area around the Cleveland
offshore dumping grounds is covered with oily mud. In this area the
phosphate content is up to three times the concentration of other mid-
lake bottom muds.
If harbor dredging continues, it is not likely that the total
annual volume dredged will increase significantly.
Construction Runoff - Highway and Urban Development
Pollution from construction sites is mainly silt and is similar
to agricultural runoff. The quantity per unit area is much greater,
however. For a given area, sheet wash may have 100 times the load of
agricultural runoff. The problem is becoming increasingly serious
because of the recent intensification of highway and housing programs
in the Erie basin covering large areas of land. There is apparently
no adequate program of reseeding, catch-basins, etc., and the land is
left barren for long periods, especially over winter.
Potential Sources of Pollution
Drilling for oil and gas is now being contemplated by several com-
panies under land to be leased from the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania,
and New York. This is a potential source of pollution, mainly from oil
spillage and drilling muds. However, drilling in Ontario waters has
shown an excellent record in regard to control of harmful wastes for
many years.
Reactor plants for power sources seem to be inevitable. These
represent remotely potential sources of radioactive pollution substances.
Their main contribution to the degradation of Lake Erie is and will be
thermal pollution because of the necessarily great amount of cooling
water used.
Very important potential sources of pollution are the ultimate
disposal sites of the residue from waste treatment plants. This is
especially important with regard to nutrients. Nutrients removed at a
treatment plant can have little effect on improving Lake Erie water
quality if the nutrients still get back into the drainage system.
Constituents in Waste
The waste substances that are discharged to the lake from municipal
and industrial outfalls, tributaries, and land drainage are many, and
4-8
-------
their effects on water uses are varied. Many substances such as acid,
oil, cyanide, iron, coliform bacteria, phenol, and oxygen-consuming
materials have severe effects on water uses in the localities of the
discharge.
Those substances that have damaging effects on the total waters
of the lake are suspended solids (sediment), carbonaceous oxygen-
consuming materials, nitrogen compounds, and phosphorus. A discussion
of chlorides and dissolved solids is included, not because they have
reached damaging concentrations, but because their dramatic increases
are indicative of the rate at which water quality has been degraded.
Table U-U presents summaries of the major known sources and loads to
Lake Erie of suspended solids, chlorides, biochemical oxygen demand
(BOD) substances, and phosphorus.
Suspended Solids - Damages to Lake Erie resulting from suspended
matter entering from waste discharges and tributaries are dependent
on the nature of the material. Suspended matter from municipal dis-
charges is primarily organic and its deposition results in enriched
bottom muds or sludge banks whose effects are largely local and can be
corrected by proper treatment for removal of these wastes. Suspended
matter from certain industries and the material from tributaries orig-
inating as land runoff are largely inorganic and serve to fill harbors,
erabayments, ship channels and the lake.
The principal sources of suspended solids discharged to Lake Erie
are the Detroit, Maumee, Cuyahoga, and Grand Rivers which represent a
total of 12,700,000 pounds per day of known discharges. The Detroit
River, because of its large volume, constitutes the major source or
68 percent of this total, the Maumee 19 percent, the Grand 9 percent,
and the Cuyahoga k percent.
About 1.5 million pounds of the suspended solids of the Detroit
River discharges are from industrial and municipal sources. The Maumee
discharges are largely silt from land runoff. The greatest quantities
are released during periods of heavy rain and high runoff; therefore,
control must be instituted through improvements in land use practices
on the watershed. The Cuyahoga discharges are believed to be largely
of industrial origin with some contribution from municipal wastes and
land runoff. This load on the Cleveland harbor and channels results in
severe discoloration and the need for frequent dredging. The Grand
River (Ohio) sources are believed to be similar to the Cuyahoga.
Carbonaceous Oxygen-Consuming Materials - Carbonaceous oxygen-
consuming materials, usually measured by the 5-day biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD,.), are generally considered direct pollutants to streams
in that they depress dissolved oxygen levels. This immediate effect is
not evident in lakes such as Lake Erie because of its tremendous oxida-
tive capacity and satisfaction of the BOD before the lake is reached.
4-9
-------
TABLE 1*-1*
WASTE LOADS TO LAKE ERIE BASIN WATERS - 1966
Pounds/Day
Western Basin
Industrial
Municipal
Rural Runoff
Urban Runoff
Lake Huron outflow
U. S. (undifferentiated)
Canada (undifferentiated)
Subtotal
Central Basin
Industrial
Municipal
Rural Runoff
Urban Runoff
U. S. (undifferentiated)
Canada (undifferentiated)
Subtotal
Eastern Basin
Industrial
Municipal
Rural Runoff
Urban Runoff
U. S. (undifferentiated)
Canada (undifferentiated)
Subtotal
GRAND TOTAL
BOD 5
261,000
632,000
950,000
1,8^3,000
110,700
11*9,300
260,000
160,000
72,1000
232,100
2,335,100
Chlorides
6,200,000
1,060,000
"I 1,600,000
6,500,000
1,1*00,000
16,760,000
1*, 500, 000
61*6,000
) 1,220,000
J
1,000,000
7,366,000
280,000
128,000
~V 29!*, 000
500,000
1,202,000
25,328,000
Total
Phosphorus
7,000
55,000
13,000
1*,000
20,000
5,000
102,000
1*,000
27,000
1*,000
1*,000
6,000
1*5,000
2,200
~i*,i*oo
1,220
760
5,000
11,580
161* 550
Suspended
Solids
3,800,000
27,000,000
1,100,000
31,900,000
1*5,000,000
50,000,000
95,000,000
1,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
133,900,000
U-10
-------
However, BOD,- is a measure of wastes that are used by bacteria in cell
growth and reproduction, thereby creating sludge which settles to the
lake bottom. Thus BOD is a measure of wastes which produce the same
end effect as nutrients. Carbonaceous BOD,, of wastes is most effec-
tively removed by secondary treatment.
The present and projected daily BOD loading for the entire basin
is shown in Figure U-l along with the loading after various degrees of
reduction. Figure U-2 shows projected loadings for each of the sub-
basins; as this figure indicates. The Detroit area contributes more
BOD,- to Lake Erie than all other known sources combined.
Chlorides - The concentration of chloride in the headwaters of the
Detroit River averages 7 mg/1, 18 mg/1 at the Detroit River mouth, and
2k mg/1 at Buffalo. The increase within the length of the Detroit
River overshadows the increase within Lake Erie. Major known sources
of chloride input are municipal and industrial contributors at Detroit,
about 10 million pounds per day; the Grand River, industrial contribu-
tion, 3.9 million pounds per day; and the Maumee and Cuyahoga Rivers,
1.2 million pounds per day. Here again the tremendous influence of
Detroit is shown. Figure U-3 shows the projected chloride loadings by
subbasin, and Figure k-h shows projected total lake loading and the
effects of various degrees of reduction.
A large input of chloride, from street and highway salting for ice
control during winter, drains to the lake through municipal sewers and
tributaries. Salt used for this purpose in the basin in 196U was at
least 800,000 tons. This could represent an increase of at least
2.k mg/1 to the chloride level of Lake Erie. Chlorides contributed
from street and highway salting represent approximately 10 percent of
the total chloride in Lake Erie. Industrial sources contribute about
kh percent and the Lake Huron input UO percent.
Historical data indicate that the concentration of chloride in Lake
Erie was 7 mg/1 at the beginning of this century. At that time, a notice-
able increase began. In about 60 years the concentration has tripled.
Dissolved Solids - Dissolved solids concentrations at the head of
the St. Clair River average 110 mg/1, at the head of the Detroit River
126 mg/1, and at Buffalo 180 mg/1. These levels represent daily inputs
of 116 million pounds per day from the watershed above Detroit and a
discharge of almost 200 million pounds per day to the Niagara River from
Lake Erie. Most of the increase within Lake Erie actually is derived
from the Detroit area.
The concentration of dissolved solids in Lake Huron has remained
fairly constant at 110 to 115 mg/1 since 1900, whereas the increase in
Lake Erie at Buffalo in the same period was from 115 to 180 mg/1
(Figure it-5). If unchecked, the dissolved solids level will reach
230 mg/1 by 2020.
-------
LAKE ERIE BASIN
(U.S. PORTION)
TOTAL PROJECTED DAILY BOD, LOAD AND EFFECT OF REDUCTION
INDUSTRIAL SOURCES
2,000,000
IflOOJOOO ^.
a
o
CD
o
OL
soo.ooo
100,000
40,000
1970
2000
tow
2020
LAKE ERIE BASIN
(U.S. PORTION)
TOTAL PROJECTED DAILY BOD5 LOAD AND EFFECT OF REDUCTION
MUNICIPAL SOURCES
5,000,000
1,000,000
Q
O
CD
CO
O
•z.
O 300,000
OL
100,000
SOflOO
CANADIAN LOADING CAN BE EXPECTED TO AVERAGE 20% OF U.S. LOADING..
I960
1970
1990
YEAR
2000
20K>
(020
-------
o
o .
INO.
0
o
1
M
O
O
*
«
k.
>-
^
1
X
I L
L8S/DAY
«. 1000
PRESENT AND PROJECTED
BOD5 LOAD DISCHARGED
IN THE
LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
PRESENT AND PROJECTED
CHLORIDE DISCHARGES IN
THE LAKE ERIE BASIN
-------
Nitrogen Compounds - The largest input of this constituent is
from the Detroit River which consists of the nitrogen residual from
the upper Great Lakes and the major contributions from the Detroit
metropolitan area. Other important sources are the Maumee and Cuyahoga
Rivers discharging at Toledo and Cleveland, respectively.
The origin of these materials in waste discharges is largely from
organic wastes, with sizable contributions from agricultural runoff
and from specific manufacturers of ammonia and nitrogen salts. Except
for local effects of discharges of these materials, the principal effect
on Lake Erie is that of overenrichment.
Phosphorus - Phosphorus, in its inorganic form of orthophosphate
(PO, ) is essential to life. Because of this it is used extensively as
an agricultural fertilizer. A multitude of phosphorus compounds are
used in the manufacture of many products with an overwhelming amount
used in household and industrial detergents. Even though phosphorus has
s,o many beneficial properties, it is easily implicated as the most dam-
aging pollution substance being discharged into Lake Erie. As discussed
in other sections of this report, phosphorus stimulates productivity of
algae and other aquatic plant life with a multitude of serious ramif-
ications.
The principal sources of phosphorus are municipal wastes, agri-
cultural runoff, urban runoff, and industrial wastes (Table U-5). In
municipal wastes about one pound per capita per year is contributed by
human excreta and 2.5 pounds per capita per year by detergents. Phosphorus
from agricultural runoff amounts to about 250 pounds per square mile per
year except in the Maumee basin where the rate is about 580 pounds per
square mile per year. Urban runoff contributes phosphorus at the rate
of about 530 pounds per square mile per year. There is no useful constant
in calculating industrial contribution since this depends upon the type
of industry.
Figure k-6 shows the contributions of phosphorus for each of the sub-
basins and the projected contributions for the years 1990 and 2020. Phos-
phorus loading to Lake Erie will increase nearly 2.5 times by 2020 if the
present rates continue unchecked. Figure k-J shows total projected phos-
phorus inputs from various sources over a 60-year period for no removal
and for various degrees of removal of municipal and industrial waste
phosphorus.
The Detroit area contributes by far the largest amount of phosphorus
to Lake Erie, more than.vbwice as much as the Cleveland area, the second
largest source.
4-17
-------
TABLE 4-5
PRESENT AND PROJECTED PHOSPHORUS DISCHARGES TO LAKE ERIE, Ibs/day
(exclusive of Lake Huron input and shore erosion)
Subbasins
Present Loading
Southeast Michigan
Maumee River Basin
North-Central Ohio
Greater- Cleveland-
Akron area
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
Western New York
Ontario
Projected 1990 Loading
Southest Michigan
Maumee River Basin
North-central Ohio
Greater Cleveland-
Akron area
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
Western New York
Ontario
Projected 2020 Loading
Southeast Michigan
Maumee River Basin
North-central Ohio
Greater Cleveland-
Akron area
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
Western New York
Ontario
Municipal
Waste
46,000
9,000
3,800
22,000
1,100
1,400
3,000
11,900
98,200
85,000
12,000
8,000
40,000
3,700
3,190
6,100
21,400
179,300
111,000
19,000
17,000
58,000
5,400
4,700
8,600
40,500
264,200
Industrial
Waste
3,000
4,000
2,000
2,000
100
100
2,100
unknown
13,300
4,500
6,000
3,000
3,000
200
180
3,100
19,980
6,000
8,000
4,000
4,000
400
270
4,200
26,870
Urban
Runoff
3,000
1,000
1,600
2,000
500
110
650
450
9,310
4,500
2,000
2,400
3,000
700
160
1,000
810
14,570
6,000
3,000 -
3,400
4,000
1,000
220
1,300
1,200
20,120
Rural
Runoff
3,000
10,000
2,600
700
750
220
1,000
5,500
23,770
3,000
10,000
2,600
700
700
210
1,000
' 6»5QQ
24,710
3,000
10,000
2,600
700
700
200
1,000
8,000
26,200
Total
55,000
24,000
10,000
26,700
2,450
1,830
6,750
17,850
144,580
97,000
30,000
16,000
46,700
5,300
3,650
11,200
28,710
238,560
126,000
40,000
27,000
66,700
7,500
5,390
15,100
49,700
337,390
4-18
JUL 10 1367
-------
.53
\Q.££i- '— '. W3O:_! I
-------
S'
-------
o
300,000 —
200,000 -
«OO,OOO —
I960
1970
1380
I99O
2000
2010
202O
PROJECTED PHOSPHORUS LOAD TO LAKE ERIE BY SOURCE - CUMULATIVE
-------
EVALUATION OF WASTE SOURCES BY SUBAREAS
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
The subareas of the Southeastern Michigan Basin are discussed in
this section of the report. It covers municipal and industrial waste
sources, waste effects on receiving streams, water quality of the rivers
and lakes, and the loadings from the tributaries to the Great Lakes
system.
Municipal Waste
Within the basin, see Figure U-8, there are 51* municipal waste
treatment plants operating of which 19 provide primary treatment and
serve 3.1 million people, 30 provide secondary treatment and serve
^20,000 persons, and 5 are sewage lagoons. Another 630,000 persons are
served by septic tanks. The municipal waste treatment plants discharge
650 mgd (million gallons per day), with the Detroit plant alone dis-
charging 550 mgd to the Detroit River. Table h-6 lists, for each major
river, the municipal waste treatment jplant, type of treatment, flow, __,
and BOD loadings. Figures l*-9, h-10j\U-l2, and h-13 show the sources , h€.-;
of municipal and industrial wastes for each of the river basins in ^ £•
Southeast Michigan. '',
^i,/
, ^f-Vj
As of January 1, 1967, the Michigan Department of Public Health has*
ordered all municipal treatment plants to disinfect effluent discharge
all year-round. Twenty-five communities or areas not currently pro-
viding adequate collection and treatment are under orders to discharge
their wastes to adequate treatment facilities. Many of the communities
in the basin currently provide treatment for their wastes at plants not
in the community. Both the Detroit system and the Wayne County system
serve numerous areas. Industrial wastes for many industries are presently
treated with the municipal waste.
Combined Sewers - Stormwater Overflow
The majority of the people in the basin live in communities that
have all or part of their sewage collection system as combined storm-
sanitary sewers. Approximately 80 percent of the people are served by
combined systems. This is especially true of the older, more urban
sections of these communities. Stormwater overflows are estimated to
discharge directly to the Detroit River 2 percent to 5 percent of the
yearly total raw sewage contributed to the Detroit sewage treatment plant.
This overflow, although a small proportion of the total flow, constitutes
a much higher proportion of suspended organic material, and an extremely
high proportion of the total bacterial load discharged to the river.
In suburban areas with separate sewer systems, the illegal practice
of connecting roof, patio, or driveway drains to the sanitary sewer,
4-21
-------
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
AREA
-------
TABLE l»-6
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Municipality or Receiving Stream Type Sewage
Institution . System
Flow BOD (Ibs/day)
(mgd) Raw Final
St. Clair River^1^
San dusky
Brown City
Crosell
Yale
Port Huron
Mary svi lie
St. Clair
East China Twp.
Inlay City
Capac
Memphis
Marine City
Lake St. Clair (l)
New Baltimore
Ri chmond
New Haven
Dwight Creek
Black River
Elk Crsek
Elk River
Black River
Mill Cr.
Black River
St. Clair River
St. Clair River
St. Clair River
St. Clair River
Belle River
Belle River
Belle River
St. Clair River
Lake St. Clair
Lake St. Clair
Lake St. Clair
Secondary
Lagoons
Secondary
Lagoons
Primary
Primary
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Lagoon
Lagoon
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
0.37
0.20
0.3^
0.2k
11.70
1.1U
0.1*8
0.07
O.lU
0.01
0.03
0.65
0.20
0.35
O.lU
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
x = Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
(l) See Figure U-ll for location.
-------
TABLE V6( continued)
Municipality or
Institution
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Receiving Stream Type Sewage Flow BOD (ibs/day)
System (mgd) Raw Final
Clinton River(l)
Pontiac #1
Pontiac #2
Rochester
Utica
Sterling Twp.#l
Warren
Clinton Twp.#2
Almont
Romeo
Armanda
Clinton Twp.#l
Mt . Clemens
Selfridge AFB
Self ridge
Nike Sites
Detroit River^
Detroit
Wyandotte
Riverview
Grosse lie Twp.
Clinton River
Clinton River
Clinton River
Clinton River
Clinton River
Red Run
Clinton River
N.Br. Clinton R.
East. Pond Creek
E.Br.Coon Creek
Clinton River
Clinton River
Clinton River
Clinton River
Detroit River
Trenton Channel
Detroit River
Mongaugon Creek
Detroit River
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
Primary
Primary
Primary
9.8 x x
ll.lt x x
0.97 x x
0 . 39 x x
2.20 x x
23.70 x x
2.03 x x
O.llt x x
0.37 x x
0.12 x x
2.3^ x x
3.72 x x
XX X
XX X
516 603,600 501,000
21.1 31* ,000 22,100
1.0 x x
0.15 150 100
x = Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
(1) See Figure U-12 for location.
(2 ) See Figure ^-13 for location.
-------
TABLE)lu6 (continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Municipality or
Institution
Receiving Stream
Type Sewage Flov
System (mgd)
BOD (Ibs/day)
Raw Final
Detroit River (cont'd)
Trenton (nev)
Wayne Co. STP
(Trenton)
Huron River(l)
Milford
South Lyon
Brighton
Stockbridge
Chelsea
Dexter
Ann Arbor
Ypsilanti
Ypsilanti Twp.
Flat Rock
Rockwood
River Raisin(2)
Manchester
Clinton
Tec urns eh
Adrian
Eliz. Park Canal
Eliz. Park Canal
Huron River
Novi-Lyon Drain
Ore Creek
Portage Creek
Letts Creek
Mill Creek
Huron River
Huron River
Huron River
Huron River
Huron River
River Raisin
River Raisin
River Raisin
S.Br. River Raisin
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Lagoons
Secondary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
2.25
2.U2
0.53
0.18
O.U9
0.13
0.27
0.12
10.31
2.28
3.65
0.3U
0.32
0.53
0.08
0.71
2.83
X
2,660
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
1,780
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
x = Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
(l) See Figure k-1^ for location.
(2) See Figure U-15 for location.
4-25
-------
TABLE ;)t£ (concluded)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Municipality or Receiving Stream Type Sewage Flow BOD (ibs/day)
Institution System (mgd) Raw Final
River Raisin (cont'd)
Blissfield .
Dundee
Saline
Milan
Monroe
River Raisin
River Raisin
Saline River
Saline River
River Raisin
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
O.U9
0.20
0.32
0.80
2.93
X
X
X
X
3,365
X
X
X
X
1,380
Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
L EGEND
O MUNICIPAL TREATMENT PLANT OUTFALLS
Q INDUSTRIAL OUTFALLS
© 8ANDUSKY [7]
© BROWN CITY [T]
© CROSWCLL [7)
© YALE H
© PORT HURON [T)
© MARYtVILLC (T]
© »T. CLAIR [f]
© EA«T CHINA TWP. [g]
© INLAY CITY [5]
© CAPAC [15]
(jj) MEMPHIi • [n]
© MARINE CITY [7]
@ NEW BALTIMORE
© RICHMOND
© NEW HAVIN
LAKE
HURON
MICH. MILK mOD. A8*N.
CROSWELL PICKLI CO.
MICH. SUaAM CO.
ITOKCLY VAN CAMP
PORT HURON PAPCR CO,
DUNN PAPER CO.
CHRYSLER PART* DEPOT
MANYSVILLC PLATINO CO.
MORTON SALT
DIAMOND CRVITAL SALT
MICN. MILK PROD. AIIN.
VLAIIIC FOOD MOO. CO.
CANADA
SCALE IN MILCI
MUNICIPAL a INDUSTRIAL
WASTE OUTFALLS
ST. CLAIR RIVER BASIN
-------
LOCATION MAP
_J> U a T H t At O U T F A L L *
NallM PridMitl C«.
t T*V C«r». Hick. Oi*.
MUNICIPAL a INDUSTRIAL WASTE OUTFALLS
-------
AREA LOCATION MAP \ :MUHOH
MICHIGAN
ONTARIO
DOMESTIC WATER INTAKES
SEWAGE PLANT OUTFALLS
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS
U.S. WATERS-DETROIT RIVER
-------
.p-
I
o
-------
•\t
ui
H
-------
results in an overload and subsequent noneffective treatment during
storm periods, vith an effect similar to stormvater overflov on the
receiving stream.
Federal Installations
The Selfridge Air Force Base operates a secondary wastevater
treatment plant vhich discharges-a chlorinated effluent into the
Clinton River. There are some base facilities served by septic tanks
that occasionally overflov to the river vithout disinfection. Plans
are underway to connect the base's system to the Detroit Metro System.
The U. S. Coast Guard operates a manned lighthouse at the mouth
of the Detroit River. Untreated sanitary wastes are directly dis-
charged into the water. This unit will become an unmanned lighthouse.
The Naval Air Station at Grosse lie is responsible for significant
quantities of oil in Frenchmen's Creek attributable to aircraft washings
and dumps of engine oil. This can affect problems with wildlife and
boating recreation. The Navy plans to move its air facility to
Selfridge AFB in 1968.
Industrial Waste
More than 90 individual industries exclusive of the hydroelectric
generating plants discharge approximately l.U billion gallons of waste-
water each day. About a billion of this goes to the Detroit River.
These effluents contain suspended solids, dissolved solids, oils, grease,
cyanide, toxic metals, acids, alkalis, bacteria, phenols, oxygen-
demanding wastes, nutrients, and heat. Industrial wastes are those
spent process waters associated with industrial operations which are
discharged separately and not in combination with municipal wastes.
Some effluents contain no significant concentration of contaminants,
while some are grossly polluted with waste material. Figure k-lk shows
the geographical location of industrial waste outfalls in the Detroit
River. For other river basins the location of the sources of industrial
wastes were shown in the figures in the municipal waste section.
The following is a summary of the adequacy of the industries'
treatment facilities rated by the Michigan Water Resources Commission:
Adequate treatment ^ U2
Inadequate treatment - 22
Unreliable treatment - - 9
Adequacy not established - 18
Need not established - 1
A number of industries include more than one type of discharge with
different ratings for the separate discharges. The majority of the indus-
tries with inadequate treatment in the Detroit River-Lake Erie conference
4-31
-------
MICHIGAN
INDUSTRIAL WASTE OUTFALLS
U.S. WATERS
DETROIT RIVER
IOOO 0 1000 3000 9000 7000
MILES
AMHERSTBURG
-------
area are currently under stipulations for improvements in treatment.
Table ^-T lists industries, locations, treatment, vastes, flow, re-
ceiving waters and ratings by the Michigan Water Resources Commission.
Maintenance Dredging Operations, Corps of Engineers
Rouge River
The dredging of the channels of the Main Rouge, Old Rouge.and
Short Cut Canal commencing at the Ford Motor Company turning basin and
extending to the Detroit River is classified as maintenance work.
Dredging operations are annual and commence about the middle of Septem-
ber and continue until Just before Christmas. In 1962 approximately
17^,000 cubic yards of silt, industrial waste and clay were removed
and hauled by the U. S. Hopper Dredge Mains to Grassy Island and
pumped within the diked area. In 1963, 255,000 cubic yards were re-
moved, j
i
I
The costs of maintenance dredging by the Corps of Engineers in the
Rouge were $206,288 in 1962 and $258,52*4 in 1963. To help defray the
cost of dredging various industries were charged an amount (see Table |
14-8) commensurate with the cost of removing that portion of the dredged
material deposited by industrial waste discharges.
Detroit River j
I
The Corps of Engineers removes some 100,000 cubic yards annually \
from the Livingstone Channel and 200,000 cubic yards annually from the [
East Outer Channel. The upper Livingstone Channel annual maintenance
dredging is primarily carried out to remove diked material (rocks and
boulders) which wave action has caused to topple into the channel.
The lower Livingstone Channel and the East Outer Channel operation
consists of removal of solids originating upstream and deposited in
areas where the velocity decreases as the river approaches and enters
Lake Erie.
Raisin River
Monroe Harbor dredging is classified as maintenance work and in
1962 and 1963 consisted of dredging from the Monroe Harbor terminal
turning basin to a point about 8,000 feet into Lake Erie. This is an
annual operation and usually takes place during the month of October.
Two hundred and seventy one thousand cubic yards of excavated material
consisting principally of silt, paper pulp and clay were hauled by the
U. S. Hopper Dredge Hoffman, to a disposal area in Lake Erie in 1962.
Similar operations were repeated in 1963 with 390,000 cubic yards of
material being removed by the U. S. Hopper Dredge Lyman.
The costs of maintenance dredging by the Corps of Engineers in the
Raisin River were $58,771* in 1962 and $128,536 in 1963. To help defray
4-34-
-------
TABLE lj_7
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
i
Ul
Industry
St. Clair River
1-Michigan Milk
Products Assn.
2-Croswell Pickle
3-Michigan Sugar
^-Stokely-Van Camp
5-Port Huron Paper
6-Dunn Paper
7-Midwest Machine
Co. of Indiana
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Peck
Elk Creek
Croswell Black River
Croswell Black River
Croswell Black River
Port Huron Black River
Port Huron St. Clair R.
Port Huron Bunce Creek
8-Chrysler Parts
Depot
Marysville St. Clair R.
9-Marysville Plating Marysville St. Clair R.
Milk products
0.01
Pickled products 0.20
Sugar processing l.kh
Food products x
Paper mill 7.10
Paper mill x
Machine products 0.0009
Motor vehicle
parts
0.01
Metal plating 0.006
BOD x
BOD x
BOD x
BOD x
BOD x; Fiber x;
Color x
Fiber x
Oil x
Px; Cr+6 x
Ni x; Cr+° x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE't-T (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
-.SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
I
en
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
St. Glair River (cont'd)
10-Morton Salt Marysville St. Clair R. Salt processing 8.00 x CaSO^ x;
NaCl x,
11-Diamond Crystal St. Clair St. Clair R. Salt processing 7.20
Salt
12-Michigan Milk
Products Assn
13-V"lasic Food
Products
Clinton River
Imlay City Belle River Milk products
Imlay City Belle River Food products
0.10
0.10
1-Rochester Paper Rochester Clinton R. Paper mill
0.29
2-National Twist
Drill
3-Higbee Mfg. Co.
Avon Tube
Rochester Clinton R. Machine products 0.36
Paint Cr.
Rochester Clinton R.
Paint Cr.
^-National Machine Utica
Products
0.1*0
Clinton R. Machine products 0.10
CaCl2 x
CaSO, x;
NaCl x;
CaCl x
BOD x
BOD x
Dye x; Fiber x
Oil x
x; CN x;
•Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE lj-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flov WASTE CONSTITUEMTS-rbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Clinton River (cont'd)
5-TRW Corp. Michigan Utica Red Run
Div. Beaver Cr.
6-Chrysler-Michigan Sterling
Missile Twp. Plumb Br.
7-Ford Motor
Detroit River
1-U. S. Rubber
Sterling Clinton R.
Twp. Plumb Br.
2-Parke, Davis & Co. Detroit Detroit R.
3-Anaconda-American Detroit Detroit R.
Brass
Motor vehicle
parts
Detroit Detroit R. Rubber goods
0.10
0.55
0.2(san)
1.5
1*2.0
Pharmaceutical 8.1
products
Copper products 5•3
xS
65S
135S
2,500
1*5
Soluble oil x
Fe x; Zn x;
Oil x; Cu x;
CW x; Cd x;
Cr+6 x;
Oil x
NH- 10; Zn 650;
P 22.5
BOD IT; Oil 256;
Phenol 1; CW 0.13;
NH3 X
BOD 376; Fe 1.1;
Cu 60; Zn 32;
Pb 0.25;
Chromium 10; NH, x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE l(-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
CP
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Flow
Type (mgd)
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Solids** Chlorides Other
Detroit River (cont'd)
U-Revere Copper Detroit
& Brass
Detroit R.
5-Great Lakes Steel- Detroit
Blast Furnace Div.
Detroit R.
6-Great Lakes Steel- River
Hot Stip Mill Rouge
Detroit R.
Brass and copper 2.9
products
Pig iron and coke 90.0
Sheet steel
72.0
2,l66S
100,0003 17,959
29,0003 1,000
BOD 570;
Oil 2,628,
Fe 3.5; NH x;
CN x; Cu 100;
Hi O.U; Zn 66;
Pb 0.9;
Chromium 29
BOD 3,700;
Oil 2,1482;
Phenol 370;
Fe 5,1^6;
NH-. 2,900;
CN 10; Cu 108;
Zn 750; Pb 123
P x
Phenol 1.65;
Fe 1,500;
Oil 2,738;
NH- 86; Zn U2;
BOD 350; Pb 280;
x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U_7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Type (mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Detroit River (cont'd)
7-Dana Corp Ecorse
Detroit R.
Auto, truck and O.U
railroad frames
8-Fuel Oil Corp.
River
Rouge
Detroit R.
9-Great Lakes Steel Ecorse Detroit R.
Ecorse Mill
Ship washing
Steel
72.0
BOD 588;
Oil 60;
Phenol 0.26;
Fe 20; NH x;
CN x; Acia x;
Cu 1.2; Zn 11;
Pb 0.5;
Chromium 1.3; P x
70S***
20*** BOD 221***;
Oil I2lt**«
8,UOOS 1,800
BOD x; Oil 7,88U;
Phenol 1.67;
Fe U9,000;
NH x; CN x;
Acid 158,000;
Cu 137; Ni 1»;
Zn 12; Pb 31*;
Chromium 8
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
*** Pounds per ship,
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLEU_Y(continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
I
-^.
o
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Type (mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Detroit River (cont'd)
10-E.I.DuPont de
Neaours
Ecorse Detroit R. Chemical products 1.1*
11-Wyandotte Chem- Wyandotte Detroit R. Chemical products 57-0
icals, North
Side Works
12-Wyandotte Chem-
icals , South
Side Works
Wyandotte Trenton
Channel
13-Pennsalt Chemical Wyandotte Trenton
East Plant Channel
Chemical products 5**-7
Chemical products 97-0
1,500 Fe 23, NH., x;
Acid x; Cu 0.3;
Zn 6; Pb O.U;
P x
300,0003 1,300,000 BOD 2,200;
Oil x; Phenol
3**.13; Fe x;
NH x; CN x;
. Cu 59; Zn 7;
P lit
69,71*53 550,000 BOD 3,000'
Oil x; Fe x;
NH., x; CN x;
Cu 35; Ni 1;
Zn 10; Pb 7;
Chromium 6; P x
93,370 500,000 BOD x; Oil x;
NH-o x; CN x; P x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE l*-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
_Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Detroit River (cont'd)
l^t-Koppers Co.
15-Firestone Tire
and Rubber
16-McLouth Steel
Wyahdotte Trenton
Channel
Riverview Trenton
Channel
Trenton Trenton
Channel
Chemical products 0.8
25S
Wheel rims
1.0
296S
Stainless steel
products
65.7 15,5885
158 BOD 112;
Oil 17.5;
Phenol 0.6;
Fe 13; NH x;
Cu 2.7; Zrf 2.8;
Pb 1.2; P x
16 BOD 70;
Phenol 0.19;
Fe 5,1+07; NH,, x;
CN x; Acid 2,700;
Cu 13, Zn 9; P x
2lt,267 BOD 5,000; Oil
270; Phenol 9.Q1+;
Fe 1,990;
NH3 250; CN 119;
Cu 63; Ni 9;
Zn 300, Pb 325;
Chromium 3; P x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved; S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Detroit River (cont'd)
17-Mobile Oil
l8-Chrysler Corp.
Engine Plant
Woodhaven Trenton
Channel
Fuels and Solvents
Trenton Eliz. Park Motor vehicle
Channel machines
1.1 1,588S 12,989
1.1
268
BOD 1,000;
Oil 719;
Phenol 117;
Fe 2; NH x;
CN x; Cu 0.7;
-Zn 0.5; Pb 3;
Chromium 0.8;
P x
BOD 85; Phenol
0.78; Fe 2;
NH, x; Cu O.U;
Ni 0.1; Zn 0.7;
Pb 2; P x
19-Monsanto Chemical Trenton
20-Shawinigan Resins Trenton
Trenton Phosphates & deter- 18.0 6,500S
Channel gents
Trenton Chemical products O.U 1,313S
Channel
BOD x; Oil x;
Fe 6; NH x;
Cn x; Acid x;
Cu 3.5; Ni 0.8;
Zn O.U; P 10,000
BOD 6,970;
Oil x;~
NH x; CN x;
Acfd 7,190; P x
Phenol 0.01
* Except temperature in °F and pH
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE 1^-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Detroit River (cont'd)
21-Chrysler-Chemical Trenton
Div.
22-Chrysler-Amplex
Div.
23-McLouth Steel
Trenton
Trenton
Channel
Trenton
Channel
Gibraltar Trenton
Channel
Chemical products 0.3
Gears 0.3
Steel 1.6
168s
NH x; CN x;
P X
NH x; CN x;
P x
xS 25,600 Oil 2Ul; Fe 210;
NH- x; CN x;
Acid 15,^00; Cu x;
Cd x; Ni x; Zn x;
Pb x; Chromium x;
P x
Rouge River
1-Ford Motor-Rouge Dearborn Rouge R. Automobiles and auto 1*00.0 62,0003
parts
32,000 BOD 2,930j
Oil 6,570;
Phenol 750;
Fe 19,000' NH3
5,000; CN 900;
Acid 50,000;
Cu 1,500; Ni 36;
Zn 275; Pb 50;
Chromium 260; P
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, D=Total Dissolved
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLEH-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Plow WASTE COMSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Rouge River (cont'd)
2-Darling & Co. Melvindale Rouge R.
3-American Agric.
Chemicals
^-Allied Chemical
General Chem.Div.
Detroit
Rouge R.
Fertilizers and
chemicals
River
Rouge
o.
Route R.
Industrial chem-
icals
1.1 168S lU BOD 7,100;
Oil 158;
Phenol 0.2^;
Fe x; NH? 135;
CN x; Pb 1.0;
P 5.5
1.2 19S Phenols 0.03;
Fe x; NH3 x;
Cu 6.5;
Zn 2.0; Pb 0.9;
Chromium x; P x
9.1 1,1358 ^56 BOD x; Oil x;
Phenol 0.1;
Fe x; NH x;
CN x; Cu35;
Cd U.I; Zn 11;
Pb 1; P x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE !*-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
I
-£>
cn
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Rouge River (cont'd)
5-Solvay Process
Div.
6-Plastics Div.
7-Semet
Solvay Div.
8-Scott Paper
Detroit Rouge R.
Detroit Rouge R.
Detroit Rouge R.
Detroit Rouge R.
9-American Cement Detroit Rouge R.
Peerless Cement
Div.
Industrial chem-
icals
Industrial chem-
icals
Industrial chem-
icals
Paper mill
Cement
15.2
0.5
5-9
10,0003 2,800,000 Phenol 17-6;
Fe x; NH x;
Cu 3.6; 3
Zn 2.8; Pb 1.5;
Chromium 0.U;
P x
12 BOD 60; Oil 9.5;
Phenol 9; NH?
lUO; CN 0.6;
P x
100S
31,3003
8.1 3,0003
150 BOD 50; Oil x;
Phenol 7.3;
NH x; CN 0.35;
CuJ2; P x
33,600 BOD 135,000;
Oil x; Phenol 26;
Fe x; NH x;
Cu llU; In 230;
P x
367 BOD 25; Oil 70.3;
Phenol 0.27,
Fe 6; P x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved,
S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
-------
TABLE 1^-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Huron River (eont'd)
9-Ford Motor
Ypsilanti Huron R. Motor vehicle
parts
10-General Motors Willow Run Willow Run Cr. Motor vehicle
parts
11-Huron Valley
Steel
Belleville Huron R. Steel products
12-Belleville Plating Belleville Huron R. Metal plating
13-DT & I RR Yards
River Raisin
Flat Rock Silver Cr. Railroad yards
0.7
1.1
0.1
0.01
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
Temp . x
Paint sludge x;
BOD x; CrOj x
Acids x;
alkali x, toxic
metals x
Oil x
1-Tecumseh Products
2-Gray
3-Buckeye Products
Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Adrian
River Raisin
River Raisin
S.Br. River
Raisin
l.UU
0.01
0.20
Temp . x
Toxic Metals x
Acid x; alkali x;
toxic metals x
-------
TABLE l4_j(continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
River Raisin (cont'd)
U-Avis Industries
5-Simplex Paper
-f*
1
£ 6-Stauffer Chemical
CP
T-Revco
8-Wolverine Co.
9-Dundee Cement
10-Hoover Ball &
Bearing
11-Hoover Ball &
Bearing
Location
Adrian
Palmura
Weston
Deerfield
Dundee
Dundee
Saline
Pittsfield
Twp.
Receiving
Stream Type
S.Br. River
Raisin
River Raisin Paper products
Black Creek Chemicals
River Raisin
River Raisin Paper products
Macon Creek Cement
Saline R. Bearing parts
Wood Gutter Bearing parts
Drain
Flow
(mgd)
0.28
0.25
0.23
0.03
0.03
i.Uo
0.57
0.03
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Solids** Chlorides Other
Chrome x
Fiber x;
BOD X
Acid x;
alkali x
Washer water
bonderite x
Paper x;
fiber x
x H?S x; caustic
materials x
Acids x; alkali x;
CN x; toxic
metals x
Temp . x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
I
-f^
_D
TABLE It -7 (cont inue d)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry Location
River Raisin (cont'd)
12-Monroe Paper Monroe
13-Consolidated Paper Monroe
North Side Div.
it-Consolidated Paper Monroe
South Side Div.
Receiving Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Stream Type (mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
River Raisin Liner board 2.21 1.U75S 120 BOD 1,900;
oil 36.5;
phenol 0.6;
Fe 15; NH3 3;
Acid x; Cu 3;
Zn 93
River Raisin Liner board and 7.50 7,8233 BOD 17,20U;
cardboard Oil 898;
phenol 11.0
acid x; P x
River Raisin Automotive black- 7.0 10,6003 BOD 7,000;
board, boxboard oil 263;
phenol 0.5;
15-Monroe Steel Cast- Monroe
ing
River Raisin Steel casting
l6-Monroe Auto Equip- Monroe River Raisin Shock absorbers 0.02
ment
NH_ -;2; acid x;
ZnJ15; P 9
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U-7 (concluded)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
I
01
O
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
River Raisin (cont'd)
17-Union Bag-Camp
Paper
Monroe
Mason Run
Liner board
18-Ford Motor Co.
Monroe
River Raisin
Automotive acces-
sories
^.57 3,5873 BOD 11,770;
Oil 672;
phenol 5.9;
Fe 20;
NH 12;
acrd x
130 83 16,000 BOD U8;
oil 6,351;
phenol 3.8;
NH 160;
CN31,075; acid x;
Cu 700; Ni 120;
Zn 125;
Chromium 136;
P 1,OU6
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
the cost of dredging in the Raisin River, the Consolidated Paper Co.
is charged a fixed annual fee of $5,000.
TABLE U-8
PARTICIPATING COSTS
ROUGE RIVER MAINTENANCE DREDGING
Industry Year Amount
Ford Motor Company 1962 17,051.11
1963 35,671,83
Scott Paper Company 1962 1,836.5!*
1963 8,701.66
Allied Chemical Corporation-
Solvay Process Division 1962 1*,1*69.^9
1963 5,379-53
American Cement Corporation-
Peerless Cement Division Fixed Annual Charge 3,500.00
Population and Waste Load Projections
Demographic studies conducted by the Great Lakes-Illinois River
Basins Project, Chicago, for the Southeastern Michigan portion of
the Lake Erie Basin have developed population trends on a national,
regional, and county basis. These studies, plus the projected pop-
ulations in the National Sanitation Report, Sewerage and Drainage
Problems, Six-county Metropolitan Area, Southeastern Michigan, were
used to project populations for the year 1990 and 2020.
The population centers of the area are Detroit and the surrounding
communities of Pontiac, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, Monroe, and Adrian.
Each area (including several not mentioned above) was analyzed, assuming
that by 2020 the areas will be urbanized and served by water and sewer
systems. The results from each individual area were added to yield the
total population served.
The waste loading of communities in the Clinton River Basin served
by the City of Detroit have been included in the Detroit area. In pro-
jecting the populations, the possibility that some of the communities
may in the future transport their wastes out of their individual basins
was not taken into account.
Since the principal degradant from municipal waste sources is
oxygen demanding material (BOD), the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand
4-51
-------
test (BOD ) is used as an indicator. Results are based upon popula-
tions and^upon present-day inventory information obtained from the
Michigan Water Resources Commission, the Michigan Department of
Public Health, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration.
The resulting untreated and treated BOD loading projections are shown
in Table l*-9- They are summarized in Table 1*-10. Table l*-8 also shows
the present and projected BOD load from storm and sanitary sewers.
TABLE l*-9
BOD PROJECTIONS .BY RIVER BASINS
-'SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
St. Clair River-Lake St. Clair
Untreated BOD_
Municipal
Residential
Industrial
Subtotal
Industrial
(Direct to river)
Total Untreated BOD
Treated BOD,-
Municipal
With present 37$
removal
With 90$ removal
With 95$ removal
With 99$ removal
Industrial (direct to river)
With present 77$
removal
With 90$ removal
With 95$ removal
With 99$ removal
'•'-...• Total BOD
With present removal
With 90$ removal
With 95$ removal
With 99$ removal
1965
12,000
2,1*00
lit, 1*00
32,000
1*^00
6,200
1,1*1*0
720
lUU
7,300
3,200
1,600
320
13,500
1*,61*0
2,320
1*61*
1990
27,000
It, 300
31,300
57,500
887800"
13,500
3,130
1,570
313,
13,200
5,750
2,880
575
26,700
8,880
It, 1*1*0
888
2020
50,000
5,800
55,800
77.000
132,800
2l*,000
5,580
2,790
558
17,700
7,700
3,850
770
1*1,700
13,280
6,61*0
1,328
4-52
-------
TABLE 1+-9 (continued)
BOD PROJECTIONS BY RIVER BASINS
5SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Clinton River . 1965 1990 2020
Untreated BOD
Municipal
Residential 53,975 198,000 325,1+00
Industrial 12,350 20,375 29,61+1+
Subtotal 66,325 218,375 355,01+1+
Industrial
(direct to river) ll+3 235 3^1
Total Untreated BOD 66,1+68 218,610 355,385
Treated BOD
Total BOD
With present Qh% removal 11,179 35,1+1+7 57,231+
With 90$ removal 6,61+8 21,86l 35,518
With 95$ removal 3,32l+ 10,930 17,759
With 99$ removal 665 2,186 3,552
4-53
-------
C
TABL£,lt-9 (continued)
DETROIT METROPOLITAN AREA
BOD5 PROJECTIONS (#/day)
DETROIT METRO
1962
1990
2020
Untteated BODr
Municipal
Residential
Industrial
Subtotal
Industrial*
(direct to river)
Total Untreated BODC
533,000
134,000
667,000
226,000
893,000
910,000
240,000
1,150,000
405,000
1,555,000
1,100,000
320,000
1,420,000
538,000
1,958,000
Treated BODC
Municipal
With present
20% removal 533,000
With 90% removal 66,700
With 957« removal 33,000
With 997, removal 6,670
Industrial
(direct to river)
With present
257o removal* 170,000
With 907o removal 22,600
With 957, removal 11,300
With 997o removal 2,260
Total BOD- to Detroit River
With present removal 703,000
With 907» removal
With 957» removal
With 997o removal
89,300
44,650
8,930
920,000
115,000
57,500
11,500
304,000
40,500
20,250
4,050
1,224,000
155,500
77,750
15,550
1,140,000
142,000
71,000
14,200
404,000
53,800
26,900
5,380
1,544,000
195,800
97,900
19,580
*Estimated
4-5.4-
10 1367
-------
O
TABLE h-9 (continued)
HURON RIVER
Untreated BOD 1965 1990 2020
Municipal
Residential 25,000 65,000 102,000
Industrial 10,000 17,000 24,000
o
Subtotal 35,000 82,000 126,000
Industrial 4,000 6,800 9,600
(direct to river)
Total Untreated BOD 39,000 88,800 135,600
Treated BOD to Huron River 1965 1990 2020
Municipal
With present 907. removal 3,500 8,200 12,600
With 95% removal 1,750 4,100 6,300
With 99% removal 350 820 1,260
Industrial (direct to river)
With present 50% removal 2,000 3,400 4,800
With 90% removal 400 680 960
With 95% removal 200 340 480
With 99% removal • 40 68 96
Total BOD to Huron River
With present removal 5,500 11,600 17,400
With 90% removal 3,900 8,880 13,560
With 95% removal 1,950 4,440 6,780
With 99% removal 390 888 1,356
4.55 JIK 10 1i67
-------
RIVER RAISJS
TABLE l*-9 (continued)
1965
Untreated BODC
Subtotal 13,560
Industrial (direct to
river) 86,200
1990
42,300
190,000
2020
Municipal
Residential
Industrial
11,500
2,060
37,800
4,500
118,000
10,800
128,800
450,000
Total Untreated; BOD5 99
232,300
578,800
o
Treated BOD5, to Raisin-^ River
Municipal
With present 687,
removal
With 907o removal
Withu957o removal
With 997. removal
Industrial (direct to river)
With present 437o
removal
With 907» removal
With 957» removal
With 997, removal
Total BOD, to River Raisin
With present removal
With 907, removal
With 957. removal
With 997o removal
4,290
1,356
678
136
)
48,900
8,620
4,300
860
53,190
9,980
4,990
970
13,500
4,230
2,100
420
108,000
19,000
9,500
1,900
121,500
23,230
11,600
2,320
41,200
1,290
640
130
256,000
45,000
22,500
4,500
297,000
57,900
29,000
5,800
4-5 fc
JIK 10 1367
-------
TABLEit-7 (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Huron River
1-Ford Motor
2-Michigan Seamless
Tube
3-Hoover Ball and
Bearing
Wixom
Norton Cr.
Motor vehicle
parts
So. Lyon Novi-Lyon Dr.
Whitmore O1Conner Dr. Bearing parts
Lake
1.2
0.9
0.1
Paint sludge x;
chromate x.
Pickle liquor
x; Temp, x
Temp. x•
U-Eongworth Plating Chelsea Letts Cr. Metal plating
0.1
5-Federal Screw
Products
Chelsea Letts Cr.
6-Rockwell-Standard Chelsea Letts Cr.
7-King-Seely Thermos Scio Huron R.
8-Peninsular Paper Ypsilanti Huron R.
Screws, bolts, etc. 0.1
0.1
0.3
Paper mill
1.6
Acids x;
alkali x; toxic
metals x; oil x
Temp, x
Temp, x
Acids x;
alkalis x; toxic
metals x
Fiber x; dye x
* Except temperature in F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=T6tal Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U-10
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AREA
SUMMARY OF BOD PROJECTIONS (lbs//day)
1962-1965 1990 2020
Untreated BOD,.
!/
Municipal
Residential 635,1+75 1,237,800 1,695,1+00
Industrial 160,810 286,175 390,21+1*
Subtotal 796,285 1,523,975 2,085,61+1+
Industrial
(Direct to river) 3^8,3^3 659.535 1,07*+,
Total Untreated BOD l,lM,628 2,183,510 3,160,585
Treated BOD_
^
Total BOD
With present 36$ removal 786,368 1,1*19,21*7 1,957,331+
With 90$ removal 111* ,1+63 218,351 316,059
With 95$ removal 57,230 109,175 158,030
With 99$ removal 11,1*1+6 21,835 31,606
BOD load from Storm Water Overflow
Estimated present load = 1*3,000 Ibs/day from combined sewers
1*,000 Ibs/day from separate sewers.
Assuming straight line projection with population growth
1990 combined sewer load without treatment = 70,000 Ibs/day
2020 combined sewer load without treatment -= 90,000 Ibs/day
of all combined sewers are replaced by separate sewers and no
new combined sewers are built, the projected BOD load from
storm water Overflow would be:
1990 - 29,000 Ibs/day
2020 - 38,000 Ibs/day
' 4-51
-------
The total untreated BOD for the Southeastern Michigan area of
the Lake Erie Basin is expected to nearly double "by 1990 and almost
triple by 2020. Removal of the projected BOD loadings at present
efficiencies would allow over 60% of total untreated BOD to reach the
rivers and lakes of the area.
Projections have been made for phosphorus and chlorides from waste
sources in Southeastern Michigan. These projections are shown in
Table 1+-11 and 1+-12.
4-58
-------
TABLE 1*-11
PROJECTIONS OF PHOSPHORUS INPUTS
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
1960
Ibs/day
3,000
3,000
3,000
1*6,000
1990
Ibs/day
3,000
1*,500
It, 500
85,000
2020
Ibs/day
3,000
6,000
6,000
111,000
Phosphorus
Present discharge (Raw)
Rural runoff^
Urban runoff
Ind. wastep
Mun. waste
Based on 1*,300 mi. of rural area and constant of 250 Ibs/yr/iai
phosphorus for rural runoff.
o
Using 2.5 Ibs/acre/yr phosphorus contribution for urban areas.
•^Direct discharge industries.
^Includes industries connected to city sewers.
ProJ ect ed discharges
Year
1990
1990
1990
2020
2020
2020
All sources
Treatment'
0
95$
0
95*
Phosphorus
Ibs/day
97,000
9,750
1*,880
126,000
6,300
2,500
TABLE 1*-12
CHLORIDE PROJECTIONS
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
Chlorides
Municipal wastes
Industrial wastes
Streets
TOTAL
-'•Using 0.23 Ibs/cap/day
To maintain discharge at 8.1 x 10 Ibs/day (present load) will require the
following treatment:
Municipal* Industrial* Street _s*
196!*
Ibs/day'
800,000
6,000,000
1,300,000
8,100,000
1990
Ibs/day
1,500,000
9,000,000
1,950,000
12,1*50,000
2020
Ibs/day
1,950,000
12,000,000
2,600,000
16,550,000
1990
2020
U6.5
60
33
50
33
50
-------
Maumee River Basin
The principal waste sources in the Maumee River Basin are
municipal, industrial, and agricultural. Presently, strong headway
is being made in the control of the municipal and particularly the
industrial wastes, but agricultural wastes appear to remain as the
major long-term pollution problem yet to be controlled. Due to the
low flow in the basin's waterways, some form of tertiary or advanced
waste treatment of all wastes is presently, or will be, required.
All wastes should be treated to the point that no effluent BOD con-
centrations exceed 6-10 mg/1, depending on stream slope.
Municipal Wastes
Approximately 705,000 people are served by sewage plants in the
Maumee Basin. The location of these plants is given in Figure I|-l6.
Over 1*00,000 people are served by individual septic tank systems.
These people have a raw BOD of approximately 183,000 Ibs. per day.
If these wastes received either secondary or tertiary treatment, the
discharges would total 18,000 and 5,500 Ibs. per day respectively, as
compared to present estimated discharge of 27,000 Ibs. per day. This
is a net removal of 85 percent, neglecting bypassing of untreated
sewage. Of the total 1|5 municipal treatment plants 36 provide second-
ary treatment, 5 provide oxidation lagoons, 2 provide intermediate
treatment, 2 provide primary treatment, and 11 provide minor treat-
ment. Table U-13 lists the major Maumee River Basin municipal wastes
for the present, and the years 1990 and 2020 with complete secondary
or tertiary treatment provided. The individual subbasins are summarized
in Figure U-17.
The present total phosphorus discharged by municipalities is
estimated to be 9,000 Ibs. per day. This is expected to rise to 12,000
and 19,000 Ibs. per day by 1990 and 2020 respectively.
Industrial Wastes
Industrial wastes have a great effect on receiving waters in the
basin. Table k-lk, listing the major industrial waste producers of
the Maumee Basin, is based mainly on information obtained from State
water pollution control agencies. The location of these industries is
shown in Figure ^-l6.
The major materials in industrial wastes which have caused the
most persistent water quality problems in the area's waters are: BOD,
phenol, oil, nitrogen compounds, and toxic materials. Some industries,
such as Excello in Lima, have relatively small waste discharges, but at
the place their outfall reaches the stream, the stream flow is quite
small or nonexistent for most of the year. Other industries, such as
Standard Oil of Ohio in Lima, have in the past affected the quality of
not only the immediate receiving stream, but also at the Maumee River
from its point of junction down to its mouth.
4-60
-------
Figure 1+-16 - Municipal and Industrial Waste Discharges in the Maumee
River Basin..
-------
o
City
St. Joseph River
Montpelier, 0.
Butler, Ind.
A .uDurn, Ind.
Garrett, Ind.
St. Marys River
St. Marys, 0.
. }s Berne, Ind.
j Decatur, Ind.
, Upper Maumee River
•^ Fort Wayne, Ind.
New Haven, Ind.
Hicksville, 0.
Defiance, 0.
Tiffin River
Hudson, Mich.
Morenci, Mich.
Archbold, 0.
Bryan, 0.
^Secondary treatment
Tertiary treatment
Includes population
cr:
O O
TABLE 4 -13
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN - MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
(BOD,, in pounds per day)
1960 1960 1960 2
Population Raw Sec. Eff.
4,131 1
2,176
6,350 1
4,364 , .
7,737 1
2,644
8,327 1
168,376 46
3,396
3,116
14,553 2
2,550
2,055
2,348 5
7,361 1
(90% removal)
(97% removal)
of Waynedale
,050
370
,080
740
,330
450
,420
,100
580
530
,470
430
350
,090
,930
105
37
108
74
133
45
142
4,610
58
53
247
43
35
509
193
1960
Tert. Eff.
31
11
32
22
40
13
43
1,380
17
16
74
13
10
150
58
1980
Sec. Eff.
160
50
140
100
230
70
210
8,200
100
80
390
80
60
810
290
1980
Tert. Eff.
48
15
42
30
70
21
63
2,460
30
24
118
24
18
243
78
2020
Sec. Eff.
300
80
230
160
533
150
460
21,890
220
200
920
240
200
1,900
560
2020 .
Tert. Eff.
90
24
69
48
160
45
138
6,570
66
60
276
72
60
570
168
-------
o
o
TABLE 4-1.3 (continued)
-
4^
I
(5^
.
cr:
r-
c:
o-
c
City
Auglaize River
Wapakoneta, 0.
Spencerville, 0.
Delphos, 0.
Ada, 0.
Lima, 0.
Columbus Grove, 0.
Findlay, 0.
Bluffton, 0.
Ottawa, 0.
Van Wert, 0.
Paulding, 0.
Lower Maumee River
Napoleon, 0.
Wauseon, 0.
De 1 ta , 0 .
Perrysburg, 0.
Swan ton , 0 .
Toledo, 0.
^,c j' f
1960
Population
6,756
2,061
6,961
3,918
53,537
2,104
30,344
2,591
3,245
11,323
2,936
6,739
4,311
2,376
5,519
2,306
318,003
/!>- „
/
I960
Raw
2,580
280
1,320
670
11,200
1,470
7,700
340
550
3,400
500
1,150
730
560
790
440
85,060
1960
Sec. Eff.
258
28
132
67
1,120
147
770
34
55
340
50
115
73
56
79
44
8,510
^Ci
1960
Tert. Eff.
77
8
40
20
340
44
230
10
16
100
15
34
22
17
24
.13
2,550
1980
Sec. Eff.
407
50
230
90
2,000
220
1,270
60
79
490
70
170
110
90
140
70
14,600
1980
Tert. Eff.
122
15
69
27
600
66
380
18
24
147
21
51
33
27
42
21
4,380
2020 2
Sec. Eff.
970
130
630
90
5,200
420
3,000
160
155
830
120
330
270
210
380
160
30,300
2020
Tert. Eff.
290
39
189
27
1,560
126
900
48
46
249
36
99
81
63
114
48
9,090
-------
Figure H-17. Future Municipal Waste Loadings in the Maumee River
Basin.
-------
TABLE h-lh
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
j
-------
TABLE 1* -3li '^continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Other
Lower Maumee River
1-Interlake Steel Corp. Toledo
2-Toledo Edison Toledo
3-Li"bby-Owens-Ford Defiance
(East Toledo)
U-Allied Chemical Toledo
5-Johns-Manville Defiance
6-Camp"bell Soups*** Napoleon
7-Central Foundry
CMC
Defiance
Lower Maumee Blast furnaces kk.Q
River
Lower Maumee Power Plant x
River
Lower Maumee Flat; glass 0.25
River products
Lower Maumee
River
Lower Maumee Fiberglas 0.3
River products
Lower Maumee Canned soups 3.2
River
Lower Maumee Gray iron U.O
River foundry
pH x, BOD x, COD x,
phenol x; oil x, temp.x
Temp. x
x Oil 76^Cdlbr..x
COD 60
6.900S BOD 380, Oil x
BOD 5,900, Oil x, Temp, x
BOD 960, COD 8,700,
Phenol h, Oil x, Temp, x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
*** Discharged in winter months only
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE In 1*( continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flov WASTE COHSTITUENTS-rbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Other
Lover Maumee River (cont'd)
8-Johns-Manville*** Defiance Lower Mauraee Fiberglas
River products
9-S. K. Wayne Tools Maria Lower Maumee Tools
Stein River
10-Weatherhead Corp. Antwerp Upper Maumee Screw machine
River products
11-B. F. Goodrich
12-Parrot Packing
13-International
Harvester
lU-Magnavox Co.
15-Phelps Dodge
Ft. Wayne Maumee R. Rubber products
Ft. Wayne Maumee R.
Ft. Wayne Maumee R.
Ft. Wayne Maumee R.
Ft. Wayne. Maumee R.
Motor vehicles
0.28
0.25
0.09
0.16
Oil x
BOD 33, COD 31, Phenol x
CN 2.6
BOD 27, COD x, Oil 1,
Temp. x
BOD 88U, COD 730, Oil 136,
Temp. x
Oil x, CN x
Phenol x
BOD 17-3, Phenol x, COD x
*Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
*** Unknown amount discharged to Defiance sewage treatment plant.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE Mt (cent inued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
I
-------
TABLE ii'-i'! (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
(T
Industry
Ottawa River
1-Ford Motor Co.
2-Sohio Nitrogen
3-Sohio Acrylonitrile
It-Standard Oil Co.
Location
Lima
Lima
Lima
Lima
Receiving
Stream
Ottawa R.
Ottawa R.
Ottawa R.
Ottawa R.
Type
Motor vehicle
engines
Chemicals
Chemicals
Petroleum refining
Flow
(mgd)
0.1*5
1.93
0.85
3.15
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Solids** Other
BQD 51, Oil 67,
COD 259
33,600T BOD lltO, NH~ 5,61*0,
COD 2,960, Cu 21
IS^OOT BOD x, NH- 500,
COD 1,9707 CN 75
LOT BOD 1,900, NHq x, Phei
5-Ex-Cell-O-Corp. Lima Ottawa R.
6-Republic Creosote Lima Ottawa R.
Tiffin River
1-Defiance Fertil- Defiance Tiffin R.
izer Co.
Aircraft engines
Wood preserving
Fertilizer
0.12
0.01
Oil 881, COD x
BOD l6,vCN x, COD 3U.2
BOD 26, Phenol 7-7, Oil 19,
QN; x, COD 12.7
NH3 x, COD 0.2, PO^ x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE lt-J&. (VontUnued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
o
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITLJENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Other
St. Marys River
1-Dana Corp.
Sal Axle Works
2-Essex Wire
3-Central Soya
U-Weston Paper
5-Goodyear Tire
& Rubber
Ft. Wayne St. Marys R.
Ft. Wayne St. Marys R.
Decatur St. Marys R.
St. Marys St. Marys R.
St. Marys St. Marys R.
6-Beatrice Foods New Breman St. Marys R.
St. Joseph River
1-Warner Automotive Auburn St. Joseph R.
2-Kitchen Quip
Waterloo St. Joseph R.
Motor vehicle 1.05
parts
Wire .09
Soybean products .05
Paperboard x
Rubber products 1.10
Fluid milk
0.08
0.39
BOD U2, Oil 3.5, CX x,
COD x
BOD 2.1, Phenol x
BOD IK 3, Phenol x,
CM. x, COD x
Oil x, COD x, BOD x
BOD 3hh, CN x, COD UU8
BOD 15, Oil x, COD 59
BOD IK 7, Phenol x,
Oil x, CH x, COD x
BOD 12.1, Phenol x, Oil x,
CS 0.01, Zn 1.5, Cu 0.9
Ni 7.2
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U-llj (concluded)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Flow
Type
(mgd) Solids** Other
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
St. Joseph River (cont'd)
3-Crane-Edmund Butler St. Joseph R.
U-Universal Tool*** Butler St. Joseph R.
0.06
0.03
5-Edgerton Metal Edgerton St. Joseph R. Metal finishing O.lU
Products
6-Bundy Foods
Blakeslee St. Joseph R. Canned Foods 0.11
BOD 3.9, Phenol x, Oil 17.1,
CN 1.30, COD 1+9.5, Zn 3-9
BOD U.U, Phenol x, Oil 19.2,
CN 3.3, COD 7-9, Zn ^.0
BOD 1U.5, CN 2.0, COD U2.2,
Cr 0.1
BOD 5.5, Oil x, COD 15.8
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
*** Unknown amount discharged to Butler sewage treatment plant.
-------
It is estimated that industries in this area presently provide
an average removal of BOD of 86 percent, neglecting bypassing. As
with domestic wastes, a much higher degree of industrial waste treat-
ment is required in the future to produce acceptable conditions.
Table U-15 gives the industrial BOD for 3 degrees of removal and
1990 and 2020 projections.
Combined Sewers and Storm Water Overflow
Most of the sewer systems within the Maumee Basin are either
partially or totally of the combined type. These systems contribute
appreciable quantities of oxygen demanding wastes and bacterial pol-
lution to the waterways. Storm water overflow from separate systems
which have become overloaded from infiltration or illegal drain
connections, also contribute measurable quantities of pollutants to
the waters. The extimated oxygen demand exerted by these wastes was
11,000 Ibs. per day in I960. If all combined sewers are separated
by 1990, the discharge from storm water overflows alone will be 6,000
Ibs. per day. This will increase to 9,000 Ibs. per day by 2020.
Agriculture and Land Runoff
Probably the major long-term pollutional problem in the Maumee
Basin is from agricultural sources. Even if all domestic and indus-
trial wastes were given 100 percent treatment, there would still be
significant water pollution problems from agricultural sources. The
primary pollutants are nutrients, sediment and dissolved solids, with
secondary materials of herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, and
algicides.
An example of nutrient pollution from agriculture is Burr Lake
on the Little Auglaize River where secci disc (transparency) readings
of 3 inches were commonly obtained. Another example is Van Buren Lake
in which, when the temperature is above 55 percent, the secci disc
readings average around 6 inches due to the colloidal material present.
Trautman has described how particular agricultural practices have
4--T1
-------
TABLE U-15
FUTURE INDUSTRIAL BODr DISCHARGES
pounds per day
Year Rav 86% 90%
1960
1990
2020
220,000
300,000
380,000
31,000
te.ooo
53,000
22,000
30,000
38,000
6,600
9,000
ll.UOO
4--7 3
-------
degraded the water quality in the Maumee Basin. The only soil con-
servation practices instituted in the basin seem to be drainage vorks -
water is moved off the land as quickly as possible, regardless of other
considerations.
The Maumee River has the highest sediment concentration of any
river in the Lake Erie Basin even with its extremely flat stream and
ground slopes. It discharges an average suspended sediment load of
two million tons per year to Lake Erie. Biologists believe that these
heavy silt loads from the Maumee River have smothered the spawning beds
of the white fish in Western Lake Erie and hastened the decline of the
Lake Erie fishery.
The difficulty with much of the sediment from this area is its
extremely small particle size, in many cases approaching a colloidal
diameter. During low flows, over 80 percent of the sediment has a
particle diameter less than 2 microns and over 90 percent has a diameter
less than U microns. (A micron is about 1/25,000th of an inch.) Thus,
besides having the greatest total amount of sediment load, the Maumee
River also contains the finest grained sediment.
To make a preliminary estimate of the chemical constituents in
the rural runoff in the Maumee River watershed, results of data ob-
tained in the Lake Michigan small rural watershed sampling program
were used. This information with knowledge obtained from field obser-
vations in the Maumee Basin was utilized to make the final determination.
Table h-l6 is a listing of the preliminary estimates of the chemical
constituents for the runoff expressed in 100 tons per year for the
various subbasins of the Maumee Basin.
To solve the problem of rural runoff, land should be drained
through subsurface tile drains in combination with contour farming.
The crops of some parts of the basin should be changed since beans and
corn leave the land denuded in the wintertime. Strips of hay and grasses
are needed to help prevent erosion. Strip or contour farming is needed
in some almost flat areas to help prevent sheet erosion.
After oxygen deficits and sediment, algae are probably the next
major problem in the basin's waterways. In many areas of the basin,
the expression "too thick to drink, too thin to plow" is quite applic-
able in relation to algae. Algae of the green or blue-green types are
present the year around throughout almost all of the basin. Besides
,the taste and odor problems they cause in domestic drinking waters and
commercial canning, they interfere with the recreation and esthetic
uses of the waters.
Solid Wastes
In several areas, the basin's waterways are used for the disposal
of solid wastes. An example is Willshire, Ohio which has a large dump
4-14
-------
c
TABLE 4-16
ESTIMATED CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF RURAL RUNOFF*
(in 100 tons per year)
Ammonia
Organic Nitrogen
Nitrate
Total Nitrogen
Sodium
Silicate
Potassium
Sulfate
Chloride
Magnesium
Calcium
Auglaize
.9
1.6
1.5
3.6
18
34
7
65
20
70
145
Upper
Maumee
.1
.4
.3
.6
3.8
9
.8
4.4
2.1
9
27
Lower
Maumee
. .4
.6
.7
1.5
6
10
3.4
37
11
35
55
St. Joseph
1.2
1.2
1.7
5
41
37
8
200
65
90
300
St. Marys
.3
.3
.5
1.1
3.9
4.9
2.8
32
9
29
39
Tiffin
.5
.9
1.0
2.1
15
20
29
55
18
34
105
* Runoff Quality by Soil Groups and General Land Use--A preliminary estimate--
made by extrapolation of data from the Lake Michigan Watershed (GLIRBP Rural
Runoff Studies) and field observations made of the Maumee River Basin. Values
for solids are omitted since no correlation has been established.
C
c
JULIO 1367
-------
along the St. Marys River just above the Indiana line. Disposal of
garbage, trash, and other deleterious refuse in the Maumee River and
its tributaries should be prohibited and existing dumps along the
river banks should be removed.
Federal Installations
There are h3 Federal installations in the basin. Of these 37
discharge their wastes to municipalities providing secondary treat-
ment and U discharge to municipalities providing primary treatment.
The other two Federally-owned or Federally-leased installations
listed below discharge waterborne wastes in the Maumee River Basin
area. Installations that discharge to municipally-operated sewerage
systems have not been listed since the Federal Government does not
control the treatment provided.
1. The New Haven Defense Materials Supply Depot discharg 2,000
gpd to the ground. The waste treatment facilities operate satis-
factorily and appear adequate at this installation.
2. The U. S. Coast Guard's Toledo Harbor Light Station presently
discharge some 350 gpd of sewage to the harbor. The station will be
completely automated, thus ending the discharge of raw sewage.
Dredging
Legislation passed in 1962 provided for the present maintained
depth of 25 feet in Toledo Harbor to accommodate deep draft vessels
using the St. Lawrence Seaway.
All maintenance dredging of the harbor is done b y the Corps of
Engineers with th eir own boats. In 1965 they dredged almost one
million cubic yards of materials from the Maumee River channel. This
material, as a whole, was composed of about 80 percent silt and 20
percent sand, with a higher content of silt in the river and sand
off-shore. Only a small percentage of the materials appears to be
from industrial sources. The majority of the sediment is from river
bank and land sheet erosion and off-shore transport.
All materials dredged in the river and out to channel buoy 30
(about four miles into the bay from the mouth) are discharged either
to a large diked area just north of the mouth, or to two temporary
private areas at Riverside Park. The materials dredged from buoy 30
out are discharged to an area off the Erie Ordnance Depot and Proving
Grounds.
North Central Ohio Area
The major water pollution problems in the North Central Ohio Area
are caused by municipal, agricultural, and industrial pollutants. As
4--U
-------
in the Maumee River Basin, the major long-term problem, particularly
in the western part of this basin, is from agricultural sources.
Municipal
Approximately 75 percent of the North Central Ohio population
of 600,000 live in organized communities. This population of UU2,000
is served by U3 municipalities that discharge treated waste to the
waters of the basin. Approximately 85 percent of the population of
the organized communities (368,000) people) have central sewage treat-
ment facilities. Fifty-five percent of the total sewered population
is served by secondary treatment.
Most of the primary treatment plants are located on Lake Erie;
or, as at Lorain, at the mouth of the Black River. Inland from Lake
Erie, 185,000 are served by secondary sewage treatment. The population
and type of municipal waste treatment in each of the subbasins of the
North Central Ohio area is summarized in Table h-IJ. The locations
of the major municipal waste sources are shown in Figure U-18.
These major communities and numerous smaller ones (population
under 1,000) discharge a waste load of 29,000 pounds of BOD per day
to the basin. The population equivalent (PE) of this waste^load,
based on 0.167 pounds of BOD per capita per day is 171,000 people.
In addition to the wastes from municipal treatment systems, organized
communities with a total population of 7^,000 discharge domestic sewage
from individual home treatment units (septic tanks) with a waste load
of 12,000 pounds of BOD per day. Sometimes, however, this waste is
discharged directly underground or to a receiving stream without the
treatment provided by a leach field. The community of Bellevue, pop-
ulation 8,285, discharges raw untreated sewage from a municipal col-
lection system to an underground limestone cavern, which affects ground
water supplies in the area.
Despite the widespread inland use of secondary sewage treatment,
the waste load often exceeds the assimilative capacity of the basin's
streams. This is especially true in the headwater reaches and below
the larger municipalities. The average BOD reduction by secondary
treatment is approximately 80 percent, but £he remaining load of 7,000
pounds of BOD per day is still equivalent to the raw sewage of U2,000
people. Including primary treatment, the total BOD load to inland
waters is 17,000 pounds per day. There is a present need for almost
all inland municipalities to provide tertiary treatment to remove this
excessive loading. Another 11,600 pounds is discharged directly into
the lake (See Table U-18.)
The 11 major municipalities discharging treated wastes to Lake
Erie (including Lorain) serve Uo percent of the basin's population and
contribute almost two-thirds of the total municipal waste discharge.
The reason for this is that the average reduction of BODj. from the
4-77
-------
c
TABLE 4-17
Populations and Municipal Sewage Treatment
in the Subbasins of the North Central Ohio Area
River Basin Secondary Primary Septic tanks or
Plants Population Plants Population no treatment
Portage 3 32,000 2 4,000 15,000
Sandusky 5 44,000 2 23,000 15,000
Huron 3 23,000 2 3,000 3,000
Vermilion 2 5,000 0 0 3,000
Black 7 64,000 1 76,000 9,000
Minor Tributaries 5 17,000 1 2,000 13,000
Lake Erie 2 16,000 8 59,000 8,000
Totals 27 201-,000 16 167,000 74,000
O
C
4-78 JUL101S37
-------
ERIE
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
MUNICIPAL WASTE DISCHARGES
SCALE IN MILES
5 0 5 K> 15 20 25 30
-------
e
TABLE 4 - '&
MUNICIPAL WASTE LOAD IN TERMS OF
POPULATION EQUIVALENTS AND BOD5 for NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
River Basin
Population
Equivalents*
Pounds per day
BODc
From Sewage Treatment Plants
Portage
Sandusky
Huron
•
Vermilion i
Black
Minor Tributaries :
Lake Erie (
Raw
60,650
87,690
32,555
4,710
150,125
12,655
115,865
Discharged Raw
9,205 10,100
36,795 14,600
6,500 5,440
1,815 787
47,060 25,100
2,845 2,110
66,965J 19,300
Discharged
1,540
6,140
1,090
303
7,860
475
11,200
Totals
i 464,250
171,185J 77,500
28,600*
o
* PE = 0.167* BOD5/day
# Based on 63% reduction
4-8O
JUL 10 1967
-------
primary treatment plants on Lake Erie is only 55 percent. This
efficiency, however, is good for primary treatment and indicates
well-operated plants. Basin-wide, the efficiency of primary treat-
ment plants for BOD,- removal is k3 percent, but includes very poor
results from Tiffin (20 percent removal.) These municipalities
are presently being required to provide a minimum of secondary
treatment.
As the population of this area increased, even higher degrees
of treatment will be required. Table k-19 lists the future loadings
of BOD,- to the area's waters.
Industrial
Industrial wastes from 1*1 industries are discharged to the waters
of the North Central Ohio basin. 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 water are discharged to Lake
Erie by two power-generating stations in Lorain County. Aside from
the large industries concentrated along the Black River, the remainder
of the industrial waste discharges are scattered through the basin.
Food processors and metal finishing operations are the most num-
erous industries. The food processors are located in the agricultural
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 dis-
charge to small streams.
The other industrial waste sources include another steel industry,
paper mills, chemical and rubber plants, railroad yards, and oil pro-
ducers. The locations of the industrial waste discharges are shown
in Figure h-20 and data on the industrial waste discharges are listed
in Table k-20.
Federal Installations
Of the U9 Federal installations in this area, all but 8 of these
discharge to municipal systems which provide the following treatment:
Secondary-26, primary-ll*, and none-1.
The Federally-owned or Federally-leased installations listed
below discharge waterborne wastes to the area's waters. Installations
that discharge to municipally operated systems are not included in this
listing since the Federal Government has no control over the treatment
provided.
1. Ottawa Job Corps Center (formerly Erie Army Depot), Port Clinton,
has a secondary treatment (activated sludge) and chlorination unit
which provides adequate treatment for 100 persons.
4--81
-------
o
TABLE 4 - /
PROJECTED FUTURE MUNICIPAL WASTE LOADS for NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
Year Population Flow of Sewered Pounds per day of BOD,
Population (mgd) Raw 907. 977.
1960
1990
2020
620,000
1,000,000
1,800,000
53
120
260
80,000
170,000
350,000
8,000
17,000
35,000
2,400
5,100
10,500
O
4—8:2. JULIO 1967
-------
Figure ^-19. Future Municipal Waste Loadings in the North Central
Ohio Area.
-------
O
O
I
CD
! }
O
c
30
rn
I
/. A K E
E R IE
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
K) 15 20 25 3O
5/25/66
-------
I
CD
in
o
o
V-2O Corf/ wed
LEGEND FOR NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
Code
Industry
Portage River
P-l Brush Beryllium Co.
P-2 Gibsonburg Canning Co.
P-3 Hirtzel Canning Co., Pemberville
P-4 Foster Duck Farm, Inc.
P-5 Wood County Canning Co.
P-6 A & P Tea Co.
P-7 Seneca Wire Co.
P-8 Swift & Co.
Sandusky River
S-l Hewitt Robins, Inc.
S-2 H. J. Heinz Co.
S-3 Northern Ohio Sugar Co.
S-4 Pioneer Rubber Co.
S-5 Corfman Gravel Co.
S-6 Pennsylvania RR
Black River
U. S. Steel, Tubular Operation, Lorain
B- 1
B-2
B-3
B-4
Chatham
Twp.
CMC, Ternstedt Div.
Republic Steel, Steel & Tubes Div.
United Dairy
Baldwin Producing Corp.
Berea Oil Corp.
Chatham Operating Co.
Dymo Oil Corp.
Carter M. Hanna Co.
The Preston Oil Co.
Code
Industry
Huron River
H-1 E. I. duPont deNemours & Co.
H-2 Johns-Manville Products Co.
H-3 B & 0 RR
Minor Tributaries
M-l Stokely-Van Camp, Inc.
M-2 Silver Fleece Canning Co.
M-3 Whirlpool Corp.
M-4 CMC, New Departure Div.
M-5 Ford, Sandusky Hardware Plant
M-6 G.E., Bellevue Lamp Plant #242
M-7 Bechtel-McLaughlin Co.
M-8 Lake Erie Canning Co.
M-9 NASA, Plum Brook Facilities
M-10 Ford, Lorain Assembly Plant
Direct to Lake Erie
E-l U. S. Gypsum Co.
E-2 Aluminum & Magnesium Co.
E-3 Ohio Edison Co. - Edgewater
E-4 Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. - Avon Lake
to
-------
Table U-20. Major Industrial Wastes, North Central Ohio Area.
-------
2. Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial National
Monument, South Bass Island has the following treatment: Sewage
from the public comfort station located below the monument is treated
by a septic tank and drain field. The superintendent's home and the
National Park Service Office at the Monument are each served by two
septic tanks, and the effluent is discharged to the Put-In-Bay, sewer
system which discharges to Lake Erie without further treatment.
3. The Put-In-Bay Light Station facility consists of a houseboat
which is unmanned at this time. The houseboat is served by a retention
tank with chlorination.
U. The Marblehead Lifeboat Station facility has a complement of
15 and is served by two septic tanks and a subsurface disposal field.
This system is operating satisfactorily. One house trailer at the
installation is served by a cesspool consisting of a 50 gallon punched
oil drum.
5. The Sandusky Bay Lifeboat Station has a complement of 25 and
is served by three septic tanks and a subsurface disposal field. The
sewerage system appears to be operating adequately.
6. The Bellevue Post Office has 27 employees. Sewage (250 gpd)
and some storm water flow to a concrete-block-lined cesspool on the
installation's property. The system appears hydraulically adequate to
handle the flow. The City of Bellevue is under orders from the State
of Ohio to construct a municipal sewerage system.
T. The Lewis Research Center (NASA) Plum Brook Facility, located
near Sandusky has a complement of approximately TOO. A primary treat-
ment plant with chlorination treats wastes from UOO employees; two
smaller secondary package treatment plants serve the rest. Septic tanks
with disposal fields serve isolated buildings on the property. Small
amounts of chemical and acid wastes are collected in underground hold-
ing tanks for disposal by a contract firm. A contract was let June
30, 1967 for construction by May 1968 of a trickling filter and final
coagulation unit which will provide tertiary treatment for all Plum
Brook wastes.
8. The Lorain Lifeboat Station has a complement of 12 and is
served by a septic rank which discharges directly to the Black River.
This facility is located less than UOO yards from the Lorain Sewage
Treatment Plant. The outer harbor light station has a complement of
two to three persons and discharges raw sewage into Lake Erie. 1'.i,:
The facilities at Camp Perry are presently owned and operated
by the Ohio Militia and are no longer considered a Federal installation.
Part of the land has been converted into the Erie Industrial Park and
is operated by the Ottawa Improvement Corp. (U.S.Rubber Co. is leasee.)
4-87
-------
Land Runoff
Rural land runoff is the source of a 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 alone. Table h-2 lists the yearly estimates of
sediment loading from the rivers in the North Central Ohio basin.
Estimated nutrient loads of nitrogen and phosphate in rural land
runoff are tabulated below:
Nutrient NH Organic N NO Total N PO
33 H
Tons per yr. 250 360 520 1,090 160
The extent of urban land runoff has not been fully defined in
North Central Ohio. Most of the communities in the basin have combined
or partially combined sewer systems. This permits the discharge of
untreated raw sewage to the lake or nearest water course. The overflow
from combined sewers and runoff from developed septic tank areas con-
tain organic matter, nutrients, and microorganisms. Microbiological
pollution is the most serious result of these discharges. It jeopard-
izes the use of bathing beaches and other recreational areas. Organic
discharges cause septic conditions which result in severe local nuisance
conditions.
Greater Cleveland-Akron ARea
Municipal and industrial wastes which are discharged to the area's
waterways are the major cause of pollution in this basin. Sediment from
highway and subdivision construction also are important sources of
pollution.
Municipal Wastes
Approximately 2.2 million people are served by sewage plants in
this area. This population has a raw BOD,- of over 500,000 pounds per
day. If these wastes received either complete secondary (90 percent
removal) or tertiary (97 percent removal) treatment, the discharges
would total HO,000 and 11,000 pounds per day, respectively.
Of the 57 municipal sewage facilities in this area, 50 provide some
form of secondary treatment, k provide intermediate treatment, and 3
provide primary treatment. There are twelve municipalities which do not
have central collection systems and provide no treatment.
Over kO percent of the'treatment facilities are deemed inadequate
by the Ohio Water Pollution Control Board and have been ordered to
-------
TABLE 4 - Z-/
SEDIMENT LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE for the
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO BASIN
River Tons per year
Black 180,000
Huron 150,000
Portage 200,000
Sandusky 410,000
Vermilion 130,000
o
o
JUt 10 i3B7
-------
improve their systems to provide adequate treatment. Table h-22
lists the principal municipal waste treatment plants located £n the
Greater Cleveland-Akron area. Raw load of BOD is projected to int
crease to 1.0 million pounds per day by 1990 and 1.5 million by 2020.
Tertiary treatment is presently being required of most inland cities
with secondary treatment required for lakefront areas.
Industrial Wastes
Industrial wastes have a great effect on receiving waters in the
Greater Cleveland-Akron area. Table U-23 lists the major industries
which discharge wastes to the area's waters. This table is "based
mainly on information obtained from Ohio water pollution control
agencies, and has been reviewed by these agencies.
Some of the industries listed in the table have relatively small
waste discharges, but where their outfall reaches the stream, the flow
is quite small or nonexistent for most of the year. A number of indus-
tries discharge their wastes to municipal storm sewers without adequate
treatment. Presently these industries are neither under permit to the
State, nor are they being properly controlled by the cities involved.
There are over 20 of these industries in the City of Euclid alone.
It should be recognized that many of the area's industries have
spent vast sums of money in removing the pollutional materials dis-
charged to the streams, and that they expect to continue this program
by removing as high or higher percentages of their wastes in the future.
Federal Installations
There are l8l Federal installations in the Greater Cleveland-Akron
area. Of those discharging to municipal systems, lUU discharge to
systems providing secondary treatment, and 22 discharge to systems pro-
viding intermediate or primary treatment. In the Berea, Olmsted Falls,
and Westlake areas 8 army-leased housing units discharge to septic tanks
since municipal systems are not available. The Federally-owned or
Federally-leased installations listed below discharge waterborne wastes
to the area's waters. Installations that discharge to municipally-
operated sewerage systems have not been listed since the Federal Govern-
ment does not control the treatment provided.
1. The Cleveland Lifeboat Station has installed an aerobic
digester treatment unit with chlorination. This unit became operational
in the fall of 1966 and is considered adequate.
Combined Sewers
Of the 32 major community sewer systems in the area, 7 are of the
combined or combined-separated type, and 2 are not sewered. Among those
cities with a combined-separated system are the two largest cities in
the area, Cleveland and Akron.
-------
Figure 1*-21. Municipal Waste Discharges in the Greater Cleveland-
Akron Area.
-------
o
o
TABLE 4 -22
PRINCIPAL MUNICIPAL WASTES - GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
•f*
i
_O
JO
Municipality
Rocky River Basin
Berea
Broadview Heights
Brookpark
Lake wood
Medina
North Olmsted
North Royal ton
Olmsted Falls
Strongsville
West lake
Westview
IJCounty Districts
I] Brunswick
Middleburg Hts.
Cuyahoga River Basin
Akron
Bedford
Bedford Heights
Cleveland Southerly
Cuyahoga Falls
Hudson
Independence
Sewer
System
Separate
Separate
Separate
Sep-Comb.
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Sep. -Comb.
Sep. -Comb.
Sept\-Comb.
Sept'. -Comb.
Separate
Separate
Separate
Type of
Treatment
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Data
Year
1966
1966
1966
1966
1966
1967
1966
1967
1966
1966
1966
1966/67
1966/67
1966
1965
1966
1966
1966
1966
Discharge
in mgd*
2.08
--
14.14
1.11
1.84
**
--
*Vc
--
.80
.49
63 .75
2.29
.85
.04
.42
""
Effluent
mg/l-v
10
--
33
42
13
**
--
**
--
8
75/**
/**
30
56
.11
40
"
BOD
Ibs/day*
173
--
220
388
199
**
'
**
--
53
306/**
/**
572
397
4
140
"
Data are yearly averages based on material supplied by the Ohio Department of Health.
* Does not include by-passing.
** New plant presently completed and no data available, or plant to be completed by June 1, 1967.
o
CO
-------
o
o
o
TABLE 4 -22
PRINCIPAL MUNICIPAL WASTES - GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
i
-Q
Municipality
Cuyahoga River Basin
Kent
Mantua
Maple Heights
Middlefield
Munroe Falls
Northfield
Oakwood
Ravenna
Sagamore Hills
Sawyerwood
Solon
Tallmadge
Twinsburg
Valley View
County Districts
Brecksville SD 13
Northeast SD 1
Northeast SD 6
Northeast SD 15
Shalersville SD 1
Shalersville SD 2
Stow Twp. SD 4
Sewer System
(cont'd)
Separate
Separate
Separate
Combined
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Sep-Comb.
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Separate
Walton Hills SD 20 Separate
Type of
Treatment
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Primary
Secondary
Data
Year
1967
1967
1966/67
1966
1966
1966
1967
1966
1966
1966
1966
1965
1965
1966
1966
1965
1965
1966/67
1966
Discharge
in mgd*
**
**
.70/**
.30
.32
**
.80
--
--
.56
.13
11.81
--
.83
.06
.11
1.10/**
.21
Effluent
mg/1*
•irk
*#
149/**
72
33
41
**
24
--
--
15
13
15
--
14
6
7
16 4/**
23
BOD
Ibs/day*
**
**
869/**
180
109
**
160
--
--
70
14
1480
--
97
3
6
1500/*>v
40
Data are yearly averages baaed on material supplied by the Ohio Department of Health.
* Does not include by-'passing
** New plant presently completed and no data available, or plant to be completed by June 1, 1967
en
-------
Figure U-22. Future Municipal Waste Loadings in the Greater Cleveland-
Akron Area.
-------
Figure H-23. Industrial Waste Discharges in the Greater Cleveland-
Akron Area.
4-95
-------
TABLE V-2J
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Flow
Type
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Other
Cuyahoga River Basin
1-Republic Steel Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
2-Sherwin Williams Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
3-Standard Oil***
lt-U. S. Steel Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
5-E. I. DuPont
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Steel
290
Organic chemicals
Steel
Inorganic chem-
icals
6-Jones & Laughlin Cleveland Cuyahoga R. Steel
23.5
l.U
130
xT SO, 120,000, Cl 32,000,
180,0005 Phenol 280, CH ItOO,
NH It ,100, Mg 1,100,
FeJ12,000, Temp. 10°F,
pH x, COD x, Oil x
xT Temp. x
81t,OOOT Oil 510, Temp, x,
30,OOOS SO, 50,000, Cl 1,000
Fe 15,000
l6,900T pH U.9-6.2, Temp, x
15,^000 SO It,600, NH 175, .
Zn^970, Cl 3,900
xT pH x, COD x, Oil 1,200,
10,ltOOS Temp, x, SO, 12,200,
Fe 6,600, Cl It,900
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
*** Plant operation discontinued except for asphalt plant which now discharges to Cleveland's sewage system.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLED-? (continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Flow
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-UPS/day*
Type
(mgd) Solids** Other
Cuyahoga River Basin (cont'd)
7-Elco Lute Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
9-Ford Motor
Engine Plant
10-E.W.Ferry Screw
11-Cuyahoga Meat
12-Bailey Wallpaper
13-Burdett Oxygen
lU-Allied Chemical
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Brook Park
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Cleveland Cuyahoga R.
Lubricating oils
and greases
8-Harshaw Chemical Cleveland Cuyahoga R. Chemicals
Oil
l.U
Motor vehicle parts 0.9
Fabricated metal x
products
Meat products x
Wallpaper x
Industrial gases x
.02
pH x, Oil 1, Temp, x
'pH 1.0-8.7, COD x, Temp, x,
550 F Ni'lfcO, Co 20,
***(Pb 1(5, SO^ x,
Cu 75, Cl 3,100,Mn 30)
xT pH 6.5-10.5, Oil 62,
62S Temp. x
xT COD x, Oil x, Temp, x
xT BOD x, Temp, x
xT BOD x, Temp, x
xT COD x, Temp, x
xT pH U.6-7.0, SO, 9, Cl 21
65S
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
*** Plant operation discontinued except for asphalt plant which now discharges to Cleveland's sewage system.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE 4-.23( continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Receiving Flow WASTE COHSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Industry _ Location Stream _ Type _ (mgd) Solids** Other _
Cuyahoga River Basin (cont'd)
15-Republic Steel Cleveland Cuyahoga R. Research x COD x, Temp, x
Research Center
16-Master Anodizers Bedford Cuyahoga R. Metal Anodizing .09 xT Temp, x, SO, 150, Cr 0.3,
GH x, Cu x *
17-Chrysler Twinsburg Cuyahoga R. Metal stamping x xT pH x, Temp, x
l8-Cornvell Tools Mogadore Cuyahoga R. Tools .01 xT Temp, x, Cr x, CK" x,
Cu x, SO, x, Cd x, Zn x
19-Ohio Edison Cuyahoga R. Power Plant 95 Temp, x
20-S.K.Wellman, Div. Bedford Cuyahoga R. Motor vehicle parts .17 xT Temp, x, Cu l6, CN. 1.6,
American Brake - SO^ 190
Shoe
21-Ferro Chemical Bedford Cuyahoga R. Chemicals .23 xT pH h.l-9.h, COD x, Temp, x,
Cd 0.5, Co 1, Ba 0.2
22-Zirconium Corp. Solon Cuyahoga R. Inorganic chem- .Oh 1<,700T pH S.1*-1*^, Oil 2,600,
of America icals i*,OOOD ZrO 1*3, Cl 2,600,
1*10, SO x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE y-23( continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Type
Flow WASTE COHSTITUENTS-rbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Other
JO
Cuyahoga River Basin (cont'd)
23-Diamond Crystal Akron
Salt
2U-Firestone Tire Akron
& Rubber
25-General Tire Akron
26-B.F.Goodrich Akron
27-Goodyear Tire Akron
& Rubber
28-Sonoco Products Munroe
Falls
29-Lamson & Sessions Kent
30-Smallwood Packing Middle-
field
Cuyahoga R.
Cuyahoga R.
Cuyahoga R.
Cuyahoga R.
Cuyahoga R.
Salt
Rubber products
Rubber products
Rubber products
Rubber products
Cuyahoga R. Paperboard
Cuyahoga R. Hardware
Cuyahoga R. Meat packing
x xT pH x, Temp, x, Cl x
x xT pH x, COD x, Temp, x
x xT pH x, COD x, Temp, x
x xT pH x, COD x, Temp, x
x xT pH x, COD x, Oil x, Temp, x
CN x, Cr x, Cu x, Zn x,
SO, x, Cd x
.57 300S BOD 782, Temp. 6h°F
.03 8.5 ft3/day Oil x, SO^ x
x xT pH x, BOD x, Oil x,
Temp. x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE4-23 (concluded)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Type
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Other
O
Rocky River Basin
1-Astoria Plating
2-Allison Division
General Motors
Chagrin River Basin
1-Chase Bag
2-General Biochemicals
3-Moss Farm Dairy
Cleveland Rocky R. Plating
Brook Park Rocky R. Testing track
Chagrin
Falls
Chagrin
Falls
Chester-
land
Chagrin R. Paper mill
Chagrin R. Chemicals
Chagrin R. Dairy products
.003
xT pH x, COD x, Temp, x,
CN x, Cu x, Cr x,
Color x
xT pH x, Oil x, Temp, x
xT pH 5-9-7.6, BOD x, COD x,
TTOS Temp, x, Color x
pH 7.1-10.6, Temp. 60°F
pH x, BOD x, Temp, x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
A substantial portion of the cities of Cleveland and Akron are
served by a combined sewer system. This system collects both sanitary
and storm waters, and was originally designed before the development
of treatment plants to discharge overflows to the nearest water course.
With the development of treatment plants , combined sewers were tied
together with interceptor sewers to intercept the dry weather sewage
flow. Some allowance was made for increases due to storm waters.
Overflow structures were provided at most junctures between the com-
bined sewers and the interceptor sewer so that heavy storm water flow
would continue to pass directly to the nearest water course.
The city of Cleveland has approximately 380 combined sewer over-
flow structures. During periods of storm runoff they discharge raw
sewage and industrial wastes, mixed with storm water, to the streams
passing through Cleveland and to Lake Erie. There are 21 storm water
outfalls that discharge directly to the lake, and UO outfalls that
discharge to 6 small streams flowing through eastern Cleveland to Lake
Erie. The outfalls constitute a major intermittent source of pollution,
but plugged and defective overflow structures which discharge contin-
uously are also responsible for a large portion of the area's pollution.
The city of Akron also has numerous overflow structures which discharge
into almost all water courses in the Akron area.
Solid Wastes
There are some locations where the area's waterways are being
used for the disposal of solid wastes. Whenever the rivers meander
close to an access, illegal dumps, as shown in Figure k- , are often
found. Dumps range from the small one-family size to large municipally
operated areas. Municipal dumps presently exist along the river banks
and flood plains at such places as Willoughby, Independence, Jaite,
Boston Mills, and Bay Village. Besides being an esthetic eyesore,
these dumps contribute oils, oxygen demand, trash, and other wastes.
There are also industrial dumps at such places as Eastlake and Cleveland.
Another problem along the area's waterways, particularly on the
Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland, are the fallen trees which
choke the rivers and streams. The Cuyahoga River is cluttered in
several areas with fallen trees, tree stumps, trash, and floating
debris. Many sawed-off tree stumps with their expansive root systems
block the river's flow and collect floating material (Figure k- ).
Much of this debris find its way down the river to the harbor area and
along the lakefront where it interferes with both commercial navigation
and pleasure boating.
Agricultural and Land Runoff
Soil erosion causes the addition of silt, nutrients, and other dele-
terious substances to the area's waterways. The principal sources of
these materials are from unstable river banks; from highway and sub-
division construction and from agricultural lands.
4-10!
-------
Northeastern Ohio Area
Municipal Wastes
Approximately 110,000 people are served by eleven sewage treatment
plants in the Northeastern Ohio area. Figure h-2h shows the location
of these treatment plants, and Table U-2U describes them. Five of these
plants provide secondary treatment, four provide intermediate treatment,
and two provide primary treatment. The five secondary treatment plants
receive a population equivalent (PE) of approximately 19,000, while the
six plants that provide only primary or intermediate treatment receive
a PE of approximately 9^,000. The total BOD discharged to the area's
waters is 9,300 pounds per day or a PE or 56,000. This indicates an
overall removal of only 50 percent. Projected BOD loads for each river
basin are shown in Figure U-25.
Sewage treatment plants for Ashtabula and Conneaut provide inter-
mediate treatment, while Painesville1s plant provides primary treatment.
These three plants serve approximately 65 percent of the total popula-
tion served in Northeastern Ohio. These three plants receive approximately
12,000 pounds of BOD per day and discharge 7,100 pounds per day, which
indicates a total average removal of only hQ percent. If ashtabula,
Painesville, and Conneaut provide secondary treatment (90$ BOD removal)
the combined load discharged would be only 1,200 pounds of BOD per day.
The total phosphorus load discharged by municipalities in the North-
eastern Ohio area is approximately 1,100 pounds per day. The present and
projected phosphorus loads from municipal treatment plants are shown in
Figure U-25.
In addition to the treated wastes from the eleven treatment plants,
the streams receive wastes with little or no treatment from seven muni-
cipalities and many small communities (less than 1,000 population). The
seven municipalities that provide no treatment other than septic tanks
are: Lake vi lie, Ohio (i960 population of U,190)>, North Kingsville, Ohio
(i960 population of 1,85^), .Painesville Northeast, Ohio (population of
1,265), Orwell, Ohio (i960 population of 819), Grand River, Ohio (i960
population of ^77) , Conneautville, Pennsylvania (i960 population of 1,200)
and Springboro, Pennsylvania (1960 population of 583).
Industrial Waste
Figure k-26 shows the location of the industries that discharge their
wastes to Northeastern Ohio waters. The majority of industries are
located near Lake Erie and discharge their wastes directly to the lake,
to the lower reach of the Grand River, or to a small tributary which
flows into the Ashtabula River.
A large industrial complex consisting of eleven industries is located
just outside the City of Ashtabula. Eight of these industries discharge
wastes to Fields Brook either directly or to a storm sewer which empties
into it. Fields Brook is a small tributary which flows into the lake-
affected portion of the Ashtabula River.
' 4-ioz.
-------
ORB • DISCHARGE TO GRAND RIVER BASIN (SEE TABLE 6-1)
CCB ' DISCHARGE TO CONNEAUT CREEK BASIN (SEE TABLE 6-1)
ST « DISCHARGE TO SMALL TRIBUTARY (SEE TABLE 6-1)
LE • DISCHARGE DIRECT TO LAKE ERIE (SEE TABLE 6-1)
SCALE IN MILES
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
MUNICIPAL WASTE DISCHARGES
4~!G3>
FIGURE
-------
TABLE ^-2^
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
Municipality or Receiving Type Sewerage Flow BOD (ibs/day)
Institution Stream System* (mgd) Raw Final
Grand River Basin
Fairport Grand River Intermediate-rS 517 357
Painesville Grand River Primary-S J+,230 2,000
Chardon Big Creek Secondary-S 1+08 98
Jefferson Mill Creek Secondary-S 505 6l
Ashtabula River Basin
Conneaut Creek Basin
Conneaut Conneaut Creek Intermediate-S 2,370 1,630
Albion E.Br.Conneaut Cr. Secondary-S 370 55
Small Tributaries
Madison Arcola Creek Secondary-S 265 58
Geneva Cowles Creek Secondary-S l,6lO 232
Direct to Lake Erie
Lake County SD # Lake Erie Intermediate-S 2,520 810
Willoughby-
Mentor
Lake County SD#1 Lake Erie Primary-S 5l+0 5^0
Madison
Ashtabula Lake Erie Intermediate-S 5,^85 3,^35
*S = Separate Sewer System, C = Combined Sewer System, S-C = Separate and
Combined Sewer Systems
4-104-
-------
PHOSPHORUS a BOD LOADINGS
MUNICIPAL S.TP
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
3000|-
40,000 -
30,000
20,000
10,000
3000$-
LiJ U
LU P
a: 2000 jt-
0 3
LU :
2 1000:
z
o
o
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
©
©
o
H
O
LU
o:
3000 -
2000
1000
40,000 -
30,000 -
20,000 -
10,000 •
PHOSPHORUS
(Ibs./doy)
BOD
(Ibs./day)
(T) = RAW
© = LOAD9PRESENT REMOVAL RATE
© = LOAD'JDaOVo REMOVAL RATE
© = ALLOWABLE LOAD
4-105
-------
GRB = DISCHARGE TO GRAND RIVER BASIN (SEE TABLE 6-2)
ARB = DISCHARGE TO ASHTABULA RIVER BASIN (SEE TABLE 6-2)
CCB = DISCHARGE TO CONNEAUT CREEK BASIN (SEE TABLE 6-2)
ST 5 DISCHARGE TO SMALL TRIBUTARY (SEE TABLE 6-2)
LE = DISCHARGE DIRECT TO LAKE ERIE (SEE TABLE 6-2)
SCALE
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
IS MILES
4-loro
FIGURE
-------
Another area of large industrial activity is the lower reaches of
the Grand River near Painesville and Fairport. Here five industries
discharge to Lake Erie or the Grand River.
Table h-25 summarizes the waste loads for each of the major in-
dustries in Northeastern Ohio. This table is based on data obtained
from the Ohio Department of Health and has been reviewed by them. The
main problem stemming from industrial wastes in this area is that of
solids. Most of these solids are dissolved in the water and are
predominantly chlorides. The Grand River receives an average of over
6.6 million pounds of total solids daily from the Diamond Alkali
Company, 3.9 million pounds of which are chlorides. This represents
the highest chloride discharge from one industry anywhere within the
Lake Erie Basin.
If the present control measures are not improved, the solids load
will be phenomenal. Figure ^-27 graphically shows the waste loads ex-
pected if control measures are not improved.
15,000,000-1
10,000,000-
CO
UJ
Q
I
o
5,000,000-
30,000,000
O
•o
C/)
Q
_l
O
C/)
20,000,000
10,000,000-
o
to
en
O
0>
o>
o
-------
TABLE Jt-25
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Flow
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Type
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
O
CP
Grand River Basin (GR)
1-Calhio Chemical Perry
Red Cr. Organic chemicals 0.2 36.000T 11,000
xD
2-A.E.Staley
J 3-Diamond Alkali
Grand River Grand R. Soybean oil
xT
xD
pH x, BOD x
Painesville Grand R. Inorganic chem- 5.3 6,500,OOOD 3,900,000 Anmonia 17,000
icals 160,0005 ' Phenol 21
t-U.S. Rubber -
Uniroyal
Painesville Grand R. Plastics, syn- 0.3
thetic resins
Ashtabula River Basin (AR)
/ 1-Cabot Titania Ashtabula Fields Br. Inorganic chem- 3
Titania Dioxide icals
Plant
j 2-Cabot Titania Ashtabula Fields Br. Inorganic chem- 3
Titania Tetra- icals
chloride Plant
1.880T
518S
xT
1,930S
5,880 Tio0 x
xT 15,000 pH 2.5-11.9
11,0003
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x = Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE it-25 (cont'd)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
I
O
Industry Location
Ashtabula River Basin (cont'd)
3-Detrex Chemical Ashtabula
Ind. -Chlorinated
Solvents Div.
It-General Tire & Ashtabula
Rubber-Chemical
Division
5-<01in Mathieson Ashtabula
Chemical-TDI
Facilities
6-Diamond Alkali Ashtabula
Semi-Works
7-Re active Metals Ashtabula
Metals Reduction
Plant
8-Re active Metals Ashtabula
Sodium & Chlor-
ine Plant
Receiving
Stream Type
Fields Br. Inorganic chem-
icals
Fields Br. Plastics, syn-
thetic resins
Fields Br. Inorganic chem-
icals
Fields Br. Inorganic chem-
icals
Fields Br. Non-ferrous metals
Fields Br. Inorganic chem-
icals
Flow WASTE
(mgd) Solids**
0.1 1,800T
1,TOOD
0.1*
0.6 xT
xD
1.3 1*30, OOOT
2 ,3003
0.0't 8,800T
326S
CONSTITUENTS-lbs /day *
Chlorides Other
2,1*00 pH 0.1*-8.3,
Fe fcl
15,000 pH 1.2-11.1*
COD 1*25
pH 1.6-9.6
270,000 pH 1.0-2.3
pH x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x = Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U-25 fcont'd)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
I
o
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Flow
WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Type
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Pickles & Sauerkraut x
Conneaut Creek Basin (CC)
1-Albro Packing Springboro
Small Tributaries (ST)
1-True Temper Geneva
Direct to Lake Erie (LE)
1-Diamond Alkali Painesville Lake Erie Inorganic chem-
icals
Cowles Cr. Sporting Goods
0.7
xT
xS
380S
10 37.000D
6,2003
2-Midland Ross Painesville Lake Erie Tire cord & fabric 29 27U.OOOT
IRC Fibers Div. 25U,OOOD
3-Cleveland Elec- Ash/tabula Lake Erie Power plant x x
Trie 111. Co.
It-Detrex Chemical Ashtabula Lake Erie Industrial inorganic U.6 xD
Ind.-Chlorine & chemicals 651S
Alkali Plant
pH x, BOD x
Oil x, Fe 66,
Chrome 10
26,000 Ammonia 1,000
Phenol 17
U0,000 pH 2.8-3.8, BOD 8,700,
Oil U,300, Zn 6,700
10,000
Temp. x
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x = Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE U-25 (concluded)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NORTHEASTERN OHIO AREA
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** Chlorides Other
Direct to Lake Erie (cont'd)
5-Union Carbide, Linde Ashtabula Lake Erie Industrial gases
Div. Welding
Materials Plant
6-Union Carbide
Metals Div.
Ashtabula Lake Erie Electrometallur-
gical products
1.3 16.000T
5.6 36.000T
pH 9.0-11.0
Copper 2
pH 8.2-12.6
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
-------
Agricultural and Land Runoff
The upper portion of the northeastern Ohio area is rural and runoff
from this area carries nutrients and sediment into the streams. Organic
and bacterial pollution of streams is also caused by agricultural runoff
from pastures. Other pollutants from agricultural lands include pesti-
cides, herbicides, fungicides, and algicides. Due to the limited agri-
cultural uses of land in Northeastern Ohio, the nutrient runoff to streams
is not as great as in areas in the western basin. Sediment loading to
the streams is caused by land runoff and bank erosion. Approximately
500 tons of suspended solids are carried daily by the Grand River to
Lake Erie. During the spring thaw and intense rain storms, this sediment
load is increased tremendously. Sediment pollution, which occurs in all
streams, is a minimal problem in Northeastern Ohio. There is a silt
problem in the Grand River, but this is not a major problem and does not
affect any water uses.
The rural areas in Northeastern Ohio will decrease with increase
in urban areas. Because of the relatively unproductive soils within
this area, agricultural uses will not increase significantly. However,
with increased uses of fertilizers and other nutriments, the pollution
loads to Lake Erie from these rural lands are expected to stay relatively
constant.
Solid Wastes
Northeastern Ohio waterways, in some areas are being used for the
disposal of solid wastes. Dumping of garbage, trash, and other deleteri-
ous refuse into streams should be prohibited and existing dumps along
river banks should be removed.
A dump is located in Conneaut within the flood plain of Conneaut
Creek. Although there is apparently no refuse entering the creek during
low flow, refuse and drainage from this dumping area may adversely
affect water quality of Conneaut Creek during the high flow season.
Dredging
Dredging in the Northeastern Ohio area is done by the Corps of
Engineers at Conneaut, Fairport, and Ashtabula Harbors. The amounts
dredged in 196? are shown in Table U-26.
Dumping areas for the dredged material for each harbor are located |
in Lake Erie approximately three miles from the mouths of the rivers.
The dump area for Fairport Harbor is for all material; whereas there
are two dump areas each for Conneaut and Ashtabula Harbors: one for . i
earth and the other for rock. The minimum depth requirement at all these |
areas is 35 feet.
Studies are presently being carried out by the Corps of Engineers j
and the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration to determine the j
effects of the dumped dredged materials on the lake.
4-llZ
-------
c
TABLE 4-26
ESTIMATED DREDGED MATERIAL FROM HARBORS
in NORTHEAST OHIO--1967
Harbor Maintained Depth Volume dredge
(ft)
Conneaut 25 . 400,000
Fairport 24-18 360,000
Ashtabula 27-16 350,000
o
c
4-M*.
-------
Federal Installations
Two Federal installations discharge waterborne wastes to the North-
eastern Ohio area. These are:
1. U. S. Coast Guard, Fairport Harbor Light Station.
A new tile field was completed in May, 1966. The
septic tank system is now adequate.
2. U. S. Coast Guard, Ashtabula Light Station.
The sewage from two persons was discharged directly
to Lake Erie without treatment. A gas-fired incinera-
tor unit was installed in August, 1966.
Pennslyvania Area
Municipal Wastes
Approximately 150,000 people are served by four sewage treatment
plants in the Pennsylvania area. They are shown in Figure U-28 and
described in Table U-27. Three of the plants provide secondary treat-
ment and one plant provides intermediate treatment. The intermediate j
treatment plant at Girard removes an average of 6k percent of the BOD
load it receives and is presently under orders by the Pennsylvania
Health Department to improve treatment. The secondary treatment plants
at Erie and North East remove an average of approximately 85 percent of
their influent BOD. The plant at Lake City has facilities for secondary
treatment; however, they are not removing equivalent loads. Samples
taken by the Pennsylvania Health Department indicate that the Lake City
plant is removing only 75 percent of the raw BOD.
The Erie sewage treatment plant, by far the largest in the Penn-
sylvania area, serves approximately 9^ percent of the population connected
to treatment plants in this area. Some 1^0,000 residents of Erie and
suburban communities are connected to the plant which discharges 6,700
pounds of BOD5 daily to Lake Erie.
The total phosphorus discharge from the four sewage treatment plants
is approximately 1^00 pounds daily. The projected phosphorus and BOD
loads from these plants are shown graphically below in Figure H-29.
The plants at Erie, Lake City and North East all presently provide
continuous chlorination to the effluent all year around. Girard does
not provide any chlorination; but improvements required by the Pennsylvania
Health Department include disinfection facilities operated on a continuous,
year around basis.
-------
t = DISCHARGE TO SMALL TRIBUTARY (SEE TABLE )
LE = DISCHARGE TO LAKE ERIE (SEE TABLE )
PENNSYLVANIA AREA
MUNICIPAL WASTE DISCHARGES
-------
TABLE i!_27
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
PENNSYLVANIA AREA
Municipality or Receiving Type Sewerage Flow BOD (ibs/day)
Institution Streams System* (mgd) Raw Final
Small Tributaries
Lake City Elk Creek Secondary-S O.U 868 227
Girard Elk Creek Intermediate-S 0.2 230 8U
North East Sixteenmile Creek Secondary-S 0.5 1,135 138
Direct to Lake Erie,
Erie** Lake Erie Secondary-S-C UO 57,^50 6,680
*S = Separate Sewer System, C = Combined Sewer System, S-C = Separate and
Combined Sewer Systems
** Also serves portions of Lawrence Park, Wesleyville, Harbor Creek Township
and Mill Creek Township
-------
CO
O
3C
CL
5,000
4,000
5,000'
i Si 2,000-
1,000-
RAW
200,000-
CQ uj
£ 100,000
90% REMOVAL
95% REMOVAL
RAW
o
(O
PRESENT
REMOVAL
90% REMOVAL
95% REMOVAL
Some of the suburbs of Erie and many of the motels and houses
along the lakefront near and in Erie are not sewered and should be
connected to the Erie Metropolitan sewerage system. Two projects are
in the planning stage for the collection of wastes from the lakefront
residents. The Kelso Beach Area Project and the Bayshore Sanitary
' Sewer Improvement Project will collect wastes from the area and pump
these to the sewage treatment plant.
Industrial Wastes
Figure U-30 shows the locations of the major industries in Penn-
sylvania discharging their wastes to Lake Erie or its tributaries.
These industrial waste sources are summarized in Table U-28.
The Hammermill Paper Company is the largest polluter of Lake Erie
waters within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Hammermill Paper
Company discharge has a BODt- population equivalent of 370,000. The
quantity of suspended solids, coliform, color, and foam are also very
high. The effects of this waste on Lake Erie are discussed in the
Pennsylvania Area section of Chapter 5. Hammermill Paper Company has
-------
PENNSYLVANIA AREA
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
ST = DISCHARGE TO SMALL TRIBUTARY (SEE TABLE )
LE = DISCHARGE TO LAKE ERIE (SEE TABLE )
-------
TABLE h-28
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
PENNSYLVANIA AREA
Industry Location
Small Tributaries (ST)
1-Gunnison Bros. Girard
2-Parker White Fairview
Metals Twp.
, 3-Welch Grape North East
~ Juice
-0
Direct to Lake Erie (LE)
1-Pennsylvania Erie
Electric
2-Erie Reduction Erie
3-Interlake Iron Erie
It-Hammermill Erie
5-General Electric Lawrence
Park Twp.
Receiving
Stream
Trib. of Elk Cr.
Trout Run
Sixteenmile Cr.
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-J-bs/day*
Type (mgd) Solids** BOD Other
Tannery 0.002 100T 6
20S
Metal pro- 0.02 x x COD 22, Oil 90
duct ion
Food process-
ing
Power plant 0.1 3^3 Temp.
Rendering 0.02 x 10
Steel a a a a
Pulp & Paper 20 530,OOOT 62,000 Color, SO. 51,000
81+.OOOS
Machine man- 0.3 x pH 1+.8, Iron 200
uf acturing
a = Presently not in operation.
* = Except temperature in °F and pH. '
** = Solids: T=Total Suscended and Dissolved. S=Total SusDended. and D=Total Dissolved.
x - Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
done much work in improving its waste discharge. Approximately 78 per-
cent of this total spent pulping liquor (population equivalent of 1*87,000)
is injected to deep underground wells; however, total BOD removal from
all effluents is only 60 percent. Other methods of further reducing the
waste discharge are presently being studied. One such study, discussed
in this report, is the feasibility of connecting to the Erie sewage
treatment plant.
Figure h-3I shows the present and projected loadings from industries
discharging to Lake Erie. If Hammermill connects to the Erie sewage
treatment plant, almost the entire industrial BOD load will become part
of the municipal loadings. This additional loading will more than
300,000-1
RAW
n 200,000'
it < i1'.'1 ' '
o
o
03
100,000-
PRESENT REMOVAL
90% REMOVAL
o
ID
o
o>
01
o
CM
Combined Sewers
Of the four sewer systems listed in Table U-27, one is partially a
combined system. During storms, the sewage treatment plant cannot
handle the additional loads and much of the untreated sewage is, there-
fore, discharged through overflow structures into the nearest watercourse,
4-1 2.0
-------
r:rr^^
I960
1990
2020
RADIUS = l" AREA: 100,000 Ibs./day (RAW BOD)
RADIUS = 2" AREA = 400,000 Ibs./day
Dp = DISCHARGED/PPRESENT REMOVAL RATE
Dao- DISCHARGED/cD90% REMOVAL RATE
D95 = DISCHARGED/^)95% REMOVAL RATE
INNER CIRCLE REPRESENTS RAW MUNICIPAL LOAD
OUTER CIRCLE REPRESENTS RAW MUNICIPAL LOAD IF
HAMMERMILL CONNECTS TO ERIE S.T. P.
B.O.D. LOADS
HAMMERMILL a ERIE STP
£S3g^^
^^
-------
The City of Erie has approximately h3 storm water outfalls which
discharge to Mill Creek, Garrison Run, Cascade Creek, and Lake Erie. As
discussed in the water quality problems chapter, the streams have "become
heavily polluted from the wastes discharged from these overflows. The
main area served "by combined sewers is the older portion of Erie consist-
ing of the downtown area and the adjacent residential areas. Approxi-
mately 50 percent of Erie's population is served with these sewers. The
estimated BOD discharged from the overflows is approximately 2,000 pounds
per day. Erie has a program where they are separating storm and sanitary
sewers in redevelopment areas. Assuming conversion of combined sewers,
the BOD load from storm water overflow will increase slightly to 2,100
pounds daily in 1990 and to 2,900 pounds per day by 2020.
Agricultural and Land Runoff
Agricultural and rural land runoff is not a major problem in the
Pennsylvania area. Approximately 80 tons of sediment per day are discharged
into Lake Erie and'Presque Isle Bay from Pennsylvania waters.
One major problem from soil erosion is that of Presque Isle peninsula.
This sand and gravel spit extends into Lake Erie from a rocky bluff.
Littoral currents pick up sand from the base of the peninsula and deposit
it at the eastern end. This process moves the peninsula in an eastward
direction. If allowed to continue, the thin base would soon erode away,
forming an island. The island would eventually reconnect to the mainland,
filling in what is now Erie Harbor. To prevent this, sand is pumped
from the bay side of the peninsula to the lake side, replacing the eroding
sand. A series of groins has been constructed to help retain the sand
and slow its eastward drift.
Dredging
Legislation passed in 1962 provided for the present maintained
depth of 29 feet in Erie Harbor to accommodate deep draft vessels using
the St. Lawrence Seaway.
All maintenance dredging of the harbors is done by the U. S. Corps
of Engineers with their own boats. In 19&7 a*1 estimated 200,000 cubic
yards of material will be dredged from Erie Harobr, which ranks ninth
of fourteen harbors in estimated volume to be dredged.
The dumping area for the dredged material from Erie Harbor is
located in Lake Erie approximately one and a half miles north of Presque
Isle. The dumping area has a minimum depth requirement of 35 feet.
Federal Installations
There is only one Federal installation not connected to a municipal
sewerage system. It is the Erie Coast Guard Station and has subsurface
disposal through septic tanks. The population using the facilities varies
from six to eight.
4--
-------
New York Area
Industries and municipalities are the principal sources of waste
discharges in the New York area. Other sources of waste also contributing
pollution to the streams in this area are accidental spills from vessels
or industries, combined sewer overflows, land runoff, material from dredg-
ing operations, and wastes from lake vessels and pleasure craft. In
Chapter 5 the consequences of these waste discharges are further described.
Municipal Wastes
Approximately 220,000 people are served by 21 sewage treatment
plants in the New York area. Ten of these plants provide secondary
treatment and eleven provide only primary treatment. In addition, seven
municipalities with a total population of approximately 12,200 have no
treatment facilities other than spetic tanks. Figure i(-33 shows the
location of the municipal sewage treatment plants- and Table U-29 summarizes
their waste discharges.
The total phosphorus load discharged by the sewage treatment plants
is approximately 3,000 pounds per day and the total BOD load discharged
is 29,000 pounds per day. This represents an overall BOD removal rate of
only 60 percent. The projected phosphorus and BOD loads from the muni-
cipal treatment plants in the New York area through 2020 are shown in
Figure h-31*. These projections assume all municipalities presently
providing only septic tanks will have treatment facilities by 1971 and
all populations in municipalities having treatment plants will be con-
nected to them.
Industrial V/astes
Table U-30 lists the major industries which discharge wastes to
the area's waters. The location of the industrial waste discharges is
shown in Figure U-35. The information presented in the table has been
obtained from several sources such as studies conducted by official
pollution control agencies, data provided by industries through the
New York State Health Department, and other available information of
New York pollution control agencies. It has been reviewed by these
agencies.
A few of the industries listed in the table have relatively small
discharges, but significantly degrade the water quality because the flow
in the receiving stream is also very small. Some very large industrial
waste discharges enter streams with very small flows during much of the
year. This has been the situation in the Buffalo River where the river
water consists essentially of a concentrated mixture of industrial and
other wastes during extended periods of time.
The pollutant materials discharged by industry are diverse; they
include oil, solids, phenols, acid, color, BOD, odor, alkali, cyanide,
ammonia, COD and heavy metals and other toxic constituents. The Bethle-
hem Steel Company discharges the largest volume of waste in the entire
Lake Erie basin. Other major contributors of pollution to the New York
4-
-------
i
Ki
NEW YORK AREA
MUNICIPAL WASTE DISCHARGES
-------
TABLE h-29
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
NEW YORK AREA
Municipality or
Institution
Receiving
Stream
Type Sewerage Flow
System* (mgd)
BOD (Ibs/day)
Raw Final
Buffalo River Basin (BR)
1-West Seneca SD 6
2-Cheektowaga SD 3
3-Depew
U-Lancaster SD 1
5-East Aurora (V)
6-Lackawanna
Eighteenmile Creek
1-Hamburg (V)
2-Gowanda State
Hospital
3-Gowanda
U-Springville
5 -Arcade
Buffalo River
Buffalo River
Cayuga Creek
Cayuga Creek
E. Br. Cazenovia
Creek
Smoke Creek
Primary-S x
Secondary-S 2.1
Primary-S 1.1
Secondary-S 0.9
Secondary-S • 0.8
Primary-S 3 • 1
x x
U,100 1,300
1,760 500
x x
1,600 560
4,500 x
(EC) and Cattaraugus Creek (CC) Basins
Eighteenmile
Creek
Cattaraugus
Creek
Cattaraugus
Creek
Cattaraugus
Creek
Cattaraugus
Creek
Secondary-S x
Primary-S x
Primary-S 0.8
Primary-S 0 . k
Secondary-S x
X X
X X
X X
x 380
X X
*S = Separate Sewer System, C = Combined Sewer System, S-C = Separate and
Combined Sewer Systems.
x = Not available.
-------
TABLE H-29 (concluded)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTES
NEW YORK AREA
Municipality or Receiving Type Sewerage Flow BOD (ibs/day)
Institution
Small Tributaries
1-Blasdell
2-Hamburg SD 1
(Woodlawn)
3-North Collins
U-Silver Creek
5-Fredonia
6-West field
Stream
(ST)
Rush Creek
Rush Creek
Big Sister
Creek
Silver Creek
Canadaway Cr.
Chautauqua Cr.
System*
Secondary-S
Secondary-S
Secondary-S
Secondary-S**
Secondary-S-C
Secondary-S
(mgd) Raw Final
0.8 1,900 260
XX X
XXX
XXX
1.7 x 1,100
0.9 x 300
Direct to Lake Erie (LE)
1-Hamburg SD 2
(Mt. Vernon)
2-Hamburg
(Wanakah)
3-Hamburg
(Master)
^-Dunkirk
5-Ripley
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Primary-S
Prinnry-S
Primary-S
Primary-S-C
Primary-S
XXX
XXX
1.1 820 x
U.I - x U,300
'0.1 x 850
*S = Separate Sewer System, C = Combined Sewer System, S-C = Separate and
Combined Sewer Systems.
x = Not available.
** = These facilities are approximately 85 percent completed.
-------
!U
ti w
o
6,0001-
4.000
i
i! O
o
u>
PHOSPHORUS a BOD LOADINGS
MUNICIPAL S.T.P
NEW YORK AREA
o
01
Ol
(D
300,000
200,000
100,000
300,000 -
200,000
100,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
PHOSPHORUS
(Ibs./day)
(?) = RAW
(D = LOAD (^PRESENT REMOVAL RATE
(5) = LOAO'^>90% REMOVAL RATE
© = LOAD(O95% REMOVAL RATE
© • ALLOWABLE LOAD
BOD
(Ibs./day)
-------
h-i
OD
SCALE
NEW YORK AREA
INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES
505 10 15 MILES
-------
TABLE U-30
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NEW YORK AREA
Industry
Location
Receiving
Stream
Flow WASTE COHSTITUEIITS-rbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** BOD Other
Buffalo River Basin (BR)
Buffalo
1-Allied Chemical
Buffalo Chemical
Division
2-Allied Chemical
Buffalo Dye
3-Republic Steel
5-Mobil Oil
Buffalo R.
Inorganic chem-
ical
Buffalo Buffalo R. Organic chemicals lU.8
Buffalo Buffalo R.
it-Dinner Hanna Coke Buffalo Buffalo R.
Buffalo Buffalo R.
Steel
Coke
Refinery
6.0
22.5
pH 5-7-7.0
UO.OOOS 1*5,000 pH 2.5-1+.0
COD 80,000
Cl 26,000
Cyanide 12
Iron 7,1*00
Phenol ll*5
Color
26.5 15,800x
pH 3.7-9-5
COD x, Oil x,
Color, Iron 16,300
COD x, Oil <775;
Phenols 115
25,OOOT 3,700 pH 7.^-8.0;
2,600S COD 1*,700,
Oil 1,500,
Cl 2,500,
Phenol 379
(a) Plant is discontinuing operations in 1968.
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE l<-30( continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NEW YORK AREA
I
Z*
0
Industry
Location
Buffalo River Basin (cont'd)
6-Symington Wayne
7-Pennsylvani a
Railroad Shops
Cattaraugus Creek
1-Peter Cooper
Eastern Tanners
and Glue
2-Moench Tannery
Small Tributaries
1-Welch Grape
Juice
2-Growers Coop
Grape
3-Welch Grape
Juice
Depev
Gardenville
Basin (CC)
Govanda
Gowanda
(ST)
Brocton
West field
Westfield
Receiving Flow WASTE CONSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
Stream Type (mgd) Solids** BOD Other
Cayuga Cr. Machining x x pH x, Oil x,
Color
Buffalo Cr. Repair Yards x Oils x
Cattaraugus 3.6 131.000T
Creek 9,600S 26,000
Cattaraugus 1.7 90.000T
Creek 7,600S 8,700
Slippery Rock Food processing x xS x Color
, Creek
Chautauqua Food processing x xS x Color
Creek
Chautauqua Food processing x xS x Color
Cr. &
Lake Erie
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
TABLE lj-30 (concluded)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NEW YORK AREA
Industry
Receiving
Location Stream
Flow WASTE COHSTITUENTS-lbs/day*
(mgd) Solids** BOD Other
Direct to Lake Erie (LE)
1-Lehigh Portland Buffalo Lake Erie
Cement
2-Hanna Furnace
3-Bethlehem Steel
It-Penn Dixie
Cement ^b'
5-Alle gheny-Ludlum
Steel
6-Seneca Westfield
Maid
Buffalo Lake Erie
Lackawanna Lake Erie
Buffalo Lake Erie
Dunkirk Lake Erie
Westfield Lake Erie
Cement
Foundry
Steel
Cement
Steel
Food processing
x xS
x xS
350 350,0003
xS
xS
xS
Oil x
pH U.0-7.0
COD x, Oil 31,000,
phenols 680,
cyanide 950
Color, pH x, Oil x,
Temp, x, Iron x
Color
(b) Plant is currently not in operation.
* Except temperature in °F and pH.
** Solids: T=Total Suspended and Dissolved, S=Total Suspended, and D=Total Dissolved.
x Sufficient data not available for evaluation.
-------
portion of Lake Erie waters are Allied Chemical-Buffalo Dye, Donner
Hanna Coke, Hanna Furnace, Mobil Oil, Moench Tannery, Peter Cooper-
Eastern Tanners Glue Division, and Republic Steel.
Waste production from industries is expected to double throughout
the Lake Erie basin. The industries in the New York area are expected
to follow this pattern; however, some of these industries will connect
to municipal sewage treatment plants. Figure 14-3& shows the expected
raw and discharged BOD from industries which will not connect to city
sewerage systems.
Combined Sewers
Of the 21 sewered communities only two are served with a combined
system. The municipalities of Dunkirk and Fredonia are both sewered
with a combination of separate and combined sewers. Less than 10 per-
cent of the sewered population is served by combined sewers. The City
of Buffalo (not included in this report) is served with a combined-
separate system. Approximately 100,000 residents of Buffalo are served
by combined sewers with overflows discharging to the Buffalo River.
There are over 30 overflows on the Buffalo River from the City of Buffalo.
During periods of storm runoff these plants with combined sever systems
discharge raw sewage and industrial wastes, nixed with storm water, to
the streams. These outfalls constitute a major intermittent source of
pollution. The estimated BOD load from the storm water overflow in the
New York area is 12,000 pounds per day. With the conversion of all combined
4--I32.
-------
300,00 OS-
QPRESENT REMOVAL RATE
ALLOWABLE LOAD
2>90% REMOVAL RATE
95% REMOVAL RATE
/-">./
-------
severs to separate sewers the BOD load in 1990 will be 8,000 pounds daily
and will be back to 12,000 pounds per day in 2020.
Solid Wastes
There are some locations near the area's waterways which are being
used for the disposal of solid wastes. There are dumps in the area
ranging from the small one-family size to the large, municipally-operated
areas. Presently dumps exist along stream banks in the communities of
Cheektowaga, Depew, Gowanda, Lancaster, etc. Dumps never add to the
esthetic value of a stream and they may contribute oils, oxygen demand,
trash, debris and other wastes.
Disposal of garbage, trash, and other deleterious refuse in the
New York area along the streams should be prohibited and existing
dumps along the river banks or in the flood plains should be removed.
Agriculture and Land Runoff
Soil erosion causes the addition of silt, nutrients, and other
deleterious substances to the area's waterways. The principal sources
of these materials are from unstable river banks, highway and subdivision
construction and agricultural lands.
In the New York area, sediment loads during high flow are very
high due to the steepness of the streams. The sediment loads for the
major streams, as computed by the U. S. Geological Survey, are listed
belov in Table 1*-31.
TABLE H-31
SEDIMENT LOADS - TONS/YEAR
Buffalo River
Cayuga Creek 110,000
Cazenovia Creek 200,000
Buffalo Creek 150,000
Cattaraugus Creek 610,000
Dredging
There are two harbors in the New York area that are dredged
by the Corps of Engineers: Dunkirk Harbor and Buffalo Harbor-Buffalo
River and Ship Canal.
Over 600,000 cubic yards of material is dredged yearly from the
Buffalo Harbor area. The harbor is maintained at a depth of 23 to 28
feet while the river and ship canal is maintained to a depth of 22 feet.
-------
Presently all dredged.materials are deposited in a dumping area adjacent
to Bethlehem Steel Company north of Smoke Creek. A new diked dumping
area is being constructed for materials dredged from the Buffalo River
by the Corps of Engineers. The dike will be extended west from.the small
boat harbor adjacent to the Niagara Frontier Prot Authority.
The materials from Hanna Furnace's Union Canal and particularly
from Bethlehem Steel's Lackawanna. Canal, which are dredged by private
contract, should also be discharged behind diked areas. The material
from the Union Canal contains high concentrations of iron and the
material from the Lackawanna Canal and/or Buffalo River contain high
concentrations of oil and tars, phenols, organics, etc.
Dunkirk Harbor is dredged primarily for small boat traffic and is
maintained at a 16 foot depth. Additional dredging will be done by
the Corps of Engineers in order to widen the harbor area for a boat
marina. The estimated volume of material dredged by the Corps of
Engineers from Dunkirk Harbor is 26,000 cubic yards. The dredged mate-
rial is dumped into Lake Erie in an area approximately one mile north
of the harbor.
4-135
-------
-------
CHAPTER 5
WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS
Sewage, industrial vaste, and silt pour into the Lake Erie water-
shed in incessant amounts. This chapter presents the effects of these
vastes on vater quality and also on vater use in the Lake Erie basin.
Every type of vaste discharged in the basin takes its toll in
some form or other. The most obvious signs of pollution occur in the
tributaries and around the lake shoreline where recreational and water
supply uses are greatest. An enigma as menacing as a cancerous growth
is also taking its toll in the entire lake, and that is the seemingly
inexorable onslaught of premature aging.
The process of lake aging, its ramifications, and limits on the
recreational use of the lake are discussed first, followed by a discussion
of pollutional effects and use limitations in each of the tributaries.
It will be shown that the major pollution problems in the tributaries
occur below the large municipal and industrial complexes and that the
water quality becomes the poorest as these streams enter the lake.
-------
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the recipient of most of the wastes dumped into
its tributaries; but, because of tremendous dilution and the lake's
natural purification capacity, the wastes cause problems of lesser
degrees. The lake has two problems which are now critical, not
because of incurability, but because of inattention to them. These
problems are (l) over-fertilization of the entire lake which is most
Orwji, aienz s-itu*
serious throughout the western basin.and (2) bacterial contamination
near shore which is most serious in the vicinity of metropolitan
centers where the need for clean water is the greatest.
Lake Erie is naturally the most productive of the Great Lakes,
meaning that, without the presence of man, it would be in a more
advanced state of fertilization or enrichment (eutrophication). Proof
of this lies in the quantity and variety of fishes which inhabited
the lake at the turn of the century. They were the result of the
A
high productive capacity of the waters. At that time Lake Erie had
probably reached the ideal in its ability to support a prolific, varied,
and balanced aquatic life, while at the same time providing for all
the uses which man might make of it. Unfortunately the ideal level in
natural lake aging spans a relatively short time in the total aging
process. It is near the stage when a lake can become rapidly less
satisfactory, when explosive production of a few species of relatively
undesirable life forms crowds out many other species which are charac-
teristic of clean water.
Still the ideal level in 'a lake the size of Lake Erie should hold
-------
sufficiently that a change would be practically immeasurable in a
r.an's lifetime. Such is not the case in Lake Erie. Within tvo
generations man has dumped enough fertilising refuse into the lake to
not only make the change measurable but to make it glaringly obvious.
The refuse contains excessive quantities of every nutrient known to
be necessary to biological production, but the crucial ones are ^
C/?,7 d-Tii if'/Juii ;?i.V-f »»'i.fr/I—f^a-^'^j—^^-v* s/t-j-^^y-JtJ—*«hm*>« )
nitrogen and phosphorus.. These two nutrients are the prime catalysts
for a biological and chemical chain reaction which, if unchecked, can
lead to the greatly premature destruction of Lake Erie as a water re-
source. The inputs of these nutrients are not now_being^effectively
^ i ' ^ * j " " f •
controlled and are increasing at an alarming rate. Co;.vrol can and
A
must be instituted at .the earliest possible time for Lake Erie to return
to its normal rate of aging.
Bacterial contamination of nearshore waters ranks in severity
along with over-fertilization. Mid-lake waters, beyond a mile or so
from shore, are generally very acceptable in this respect. However,
upon approaching the shore in many locations, the waters are_unfit a
great deal of the time for body-contact uses.' In general, the most
severe contamination fronts metropolitan areas, and the larger the
metropolitan area, the more severe the condition (Figure S-7 ).
Sources of bacterial contamination are treated or untreated sewage
discharges, industrial wastes, combined sewer overflows, storm sewer
discharges, and general land runoff. Usually, however, the most
severe contamination is associated with storm sewer overflow and
-------
sewage discharges, />u_V'.
-------
basins; it facilitates high productivity in the vestern basin and
nearshore everywhere; and it can be controlled. Therefore it offers
the possibility of limiting productivity at all places in Lake Erie.
High primary productivity in vestern Lake Erie and along the
entire lake shore can be directly correlated to phosphorus levels
in these areas. These levels average above 0.0/0 mg/1 soluble in-
organic phosphorus and 0.030 as total phosphorus (organic plus in-
organic), which are considered as limiting levels (Figure S-/ ).'
These levels approximate the average levels of the mid-lake central
and eastern "basins'where excessive productivity is not now a normal
problem.
Excessive primary productivity, resulting from over-enrichment,
leads quickly to a change in the primary (algae) balance from a wide
variety of forms with relatively few numbers of each to a narrow
variety with superabundance of each. This has been demonstrated in
Lake Erie (Figure £j-2- )• Unfortunately, a-Loe accompanying this
change is also a change from clean-water forms to undesirable pollution-
tolerant forms, and this characteristic extends farther up the food
chain.
Large numbers of algae of course produce large numbers of dead
organisms. While living, algae reproduce in the trophic (sunlit) zone
near the surface, often releasing oxygen in quantities sufficient to
raise the dissolved oxygen concentration to 130 percent of saturation
or more in their zone of existence. However upon dying they sink to
the bottom. This leads directly to the next change in the food chain.
-------
-------
_J
s
1000
»00«
20
A.
•k
1
so
\
YEARS
SO 60
Average phytoplankton cells per
milliliter for all years with
complete records, 1920 to 1963.
FMA M J JASO NO
WFMAMWJ ASONO
I9S7
TOOO-
V
in
4000-
£000
M'A'M'J'J'A'S'O'N'O
F M A M J JAS 0 N 0
1962
PHYTOPLANKTON ABUNDANCE
LAKE ERIE (CLEVELAND WATER INTAKE RECORDS)
FIGURE
-------
I Dead organisms, while sinking through the water, consume oxygen
; in decomposition. Some numbers of these organisms reach the bottom
i
i
j and the waters just above the bottom. If the water is. thermally
i
i
stratified, the hypolimnion is not mixed with the water above and it
I contains a definitive amount of dissolved oxygen with ho source of
i
replenishment. If a large 'amount of dead organic matter is present,
j oxygen is consumed very rapidly and may entirely disappear from the
i .
j hypolimnion water Movement of the hypolimnion, caused by wind
• (Refer to Chapter 2 - Lake Temperature Section), can re-suspend bottom •
j materials, increasing the rate of depletion.
I Hypolimnion oxygen depletion now commonly occurs in summer in
I
i the western basin intermittently and in the central basin for a con-
l fi-*\ tinuous period of a month or more (Figure £-3 )• J-l lb q,ulten5Ss'sT51e
! "' }
i &&& the depletion in the central basin results in part from the
i
{ transport of algae, dead or alive, from the western basin and from
! nearshore areas in the central basin.
r
\ Oxygen depletion should, in
-------
o
CANADA
MICHIGAN
AREA OF THERMAL STRATIFICATION
2-4mg/l
N E W YORK
PENNSYLVANIA
LAKE ERIE
DISSOLVED OXYGEN
BOTTOM WATERS
AUGUST 14-31,1964
-------
LAKE ERIE
BENTHIC FAUNA DISTRIBUTION
1963 and 1964
-------
0
^--J*P—-F i *r-4H" I—Fl'—t?"
L--..£*| * *T p ^1 y «^^
r-'-pn n=r1 r^lqi—J
•OiJ,,, D>LJ_
r—i
'» »i»»-L—J
coimecTco ra STATIONS
TOTAL OftOAKISHS PCK SOUAKI
HIT IK .
LAKE ERIE
BENTHIC POPULATIONS
SPRING, SUMMER. AND FALL
1963 AND 64 COMBINED
-------
low oxygen.levels. Tubificidae (sludgeworms) and Tendipedidae
(bloodworms) are such organisms. Pollution-sensitive organisms may
disappear. This has happened to Hexagenia in Lake Erie which formerly
was the most abundant benthic organism in the western basin. It
virtually disappeared in the mid-1950's.
The pollution-sensitive benthic organisms are apparently pre-
ferred by the more desirable carnivorous fishes as food. Thus a
change to pollution-tolerant forms, characteristic of oxygen-deficient
zones has interfered with their food supply and has had some effect
in reducing the numbers of the more desirable species and increasing
the relative abundance of scrub fish whose food supply has not been
interrupted but perhaps increased by the same phenomena.
^~ Fish are not only affected by a change in their food supply but
they are directly affected by their inability to even survive in
low oxygen waters. Thus even though the benthic food supply might be
sufficient, it is essentially not available at many places during
times of oxygen deficiency in bottom waters.
A further complication of low oxygen levels in bottom waters is
that they lead to the re-cycling of nutrients from the bottom sediments
back into the water, thus tending toward a self-perpetuating nutrient
system. A plentiful supply of phosphorus exists in the bottom sediments
of the lake (Figure $-^ ). ghe-ph&ffpkegus- content,.
of
-------
V )
o
iFFAtd
. I
'tT~
CONTOUR INTERVAL
O.Smg./g. DRY WEIGHT
TOTAL PHOSPHATE (P0«)
IN
BOTTOM SEDIMENTS
OF
LAKE ERIE
7/28- 8/7/64
-------
The Phosphorus Problem - The phosphorus problem is not all
so simple in Lake Erie. As stated previously phosphorus is nov
the limiting nutrient in the mid-lake waters of the central and •
eastern "basins. It is so plentiful in the western "basin and along
the shore that it is probably not limiting.
A phosphorus balance for Lake Erie shows that at least two-
thirds of the phosphorus discharged to the lake is retained in the
lake, being stored mainly in bottom sediments. The phosphorus con-
tent of the bottom sediments is two or three times the content of
older lake sediments on shore. The mechanisms of the phosphorus
retention and phosphorus cycle are not well understood in any lake,
being problems of both "biochemistry and geochemistry. It is known
that sediments will normally accumulate phosphorus much faster
than they will release it.
Soluble inorganic phosphorus is available for algal nutrition.
The remainder of the phosphorus content in the water is tied up
chemically in inorganic sediments and organic matter, mainly in the
latter. Measurements made in tributary discharges and in Lake Erie
indicate the following average ratios of soluble to total phosphorus:
Tributaries 1:1.7
Western Lake Erie 1:2
Central Lake Erie 1:3
Eastern Lake Erie '1:1+
A study of the phosphorus distribution in Lake Erie indicates
that (l) a rapid reduction of phosphorus concentration occurs within
(•^ilLi-ii. 5 -l)
the western basin water before this water reaches the central basin;,
(2) phosphorus levels average fairly constant in the central basin
-------
water, and (3) total phosphorus levels increase slightly in the
eastern "basin water.
The natural reduction of phosphorus levels in the western
basin of Lake Erie apparently results from chemical and mechanical
precipitation and from the productivity uriftake and subsequent organic
deposition. Almost two-thirds of the phosphorus contribution to
Lake Erie, nearly 100,000 pounds daily, is discharged into the
western basin, yet only some 30,000 pounds daily can be accounted
for in the discharge from the western basin. About the same amount
or a little more is transferred daily from the central to the eastern
basin and about ^0,000 pounds daily is discharged via the Niagara
River.
x--v The fairly constant average level of phosphorus concentration
in the central and eastern basin water indicates that some sort of
balance system is in operation in these basins, and the balance system
must involve sediment-water phosphorus exchange. It is likely that
the average phosphorus level in the water of these two basins will
maintain itself as long as there is phosphorus available in the bottom
sediments in adequate amounts. However this will not cause serious
problems because serious problems do not currently exist in mid-lake
surface waters of these two basins.
The immediately desirable objective in phosphorus control should
be to bring the concentrations in the lake into areal uniformity. The
high levels of the western basin and nearshore waters should be reduced
to the average level of the mid-lake waters of the central and eastern
O
-------
basins. This should reduce productivity accordingly. Because of
lake nutrient re-cycling the reduction vould likely be gradual instead
of sudden and immediate.
It is very likely that in the vestern basin that a reduction of
lake input from the present in-basin loading of 80,000 pounds per day
of phosphorus to 22 ,'000 pounds would solve the immediate problem of
over-enrichment. This vould require a 92 percent reduction of
phosphorus from municipal and industrial wastes in the area. Main-
tenance of this level of input would require 96 percent removal in 1990
and 100 percent in 2020 from municipal and industrial wastes. These
recommendations assume that at least 20 percent of the remaining dis-
charge of phosphorus, primarily from urban and rural runoff, will be
/"\ chemically or mechanically bound in bottom sediments and will not be
available as a nutrient except in the balance exchange process.
Essentially the same degree of treatment of municipal and in-
dustrial wastes will be required in the remainder of the basin to pre-
vent excessive productivity in nearshore waters. Because a 100 percent
degree of treatment in 2020 will be difficult to attain, other sources
of phosphorus, such as runoff, must be limited.
Fishing
The above description indicates the water quality problems which
may be most detrimental to fishing in Lake Erie, both sport and commercial.
Other pollution factors, such as silting of spawning beds which may
-------
smother fish eggs, suffocation of hatching fish by lack of oxygen
due to organic deposition, toxicity and flesh tainting of tributary
i
i
vaters from rav vastes , turbidity, and release of intolerable sub- j
stances from bottom sediments such as sulfides, all contribute to
the decline of various fishes. In addition, over-exploitation of
certain prized species while leaving rough fish to prolif erate? has
assuredly contributed to the shift in species abundance. And still u^, a
further, man has caused the introduction of undesirable species to
A
compete for food. The relative effects of each of these factors
have not yet been ascertained, much less the effects of natural
evolution. Clearly and unfortunately all factors related to man's
activities have been detrimental.
/7^ Commercial fish catch statistics, gathered by the U. S. Bureau
of Commercial Fisheries, have provided a long record of the relative
abundance of desirable fish species in Lake Erie (Tables r'-/ and
•5"-2-)« In recent years, continuing surveys have been introduced
by federal and state agencies on the reproduction phase of the life
cycles of fishes and limited predictions of near-future populations
are nov possible.
The sturgeon almost disappeared from catch statistics at about
the turn of the century. The cisco, once the dominant species of the
commercial catch, experienced a sudden decline in 1926, shoved a
slight recovery, and declined to insignificance in 1957. Whitefish de-
clined drastically in the commercial catch in 1955' The walleye began
a drastic decline in 1957 and is still in great distress. The blue
n
-------
pike, vhich formerly produced several million pounds per year became
nearly extinct in 1958.
The yellow perch has managed to hold its own, but it.also shows
signs of weakening in the commercial catch. It is the only plentiful
fish remaining of the former many prized varieties. The smelt is now
commercially exploitable and it, along with yellow perch, is sustaining
the fishing industry in Lake Erie.
The capacity of Lake Erie to support fish, considered as a
total population of all species, has apparently been maintained and
may be increasing. This means that the habitat is changing in favor
of such fish as carp, alewife, shad, sheepshead, etc. These are
generally considered as indicators of general water quality degradation.
Massive adult and near-adult fish kills occur in Lake Erie and
have occurred on various occasions for many years. These kills are
U
-------
Commercial fishing is suffering economically because of the
decline of desirable fishes. It does have another problem vhich is
minor by comparison and this is the fouling of nets and lines by
algae, primarily Cladophora. This again is caused by the excessive
stimulation of nutrients. ,; ' "
-------
Recreation and Tourism
Water quality problems of recreation and tourism receive the
most attention because most of them are so obvious to so many
people when they come into direct contact with the lake water.
Figure 5-7 depicts the relative pollution impairment to recreational
activities in the Lake Erie basin as compiled by the Bureau of Outdoor
Recreation and revised by the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration.
This figure in general is not intended to be precise, but it serves to
show the differences from one area to another. Degrees of impairment
have been divided into light, moderate, and gross with the following
definitions by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation:
Waters lightly impaired were considered to be those on and in
which recreational activities involving body contact with the water could
be freely engaged in. Such waters, however, are not aesthetically pleasing
at least part of the recreational season due to man's activities in the
area. These activities would include mining, gravel washing, canning,
sewage treatment and similar activities.
Waters moderately impaired were considered to be those on which
recreational activities not involving body contact with the water could
be freely engaged in. Some persons may engage in water activities in-
volving body contact, but most people shy away from such activity.
Waters grossly impaired were considered to be those on and in which
most people would not engage in activities requiring body contact with
the water, and many would not engage in activities on the water. Much of
the time such waters would be aesthetically displeasing due to such con-
ditions as algae growth, dead fish, oil slicks, floating debris, and raw sewage.
-------
:&
LEGEND
RIVER
GROSSLY IMPAIRED
MODERATELY IMPAIRED
LIGHTLY IMPAIRED
JMICH
IND"
AREAS OF
WATER RECREATION
IMPAIRMENT
LAKE ERIE ASiN
-------
Among the factors taken into consideration were the past records and
reports of such agencies as the Michigan Water Resources Commission, the
New York State Department of Health, and the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources. When available, records of coliform counts were used.
Nearshore waters support the greatest recreational use concen-
tration in Lake Erie in such activities- as swimming, water skiing, small
boating, and sport fishing. At many, if not most, places along the
shore these activities are interfered with in some degree by one or
more of the following factors: bacterial contamination, dead and dying
algae masses, dead fish, turbidity, and general refuse or solid wastes.
Beaches open to the public receive the largest numbers of visitors,
especially on warm summer weekends. Many of the beaches' waters are
either continuously or intermittently contaminated with large numbers
of bacteria as measured by total coliforms (Figure 5-8), fecal coliforms,
fecal streptococci, and total bacterial plate counts. In general
the worst conditions are near metropolitan centers. The Cleveland
lakefront, for example, is the most grossly contaminated area along
the Lake Erie shore as a result of sewage and storm water discharges.
Yet the demand is so intense that many areas are heavily used regardless
of contamination.
Bacterial and/or chemical contamination is generally very great in
all major harbors and most smaller ones. These waters in most cases are
so heavily contaminated that they are completely unfit for any kind of
-------
o
NO. NAME
MAX. COLI/IOO ML
I.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
II.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
DEWEY BEACH
STERLING STATE PARK
TOLEDO BEACH
CRANE CREEK ST. PARK
EAST HARBOR ST. PARK
CEDAR POINT
LAKEVIEW PARK
HUNTINGTON PARK
EDGEWATER PARK
WHITE CITY PARK
MENTOR TWP. PARK
HEADLANDS ST. PARK
GENEVA TWR PARK
WALNUT PARK
CONNEAUT TWP. PARK
PRESQUE ISLE ST. PARK
LAKE ERIE ST. PARK
EVANGOLA ST. PARK
BUFFALO MUNIC. BEACH
42,000
1,040,000
2,000
724,000
24.000
N.A.
3,800
4,600
I90.00O
250,000
7,000
4,600
10,000
560
N.A.
28,000
N.A.
7,500
4,500
MEDIAN COLIFORMS PER 100 ML
LESS THAN 1.000
1000-2500
2500-5000
MORE THAN 5,000
LAKE ERIE
BACTERIAL QUALITY
AT
MAJOR BEACHES
(U.S. PORTION)
-------
j body contact use including fishing. Swimmers usually recognize
the danger but many harbor areas are used extensively for vater
skiing and fishing. The most severely contaminated harbor areas are
at Detroit, Monroe, Toledo, Lorain, Rocky River, Cleveland, Ashtabula,
and Buffalo. Coliform counts in the hundreds of thousands per 100 ml
are common. However'the'y persist for only a short distance into the
lake, generally less than one mile. Background lake concentrations
average less than 100 organisms per 100 ml.
In nearly all areas where total coliform counts are high, fecal
coliform and fecal streptococci counts are also high, indicating con-
tamination from sewage. Enteroviruses, such as Salmonella, have been
found in harbor waters but not at lake beaches.
y~s Less dangerous but far more widespread is the problem of
littering of beaches and nearshore waters by growing, dead, dying, and .
decaying algae, primarily Cladophora. Masses of algae can be found
at nearly all places along the shore in summer causing unpleasant
sights and odors. These algae problems decrease shore property values,
i
decrease tourism, and present clean-up problems. Esthetic values are
greatly reduced.
Activities with which algae physically interfere are swimming,
boating, and fishing. Swimming or wading through masses of algae,
although perhaps not particularly harmful, is an unpleasant experience
to say the least. Algae foul engine propellers and engine cooling
systems of small boats and also foul fishing lines.
Dead fish present problems similar to algae on beaches and during
t
' J
-------
massive fish kills they may become highly offensive at any place along
the shore.
Turbidity is mainly an esthetic problem in nearshore waters
throughout the lake and interferes with underwater visibility. It
/ „/-',/
is not generally a nuisance otherwise>^:^~?TTr~r'"rr~'T''^'i':~;''i"t>;fr:r"~:r':';"'-u^—'-i~c-
Solid wastes (trash) are dumped in the tributaries and along
shore. These cause esthetic problems..and^,swimming and boating safety-
problems.,. The safety problems from this cause, resulting from such
things as broken glass, logs, and scrap metal, are serious at all times
but especially dangerous at night. Again these problems are most
serious near centers of large population.
Municipal Water Supply
Lake Erie is an outstanding source of municipal water supply in
both quantity and quality. It has no especially deleterious chemical
constituents as indicated in Table L> ; , listing intake water quality
at various intakes and in Table 5-4 , summarizing the FWPCA lake-wide
surveys of 19^3 and 196"^.
Municipal water supply from Lake Erie does have problems of
filter clogging, tastes and odors, and in some places suspended solids.
All of these problems frequently are caused by algae, and large algae
populations are the main causative factor in lake supply problems, u*^ <
'Some blue-green algae produce offensive tastes and odors in their
biochemical structure. Over-abundance of these leads to shorter filter
runs and the need for carbon filtration, thus increasing costs.
Some algae also concentrate coloring substances, such as manganese,
-------
v>
Total Solids
mg/1
Min. Max.
Monroe
Toledo 16? 282
Sandusky 193 265
Lorain 178 286
Cleveland 170 220
(Crown)
Ashtabula 192 21?
Erie
Buffalo 156 254
O
RAW WATER QUALITY AT SELECTED WATER INTAKES
Alkalinity pH Chlorides Turbidity NO? Hardness
mg/1 CaC03 mg/1 units mg/1 mg/1 CaCO^
Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.
75 122 7.9 8.9 12 81 5 1,350 -- — 116 240
72 140 7.6 8.9 15 36 5 148 0.5 1.0 103 234
91 113 7.7 8.5 11 21 5 1,560 0.0 1.5 138 166
80 99 7.8 8.7 16 2? 1 140 0.1 2.5 116 138
83 104 7.4 8.6 19 28 2 190 0.0 0.5 118 133
87 110 7.7 8.2 21 30 5 260 0.0 1.0 130 148
80 92 7.9 8.6 18 23 4 40 — — 120 142
^
-------
TABLE ;•;--'.-'•
LAKE ERIE WATER CHEMISTRY SUMMARY - 196U
(mg/1 unless otherwise noted)
Western Basin
Parameter
COD
Conductivity 25°C (|unhos/cm)
Dissolved Solids
Total Solids
Alkalinity
Chlorides
Sulfates
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Sodium
Silica
ABS
Soluble Phosphate
Total Phosphate
Ammonia Nitrogen
Nitrate Nitrogen
Organic Nitrogen
Max.
29
36U
220
250
11U
3l»
' -35
1*3
11
1*
19
5
0
0
_ —
0
1
.0
.5
.0
.0
.11*
.333
.77
.50
Min.
1.1
196
110
lUo
81
10
9
28
7
1.0
5.5
0.3
0.01
0.003
_ —
0.01
0.02
Avg.
10. U
272
162
181
9»i
21.3
17-7
33.9
8.7
1.5
9-9
1.20
0.06T
0.032
0.065
0.159
0.121*
0.36
Central Basin
Max.
16.0
353
239
218
103
1*6
1*3
1*9
lit
1.6
17.0
9.6
0.20
o.oi*o
•
0.39
0.81*
Min.
3.1
251*
137
159
81
19
15
32
7
1.1
8.3
0.2
0.02
0.000
0.01
0.00
Avg.
7-1
300
178
185
95
21*. 5
22. 1( .
39.5
10.0
1.3
11.0
0.68
0.065
0.010
0.030
0.086
0.090
0,25
Eastern Basin
Max.
27.0
328
233
2^0
112
31
29
1*9
ll*
1.9
15.0
3.5
0.15
0.037
0.32
0.85
Min.
1*.
281*
150
167
83
21
17
36
7
1.
8.
0.
0.
0.
—
0.
0.
7
1
6
2
03
000
-
00
01
Avg.
T.»»
301
179
188
97
2l*.5
23. li
1*0.5
10.0
1.3
10.9
0.1»7
0.065
0.010
o.oi*o
0,086
0.090
0.2l*
-------
in their cellular structure. These may cause coloring of tap water
and staining of fixtures. They are sometimes difficult to control.
Excessive turbidity or suspended solids occur in the western
basin at times, thus again raising the cost of treatment.
Until now water treatment plants have been discharging their
treatment sludge back into Lake Erie. Thus they are creating or
r-f,
prolonging a pollution problem onf"their own.
Industrial Water Supply
Industries which independently withdraw water from Lake Erie
generally obtain water of lower overall quality, than that of municipal
supply because their intakes are closer to shore. Industry in general
does not require water of such high quality although some uses require
elaborate pre-treatment.
Industrial intakes are clogged occasionally by algae and by dead
fish and debris. Turbidity and dissolved solids cause scale to form,
especially in cooling and heating uses.
Industries, especially along tributaries, cause severe problems
to themselves and others by 'using water to flush wastes back to the
tributaries. Depending upon the industry a variety of obnoxious
substances, some of which may be toxic, are released. .Fortunately
many industrial uses can withstand economically their own quality
degradation.
-------
General Lake Erie Water Quality
Many substances, although not of immediate concern, show signs
of increasing to the point of impairing many water uses. In .
addition, they indicate the progressively increasing rate of waste
input. Figure s'"^ , as compiled "by the U. S. Bureau of Commercial
Fisheries , shows several constituents in Lake Erie and how they have '
increased since 1900. Dissolved solids show an alarming increase
to the present level of 180 mg/1. If this rate continues the con- • •
j h ,v V- 3 ^o vy^l'O W
centration in the lake will "be greater—than -22-5 mg/1. Most of the
increases in constituents have "been derived from sources within the
"basin. The average concentration of in-basin tributary inputs of
dissolved solids is 775 mg/1, considerably above recommended levels
for many uses. The Lake Huron input dilutes this concentration to
180 mg/1, however it is clear that in-basin sources must be controlled
f .
to maintain a high quality water supply. •'•''. ;'•'•- r--- 5-\O X-^^v JJ-z, Cf-Lcc-,-!^
f-.] £.t,i.'f-t*. (. / «.•;;///•/ (' . ft-,, .i>i '//, • • ./.-. •t~i/'^-, -S^tdL /-I", ^^.'^^J.--/' ,'/ •r'.'ZtA; ^'•.•'!
'J Siltation of Lake Erie is locally a problem, especially in "the .& ^
4- ^
western basin where it tends to at least occasionally cover coarser *•'•'>'< •-•<•' .
sediments and rock which are the spawning areas for many fishes. ^c^.
Quantity-wise, sedimentation is about 2^ million tons annually, two-
thirds of which comes from shore erosion. Lake Erie can accommodate
this rate for many centuries without measurable effect in shallowing
the lake.
-------
* • : . j '• •
'•• •-"!••'- ''.• •'. ".: '•'.-• :' '•;''- - '.' ; •' ':"-'• '.'•••• - "."••' '•'.'•••"-" • •' -.'.-•• •'; •"...--•-":"- : '''•'.-..''•••'•f'.i": > v;'-.. •.•/r'"-."-. •'••".,/'.
:-: ; . —-. v-"r. .".••.••.•.••'••-•/•"•''"••; :.. ;T. '•- -v":- '',.-'• • •;' :''••'•'.•••••'• ''"."•-"•'';'V:.''/;.. r '• VV "'i>'.',-i>- .*-.•-•..•':> ^.'--. .•;•'.•
<>
;i
11
V£?^. .;^.. /:-.'/XWv"-'':^:;t••;'.-." ,-V'-..-
1900
I960
CHANGES IN CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LAKE ERIE
(ADAPTED FROM BEETON, 1965) ... .:.-. •- ;
-------
200 —
180 —
160 —
4>
r i
20-
0 —
1.4-
1.2-
1.0-
0.8 —
v>
I 0.6-
0.4 -
0.2-
0.0-
W C E
POTASSIUM
W C E
NITROGEN
I
UPPER LAKES INPUT
W-WESTERN BASIN
C-CENTRAL BASIN
E-EASTERN BASIN
NUTRIENTS
W C E
SOL. P04
MAJOR CONSTITUENTS
W C E
CALCIUM
W C E
MAGNESIUM
W C E
SODIUM
W C E
CHLORIDE
W C E
SULFATE
CHEMISTRY OF LAKE ERIE WATER IN WESTERN, CENTRAL AND EASTERN BASINS
-------
One of the most displeasing problems in Lake Erie is the use of
the lake as a refuse dump. Like most other water quality characteristics,
concentrations of debris are also related to the amount of human activity
in the vicinity. The water and beaches along the Michigan shore, in
o
Maumee Bay, in and around Cleveland Harbor, and several other p-aYts, are
often so cluttered w'ith debris that a very real danger to small boating
is created. Floating lumber, trees, bottles, cans, tires, boat cushions,
life preservers, fish net floats, balls, boats, piling, power poles,
$>! k«.tS
barrels, boxes, shoes, gloves, balls of grease, raw sewage, and many
/i
other types of debris, even including television picture tubes, have
been observed in quantity in these areas. Often many of these things
have been observed in mid-lake. On a quiet day, from any location in
f\ Lake Erie, an observer can see some kind of debris attributable directly
to man. For example, in early spring, it is common to find Christmas
trees scattered throughout the lake.
Excessive suspended solids and colored wastes, while they may or
nay not be harmful, create objectionable conditions at one time or
another, at all places along the Lake Erie shore. Here again some areas
are worse than others. All tributaries carry occasional large loads
of silt from runoff, the Maumee and Portage Rivers carrying great amounts.
Maumee Bay, Sandusky Bay, and Cleveland Harbor are clouded with silt
and/or industrial wash virtually constantly. Silt from shore erosion
causes turbid nearshore water throughout the lake and is worst during
storms.
Odors and colors are associated with wastes, mainly industrial
0
-------
particularly in Maumee Bay, Cleveland Harbor, and Erie Harbor.
-------
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN BASIN
Water Quality
Water quality is both a measure of the usefulness of a stream
and a consequence of the nature and degree of existing use. Man's
activities modify -aw water quality.. The municipal and industrial
waste discharges have the most significant effect on ttte water quality
throughout the southeastern Michigan basin.
CA^U^V^^--
The wastes fro "tre most concerns^ taiKtii. are those from the municipal-
ities, industries, Federal installations, stormwater overflow, and in
some areas navigation and dredging. These wastes include organic
material, suspended solids, nutrients and "bacteria. All these cause
water quality deterioration "by depressing oxygen, solids settling and
causing sludge beds, bacterial contamination, and nutrient stimulated
slime and algal growths. <£ '^~V3 7 - ^ ff
Water Quality Problems
St. Glair River Basin
The St. Clair River receive^ the outwash from Lake Huron at an
average flow of 186,000 cfs. Water quality leaving Lake Huron is
exceptionally high and remains satisfactory in the pasaage down the
St. Clair River. The following table of average data for the St. Clair
River shows this high quality.
Feet-from West Shore 100' 800' 1500'
Coliform bacteria MF/100 ml 20 <10 <10
Chlorides mg/1 666
Phenols ^/l 233
Total N mg/1—^ O.U . O.H O.U
Total p ng/1 <0.008 <0.008 <£>.008
Dissolved Solids mg/1 110 110 110
-------
The obly indication of degradation occurs from occassional
excessive coliforra and phenol values. The cause of the high phenols
is the petroleum complex in Canada at Sarnia, Ontario*awd the high
coliforms are caused by polluted water entering the St. Clair River
from the tributaries. The values however are not at levels that cause
much concern-
The American tributaries to the St. Clair River, Black, Pine,
and Belle Rivers (see Figure <) are not as well off. The following
data/at the mouth of each of these small rivers shows laffar water quality
degradation.
Black Pine Belle
DO mg/1 1^.2 2.9
Coliform Bact. MF/100 ml 1,^00 1,800 29,000
Sewage odors V£*»~Jaet*d on the Black, Pine, and Belle Rivers. A
navigation channel is maintained on the Black River through Port
—_
Huron, Michigan and this channelf throughout its-J.ejngth,(J.s pollutes?.
The cause of pollution in these tributaries is inadequately treated
wastes from paper mills, food processing plants, and municipalities.
Controls should be initiated to remove organic wastes and provide
disinfection.
To achieve high quality water and maintain it where it now exists,
within the St. Clair River system, the industrial and municipal recom-
mendations are shown in the following table;'
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATI4ENT NEEDS
(by basin)
Location Needs
ST. CLAIR RIVER BASIN
St. Clair River
Port Huron Expand to secondary
Maryaville Expand to secondary
St. Clair Expand to secondary
-------
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS (Cont'd)
Marine City
Cottrelville Twp.
Kimball Twp.
St. £lair Twp.
Clay Twp.
Algonac
East China T.
Black River
Deckerville
Yale
Fort Gratiot T.
Peck
Pine River
Emmett
Belle River
Inlay City
Expand to secondary
Collection system add secondary
Collection system and secondary
Expand to secondary
Collection system and secondary
Collection system & secondary
Expand to secondary
Collection system & lagoon
Lagoon modifications
Collection system & secondary
Collection system & lagoon
Collection system & lagoon
Improve collection system
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
(by basin)
SZ. CLAIR RIVER BASIN
Industry
Black River
Michigan Milk Producers
Assn.
Port Huron Paper Co.
Belle River
Michigan Milk Producers
Assn.
Location Needs
Peck Establish treatment needs
Port Huron Establish adequacy of treatment
Imlay City Establish adequacy of treatment
(irrigation
Vlasic Food Products Co. —-^ Imlay City Establish adequacy of treatment
(holding ponds)
-------
Lake St. Clair
Water quality of Lake St. Clair is good (see Table ) although
isolated problems occur around the shoreline.
LAKE ST. CLAIR - SUMMARY OF 196U SURVEY
Average
Maximum
Minimum
DO
9.1
10.2
6.1
BODs
2
7
1
I'IH3
.22
.69
.07
N0?
.007
.019
.002
NO-,
0.31*
1.80
0.08
Tot. Sol.
151
20^
120
Phenols
UK/1
2
12
0
C61i forma
org/100ml
62
250,000
1
All results in mjtf/1 unless otherwise noted.
The MilK River which carries stormwater overflow discharge^
a coliform load of 250,000 orgamisms/100 ml into Lake St. Clair at St. Clair
Chores, Michigan. Stormwater overflow occurs all along the heavily populated
Michigan shoreline endangering swimmers in the area. Overflows from these
sewers should be disinfected to a level not to exceed 1,000 coliform organisms/100
ml to protect users of the water.
Metropolitan Beach, a recreational area ff^-°^wiBmiHg-is located on the
west shore of Lake St. Clair near Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Recorded coliform
densities as high as 8600 organisms/100 ml present/ occasional health
problem to users of the beach. The beach is affected by the pollution
output of the Clinton River. To protect Lake St. Clair amd maintain its
high quality water,removal of all municipal wastes from the Clinton River
is recommended. Also, stormwater overflow should be disinfected.
Clinton River
The Clinton River (see Figure ) is one of the major sources of
pollution in Lake St. Clair. The downstream reach of the river, extending
approximately IT miles from Red Run to the mouth of the Clinton River,
reflects the quality of the water entering the lake. The results of
recent surveys on this section of the Clinton River are shown in the
table below:
-------
CLINTON RIVER (Red Run to Mouth)
Summer Survey (mg/l)
Avg.
Max.
Min
Temp.
°C
2U
26
22
2
6
0
DO
.7
.1
.6
BOD5
9
m
3
Cl
81
103
67
H1U-II NO
It. 58 2
6.00 U
3.20 1
3-H
.6
.9
.3
Totl '
Totl
P Solids
3.1
U.8
2.2
5U>'
670
500
Susp.
Solids
35
169
5
All the sewage treatment plants on the Clinton River are secondary,
but some are inadequately operated or overloaded and a few small areas
have no treatment. Most of the major industries on the river have treatment
rated as adequate by the Michigan Water Resources Commission. The long-
term average flow at Mt. Clemens is U68 cfs. In 196U, the minimum flow
was 83 cfs. The total municipal and industrial waste effluent discharged
into the river is estimated at more than 71 cfs.
Surveys of the Clinton River in the summer of 196^ and 1966 found
two sections of the Clinton River which had severe oxygen deficiencies. A
definite oxygen sag existed downstream from the City of Pontiac, a result
of the organic and,.nitrogenous loading from the two sewage treatment
plants serving Pontiac. The dissolved oxygen concentration in the Clinton
JA^YVV
River recovered upstream & the Rochester sewage treatment plant. Below the
Rochester sewage treatment plant, the dissolved oxygen concentration in
the lower Clinton River averaged 2.7 mg/l with a range of 0.6 to 6.1 mg/l
for the 1966 survey. During the 196U survey, the dissolved oxygen level
in the reach of the river between heavily polluted Red Run and Clinton
Township sewage treatment plant #1 averaged U.O mg/l with a range of
1.6 to 6.1 mg/l.
Dissolved oxygen concentrations in Paint Creek and Stony Creek,
tributaries of the Clinton River, were approximately 9.0 mg/l. Red Run
had an average concentration of 10.2 mg/l during the 1966 survey, well above
-------
the U.3 mg/1 average for the I96h survey. This is due to photosynthetic
/
action by algae causing supersaturation of Red Run. The Middle Branch
of the Clinton River had an average concentration of 5.0 mg/1 during the
1966 survey, much lower than the 9.5 mg/1 average during the 196U summer
survey.
The 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in the Clinton River in
the reach above the Pontiac sewage treatment plants had an average of
k mg/1. This increased steadily to- an average 9 mg/1 at the lower section
of the Clinton River during the 1966 survey. The BOD results were
similar for the 1961+ survey. The tributaries of Paint Creek, Stony
Creek, and Middle Branch had low average BOD of 2 mg/1, 3 rcg/1, and H
mg/1 respectively.
Ammonia, as nitrogen, in the reach below the two Pontiac sewage
treatment plants, averagec/9.33 mg/1, with a range of 3.12 to 18.12 mg/1
during the 1966 summer survey. This reach had an average ammonia concentra-
tion 25 times greater than the section above Pontiac. The river from
the confluence of Red Run to Lake St. Clair had an average concentration
of ^.58 mg/1 of ammonia.
Nitrate, as nitrggen during the 1966 summer survey averaged O.h mg/1
above Pontiac, l.H mg/1 below Pontiac, 5.2 mg/1 from Rochester to a point
above the confluence of Red Run, and 2.6 mg/1 in the lower Clinton River.
Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in all of the tributaries had average
concentrations less than 0.8 mg/1.
Total phosphorus above Pontiac's sewage treatment plant outfalls
averaged 0.3 mg/1 during the 1966 summer survey. Below the Pontiac
outfalls,the average concentration increased to 2.3 mg/1. The reach
below Rochester had an average of 1.5 mg/1 and the reach below the confluence
of Red Run had an average total phosphorus concentration of 3.1 mg/1.
-------
The total soluble phosphorus averaged about &2% of the total phosphorus
in the Clinton River. The total phosphorus concentrations in the tributaries
averaged less than 0,2 mg/1 with the exception of Red Run. Red Run had
an average concentration of 16.3 ifg/1 during the 1966 survey, or tvice
that of the averabe concentration in the lower Clinton River. Red Run
transverses a heavily populated area of suburban Detroit and receive^ large
quantities of raw sewage through discharges from overloaded sever systems.
Phosphorus found in the Clinton River is almost all .from municipal wastes.
Total coliform densities in the Clinton River above Pontiac
sewage treatment plant #1 at 2 stations were 690,000 and 39,000 organsisms/
100 ml respectively during a survey conducted in 19&6.
Total coliform densities varied from 1600 to 22,000 organisms/100 ml
in the reach of the river from below Pontiac sewage treatment plant #2
oc Rochester, Michigan during the same survey.
The 1966 survey in the lower Clinton River (below Red Run to the
mouth of the Clinton River) had total coliform densities which ranged
from 1100 to Ui+00 organisms/100 ml. The coliform density in the June 30
survey ranged from 5200 to H50.000 organisms/100 ml.
The heavy pollutional load of the Clinton River has created serious
problems with water use. The Clinton River functions almost exclusively
as an.open sewer with little other uses possible because of the heavy
pollution. All municipal waste treatment plants on the Clinton have
secondary treatment. Industrial plants are treating wastes, but not all
eight industries are rated adequate by the Michigan Water Resources Com-
mission. To abate municipal pollution in the Clinton River, plans are
b eing implemented that will connect ^ all municipal waste discharges to
an interceptor system and carry them away to a central treatment and discharge
point of the Detroit system. The following table shows the municipal
and industrial treatment needs for the Clinton River.
-------
MUNICIAPL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
Location
LAKE ST. CLAIR BASIN
Clinton River
Clinton TVp.
Mt. Clemens
Sterling T.
Utica
Warren
Pontiac
Rochester
Oxford Village
Harrison T.
Fraser
Shelby T. (part)
Leonard
Washington
Avon T.
Bingham Farms
Franklin
Independence T.
Lake Angelus
Lake Orion
Novi
Orchard Lake
Orion T.
Quakertovn
Waterford
Wood Creek Farms
Needs
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Collection
Connect to
Connect to
'Connect to
Collection
Collection
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Connect to
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
system and secondary
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
system & lagoon
system & secondary
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
Detroit Metro
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
LAKE ST. CLAIR BASIN
Industry Location Hedds
Clinton River
Briggs Manufacturing Co,
Chrysler Corp.
Michigan MOssile Plant
Ford Motor Co.
Chassis Parts
TRW, Inc. •'-• - ' .
Thompson Products, Mich.
Division
Sterling T.
Sterling T.
Sterling T.
Sterling T.
Establish adequacy of treatment
(lagoon)
Establish adequacy of treatment
(lagoons)
Establish adequacy of treatment
for oil and sanitary vastes
Improve reliability of treatment
of oil vastes
Establish adequacy of treatment
of sanitary vastes
-------
Detroit River (See Fig. )
In December of 19&1 the Honorable John B. Swa.inson, Governor of
Michigan, requested the Department of Health, Education,and Welfare to
call a conference on water pollution problems in the Michigan waters of
the Detroit River and Lake Erie.
At the first session of the conference in March, 1962 at Detroit,
Michigan, it was unanimously agreed that a study should be made of pollution
problems in the area.
The Detroit River-Lake Erie Project, under the direction of the U. S.
Public Health Service and in cooperation vith State agencies, conducted a
two-year study of the condition of the waters and sources of waste. In
June 1965, the findings and recommendations of the study were presented to
the second session of the conference. Conferees agreed that the Michigan
Water Resources Commission would implement the recommendations under State
lav.
The water quality of the Detroit River has been discussed in detail
in the "Report on Pollution of the Detroit River, Michigan Water of Lake
Er-e, and Their Tributaries," by the Federal Water Pollution Control Admini-
stration. Action has been taken by the Michigan Water Resources Commission
against the major polluters in accordance with the Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration's recommendation. This has been discussed in
Section V of the Detroit River-Lake Erie report. Water quality remains
relatively unchanged since the report was published.
The following is a summary of the water quality problems of the Detroit
River from that report.
Every day more than 1.6 billion gallons of waste water flow into the
Detroit River—1.1 billion gallons from industry and 5liO million gallons
from municipal sewage. Huge quantities of waste products contained in
-------
this discharge change the Detroit River from a basically clean body of
vater at its head to a polluted, one in its lover reaches. These waters
are polluted bacteriologically, chemically, physically, and biologically,
and contain excessive coliforn densities as well as excessive quantities
of phenols, iron, oil, ammonia, suspended solids, settleable solids,
chlorides, nitrogen compounds, and phosphorus. Pollution of the Detroit
River will become progressively worse unless effective action is taken
immediately.
The City of Detroit's main sewage treatment plant, serving more
than 90 percent of the people in the Detroit area contributes 95 percent
of the municipal waste to the Detroit River and is also the major source
of suspended solids, phenols, oil, inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and
biochemical oxygen demand in the river. In facflT, the Detroit primary
sewage plant is the largest single source of pollution in ajjl of—theJfrvw
Lake Erie watershed. Overflow from combined sewers in Detroit and its
suburbs, carrying both stormwater and raw sewage contributes greatly to
the degradation of the river.
In the upper Detroit River, the Great Lakes Steel Company and the
Allied Chemical Corporation are the major sources of industrial wastes. The
Ford Motor Company is the principal contributor of inorganic wastes to
the Rouge River, and the Scott Paper Company is the/principal contributor
of organic wastes. Downriver industries contributing significant quantities
of wastes are the Great Lakes Steel Corporation, the McLouth Steel
Corporation, Pennsalt Chemical Corpration, and Wyandotte Chemical Corporation.
Other significant sources of pollution in the area are overflows from
combined sewers, municipal and industrial waste spills, and wastes .from
shorefront homes.
-------
Pollution of the Detroit River causes interference with municipal
water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife propagation, and navigation.
Two municipal water intakes, particularly that of Wyandotte, are endangered
by the high bacterial counts of the river, and the rising chloride levels
indicate potential future problems for industrial water usage. In addition,
high concentrations of phenols and ammonia at the Wyandotte water intake
have interfered with municipal water treatment by causing taste and odor
problems and reducing the effectiveness of chlorination. Excessive quantities
of chlorine, are needed to reduce bacteria to a safe level.
'- All forms of water contact sporfs^in the lower Detroit
. Declining levels of dissolved oxygen^in the lower Detroit River
as it enters Lake Erie,tare approaching the danger poirrtTh indicating trouble
in the future unless appropriate remedial action is taken. Together with
'Jo
bottom sludge deposits, oils, and. toxic materials, 1»Jiey threaten^fish,
migratory birds, and other wildlife. In order to maintain navigation,
ex-ensive annual dredging is required in the Rouge River and at the mouth
of the Detroit River to remove deposits of suspended solids in large
part originating in municipal and industrial waste discharges.
The following table shows the quantities of various materials at the
beginning of the Detroit River and those that empty into Lake Frie from the
Detroit River.
Lbs/day
Mouth Headwaters
Total phosphorus 06,000 Ul,000
Chlorides 18,560,000 7,000,000
Phenols 3,800
Total II 590,000 h'45,000
Suspended Solids (est) ih,000,000 6,000,000
The following table shows summary statistics for bacterial water quality
headwaters and mouth of the Detroit River. The data are divided into
conditions during and immediately after a rain and those essentially yer*
Affected by rain.
J-—
-------
TAB^E
SUMMARY STATISTICS
WET AND DRY CONDITIONS
{ DRY)
Headwaters
100'
300'
500'
1,000'
2,500'
3,000'*
3,350'*
3.H80'*
^
Maximum
Value
710
700
300
200
130
100
1,100
86,000
Geo.
Mean
110
68
1*2
2U
15
15
HO
1,300
WET
Geo.
Mean
130
87
37 .
22
19
67
58
1,200
*Canadian stations
-------
TABLE
TOTAL COLIFORM DENSITIES SUMMARY STATISTICS
WET AIJD DRY COIIDITIONS
Mouth
2,500'
3,500'
n,5oo-
5,500'
6,500'
7,500'
9,500'
11,500'*
13,500'*
15,000'*
16,500'*
17,500'*
19,000'*
19,300'*
, DRY/"
Maximum
Value
9H.OOO
UlO.OOO
330,000 .
200,000
320,000
300,000
110,000
80,000
1*7,000
73,000
58,000
Ii2,000
51,000
39,000
\( /
Geo.
Mean
U.100
3,600
5,900
5,900
3,000
3,000
2,000
1,200
920
1,100
2,000
11,000
11,000
11,000
UET
Geo.
Mean
13,000
18,000
20,000
16,000
8,900
9,500
2,700
3,300
3,600
2,300 .
3,700
12,000
15,000
12,000
distances are feet from American shore
^Canadian waters
Since the study of the Detroit River, the Michigan Water Resources
Commission has obtained stipulations or agreements with 23 individual polluters,
~•"- municipal and industrial, to facilitate control of their effluents to
recommend levels by 1970. The following table contains a summary of
the state stipulations.
-------
Kunlcip; UlJr r
Indus I ri s
/11J/ * Chem.Corp.
. Fc: -t-Solvay DIv.
Solv2.y Process
E. 'I.duPont vdc
Nemourc £t Coe
5urp
50
OF MICHIGAN \7ATER RESOURCES COHKI^SION .SjC
F?l. Ihor.
(; J"'f-V,) i^r-nolr /Oil BCO
Tot. Coantr.
Coll. Corbie.
4/1/67
4/1/60
4/1/G7
Cl
(1
Scott Paper ,Co.
50
31,000
ll/l/GC
(i) For "Remarks" see page ' - . ' • - •
The effluent should not contain oil in amounts sufficient to create a visible film on. the surface watere
of the State. . ..-..:....
K>
o
-------
SI):
Darling & Co.
Wyandotte Cuem.Corp.
PeHE.ss.lt Chcin.Corp.
KcLoutt Steel Corp.
Severe Copper &
BrasB, Inc.
Firestone Tire &
Rubber Co.
Mobil Oil Co.
Monoanto Chenl.Corp.
'inorganic Cliem.Div.
Trenton Resins Pit.
City of Detroit;
(present area)
American Cenant Coi:p. 50
50
SO
50
50
50
Wayne County
0-/yandotte & Trenton) 50
All/5ir;X
Sol. Fans,
(r.r: PO/,)
50 324,000
19,000
2000
21,000
3,000
(1) For "Remarks" see page 23.
93
10
JU/l^; .f> (•• >'A::'> ' '• '. '(i.1. , • ' },'(.>; .' J '.'.-',(• v'f'V'l;cJ
• ' . • • / - •- " - ' • .
^ Tot. Conct'r.
Col ]'C'J Coll. CoKplcc
' - - '• COO 1000 .15/5/C7
15. » ' ' '•'-:'•- - 4/5./C3
•- -.*- .' •-*' " • • *•
'.' V; ;•- -" vi/w.;
: ;»". ,-'••• \ ;;• ' .' : ,^
15 r - ."•'•"" -' 11/1/67
- ••"• - \ . '.; .'-..• - 11/1/67
13 ;"..''- - ^ ' - ' ' 11/1/67
3/1/68
2800 4/1/68
} 15 - 206,000 1000 11/1/70
) 15 - 28,900 1000 11/1/70
CI
ei
Fc
Fe
-------
Kunieipalitxcn
^£tCL,^1i5H5JLr V? r:
City of Rivcirvievr
OJ.f.y of Trenton
.j'K'Vny 0:' IIICIU.C'MI DAT)':}; rrr.OUKC'T CO'T^T^ION STJTU'AXIOMS (co;;i:«>
Sol. Ihoc.
Susp. SoHc?c (n. J'.v)
50 470 35
50
C-To::r;G lie Tvrp.
(Ico jnerly Wayne Co.) 50
500
J.30
20
5
OJ.7.
J 5
.15
13
Tot. Coristr.
10". Coll.. Coioplc.
i. y\: I {*.::'. j:[:''l .Jfe! •
-------
r"::oa was faired to bj a r.-jor constituent in the effluent
of industries end th3 li:...iu o2 17 Eg/1 was recoinnsxided
by both tha Public health Service s.:id tha 1-Iichigan Water
Resources Coz'isisaioL.. r^.e following loading linitatioas
xjer^ also included in the 1-Iichigaa Water Resources
Ccn^ission
Ford Motor Cc^?c-ay - 2500 Ibs/day.
S'irestoaa Tire c.ad Rubber Co. • - 330 Ibs/day
Gra^t Lakes Steal Corp. -
^ccrss ?lcr,£ - 40CO Ibs/day
»'*C *_O W ^. li, wi k- Ci V_ — ^^>M.O« *"
'Trx-r.to^ ,I?lc^t - 2500 ibs/day
"Jl-.a reccz-zinded 1 !•.__> or. uhe pH range for Great Lakes
Steal (Zcorsa ?l^.t/ affl^aat was set at 5.5-10.6 by
both the Public I-I.2s.lth Service and the Kichigan Water
Resources Cor^iiasio^. Public Health Service recommended
•chat E. I. duPont do Necujur- a*^d Company comply with the
State order that the effluent of this industry have pH
in the range of 5.8-10.3.
_Ch 1 or id e s. we r e foui.d to be a significant waste constituent
is the effluent of the several industries and limits of
chlorides loading ware set by the Michigan Water Resources
Cossission as follows:
Allied Chemical Corporation -
Solvay Process - 2,800,000 ib/day
"Wyandotte Cheiaical Corporation -
North Plant -• 1,300,000 Ib/day
South Plant - 64,000. Ib/day
Pcimsalt Chemicala Corp.
East Plant • 550,000 Ib/day
\ West Plaut 8,800 Ib/day
23
-------
Huron River
The Huron River (see Figure ) in Michigan empties into Lake
Erie south of Detroit. It rises in a series of recreational lakes in
southeast Michigan and because of this and ground vater storage^flovs
during drought periods are sustained. The average discharge of record
approximates 1*1*5 cfs. The once in 10 year, 7 day low flow is 30 cfs'.
The Cities of Ann Arbor and Flat Rock use the Huron River for water supply.
l^s 132,000 people in the watershed are served by eight secondary sewage
plants and 3 primary plants. The primary plants are located at Dexter,
Flat Rock and Rockwood. Most of the area has separate sewer systems. The
total population of the watershed is 2^7,000.
, _ .._.-. _• f ^>- ;' /, /-,V~"
Water qualify in the Huron River dc^r..s£raam ta Dexter is reasonably
M>;; . r
good. -All the recreational lakes which support numerous bathers in the
summer and ice fishermen in the winter are above this point. Below the
primary sewage plant of Dexter the river begins to show signs of degradation
ana remair.s c-.^-aji unsatisfactory eomii-iioa-all the rest of the way to Lake -
Erie. Below Dexter even though the 'river falls quite rapidly, DO dips to
values around 5.0 mg/1. Below the secondary sewage treatment plant of Ann
Arbor the DO falls below 5.0 mg/1 and the concentration of phosphorus in
the river increases 5 times. The effects of this are noticed in a series
of man-made impoundments farther downstream where the lakes are continually
choked with algae being fed by the nutrients from the Ann Arboi>sewage
traatment plants/and other^. At Ypsilanti three secondary sewage treatment
plants, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township and WilloJyRun discharge treated
wastes to the Huron Pdver further depressing the DO levels and adding to the
phosphorus load in the stream.
-------
Bacteriological problems exist in most of the Huron River from Ann
Arbor to the mouth during periods of heavy storm runoff and non-chlorination
of sewage effluents. The areas of,greatest severity are below Ann Arobr,
the Ypsilanti area and Flat Rock-Rockwood area.
The following table shows the qualify of various waste materials
discharged to Lake Erie from the Huron River. Values are in Ibs/day.
10,000 75,000 TOO 3,000
't^'
To relieve the polluted conditions of the Huron River there is need
for upgrading sewage plants to secondary and in some locations integrating
and centralizing sewerage systems.
Four industries in the watershed are rated as having unsatisfactory
treatment and the effect of their wastes can be observed in the river.
Longworth Plating Company at Chelsea discharges toxic compounds. The
General .-lotors Corporation, Fisher Body Division discharges a variety of
waste materials (oils, toxic compounds, and sewage) to Willow Run, a
small tributary of the Huron River. Peninsula Paper Company in Ypsilanti
Discharges large quantities of oxygen consuming wastes and Huron Valley
Steel Corporation at Belleville has unsatisfactory control of suspended
solids.
The following table shows the municipal and industrial waste treatment
needs for the Huron River.
-------
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
Location
Ann Arbor T.
Ypsilanti T.
Pittsfield T.
Superior T.
Dexter
Pinckney
South Lyon
South Rockvocd
Stockbridge
Wixom
Flat Hock
Rcckwood
Ann Arbor Metro
uonnec-
Connect
Connect
Connec^
Expand
Collec^
Collect
Collect
Collect
Collect
Improve
Improve
Collect
to Ann Arbor Metro
to AnnArbor Metro
to Ann Arbor Metro
to Ann Arbor Metro
to secondary
ion system & lagoon
ion system & secondary
ion system & lagoon
ion system & lagoon
ion system & secondary
collection system; secondary
collection system; secondary
ion system & expand secondary
^r.custry
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
Needs
Location
General r-.o^ors Corp. Willow Run
r'isher Body I)iv.
Belleville
Longworth Plating Co. Chelsea
Peninsular Paper Co. Ypsilanti
Establish adequacy of treatment
(coagulation & lagoon)
Improve treatment (solids in
wastewater)
Establish adequacy of treatment
Improve treatment
-------
River Raisin
The River Raisin watershed (see Fig _ ) had a I960 population of
131,000. Primary sevage treatment plant served 29,^79, secondary sewage
treatment plant served 32,563, and 68,958 persons vere without public
sewerage systems. Four of the sewage plants are primary and five are
secondary.
The River Raisin discharges an average of 71^ cfs to Lake Erie. It
rises in a series of small recreational lakes which partly sustain its flow
in drought periods. The one in 10 year 7 day low flow is 27 cfs.
The water quality in the river upstream from Manchester is generally
.•> .-.-. /-'_„ 'j ''^
good "wi-t-h the recreational lakes/ safe for bathing. Below Manchester varying
£A/i.Mu,jt~
degrees of water quality occur and the most severe are -ae^i-tjed directly
down st re am "o-:? the sewered communities.. '--However "ihe river above Monroe,
Michigan'vis able to absorb most of the washes dumped into it without creating
serious impairment with existing water uses. Concentrations of phosphorus
in exces- of levels sufficient to cause alga$ blooms are noticed throughout
the river below Manchester.
In the Monroe area the river becomes grossly polluted. This area was
included in the Detroit&iver-Lake Erie enforcement conferences because of
•.-ne severe effect the lower few miles of the River Raisin has on recreational
yvec ei v/
uses of the Lake Erie shoreline. In the last three miles -e-f the River the
primary sewage plant of Monroe serving 22,000 persons, the effluents from
l$& *-*:/ e~f*.< ^1'
five paper mills with a population equivalent of 225,000 and cyanides /
; ••!.'*- 'i .• - ,'^'>v l-\t*l$.\f- CT>
.dx-seha-^gc t j-'th'g river .
Waste constituents discharged to the river are high in coliform, suspended
solids, cyanide concentrations, and BOD. The lower Raisin River is frequently
completely devoid of dissolved oxygen, resulting in a continuous state of
.' '- 'J- C. V
putrefaction during the summer months. All uses of theHiasin River except
-------
waste disposal and navigation have been eliminated by pollution, and deposits
£\i£\^
of settleable solids at the mouth interfere/ with these uses to the extent
that annual dredging is requires to remove bottom material and keep the
channels open for ship movement. Bacterial counts in the lower river
are excessively high and represent- prohibition of any possible recreational
use of the water. The effect of the Raisin River upon Lake Erie is
seen in the enrichment of the waters of the western basin and in'high
coliform levels at bathing beaches near ii^r* mouth (including Sterling
State Park). ',,i--i /;
W&''""^ L
The Br^st Bay beach area, a series of unsewered communities^/population o\
J^OOO just north of the River Raisin mouth, discharged septic tank wastes
to 3r£st Bay and the effect of those wastes is intensified when heavy
The combined effect of the city of Monroe municipal wastes, paper
mill wastes (containing coliform bacteria in the 100,000 level) and the
Br_-st Bay oeach area have resulted in the unsafe bathing conditions at
Sterling State Park on Lake Erie.
Pollution-stimulated algae growths have forced Monroe to move its
'.vc.^ar intake point to avoid unpleasant tastes and odors in the water, and
.-.;._ ;a.£ blooms near the new intake again threaten to degrade Monroe's
chinking water. Discharges,- of nutrients and organic wastes into the Michigan
6v 4.¥ ^ &
part of Lake Erie have S£t&e
-------
lake currents are northerly (UO to h^% of the time) polluted Raisin River
water is carried directly to the beaches. When currents are southerly,
polluted drainage from septic tanks reaches the park. To improve water
quality at Sterling State Park, these sources of pollution must be controlled.
The following table shows the loadings of various substances to Lake
Erie from the River Raisin. Values are in Ibs/day.
Chlorides Suspended Solids Phos-phorus Nitrogen
1*5,000 50,000 300 6,000
The .following table shows the municipal and industrial waste treatment
needs for the Raisin River area.
MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
Locatio.'. Needs
Bllssficlc Expand to secondary
Britton Collection system & lagoon
Brooklyn Collection system & lagoon
Cement City Collection system & lagoon
Clay tor. Collection system & lagoon
Clinton Expand to secondary
Deerfield Collection system & lagoon
Bur.dee Ixpand ^o secondary
M_dison :2. Collection system 2s secondary
.-.sh T. Connect to Monroe Metro
Ur.sted Collection system & lagoon
Palmyra T. Collection system & secondary
Petersburg Collection system & lagoon
Tecumseh Expand collection system & treatment
Monroe Metro Expand to secondary & increase collection
Bstral Beach Collection system & secondary
Berlin T. Collection system & secondary
Luna Pier Collection system & secondary
r'renchtown T. Connect to Monroe Metro
Monroe T. Connect to Monroe Metro
-•laybee Collection system & lagoon
Bedford T. Collection system & lagoon
2rie T. Collection system & lagoon
-------
Industry
INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
Location Needs
Buckeye Products Corp. Adrian
Dundee Cement Co. Dundee
Simplex Paper Corp. Palmyra
Establish adequacy of treatment
Improve treatment reliability
Establish adequacy of treatment
The 'jFord plating factory and the paper mills in the Monrog area are
under orders from the Michigan WJjter Resources Commission^as a result of
.^^-. ^
the Detroit-Lake Erie enforcement conferences^to clean up their wastes./
The following requirements are in force for these industries:
Industries
Sol. Phos
Susp. Solids (as PO^) /Oil
mg/1 Ib/day Ib/day
BOD
Tot. Constr.
Coli Comple.
Time Container 35
Corp
Monroe Paper.
Prod.
Consolidated
Packaging Co.
North Plant 35
650
mg/1 Ib/day MPN Date
500 1000 1/1/69
South Plant
35
2200
2100
Ford Motor Co. -
Monroe Plant
200
Union-Bag-
Camp Co.
35
1350
- 2>+00 1000 1/1/69
- 1500 1000 1/1/69
15 - 1000 1/1/68
- 2500 1000 1/1/69
Remarks
CN
CN: Cyanide concentration of .025 mg/1 was recommended as the limit by
both the Public Health Service and the Michigan Water Resources Commission.
In addition, the state agency stipulationset a maximum loading of 25 Ib/day
for Ford Motor Company (Monroe).
-------
Maumee River Basin
The waters of the Maumee River Bssin are seriously degraded
in quality. The effects of pollution are particularly evident in the
Ottawa River, the Upper Maumee River, and the Lower Maumee River at
Toledo. All water uses, actual and potential, are influenced "by this
pollution.
From waters that were once useful and generally free of harmful
materials, this River Basin has "been degraded in quality to the
point where, in several stretches, few legitimate uses may "be made
of the waters. Not only are activities such as swimming, "boating, and
fishing no longer available in a number of these locations, but in
several areas the water is not even of sufficient quality to be used
for waste assimilation. The excellent sport fishery which formerly
existed throughout the Maumee Basin is now virtually non-existent.
Biological, chemical, microbiological, and physical parameters
analyzed by the Lake Erie Program-Office confirm the pollution found
in the Basin. Further evidence of pollution cited in this report in-
clude the abandonment of the beaches along the Toledo area, the
numerous cities and industries which experience tastes and odors in
their water supplies, the presence of objectionable algal blooms, and
the esthetically disagreeable appearance of many of the waters in the
area.
Industry, cities, and agriculture are all major sources of wastes
which pollute many of the area's streams. The effluents from the
cities' sewage treatment plants seriously depress the receiving waters
of oxygen and contribute to the algal growth in many areas. Industrial
\
M-20
-------
i ^ :•*•; ' >-.*vv::
1 ^i.«y- -'-•.* *•''•• ' _ ' «*• ,'fj
z:;
'/.,-,'•*"• ' ''•• ' f " '
^
\
?<;•'?•
1
. .<
/ '-i/
* ;
«t.^,
. (t.
^/•T
-i•' •. fv<'^
!*'•'••.!•, x * V'-JH
,v% ^-^pV^
• Jvf. '•^-, ^ r-^fl .v.lv,
'#)) g
f^f ^
•WU /i^ /
•^•/>1 "p-'A.^
V.;.K,WW
•'"'^V^v
,<'.'..:•!
"^H^jl,JI¥-
.*- t *'.-*." 'V'. f-j'f . • • '.'
_ li. ( 2-''yf •-«'.•* j
-------
vaste discharges also depress the Basin's rivers of oxygen, cause
taste and odor problems in domestic water supplies, and interfere
with the esthetic enjoyment of the Basin's water in a number of
areas. The runoff from agricultural areas causes turbidity in waters
of the area, requires extensive dredging of the shipping channel,.
and helps to produce the abundant algal growths.
A population growth projection made by Project economists in-
dicates that the Maumee Basin's population will increase from 1,1^0,000
to 1,600,000 in 1980 and 2,700,000 by 2020. Industrial activity is
slso projected to increase by a substantial quantity in the Basin
over the same period. Taking into account these and other related
factors, it is apparent that the existing degraded conditions will
become much worse unless extensive control measures are taken now and
continued into the future.
Water, Quality Evolution
Prior to 1800, historical references regarding conditions of
streams in the Maumee River Basin indicate that the waters were nor-
mally clear; soil erosion was slight; and stream bottoms were composed
of sand, gravel, boulders, bedrock, and organic silt. .Aquatic vegeta-
tion flourished in unshaded areas of the waters, but where trees or
foliage covered a stream, little aquatic vegetation prevailed.
27
-------
References regarding enormous fish populations, both larger food fishes
as well as the smaller fine fishes, indicate that the waters and
sediments of these streams were conducive^to excellent clean water
aquatic life.
Since 1800, the increasing population, with its industry, farming,
dams, mills, slaughter houses, breweries, and cities, was the major
factor which influenced the accelerated degradation of the water qual-
ity in the Maumee River Basin. Ditching, dredging, and tilling of the
marshlands surrounding this area allowed accelerated erosion of the
soils. Soil, dams, and pollutants adversely affected the aquatic
vegetation. Troutman (1957) observed a decrease in the amount or
elimination of rooted aquatic vegetation between 1901-1930. (12) Con-
,J&i&***
sequently, desirable fish disappeared and ^ more^tolerant species
became prevalent. Continuing sedimentation from the Maumee and other
southwestern tributaries has affecred the western end of Lake Erie
drastically. The gravel and bedrock reefs of western Lake Erie that
were spawning grounds for Whitefish and Disco are now silted over. It
is quite likely that sedimentation from eroding soils was the most
detrimental and the most universal of all pollutants.
Present Water Quality
Figures 7-2 through 7-9 graphically depict a number of the sig-
nificant chemical and microbiological parameters. These figures indi-
cate many of the water quality problem areas and should be referred
to while reading this chapter. The fold out map at the back of this
section should be used to locate a specific city or area in reference
to these figures.
28
-------
CN./X /
MINIMUM DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN mg/l
WAUMEE RIVER BASIN
MINIMUM DISSOLVED
OXYGEN CONCENTRATION
FIGURE 7-2
-------
L A K £
ERIE
...$
:
PERCENT OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN TESTS LESS THAN 4 mg/l
o -10
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
DISSOLVED OXYGEN TESTS
LESS THAN 4 rog/'
FIGURE 7-3
-------
~"~~
MAXIMUM PHENOL CONCENTRATION IN Mfl/l
vXKv/XvXv:- 0-10 ,
10.1-100
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
MAXIMUM PHENOL CONCENTRATION
GPO 827—431—7
FIGURE 7-4
-------
N
^*V<—i I '
«*fc^L.T_
vc
%;r /
S
LEGEND
AVERAGE PHENOL CONCENTRATION IN
m-X-mXK 0-3
6.1-20
20.1 +
SCALE IN MILES
"0 II JO Jl
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
AVERAGE PHENOL CONCENTRATION
FIGURE 7-5
-------
f
SCALE IN MILES
LEGEND
AVERAGE SOLUBLE PHOSPHATE LOAD IN POUNDS PER DAY
XvAv/KvXwX 0-400
ni!!!!lil!!!!!l 4 00-1,000
ti~~:-3 1.000 -10,000
10,000 •+•
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
AVERAGE SOLUBLE PHOSPHATE LOAD
FIGURE 7-6
-------
pw£*r •
LEGEND
' MEDIAN TOTAL COCfORM CONCENTRATION N OSGAMSMS PCM 100 ml.
0-1,000
!ll!!!i!Ui!!!!li!!Ii! 1,000-2,400
2,400 - K>,OOO
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
MEDIAN TOTAL
COLIFORM CONCENTRATION
FIGURE 7- 7
-------
N
i!
i
iK^
J
X
-------
S I -tfv*
••^222r\ i
ff-y i / /
:•-' V^ I / I
\sr~*
/*
SCALE IN MILES
LEGEND
MEDIAN f ECAL STREP COMCENTAATION M ORGANISMS PER 100 ml.
":;;;•••:::;/••. 0 - 500
500-1,000
1,000-5,000
5,000 +
15 20 »
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
MEDIAN FECAL
STREP CONCENTRATION
FIGURE 7-9
-------
St. Joseph River
The overall water quality of the St. Joseph River above
Montpelier, Ohio is good. The Montpelier sewage treatment plant
discharges an effluent with an oxygen demand of 800 pounds per day.
Below this point, the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) falls
to an average of U mg/1 during low flov. A minimum DO concentration
of 2 mg/1 was recorded several times during late summer. Biological
conditions typical of gross pollution existed during these low flows,
and an oily sludge was observed.
St. Marys River
The overall water quality of the St. Marys River is fair. Abun-
dant growth of algae occur throughout the entire year. The main
sources of pollution in this subbasin are agricultural and domestic.
A dissolved oxygen sag occurs on the St. Marys River below the
City of St. Marys. This sag is caused by the discharges of the St.
. Marys sewage treatment plant, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company,
Beatrice Foods Company, and Weston Paper Manufacturing Company. The
DO at this point was below 1 mg/1 over fifty percent of the time
sampled.
During the period October-December, 196U,.the median coliform
densities in this area were 5^0,000 organisms per 100 ml with a
range of 10,000-2,900,000. The maximum fecal streptococci density
recorded was 155>000 organisms per 100 ml.
Biological sampling in the early spring discloses a sparse
population of pollution-tolerant midge larvae and sludgeworms. The
29
-------
stream bottom is sand, rubble, and rock, and no sludge deposits are
found. By July, a black septic sludge accumulates over the stream
bottom and emits a strong septic odor. Because of severe environ-
mental conditions, no bottom-dwelling organisms are found during the
summer or fall.
An example of interstate pollution by solid wastes occurs at
Willshire, Ohio where the city has a large dump along the St. Marys
River Just above the Indiana line. This dump, as can be seen in
Figure 2-2D, spills garbage, trash, and other deleterious refuse
into the St. Marys River.
Another dissolved oxygen sag occurs downstream from Decatur,
Indiana. For several miles below Decatur the dissolved oxygen was
below h mg/1 for 20 percent of the samples. The majority of the
oxygen demand load in this area is from Decatur"s secondary treatment
plant. Although the BOD loading from the plant is relatively low,
the river cannot accommodate these loads during the low flow months.
The principal industry, Central Soya, may well serve as a model for
many industries and cities in the Maumee Basin, in that at this time
they provide the equivalent of tertiary treatment through the use of
oxidation ponds. The only additional treatment that might be required
of Central Soya would be some form of phosphate removal.
Upper Maumee River
The Upper Maumee River varies in water quality from extensively
polluted in the upper reaches below Fort Wayne to nutriently enriched
above the Defiance area. In the upper reaches the biological conditions
30
-------
are seriously degraded. The stream "bottom has heavy deposits of oily
organic sludge and supports only a sparse population of pollution-
tolerant sludgeworms and midge larva.
High concentrations of phenols occur below Fort Wayne, with a
maximum concentration of 137 micrograms per liter (mg/l) recorded at
a station 12.6 miles below the Fort Wayne sewage treatment plant.
The average phenol concentration at this station was 2k mg/l for the
year sampled. In warm weather the phenols in the Upper Maumee are
readily broken down by the self-purification processes in the re-
ceiving stream. But in winter months, when the water temperature is
reduced to near freezing, phenols may persist for many miles downstream.
Under these conditions the phenols discharged in the Fort Wayne area
may help cause the extensive taste and odor problems in the City of
Defiance's water supply. Phenol concentrations in excess of 50 mg/l
have been recorded in the winter time above Defiance. There are no
known sources except the Fort Wayne area to account for these high
readings before its junction with the Auglaize River.
In an area below Fort Wayne the geometric mean values of total
coliform, fecal coliform, and fecal streptococci were 210,000, 12,000,
and 8,000 respectively. These high values result from a combination of
Fort Wayne's treatment plant effluent and the discharge from the
numerous suburban septic tanks in and above the Fort Wayne area.
A dissolved oxygen (DO) sag occurs in this area below Fort Wayne.
At mile point 129.1 (7.0 miles below the confluence of the St. Marys
and St. Joseph Rivers) the DO was below U mg/l over 60 percent of the
31
-------
times sampled. Seven miles farther downstream the DO was still below
k mg/1 over 50 percent of the times sampled throughout the year. From
mile point 113.6 downstream the stream had recovered and the DO was
below k rag/1 less than 10 percent of the time.
In the nutrient-rich waters of the Upper Maumee extensive phyto-
plankton populations occur, with counts in excess of 30,000 per ml.
In this area algal photosynthesis is the most important factor affect-
ing the DO. At Antwerp, diurnal DO studies showed ranges of 3.8 to
8.2 mg/1 and 10.3 to 20.0 mg/1 on two 2^-hour studies in July (Figure
7-10). Palmer (1963) indicates that there are certain genera of
planktons that persist in polluted streams. According to his table of
genera, 95 percent of the genera found in the Maumee River are of the
pollution tolerant type (63). Increasing numbers of blue-green and
green planktons which are associated with taste and odor problems,
have been recorded in the Basin. These or--related planktons also exist
in the wintertime even under an ice cover. The average soluble phos-
phate content in the river dropped from over 3.6 mg/1 near Fort Wayne
to just over 0.5 mg/1 above Defiance indicating that it had been incor-
porated in the organic chain. The presence of relatively intolerant
bottom-dwelling animals in the Antwerp area indicates that prolonged
periods of low DO do not occur in this vicinity.
Tiffin River
The overall water quality in the Tiffin River is generally quite
good throughout its entire length except in several of the lower parts
where it is mildly polluted. The highSst coliform densities recorded
32
-------
•s
1 O
o
O
ji
f o
w O
LJ
2
t-
j §
il o
O
CM
CO
GO
CM
N39AXO GSAIOSSIQ
FIGURE 7-10
-------
rarely exceeded 5,000.per 100 ml, and these occurred in the Stryker
and Defiance areas. Excluding the last four miles of the Tiffin
River, the DO never went below 3-5 during the time the river was
sampled.
Auglaize River Basin
The water quality in the Auglaize River Basin, and particularly
in its tributary, the Ottawa River, is the lowest in the Maumee
River Basin. Above the cities and industries the water is relatively
good quality, but below many of them, the water is presently unfit
for many uses.
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is grossly polluted. The stream degenerates
rapidly at Lima, Ohio, and during low flow never recovers. Thirty-
-shree miles below Lima the water is still highly colored, ranging
at times from red-orange to black. Oil is normally in evidence
along the banks.
As the Ottawa River nears Lima its water quality is degraded by
the effluent from septic tanks and agricultural runoff. The DO was
below h mg/1 16 percent of the time and the minimum DO was zero.
What flow there is in this stretch of the river during low flow months
is utilized "by Lima to augment its water supply. The small amount of
water that flows through Lima is further impaired by the discharge of
phenols from Republic Creosote.
Below Lima, the flow in the Ottawa River is composed entirely of
the effluent from Lima's secondary sewage treatment plant and the
33
-------
ffi3^;ito^ME^^S{P^^ >>',
M' I'." i' x ''. ',- r'\ •; • ';V-V" •.-\1-" •,'••. •>'• •- '•!:•..--..''/yi <<>i C\J,'-\ : ••.•.••• ..'••' •>•'-Wi''''-'••, '•'''' '; %1 v.v.-«, •'v •.''i'V'-V^
r>> »'; i' .'^,' : . .••.'.. --'-^\ :>1 •',.•• '•: ' \ •-' •,'• '••'"• '-• : i'iN •'.' V- ', - • ''/•"•, • ' .v ' . . , • •.'•;•"• •". J
\' •,».'!. ii . v : -. . ."• ' '•'•.''I •'..•'•.' i",',' •...-: V :•;.',•- ": •; It.•-•.'•••''. • '•'••. \<"" -•..-••. '::•'''>'• \\> ''.'•.!•*;
•
,j:?|^i ^ ,^,'r,-;'-'lv^v ]
* .' ' • •
'*?>-v.
' -^:;^'
-.n-.—'*'•'. '.••'.-"•'
,- .• -^*T>"".•*' *''.
\*&'& '. '-'. '- '•'
A
-.-"74
FIGURE 2-1. A. Lake Gaint Marys near Saint Marys, Ohio. ?. Outfall of
the Standard Oil Co. of Ohio on the Ottawa River below Lina, Ohio (note oil
in waste and on rocks and hank).
-------
effluent from Sohio's chemical and petrochemical plants and refinery.
In the past the heavy chemical pollution from this area affected
water supplies not only on the Ottawa, Blanchard, and Auglaize Rivers,
but at times all the way along the Lover Maumee River. Phenolic con-
centrations directly below Lima ranged from kO yg/1 to 19,000 yg/1 and
at the mouth from 13 Mg/1 to 1,1*00 ug/1. Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
values ranged from 30 mg/1 to 5^0 rag/1 below Lima and from 35 mg/1 to
515 rag/1 at the mouth. Concentrations of ammonia ranged from 22 mg/1
to 127 mg/1 below Lima with a median value of 63 mg/1. One mile above
the mouth of the Ottawa River, ammonia concentrations ranging from
12 mg/1 to 136 mg/1 were detected with a median value of 60 mg/1.
Below Lima the DO was less than It mg/1 80 percent of the time with
many zero values recorded.
Severe bacterial pollution exists at all points sampled along the
Ottawa River. Four miles below Lima the median concentration per 100
ml of Total Coliform, Fecal Coliform, and Fecal Streptococci was
350,000; 165,000; and 5,500 respectively.
Below Lima, rooted aquatic plants, attached algae, and bottom-
dwelling animals were completely absent in all seasons. The stream
bottom is rock and shale which in the spring is scoured clean of any
silt or sludge. During low flow in the summer and fall, a black, oily
sludge with a strong petrochemical odor accumulates over the stream's
bottom. Between Lima and the confluence with the Auglaize River, the
Ottawa River showed no signs of biological recovery. The only
aquatic life observed in this reach was a very sparse population of
-------
sludgeworms and midge larvae near the mouth. The complete absence of
attached algae and bottom-dwelling animals indicated not only severe
oxygen deficits, but the presence of highly toxic chemicals.
Sohio is presently incinerating the wastes from their acrylo-nitrile
plant at a cost of one million dollars a year, and has recently com-
pleted construction of aerated ponds to provide additional treatment
for their refinery wastes. This installation should markedly improve
the water quality in the river, but until the City of Lima provides
tertiary treatment, full recovery will not be achieved.
Blanchard River
The water quality in the Blanchard River varies from good to
excessively polluted. Samples collected from the Blanchard River re-
veal two critical areas. The first is immediately below the City of
Findlay's sewage treatment plant. Dissolved oxygen values below U mg/1
occurred about 35 percent of the time. The water quality is severely
degraded as indicated by the presence of only the pollution-tolerant
sludgeworms, midge larvae, and air breathing snails. The stream
bottom is silt and gravel with sludge banks along the edge. Sewage
solids have been observed floating in the water.
The other critical area occurs below Ottawa, Ohio. In addition
to the municipal effluent from the city, the Buckeye Sugar Co. Inc.
has in the past discharged a waste containing a BOD of 2,l60 pounds
per day. The high oxygen demand of these wastes caused the dissolved
oxygen in the Blanchard River to fall to zero for a stretch of some
20 miles downstream to the point of confluence with the Auglaize River.
35
-------
This occurred in the fall of 1964.
On the Blanchard River below Ottawa, the average dissolved oxygen
was 4.8 mg/1 during June-September, and zero in October and November.
These conditions were the same at every sampling station to the con-
fluence with the Auglaize River. The median total coliform densities
increased from 290,000 organisms per 100 ml during the June-September
period to 3,400,000 during the October-December period. The highest
value recorded during this period was 114,000,000 coliform organisms
per 100 ml. Biological surveys confirmed these findings of gross
pollu tion. In October, conditions typical of a grossly polluted stream
were observed. A strong odor of hydrogen sulfide permeated the area.
The water was black, and the rocks in the stream were covered with
black scum. Only the most tolerant forms of biological life were
found throughout the length of the river to its mouth.
Auglaize River
The main stem of the Auglaize River above the confluence with
the Ottawa River is of good quality except in a stretch below Wapakoneta.
In the lower areas, the Auglaize is severely degraded by wastes enter-
ing from the Ottawa and Blanchard Rivers. At Wapakoneta the Auglaize
receives the effluent from the sewage treatment plant, two packing
companies, a Pepsi-Cola bottling plant, and the Monarch Battery Company.
No records on the effluents from these industries have been made avail-
able. The dissolved oxygen below Wapakoneta falls to zero during low
flow periods. The dissolved oxygen downstream was below 1; mg/1 approx-
imately 31 percent of the time. During the period October-December 1964,
the median coliform density was l4Q,QOQ organisms per 100 ml, with a
36
-------
range of 1,200 to 11,000,000.
Below the town, the water quality is severely degraded. Although
bottom fauna of pollution-sensitive mayflies, caddis flies, and dragon
flies were found to be fairly numerous in the spring, by July all
pollution-sensitive organisms are eliminated, and only sludgeworms and
midge larvae remain. The stream bottom which had been scoured clean
of silt and organic deposits during the spring is covered with black,
septic, malodorous sludge by July. Below this point, the Auglaize
River quickly recovers and for over 50 miles, dissolved oxygen, bio-
chemical oxygen demand, microbiological and biological data gave
little evidence of organic pollution.
Below the confluences with the Ottawa and Blanchard Rivers,
another dissolved oxygen sag occurred. This is the most critical
area of water quality on the Auglaize River. During the summer,
dissolved oxygen concentrations averaged 2 to 3 mg/1; during low flow
in the fall season, it frequently dropped to below 1 mg/1. At mile
point 25.6, located directly below the confluence of the Blanchard
River, the biochemical oxygen demand ranged from h to hO mg/1 while
phenol concentrations averaged about 28 yg/1 (micrograms per liter).
The maximum value of phenol was about ikO yg/1.
During the summer, extensive algal growths were observed on the
Auglaize River. Stream sampling indicated that, during the warm
months, such compounds as phenols and organics were rapidly assimil-
ated. During the winter months, the colder stream temperatures allow
greater concentrations of these organic compounds to reach the Maumee
37
-------
River. Ammonia concentrations which averaged less than 2 mg/1
during July and August 196^ in this area rose to a median concentra-
tion of h2 mg/1, and as high as 8^ rag/1 during October to December.
These results reveal that the Auglaize is severely affected by the
Ottava and Blanchard Rivers during periods of low flow and low stream
temperatures.
Substantial winter fish mortalities of shad and other rough fish
have been observed in the lower reaches of the Auglaize during the past
four years. Since lov dissolved oxygen was not a problem at that time
of year the kills most likely resulted from the large ammonia concen-
trations mentioned previously. (Table 7-1)
TABLE 7-1
FISH KILLS - MAUMEE RIVER BASIN (OHIO)*
196U-1965
River
Blanchard
Blanchard
Blanchard
Blanchard Trib.
Blanchard
Riley Creek
Auglaize
Jennings Creek
Little Auglaize
Auglaize
West Branch Deer Cr.
Jackson Ditch
Maumee
Tenmile Creek
County
Hancock
Hancock
Hancock
Putnam
Putnam
Putnam
Auglaize
Van Wert
Van Wert
Defiance
Fulton
Wood
Lucas
Lucas
Fish Killed
6,839
720
1,21*5,37!*
1,627
1^91^1199
11,163
1*3,836
76
1^,533
769,606
2,00k
62,607
36l,l*l8
M55
Pollutant
Sewage , Municipal
Sewage, Municipal
Sewage, Municipal
Silo Drainage
Sugar Beet Waste
Unknown
Sewage & Industrial
Industrial
Pipeline Break
Unknown
Manure
Oil & Liquid Fertilizer
Sewage, Municipal
Unknown
* From Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
Pollution Investigation, 196^-1965.
38
-------
The Little Auglaize River, Flatrock Creek, and Sugar Creek exert
little, if any, effect on the main stem of the Auglaize from sources
other than agricultural pollution.
Town Creek is a tributary to the Little Auglaize River. Samples
from this stream collected at a point below Van Wert, Ohio, revealed
gross pollution during low flow. The dissolved oxygen dropped to zero
in the summer. Samples collected were septic and foul smelling.
Coliform densities exceeding 50,000,000 organisms per 100 ml were
found.
Lower Maumee River
The water quality of the Lower Maumee River (confluence of the
Tiffin River to mile point 15) is fair to severely polluted. Cities
situated on or near the Maumee River draw their raw water supply from
the highly polluted waters of this stream. Taste and odor problems
are prevalent throughout most of the year in the water supplier at
Defiance, Napoleon, Bowling Green, and other cities. At Defiance,
during periods of low temperatures and ice cover, problems are encount-
ered with phenolic compounds. The finished water imparts a medicinal
taste and odor enhanced by chlorination. During the period of Spring
runoff, the water has an intense earthly or musty taste. During late
Spring in 1963, 196k and 1965, there were periods of exceptionally
severe taste and odor problems. The water during these periods was
described variously as musty, moldy, earthy, fishy, and "rotten".
The taste and odor problems at Napoleon are similar to those in
Defiance with the exception of additional interference from ammonia
39
-------
compounds from the Auglaize River. Campbell Soup Company has reported
excessive taste and odor problems at times in their rav vater supply,
but they are able to remove it in their extensive treatment plant.
Large concentrations of ammonia at the plant have created peak chlorine
demands as high as 150 mg/1. The company reports that the quality of
its raw vater supply has continued to deteriorate in recent years.
The main sources of ammonia, nitrates and phenols to the vaters
in this area are: surface runoff from agricultural sources, and the
discharges of: the Fort Wayne area, Sohio industrial plants and Johns-
Manville Fiberglass Company through the Defiance Sewage Treatment Plant.
Above the City of Defiance, Ohio a dissolved oxygen deficit occurs.
This point is above the confluence with the highly polluted Auglaize
River and the Defiance Sewage Treatment Plant. This deficit is attrib-
uted to the large number of unsewered or faulty sewered residences in
this area discharging raw sewage into the Maumee River. Also, the
sewage collection system is faulty in that the sewage treatment plant
is closed 30 to 60 days each year. As the river stage rises 5 feet
above normal, water is backed up in the main lift station closing the
main interceptor and sewage is bypassed directly to the river 2 miles
above the plant.
The sewage treatment plant at Defiance provides only primary
treatment facilities. An industrial and municipal waste survey by
the State of Ohio indicated 1,770 Ibs/day BOD and 6,750 Ibs/day total
solids in the final effluent. Phenol concentrations in the range of
1^,000 - 22,000 yg/1 were recorded, which averaged about 100 Ibs. of
-------
o I
c
•3)
m
X
o
o
o
to
to
o
20i
18
16
12 i
10
MAUMEE RIVER
DIURNAL D 0 STUDIES
MILE POINT 20.6
JL^^^JL
0600
1000
1100
leoo
TIME
=1,
2200
.L-====x^?«==»==»L
0200 0600
-------
phenol discharged per day. Most of the industry in Defiance is sewered.
However, primary treatment cannot assimilate the heavy loading of
phenolic compounds from the Johns-Manville Fiberglass Company.
Municipal wastes are also discharged to the Lower Maumee by the
communities of Perrysburg and Waterville. The sewage treatment plant
at Perrysburg has only primary treatment while Waterville has a
secondary plant.
The extensive growth of blue-green and green algae throughout
•ohis entire stretch also helps produce taste and odor problems.
Phytoplankton counts in excess of 100,000 per ml were found in the
summer of 1961*. Table 7-2 is a tabulation of the plankton counts at
mile point 65 from October 1961* to June 1965.
TABLE 7-2
PLANKTON COUNTS AT MILE POINT 65.0 ON THE MAUMEE RIVER
AT DEFIANCE, OHIO
(Numbers per ml)
Date
Diatoms
Green
flag-
Centric pennate coccoid ellate
10-29-61*
12-23-61*
12-28-61*
1-12-65
1-23-65
3-8-65
l*-l*-65
l*-2l-65
l*-23-65
5-U-65
5-18-65
5-27-65
35,952
5,670
1*,888
900
1*5
Too turbid
360
360
270
1,688
1,710
12,960
17,136
1,755
585
It, 185
607
to count
505
90
1*05
1,123
1,81*5
3,115
61,1*88
1,755
630
5l*0
67
315
135
90
71*!
1,395
9,9^5
1*1*8
1,305
315
22
135
1*5
180
88
315
675
Blue-green
fila-
coccoid mentous
11,200
270
22
1*50
1*5
U5
112
1*50
3,375
900
1*5
180
22
270
1*5
135
7l;2
315
1,080
Total
126,221*
11,385
5,91*8
6,363
785-
2,035
720
1,125
1*,1*98
6,030
30,096
1*1
-------
During the some period (October 196*i-June 19&5) diurnal DO
studies shoved considerable vertical and diurnal variations. Values
as high as 10 mg/1 were often found at the surface while the "bottom
waters contained only 0.5 mg/1. Diurnal variations gave early morning
concentrations of 8.0 mg/1 at the surface and 25 mg/1 in the afternoon.
The low DO values at the "bottom confirmed the absences of any intol-
erant animals on the stream bottom. Figure 7-11 shows the diurnal
curve for mile point 20.6 on two dates in 196*1.
Toledo Channel, Harbor, and Lakefront
Lake level fluctuations have been found to affect the Maumee
River as far as 15 miles upstream; therefore, pollution which enters
the Maumee at one point in this lake affected area may degrade the
water quality several miles upstream.
Sediment is a problem in the navigation channel, which extends
approximately seven miles upstream from the mouth of the river and
must be continuously dredged. The suspended sediment is extremely
fine and stays in suspension for long periods of time. The Maumee
discharges about 2 million tons of sediment a year to Lake Erie.
The waters in the navigation channel and lake front areas are
severely polluted. Very high bacterial densities were found in these
waters, with median densities of total coliform, fecal coliform, and
fecal strep in excess of 100,000; 11,000; and 1,100 organisms per
100 ml respectively. As can be noted in Figure 7-12, fecal coliform
was the prime coliform present in the lower eight miles of the Maumee
River. The existence of human enteric pathogenic microorganisms were
also revealed. Salmonella was detected ^0 percent of the times sampled,
-------
confirming the health hazard to persons exposed to these waters. A
partial listing of Salmon ell a serotypes isolated is given in Table
7-3.
TABLE 7-3
ISOLATIONS OF SALMONELLAE-LOWER MAUMEE
January 15 - April 1,
Sampling Site
Date of
Collection
Tenmile Creek
OOlt.7
Tenmile Creek
010.2
Maumee River
001.6
Maumee River
.9
Salmonella Serotypes (isolates)
1-21-61;
1-28-61;
2-18-61*
3-31-61*
1-28-6U
2-18-61*
3-10-6U
2-18-61;
3-10-61*
1-21-61*
2-5-6H
3-10-61*
Salmonella cubana (l)
Salmonella infantis (l), Chester (l)
Salmonella tennessee (1*), thompson(2)
Salmonella vorthington (l)
Salmonella infantis (l)
Salmonella tennessee(2), oranienburg(l)
1*3
-------
iUvJi.ituj],. J
i MI WM tmwmm
O C£
h- h-
Z
< LiJ
bJ O
CC Z
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT NEEDS
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPAL
Sewerage Service Area
Present
Treatment
I960
Population
Plant Needs
Reading
Hudson
Morenci
MICHIGAN
St. Joseph River
Septic Tanks 1,130
Tiffin River
Secondary 2,550
Stabilization 2,055
Lagoons
Secondary & Disinfection
Expansion
None
Auburn
Butler
Garrett
Waterloo
Berne
Decatur
INDIANA
St. Joseph River
Secondary
Secondary 2,170
Secondary k, 364
Secondary 1,432
St. Marys River
Stabilization 2,644
Lagoons
Secondary 8,32?
Upper Maumee River
Diversified Utilities, Secondary4,200
Inc.
*Fort Wayne Secondary 171,780
New Haven Secondary 3,396
Tertiary
Disinfection
Tertiary
Disinfection
Disinfection
Tertiary
Expansion
Tertiary
Disinfection
Edgerton
*Montpelier
OHIO
St. Joseph, River
Septic Tanks 1,566
Primary
Secondary & Disinfection
Secondary & Disinfection
* Indicates sewage treatment plants receiving significant industrial loads.
-------
MUNICIPAL (Cont'd)
Sewerage Service Area
New Bremen
' Rockford
*St. Marys
Ada
Bluffton
*Columbus Grove
Continental
Cridersville
*Delphos
Dunkirk
Elida
*FindIay
Forest
*Lima
Ottawa
Paulding
Payne
Spencerville
*Van Wert
*Wapakoneta
*Ar crib old
* Bryan
Fayette
Stryker
West Unity
Pre sent
Treatment
St. Marys
Secondary
Primary
Secondary
Auglaize
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Stabilization
Lagoons
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Tiffin
Secondary
Secondary
Stabilization
Lagoons
Stabilization
Lagoons
Septic Tanks
I960
Population
River
1,972
1,155
7,737
River
3,918
2,591
2 10^J-
1 l^J-T
l',053
6,96l
1,006
1,215
30, 3^k
1,31^
51,037
3,2^5
2,936
1,287
2,061
11,323
6,756
River
2,3^8
7,36l
1,090
1,205
1,192
Plant Needs
Tertiary
Secondary & Disinfection
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Secondary & Disinfection
None
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
None
Disinfection
Secondary & Disinfection
Expansion & Disinfection
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Disinfection
Disinfection
Tertiary
Upper Maumee River
Antwerp
Defiance
Hicksville
Septic Tanks
Intermediate
Secondary
1,^65
1^,553
3,116
Secondary & Disinfection
Expansion
Expansion
Lower Maumee River
*Delta
*Deshler
Secondary
Stabilization
Lagoons
2,376
1,82k
Tertiary
Tertiary
* Indicates sewage treatment plant receiving significant industrial loads.
-------
MUNICIPAL (Cont'd)
'Sewerage Service Area
Present
Treatment
I960
Population
Plant Needs
Lower Maumee River (continued)
Holgate
Leipsic
Napoleon
Perrysburg
Svanton
*Toledo
Waterville
Wauseon
Weston
*Whitehouse
Oregon
Walbridge
Sylvania
Trilby
Septic Tanks •
Secondary
Secondary
Intermediate
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
1,37^
1,802
6,739
5,519
2,306
318,000
1,856
^,311
1,075
1,135
l£'530
2.550
Minor Tributaries
Tenmile Creek (Ottava River)
Secondary5,187
Silver Creek
Septic Tanks
5,000
Tertiary
Tertiary
None
Secondary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Expansion & Disinfection
Tertiary
Tertiary
Expansion
Sonnect to Toledo
onnect, to Toledo
Connect to Toledo
Secondary & Disinfection
[INDUSTRIAL
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Toledo Edison
Gulf Oil Company
Sun Oil Company
Pure Oil
Standard Oil Company
Libbey-Owens-Ford
Interlake Iron
Johns-Manville Company
Campbell Soup Company
Central Foundry(Div.GM)
S. K. Wayne Tool Co.
Lower Maumee River
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Waterville, Ohio
Napoleon, Ohio
Defiance, Ohio
Defiance, Ohio
General Control Measures &
Improvement s
COD, Oil
Solids
Oil, COD, and Phenols
Phenols, Oil, COD
Oil, Solids, Color
Phenols, Solids
Solids, BOD, Phenol
BOD
Solids, BOD
General Control Measures
Indicates sewage treatment plants receiving significant industrial loads.
-------
INDUSTRIAL (Cont'd)
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Weatherhead Corporation
Hayes Industry -
Decorative Division
Ohio Decorative Products
Buckeye Sugars
National Refinery
(Ashland Oil)
Rusco Inc.
Excello Corporation
Ford Motor Company
Republic Creosote
Standard Oil Company
Refinery
Chemical
Petrochemical
Edgerton Metal Products
Veston Paper
Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company
Beatrice Foods Company
Essex Wire Company
Dana Corporation
Upper Maumee River
Antwerp, Ohio
Auglaize River
Spencerville, Ohio
Spencerville, Ohio
Blanchard River
Ottawa, Ohio
Findlay, Ohio
Pandora, Ohio
Ottawa River
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
St. Joseph River
Edgerton, Ohio
St. Marys River
St. Marys, Ohio
St. Marys, Ohio
St. Marys, Ohio
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Tenmile Creek
Toledo, Ohio
Oils and Solids
Solids
Solids, Housekeeping
BOD
Oil, General Housekeeping
Oil, Solids, Secondary
Treatment of Sewage
General Housekeeping
Oil
Phenol
Phenol, Oil, COD
Amonia
Evaluate Completed Improvements
Chrome Treatment, Acid
Neutralization
BOD
General Housekeeping
General Housekeeping
Phenol
Oil
-------
v—^ HUDSON
^~^i^
LAKE
ERIE
HILLSDALE CO
TOLEDO
FULTON (CO
DE KAUB CO.
EN R Y CO.
FORT
WAYNE
DECATUR
ADAMS CO.
GREAT LAKES a ILLINOIS
RIVER BASIN PROJECT
LAKE ERIE PROGRAM OFFICE
. MARYS WAPAKONETA
SCALE IN MILES
MAUMEE RIVER BASIN
U. S. OCPARTMCNT OP INTERIOR
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
REGION V CLEVELAND, OHIO
FIGURE 1-3
-------
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA
The major Ohio tributaries to Lake Erie in North Central Ohio
are the Portage, Sandusky, Huron, Vermilion, and Black Rivers
(Fig. 5-1). They drain an area of ^,109 square miles, with a pop-
ulation of 600,000. -The principal cities are Lorain, Elyria, and
Sandusky.
Present Water Quality.
The majority of streams in this area suffer from either direct
pollution or enrichment. Dissolved oxygen deficites occur in numerous
locations, as do excessive algal growths. Windrows of decomposing
algae are commonly found along the lakefront during summer months.
The upstream reaches of these rivers flow through predominantly
farm lands, where water quality is slowly degraded by silt and aquatic
growths. However, as the streams flow toward the Lake through urban '
areas and industrial complexes, the rivers rapidly "become more
-------
degraded and in places grossly polluted. Their color ch anges to
unnatural hues, and repulsive sights and 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 and black below Bowling Green,
and turbid-white and rust-colored within Fostoria. The Black River
is'multicolored from industrial wastes in Elyria and the city's
Cascade Park. In Lorain, 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, and the streams are
clogged in places with logs and debris.
During periods of low flow the dissolved oxygen (DO) drops to
less than h.O mg/1 below Upper Sandusky, Tiffin, and Fremont on the
Sandusky River. Forty percent of the samples collected at the critical
point below Upper Sandusky showed oxygen concentrations of less than
U.O mg/1. On three occasions there was no measurable oxygen, and
accompanying BOD's reached 39.0 mg/1. Intensive sampling programs
below Tiffin and Fremont revealed that during the low flow period
under normal loadings from the treatment plants, the dissolved oxygen
concentrations were near 1.0 mg/1. 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 196U average of dissolved oxygen for this reach was 2 mg/1.
The highest average seasonal BOD in North Central Ohio was 20 rag/1
below Elyria. Even at mile point 0.6 in the mouth of the river
where lake dilution is high, the dissolved oxygen averaged only 3.^
mg/1 during the fall of 196U.
The most serious problems from low dissolved oxygen on the
Portage River occur below Bowling Green and Fostoria. Septic condi-
tions 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
pollution presents a potential health hazard. On the Portage River
at mile point O.U, median densities during the summer and fall of
196U were 130,000 organisms per 100 ml. During the summer, the
median fecal coliform density was 21,000 organisms per 100 ml.
The Sandusky River had median total coliform densities of
190,000 organisms per 100 ml below 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 maximum of 1,300 organisms per 100 ml.
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 196H the median
-------
TABLE 7-1
FISH KILLS - NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA*
196^-1965
River
Kiser Run
Sandusky
Camel Creek
Bear Run
Sandusky
Black
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Crone Creek
Sandusky
Pipe Creek
Kelly Marsh
Pettie Ditch
County
Wyandot
Seneca
Medina
Richland
Wyandot
Lorain
Seneca
Wyandot
Seneca
Wyandot
Ottawa
Sandusky
Erie
Erie
Seneca
Fish Killed
15
20,320
2.U37
103
2,05^
65
M33
3,529
U.883
65
278,968
105,552
39^
19
2,9ltO
Pollutant
Livestock sewage
Tiffin, sewage
Oil-gas well
Silo drainage
Unknown
Grafton, sewage
Tiffin, sewage
Upper Sandusky, sewage
Tiffin, sewage
Upper Sandusky, sewage
Tomato processing waste
Fremont, sewage
Canning waste
Industrial waste
Unknown
* From Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
Pollution Investigation, 196^-1965.
of metals and cyanide in the river at mile point 10.2. Maximum
concentrations in mg/1 during 19^ were: copper, 0.31;. cadmium,
0.08; nickel, 0.1*2; sine, 0.28; chromium, 1.32; and lead, O.Oh.
In the navigation channel of the Black River phenol concentra-
tions averaged 15-1 micrograms per liter during the first three
months of 196^. At this location, mile point 0.6, a maximum phenol
concentration of 65.9 micrograms per liter was found. The steel
industry is a significant source of phenol wastes, and with the
reactivations of coke operations, these waste discharges could
increase greatly. These industrial wastes are significant because
-------
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 are generally good except for the areas near the Lake which
are degraded by siltation and local waste sources. The effect upon
the Lake by these rivers could be detected more than 1,000 feet
into the Lake. 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 recovery does not occur until the next water source. Between
Tiffin and Fremont, 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 condi-
tions typical of a polluted stream are found. Numerous fish kills
have occurred in this area. Those occurring in 196^-1965 are sum-
marized below.
Chemistry
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 from industrial wastes occur
in the industrialized Black River. The steel, automotive (metal-
plating), and chemical industries in Elyria, some of whose wastes
are treated by the municipal sewage treatment plant, are the sources
-------
two major municipal water intakes are located near the mouth of
the Black River.
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
PORTAGE RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Bloomdale
Bowling Green
Elmore
Fostoria
Gibsoriburg
McComb
North Baltimore
Oak Harbor
Pemberville
Present
Treatment
Septic Tanks
Secondary
None
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
Secondary
Primary
None
1965
Population
TOO
lU, 100
1,360
16,100
2,700
1,270
3,200
3,130
1,280
Plant Needs
Tertiary
Secondary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Secondary
Secondary
Woodville
None
1,880
Secondary
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Brush Beryllium
Foster Duck Farm
Gibsonburg Canning Co.
Hirzel Canning Co.
Seneca Wire & Manufacturing
Swift & Co.
Wood Co. Canning Co.
Location
Elmore
Gibsoriburg
Pemberville
Fostoria
Fostoria
North Baltimore
Control
Measures
None
BOD
None
BOD
Metals, Solids
Oil, Color, BOD
None
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
SANDUSKY RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Severage
Service Area
Attica
Ballville
Bloomville
Bucyrus
Carey
Clinton Township
Crestline
Fremont
Nevada
New Washington
Sandusky Co.S.D. #1
Sycamore
Tiffin
Upper Sandusky
INDUSTRIES
Industry
H. J. Heinz
Northern Ohio Sugar
Pennsylvania R.R.
Pioneer Rubber
Present
Treatment
None
Septic Tanks
None
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Primary
Secondary
Location
Fremont
Fremont
Crestline
Willard
1965
Population
1,020
1, VfO
870
13,200
1^,100
6,100
20,060
1,010
1,300
1,090
22,kQQ
5,290
Plant Needs
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Secondary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Control Measures
None
BOD
Oil
BOD,
Rubber
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
HURON RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Present
Treatment
1965
Population
Plant Needs
Huron
Milan
Monroeville
Norwalk
Plymouth
Willard
Secondary,
Intermediate
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
1,570
1,420
14,200
1,960
5,900
Tertiary
Secondary
Secondary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Baltimore & Ohio RR
Clevite Corp.
Willard
Milan
Oil
Acid, Metals, Solids
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
VERMILION RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Beverage Present 1965
Service Area Treatment Population Plant Needs
Greenvich Secondary 1,500 Tertiary
New London Secondary 2,620 Tertiary
Vermilion Primary 7,730 Tertiary
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AMD INDUSTRIES IN THE
BLACK RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Present
Treatment
1965
Population
Plant Needs
Elyria
Grafton
LaGrange
Lodi
Oberlin
North Ridgeville
Vincent
Wellington
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Vf,000 Tertiary
1,8UO Tertiary
1,110 Tertiary
2,1)-30 Tertiary
8,900 Tertiary
8,600 Tertiary
U,000 Connect to Lorain
3,860 Tertiary
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Buckeye Pipeline
CMC, Turnstedt Div. Elyria
Locke Manufacturing Lodi
Republic Steel, Steel & Tube Div. Elyria
U.S. Steel, Tubular Operations Lorain
United Dairy
Lodi
Oil
Cyanide, Chrome
None
Acid
Solids
None
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA
SMALL TRIBUTARIES
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Amherst
Bellevue
Brownhelm Township
Cast alia
Clyde
Genoa
Green Springs
Perkins -Margaretta S.D.
Sandusky Soldiers &
Sailors Home
South Amherst
Trilby
Present
Treatment
Secondary
None
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
1965
Population
8,620
8,900
1,890
1,01*0
5,300
2,100
1,010
1,500
1,790
5,500
Plant Needs
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Tertiary
Connect to Sandusky
Tertiary
Connect to Amherst
Tertiary
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Bechtel-McLaughlin
Central Soya
Ford, Assembly Plant
Ford, Hardware Plant
G. E. Lamp Plant #2^2
GMC, New Departure Div.
Hirzel Canning
Lake Erie Canning
NASA, Plumb Brook Facilities
Norfolk & Western RR
Silver Fleece Canning
Stokely-Van Camp
Whirlpool Corp.
Sandusky
Bellevue
Lorain
Sandusky
Bellevue
Sandusky
Sandusky
Sandusky
Port Clinton
Norwalk
Clyde
Acid, Chrome, Solids
Oil
None
None
BOD
None
BOD, Solids
BOD
BOD
Oil
None
None
None
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA
DIRECT TO LAKE
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Avon
Avon Lake
Bay View
Camp Perry
E Erie Sewer & Water Diet.
Lakeside
Lorain
Marblehead
Port Clinton
Put -In-Bay
Sandusky
Sheffield
Sheffield Lake
Vermilion-On-The -Lake
West lake
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Aluminum & Magnesium
Present
Treatment
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Intermediate
Primary
Intermediate
Primary
Septic Tanks
Location
Sandusky
Cleveland Electric Illuminating Avon Lake
Ohio Edison
U. S, Gypsum Co.
Lorain
Gypsum
1965
Population Plant Needs
7,660 Connect to County Plant
12, 100 Secondary
1,020 Secondary
15,000 None
1,300 Secondary
U,000 Connect to County Plant
76,920 Secondary
950 Connect to County Plant
7,350 Secondary
UOO Secondary
33 |850 Secondary
1,800 Connect to County Plant
7,580 Connect to County Plant
1,^50 Connect to Vermilion .
15,000 Connect to County Plant
Control Measures
None
Solids
None
BOD
-------
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
The Greater Cleveland-Akron Area consists of the Rocky,
Cuyahoga, and Chagrin Rivers and several minor streams with an
area of 1,^90 square miles. The population of Cleveland and Akron
is 876,000 and 290,OQO respectively, and the total population in
the area is presently 2,270,000. It is projected to increase
to h,200,000 by 1990 and to 6,000,000 by 2020. Cleveland is one
of the great steel producing and fabricating areas in the country
and Akron is the country's main supplier of rubber. The water
quality of the area's streams vary from excellent to extensively
degraded or polluted.
Figures 7-1 through 7-3 depict the present water quality of
the Rocky, Cuyahoga, and Chagrin Rivers. These figures indicate
the location of water quality problem areas. The fold out map at
the back of this section should be used to locate a specific city
or area.
-------
•^W.v>v.'Vv V
"^^tzfrT*-^*"
mM^ r£&&B •$g^mw&*&®'*
-A I" "..--. '.-.-:'V" - . •. - o "
'? F-- • '••:••'.' ^^^-OCAsi^v,^- 'o-v^^- «-
55 i -.••.-•--'•-;'VX v^^'-'"-- v*^-' v^^v. *-^,^"-"--iSxv"-
.^ (_r,--%:^^^^4^^ ^^^^
- 1-v -^1--"^ '- ""'"'••--..-i.v ^"M :':.-V ^^-^ ^^r>-:.
-;-• I " '—•'•-«—%.iTl -*»'•:.'•»— •:••> •••1Vi-T".1 1 .- -'
• | --^—c^ ——--•_ 7 U / •,:.-.- •»• t
Water Uses in the Greater Cleveland-Akron Area - Camping, Riding, Boating,
Picnicking and Esthetics
-------
-- ,,v,-..r.... .•.,,
r '
t.
rpp^:,.—-^, v^^ "• I
N=s?'--..^^"^- N^ 9--;
•&&-.U-.-,;::.,:;;_.;':; ,. ,;^ IS
M ' V-"'v'v'.-'r'''N'-''^'/ '
; . >;,;:P.; '> ;.v(. ^.^V r
-------
-Tjr ..,—.- - ( - ,-.---
•• , .... r-\. ...
•a^r,?
. * V-
1 f^.
^rr:^? ---rri
-•••"-•-H
TO BE TURNED IN
FINAL REPORT SO
THAT FACES CORRECTLY
^'-•-•' '>^^____i».r -i.»~»~-i.i.», j f .t_ ---
.Qlitmproveent Measures'- A: Cleveland Easterly Treatment Plant. B: Seeding
of embankments by Ohio Department of Highways. C: Akron Water Pollution Control Station.
D: Complete waste removal at Chrysler Corporation's Twinsburg Stamping Plant. (Photo t cour
City of Akron, and photo D courtesy Chrysler Corp.)
-------
PERCENT OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN TESTS LESS THAN 4mg/l
JUNE I - DECEMBER I. 1964
SCALE IN MILES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA 3
PERCENT DISSOLVED OXYGEN TESTS I
LESS THAN 4 rag/I |
9 O
S
10
1
i!
FIGURE 7-1
-------
MINIMUM DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN mg/l
JANUARY I - DECEMBER I, 1964
- 3.1 a OVER
- 2.1-3.0
- 0-2.0
SCALE IN MILES
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA !
M!N!MUM DISSOLVED
OXYGEN CONCENTRATION
FIGURE 7-2
-------
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
MEDIAN TOTAL
COLIFORM CONCENTRATION
FIGURE 7-3
-------
Rocky River
The present water quality in most parts of the Rocky River
system is degraded. The reason there are not more major problem
areas in this basin is because of the steep slope and therefore
high reaeration rate. The major sources of pollution to Rocky
River are from the many small municipalities vhich dot its course.
The river contains high BOD and total coliform concentrations below
most outfalls, and is extensively enriched throughout its course.
Excessive algal growths occur wherever the waters are pooled and
high turbidity and sediment problems exist in many locations.
West Branch
The West Branch of Rocky River receives the discharge from the
five significant treatment plants and from a number of small package
plants. There are several dumps along the stream banks and £lood
plains in the Columbia Station area and numerous septic tanks and
misused storm drains which pollute the waters in Olmsted Falls.
The City of Olmsted Falls has been under orders from the Ohio Water
Pollution Control Board for several years to remove their wastes,
but has recently moved to remedy this situation. The surrounding
township should also provide adequate treatment for its wastes.
East Branch
The City of Berea depends upon Baldwin Reservoir on the East
Branch for its municipal water supply. The reservoir and nearby
Wallace Lake are also used for swimming, boating, and fishing.
The East Branch flows through Cleveland's Metropolitan Park from
-------
near the Cuyahoga County line to its confluence with the West Branch.
Extensive recreational use is made of this scenic area.
Six municipal waste treatment plants discharge treated sewage
to the river within this reach. These discharges contribute micro-
organisms and nutrients to the river. Coliform counts show that a
potential health hazard exists for visitors to the park. Extensive
algae blooms in the past have been reported to cause taste and odor
problems in Berea's water supply. Such algae growths are also
offensive to the recreational use made of the river.
Hinckley Lake is also extensively used for swimming, boating,
and fishing, but it is polluted to a degree from nutrients and sedi-
ments. The Cleveland Metropolitan Park Board has had to perform
extensive dredging on this lake to maintain depth. The source of
this sediment is mainly from highway construction and subdivision
development, and in the past from the testing grounds of the
Cleveland Tank Plant. The Ohio Department of Highways now includes
provisions in new contracts being let which require the prevention,
control, and active abatement of pollution during construction.
Measures to be instituted in future construction include the con-
struction of check dams and early seeding of individual slopes as they
are completed. They presently have an adequate maintenance erosion
control program.
This past summer, the discharge from the Berea sewage treatment
plant reduced the oxygen content of the receiving waters to zero.
These anaerobic conditions produced foul odors which made this part
of the park unusable. This problem has also occurred below
Middleburg Heights.
-------
Main Stem
The main stem of the Rocky River flovs through Cleveland's
Metropolitan Park for its entire length. Extensive recreational
use is made of the park. Three municipalities and one industry
discharge to this area of the stream. Near the mouth of Rocky
River, several small boat harbors, yacht clubs, marinas, and boat
launching facilities exist. The vater quality in this area is at
times seriously degraded as far as low dissolved oxygen concentra-
tions and high coliform concentrations. The measured maximum and
median total coliform, fecal coliform, and fecal strep concentra-
tions at mile point 0.2 were: 560,000 and 31,000; 180,000 and
3,000; and' ^9,000 and 900 organisms per 100 ml respectively.
Table 7-1 is a listing of Salmonella isolations from this same
station. These are all direct disease causing organisms and are
pathogenic to man.
To restore the Rocky River Basin to its desired state so that
full use may be made of its waters, all wastes, domestic, industrial,
or from farming or construction should be removed from its waters or
tertiary treatment which provides at least 97 percent BODS should be
provided. To actuate this program, an area-wide disposal system
should be constructed which would discharge fully treated effluents
directly to the lake. Plants such as at Lakewood should construct
an outfall system which extends one-quarter to one-half mile off
shore from nearby bathing beach areas. Also, all storm water outfalls
-------
in the vicinity of beach areas which cannot be eliminated should "be
extended to one-half mile off shore and the treated vaters dis-
charged through a diffusion system.
Due to the shortage of water to maintain low flows, the use of
Rocky River as a water source by Berea and Medina should be dis-
continued. Both of.these cities can very easily be served by the
Cleveland system.
TABLE 7-1
ISOLATIONS OF SALMONELLA - LOWER ROCKY RIVER MILE POINT 0.2
January 16 - August 31, 19&U
Date of Collection Salmonella Serotypes (isolates)
January l6, I$6h . Salmonella newport (l)
" 22, " Salmonella hartford (l)
" 30, " Salmonella worthington (l)
February 20, 196^ Salmonella thompson (l)
Salmonella infantis (l)
March 17, 19&H Salmonella terinessee (6)
Salmonella infantis (l)
Salmonella thompson (l)
May 5, 196H Salmonella anatum (3)
" 1? "
-Le-»
ii pp ii
" 28! "
June 2, 196H
I! 15j "
19, " Salmonella anatum (l)
Salmonella enteritidis (10)
" 22, " Salmonella derby (2)
July 1, 196H
" 15, "
" 29 " Salmonella thompson (l)
Salmonella typhimurium (l)
August 31,
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
ROCKY RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Berea
Broadview Heights
Brook Park
Lakewood
Medina
North Olmsted
North Royalton
Olmsted Falls
Strongsville
Vest lake
West view
County Districts
Breezewood
Brunswick SD 100
Beverly Hills SD 8
Medina Co. SD 5
Middleburg Hts.
Present
Treatment
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary*
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary*
1965
Population
19,650
8,590
1^,200
TO, 210
9,100
IT, 800
11, 110
2,290
11, 5io
15,000
1,500
6,500
1,000
1,000
11, 920
Plant Needs
Connect to metro system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Connect to metro system**
Discharge outfall to Lake
Erie
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Connect to metro system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
* Works under construction, "but may not meet criteria proposed
** Where "Connect to metropolitan system" is listed, tertiary treatment
may "be substituted.
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Astoria Plating Corp.
Allison Division, CMC,
Testing Area
Cleveland
Hinckley
Heavy Metals, Color, Cyanide
Solids
-------
Cuyahoga River
The vaters of the Cuyahoga River Basin are seriously degraded
in quality in many sections. The effects of pollution are partic-
ularly evident "below Kent, Stow, and Akron, and in Cleveland. All
water uses, actual and potential, are influenced "by this pollution.
Changes in water, quality occur in the Cuyahoga and its tribu-
taries as man and nature add wastes to it. The dissolved oxygen
content fluctuates as BOD and oxygen inputs vary. Phenols, total
solids, and specific conductance increase as waste loads are added.
Above Lake Rockwell
Two towns, Mantua and Burton, with a total population of 2,300
are the only known significant sources of wastes above Lake Rockwell.
The 207 square mile watershed above Lake Rockwell provides the water
supply for the City of Akron. Three reservoirs in this area give a
maximum storage capacity of over 10 billion gallons. Coliform counts
average less than 200 per 100/mis. The water is considered to be of
excellent quality.
Lake Rockwell to Akron
Three creeks, seven towns, and two industries contribute wastes
to this section. Municipal wastes contribute approximately ^,000 Ibs.
BOD per day into the streams between Lake Rockwell and Akron while
industrial contribution is insignificant.
Starting at Lake Rockwell Dam, mile point 60.1, and proceeding
downstream, one can visibly detect the changes in water quality.
Immediately below Rockwell Dam three seasonal biological observations
-------
were made and 25 genera of benthic organisms were found. Attached
algae were sparse, and the water quality of this reach was excellent.
The first major source of pollution entering the Cuyahoga River
is from Breakneck Creek (Congress Lake Outlet). This creek is
degraded "by the discharge or "by-passing of Ravenna's sewage treatment
plant and the numerous "businesses, motels, and homes in this area.
Below Breakneck Creek, during low flow, the river was gray-"brown in
color with a great abundance of aquatic plants along the shoreline
and much floating algae on the surface. These are indicative of the
nutrients added "by Ravenna's discharge and the inadequately treated
wastes from the other sources.
Above the Kent treatment plant, the discharge from Lamson &
Sessions Electrical Co. enters the river. This discharge was reddish j
!
and appeared to have a high oil content at the 'time of the field
survey. A bridge abutment at this point was stained red from the
i
>
wastes and the stream bank was oily. Just below this point the
effluent from the Kent sewage treatment plant enters the Cuyahoga.
The aquatic plant life which was so abundant above these outfalls j
I
does not exist for up to 2 miles downstream. The river is grayish |
and produces an oily odor. Below Kent, the river has deteriorated |
i
to such an extent that only pollution tolerant sludgeworms, midge j
I
larvae, leeches, and pulmonate snails could be found. Even though j
I
the river bottom was cobble, sand, and silt, only moderate growths j
I
!
of pollution tolerant blue-green algae were found on the rocks, and j
i
a strong septic odor was noted. Between Kent and the mouth of the I
Cuyahoga, a biota typical of gross pollution existed at all seasons |
!
of the year. j
-------
Akron
Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., General Tire Co., B. F. Goodrich
Co., Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Tire Division, Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Co., Aerospace Division, and Diamond Salt Co. all discharge
wastes to the Little Cuyahoga River which interfere with its water
quality. Two 6'f these firms, Firestone and Goodyear, have recently
made data as to their waste effluents available to the State of Ohio.
The other two industries, General and Goodrich, have not made data
as to the quality or quantity of their waste discharges known to the
State of Ohio or to the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration.
Biological surveys of the streams which receive the wastes from these
industries indicate that gross pollution exists. During low flow,
as far downstream on the Cuyahoga as at Peninsula, the odor imparted
to-the receiving waters can be detected. The wastes from the four
rubber plants contain temperature, oxygen demanding materials, color,
odor, oils, solids, and complex organics. The discharge from the
Aerospace Division of Goodyear contains heavy metals, cyanides, and
other toxic materials. Diamond Salt Co. discharges wastes containing
chlorides to the Ohio Canal. They also discharge large concentrations
of chlorides to the Akron waste treatment plant which is not able to
treat them.
Akron to Cleveland
The wastes mentioned in the previous section enter the Cuyahoga
at mile M.O. The effect of those wastes can be seen in Figures 7-1
through 7-3. At mile 39.0 the effluent from Akron's Water Pollution
-------
Control Station enters the river. At low flow, this effluent com-
prises over 60 percent of the river's flow. Figure 7- depicts the
en
£
I
X
Q
LjJ
O
(ft
CUYAHOGA RIVER MILE POINTS
effect that this waste has on depressing the oxygen content in the
river and shows the river's gradual recovery. When the flow is above
170 cfs, the minimum median dissolved oxygen is raised, and con-
versely when the flow is less than this amount. The reason that the
dissolved oxygen is not depressed below that indicated is due to the
extremely high natural reaeration rate. The river may be considered
to be acting as a trickling filter in a sewage treatment plant. As
the wastes flow over the rock and cobble bottom the bacteria (such as
Sphaerotilius) and fungi which grow on the rocks' surface feed on the
wastes and reduce them. Extensive growths of pollution tolerant blue-
green alga such as Oscillatoria and Phormidium, and the green fila-
mentous alga Cladophora. At many locations, particularly below the
sewage treatment plant, the filamentous bacterium Sphaerotilius sp.,
which is an indicator of recent organic pollution, was abundant. A
-------
strong volatile odor from the outfall persists several miles down-
stream.
Below this area, as in many areas above Akron, the river is
often blocked with trees, brush, and junk. There are dumps along
the river at Independence, Boston Mills, Jaite, Akron, etc.
The waste materials discharged from the Akron area are noticeable
even in the lower sections of the Cuyahoga above the navigation canal.
Numerous anaerobic sludgebanks exist along the river banks throughout
this reach. Whenever any appreciable fall occurs in the river,deter-
gent foam is produced which gives the river the appearance of "white
water".
Cleveland
The first major waste entering the Cuyahoga in the Cleveland area
is from Tinkers Creek. This stream contains the wastes of the Cities
of Streetsboro, Twinsburg, Solon, Bedford Heights, Bedford, and Walton
Hills. Master Anodizer, Weathertite, etc. also discharge to this
creek. Tinkers Creek is degraded throughout most of its course by
these wastes.
Big Creek discharges wastes with the following concentrations:
phenol k6 tig/1; Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of 120 mg/1; Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD) of UO mg/1; and total solids of 600 mg/1. The
pli varied between 3.2 and 8.7. The median concentrations of total
coliform, fecal coliform, and fecal strep were 1,100,000; U^O.OOO;
and 5,800 organisms per 100 ml respectively. These wastes were dis-
charged by the Bailey Wallpaper Co., Cuyahoga Meat Co., E. W. Ferry
Screen Co., and Ford Motor Co.
-------
The oil content of the bottom muds increases vithin the Cleveland
industrial complex. The extremely high concentrations in the muds
near the mouth of Big Creek indicate it as a major source of oil
pollution.
The major source of microbial pollution to the Lower Cuyahoga
is the Cleveland Southerly Sewage Treatment Plant. This plant dis-
charges an average of 80 mgd per day of wastes to this reach.
Besides the microbial materials, this plant discharges wastes with
a population equivalent oxygen demand of 1+8,000. Five times in the
last five years there lias been a break in the main interceptor sever
to this plant. This break has resulted in the discharge of billions
of gallons of raw sewage to the Cuyahoga.
At mile point 6.6 the first station in the Cleveland industrial
complex, the water quality is very poor and remains so until the
river disperses into the lake. Sixteen industries, an undetermined
number of storm water overflows, and three creeks discharge into
this section of the river.
Oil scum and lack of turbulence compound the effects of BOD in
the navigation channel. Within this reach the DO often drops to zero
and the phenol concentration reaches a maximum of 175 yg/1. The
major wastes discharged in this section are solids, acid, phenol, oil,
iron, sulfates, and heavy metals. The only life found in the lower
navigation channel were bacteria. No higher forms of life were found,
not even such pollution tolerant forms such as sludge or bloodworms.
Enteric pathogen studies conducted in this reach revealed Ik different
species of Salmonella organisms (see table below).
-------
ISOLATIONS OP SALMONELLA! - LOWER CUYAHOGA MILE POINT 1.0
January 22 - August 31, 1961*.
Date of Collection
Salmonella Serotypes (isolates)
January 22, 1964
30, "
February 20,
March 17, 1964
May 12,
« 17,
11 22,
" 28,
June 2, 1964
" 11, "
" 15, "
" 19, "
ii op "
July 1* 1964
" 14. "
" 29, "
August 31, 1964
Salmonella anatum (4)
Salmonella 6,7*y monophasic (4)
Salmonella tennessee (3)
Salmonella "bareilly (l)
Salmonella anatum (2)
" typhimurium var. Copenhagen (l)
Salmonella tennessee (2)
Salmonella tennessee (l)
Salmonella Java (l)
Salmonella panama (l)
Salmonella worthington (l)
Salmonella heidelTaerg (l)
Salmonella enteritidis (3)
Salmonella Java (l)
Salmonella montevldeo (l)
Salmonella 6,7jy monophasic (3)
Salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella
Tsareilly (l)
Tsareilly f2)
thompson (l)
oranienburg (l)
typhimurium (l)
enteritidis (l)
typhimurium (l)
-------
The major industries discharge the above listed vastes to this
river stretch are Republic Steel, U. S. Steel, E. I. Dupont, Jones
& Laughlin Steel, and Harshaw Chemical. Besides these industrial
wastes, there are numerous storm vater and sewage overflow structures
which contribute significant wastes to this area. Since the con-
struction by Cleveland of the low level sewer, a large source of
organic pollution has been removed. Prior to this, industries in
this area discharge their sanitary sewage to the river without adequate
treatment.
The immediate pollution control needs of the industries and
municipalities discharging to the Cuyahoga River system are listed
in the following table:
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
CUYAHOGA RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Akron
Bedford
Bedford Hts.
Bttl"fcQft--_________--~™--.—~ — ~
Cleveland Southerly
Cuyahoga Falls
TT Tjfj j-i A*«
Independence
Kent
Mantua
Maple Hts.
Middlefield
Monroe Falls
Northfield
Oakwood
Oakwood
Ravenna
Sagamore Hills
Sawyerwood
Solon
Tallmadge
Twinsburg
Valley View
County Districts
Brecksville SD 13
BylmJlPld SD'~3r— - — —
j-J^~ -mu. .L\^^.VI »— 'j-' .1.
Northeast SD 1
Northeast SD 6
Northeast SD 15
Present
Treatment
Secondary*
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Q ^k j-t ^n A n Y*T r
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary*
Secondary*
Primary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Primary*
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
1965
Population
298,000
16,700
5,800
__.,j_, ... 200
525,000
5^,000
2u &Qr\
7,770
23,290
1,2^0
3^,620
1,570
2,850
3,160
2,290
2,500
12,000
M30
5,9^0
8,oUo
11,200
1^,500
1,3^0
3,300
Plant Needs
Advanced waste treatment
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
— None
Tertiary
Connect to metro system**
TVToTlo
" — •••- •A.t\J-M."fi&-'
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Expansion
Expansion
Connect to metro system**
Secondary & disinfection
Sewers & connect to metro
• system
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system
Sewers & connect to metro
system
Connect to metro system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
* Works under construction, but may not meet criteria proposed
** Where "Connect to metropolitan system" is listed, tertiary treatment may
be substituted.
-------
'MUNICIPALITIES (cont'd)
Sewerage
Service Area
Present 1965
Treatment Population Plant Needs
County Districts (ContJd)
Seven Hills SD 2 Secondary
idrlie-SB—1 Secondary-
*ille~SD~2 S4e«a4e*y~
Shai
Stow Twp SD k Primary*
Walton Hills SD 20 Secondary
Connect to metro system**
None
- ---. -None-
13,^-00 Sewers & connect to metro
system**
Connect to metro system**
* Works under construction, but may not meet criteria proposed.
** Where "Connect to metropolitan system" is listed, tertiary treatment may
be substituted.
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Cuyahoga River
Republic Steel Cleveland
U. S. Steel Cleveland
E. I. DuPont Cleveland
Jones & Laughlin Cleveland
Harshaw Chemical Cleveland
Ford Motor Co. Brook Park
E. W. Ferry Screw Brook Park
Cuyahoga Meat Cleveland
Bailey Well Paper Cleveland
Burdett Oxygen Cleveland
Master Anodizers Bedford
Owens-Illinois Glass Northfield
Co., Mill Div.
Cornwell Tools Mogadore
S. K. Wellman, Division Bedford
American Brake Shoe Co.
Ferro Chemical, Division Bedford
Ferro Corp.
Zirconium Corp. of Solon
America
Solids, Iron, Oil, Ammonia, -Acids
Solids, Iron, Oil, Acids
Solids, Zinc
Solids, Iron, Oil, Acids
Solids, Fluorides, Heavy Metals, Acids
Oil
Heavy Metals, Oil, Others*
BOD, Others*
Color, BOD, Others*
Others*
Heavy Metals, Cyanide
Others*
Heavy Metals, Cyanide
Heavy Metals, Cyanide
Heavy Metals
Solids, Chlorides
Presently do not report materials in waste outfall.
-------
INDUSTRIES (Cont'd)
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Cuyahoga River (Cont'd)
Diamond Crystal Salt Co.
Firestone Tire & Rubber
General Tire & Rubber
B. F. Goodrich Co.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Sonoco Products
Lamson & Sessions Co.
Smallwood Packing Co.
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Munroe Falls
Kent
Middlefield
Solids, Chlorides
Solids, Others*, Oil
Solids, Others*, Oil
Solids, Others*, Oil
Heavy Metals, Solids, Cyanides,
Others*, Oil
BOD
Solids, Oil
BOD, Oil, Others*
* Presently do not report materials in waste outfall.
-------
Chagrin River
Except for reaches in the cities of Chagrin Falls, Willoughby,
and Eastlake, the water quality of the Chagrin River is presently
good to excellent. A well balanced biological population is normally
present even during periods of low flow. Good fish populations exist
except in areas which are overfished or affected by pollution. The
stream bottoms are generally rocky except in several pooled areas.
A very high natural reaeration rate occurs due to the turbulent conditions
and steep slope (l6-35 foot fall per mile). Thus, pollution which
enters the streams is quickly degraded and lov dissolved oxygen levels
seldom occur throughout this basin.
There are six major sewage treatment plants in the Chagrin River
Basin which discharge wastes containing a population equivalent of
30,000.
Below the waste discharges from the sewage treatment plants in
Chester townships and from the Cities of Aurora and Pepper Pike, an
enriched biological condition exists. Moderate growths of the fila-
mentous alga, Cladophora sp. occur, and a population of pollution
sensitive bottom species such as snails, mayflies, caddis flies,
and other immature aquatic insects are found.
During periods of low flow, the Chagrin River above Chagrin Falls
is completely degraded by waste materials discharged by the Chase
Bag Co. The waters below Chase's effluent is highly colored and
contain an oxygen deficit. Sediment and sludge banks are also preva-
lent. The pooled water behind the low head dam above the falls
-------
presently acts as a treatment lagoon for these wastes. This pooled
area has a severely degraded 'biological community with no fish
present, and produces excessive odors in the late summer.
In the fall of 1966 when the effect upon the river of the City
of Chagrin Falls' treatment plant effluent was most recently studied,
the effluent was found to degrade the receiving waters. After
thorough mixing occurred, only pollution tolerant pulmonate snails,
sludgevorms, and "bloodworms were found. This condition was prevalent
for 1-2 miles downstream. The main reason complete anaerobic condi-
tions were not found was attributed to the high reaeration of the
river through riffled areas. The city dump along the river at Chagrin
Falls does not seem to appreciably affect the water quality of the
river. From 2 miles "below Chagrin Falls until the river enters the
Willoughby area, the river's water quality is generally excellent.
The City of Willoughby's dump along the east and west "banks of
the Chagrin River has in the past "been extended out into the river
itself. Recently, Willoughby has removed the material immediately
adjacent to the river to higher ground. But, the dump is still
located within the flood plain of the river. (Figure 7-x)
In the past, the Chagrin River from Willoughby to the lake has
been extensively polluted by domestic and industrial wastes. When a
biological survey was conducted in the summer of 19&3 by the Lake
Erie Program Office, only pollution tolerant bottom organisms and
blue-green algae were found. Some dead rough fish, shad and gar,
-------
vere observed. At the mouth of the river a transition zone occurs
between the lake and river vater in which the level of degradation
was reduced. The major "bottom organisms were "bloodworms, leeches, and scuds.
Over the past 5 years, the Cities of Eastlake, Willoughby, Lakeline,
and Timberlake have instituted a program for installing sewers in what
were largely unsewered areas. When this program is completed within
this next year, the remaining loadings of oxygen demanding and "bacter-
ial wastes will "be removed from the lower Chagrin River. In the past
much raw or poorly treated sewage was discharged in this area. A pro-
gram has also been instituted "by Willoughby to check each household
and industry to insure that no downspouts are connected to the sewer
system, and that no household sewage enters the storm water system.
In a study "by the Lake Erie Program Office in the early part of
1964, three types of salmonella were isolated in the lower reach of the
river. These isolates are tabulated "below:
TABLE 7-
ISOLATIONS OF SALMONELLA - LOWER CHAGRIN RIVER
*
February 19 - March 24, 1964
Sampling Site Date of Collection Salmonella Sterotypes (isolates)
Chagrin River
000.8 February 19, 1964
March 10, "
" 24, " Salmonella oranienburg(l)
Chagrin River
003.1 February 19, 1964
March 3, " Salmonella tennessee (8)
Salmonella worthington (l)
-------
An area vide plan for the development of sewerage systems
throughout the Chagrin River Basin is an immediate goal. All
domestic and industrial wastes discharged within the "basin should
receive tertiary treatment with a minimum BOD^ removal of 97 per-
cent within 2-3 years. The waste loadings from the Chase Bag Co.
and Chagrin Falls should "be reduced immediately through modifica-
tion in plant operation. As this area "builds up in the expansion of
the Cleveland metropolitan area, the use of the river as a water
supply should "be discontinued.
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
CHAGRIN RIVER BASIN
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Aurora
Chagrin Falls
Pepper Pike
Present
Treatment
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
1965
Population
1^,730
1^,100
3,900
Plant Needs
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
Connect to metro system**
County Districts
Chester Twp. SD 1 & 2
Richmond Heights
Secondary Connect to metro system**
6,000 Connect to metro system**
** Where "Connect to metropolitan system" is listed, tertiary treatment may
"be substituted.
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Chase Bag Co.
Chagrin Falls
Color, Solids, BOD
-------
Lakefront
The major type of pollutant in the Greater Cleveland Area
Lakefront with an immediate effect on the area's water quality is
microbiological. Other significant pollutants are debris, oxygen
consuming materials, color, settleable and suspended solids, oil,
nutrients, and odor.- Unlike many cities which are able to rid
themselves of their wastes by discharging them to a nearby river
which carries them out of the area, Cleveland's wastes are dis-
charged at its own front door. In their order of importance, the
sources of pollution to the lakefront are: 1. municipal sewage
treatment plants, 2. storm water overflows, 3. industries, H.
erosion, and 5. dredging.
Microbiological Water Quality
Microbiological contamination is the number one water quality
problem on the lakefront. Figure 7- is a contour map of the median
total coliform concentration along the area's shoreline. Table 7-
is a summary of the median total and fecal coliform and fecal strep-
tococcus concentrations for the various tributaries to the lakefront
and bathing areas along the lakefront.
As can be seen from the table and figure, (and from Tables 7- ,
7- , and 7- > which show enteric pathogens isolated in the tributary
waters) the waters immediately along the lakefront are heavily pol-
luted. In the summers of 196H through 1966 only Huntington Park at
the extreme western limits of the study area, was generally within
the accepted limits for full body contact recreation. Even though all
-------
O
c:
'JO
m
-j
CROWN INTAKE
DIVISION INTAKE
BALDWIN INTAKE
NOTTINGHAM IN
ROCKY RIVER
DISPOSAL PLANT
EUCLID DISPOSAL
PLANT
CLEVELAND
EASTERLY
DISPOSAL
PLANT
CLEVELAND WESTERLY
DISPOSAL PLANT
KOTE:
BASED ON 1964 DATA-MEDIAN
TOTAL COLIFORM CONCENTRATIONS
IN ORGANISMS PER 100ml.
CLEVELAND SHORELINE
TOTAL COLIFORM CONTOUR MAP
SCALE IN MILES
-------
O
cr
m
->i
W.OOO
U3OO-
KXJ
BATA
AVAILABLE
i i i
LAKEWOOD PARK
© © ©
i i i
ROCKY RIVER PARK
10.000-
1,000-
100,
IOO.OOO-
OATA
AVAILABLE
• 0
DATA
AVAILABLE
i i i
GORDON PARK
© © ©
EAST 199'" ST*.
I.OOO- --
©
i i i
EDGEWATER PARK
100.000-
10.000-
I£OO-
too.
•-
--
n
-•
*
- -
© © ®
\ i i i
DAT*
AVAILABLE
© © ©
i I
EUCLID CITY PARK
W.OOO-
©
5f> *
- I 1
WILDWOOD PARK-
uooo- --
® © ©
i i i
LLOYD ROAD
© © ©
i « i
I ? ?
HONTINGTON PARK
LEGEND
|
I
i
g M300-}--
~"! MAXIMUM
MEDIAN
- MAXIMUM
SAFE LEVEL
NO. OF SAMPLES
BATHING SEASON
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
BATHING BEACH STUDIES
-------
TABLE 7-
GREATER CLEVELAND LAKEFRONT 196H MICROBIOLOGICAL DATA
Station
Fecal
Coliform
(median*)
Fecal
Strep
(median*)
Total Coliform
(median*)
% Greater
than 1000
Huntington Park (l) —
Rocky River Park (2)
Rocky R 0.2 mi 5,200
Rocky R 2.9 mi • 750
Perkins 350
Edgewater . 850
Cuyahoga R 0.3 mi 2,700
Cuyahoga R 1.0 mi 3,100
Cuyahoga R 3.1* mi 3,000
Doan Brook (3)
Dugway Brook (3)
White City 900
Euclid Cr
Wildwood 100
E. 199 St 1,000
E. 215 St 1,300
E. 222 St 1,200
E. 225 St 1,000
E. 252 St 1,000
Lloyd Rd 1,000
Chagrin R 0.8 mi 1,700
Chagrin R 3-1 mi 5,^00
3,
1,
960
900
570
560
500
HOO
1,000
' H80
160
220
290
200
' 200
200
590
610
1,600
100
10,000
33,000
13,000
3,000
7,200
29,000
37,000
17,000
200,000
900,000
8,700
800,000
7HO
8,600
9,200
12,000
12,000
6,100
U,700
7,300
19,000
* Organisms per 100 ml
(l) Data from 196U by the Cleveland Metropolitan Park Board
(2) Data from 1961* by the City of Rocky River
(3) Data from 1962 report by the Ohio Department of Health
25
100
100
87
69
98
100
100
50
100
91
100
Ul
90
90
88
86
81*
8l
95
96
bathing beaches within the Cleveland city limits are microbiologically
polluted far in excess of the recommended limits for full body contact
recreation, the Cities of Cleveland and Rocky River still do not pro-
hibit swimming in these areas, and have only in recent years started
to institute a serious program to remove these wastes.
The effluent from the following sewage treatment plants contribute
significant amounts of microbial pollution to the shoreline region:
-------
Rocky River, Lakewood, Cleveland Westerly, Cleveland Southerly,
Cleveland Easterly, Euclid, and Willoughby-Eastlake. Besides their
microbiological content, the wastes from these 7 plants contain a
BOD loading with a population equivalent of over 500,000. Even
with secondary treatment (advanced waste treatment for Cleveland
Southerly) and disinfection, to maintain a safe water quality in
bathing areas, all outfall lines should need to be extended one-half
to one mile offshore and discharged through a diffusion system.
The second major source of pollution is the numerous storm water
overflows along the lakefront and tributaries which during period of
rainfall discharge raw sewage to the area. But, even during periods
in which no rainfall has occurred for several weeks, raw sewage is
observed along the shoreline between the Cuyahoga and Chagrin Rivers.
These dry weather discharges are caused mainly by the overloading
of sewers in the central area by increased flows from the expanding
suburbs. There is a need to construct trunk sewers to intercept
the flows from these outlying areas. Storm water outfalls from
built-up areas which are in the vicinity of beach area should be
eliminated. Where this is not possible they should be extended to
one-half mile offshore and the treated waters discharged through a
diffusion system.
The total water quality problems are more severe to the east of
the Cuyahoga then to the west. If the cities involved so desired,
the bacteriological quality of all western beaches could be improved
-------
significaatly for a nominal cost and these areas could then be
available for safe public use. Much higher, but not prohibitive
costs will be involved in resurrecting the eastern beaches and
allowing them to be once again useful.
Esthetic Nuisances and Navigation Hazards
Debris, color, settleable and suspended solids, oil, odor, and
nutrients cause problems along the lakefront. The discolored water
and floating debris which hang along the shoreline, and particularly
behind the Federal Breakwater, have reduced the esthetic value that
is normally associated with shoreline property. The visual esthetic
nuisances to property owners, boaters, and visitors consist of dis-
carded lumber, tree limbs, sewage, metal cans, paper products, condoms,
dead fish, old car bodies, oil slicks, grease, and scum. The lumber
and tree limbs are also a navigation hazard to boaters who ply the
area's waters. These materials tend to collect in the small boat
harbors as well as behind the Federal Breakwater. The source of
these materials is from dumps, industries, municipal treatment plants,
storm water overflows, stream bank erosion, and dredging.
A program to remove debris from the area's waterways before they
reach the navigable sections and lakefront is an immediate need in
the Cleveland-Akron area. It would be a never ending job to attempt
to remove debris from the navigable waters without establishing a
meaningful general and:-remo-val program in the upstream areas.
Aquatic and Benthic Life
All bottom stations examined inside the Federal Breakwater
-------
exhibited a very limited variety of pollution tolerant organisms.
Only sludgeworms, fingernail clams, nematods, and bloodworms were
found in this area. Outside the breakwater a slightly more diverse
fauna was found which included the less tolerant leeches, pulmonate
and gill-breathing snails, and aquatic sowbugs in addition to the
forms found inside the breakwater.
Inspection of the benthic data showed a wide variation in total
numbers. Conditions in the Cuyahoga River were so severe that no
bottom-dwelling animals could survive in the navigable portion
upstream from mile point 0.2. In the river mouth which is consider-
ably diluted by lake water over 1+00,000 organisms per m2 (all sludge-
worms) were found. Stations in the harbor and harbor mouth, except
in areas with hard clay or rock bottom, yielded between 1^,000 and
60,000 organisms per m2. Farther from shore numbers dropped to 200 -
3,000 organisms per m2. No correlation between distance from shore
and total number can be demonstrated beyond the two mile contour.
The predominant attached algae in the Cuyahoga River was
Oscillatoria sp. and Phormidium sp. These are both genera which are
known to be common in organically enriched areas ( ). Growing on
the breakwall, on buoys in the harbor, and th e water intake crib
were luxurious growths of the filamentous green alga Cladophora sp.
This is the most common attached alga in Lake Erie and is known to
increase in abundance as concentration of nutrients increase. However,
this form cannot tolerate the severe pollutional conditions found in
the river and is only found where sufficiently diluted with lake water.
Extensive dissolved oxygen data collected during the sampling
-------
period showed no severe oxygen depletion in the study area except at
the Cuyahoga River mouth. Although variety is somewhat greater
outside the harbor and greater still beyond the two mile contour,
some of the pollution intolerant mayfly nymphs,•caddis fly larvae,
scuds and unionid clams were found at any of the stations sampled.
Since the bottom type, depth, and temperature here are suitable for
all of these intolerant groups, and they occur under similar con-
ditions in other parts of Lake Erie, it must be assumed that some
other factor is responsible for th eir absence. The probable explana-
tion lies with composition of bottom sediments and resulting bio-
logical and chemical activity at the mud water interface. In
sediments containing high concentrations of organic matter bacterial
activity can produce a microzonal deficit in oxygen at the mud water
interface. This zone may be only a few centimeters thick, and the
dissolved oxygen sampling procedures used in this study could not
detect such a condition. As a result of this microzonal oxygen
deficit a. decrease in redox potential would be expected which could
allow formation of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia in sufficient con-
centrations to be toxic to many less tolerant species. In areas
which are used as dumping areas by the U. S. Corps of Engineers,
the toxicity of the sediments would prevent the existence of higher
level benthic fauna.
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES AND INDUSTRIES IN THE
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
DIRECT TO LAKE
MUNICIPALITIES
Sewerage
Service Area
Cleveland Easterly
Cleveland Westerly
Euclid
Willoughby-Eastlake
Present
Treatment
Secondary
Primary
Intermediate
Intermediate
1965
Population
660,000
240,000
11^,000
62,050
Plant Needs
Expansion & extend outfall
Secondary, Disinfection &
extend outfall
Secondary, Disinfection &
extend outfall
Secondary, Disinfection &
extend outfall
County Districts
Rocky River SD 6
Intermediate
50,000 Secondary, Disinfection &
"extend outfall
INDUSTRIES
Industry
Location
Control Measures
Lakefront
Cleveland Municipal Cleveland
Light Plant
Cleveland Electric
Illuminating Co.
Eastlake.Plant Eastlake
Lakeshore Plant Cleveland
Bottom & Fly Ash, Heat
Bottom & Fly Ash, Heat
Bottom & Fly Ash, Heat
-------
Loading to Lake Erie
Besides the Rocky, Cuyahoga, and Chagrin Rivers, there are 5
municipal sewage treatment plants, 5 industries, and a number of
small streams which discharge waste materials to Lake Erie from the
Greater Cleveland-Akron Area. Over 2,300 tons per day. of solids,
both dissolved and suspended, are discharged every day to the lake.
Included in this load are phosphates, nitrates, and trace minerals
which help produce the prolific growths of algae in the lake and
along the shoreline. Also included are materials which exert a bio-
chemical or chemical oxygen demand on the lake and materials which
interfere with the natural biological processes within the lake
waters and on the lake bottom. Table 7- is a summary of materials
discharged to Lake Erie in 1961* for the rivers, and in 1966 for th e
municipal sewage treatment plants and industries.
TABLE 7-
LOADING TO LAKE ERIE FROM TIIE GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AREA
(in pounds per day)
Rocky Cuyahoga Chagrin Municipal Industrial
River River River Wastes Wastes
Total Solids 880,000 2,800,000 680,000 190,000 210,000
Suspended Solids 160,000 1*90,000 190,000 69,000 200,000
Dissolved Solids 720,000 2,300,000 1*90,000 120,000 10,000
Chlorides 120,000 ^30,000 27,000 2,000
BOD 7,500 1*9,000 2,900 80,000 1*,000
COD . 52,000 250,000 1*2,000 100,000 6,000
Soluble Phosphate 3,1*00 2,1*00 300 100
Nitrates 3,100 30,000 700
Flow (mgd) 191* ^ 197 177 977
-------
Northeastern^ Ohio
The Northeastern Ohio area drains 1,0^0 square miles in Ohio
and 170 square miles in Pennsylvania. It extends 53 miles along
the Lake Erie shoreline and includes the Grand River, Ashtabula
River, and Conneaut Creek Basins.
^
The Grand River drains 712 square miles, ICth miles long, and
has an average fall of 11.3 ft /mile. The Ashtabula River drains
approximately 10 square miles in Pennsylvania and 127 square miles
in Ohio. It is approximately HO miles long with an average fall
of 11.6 ft /mile. Conneaut Creek drains 153 square miles in Penn-
sylvania and 38 square miles in Ohio. The average slope is 11.3 ft/
mile.
The streams flow through rural areas except near Lake Erie
where the larger urban areas are located such as Ashtabula (i960 pop.
of 25,^9), Painesville (i960 pop. of 16,116) and Conneaut (i960 pop.
of 10,557)- The population along Lake Erie represents approximately
seventy percent of the total population of the Northeastern Ohio
subarea. The population density near the shore increases westward
which is influenced by nearby Cleveland. The lower part of the Grand
River basin now has the largest population density and is expected to
be the major growth area in Northeastern Ohio. Present and projected
populations for each of the basins are shown in the following table.
-------
NORTHEASTERN OHIO
PRESENT & PROJECTED POPULATIONS
River Basin Population
I960 1990 2020
Grand 118,000 262,000 372,000
Ashtabula 1*9,100 8H.OOO 127,000
Conneaut 2 if, OOP M,000 60,HOO
191,000 390,000 559,000
Northeastern Ohio is also a major industrial area. Two large
industrial centers are Painesville-Fairport and Ashtabula. Two of
Ohio's seven salt plants are located in the subarea accounting for
half of the state's salt production. The large salt deposit also
has attracted many chemical industries which are now predominant in
Northeastern Ohio.
The economy of the area has shown its effects on the water
quality of Northeastern Ohio streams. The municipal and industrial
complexes near the lake have degraded the water quality in the lower
reaches of the three major streams.
Grand River
The water quality of the Grand River varies from good in the upper
reaches to grossly polluted in the lower reaches. Although the Grand
River above Painesville generally has good water quality, there is a
silt problem which adversely affects some water uses such as esthetics
and possibly fish and their spawning grounds. The turbidity in the
river was clearly evident while investigating the river in October
1966. A biological investigation of this area did reveal a balanced
variety of pollution intolerant benthic fauna at all locations examined
-------
above the City of Painesville.
The Grand River in the lover stretch is one of the most chem-
ically polluted rivers in the Lake Erie Basin due to the extremely
high solids load discharged by the Diamond Alkali Co. Occasionally
the river is brightly colored with hues ranging from bright green
and yellow to black. The green and yellow colors are the result of
the chemical discharges while the black color is attributed to fly
ash discharges.
Biological investigation of these three miles revealed the upper
mile to be devoid of benthic fauna, indicating that even the most
pollution tolerant organisms could not survive in waters receiving
such high pollution loads. The attached algae were pollution tol-
erant Ulothrix, Stigeodonium and Oscillatoria.
Maximum total solids recorded were 10,UOO mg/1 occurring 2.3
miles upstream from the mouth just below the location where Diamond
Alkali discharges the majority of their wastes. The average concen-
tration of total solids at this location for the period January to
November 196^ was ^,^70 mg/1, while just upstream of Diamond Alkali
at mile point 5-5 the average concentration of total solids for the
same period was only 300 mg/1. The majority of total solids were in
the form of dissolved solids, mainly chlorides. The average con-
centrations of dissolved solids and chlorides at mile point 2.3 were
10,300 mg/1 and 2,500 mg/1, respectively. The average concentration
at mile point 5-5 for dissolved solids was 272 mg/1 and for chlorides,
33 mg/1.
-------
The Diamond Alkali Co., which has several outfalls to the Grand
River, discharges approximately 6.5 million pounds of dissolved
solids per day. The Chloride load discharged is approximately 3.9
million pounds per day. This extremely large dissolved solids load
and corresponding chloride load are, for all practical purposes, being
discharged entirely from the overflow of Diamond Alkali's waste set-
tling basin located just above the sampling station at mile point 2.3.
Using mile point 2.3 as a tributary load station, the Grand River
discharges an average of h million pounds of chlorides per day, or 15
percent of the total average daily chloride input into Lake Erie.
However, excluding the Detroit River, the Grand River contributes 60
percent of all remaining chlorides discharged to Lake Erie while con-
tributing less than four percent of runoff to the lake.
Assu;.u.ng the chemical industries in Northeastern Ohio will double
in waste production by 1990 and quadruple by 2020, and assuming no
additional steps are taken to control chloride discharges, then the
following chloride loads can be expected:
Loads
(Ibs/day)
1965 1990 2020
M x 106 Q^ x 106 16 <& x 106
By 2020 there will be over 8,000 tons of chlorides discharged to
Northeastern Ohio waters every day. The chlorides discharged during
2020 would be large enough in quantity to salt the roads throughout
the entire Lake Erie Basin for the next four winters. This tremendously
high load cannot continue without some eventual effect on municipal and
-------
industrial water uses. The chemical industries, especially Diamond \
Alkali Co., must employ some method for removal of chlorides. Evap-
oration, recovery, and utilization in some form of marketable product
or deep well disposal are possible solutions.
In addition to the large chemical waste discharges, the lower
reach of the Grand River receives the inadequately treated effluent
of two sewage treatment plants. 'The Painesville sewage treatment
plant discharges approximately 2,000 pounds of BOD per day, and the
Fairport sewage treatment plant adds another 360 pounds of BOD to
the sewer daily. These plants receive a BOD load of ^,200 pounds
per day and 520 pounds per day respectively. This indicates the low
percentage of organic material that is removed by the sewage treat-
ment plants. Both municipalities of Fairport and Painesville have
been ordered by the Ohio Water Pollution Control Board to provide at
least secondary treatment.
The Grand River also receives vaste discharges from two more
sewage treatment plants. These plants located at Chardon and Jefferson
both provide secondary treatment and both discharge to tributaries of
the Grand River. Presently there are no effects on the river from
these two plants; however, the additional population growth will
necessitate additional treatment. The graph below shows the present
and projected raw BOD loads received by the four treatment plants in
the Grand River Basin. The present and projected BOD loads discharged
to the Grand River system are also shown.
-------
As can "be seen from the graph, additional treatment is an immediate
need. If the present BOD load is established as the maximum
allowable load to the Grand River, it is apparent that at least
secondary treatment, that removes 90% of the BOD must be immediately
provided. By 1990, secondary treatment will no longer "be satis-
factory and some form of advanced treatment must be provided. As
indicated by the graph, an even higher percentage of removal will
"be required sometime around 2010.
In addition thei;Grand River also receives effluents from septic
tanks. Two communities have been ordered by the Ohio Water Pol-
lution Control Board to provide sewerage systems. These communities
are Orwell and Grand River. Orwell is located in the southern part
of the basin, while Grand River is located in the Painesville-
Fairport area.
Since this area around Painesville and Fairport will be one of
the fastest growing population centers in Ohio, and since the present
treatment plants are inadequate and require major additions, it is
recommended that one large treatment plant providing 90 percent BOD
-------
removal be constructed to serve Painesville, Fairport, Grand River,
and the surrounding areas. It is also recommended that with the
proximity of this area to Lake Erie, a regional treatment plant
could easily discharge its effluent directly to Lake Erie and thereby
remove all major municipal waste sources from the lower reach of the
Grand River. One large regional treatment plant instead of several
smaller ones would increase the operating efficiency, would decrease
the demand for qualified sewage treatment plant operators, and would
be less expensive on a per capita basis to maintain and operate.
The A. E. Staley Manufacturing Co. located in the municipality
of Grand River had been discharging soybean processing wastes directly
to the Grand River. In 1965, they were reported to be negotiating to
discharge their waste to a municipal sewer system. However, Lake
County officials have attributed some of the present water quality
problems in the Grand River to a discharge from the A. E. Staley
Manufacturing Co. A discharge from such a manufacturer could include
a large BOD load. Concentrations and flow of this discharge should be
reported by the industry to the Ohio Department of Health on a
monthly basis.
Microbiological problems are also prevalent in the lower reaches
of the Grand River. Total coliform counts below Fairport and Paines-
ville 's sewage treatment plants had a median value of 15,000 organisms/
100 ml with a maximum count of 3^0,000 organisms/100 ml occurred during
a ''moderate^'rainfall. The corresponding fecal coliform concentration
was 60,000 org/100 ml. This indicates that the source of pollution
-------
vas animal wastes. Since this area is served by separate systems,
it is concluded that this load must have been discharged from the
storm sewers. During rainfall much organic matter is carried into
the storm sewers by the rainwater. This waste is discharged to the
streams without any treatment, creating health hazards. In order to
eliminate this condition, all storm water from built-up municipal
areas should be treated and disinfected before discharge.
It is apparent from the high median total coliform concentrations
and high fecal coliform concentrations (median fecal coliform con-
centrations at mile point 2.3 was 6,000 organisms/100 ml) that bac-
terial pollution is also in the stream during dry weather. This can
be attributed to the unsewered areas of Grand River and Painesville.
Northeast as well as inadequate disinfection procedures at the
Painesville and Fairport sewage treatment plants. All municipal
sewage treatment plants in the Northeastern Ohio Area should provide
continuous year around chlorination. An enteric pathogen study at
mile point 2.3 found 3^ isolates of two Salmonella serotypes. Since
this stretch of the river could be used for recreational purposes,
the bacterial pollution presents a definite health hazard.
Near the mouth of the Grand River the biological conditions im-
prove due to dilution by lake water. However, even in this trans-
itional zone of dilution, pollution tolerant sludgeworms and blood-
worms are predominant.
Being in a lake-affected area, a cross-section of the Grand River
at mile point 0.1 would contain lake water as well as river water.
-------
Dispersion studies in Fairport Harbor reveal a stratification be-
tween the river and lake water. Conductivity readings, which
measure the ion (dissolved solids) concentration in the water,
averages 300 umhos in the central and eastern portions of Lake Erie.
These data near the mouth of the river range from 500 umhos near
x
the surface to approximately U,000 umhos near the "bottom.
Approximately a mile and a half from the river mouth, conductiv-
ities are considerably less with only minor indications of stratif-
ication. Two miles from the mouth the stratification is nonexistent.
-------
IMMEDIATE WEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
in
GRAND RIVER BASIN
Municipalities
Severage
Service Area
Fairport
Painesville
Chardon
Jefferson
Painesville-
Northeast
Grand River
Present
Treatment
I960
Population.
Served
Plant Needs
Orwell
Intermediate
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
^,267
l6,ll6
Secondary (Metropolitan
system) and year-around
disinfection
Secondary (Metropolitan
system) and year-around
disinfection
Expansion and year-around
disinfection
2,ll6 Expansion and year-around
disinfection
1,265 Collection system and
Secondary (Metropolitan
system) and year-around
disinfection
1^77 Collection system and
Secondary (Metropolitan
system) and year-around
disinfection
819 Collection system and
Secondary vith year-
around disinfection
Industries
Name
GRAND RIVER BASIN
Calhio Chemical, Inc.
Diamond Alkali Co.
U. S. Rubber Co.-Uniroyal
Location
Control Measures Needed
Perry Solids, Chlorides
Painesvile Solids, Chlorides, Ammonia.
Phenols and Color
" Solids
A. E. Staley Manufacturing Co Grand Ri\er BOD, Oils, Solids
-------
Ashtabula River
The Ashtabula vater quality varies from polluted in the lower
reaches to very good in the upper reaches. The water quality in the
harbor area and navigational portion of the river is degraded by
pollution from vessels and corresponding dock activities. A portion
of the Ashtabula River is adversely affected by Fields Brook, a small
tributary which is heavily polluted with industrial wastes.
The water quality of the upper reaches of the Ashtabula River is
generally very good. Many types of pollution intolerant organisms
can be found at all locations above the City of Ashtabula.
The lower reach of the river is in a lake-affected area. Even
with dilution from the lake water, biological investigations reveal
polluted conditions. Clean-water bottom organisms are absent at all
locations in this section of the river. Sludgeworms are the only
bottom organism found at some locations in the lower reach while at
the mouth conditions are somewhat improved, but only to the extent that
pollution tolerant bloodworms and fingernail clams are found in addi-
tion to the sludgeworms.
In the harbor the predominant bottom fauna are still sludgeworms
and bloodworms. The attached algae Cladophora are abundant on both
sides of the river and the aquatic weeds arrowhead and water lilies
are found in a few locations.
Coliform concentrations at mile point 0.7 are as high as 51*0,000
organisms/100 ml with a median value of 89,000 organisms/100 ml.
-------
Median fecal coliform concentrations are 11,000 organisms/100 ml,
while median fecal streptococci are 1,700 organisms/100 ml. The
bacterial pollution is caused by vessel wastes and from personnel
employed at the various docking activities. None of these activities
on either side of the Ashtabula River or any part of the lakeshore
are connected to the collection system of the City of Ashtabula and
there are no modern facilities. This area is served with nothing but
pit privies which discharge to the river or lake. This situation is a
definite health hazard to the people of Ashtabula and should be
remedied as soon as possible. A collection system should be provided
for oils, garbage, refuse, and other deleterious materials and a
system should be installed to pump the sanitary sewage to the Ashtabula
sewage treatment plant.
At mile point 3.3 median coliform counts are 2,100 organisms/100
ml with median fecal streptococci values of 390 organisms/100 ml and
fecal coliform of 520 organisms/100 ml. This indicates organic pol-
lution from septic tanks or from storm water sewers with illegal house-
CSu/f// &•£ ''^"-- C-.~r\~^i U'
-------
the lake-affected portion of the Ashtabula River. The industries in
the complex are primarily chemical industries vhose effluents contain
both organic and inorganic wastes. The effect of Fields Brook on the
Ashtabula River is reduced because lake vaters dilute the constituents
which are discharged into the river. However, biological conditions
indicate this lower reach of river to be polluted. Concentrations of
several chemical constituents show large increases between the magni-
tudes above and below Fields Brook. Average dissolved solids concen-
trations increased from 295 mg/1 to 507 mg/1. Phenol concentrations
tripled in value jumping from an average of 1.8 ug/1 upstream to 5.9
ug/1 downstream. Other increases include suspended solids, chlorides
I ammonia. The degradation of the Ashtabula River can be attributed
to the industrial waste discharges to Fields Brook and the municipal
wastes previously discussed. The effects of the industrial waste dis-
charge can be more readily seen by inspection of Fields Brook.
The waters of Fields Brook are normally milky white. The color,
according to the Ohio Department of Health, is caused by small amounts
of titanium dioxide. One use of titanium dioxide is as a white color
base for paint and paper. The Cabot Titania Corp. , Titanium Dioxide
Plant as its name implies, manufactures titanium dioxide which is used
as a base material by the Cabot Titania Corp.-Titanium Tetrachloride
Plant. The suspended solids load from this plant includes 10,900 pounds
per day from the Titanium Tetrachloride Plant and 1,900 pounds per day
from the Titanium Dioxide Plant. Another contributor of high suspended
solids loads is the Reactive Metals, Inc. - Metals Reduction Plant
-------
which discharges 2,300 pounds daily. A storm sewer, which discharges
the wastes of several industries into Fields Brook, receives 3,800
pounds of suspended solids daily from Detrex Chemical Industries, Inc.
- Chlorinated Solvents Plants, and another 2,900 pounds of suspended
solids per day from Reactive Metals, Inc. - Sodium and Chlorine Plant.
The dissolved solids being discharged to Fields Brook are also
extremely high. The Reactive Metals, Inc. - Metals Reduction Plant
discharges ^30,000 pounds of dissolved solids daily. Detrex Chemical
Industries, Inc. - Chlorinated Solvents Plant discharges 1,700 pounds
of dissolved solids per day to Fields Brook, and 18,000 pounds per
day to the storm sewer. Reactive Metals, Inc. - Sodium and Chlorine
Plant discharges an additional 52,000 pounds of dissolved solids daily
to the storm sewer. Other industries that do not report dissolved
solids are Cabot Titania - Titanium Dioxide Plant; Cabot Titania -
Titanium Tetrachloride; Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. - TDI Plant and
the Diamond Alkali Company - Semi-Works.
Analyses of samples from Fields Brook indicate that sediment is
present in Fields Brook from below the industrial complex to the
Ashtabula River. The sediment is very light weight and stays in sus-
pension as long as the waters move rapidly. Fields Brook has sufficient
velocity to keep this sediment in suspension until it flows to the
quiescent waters of the lake-affected portion of the Ashtabula River;
here the sediment settles out. During an investigation of Fields Brook,
the waters were found to be very acidic with pH ranging between 2 and
3. As these waters flow into the relatively neutral waters of the
-------
Ashtabula River (pH between 6 and 7) precipitation probably takes
place, producing more settleable solids.
Pollution entering a lake-affected portion of a river can ad-
versely affect the water quality upstream from the source. This is
evident by the sediment problem in the Ashtabula River just upstream
from Fields Brook. An inspection of the area in October of 1966
very markedly shoved that sediment in this area of the Ashtabula
River is coming from Fields Brook. The sediment not only covers the
bottom and adversely affects bottom fauna, but it also adversely
affects recreational uses in this section of the river. Fields Brook
is also esthetically unpleasing. In addition to the white, turbid
appearance of the waters, there is a strong chemical or medicinal
odor that is almost continuously present.
It is apparent by the degraded conditions of the Ashtabula River
and Fields Brook that the waste discharges of the industries in this
area must be improved. The solution is one of immediate action.
Table shows the control measures needed by the various indus-
tries. The waste loads produced by these industries will "be increas-
ing with increased production. New industries will be moving into the
complex. Sherwin-Williams Co. was constructing facilities when the
area was last investigated. Volumes of discharge are expected to
increase two to four times, and. the pollutional load will increase at
nearly the same rate if these control measures are not instituted.
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
in
ASHTABULA RIVER BASIN
Municipalities
Severage
Service Area
Present
Treatment
I960
Population
Served
Plant Needs
Ashtabula
Lakeshore and
harbor area
Un sewered
Collection system and
connect to Ashtabula
STP
Industries
Name
Cabot Titania Corp.
Titanium Dioxide Plant
Cabot Titania Corp.
Titanium Tetrachloride Plant
Location Control Measures Needed
Ashtabula Solids, Chlorides,
Color, pH
Ashtabula Solids, Chlorides, pH
Detrex Chemical Industries Ashtabula
Inc. Chlorinated Solvents
Diamond Alkali Co. Ashtabula
Semi-Works
General Tire & Rubber Co. Ashtabula
Chemical Division
Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. Ashtabula
TDI Facility
Reactive Metals, Inc. Ashtabula
Metals Reduction Plant
Reactive Metals, Inc. Ashtabula
Sodium & Chlorine Plant
COD, Solids, Chlorides,
PH
COD, Solids, Chlorides
Solids
Solids, Chlorides,
COD, pH
Solids, Chlorides, pH
Solids, pH
-------
Conneaut Creek
The quality of water in Conneaut Creek varies from polluted to
very good.
The water quality of the upper reaches of Conneaut Creek above
Springboro, Pennsylvania is good. A variety of pollution intolerant
bottom fauna are found at all locations between Springboro and
Conneautville, Pennsylvania. Conneautville, a municipality of 1,200
(i960 population) is contributing nutrients as well as bacterial pol-
lution to Conneaut Creek. Although this municipality has several
storm sewers it does not have a sewage treatment plant. The Corps
of Engineers in a recent study reported the discharge of raw sewage
into Conneaut Creek from three sewer pipes in Conneautville. (10).
This adversely affects water quality and presents a serious health
hazard to both local inhabitants and downstream neighbors. These raw
sewage discharges should be removed immediately and the three sewer
pipes should be connected to a sewerage system. Most of the sewage
from Conneautville receives minimal treatment in septic tanks. The
septic tanks should be abandoned and the wastes sources should be
connected to the sewerage system. The treatment plant should provide
at least secondary treatment. Conneautville is located in the upper
reaches of Conneaut Creek; during the dry weather season this creek
has very little flow for dilution of waste discharges. Because of this
low dependable yield, small waste loads may have a degrading effect on
the stream in this location. Although the population is not expected
-------
to grow appreciably in the Conneautville area, the sewage treatment
plant will have to convert to tertiary treatment "by 2020 and possibly
"before if there is a significant industrial "build-up in the area.
Presently the Pennsylvania Sanitary Water Board does not have
the authority to place under orders municipalities that do not have
collection systems. Since Conneautville and several other locations
within the Lake Erie Basin do not have collection systems it is
recommended that legislation "be adopted giving the Pennsylvania Sani-
tary Water Board the authority to order a municipality to construct
and properly operate and maintain a collection system and a sewage
treatment plant.
At Springboro, the water quality of Conneaut Creek is seriously
degraded. An unnamed tributary which flows into Conneaut Creek re-
ceives wastes from the Albro Packing Company and from the effluents
of many septic tanks. At the confluence, Conneaut Creek "becomes very
turbid. Sludge deposits are found on the bank and beds of Conneaut
Creek and throughout the entire length of the unnamed tributary. A
biological investigation of Conneaut Creek downstream from the con-
fluence revealed an absence of all bottom organisms.
This is another instance where the Pennsylvania Sanitary Water
Board cannot order the municipality to provide adequate treatment. A
sewerage system should be constructed to provide secondary treatment
of all sanitary sewage. The Albro Packing Co. should connect to this
municipal sewerage system. Sealtest Foods, Inc. and other industries
whose waste discharge will not upset the biological process of the
sewage treatment plant should eventually connect on to the municipal
-------
system.
Below Springboro, Conneaut Creek recovers rapidly and within a
half mile the biological conditions are typical of those found in a
recovery zone.
The water quality of Conneaut Creek is very good as it flows
across the Pennsylvania-Ohio line. (See Interstate Waters). A well
balanced variety of pollution intolerant bottom fauna are found.
Above the City of Conneaut the water quality is still very good.
Pollution intolerant mayflies, caddis flies, and scuds were common
at all locations investigated. However, sparse growths of attached
algae were again apparent at all locations. The nutrients are most
likely from agricultural runoff and septic tank effluents from a fairly
large population. Septic tanks are the only means of treatment for
sewage in Lakeville, a municipality with a I960 population of ^,100
and North Kingsville, a municipality with a I960 population of 1,800. .
Septic tanks in municipalities with populations as large as these
cannot be accepted as adequate, especially in this area where soils
generally have poor drainage characteristics.
Both these municipalities should construct sewer systems and
provide treatment facilities. Lakeville should connect to the Conneaut
sewerage system.
Conneaut Creek becomes turbid as it flows through the City of
Conneaut, a condition apparently caused by dredging operations just
upstream from the navigation channel. Dredged materials have been de-
posited along the east bank of Conneaut Creek for about 100 feet.
-------
Behind these deposits is a dumping area. An 'inspection of this area
in September 1966 indicated that refuse from the dump did not appear
to be falling into the creek, at least under low or normal flow condi-
tions; some of the refuse, however, was in the Conneaut flood plain.
Refuse and drainage from this dumping area may adversely affect water
quality in Conneaut Creek during the high flow season.
Across the creek from the dump and dredging deposits is a large
storage area for the Pittsburgh-Conneaut Docking Co. It has been re-
ported that large slugs of coal from this storage area have spilled
into Conneaut Creek on at least one occasion. According to the Ohio
Division of Wildlife, there could be an adverse effect on fish if this
spill-over occurs with any frequency. Drainage through the stored
coal may also have a degrading effect on the water quality of Conneaut
Creek.
Near the mouth of Conneaut Creek in the lake affected portion of
the stream, the Conneaut sewage treatment plant discharges its inad-
equately treated wastes which contain a BOD load of 2,^00 pounds per
day. The present plant removes only 30 percent of the BOD,, load it
receives. Conneaut Creek in this stretch is overenriched as evidenced
by the abundant growths of algae. A biological investigation indicated
that the lower stretch of Conneaut Creek is substantially polluted.
Only pollution tolerant sludgeworms, bloodworms, leeches and finger-
nail clams could be found in this area. Attached algae in the creek
were predominantly pollution tolerant Oscillatoria, Ulothrix, and
Cladophora, while in the harbor, Cladophora was dominant and abundant.
-------
The Conneaut sewage treatment plant should be immediately ex-
panded to provide secondary treatment. Due to the proximity of the
plant to the lake, the effluent should not be discharged to Conneaut
Creek but should be discharged through a diffusion system extended
a half mile into Lake Erie. Secondary treatment will be adequate for
the Conneaut area through 2020. If secondary treatment is employed,
the 300 loading from the plant in 2020 will be less th an the present
loading to Conneaut Creek. This 2020 loading includes the addition
of Lakeville to the system as well as the increase in population
from the Conneaut-Lakeville Area.
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
in
CONNEAUT CREEK
Municipalities
Sewerage
Service Area
Conneaut
Lakeville
Albion
Springboro
Present
Treatment
I960
Population
Served
Plant Needs
Primary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Conneautville Septic Tanks
10,557 Secondary (Metropolitan
system) and year around
disinfection
H,l80 Collection system and
Secondary (Metropolitan
system) with year around
disinfection
1,630 Expansion
583 Collection system and
Secondary with year around
disinfection
1,200 Collection system and
Secondary with year around
disinfection
Industries
Name
Albro Packing Co.
Location Control Measures Needed
Springboro BOD, Solids
-------
Interstate Waters
Three streams in the Northeastern Ohio area are classified as
interstate streams. Conneaut Creek, Ashtabula Creek, and Turkey
Creek all originate in Pennsylvania and flow into Ohio.
Conneaut Creek, the largest of the interstate streams, drains
153 square miles in 3^ miles in Pennsylvania and 38 square miles in
23 miles in Ohio. The creek crosses the interstate boundary approx-
imately five miles south of Lake Erie. As discussed earlier, vaste
loads which degrade the water quality are discharged to Conneaut Creek
in Pennsylvania, hut the creek rapidly recovers and there is no Evi-
dence of pollution as it flows into Ohio. Biological investigation
at the Pennsylvania-Ohio line revealed a well-balanced variety of
pollution intolerant bottom fauna. Chemical analyses also indicate
the water to be of very good quality. Table 7-2 summarizes the
chemical and microbiological data obtained from the samples taken at
the interstate boundary.
WATER QUALITY OF
INTERSTATE WATERS
Mile Point Conneaut^ Creek Ashtabula Creek. Turkey Creek
' lt6
Drainage Area fa. miles) x • • x •
Flow dcfs] x ' x
30D (rag/1) !.3 * *
1)0 (ns/1) 11*.0 it o ^ n
Nitrogen (mg/l) . 1.1 08 ' ?'?
Soluble Phosphate (mg/l) 0.08 n'o5 n o-
Total Solids (mg/l) 200 191 017
Dissolved Solids (mg/l) 19)1 1QO • «!
Chlorides (mg/l) 3U 28 70
Conductivity (umhos/cm) . 285 235
Total Coliform(qr@/ioo ml)
Fecal ColifornIorg/100 ml)
ml)
-------
Ashtabula Creek, a tributary of the Ashtabula River, flows for
only three miles in Pennsylvania draining eight square miles. It
flows into Ohio approximately six miles south of Lake Erie. There
are no wastes discharged into Ashtabula Creek and, as can "be seen in
the above table, does not have any water quality problems as it
crosses the Pennsylvania-Ohio border.
Turkey Creek is a small tributary flowing to Lake Erie midway
between the Pennsylvania-Ohio line and Conneaut, Ohio. The creek
is only seven miles long, six of which are in Pennsylvania, and drain
ten square miles, nine of which are in Pennsylvania. Turkey Creek,
like Ashtabula Creek, receives no significant waste loads and has
very good water quality as it flows into Ohio.
Interstate stream water quality standards are being proposed by
all states in accordance with the Clean Waters Restoration Act of
1966. The Act requires that the standards be submitted by June
30, 1967.
The Ohio Water Pollution Control Board and the Pennsylvania
Sanitary Water Board have both submitted standards for the three above-
mentioned streams. These proposed standards should help to maintain
the existing water quality of these streams and should keep any additional
sources of wastes from entering these waters.
-------
i Bathing Beaches
j The quality of water of the bathing beaches in Northeastern Ohio
| is fair. Data on coliform concentrations from bathing beach studies
i
.1 performed by county or municipal health departments are shown in
> Figure 7-2. Although some data are available for bathing beaches in
«
j Ashtabula County, the sampling was infrequent and no definite conclu-
I . . ' :"
1 sions can be made. The data obtained from the Lake County Department
j of Health indicate that beaches within Lake County have geometric mean
{ coliform concentrations between 100 and 1,000 organisms/100 ml. This
J '
i
i indicates that there is some organic pollution from sources which should
J be investigated. The abatement of this organic pollution will greatly
; improve the quality of water of these bathing beaches.
' •
The State of Ohio recommends that for bathing beach waters, the
monthly arithmetical mean coliform concentration should not exceed •
\
1,000 organisms/100 ml; nor should this number be exceeded in more than
20 percent of. samples examined duringhthe month; nor should any one •
sample-exceed 2,1*00 organisms/100 ml. It should be pointed out that
arithmetical averages are considerably higher than geometrical averages,
especially with large variances in coliform concentrations.
Although the geometric average coliform concentrations are under
1,000 organisms/100 ml, the individual samples frequently exceed this
value. Below is a tabulation of the percentage of samples that were
' '
over 1,000 organisms/100 ml at the various beaches in Lake County:
7-17
-------
LEGEND
i
i
^ w.ooo
i i^xxi
1 "
8 i
j
X
KAXMVM
CCO-tTRC AVtRAOC •
•
NUM8CH Of SAMPVtf
•
• VCAK (BATHttG JCAJOM)
10,000
IjOOO
MO
e
1
1
-
• n H
fARPORT BEACH
»JXX>
ifOO
100
. »
1
1
•
1
-
1
-
I
HCAJXANOS STATE PARK
V 'W
i i
STATE
. IO.OOO
1,000
wo
10
1
PERRY
10,000
1,000
100
1
r-
I
till
TOWNSHIP PA1
—
\
&
2 i
PAINESVILLE TOW
. »
i
NSH
s.
I
tf>
CjBOO-
y»o
too-
_ 1
IK GEN£V
^^N.
PARK
W.OOO
1,000
100
10
1
• 4
10,000-
• ra W0*
1
n M
A-ON-THE-LAI<
r-
I
j
\
©
-.
7
I
i
E SAYBROC
1
i
t i
MADISON TOWNSHIP PARK
t
\
\
\
W.OOO
I.OOO
IOO
10
1
10 000
%
i
m t
K TO\VNSHIP B
LOOO^
100-
&
1
:ACH V;A
•>w
^
Q
t i * i
GENEVA TOWNSHIP PARK
i
• •TV
LWT BEACA
»,ooo
1,000
100
I • I / / "°
\ / / /
0
44 ^ M
^_^: t<*-«
KENTOR LAGOON BEACH
^- l«« eO^Tt, ASHTA!** CO^TT. OT»
f COKT? «• «»
BATHING BEACH STUDIES -
NORTHEASTERN OHIO
-------
; ••• TABLE 7-| ' . '
j Percentages of Samples
1 ' with Coliform Concentrations over 1,000/100 ml , -,
' " . i I
% of samples which had coliform
. , concentrations greater than
1,000 org./lOO ml '• . "
Mentor Township Park 30 t '.'.."
Headlands State Park .20 ' • :
Fairport Beach 20 ' '••".. '
Madison Township Park 35 •
Painesvilie Township Park . 39 •
Mentor Lagoons '• '28
Perry Township Park ,25
Coliform concentrations for the four years represented ranged
from a minimum of 10 org./lOO ml recorded at Perry'Township Park in
*
1965 to a maximum of 5^,200 organisms/100 ml at Madison Township Park
in 1965. The range in 1966 was from 200 to 1,UOO organisms/100 ml.
This range was equaled or nearly equaled at all beaches in Lake County
in 1966. *' .
No data are available 'on the causes of the high coliform concentra-
tions, but studies in other bathing beaches have indicated a definite .
• correlation between high coliform concentrations and meteorological
conditions as well as storm runoffs and overflows. Intensive studies
should be made to determine the effects on bathing beaches of surface
runoff and all municipal and industrial wastes that are discharged
directly to Lake Erie. The effects of the streams on the beaches should *
also be studied. Correlation of high coliform concentrations with meteoro-
logical conditions should be ascertained in order to determine the feas-
t
ibility of temporarily closing the beaches during and immediately after
unfavorable weather conditions. Routine sampling programs should be set
• up for all bathing beaches* Samples should be taken at least every other
day, and possibly every day during the bathing season. '
• ; • • 7-ia ' •':•' :'-'- : •
-------
Loadings to Lake Erie
In addition to the loadings from the Grand and Ashtabula Rivers,
and Conneaut Creek, three municipal treatment plants, six industries,
and several small tributaries discharge wastes to Lake Erie. Table
7-3 summarizes the loads to Lake Erie. Individual discharges of mun-
icipal treatment plants and industries are shown in Table 6-1 and 6-3.
The three sewage treatment plants discharging directly to Lake
Erie are the Ashtabula plant and the two Lake County sewer districts-,
one at Willoughby-Mentor and the other at Madison.
The Ashtabula plant is the largest plant in the Northeastern
Ohio Area and provides intermediate treatment. The plant removes
only 37 percent of the BOD,- and discharges 3,^00 pounds per day to
Lake Erie. Total coliform concentrations in 196H within the breakwall
near the sewage treatment plant were as high as 6U,000 organisms/100
ml with a median of 1,950 organisms/100 ml.
The Willoughby-Mentor plant also provides intermediate treatment
and removes 68 percent of the BOD it receives. It discharges approx-
imately 810 pounds of BOD daily to Lake Erie.
The Lake County plant at Madison is nothing more than an Imhoff
tank and removes essentially nothing but large solids. It removes no
BOD and discharges approximately 5^0 pounds of BOD daily.
The projected BOD loads from the three sewage treatment plants
are shown in Table 7-3.
These plants should provide secondary waste treatment and should
chlorinate their wastes all year around.
-------
Of the six industries discharging directly to Lake Erie, two are
located in Painesville. They are Midland Ross Corp. - IRC Fibers
Division, and Diamond Alkali Co. The Midland Ross Corp. - IRC Fibers
Division discharges some 27^,000 pounds per day of solids, 250,000
pounds per day of which are dissolved. The dissolved solids include
^0,000 pounds of chlorides and 6,700 pounds of zinc. The waste also
includes ^,300 pounds per day of grease and 8,700 pounds per day of
BOD. The Diamond Alkali Company, in addition to its outfalls to the
Grand River has an outfall discharging directly to Lake Erie. This
discharge includes 1*3,000 pounds per day of solids, -,37,000 pounds
per day of which are dissolved. The dissolved solids are primarily
chlorides which account for 26,000 pounds daily. Diamond Alkali also
discharges 1,000 pounds of ammonia daily.
The remaining industries that discharge directly to Lake Erie
are all located in the Ashtabula industrial complex. Russell Road
Ditch is a small tributary of Lake Erie with a flow comprised almost
entirely from waste discharges from Detrex Chemical Industries Inc. -
Chlorine and Alkali Plant, and Union Carbide Corp. - Linde Division
and Metals Division. The total solids load to Russell Ditch from Union
Carbide Corp. - Metals Division is 18,000 pounds per day and 16,000
pounds per day from the Linde Division.
In addition to Russell Ditch, Union Carbide Corp. - Metals Division
discharges 18,000 pounds of total solids daily to the Union Carbide
sewer which discharges directly to Lake Erie.
As discussed earlier the industrial waste production is expected
-------
to double by 1990 and quadruple by 2020. Table 7-3 shows the loads
that will be discharged to the lake if the present level of treatment
is not improved.
-------
DIRECT DISCHARGE
" rROM INDUSTRY
-CONNEAUT CREEK
— ASHTABULA RIVER
— GRAND RIVER
DISTRIBUTION OF
LOADINGS TO
LAKE ERIE
(NOTE: DIRECT DISCHARGES
FROM MUNICIPALITIES
ARE INSIGNIFICANT.)
SCALE IN MILLIONS
LBS. PER DAY
2.4^10;
TOTAL
IO?
s °
s\ o>
16.6^10?
I 3.1 "« 10°
DISSOLVED
LOADINGS TO LAKE
( SOLIDS )
ERIE
-------
DIRECT DISCHARGE
'FROM INDUSTRY
•CONNEAUT CREEK
•ASHTABULA RIVER
— GRAND RIVER
DISTRIBUTION OF
LOADINGS TO
LAKE ERIE
(NOTE: DIRECT DISCHARGES
FROM MUNICIPALITIES
ARE INSIGNIFICANT.)
SCALE IN MILLIONS OF
LBS. PER DAY
- 3
-2
- I
- 0
6.7 .10'
8.2
08 » 10,
1.7
0.6-v
LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE
(CHLORIDES)
-------
.DIRECT DISCHARGE
FROM INDUSTRY
_DIRECT DISCHARGE
FROM MUNICIPAL 8.T.P.
—CONNEAUT CREEK
— ASHTABULA RIVER
-GRAND RIVER
DISTRIBUTION OF
LOADINGS TO
LAKE ERIE
(NOTE: LOADS TO LAKE ERIE FROM
ASHTABULA RIVER AND CONNEAUT
CREEK WILL BE INSIGNIFICANT WHEN
PRESENT WASTE LOADS ARE REMOVED.)
SCALE IN THOUSANDS OF
L8S. PER DAY
r 12
57.9 »
L. 0
27.9
8.5 «
-i 14.2 > 10
LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE
( BOD)
-------
6Z.6«
_OIRECT DISCHAROE
FROM INDUSTRY
DIRECT DISCHARGE
FROM MUNICIPAL 8.T.P.
—CONNEAUT CREEK
— ASHTABULA RIVER
DISTRIBUTION OF
LOADINGS TO
LAKE ERIE
(NOTE: LOADS TO LAKE ERIE FROM
ASHTABULA RIVER AND CONNEAUT
CREEK WILL BE INSIGNIFICANT WHEN
PRESENT WASTE LOADS ARE REMOVED.)
SCALE IN HUNDREDS OF
L8S. PER DAY
r- 8
u 4
•- 0
19.2 « 10*
3.4«IO
5.i no
io:
LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE
(SOLUBLE PCU)
-------
TABLE 7-3
LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE
(Ibs/day)
Grand
River
Ashtabula
River
Conneaut
Creek
Munic-
ipal*
Imdustria!
Present Loadings
Total Solids
Dissolved Solids
Chlorides
BOD
Soluble PO.
1*
Total Solids
A
B
Dissolved Solids
A
B
Chlorides
A
B
BOD
A
B
Soluble PO^
A
B
Total Solids
A
B
C
Dissolved Solids
A
B
C
8,500,000
7,300,000
3,900,000
7,200
720
16,000,000
2,000,000
15,000,000
1,500,000
7,800,000
780,000
.." 23,000
1*,000
^3<^>
oi^nnn.
idC ^ % XJ W
220
29,000,000
3,900,000
900,000
27,000,000
2,700,000
800,000
1*60,000
370,000
130,000
1,700
200
1990
800,000
72,000
720,000
61,000
260,000
26 ,000
2,000
##
21*0
#*
2020
1,500,000
11*0,000
1*3,000
1,1*00,000
150,000
70,000
190,000
110,000
17,000
1*,1*00
310
Loadings
193,000
—
110,000
—
17,000
—
6,800
***
1*80
#*#
Loadings
193,000
—
—
100,000
—
—
16,000
10,000
2,800
5,000
590
28,000
9,500
18,000
6,200
5,000
5,000
9,100
2,800
1,000
100
1*8,000
11,000
8,900
30,000
7,000
1,800
1*00,000
360,000
76,000
9,000
100
790,000
79,000
710,000
71,000
150,000
15,000
17,000
1,700
200
20
1,600,000
160,000
1*8,000
1,1*00,000
11*0,000
1*0,000
-------
TABLE 7-3 (Cont'd)
LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE
(Ibs/day)
Chlorides
A
B
C
BOD
A
B
C
Soluble PO,
A *
B
C
Grand
River
16,000,000
1,600,000
1*80,000
32,000
6,000
2,000
3,200
300
90
Ashtabula
River
Conneaut
Creek
Munic-
ipal*
Industrial
2020 Loadings
500,000
50,000
15,000
2,200
*•*
260
**
**
17,000
8,600
*#*
#*#
600
#*#
*##
8,400
8.UOO
8,1*00
15,000
3,600
1,000
1,800
170
50
150,000
15,000
36 ,000
3,600
1,000
UOO
1*0
10
A = Loadings @ present level of treatment
B = Loadings % 90% removal (secondary treatment)
C = Loadings @ 91% removal (tertiary treatment)
••* Does not include storm water
** Loading from unsevered area. If connected to Ashtabula STP the load
would be discharged to Lake Erie.
*** If Conneaut STP discharged to Lake Erie and unsewered areas of Lake-
ville connected to it, the loadings would be discharged directly to
Lake Erie.
-------
Pennsylvania Area
The streams of Pennsylvania that flow to Lake Erie are very small
and, except for those in Greater Erie, pass through relatively unpopu-
lated areas.
Elk Creek, the largest of the Lake Erie Tributaries draining 100
square miles, receives discharges from two sewage treatment plants,
Lake City and Girard. Elk Creek is classified by the Pennsylvania
Health Department as a "complete treatment stream," which means that all
municipal and industrial waste discharges to the stream must have
adequate secondary treatment. The Girard sewage treatment plant does
not meet this requirement and has been placed under orders by the
Pennsylvania Sanitary Water Board. This plant presently removes only
65 percent of the BOD load it receives. Girard should immediately
provide secondary treatment. Removing 90 percent of the raw BOD will
lower the effluent BOD concentration to under 15 mg/1. In a small
stream such as Elk Creek the BOD concentration must be kept low because
of the lack of sufficient quantity of water for dilution. In order to
maintain a low concentration of BOD in Elk Creek the sewage treatment
plants in Girard and Lake City should provide tertiary treatment by
2020. Although the population growth in this area will not be great, it
will be large enough by 2020 to cause degrading conditions in Elk Creek
if only secondary treatment is provided.
Another water quality problem in Elk Creek is caused by the dis-
charges from the Gunnison Bros. Tannery located in Girard Township and
-------
discharging to Brandy Run, a tributary of Elk Creek. A recent grab
sample taken by the Pennsylvania Health Department indicated high
concentrations of BOD and solids. The BOD concentration was 320 mg/1
and concentrations were *t,850 mg/1 for total solids and 900 mg/1 for
suspended solids. The volume of waste discharged is only 2,500
gallons per day. Although this discharge is quite small, it should
be noted that the flow in the receiving stream is also small, es-
pecially in the late summer months. The water quality of Elk Creek
and Brandy Run is at times degraded from the waste discharged from
Gunnison Bros.
A
The concentrations of BOD and solids produced by '• tanner are
extremely large./,5-econdary treatment --presently employed at
Gunnison Bros, cannot remove large enough concentrations of these
constituents 'for discharge to a small stream
such as Brandy Run. Tertiary treatment or at least 98 percent removal
of BOD and suspended solids should be an immediate objective of
Gunnison Bros.
The largest pollution problem in the Pennsylvania streams is in
Cascade Creek, Garrison Run, and Mill Creek. These streams flow through
Erie and receive the combined sewers overflow from the Erie collection
system. Mill Creek, flows under the City of Erie through a large tube.
In the past, this creek was used as a sewer for industrial waste dis-
charges. Erie Brewing Co. was the principal industry that discharged
to Mill Creek. This industry has since connected to the municipal
sewer system and their wastes are now treated by the Erie Sewage Treatment
-------
Plant.
Large BOD loads are discharged from the combined sewer overflovs.
A combined system carries storm vater and sewage in one sewer. With
small or moderate rainfall the volume of waste to the sewage treatment
plant becomes too large for the plant to handle. Combined systems
are designed to bypass through the overflow structures all wastes
that cannot be handled by the sewage treatment plant. During storms
approximately half the discharge from the overflows is raw municipal
sewage. The larger the storm, the larger the discharge of raw
sewage to the streams. These overflow discharges not only aid in
degradation of water quality of the streams but create a definite
health hazard. Coliform concentration in the three streams were over
1,000,000 organisms/100 ml. Cascade Creek, Garrison Run, and Mill
Creek all discharge in Presque Isle Bay, and all three of these streams
have a degrading effect on the waters of the bay.
Enteric pathogen studies in Mill Creek and Erie Harbor revealed
that several Salmonella isolations were present. These are all
direct disease causing organisms and are pathogenic to man. Table 7-
is a tabulation of the findings.
Since combined sewers present a health hazard, they should be re-
moved wherever possible. Erie is presently converting portions of its
combined sewer to separate sewers. In separate systems storm water is
separated from municipal and industrial waste and therefore, will not
overload the sewage treatment plant. The storm water is discharged
without treatment to the nearest open water course. However, storm water
-------
ing Site
sev;er
(Wallace and
Front manhole)
13.11 Creek
(VIest of STP)
Coast Guard
(Boathouso )
Trunk Sev:sr
(Wallace and
Front manhole
Mill Creek
(West of STP)
(Wallace and
Frcn^ r^nhols
Coast Guard
(Boathouse)
Trunk Sev/er
(Wallace and
Front rranhole)
Mill Creek
(West of ST?)
Mill Creek
(Walla co and
Front manhole)
Coast Guard
(Boathcuse)
ERIH,
March - July,
Date of
Collection
3-8-65
3-8-65
3-8-65
4-12-65
4-12-65
4-12-65
4-12-65
5-3-65
5-3-65
' 5-3-65
-..,---
PA.
1965
Salmonella
3. san diego '
S. cubana
S. muenchen
S. enteritidis
S. schwarzengrund
S. san diego
3. derby
3. nev.'port
S. alachua
3. alachua
S. newport
S. derby
3. nev.-port
3. cvba~a
S. alachua
negative
S. cubana
S. cubana
S» cubana^.
Serot^es
(isolates)
(1)
(2)
(1)
(1)
a)
a)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
' (12)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(7)
5-3-65
S. cubana
(4)
-------
TABLE 7- (concluded)
ISOLATIONS 0? SALMONELLAE
ERIE, PA
March - July
Sampling Site Date of
Collection
Trunk Sewer
(Wallace and
Front manhole)
Mill Creek
(West of STP)
Coast Guard
(1,000 feet east)
Presque Isle State
Park (E. Gull Point)
Presque Isle State
Park, Beach 11
N. bathing area
Mill Creek
(West of STP)
Trunk Sewer '
(Wallace and
Front Manhole)
Beach Comber Hotel
Presque Isle State <••
Park, Beach 11
(South Ski area)
Coast Guard (1,000 ft
6-2-65
6-2-65
6-2-65
6-2-65
6-2-65
7-12-65
7-12-65
7-12-65
...-7-12-65
E.) 7-21-65
Coast Guard (Boat house) 7-12-65
Presque Isle State
Park, Beach 11
(N. bathing area)
Presque Isle State
Park, Beach 1
Presque Isle State
7-12-65
7-12-65
7-12-65
, 1965
Salmonella
S. heidelberg
S. bredeney
S. bare illy.
S. heidelberg
negative
negative
negative
S . newport
S. enteritidis
S . cubana
S. heidelberg
S. enteritidis
negative
negative ••-•
negative
S. panama
negative
negative
negative
Serotypes
(isolates)
(8)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(D
(1)
(1)
(5)
(2)
•
Park, Beach 11
(E. Gull Point)
-------
picks up large quantities of organic material from street and land
washing. This organic material should be removed before discharge to
open waters. All storm water from built-up municipal areas with com-
bined sewers or separate sewers should be treated and disinfected
before discharge. Plans for treatment are an immediate need and the
operation should be going full scale by 1971.
Direct to Lake Erie
The largest industrial and municipal waste discharges in the
Pennsylvania area are located in Erie. The Hammermill Paper Company
and the Erie Sewage Treatment Plant both discharge their wastes directly
to Lake Erie east of Erie Harbor.
The effects of the wastes from Hammermill Paper Company on the
waters of Lake Erie can be seen for miles. Wastes from the bleaching
process imparts foam and color to the waters which, with westerly winds,
have been detected along the shoreline for 20 to 30 miles. With winds
from the east, some of the waste discharged by Hammermill gets into
the Erie water supply. Taste problems have occurred in Erie's drinking
water when such winds prevail. The taste is attributed to the lignins
and/or tannins which are a waste product of the pulping process from
the Hammermill Plant. The lignins and tannins were supposed to be
removed from the discharge to Lake Erie by deep well injection of the
spent liquors wastes; however, there are still some present. This
., taste of odor-producing constituents should be immediately removed
along with the color and foam.
The wastes from Hammermill's effluent is also tremendously high
in oxygen consuming material. Previous discharges from the paper
-------
company had. a BODS of approximately 1!A,000 Ibs/day or a population
equivalent of 860,000. Much of this BOD load has been removed by
Hammermill Paper Company by injecting its spent liquor wastes into
deep veils. Hovever, the discharge to Lake Erie still contains
approximately 62,000 pounds of BOD per day (PE of 370,000). Even with
the removal of the spent liquor wastes, the percent removal of BOD- is
only 60 percent.
A survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Health Department in
September 1966 indicated that the BOD,- concentrations in Lake Erie
in the vicinity of Hammermill's discharge ranged from 8 to 32 ppm as
compared to 0.5 to 2.8 ppm found at other locations in the lake.
In order to remove the BOD load to Lake Erie, the Hammermill
Paper Company is applying to the Federal Government for a. research
grant to determine the feasibility of having its wastes treated by
the Erie sewage treatment plant.
The Pennsylvania Health Department has Hammermill under orders
to improve their treatment and are requiring greater removal of BOD^
and suspended solids and to alleviate the foaming and color problem.
The color and foaming creates esthetically undesirable conditions
especially for swimmers, boaters, fishermen. The water is a brownish-
black color in the bay and along the shore as far east as the Penn-
sylvania-New York line. The foam can also be seen for many miles.
There is no definite division between the black waters of the inshore
area with the clear offshore waters. The color seems to blend into
the clear water with no distinct division between the two; however,
-------
there is a definite contrast between the waste affected water and
the clear unaffected waters about one-quarter mile offshore.
Just west of Hairanermill Paper Company's outfalls is the Erie
Sewage Treatment Plant outfall. The treatment plant discharges 6,700
pounds of BOD,- per day to the lake. The Erie plant provides secondary
treatment and removes on an average approximately 85 percent of the
BOD,- load to the plant. The plant is operating near capacity, however,
i;.:.'J,-,t':r. nc'^r'
and frequently by-passes raw sewage to^Erie Bay. Expansion of the
Erie Sewage treatment plant will be necessary in the near future in
order to provide adequate treatment for the increase in waste loads
that will accompany this population growth of Erie and the connection
of presently unsewered areas.
One such unsewered area is along the lake and "bay front. Kouses,
cabins, motels, restaurants, etc. are located at the foot of the "bluff
atop of which the City of Erie and the sewage treatment plant are
located. Presently the sanitary wastes from this area have been dis-
charged directly to Lake Erie or Presque Isle Bay. At times during
the summer when the resorts are in full operation, the pollution affects
the water quality of the nearby beaches of Presque Isle State Park.
Although these beaches are presently well within the safe range for
swimming, it is apparent that with the increase in population and the
increase of tourist attraction to the park, this potential health
hazard should be immediately removed. Not only will the waste loads
increase but the number of swimmers using these waters will increase.
Two projects have been proposed by the City of Erie to collect the
-------
waste from this area and pump it up to the Erie sewage treatment
plant . The plans for the Kelso Beach Area Project and the Bay Front
Project have been drawn and are awaiting a method of finance. These
projects should not be delayed and construction should start immediately.
Large fish kills occur yearly in Presque Isle Bay due to temper-
ature changes from the discharge of the Pennsylvania Electric Co. in
Erie. Gizzard shad which enter Presque Isle Bay from the open lake
waters are highly sensitive to temperature changes and are killed
from this increase in water temperature. This fish is considered
not to be a sport fish and these kills are not reported by the
Pennsylvania Fish Commission.
Biological investigation in the Presque Isle Bay area indicated
an abundance of filamentous green alga Cladophora in most areas where
depth was less than six feet. Serious nuisance conditions have developed
affecting home owners and boating.
Bottom deposits in the harbor were a brownish-black combination
of mud, silt, -and detritus with numerous clam and snail relics. Sewage
chemical odors were present from some bottom deposits inside and outside
the harbor.
A wide variety of bottom fauna was found in Erie Harbor. Snails
were abundant and comprised the largest part of the biomass. The most
common were Amnicola sp. Valvata sincere, V_. tricarinata, Bithinia
tentaculata, and Pomacea sp. all of which are sensitive to low dissolved
oxygen and excessive organic pollution. Other pollution sensitive
bottom dwellers were Gammarus fasciatus and Hyalella azteca (scuds)
-------
and Psychomvia sp. (caddis larvae). The moderately tolerant Asellus
militaris (sowbug) and several low dissolved oxygen sensitive species
of leeches were found.
The results indicate that Erie Harbor is in fairly good biological
condition. Comparison of Erie Harbor with other Lake Erie harbors
shows it to have a far greater variety of bottom organisms than any
of the others. However, coliform concentrations around Mill Creek and
Cascade Creek ranged from 6,000 to 500,000 organisms per 100 ml. This
as discussed earlier is probably due to pollution entering the bay
from Mill Creek, Garrison Run, and Cascade Creek.
-------
TABLE
FISH KILLS*
Date
7/11/6U
7/2U/614
8A/61*
7/19/65
6/11/65
8/9/66
Location
Presque Isle Bay
Lake Erie - South pier
Lake Erie - south pier
Number - Type
Pennsylvania
336,000-northern pike,
bluegills, "bass
2,000 - perch, bass, wall-
eye, catfish, sheepshead
U-5 ton - perch, catfish,
walleye, sheepshead
Presque Isle Bay -• public 2,000 fingerlings -
dock various species
Lake Erie & Presque Isle Bay
Lake Erie
Elk Creek
number not determined
perch and catfish
20 walleye
10,000 - trout, bass,
suckers , bullheads
Cause - Source
Cyanide - metal plating
Oxygen depletion -
paper mill waste
Oxygen depletion -
paper mill waste
Oxygen depletion - rainfall-
scoured storm sewer - silt
& BOD shock load
Oxygen depletion -
paper mill waste
Oxygen depletion - source
not determined
Dieldrin - sewage treat-
ment plant
* Data obt.'.Vi\f-:-' tVoin Pe'oisyl •/•••<\l n Depart at Tit of Health
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
IN THE
PENNSYLVANIA AREA
Municipalities
Sewerage
Service Area
Lake City
Girard
Present
Treatment
Secondary
Secondary
1966
Population
Served
1,720
2,500
Plant Needs
None
Additions and
Erie
North East
Improvement s
Secondary 140,000 Expansion and collection
system for unsewered
areas.
Secondary 5,000 None
Industries
Name
Location
Control Measures Needed
Gunnison Bros.
Hammermi.1.1
Welch Grape Juice
Parker White Metal
Pennsylvania
Electric
Interlake Steel
Erie Reduction
General Electric
Girard Township
Erie
North East
Fairview
Erie
Erie
Erie
Lawrence Park
Tertiary
Secondary and color, foam,
taste and odor producers.
Color, BOD
Evaluate improvements
None
Phenols & Solids*
Evaluate improvements
Evaluate improvements
Presently closed, requirement "before start of operations
-------
Bathing Beaches
Although there are several small "beaches along the Lake Erie
shoreline in Pennsylvania, the only major area is Presque Isle State
Park, located on the peninsula separating Lake Erie from Presque Isle
Bay. There are eleven main beaches on Presque Isle all located on
the Lake Erie side of the peninsula. The water quality of these
beaches is generally good except for beach 11. Data on coliform
concentrations at each beach area obtained from the park administration
is shown in Figure . As indicated, "beach 11 has very high
maximum concentrations and quite high median concentrations. This is
caused by pollution from several sources. With correct wind direction,
the effluent from the Erie sewage treatment plant effects the water
quality at the "beach. Previously the plant only disinfected its effluent
during the summer months; however, for the past four years, the Erie
plant has been chlorinating its discharge continuously all year around.
Another pollution source is the combined sewers overflow from the
Erie area which discharges in the bay by way of several streams passing
through the Greater Erie Area. During rains these overflows discharge
raw sewage which can eventually effect the water quality at "beach 11.
Ooher raw sewage discharges from residences and tourists in motels
and cabins along the bay front and lakeshore also aid in degrading the
water quality. Still another source of pollution to beach 11 is the
bird sanctuary located to the north. A large total coliform concentration
can be contributed from this area in the form of animal wastes. All
these sources have adversely effected the water quality which has re-
-------
DATA OBTAINED '"DM SPECIAL ITUOV
or CNVMOMMCNTAL HCM.TM.
0 NUMBER 0' SAMPLES
g YEAH (BATHINO SEASON)
MILE SCALE
BATHING BEACH STUDIES
PRESQUE ISLE STATE PARK
-------
quired that beach 11 be closed, approximately percent last summer.
The other beaches of Presque Isle, although they occasionally
have high maximum concentrations, are generally of good vater quality.
Beach 1 occasionally is effected by the raw sewage from homes and
motels west of the peninsula. The problem of raw sewage discharges
to Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay will be alleviated with the con-
struction of two bay front and lakefront sewer project s which have
been planned by the City of Erie.
-------
Nev York Area
The Nev York Area comprises the eastern end of the Lake Erie
Drainage Basin. The area drains approximately 2,900 square miles
and extends 6? miles along Lake Erie from the Pennsylvania-
New York line to and including the Buffalo River.
The major streams are the Buffalo River, Eighteenmile Creek,
and Cattaraugus Creek. The Buffalo River is formed by three trib-
utaries namely Buffalo Creek, Cayuga Creek, and Cazenovia Creek.
The Buffalo River drains ^36 square miles as it flows to Lake Erie
through the City of Buffalo. This river is an extreme example of
the degradation of once clean waters to a virtual cesspool. During
low flow, the river is composed of concentrated industrial and
municipal wastes and is probably the most grossly polluted river
in the Lake Erie Basin. Cattaraugus Creek is another example of
gross pollution; however, it flows through a much less populated area.
Except for the Greater Buffalo Metropolitan Area, the New York
Area is predominately rural. The present and projected populations
are shown below. The majority of the population is from the rapidly
developing southern and eastern suburbs of Buffalo. The City of
Buffalo itself is not included in this report since the Buffalo sewage
treatment plant discharges to the Niagara River rather than Lake Erie.
However, it should be noted that the City of Buffalo does contribute
a large share of the pollution loads to the Buffalo River through storm
water and combined sewer overflows.
-------
PRESENT & PROJECTED POPULATIONS
NEW YORK AREA
I960 1980 2020
50^,000 790,000 1,100,000
-------
Buffalo River
The Buffalo River system of Buffalo River, Cazenovia Creek,
Cayuga Creek, and Buffalo Creek varies from very good quality waters
at the headwaters to extremely poor. At its mouth the navigation
channel waters are essentially concentrated municipal and other
wastes in which no biological organisms exist.
Cazenovia Creek
Waste materials discharged by the Village of East Aurora, septic
tank effluents, and misused storm drains seriously affect the water
quality of Cazenovia Creek. The West Branch of the creek and the
East Branch above East Aurora generally maintain good water quality
with only several areas of limited enrichment from septic tank
effluents.
The waste discharge from the secondary treatment plant at East
Aurora contained over 80 mg/1 of BOD,- during 1966. This concentration
is much higher than can be adequately assimilated by the stream, and
thus the waters are severely degraded. Only pollution tolerant
sludgeworms, bloodworms, and air-breathing snails are found for sev-
eral miles downstream.
This stream is excessively productive even after it is diluted
by the West Branch. Dense growths of Cladophora and Hydrodictyon
cover the stream bottom. Four miles below the Junction of these
streams excessive enrichment is still found and Cladophora form a
solid mat over much of the stream. Throughout this area, diurnal
dissolved oxygen variations are quite pronounced. These variations
-------
produce short periods of low concentrations of dissolved oxygen with
minimum values being observed just before dawn. In the next eight
miles the stream recovers almost completely from the upstream waste
source. The excessive nutrient concentrations have "been removed "by
the dense Cladophora growths. In this sector only sparse growths
occur and a wide variety of organisms are found. However, effects
of the upstream pollution can still be found in pooled areas where
algae and other organic matter collects and decomposes after being
washed down from upstream. During the summer and fall this decomposing
material may act to produce serious oxygen depletions in the stream.
The effluent from septic tanks and misused storm drains in the
West Seneca area contribute to the pollution of the lower 2.5 miles
of Cazenovia Creek. The lower 0.7 miles are affected by backwater
pollution from the Buffalo River industries during low flow. All
sources of pollution in this area should be connected to a metro-
politan sewerage system.
Cayuga Creek
The Villages of Depew and Lancaster, and the Symington Wayne
Corporation are the major polluters of Cayuga Creek. Of the three
major tributaries to the Buffalo River, Cayuga Creek has by far the
lowest minimum flow. This plays a large part in its inability to
handle even moderate wastes, not to mention the relatively large
loadings it presently receives.
Above Lancaster only a relatively low level of nutrients are
found along with a population of pollution sensitive bottom organisms
-------
in both Cayuga Creek and its tributary Little Buffalo Creek. This
sector contains water of excellent quality, and only the relatively
low flows prevent the development of a balanced fishery.
In the lower nine miles of its length, Cayuga Creek receives
the poorly treated plant effluents from Depew and Lancaster, septic
tank effluents, storm water overflows, untreated industrial wastes
from the Symington Wayne Corporation, garbage and drainings from
the village of Depew1s dump, and garbage and debris from various other
sources. Conditions typical of severe pollution exist throughout this
lower nine miles. The water varies from grey to brown to black and
normally is turbid and has a strong sewer odor during low flow periods.
The two predominant bottom fauna are the pollution tolerant sludge-
worms and bloodworms. In many slow moving areas the stream bottom
is covered with a black, oily, septic sludge; and fecal matter has
been observed floating in the water.
This area is typical of many locations where a lack of planning
and foresight have resulted in what is for all practical purposes a
running sewer during low flow periods. An area-wide development plan
should be set up and put into action which would combine these two
plants and other nearby expanding areas into one effective plant
operation.
Buffalo Creek
Except for the lower two miles, Buffalo Creek is of excellent
water quality with only a minimal amount of nutrients from wastes
present. In the early spring trout are taken from the upper reaches
-------
of Buffalo Creek and its first tributaries. Slight nutrients are
added by small hamlets such as Strykerville, Porterville, and Java
Village, but these in the past have had little effect on the stream.
Pollution sensitive species of aquatic insect larva are found
throughout this reach.
It is only when Buffalo Creek enters the Gardenville area at
mile 2.2 that the first noticeable signs of organic pollution are
in evidence. The effluent from septic tanks in this area has upset
the normal biota of the stream, and slight septic odors are detect-
ible. The water becomes moderately turbid and the bottom fauna
consist predominately of leeches and air-breathing snails. Below
this point, additional waste inputs continue to degrade the water
quality of Buffalo Creek. Oil wastes from the Pennsylvania Railroad
shops enter Buffalo Creek at the New York Central Railroad bridge
(mile point 1.7)« These wastes accumulate in a swamp during dry
periods. Fires have occurred in the swamp. The large quantities of
accumulated oils discharge rapidly to Buffalo Creek during heavy
rainfalls which are contributed to the oil films present on Niagara
River during high flow in the Buffalo River. A program should be
instituted by the Pennsylvania Railroad to completely remove all oils
which may get into the stream and to prevent all future discharges of
oils to the area's waters.
Buffalo River
The portion of this drainage system extending downstream from
the confluence of Buffalo and Cayuga Creeks is designated as the
-------
Buffalo River.
The flow in the Buffalo River is negligible during dry periods.
The sum of the minimum 7 day 10-year return flow in the tributaries
is 9-2 second feet. It takes more than 70 days of this flow to equal
the volume of water in the dredged portion of the river. At low flow
both the rate and direction of movement of water in the dredged
channel is primarily influenced by the rise and fall of Lake Erie
levels at the river mouth.
The effect of Lake Erie levels on the level and flow in the river
extends upstream to mile point 6.6. Cazenovia Creek is similarly
affected up to the dam at Stevenson Street or 0.7 miles above its
mouth. During periods of low flow, wastes discharged to this pseudo
tidal sector of the river may travel both upstream and downstream
from the point of discharge.
The waters entering the Buffalo River at the confluence of
Buffalo and Cayuga Creeks is poor in quality. One tenth mile down-
stream of the junction the effluent from the Cheektowaga sewage
treatment plant No. 3 causes additional degradation.
The West Seneca treatment plant discharges its effluent at mile
point 7.7- Tests performed by the New York Health Department in
December of 1966 indicated that at that time the effluent from this
primary plant contained over 80 mg/1 of BOD^, and showed a net plant
efficiency of only 30 percent BOD removal. The river continues to
deteriorate from this point to its confluence with Lake Erie.
Several storm water overflows of the combined sewer system
-------
discharge to the river. About one mile above the mouth, raw
sanitary sewage from the area between the Buffalo River and West
Canal discharges to the river. Industrial wastes from chemical,
coke, steel, refinery and grain malting plants discharge to the
river.
Prior to March 196? five major industries on the Buffalo River
pumped 100 mgd ( 155 second ft) from the river for process and
cooling water. During low flow periods they were literally recir-
culating their waste waters and increasing the concentration of many
polluting constituents.
Extremely heavy films of heavy oil accumulate and are present
on the Buffalo River at all times except during flood flows. Although
the refinery has reduced the concentration of oil in its effluent
below 10 mg/1 they discharge about 1,500 Ibs per day. Oil discharges
from the Republic Steel Plant, Donner Hanna Coke Plant, the Penn-
sylvania Railroad shops entering upstream to Buffalo Creek, sanitary
wastes and combined sewer overflows also are significant contributions.
The heavy oil films on the river and the oil coated shores effectively
prevent boating or any recreational activity on the river.
Because of the prevailing winds these oils tend to move upstream
rather than downstream during periods of low flow. A large increase
in river flow moves most of these oils out into the Niagara River
during a period of two to four days. This results in noticeable oil
films along the United States shore of the Niagara River down to the
Falls and at times are obviously apparent from Lewiston to the mouth
-------
of the Niagara.
The industrial plants have reduced the total quantity of
industrial waste ph enol entering the river "by more than 70 percent
ih the last twenty-five years. In spite of this reduction, maximum
concentrations over 1,000 yg/1 are usually present some time each
year in the section extending from mile point 3 to mile point 5.
Average concentration present in the sector usually less than 500
Ug/1. Fortunately, the reduction that has "been accomplished has
reduced the effect on the Niagara River such that the formerly
frequent reported occurrences of phenolic tastes and odors in the
finished water of the downstream municipal water plants have almost
if not completely "been eliminated. However, the present concentra-
tions are high enough to "be a potential hazard to the municipal
supplies and need to "be further reduced.
Biological, microbiological, and other chemical data further
demonstrate the degraded condition of the river water. There are
no bottom dwelling biological organisms except for a very short
distance above the mouth where the cooler Lake Erie water intrudes
up along the bottom. The annual maximum coliform MPN in most of the
river is usually about 230,000. The median count has ranged from
10,000 to 90,000 at various locations in the river.
During warm water and low flow periods BOD values as high as
6l mg/1 have been found in the middle sector of the river with the
average less than 15 in all sectors. During above normal flow and
lower water temperatures the river water contains up to 10 or more
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
IN
BUFFALO RIVER BASIN
Municipalities
Sewerage
Service Area
Present
Treatment
I960
Population
Served
Plant Needs
East Aurora
Secondary
25,000
Tertiary
Holland
Lackawanna
Septic Tanks
Primary
West Seneca SD 6 Primary
Cheektowaga SD 3 Secondary
Depew
Primary
Lancaster SD 1 Secondary
950 Collection system &
tertiary
26,100 Secondary (outfall
to Lake Erie
6,320 Tertiary (connect to
metro system
15,200 Tertiary (connect to
metro system)
13,700 Tertiary (connect to
metro system)
3,160 Tertiary (connect to
metro system)
Industries
Name
Buffalo Chemical Div.
Location
Control Measures Needed
General Mills
Pillsbury
Republic Steel
Donner Hanna Coke
Allied Chemical-
Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo
Connect to city sewers
Connect to city sewers
Oils, solids, color, acid,
iron
Oil, phenol, BOD
None
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
IN
BUFFALO RIVER BASIN
(continued)
Industries
Name
Location
Control Measures Needed
Allied Chemical-
Buffalo Dye
Mobile Oil
Pennsylvania Railroad West Seneca
Symington Wayne Depev
Malting
Buffalo Color, solids, BOD,
acid, phenol
Buffalo Oils, phenols
Oil
Oil, BOD, color
Buffalo Connect to city sewers
-------
Eighteenmile Creek
Sighteenmile Creek generally maintains fair to good water
quality except below the Village of Hamburg. The South Branch and
the upper main stem above Boston are normally of excellent (Duality.
Moderate to heavy enrichment is apparent throughout the remainder
of the main stem.
Above Hamburg moderate enrichment was evidenced by the abun-
dance of attached algae, moderately sensitive species of bottom
organisms, and scavengers which indicate a large supply of organic
material. The source of this enrichment is most probably from land
runoff, the several small treatment plants and the numerous septic
tanks in the towns of Boston, Evans, and Hamburg.
Below the point where the Village of Hamburg's treatment plant
effluent enters Eighteenmile Creek, the stream is degraded and
becomes anaerobic at times during low flow. This plant discharges
significant loadings of organic matter and nutrients. Due to the
high natural reaeration of the stream as it flows to Lake Erie,
it recovers from this loading in about three to four miles, although
enrichment is still present at this point. As it enters the lake
affected area, the stream appears well recovered from the effects
of Hamburg's pollution.
As this area is growing with the expansion of Buffalo, there
is a present need for an area-wide plan for the orderly development
of treatment facilities. Because of the low flow in these streams,
all areas should be combined to treatment works discharging to Lake
Erie by 1980.
-------
Cattaraugus Creek
Cattaraugus Creek varies in water quality from excellent to
grossly polluted. Figure shows the relative degree of pol-
lution of the various sections along the creek.
As indicated "by Figure , the first sources of pollution are
near the headwaters. Several industries and the municipal sewage
treatment plant, all located in the village of Arcade, discharge
their wastes to Cattaraugus Creek. The principal problem is from
the Arcade sewage treatment plant which receives domestic wastes
from approximately 1,900 people and sewage and industrial wastes
from industries, employing approximately 1,000 people. The plant
provides secondary treatment; however, the process is affected "by
the industrial wastes containing cyanides, zinc, copper, and
cadmium ions.
Floating solids are present in Cattaraugus Creek in the immed-
iate vicinity of the sewage treatment plant's outfall. Cyanides,
cadmium, and copper are present in the creek just "below the outfall
according to the New York State Health Department. These constituents
are toxic to fish and other aquatic life and should "be removed "by
industries "before discharging to the municipal sewer system. The
Arcade sewage treatment plant is under orders "by the New York Health
Department to improve their treatment. Being near the headwaters
of Cattaraugus Creek creates an additional problem. During the low
flow season, there is very little flow in the creek above the sewage
treatment plant outfall to dilute the waste discharged. Small loads
-------
can, therefore, degrade the water quality of the stream. Due to
this condition the Arcade sewage treatment plant should provide j
advanced waste treatment (tertiary treatment) which should remove
98 percent of the BOD load. i
^ I
Cattaraugus Creek in its upper reach has an extremely high ;
reaeration rate due to the steep slope and swift flow. This aids ;
i
in the natural self-purification of the waters. The waters recover i
i
to a natural condition as it flows through the Zoar Valley. ;
Upstream from Gowanda, Cattaraugus Creek is in excellent \
|
biological condition. The water is clear with the stream bottom :
consisting of boulder, cobble, gravel, and sand, except in pooled j
i
areas where a little fine silt was deposited. Through the Zoar j
t
i
Valley the stream supported a wide variety of pollution sensitive |
bottom-dwelling animals. Pollution sensitive species of mayfly >
I
nymphs and caddis fly larvae were predominant. Very sparse growths i
i
I
of Cladophora were found on rocks, and equally sparse growths of I
Elodea, an aquatic plant, were found in a few locations where a ;
little silt had collected. This portion of the stream is typical '
of a nutrient-poor, relatively unpolluted stream with a minimum of .
I
dissolved and suspended organic material.
As Cattaraugus Creek flows through Gowanda, the water quality
changes from the relatively clean natural waters with scenic beauty
to a grossly polluted open sewer. Oils, toxic wastes, organic load-
ings, suspended and dissolved solids, and inadequately treated dom-
estic wastes are poured into the creek in the vicinity of Gowanda.
-------
The Peter Cooper Corporation, and Moench Tanning Co. are the
principal sources of these vastes. The Eastern Tanners Division of
the Peter Cooper Corporation, manufacturers of glue, discharge a
BODc load equivalent to the untreated sewage from 150,000 people.
In addition some 65 tons of total solids are discharged daily to
Cattaraugus Creek. The Moench Tannery Company discharges a BOD,-
load equivalent to the untreated sevage from 50,000 people. Wastes
from both Peter Cooper Corp. and Moench Tannery Co. contain ammonia,
grease, and chromium constituents. These tvo industries provide no
more than primary treatment to their vastes. The Moench Tannery Co.
does not have sludge removal facilities and periodically dumps the
sludge into Cattaraugus Creek. This load is probably equivalent to
the untreated wastes of another 30,000 people. These plants should
immediately provide advanced treatment to all their wastes and should
remove at least 98 percent of the BOD and solids loads. There should
be additional facilities for removing the chrome from the discharge
to Cattaraugus Creek.
In addition, the sewage treatment plants, the Gowanda State
Hospital, and the Village of Gowanda discharge inadequately treated
sewage to Cattaraugus Creek. Both plants provide only primary treat-
ment for the 7>200 people served. The plant at the state hospital
also receives cannery wastes which increase the organic solids load
during the canning season.
Secondary treatment should be an immediate objective of both
plants. The estimated population growth for Gowanda is not great, so
adequately operated secondary treatment for these two sewage treatment
plants should be sufficient through 2020.
-------
Biological investigation of Cattaraugus Creek below all waste
discharges from Gowanda indicated that aquatic life was limited to
only pollution-tolerant sludgeworms and bloodworms with luxuriant
growths of Sphaerotilis (sewage fungus) and the blue-green alga
Oscillitoria. The water was cloudy and had a dirty gray color. The
odor was septic. Black anaerobic sludge deposits were found and all
of the rocks were blackened from the effects of hydrogen sulfide.
These septic conditions are caused by the extremely high oxygen demand
wastes from the above-mentioned sources.
To add still further to the unsightly conditions, a dumping area
is located along the banks of the creek in the village of Gowanda.
As can be seen in Figure , everything from garbage to refriger-
ators are dumped in this area. The dump not only is an eyesore but
adds organic and bacterial pollution to the waters as garbage is thrown
into the creek. Dumps along stream banks are prohibited by the recom-
mendations set forth by the conferees of the Lake Erie Enforcement
Conference,and this dump should be removed immediately.
In the six miles from Gowanda to Versailles, the creek shows only
a slight improvement. At Versailles, the biological conditions were
typical of an early recovery zone with sludgeworms, bloodworms, and
blackfly larvae leeches, the predominant bottom fauna. Sphaerotilis
and sludge deposits were still present, although not as abundant as
they were downstream from Gowanda.
As Cattaraugus Creek flows through the Cattaraugus Indian Reser-
-------
vation and the community of Irving, the water quality becomes once
again degraded.
The slope of the stream in this area is much reduced and the
velocity is lower. Due to the reduction in velocity, the algae that
are carried downstream settle out and start to decompose.
The stream bottom near Irving was sand and gravel where stream
flow was moderate; however, in pooled areas extensive sludge deposits
were found. Figure shows typical conditions found in this area.
The sludge was about two feet deep and anaerobic conditions existed
beneath the surface. Methane bubbles were constantly breaking the
surface of the overlying water. Stirring the sludge bank released a
strong hydrogen sulfide odor.
The Silver Creek Preserving Corp., located in the Cattaraugus
Indian Reservation, discharge wastes from its canning process to
Cattaraugus Creek. The waste contains string bean particles, some
oil slicks, and some discoloration during beet canning season. All
this adds further to the obnoxious conditions of Cattaraugus Creek
and should be eliminated immediately.
Other Tributaries
Several smaller streams have also been affected by municipal
and industrial waste discharges. Due to lower flows, smaller streams
are more susceptible to pollutional loads than larger bodies of
water. For this reason, no wastes should be discharged to small
tributaries, or for that matter to any stream that cannot adequately
handle this waste input.
-------
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-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
in
EIGHTEENMILE CREEK & CATTARAUGUS CREEK BASINS
Municipalities
Sewerage
Service Area
I960
Present Population
Treatment Served
Plant Needs
Hamburg (V)
Eden
Gowanda State
Hospital
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
6,280 Tertiary or connect to
metro system
2,370 Collection system &
tertiary
3,900 Secondary
Gowanda
Cattaraugus
Springville
Arcade
Industries
Name
Primary 3,352
Septic Tanks 1,000
Primary 3,200
Secondary 1,900
Location
Secondary
Collection system,
secondary treatment
Secondary & cyanides,
cadmium, copper, zinc
Tertiary -;s o...
Control Measures Needed
Silver Creek Pre-
serving
Moench Tannery
Cattaraugus Indian
Reservation
Gowanda
Peter Cooper- Gowanda
Eastern Tanners
Div.
Solids, colors, oils
Tertiary & ammonia, grease,
chrome
Tertiary & ammonia, grease,
chrome
-------
Blasdeil and Smoke Creeks
Blasdell Creek, also known as South Ditch, is a small stream
which would normally "be dry most of the year. Bethlehem Steel
plant wastes entering at various points of the section, extending
about one mile upstream of its mouth, maintains a considerable flow
in this sector. At its mouth it is essentially a Bethlehem Steel
waste outfall entering Lake Erie. In addition to other materials
it continually discharges much oil to the lake. During winter periods
the ice holds much of the oil near the mouth. The oil is suddenly
released when the ice moves out and is most probably one of the
major causes of the slug discharges of oil down the Niagara River
which occurs each spring.
Smoke Creek extends through an urban type area throughout most
of its length. Visual and oiher evidence show that the water in the
south branch at its junction with the north branch is markedly de-
graded by organic wastes entering upstream. It contains considerable
fatty matter of the type normally present in sanitary wastes, indi-
cating the probability that septic tank effluent or other sanitary
wastes are entering upstream of the junction. The north branch appears
to be somewhat polluted. The one mile length of the stream from the
junction of the "branches to the mouth on Lake Erie receives industrial
waste discharges. The South Buffalo Railway shops may contribute
some oil, but this has not been definitely established. The Buffalo
Brake Beam Company discharges a very small quantity of oil and san-
itary wastes to the stream. They have been requested to connect
-------
their discharge to the sanitary sewers.
The principal flow at the mouth of Smoke Creek is Bethlehem
Steel's wastes. It also contains approximately 1.1 mgd of
Lackawanna sewage treatment plant effluent. In addition to other
materials the Bethlehem Steel plant contributes considerable quan-
tities of heavy oil to these waters.
The combined effect of the Blasdell and Smoke Creek discharges
create an oil film and red discoloration of approximately two square
miles of Lake Erie. The continuing oil discharge from Bethlehem
is believed to be one of the principal -t-f not the major source of
oils causing damage to certain water uses of the Niagara River.
The 350 mgd of Bethlehem Steel wastes entering these waters contain
380,000 pounds of suspended solids, 280,000 pounds of iron, 31,000
pounds of oil, 680 pounds of phenol, and 950 pounds of cyanide.
Quantities of this magnitude would be expected to create the con-
ditions described above.
The Bethleh em Steel Company is presently under orders from
the I\rew York State Health Department to remove an appreciable amount
of their waste products. The most significant constituant in their
outfalls is the large qu antity of oil and a major effort should be
exerted to removing this material so that no problem remains. A
continuing program will need to be extended into the future by
Bethlehem to alleviate the problems caused by their waste discharges.
-------
Rush Creek
Coliforia counts exceeding 150,000 per 100 milliliters are
present in the water approximately one mile upstream from the mouth
and above the Basdell sewage treatment plant show the effect of
septic tank or other sanitary waste discharges above that point.
These wastes do not normally depress the dissolved oxygen content
below 5.0 mg/1 at this point. A storm water by-pass of a Hamburg
sewage pumping station discharges to an upstream point of the stream.
It is reported that unnecessary by-passing in the past has crested
serious pollution of the creek, but more carefully controlled
operation now limits by-passing to periods of very heavy rainfall and
resultant higher creek flow.
In additon to the Blasdell sewage treatment plant one mile above
the mouth the Woodlawn treatment plant effluent enters the stream
about one fourth mile above the mouth. Some relatively old data
(1952) showed no dissolved oxygen present near the mouth. Although
more recent data are not available it is probable that dissolved
oxygen may be completely absent at times. Although this is a very
small stream it is reported that water for irrigation is being taken
from upstream sectors of the creek. This significantly depletes
the already limited flow in the stream.
Present treatment on this stream should be expanded so that all
wastes receive 90-95 percent BOD removal. By 1980 all wastes should
be connected to treatment works discharging directly to the lake.
-------
Canadaway Creek
Another example of overload of a small stream is Canadaway
Creek which receives the effluent of the Fredonia sewage treat-
ment plant which provides treatment for approximately 8,500 people.
A cannery is also connected to the sewage treatment plant. During
the low flow season, the flow in the creek near Fredonia is com-
prised almost entirely of the effluent from the Fredonia plant.
Secondary treatment is provided but it is not sufficient during the
canning season to maintain desirable water quality in Canadaway
Creek. Biological investigation in August 1966 indicated the •:.
effluent from the Fredonia plant is grossly polluting the creek
which never completely recovers as it flows to Lake Erie
Luxuriant growths of Sphaerotilis, sewage fungus, was observed
for one mile downstream from the outfall and Oscillatoria, a pol-
lution tolerant algae appeared as a blue-green mat covering the
stream bottom (see Figure ). No benthic fauna could be found
in the creek at the outfall and approximately a half-mile downstream
the only bottom organisms present were pollution tolerant sludge-
woras and Physa (air-breathing snails). Phytoplankton counts in-
creased tremendously in this area and the type definitely indicated
an increase in nutrients. The average count above the STP was about
1,000 organisms per ml while the counts below were approximately
10,000 per ml.
In order to maintain a desirable water quality in Canadaway
Creek the Fredonia sewage treatment plant should either provide
-------
tertiary treatment (98 percent BOD^ removal) or preferably remove
their waste discharge from Canadaway Creek and discharge directly
to Lake Erie through a combined metropolitan plant serving both
Fredonia and Dunkirk.
Direct Discharge to Lake Erie
The Dunkirk sevage treatment plant discharges approximately
pounds of BODj- daily directly into the lake. Dunkirk
provides only primary treatment which removes only percent of
the BOD load it receives.
Dunkirk has had great difficulty with algae in the past.
Storms break algae loose and they are washed onto the beaches of
the area vhere they decompose, producing a foul odor. Since the
harbor is shallow and turbidity is quite low, rooted aquatic weeds
and algae grow abundantly in the littoral zone. Even in depths of
fifteen feet or more outside the breakwater Cladophora grows quite
veil. In the shallow areas rooted aquatic weeds reach the surface
in two to four feet of water and make boating almost impossible.
Another problem encountered in Dunkirk is that of flyash from
;/, 2>// /a«jJ- ^^
the Niagara-Mohawk plant, 'the flyash -irs spread as a landfill
behind the plant and is washed into the harbor during winds and
rains. In sections of the harbor, flyash deposits were found to be
at least two feet deep. This is an inorganic sediment and exerts
little BOD. The main objection is that the flyash fills the harbor
and reduces its depth for navigation. This problem has "been reported
to be alleviated.
-------
As mentioned earlier, grape orchards are a large land use in the
the Western New York area. Associated with the grape orchards are
grape processing industries located in Westfield and Brocton. The
discharges of these wastes have caused water quality problems in
Chautauqua Creek as it flows through Westfield and Slippery Rock Creek,
as it flows through Brocton.
Welch Grape Juice Co. Inc., discharges pressing and process wastes
and storage tank wash waters at Brocton and Westfield. Seneca Westfield
Maid, Inc. and Growers Cooperative Grape Juice Co. discharge similar
wastes in Westfield. These wastes contain high oxygen demanding solids
which cause turbidity and sludge deposits in their receiving waters.
A survey of the New York State Health Department in 19. . revealed'
a large increase in coliform concentration in Chautauqua Creek as it
flows through Westfield. Their samples show that the most probable
number (MPN) is parts per million (ppm) increased from TOO at the South
Gale Street Bridge (approximately three stream miles from Lake Erie)
to 100,000 at the Hawley Street Bridge (approximately one stream mile
from Lake Erie). They stated this high coliform concentration was due
possibly to the waste discharged from Welch Grape Juice Co. and Growers
-------
Cooperative Grape Juice Co. Inc. In Westfield.
Welch Grape Juice Co. also creates esthetic problems in Slippery
Rock Creek. The creek is turned a purple to black color and produces
odors. The effects of this discharge can be seen for more than a mile.
Walnut Creek and Silver Creek are polluted by raw sewage dis-
charged from Forestville and Silver Creek and by wastes discharged by
the Silver Creek Preserving Company. This pollution renders the area
unsuitable for any water contact sports. As conditions stand, this
area is a virtual septic tank.
The village of Silver Creek is presently building a secondary
treatment plant which should be in operation by the summer of 1967-
Interstate Waters
There is only one stream, Twentyraile Creek, that is classified
as an interstate stream. The stream originates in Chautauqua County,
'New York and flows for approximately 8 miles draining 35 square miles
in New York. It crosses into Pennsylvania approximately 3 miles south
of Lake Erie and drains another two square miles in Pennsylvania as it
flows to Lake Erie.
Twentymile Creek doesn't receive any major pollution loads in
New York or Pennsylvania and creates no interstate water quality
problems. Chemical data show the stream to be of excellent water
quality as it crosses the Pennsylvania-New York line (BODc«
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
FOR
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
DIRECT TO LAKE ERIE & SMALL TRIBUTARIES
Municipalities
Sewerage
Service Area
Ripley
Westfield
Brocton
Dunkirk
Fredonia
Silver Creek
Angola
North Collins
Derby
Hamburg SD 1
(Woodlawn)
Hamburg SD 2
(Mt. Vernon)
Hamburg
(Wanakah)
Hamburg
(Master)
Bias dell
Present
Treatment
Primary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Primary
Primary
Primary
Secondary
I960
Population
Served
1,250
3,800
1,U20
18,800
8,500
3,000
1,000
2,000
2,500
1,900
1,750
1,1*00
2,500
23,000
Plant Needs
Tertiary*
Tertiary*
Collection system &
Tertiary*
Secondary ( connect to
metropolitan system)
Tertiary or connect to
metro system
Collection system &
Secondary**
Collection system &
Tertiary
Tertiary
Collection system &
Tertiary*
Tertiary or connect to
metropolitan system
Secondary (connect to
metropolitan system)
Secondary (connect to
metropolitan system)
Secondary (connect to
metropolitan system)
Tertiary or connect to
metropolitan system
-------
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
FOR
MUNICIPALITIES & INDUSTRIES
DIRECT TO LAKE ERIE & SMALL TRIBUTARIES
(Continued)
Industries
Name
Location
Control Measures Needed
Welch Grape Juice
Westfield
Seneca Westfield Maid Westfield
Growers Coop. Grape Westfield
Juice
Welch Grape Juice
Allegheny Ludlum
Steel
Niagara-Mohawk Power
Pro-Canner's Coop.
Gro-Packer's Coop.
Bethlehem Steel
Hanna Furnace
Brocton
Dunkirk
Dunkirk
North Collins
North Collins
Lackawanna
Buffalo
Connect to city sewer
system
Connect to city sewer
system
Connect to city sewer
system
Connect to city sewer
system
Solids, oils, acids
Solids
Connect to city sewer
system
Connect to city sewer
system
Oil, phenol, solids, color,
cyanides, ammonia, acid,
iron
Solids
* = or secondary treatment with discharge to Lake Erie
** = secondary treatment plant construction near completion, should be
placed into operation summer
-------
in.-- Beaches
The beaches along the Lake Erie shoreline in New York are of good
water quality during dry weather. Figure is a summary of coliform
concentrations found in tests run by the Erie County Health Department.
Individual data showed that generally the concentrations were under
500 organisms/100 ml; however, concentrations over 1,000 organisms/100 ml
were quite frequent. These high concentrations were found to be associated
with the meteorological conditions.
During and immediately after summer storms these beaches become un-
safe for swimming due to the health hazard indicated by the increase of
coliform concentrations. Rains and winds bring high pollution loads
to the beaches from nearby streams and storm water overflows.
Is the findings of its beach survey, the Erie County Health Depart-
ment has attributed wind as the probable major meteorological factor in
pollution of Miller's Beach, Evangola State Park, and Evans Town Park.
The winds help keep the pollution from Cattaraugus Creek near the shore.
Evans Town Park also receives pollution from the large unsewered pop-
ulation in the immediate area.
The beach with the most serious problem is that of Hamburg Town
Park. Several storm sewer overflows are located near this beach with
one overflow immediately adjacent to it. This beach has been closed
by the Erie County Health Department.
Other beaches in Chautauq.ua County also have serious problems
but a lack of data prohibits any comparison of the problems. A study
-------
conducted, by the Federal governnent in 196U indicated polluted con-
ditions on the two beaches in Dunkirk. Pollution entered these
beaches from raw sewage discharges from some small rural towns, inade-
quately treated .sewage discharged to Canadaway Creek from the Predonia
sewage treatment plant, inadequately treated sewage from the Dunkirk
sewage treatment plant, and combined sewer overflows from both Dunkirk
and Fredonia, both of which are partially served by combined sewers.
-------
Loadings to Lake Erig_
Most waste discharges in the Ivev York Area are to tributaries
rather than direct to Lake Erie. Table shows the total
present and projected loads discharged by municipalities and
industries in the New York Area.
Total Solids
A
B
C
Dissolved Solids
A
B
C
Chlorides
A
B
C
BOD
A
B
C
Soluble Phosphate
A
B
C
TABLE
LOADINGS TO LAKE ERIE
(ibs/day)
1965
1,500,000
1990
2,300,000
31*0,000
100,000
62^,000
127,000
6,100
900,000
90,000
27,000
21*0,000
1*0,000
12,000
10,000
1,100
600
2020
3,000,000
1*50,000
1^0,000
1,000,000 1,600,000 2,100,000
200,000 270,000
60,000 90,000
1,300,000
130,000
39,000
320,000
60,000
18,000
ll*»OQO
1,500
800
A = Loadings § present level of treatment
B = Loadings § 90$ removal (secondary treatment)
C = Loadings § 97$ removal (tertiary treatment)
-------
mg/1 of dissolved oxygen, but it is completely devoid of oxygen during
low flow and warm water temperatures. Except during flood flow it
contains relatively little suspended solids as most of the consid-
erable amount of these solids from land erosion and municipal and
industrial wastes settle rather rapidly to the bottom of the dredged
section. The following data collected by an automatic monitor at the
Ohio Street Bridge location are fairly typical of much of the chemical
analytical data that have been collected on the stream. During a low
flow period from October U to November 1, 1965, the dissolved oxygen
concentration ranged from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 2,9 mg/1, pH
from 5.3 to 7.6, conductivity from 1,900 to 2,1+00, chlorides from 150
to 3^5 and temperature from 15.0 to 19.8 degrees centigrade. During
a period of higher flow from March 10 to April 27, 1966, the dissolved
oxygen ranged from 9-1* to 12.U mg/1, pH from 5-5 to 7.6, conductivity
from 2^0 to 650, chlorides from 7 to 76 and temperature from 2.6 to
16 degrees centigrade.
The Buffalo River also markedly harms the residential area on
each side of that sector of Cazenovia Creek extending 0.7 miles
upstream of its mouth which is affected by Buffalo River backwater.
Residents of this area complain vociferously each summer about the
disagreeable odors emanating from the stream and the heavy oil films
present.
It is apparent from the information presented above that during
the six month or more period of lower flows each year the Buffalo
River water is concentrated industrial and other wastes. It is not
-------
surprising that the quality is extremely poor even though all the
major industries have and are spending considerable monies to
provide vaste treatment or otherwise reduce the polluting constit-
uents in their discharges. They have generally made a conscientious
effort to comply with the requirements of the Pollution Control
agencies. An example, at one time it was believed that reduction
of the oil concentration in the industrial effluents to 15 mg/1
would be adequate. The Mobil Refinery has reduced theirs to below
10, but these oils as they accumulate create a major problem.
Restoring the river to a reasonably satisfactory condition will
I
require extreme measures.
f
One forward step has just recently been accomplished. The five (
major industries on the Buffalo River have recently placed in oper- |
ation a water supply system which has cost over $9,000,000. This |
I
i
system pumps Lake Erie water to the industries for their use and
eventual discharge to the Buffalo River which will provide greater
flow in the lower sector. The industries have committed themselves
to discharge a minimum of 100,000,000 gallons of water per day to
the stream during low natural flow whether or not they require the
total quantity for their operations.
Many other corrective measures are needed. The oil films will
be eliminated only if essentially no oil, fats or grease are permitted
to reach the stream. This will require practically complete removal
of these constituents from any industrial, sanitary, storm water
overflows permitted to enter the river or its tributaries. This
-------
includes such small discharges as septic tank effluents. Probably
the most easily accomplished would be the removal from municipal
wastes as effective secondary treatment may adequately reduce the
oils and fats in the effluent. Storm water overflows will need to
be eliminated or otherwise effectively treated. The maximum reduction,
almost to the point of elimination, of other polluting constituents
in wastes in any water entering the river are needed.
The need for these extreme measures are obvious wh en one
recognizes that much of the time the wastes constitute more than 90
percent of the water in the river and its quality is no better than
the quality of the mixed wastes. A goal of water quality suitable
for boating and fishing in the dredged section and swimming in the
upstream portions may be difficult to attain, but our sights should
be set this high.
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