Great
Lakes
national
Program
&EPA
On the Web at:
www.epa.gov/glnpo
U,S. Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office
Significant Activities Report
August 2002
IN THIS ISSUE:
• Great Lakes Atlas a Best-Seller
• Hearing on Erie's "Dead Zone"
• Third Special Lake Erie Survey
• River Raisin Cleanup Assessment
• Summer Water Quality Survey
•Mudpuppy on Genesee River
• Funding Organizations Meet
• Assessing Forest Health
• Cazenovia Creek Project
• Dune and Beach Projects
Great Lakes Atlas a Best-Seller
The Great Lakes Atlas: An Environmental
Atlas and Resource Book, published
through a partnership of USEPA GLNPO
and Environment Canada, continues to be
an extremely popular publication. The Atlas
is now in its third re-printing.
Larry Brail has been busy fulfilling requests
for the Atlas from institutions and individu-
als across the nation and around the world.
The requests come in from universities,
high schools and grade schools, from visi-
tor's centers, nature centers, museums, li-
braries; local, state, federal, and foreign
government agencies; tour operators and
travel agencies; home schoolers; the Girl
Scouts and Boy Scouts; and many others. In
addition, the Atlas is used as a text book in
courses in at least 35 colleges and universi-
ties from coast to coast.
The Atlas has been given as a resource and
keepsake to many of the foreign visitors
who visit USEPA's Chicago office, often to
learn about the Great Lakes and how the
problems of the Great Lakes have been ad-
dressed. As a result, the Atlas is in the li-
braries of government's executive and re-
source agencies and universities in virtually
every corner of the globe.
The Great Lakes Atlas' popularity as an
educational tool has increased dramatically
over the past five years. Since June, 1997,
over 23 thousand Atlases have been distrib-
uted! GLNPO receives an average nearly
fifty requests for the Atlas each month, re-
sulting in an average of nearly 400 Atlases
sent out each month.
A sampling of comments received from At-
las recipients:
"... many have told me what a wonder-
ful resource they are for individuals en-
gaged in water quality protection."
"Thank you very much! We will be us-
ing the Atlas at a training next month of
THE GREAT LAKES
An Environmental Atlas
and Resource Book
Great Lakes Atlas Title Page.
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August 2002
Significant Activities Report
watershed organizations from around
the Great Lakes and beyond and think it
is a great publication. "
"What a wonderful resource! I have
been a resident of Michigan all my life
and I couldn 't stop reading. I am help-
ing to develop a fourth grade curricu-
lum on the Great Lakes and Shipping.
Thank you for providing a wonderful
source about our wonderful Great
Lakes."
To request a copy of the Great Lakes Atlas,
contact Larry Brail by phone (312-886-
7474), or email (brail.lawrence@epa.gov).
The Atlas is also available on the Web at:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/index.html
Hearing on Erie's "Dead Zone"
On August 5th, U.S. Senator George Voino-
vich presided over a committee field hear-
ing of the Senate Committee on Environ-
ment and Public Works in Cleveland, Ohio,
to help explain the Lake Erie Anoxia (Dead
Zone). USEPA Deputy Regional Adminis-
trator, David Ullrich, presented testimony
on the problems in the Lake Erie ecosystem,
and on USEPA GLNPO's efforts to study
the problem (http://www.senate.gov/~epw/
Ullrich_080502.htm). Other witnesses at the
hearing included Gary Isbell, Executive Ad-
ministrator of Fisheries Management and
Research, Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ohio
Department of Natural Resources; Elaine
Marsh, Board Member of Great Lakes
United. Scientists from the Lake Erie basin
also provided testimony, including Dr. Jef-
frey Reutter, Director of the Ohio Sea Grant
Program; Dr. David Culver of the Ohio
State University; Dr. Robert Heath of Kent
State University; and Dr. Gerald Matisoff of
Case Western Reserve University. All of
these scientists and their institutions were
involved in planning and/or carrying out the
Lake Erie Special Study organized by
USEPA GLNPO (see related stories in this
issue and in the March, May, June, and July
2002 Significant Activities Reports. Dr.
Matisoff is the co-director of the current
Lake Erie Trophic Transfer Supplemental
Study.
Rear Admiral Ronald Silva, Paul Horvatin, Senator
George Voinovich, and David Ullrich onboard the
R/V Lake Guardian in Cleveland, Ohio.
Senator Voinovich and Rear Admiral
Ronald Silva, Commander Ninth Coast
Guard District, Cleveland, toured the R/V
Lake Guardian before the hearing, and par-
ticipated in a short sampling effort in the
Cleveland harbor to collect sediment for Dr.
Gerald Matisoff of Case Western Reserve
University. (Contact: Paul Horvatin,
horvatin.paul@epa.gov, 312-353-3612)
Third Special Lake Erie Survey
The third Lake Erie Supplemental Survey,
in support of GLNPO-funded research into
the anoxia problems in the central basin of
Lake Erie was conducted from August 16th
through August 21st. There were 21 re-
searchers aboard the R/V Lake Guardian for
this survey. As on previous surveys, a num-
ber of different measurements will be taken
and experiments performed. This survey
should coincide with low dissolved oxygen
levels in bottom waters of the central basin
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Little or No Wind
Warmer Water
Strong Wind
Upwelllng of the colder water
How upwelling can bring bottom water nearer the sur-
face when a strong wind blows across the lake.
of Lake Erie. One of the early, and unex-
pected observations from this survey is that
water, low in oxygen, was observed at some
shallow water sites on the northern edge of
the central basin. This may be the result of
upwelling of bottom water due to strong
winds. (Contact: David Rockwell, rockwell.
david@epa.gov, 312-353- 1373)
River Raisin Cleanup Assessment
In late July, the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality placed fish cages at
several locations on the River Raisin as part
of an ongoing, GLNPO-sponsored evalua-
tion of the benefits of a 1997 sediment re-
moval project which removed almost
30,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated
sediments from the vicinity of an industrial
outfall. The fish cages will provide insight
into the bioaccumulation potential of the
PCB contamination that remains in the area,
and will allow comparison to historical
caged-fish data. The cages will be collected
in late August and the fish will be analyzed
for PCB levels. Final results from this sam-
pling are expected in early 2003. The
Aerial view of River Raisin at Monroe, Michigan
(sediment cleanup area is near right edge of photo)..
caged-fish data will augment sediment
chemistry and bioaccumulation data that
was collected at the site in October 2001.
(Contact: Scott Cieniawski, 312-353-9184,
cieniawski.scott@epa.gov.)
Summer Water Quality Survey
The summer water quality survey began on
August 1st, departing from Milwaukee, Wis-
consin. All five Great Lakes will be sam-
pled for water chemistry and biology. Sam-
ples of zooplankton, phytoplankton and
benthos (bottom dwelling organisms) will
be analyzed to assess changes in these bio-
logical communities, as well as looking for
any new invading species. The combined
Scientist collects water sample from rosette sampler.
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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Significant Activities Report
chemical data and biological analyses are
critical components in our annual look at
the health of the Great Lakes. This year, the
survey is supporting additional sampling for
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in
sediments from Lakes Huron, Erie and On-
tario, and sampling for atmospheric con-
taminants in Lake Superior. The survey
will be interrupted for one week,
to provide the ship to the Lake Erie
Trophic Transfer Supplemental Study re-
search group, who are investigating the
Lake Erie "Dead Zone." (Contact: Glenn
Warren: warren.glenn@epa.gov, 312-886-
2405)
Mudpuppy On Genesee River
From July 15th to 17th, the R/VMudpuppy
was in Rochester, New York to collect sedi-
ment samples on the Genesee River. This
sampling survey was part of a collaborative
effort between U.S. EPA GLNPO, New
York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC), and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to conduct a
preliminary assessment of the sediments in
the Rochester Area of Concern (AOC).
Scientists collect sediment core samples from
R/V Mudpuppy.
Sampling and analysis was funded in part
through a GLNPO grant to the NYSDEC
and an interagency agreement with
USFWS. The agency collected sediment
core samples and surficial ponar samples
throughout the AOC including the Genesee
River, Lake Ontario and several bays in the
area. Sediment samples are being analyzed
for chemistry, toxicity, benthic community,
and bioaccumulation. Results will be used
make sediment management decisions
within the AOC, including the possibility of
de-listing several identified use impair-
ments. (Contact: Demaree Collier, 312-886-
0214, collier.demaree@epa.gov).
Funding Organizations Meet
On July 15th, GLNPO staff attended the
Great Lakes Funders' Meeting in Chicago at
the Joyce Foundation offices. Also in atten-
dance were representatives from national
and regional foundations from the United
States and Canada and the Great Lakes Pro-
tection Fund. Using a pre-meeting question-
naire, a chart that captured attendees' grant-
making priorities was revised.
Dick Munson, Executive Director of the
Northeast-Midwest Institute gave an over-
view of public funding for Great Lakes is-
sues. Presentations on water management
and smart growth issues provided topics for
discussion on emerging opportunities for
grant-making. Trends and events discus-
sions focused on the economic downturn
and resulting reduced budgets for grants and
an Ontario perspective. One suggested fu-
ture action for this group is a joint Web
Page that has funders' grant application
timetables, criteria, available dollar
amounts, and brief descriptions of projects
that are funded. This Web Page would make
the search for Great Lakes funding by agen-
cies and organizations much easier.
(Contact: Karen Rodriguez, 312-353-2690,
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rodriguez.karen@epa.gov)
Assessing Forest Health
As part of a cooperative agreement between
GLNPO and the Sigurd Olson Environ-
mental Institute, GLNPO staff is participat-
ing in conference calls regarding the devel-
opment of Great Lakes forest health indica-
tors. Also on the calls were Environment
Canada, USDA Forest Service, Council of
Great Lakes Industries, Great Lakes Forest
Alliance, and others interested developing a
suite of indicators and presenting findings at
the 2002 State of the Great Lakes Ecosys-
tem Conference (SOLEC) this October in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Forest on Isle Royale on Lake Superior.
Federal, State and Provincial agencies in the
United States and Canada have developed
forest indicators based on the Montreal
Process as well as other ongoing processes.
The task for SOLEC is to winnow these to a
number that can be feasibly monitored and
reported on, and that give the most informa-
tion on the ecological status of Great Lakes
forests. It is expected that about a dozen in-
dicators will be chosen and presented for
review at the conference, with further work
on developing a suite continuing after
SOLEC. (Contact: Karen Rodriguez, 312-
353-2690, rodriguez.karen@epa.gov)
Cazenovia Creek Project
With funding assistance from GLNPO, the
Erie County Department of Environment
and Planning in Buffalo, New York carried
out a project whose goal was to restore
habitat in Cazenovia Creek, and to institute
a perpetual community-level stewardship
resource for its continual protection. Caze-
novia Creek is a main tributary to the Buf-
falo River, of which the lower portion is
identified by the International Joint Com-
mission as one of 42 Areas of Concern in
the Great Lakes basin due to poor water
quality and contaminated sediments. Much
of the contaminated sediment load to the
Buffalo River originates in Cazenovia
Creek.
The project had three phases:
• Phase 1 was to establish a project part-
nership. A steering committee made up
of representatives from schools, the
county, and conservation districts was
formed. Called the Cazenovia Creek
Curriculum Committee, it conducted
teacher training, lab days, streambank
cleanups and plantings, and laid the
framework for a new curriculum for the
watershed. It then joined with another
group, the Western New York: Connect-
ing to Learn Program, in order to better
leverage resources.
• Phase 2 was the development of a wa-
tershed curriculum that included out-
door learning about water quality and
ecology.
• Phase 3 implemented the curriculum
with training, fieldwork, cooperative
learning, and promotion of environ-
mental stewardship.
Key accomplishments of the Cazenovia
Creek project included:
• One thousand linear feet of streambank
stabilization work completed,
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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Girl Scouts participating in Earth Day 2002 as part of
the Phase 3, curriculum implementation.
• Direct participation of more than 400
students,
• More than 2,000 students indirectly in-
volved through complementary pro-
grams,
• Two teacher training events, and
• Evolution into the "Connecting to
Learn" program as a new vehicle to con-
tinue the project.
Lessons learned included:
• Accountability is the key,
• Follow-through is a must,
• Program implementation must be flexi-
ble,
• Partnerships do not maintain them-
selves, and
• Opportunities must be created for con-
tinuation of the project without immedi-
ate oversight.
Questions about the project may be directed
to Erie County Department of Environment
and Planning at 716-858-8846. (Contact:
Karen Rodriguez, 312-353-2690, rodriguez.
karen@epa.gov.
Dune and Beach Projects
The Great Lakes National Program Office is
analyzing 106 final grant reports from eco-
logical protection and restoration projects
funded by GLNPO and completed between
1992 and 2001. As part of the analysis, pro-
jects are being analyzed for environmental,
stewardship, and economic results. The fol-
lowing is the analysis of funding for sand
beach and dune projects from the report,
Mining Ideas II, which is currently being
printed and will be distributed shortly.
Of the 106 projects awarded and completed
between 1992-2001, eight were sand
beaches and dunes projects. These projects
protected or restored 462 acres and 2,030
linear feet of sand beaches and sand dunes.
GLNPO funding for these projects was
nearly $600,000, which leveraged almost
$200,000. Of these amounts, over $200,000
went back into the community as contract
dollars to hire stewards and buy the services
of lumberyard products, contractors, and
publishers.
Great Lakes sand dunes comprise the larg-
est collection of freshwater coastal dunes in
the world. They occur on all five lakes. In
the State of Michigan, there are 275,000
acres of which 70,000 acres are protected.
Sand beaches and dunes contribute to a di-
versity of habitats for animals and plants,
Sand dunes at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
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are home to species that live nowhere else
in the world (endemic species), protect the
land from lake storms, and are worth bil-
lions of dollars a year in recreational poten-
tial. Sand from Lake Michigan dunes is
used in automobile manufacturing and other
industries.
in Eastern Lake Ontario (http://www.epa.
gov/glnpo/ecopage/lakeont.html), GLNPO
recently awarded a grant to the Conserva-
tion Fund to undertake actions to protect
and restore the sand communities along the
eastern shore of Lake Michigan.
Indicators to monitor the health of Great
Lakes sand communities will be developed
through the State of the Lakes Ecosystem
Conference process, enlisting the help of
experts on sand communities. (Contact:
Karen Rodriguez, 312-353-2690, rodriguez.
karen@epa.gov)
Pitcher's thistle, an endangered dune plant.
The sand communities of the Great Lakes
are moderately degrading due to invasive
species, shoreline residential development,
off-road vehicles, pedestrian recreational
overuse, and sand mining.
Protection measures that are needed include
the removal of invasive plant species and
partnerships to protect and restore sensitive
areas.
The purpose of the eight sand beach and
sand dune grants was to demonstrate prac-
tices that protect or restore Great Lakes
sand communities. The grants demonstrated
that sand transport mechanisms are poorly
understood. They also demonstrated that
recreational users need to be primary targets
for education and outreach efforts because
their activities significantly impact sand
communities. A dune steward program may
be the best way to undertake education and
outreach. Due to the success demonstrated
in a dune protection and restoration project
We welcome your questions, comments or
suggestions about this month's Significant
Activities Report. To be added to or re-
moved from the Email distribution of the
Significant Activities Report, please contact
Tony Kizlauskas, 312-353-8773,
kizlauskas.anthony@epa.gov.
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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