Great Lakes Jrfct
RESTORATION! Tw
GREAT LAKES
RESTORATION INITIATIVE
ACTION PLAN III W
Fiscal Year 2020 - Fiscal Year 2024
October 2019
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Great Lakes
RESTORATION
' ' u
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI or the Initiative) was launched in 2010 as a
non-regulatory program to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world, and
to provide additional resources to make progress toward the most critical long-term goals for this important ecosystem.
The GLRI has been a catalyst for unprecedented federal agency coordination, which has in turn produced unprecedented
results. For example, under the Initiative's Action Plans I and II, GLRI accomplished the formal delisting of the Presque Isle
Bay (PA), Deer Lake (Ml), and White Lake (Ml) Areas of Concern and moved a number of the remaining Areas of Concern
closer to delisting through the removal of numerous environmental impairments. This activity reflects a major change from the
25 years before the Initiative, during which only one Area of Concern was delisted. GLRI resources have also been used for
projects that have prevented more than one million pounds of phosphorus from entering the Great Lakes, reducing the excess
phosphorus that contributes to harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay, and Green Bay. The GLRI produces
economic benefits as well. A 2018 University of Michigan study* shows that every dollar of federal spending on GLRI projects
between 2010 and 2016 will produce $3.35 in additional economic activity in the Great Lakes region through 2036. Restoration
projects undertaken by GLRI partners include not only enhancement and rehabilitation projects, but also projects that protect
existing high-quality resources. In general, protecting existing resources is less costly than restoring degraded resources.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, the GLRI federal agencies that make
up the GLRI Interagency Task Force and Regional Working Group
(GLRI federal agencies - see back cover) will continue to use GLRI
resources to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great
Lakes ecosystem and associated human health issues. By adding
GLRI resources to federal agency base budgets and using the
combined resources to work with nonfederal partners to implement
protection and restoration projects, GLRI federal agencies will
continue to accelerate progress toward achieving long-term goals
(see below). To guide this work during the next five years, GLRI
federal agencies have developed GLRI Action Plan III. All proposed
federal actions are subject to final Congressional appropriations.
GLRI Action Plan III outlines the next phase of work on Great
Lakes environmental problems, many of which will take decades to
resolve. GLRI Action Plan III lays out the necessary next steps to get
us closer to the day when we will be able to achieve our long-term
goals for the Great Lakes and our commitments under the Great
Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the U.S. and Canada.
# *
* i*
Through Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, the GLRI federal agencies have
invested over $2,4 billion from the GLRI for over 4,000 projects
to improve water quality, protect and restore native habitat
and species, prevent and control invasive species, and address
other Great Lakes environmental problems.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Accelerates Great
Lakes Protection and Restoration in Five Focus Areas
FY 2010- FY 2014:
GLRI Action Plan I
FY 2015-FY 2019:
GLRI Action Plan II
FY 2020 - FY 2024:
GLRI Action Plan III
Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern
Invasive Species
Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health
Habitats and Species
Foundations for Future Restoration Actions
Long-Term Goals for the
Great Lakes Ecosystem
All Areas of Concern delisted
Fish safe to eat
Water safe for recreation
Safe source of drinking water
No new self-sustaining invasive
species
Existing invasive species
controlled
Harmful/nuisance algal blooms
eliminated
Habitat protected and restored
to sustain healthy ecosystem
function and native species
*Socioeconomic Impacts of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. University of Michigan Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics. September 30, 2018.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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GLRI ACTION PLAN III
GLRI Action Plan III is responsive to Clean Water Act Section 118 amendments in 2015 and 2016 that codified the GLRI.
This codification includes a mandate to review and revise the Action Plan every five years and to address five priority areas.
The first four of these priority areas correspond directly with the first four Focus Areas listed on the previous page. The fifth
priority area is addressed within the fifth Focus Area - Foundations for Future Restoration Actions - and within the GLRI
operating principles. The Focus Areas are not silos; GLRI agencies will continue to coordinate and collaborate across Focus
Areas in recognition of the interrelated nature of many Great Lakes issues.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies will continue to identify and implement the programs and projects that will
best advance progress toward achieving long-term Great Lakes goals in partnership with states, tribes, and other nonfederal
stakeholders. The GLRI federal agencies will also continue to work collaboratively with partners to effectively and efficiently
move toward achieving those goals, maintaining the progress that has been made, and communicating results.
GLRI Action Plan III continues to specify objectives with related commitments and measures of progress for each Focus Area.
Recognizing that it will take many years to document ecological and human health benefits for an ecosystem as large and
complex as the Great Lakes, the measures of progress track progress toward achieving the GLRI's long-term goals, but focus
on outputs and/or outcomes that can be measured over the five-year period covered by this Action Plan. Agencies will report
annually on 23 measures of progress, identified on page 4, including 14 measures that have annual targets.
GLRI Action Plan III reflects the many ideas developed during the first 10 years of the GLRI that were contributed by the Great
Lakes Advisory Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board, the Government Accountability
Office, the Congressional Research Service, states, tribes, municipalities, and the general public. The GLRI federal agencies will
continue to actively seek additional input from their many partners to protect and restore the Great Lakes.
The following principles will guide GLRI planning and implementation under
Action Plan III.
Accountability and Reporting - The GLRI federal agencies will continue to track the progress and results of GLRI
projects, including reporting on GLRI progress through the annual report required under Clean Water Act Section 118.
Annual reports and other documents that describe GLRI reporting methodology can be found online at
www.glri.us/documents. The agencies will also continue to report Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement activities through
the triennial Progress Reports of the Parties, as well as the overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem through the
triennial State of the Great Lakes reports.
Communication and Outreach - The GLRI federal agencies will continue to update publicly available online information
and will seek new ways to communicate about the program and status of ongoing work. The agencies will continue to
communicate scientific findings broadly to help inform and prioritize future work.
Partnerships and Engagement - The GLRI federal agencies will continue to draw from clearly communicated priorities
and actions identified in Lakewide Action and Management Plans and Biodiversity Conservation Strategies (see
www.glri.us/documents) by Lake Partnerships and other Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement activities to influence
annual planning. In selecting the best combination of programs and projects for the Great Lakes protection and
restoration, GLRI federal agencies will continue to consult with the Great Lakes states and tribes and engage with other
nonfederal stakeholders. GLRI federal agencies will also continue to emphasize public/private partnerships. Further, the
GLRI federal agencies will continue to work with tribal governments in the spirit of self-determination and consistent with
federal Indian trust responsibilities and to support tribal priorities that are consistent with GLRI goals and objectives.
Project Sustainability - The GLRI federal agencies will continue to encourage project plans and designs that are
resilient to the effects of multiple stressors, including a changing climate, ecological change, invasive species,
population pressures, and other variables. GLRI federal agencies will also encourage project stewardship to promote the
sustainability and long-term benefits of projects.
Science-Based Adaptive Management - The GLRI federal agencies will continue to support and enhance the science-
based adaptive management approach developed under Action Plan II. Within and across each Focus Area, the GLRI
federal agencies will use a structured management approach for addressing environmental uncertainties by testing
hypotheses, linking science to decision making, and adjusting project implementation, as necessary, to improve the
probability of success. GLRI federal agencies will use this flexible approach to monitor project effectiveness and inform
future restoration actions using the best available science and traditional ecological knowledge in decision making.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
2
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FY 2020 - FY 2024 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan Summary
Focus Areas Objectives
Focus Area 1:
Toxic
Substances
and Areas of
Concern
Focus Area 2:
Invasive
Species
Focus Area 3:
Nonpoint
Source
Pollution
Impacts on
Nearshore
Health
Focus Area 4:
Habitats and
Species
Focus Area 5:
Foundations
for Future
Restoration
Actions
1.1. Remediate, restore, and delist Areas of
Concern.
1.2. Share information on the risks and benefits
of consuming Great Lakes fish, wildlife, and
harvested plant resources with the people who
consume them.
1.3. Increase knowledge about (1) "Chemicals
of Mutual Concern" identified pursuant to
the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement's
Annex 3; and (2) other priority chemicals
that have negatively impacted, or have the
potential to negatively impact, the ecological
or public health of the Great Lakes.
2.1. Prevent introductions of new invasive
species.
2.2. Control established invasive species.
2.3. Develop invasive species control
technologies and refine management
techniques.
3.1. Reduce nutrient loads from agricultural
watersheds.
3.2. Reduce untreated stormwater runoff.
3.3. Improve effectiveness of nonpoint source
control and refine management efforts.
4.1. Protect and restore communities of native
aquatic and terrestrial species important to the
Great Lakes.
4.2. Increase resiliency of species through
comprehensive approaches that complement
on-the-ground habitat restoration and
protection.
5.1. Educate the next generation about the
Great Lakes ecosystem.
5.2. Conduct comprehensive science programs
and projects.
Commitments
Implement management actions necessary to remove Beneficial
Use Impairments and delist Areas of Concern.
Increase the availability and accessibility of information to
vulnerable populations that consume Great Lakes fish, wildlife,
and harvested plant resources.
Fill critical data gaps for Annex 3 and other priority chemicals
in the Great Lakes through discrete monitoring and assessment
activities.
Work with Great Lakes states and tribes to conduct rapid
response actions or exercises.
Manage pathways through which invasive species can be
introduced to the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Conduct early detection and surveillance activities.
Implement control projects for GLRI-targeted invasive species.
Conduct field testing of innovative control technologies and
methods to prevent the introduction and to control the spread of
invasive species.
Develop/enhance invasive species-specific collaboratives to
support rapid responses and communicate the latest control and
management techniques.
Implement systems of conservation practices on farms and in
streams to reduce and treat nutrient runoff.
Increase adoption of enhanced nutrient management practices
to reduce risk of nutrient losses from farmland.
Increase implementation of green infrastructure practices to
infiltrate stormwater runoff.
Implement watershed management projects in urban and rural
communities to reduce runoff and erosion.
Assess achievement of Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement's
Annex 4 nutrient targets.
Evaluate effectiveness of nonpoint source projects.
Develop new or improved approaches for reducing or preventing
harmful algal blooms.
Identify habitats that support important Great Lakes species
and take actions to restore, protect, enhance, and/or provide
connectivity for these habitats.
Update and implement recovery actions for federal threatened,
endangered, and candidate species.
Support population-level protections, enhancements, and
re-introductions for state, tribal, and Great Lakes native species
of importance.
Support experience-based learning opportunities for youth to
promote Great Lakes stewardship.
Assess overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem and identify
the most significant remaining problems.
Identify cross-cutting science priorities and implement projects
to address those priorities.
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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Measures of Progress - These measures track results produced from GLRI funding unless otherwise noted.
1.1.1 .** Areas of Concern where all management actions necessary for delisting have been implemented.
1.1.2.** Beneficial Use Impairments removed in Areas of Concern.
1.1.3.* Areas of Concern with a complete and approved list of all management actions necessary for delisting.
1.2.1. Number of state and tribal organizations that collect and share information with vulnerable populations regarding the
consumption of Great Lakes fish, wildlife, and harvested plant resources.
1.3.1. Discrete chemical monitoring and assessment activities conducted.
2.1.1 .* Rapid responses or exercises conducted.
2.1.2. Projects that manage pathways through which invasive species can be introduced to the Great Lakes ecosystem.
2.1.3. Early detection and surveillance activities conducted.
2.2.1 .* Aquatic/terrestrial acreage controlled.
2.3.1. Technologies and methods field tested.
2.3.2. Collaboratives developed/enhanced.
3.1.1 .* Estimated pounds of phosphorus reductions from conservation practice implementation throughout Great Lake watersheds.
3.1,2.*# Acres receiving technical or financial assistance on nutrient management in priority watersheds.
3.2.1 .* Estimated gallons (in millions) of untreated stormwater runoff captured or treated.
3.2.2.* Miles of Great Lakes shoreline and riparian corridors restored or protected.
3.3.1.* Nutrient monitoring and assessment activities conducted.
3.3.2.* Nutrient or stormwater runoff reduction practices or tools developed or evaluated.
4.1.1 .* Acres of coastal wetland, nearshore, and other habitats restored, protected, or enhanced.
4.1.2.* Miles of connectivity established for aquatic species.
4.2.1 .* Species benefited where actions have been completed to significantly protect or promote recovery of populations.
5.1.1. Youth impacted through education and stewardship projects.
5.2.1. Annual Great Lakes monitoring conducted and used to prioritize GLRI funding decisions.
5.2.2. Identify and address cross-Focus Area science priorities to support implementation of GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement.
* These measures have a numerical target.
^Measures 1.1.1, 1.1.2, and 3.1.2 track results from GLRI and other federal funding.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan I
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FOCUS AREA 1
TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND AREAS OF CONCERN
Objective
1.1. Remediate, restore,
and delist Areas of
Concern.
Commitment
Implement management actions necessary to remove Beneficial Use
Impairments and delist Areas of Concern.
y
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and their state, tribal,
local, and private partners have accelerated cleanup of Areas of
Concern - areas designated as the most contaminated sites on the
Great Lakes under the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Cleanup of Areas of Concern has led to community revitalization,
which is especially important in environmental justice communities and
opportunity zones.
Cleanup of Areas of Concern is achieved through remediation
and restoration work, which then leads to removing Beneficial Use
Impairments. Areas of Concern are delisted when all the Beneficial Use
Impairments have been removed. From the start of the GLRI through
the end of FY 2018, GLRI federal agencies and their partners removed
70 Beneficial Use Impairments in 23 Areas of Concern - seven times
the number removed in the 22 years preceding the establishment of
the GLRI. Three Areas of Concern have also been delisted: Presque
Isle Bay in Pennsylvania and Deer Lake and White Lake in Michigan.
Additionally, GLRI federal agencies and their partners completed all the
management actions required at eight more Areas of Concern:
River Raisin (Ml) Sheboygan River (Wl)
Lower Menominee (MI/WI) Waukegan Harbor (IL)
St. Clair River (Ml) Ashtabula River (OH)
St. Marys River (Ml) Rochester Embayment (NY)
How do you restore an Area of Concern?
The process for removing Beneficial Use
Impairments and delisting Areas of Concern
starts with a scientific assessment by the state and
GLRI federal agencies to determine the extent to
which beneficial uses are impaired and the types
of management actions required to remediate
the Area of Concern. After management actions
are implemented, a monitoring and verification
plan may be implemented by the state agency,
the local public advisory council, EPA, and others,
if necessary, to determine whether the Beneficial
Use Impairments removal criteria have been met.
An Area of Concern is eligible to be delisted
when all Beneficial Use Impairments have
been removed.
Examples of Beneficial Use Impairments include,
but are not limited to: restrictions on fish
and wildlife consumption; degraded fish and
wildlife populations; degradation of benthos;
restrictions on dredging activities; loss offish
and wildlife habitat; bird or animal deformities
or reproductive problems; fish tumors or other
deformities; and beach closings.
U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Status
^ Delisted Areas of Concern (4)
Areas of Concern with
Management Actions
Completed (8)
9 Remaining Areas of Concern
(19)
St. Louis^River
Torch Lake
Deer Lake
St. Marys River
Manistique River
St. Lawrence River
Lower Menompnee Rive
Lower Green Bay/Fox River
Oswego River
Sheboygan River
Eicprteen Mile Creek
Niagara River
White Lake Saginaw Rivey& Bay
Muskegon Lake _ S1 C|ai^ive,
R o ch e ste*Jzm bay me nt
Buffalo River
Mi waukee Estua
Clinton River
Kalarfnazoo River ^LDetiolt Rtfer ^pfesque Is]
River Raisin _.n^tabu|a River
uyahcfga River
ukegan Harb
Gralad Calumet Rivter
aumee River
Black Riv
Status: July 2018
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 1
Measures of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/
Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
1.1.1. Areas of Concern where all
management actions necessary for delisting
have been implemented.
Baseline: 12
Universe: 31
16
18
19
20
22
1.1.2. Beneficial Use Impairments removed
in Areas of Concern.
Baseline: 80
Universe: 255
93
101
109
118
128
1.1.3. Areas of Concern with a complete and
approved list of all management actions
necessary for delisting.
Baseline: 18
Universe: 31
22
24
26
28
31
"Baselines" identify results through FY 2018 and "Targets" are cumulative. "Universes" represent the total number possible.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRl federal
agencies and their state, tribal, local, and private
partners will continue their remediation and
restoration efforts and will continue to implement
management actions in all remaining Areas
of Concern. Management actions at the five
remaining Areas of Concern that were originally
targeted for management action completion
under Action Plan II (covering FY 2015- FY 2019)
are expected to be completed by FY 2021: Buffalo
River, Manistique River, Clinton River, Black River,
and Muskegon Lake. Also, following input from
states and tribes, the following 10 additional Areas
of Concern have been identified where completion
of management actions could conceivably be
achieved in the next five years:
Path to Delisting
Goal:
Complete management action*
lhat will lead to
Beneficial Use Impairment
(BUI) Removal and
Area of Concern
Delisting.
Delisting
lofirtonng
for achievement
of BUI targets
BUI:
ActioWs are complete
D.il.i rปhcm lh.nl BUI removal
criteria have been met
Execute
Management Actions:
Execute actions with
available funding
Develop
Management Actions:
Establish projects thai will
lead io rertjoval of each BUI
St. Lawrence River (NY)
Milwaukee Estuary (Wl)
Torch Lake (Ml)
Rouge River (Ml)
Eighteen Mile Creek (NY)
BUIs Removed
70 BUIs
imoved unde
the GLRI
Grand Calumet River (IN)
Cuyahoga River (OH)
Lower Green Bay/
Fox River (Wl)
St. Louis River (MN/WI)
Maumee River (OH)
The Action Plan has set a target of actually completing
all management actions at five of those 10 Areas
of Concern. The five Areas of Concern where all
management actions will be completed will depend
on a number of factors, including the number and
complexity of the management actions necessary to
remove Beneficial Use Impairments.
. , . i - Fiscal Year
Management actions are on-the-ground actions,
including, but not limited to, remediating
contaminated sediment through public/private partnerships and restoring habitat (e.g., improving fish passage, restoring
wetlands, and removing dams), that will ultimately lead to the removal of Beneficial Use Impairments.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies and their partners will also identify all of the management actions necessary
for delisting at all of the Areas of Concern. Management action lists, compilations of remediation and restoration projects
needed to remove Beneficial Use Impairments, constitute the "blueprints" for delisting Areas of Concern.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies and their state, tribal, and local partners* will hit the halfway point for
removing Beneficial Use Impairments - a cumulative total of 128 out of 255 Beneficial Use Impairments are expected to be
removed by the end of Action Plan III. While the delisting of Areas of Concern is not a specific measure of progress, delisting
all Areas of Concern is the ultimate goal of the Area of Concern program.
? 100
* Including local Area of Concern advisory groups.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
6
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FOCUS AREA 1
TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND AREAS OF CONCERN
Objective
1.2. Share information on
the risks and benefits of
consuming Great Lakes fish,
wildlife, and harvested plant
resources with the people who
consume them.
Commitment
Increase the availability and
accessibility of information to
vulnerable populations that
consume Great Lakes fish,
wildlife, and harvested plant
resources.
Measure of Progress
1.2.1. Number of state and tribal
organizations that collect and share
information with vulnerable populations
regarding the consumption of Great
Lakes fish, wildlife, and harvested
plant resources.
Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories
Fish advisory program managers from government health, water quality and fisheries agencies
collaborate through the Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories (Consortium).
Consortium members share fish contaminant data and assessment methods to promote consistency
in fish consumption advice when communicating the risks and benefits of consuming fish to the
public. Members use common educational messaging and coordinate outreach approaches
for health education and community engagement. The Consortium seeks to communicate fish
consumption advisories that will most effectively influence the behavior of fish consumers across the
Great Lakes.
Since the GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and
their state and tribal partners have sought to increase
the public's knowledge of the risks and benefits offish
consumption. They have also formed partnerships, such
as the Consortium, to provide better fish consumption
information in order to influence consumers to make
healthier choices. The Consortium, along with individual
federal, state, and tribal programs, has tested Great Lakes
fish consumption messaging, designed new materials,
evaluated effectiveness of the messaging, revised them as
needed, and disseminated the improved state- and tribal-
issued fish consumption guidelines.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal
agencies and their state and tribal partners will continue
to help the public make informed decisions about healthy
options for safe fish consumption, including expanding
successful programs into other areas of the basin. This
expansion will increase the availability and accessibility of
safe fish consumption guidelines, as established by states
and tribes, to vulnerable populations that consume Great
Lakes fish. Agencies and their partners will also include more
emphasis on the safe consumption of other wildlife and
harvested plant resources. GLRI federal agencies and their
partners will address the needs of vulnerable populations,
particularly in environmental justice communities, and will
provide the opportunity for the states and tribes to develop
more innovative and effective outreach practices. Activities
may include collection of information for use in programs
to inform vulnerable populations and may incorporate
traditional ecological knowledge.
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 1
Objective
1.3. Increase knowledge about
(1) "Chemicals of Mutual Concern" identified
pursuant to the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement's Annex 3; and (2) other priority
chemicals that have negatively impacted, or
have the potential to negatively impact,
the ecological or public health of the
Great Lakes.
Commitment
Fill critical data gaps for
Annex 3 and other priority
chemicals in the Great Lakes
through discrete monitoring
and assessment activities.
Measure of Progress
1.3.1. Discrete chemical
monitoring and
assessment activities
conducted.
Since GLRI began, glri federal
agencies and their partners have
characterized and assessed risks that
emerging contaminants may pose to
Great Lakes fish and wildlife, including
completion of an evaluation of those
contaminants with the greatest
potential to adversely impact Great
Lakes fish and wildlife. Through these
characterizations and assessments,
GLRI federal agencies and their
partners were able to gain a better
understanding of the presence and
distribution of emerging contaminants,
potential routes of exposure, and
potential impacts on fish and wildlife.
GLRI federal agencies and their
partners completed laboratory and field
studies evaluating the biological effects
of chemical mixtures and of long-term
exposure offish and other high-priority
wildlife to contaminants.
Under GLRI Action Plan III,
GLRI federal agencies will coordinate
with appropriate state and tribal
partners to fill critical monitoring
and data gaps for priority chemicals
in the Great Lakes. Conducting
discrete monitoring projects will
increase knowledge of Great Lakes
Water Quality Agreement's Annex 3
Chemicals of Mutual Concern and other
priority chemicals that have negatively
impacted, or have the potential to
negatively impact, the health of
the Great Lakes. Monitoring data
generated through this process will
provide information on the magnitude
and extent of these chemicals in the
Great Lakes. For example, Great Lakes
monitoring data may be collected to
support EPA's Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances Action Plan.
Annex 3 of the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement calls for
protection of human health and the
environment through cooperative
and coordinated measures to reduce
the release of Chemicals of Mutual
Concern from human activities
into the Waters of the Great Lakes.
The eight chemicals binationally
designated as Chemicals of Mutual
Concern currently include:
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
Long-Chain Perfluorinated
carboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs)
Mercury
Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)
Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers
(PBDEs)
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins
(SCCPs)
Identify and target
Chemicals of Mutual
Concern and other priority
chemicals for discrete
science and
assessment activities
Implement discrete
science and assessment
activities
Evaluate and report
project results
Process to Identify Chemicals of Mutual Concern Under Annex 3 of the
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
8
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FOCUS AREA 2
INVASIVE SPECIES
Commitments
Work with Great Lakes states and tribes to conduct rapid response actions
or exercises.
Manage pathways through which invasive species can be introduced to the
Great Lakes ecosystem.
Conduct early detection and surveillance activities.
Objective
2.1. Prevent introductions of
new invasive species.
Since GLRI began, glri federal
agencies and their partners have
continued diligent efforts to prevent
new introductions of invasive species
in the Great Lakes ecosystem and
to control existing invasive species
populations. GLRI federal agencies
and their partners have conducted
49 early detection field surveillances
from FY 2015 through FY 2018. GLRI
federal agencies and their partners
also completed a total of 65 exercises
and responses from FY 2015 through
FY 2018 in response to new invasive
species occurrences or expansion of
the current range of existing invasive
species, more than doubling the target
of eight rapid responses and exercises
per year over this period.
GLRI federal agencies and their
partners continued extensive efforts
to prevent bighead and silver carp
from becoming established in the
Great Lakes ecosystem. Gl Rl funded
actions during Action Plan II included
installing and maintaining barriers to
close Asian carp pathways to the Great
Lakes, developing genetic testing tools,
conducting contract fishing to remove
over six million pounds of Asian carp
from Upper Illinois Waterways near
Lake Michigan, and assisting the Asian
Carp Regional Coordinating Committee
(ACRCC) to implement the Asian Carp
Action Plan.
Surveillance programs continued to be
a priority, forming the foundation for a
multi-species early detection network.
These surveillance activities were further
refined and targeted by identifying
11 primary "injurious wildlife" species
that have the potential to become
invasive and highly detrimental to the
Great Lakes. Other key GLRI-funded
projects included the testing of new
technologies for managing ship ballast
waters and establishing boat-washing
stations in Michigan, Wisconsin,
New York, and on tribal lands to reduce
the potential for inadvertent spread
of invasive species by recreational
boats. Public education efforts have
also helped boaters, anglers, and other
resource users prevent the spread of
invasive species.
How Can Invasive Species
Get into the Great Lakes?
Canals and waterways
Recreational boating
Commercial shipping
Illegal trade of banned species
Release of aquarium species
Release of live bait
Spread of plant species purchased
through nurseries, internet sales,
and water garden trade
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan
Beneficial reductions of Asian carp
occurrence (bar graph) in upstream
portions of Illinois River due to
GLRI-supported contract fishing.
Reductions in Asian carp occurrence
just adjacent to Great Lakes waters
is one of many techniques used to
avoid establishment of this invasive
species within the Great Lakes.
Asian Carp
Population Observation
1.40
ฆ 2012 B2015
ฆ 2013 12016
2014 B2017
Starved Rock
Lock and Dam
ฉ2018 Google Earth
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FOCUS AREA 2
Measure of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/
Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
2.1.1. Rapid responses or exercises
conducted.
Baseline: 8
Universe: N/A
8
8
8
8
8
Additional Measures of Progress
2.1.2. Projects that manage pathways through which invasive species can be introduced to the
Great Lakes ecosystem.
2.1.3. Early detection and surveillance activities conducted.
"Baseline" identifies regularly expected annual exercises (1 per each of the 8 Great Lakes States). "Targets" for Measure 2.1.1 are not
cumulative. "Universe" is not applicable.
Under GLRI Action Plan III,
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will
continue to prevent new invasive species from
establishing self-sustaining populations in the
Great Lakes ecosystem. GLRI federal agencies
and their partners will continue to increase the
effectiveness of existing surveillance programs
by increasing detection abilities through the
use of new and emerging technologies (e.g.,
environmental DNA or eDNA). GLRI will continue
to support risk assessments that identify future potential
invaders and their likely pathways of invasion to strategically
allocate resources and attention to stakeholders who play an
important role in stopping new invaders from entering the
Great Lakes. GLRI partners will be able to use risk assessments
in combination with updated "least wanted" lists (such as http://
www.gsgp.org/media/2017/ais-least-wanted-announcement.pdf)
to focus prevention activities. Increasing the ability and frequency
of Great Lakes states to quickly address new invasions or range
expansion of existing invasive species will be a key GLRI strategy.
Because the Great Lakes can be a freshwater invasion pathway to the 31 states
within the Mississippi River watershed and beyond, these prevention efforts will also
benefit the entire nation.
Great Lakes Early Detection and
Surveillance Program
Locations sampled by the
Great Lakes Early Detection
and Surveillance Program are
marked with a O. This program is a
collaboration between states and
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and is
supported by the GLRI. Both traditional
aquatic sampling methods and emerging
technologies are deployed at these locations
to detect non-native species and track the
expansion of non-native species over time.
GLRI will continue to help protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp, principally
through prevention, control, and response actions. For example, GLRI funding
supports (i) construction projects to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes via Eagle Marsh (outside Fort Wayne, IN)
and the Ohio-Erie Canal (Akron, ON); (ii) contract fishing (pictured below) to control Asian carp in the Illinois River; and
(iii) coordinated state and federal rapid responses in Lake Erie to remove grass carp. With support from the GLRI, the ACRCC
will continue to work to implement the Asian carp action plan to prevent the various species of Asian carp, including grass carp,
black carp, silver carp, and bighead carp, from establishing self-sustaining populations in the Great Lakes.
Protecting the Great Lakes from Asian Carp
The ACRCC implements annual Asian Carp
action plans that include surveillance, response
actions, and testing of new control technologies.
For example, the 2019 Asian Carp Action Plan
includes aggressive new prevention and control
efforts, including expanded Asian carp population
reduction along established fronts, large-scale field trials of
potential barriers and deterrent technologies, and actions to
address black and grass carp threats. More information about
the ACRCC and the Asian Carp Action Plan is available at
http://www.asiancarp.us.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
Contract fishing and removal of Asian carp species in the
Illinois River is an example of critical activity identified by the
Asian Carp Action Plan and supported by GLRI.
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FOCUS AREA 2
INVASIVE SPECIES
Objective
_ . Commitment
2.2. Control
established * Implement control projects for GLRI-targeted invasive species,
invasive species.
Controlling Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Basin
GLRI partners inspecting the effectiveness of terrestrial
invasive species control along Lake Michigan sand dunes,
Since GLRI began, GLRI
federal agencies and their partners
have implemented projects to
control invasive species, including,
but not limited to: baby's breath,
buckthorn, emerald ash borer, Eurasian
watermilfoil, garlic mustard, Hydrilla,
japanese knotweed, invasive strains
of phragmites, purple loosestrife, and
sea lamprey.
Since 2010, GLRI partners adapted to
the discovery of new, non-native species
and better mapping of the distribution
of invasive species. The focus of GLRI
invasive species control projects is
expected to continue to adapt and
change to highlight new species of
emerging concern.
GLRI federal agencies and their
partners responded to numerous
invasive problem areas, with notable
efforts including controlling Hydrilla
infestations in New York, as well as
Phragmites and invasive mussels across
the basin. These control projects were
done with partners that will continue
maintenance and stewardship beyond
the duration of the federally funded
projects. Most projects will require
additional, low-level maintenance as
sites progress toward full recovery.
11
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 2
Measure of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/
Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
2.2.1. Aquatic/terrestrial acreage
controlled.
Baseline: 153,569
Universe: N/A
165,000
171,000
177,000
183,000
189,000
"Baseline" identifies results through FY2018 and "Targets" are cumulative. "Universe" is not applicable.
Under GLRI Action Plan III,
GLRI federal agencies and their
partners will continue controlling
aquatic, wetland, and terrestrial invasive
species with an additional emphasis on
maintaining the benefits of previously
completed projects. Federal land
management agencies (National Park
Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
and U.S. Forest Service) will continue to
implement control projects in national
forests, parks, wildlife refuges, and other
federal lands where they have direct
implementation responsibility. These
federal land management agencies will
also continue to partner with states,
tribes, and neighboring communities
to promote larger-scale protection and
restoration through control programs,
such as Cooperative Weed Management
Areas and Partnerships for Regional
Invasive Species Management.
The Great Lakes Sea Lamprey Control
Program will continue to identify
strategic barriers to lamprey expansion
and actively pursue actions to maintain
their effectiveness while also advancing
new control technologies. Sea lamprey
control will be critical to ensuring that
other GLRI accomplishments, such as
the restoration of native open lake fish
species, are not compromised in future
years. Overall, invasive species control
activities will continue to be strategically
implemented to advance resiliency of
GLRI projects.
Supporting Sustainable Invasive Species Control through
Community Projects
The GLRI is actively building the capability of Great Lakes communities to
manage invasive species through supporting on-the-ground and in-the-water
control projects by increasing local capacity and motivating use of adaptive
management principles.
Improved detection, prevention, Established regional networks of
and control capabilities through on-the-ground invasive species
documenting successes. control and treatment teams.
Local communities have relied on GLRI support to increase capacity to address both aquatic invasive species, including Hydrilla in
New York (left photo) and various terrestrial invasive plant species in northern Wisconsin (right photo).
Empowered the public to
reduce spread of invasive
species.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
12
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FOCUS AREA 2
INVASIVE SPECIES
Objective
2.3. Develop invasive
species control
technologies and
refine management
techniques.
Commitments
Conduct field testing of innovative control technologies and methods to
prevent the introduction and to control the spread of invasive species.
Develop/enhance invasive species-specific collaboratives to support rapid
responses and communicate the latest control and management techniques.
Since GLRI began, glri federal
agencies and their partners have
worked to develop and enhance
several invasive species control
technologies. Researchers worked to
develop techniques to detect, attract,
and remove Asian carp. Sea lamprey
pheromones were synthesized
and field-tested to assess whether
pheromones can be used to improve
the efficiency of trapping sea lamprey.
New procedures were developed and
refined for testing the efficacy of ballast
water treatment systems in the Great
Lakes. Two innovative technologies
were developed and field-tested as
new controls for Phragmites. New
partnerships and stakeholder networks
were established for monecious
Hydrilla, grass carp, and invasive
mussels. These partnerships, also
known as collaboratives, support rapid
responses and communicate the latest
control and management techniques.
The Importance of Developing Invasive
Species Control Technologies
A number of effective control technologies have been
developed to control invasive species in the Great Lakes.
One of the longest-running and most effective invasive
control technology programs is the sea lamprey control
program. Its success is largely due to a multi-year effort
to test almost 6,000 chemical compounds to identify the
compound that most effectively controls sea lampreys
without harming other species. GLRI federal agencies
and their partners are using GLRI support to further
refine sea lamprey control techniques and to develop
targeted control methods for other invasive species
impacting the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Developing Invasive Species Control Technology for the Great Lakes Ecosystem
Focus of GLRI Support
Develop conceptual designs.
Complete proof-of-concept studies.
J
3
Perform lab testing and small-scale field testing.
Demonstrate control technology on a larger scale.
Deploy technology.
)
GLRI provides support for invasive species control technologies with proven potential that require additional testing.
With that support, technologies have been deployed for Hydrilla and Phragmites. Additional technology testing and
demonstration will continue to control these and other invasive species.
13
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 2
Measures of Progress
2.3.1. Technologies and methods field tested.
2.3.2. Collaboratives developed/enhanced.
Under GLRI Action Plan III,
GLRI federal agencies and their
partners will continue to develop
and enhance technologies to control
Great Lakes invasive species by moving
the latest technologies for invasive
species detection and control from
the testing phase to implementation
in the field. GLRI federal agencies
will continue to enhance invasive
species collaboratives to support
rapid responses and to communicate
the latest control and management
techniques. The Hydrilla collaborative
will demonstrate how small patches of
Hydrilla can be eliminated without the
use of large- scale treatments. GLRI
federal agencies will continue to further
refine sea lamprey control techniques
and will work to develop targeted
control methods for other invasive
species impacting the Great Lakes
ecosystem.
The GLRI will continue to support the
Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative
to facilitate communication across the
region and serve as the resource center
for information on Phragmites biology
management, and scientific research.
Members of the Great Lakes Phragmites
Collaborative identified the need for
data-driven best management practices
and developed the Phragmites
Adaptive Management Framework to
learn from management activities basin
wide and guide future management
decisions.
Treatment A
Treatment B
Treatment C
Treatment E
GLRI is supporting experiments and data collection as ongoing invasive species projects are implemented so that the effectiveness
of these projects across the Great Lakes is known, Phragmites control including mowing (Treatment A), aerial spraying (Treatment B),
backpack spraying (Treatment C), burning (Treatment D), and flooding (Treatment E) are examples of a variety of approaches that may
have varying success depending on the setting of project. A learning-while-doing approach, or adaptive management, will be applied to
Phragmites control and other invasive species control efforts to increase the success rate and resiliency of future investments.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
14
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FOCUS AREA 3
NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION
IMPACTS ON NEARSHORE HEALTH
Commitments
Implement systems of conservation practices on farms and in streams to
reduce and treat nutrient runoff.
Increase adoption of enhanced nutrient management practices to reduce
risk of nutrient losses from farmland.
Objective
3.1. Reduce nutrient
loads from agricultural
watersheds.
Reducing Nutrient Runoff - Accomplishments to Date under GLRI
P
Phosphorus
More than one million
pounds of phosphorus runoff
reduced from farmlands.
More than 700,000 cropland acres
under conservation in agricultural
priority watersheds.
Since GLRI began, glri federal
agencies and their partners have
funded multiple activities to reduce
nutrient runoff and prevent nearshore
harmful and nuisance algal blooms.
Phosphorus runoff from agricultural
lands is an important source of excess
nutrients to Great Lakes nearshore
areas. Because implementing measures
to prevent erosion and runoff from
farmlands is often voluntary, the bulk of
GLRI efforts to date has been to provide
farmers with financial and technical
resources to adopt conservation
practices. Outreach and funding have
been targeted to where they would
have the greatest impact on improving
water quality.
GLRI federal agencies have used GLRI
support to promote better nutrient
management and more than double
the number of farmland acres enrolled
in agricultural conservation programs
in four priority watersheds. These
programs have helped producers
reduce phosphorus in runoff,
preventing more than one million
pounds of phosphorus from washing off
agricultural lands to date. Continued
support for technical assistance and
comprehensive conservation planning
will be vital to sustaining and further
reducing excess nutrient loads into the
Great Lakes.
Agricultural Priority
Watersheds, glri
federal agencies and
partners are currently
focusing phosphorus
reduction efforts in four
GLRI priority watersheds:
the Lower Fox River, the
Saginaw River, the Maumee
River, and the Genesee
River. These agriculture-
dominated watersheds
are the watersheds most
in need of phosphorus
reductions to prevent excess
algae growth in the Great
Lakes. GLRI federal agencies
and partners will continue
to work in these watersheds,
and others that need
a reduction of excess
nutrients, as appropriate.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan
Saginaw River, Michigan
(Alger Creek)
Lower Fox River, Wisconsin
(East River)
Genesee River, New York
MICHIGAN
WISCONSII\
Saginaw River, Michigan
(Three Mile Creek)
Maumee River, Indiana
(Black Creek)
Maumee River, Ohio
(Eagle Creek)
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FOCUS AREA 3
Measures of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
3.1.1. Estimated pounds of phosphorus
reductions from conservation practice
implementation throughout Great Lake
watersheds.
Baseline: 1,113,603
Universe: N/A
1,600,000
1,900,000
2,200,000
2,500,000
2,800,000
3.1.2. Acres receiving technical or financial
assistance on nutrient management in
priority watersheds.
Baseline: 1,955,867
Universe:
10,000,000
2,200,000
2,370,000
2,515,000
2,685,000
2,817,500
"Baseline" for Measure 3.1.1 identifies results through FY2018. Baseline for Measure 3.1.2 identifies results through FY2017. "Targets" are
cumulative. "Universes/' when applicable, represent the total number possible.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRl federal agencies
and their partners will continue working on farms and in
streams to reduce excess nutrient loads from agricultural
watersheds, emphasizing utilization of conservation systems
and work in priority watersheds. GLRI federal agencies and
their partners will do this by:
Improving the effectiveness of existing voluntary, incentive
and market-based, and regulatory programs;
Encouraging producers and agribusinesses to adopt
innovative technologies and performance-based
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approaches to reduce excess nutrient runoff and soil losses;
Expanding outreach and demonstration farm networks
to improve adoption of on-farm nutrient management
practices;
Promoting practices that slow down and filter agricultural
stormwater runoff, such as two-stage ditches, wetlands,
and saturated buffers; and
Emphasizing actions that result in long-term and
sustainable nutrient reductions.
Example conservation practices: no-till farming (top) and grassed
waterway (bottom).
The RIGHT SOURCE
of nutrient to be applied
... in the RIGHT PLACE
subsurface injection and/or
avoiding areas prone to runoff
and erosion
...in the RIGHT AMOUNT
as determined by soil, plant,
and manure testing
and at the RIGHT TIME Rj n buffers reduce
will maximize crop uptake while runoff and trap
reducing runoff, leaching, and nutrients
Fencing keeps
animal manure
out of the stream
and prevents
strearnbank erosion
Stream
* \
"4R" nutrient
management practices
Subsurface injection of fertilizer
and manure reduces nutrient runoff
An example of an enhanced conservation practice system: nutrient management practices coupled with minimal tillage, continuous cover,
and riparian buffers. A holistic management approach is necessary to achieve nutrient load reductions.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
-------
FOCUS AREA 3
NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION
IMPACTS ON NEARSHORE HEALTH
Objective
3.2. Reduce
untreated
stormwater runoff.
Commitments
Accelerate implementation of green infrastructure practices to
infiltrate stormwater runoff.
Implement watershed management projects in urban and rural
communities to reduce runoff and erosion.
Reducing Stormwater Runoff - Accomplishments to Date under GLRI
More than 250 million gallons
of untreated urban stormwater
runoff prevented from entering
the Great Lakes.
100+
More than 100 local watershed
projects implemented in Great
Lakes communities.
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and their
partners have reduced the loading of sediment, nutrients,
toxic contaminants, and pathogens to Great Lakes
tributaries and neaishore waters by implementing projects
in Great Lakes communities. GLRI funding supported
green infrastructure projects in Great Lakes shoreline cities
to reduce untreated stormwater runoff and to improve
nearshore water quality. These green infrastructure projects
had the added benefit of increasing greenspace in urban
areas and providing habitat for pollinators. Watershed
management projects were also implemented to stabilize
streambanks, increase forest cover, construct wetland
meadows, and improve water quality at beaches.
Examples of green infrastructure above: rain garden (bottom left), constructed stormwater wetland (top right), planting trees in a riparian
corridor (bottom right).
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 3
Measures of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/
Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
3.2.1. Estimated gallons (in millions) of
untreated stormwater runoff captured or
treated.
Baseline: 252
Universe: N/A
350
400
450
500
550
3.2.2. Miles of Great Lakes shoreline and
riparian corridors restored or protected.
Baseline: 26
Universe: N/A
33
40
47
54
61
Measure 3.2.2 is applicable for restoration or protection from nonpoint source runoff, a subset of a similarly worded measure from the Habitat
Focus Area under Action Plan II. "Baselines" identify results through FY 2018. "Targets" are cumulative. "Universes" are not applicable.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLR! federal agencies arid their
partners will continue to encourage and accelerate implementation of green
infrastructure projects to reduce the impacts of polluted runoff on nearshore
water quality. These projects will capture or slow the flow of untreated runoff
and filter out sediment, nutrients, toxic contaminants, pathogens, and other
pollutants from runoff before it enters Great Lakes tributaries, beaches, and
nearshore waters.
In addition to supporting green infrastructure, GLRI funding will continue
to support watershed management projects that slow and intercept runoff.
For example, streambank improvement projects identified in watershed plans
can be effective in improving and protecting water quality. Actions such as
re-establishing riparian vegetation and stabilizing streambanks can help
increase a stream's resiliency to stressors such as large storms. Restoration
projects along coastlines can incorporate resilient features to mitigate effects
of more extreme storms, high wave action, interrupted sediment transport,
and presence of manmade physical structures. Activities to reduce stormwater
runoff and streambank erosion also complement these restoration efforts and
increase coastal resiliency.
GLRI federal agencies will work with local partners
to slow down and soak up stormwater runoff, and
filter pollutants.
Green Infrastructure Captures and Filters Runoff
Examples of green infrastructure: rain
garden protecting a high-quality woodland
(top) and pervious pavement preventing
runoff to a beach (bottom).
Bioswa e
planter
Pervious parking lane and bike lane with"
detention area for up to 2-year storm event
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan !
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FOCUS AREA 3
NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION
IMPACTS ON NEARSHORE HEALTH
Objective
3.3. Improve effectiveness
of nonpoirit source control
and refine management
efforts.
Commitments
Assess achievement of Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement's Annex 4
nutrient targets.
Evaluate effectiveness of nonpoint source projects.
Develop new or improved approaches for reducing or preventing harmful
algal blooms.
Strategically
target and
design
projects
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and partners have
coordinated monitoring and assessments to improve the effectiveness of their
nonpoint source control activities.
For example, in 2012, GLRI federal agencies
and partners began working on a
Conservation Effects Assessment Project
aimed at evaluating various types
and combinations of agricultural
practices to determine which were
most effective at removing
soluble phosphorus that
can drive algal blooms in
Lake Erie. Participants in
the Conservation Effects
Assessment Project found
that implementing systems
of conservation practices
(nutrient management,
cover crops, and drainage
management) in specific
priority areas will have
the greatest impact
Implement
projects to reduce
runoff and improve
water quality
Nonpoint source projects and programs are
continually improved through adaptive management.
on reducing phosphorus loads to western
Lake Erie. GLRI federal agencies applied
that information to accelerate phosphorus
reduction accomplishments by 20% over the
goal that had been planned under Action
Plan II. Over the next five years, GLRI federal
agencies expect to reduce an additional
1,500,000 pounds of agricultural phosphorus
runoff-a 40% increase over the goal under
Action Plan II.
Similarly, in 2014, GLRI federal agencies and
partners began evaluating performance of
various green infrastructure practices in urban
areas (such as: Gary, IN; Detroit, Ml; and
Buffalo, NY). GLRI federal agencies wili apply
the information learned from these studies
to improve effectiveness of stormwater
reduction projects funded under GLRI. Over
the next five years, GLRI federal agencies
expect to more than double the amount of
stormwater runoff reduced through green
infrastructure practices to 550 million gallons
by the end of FY 2024.
Decision-support tools improve
nonpoint source management. Under
Action Plan II, GLRI federal agencies partnered with
states to develop weather-based forecasts to help
farmers avoid nutrient application when the chance
of runoff is high. Runoff Risk Advisory Forecasts have
been developed for Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota,
and Ohio, and are being developed for other Great
Lakes states. Under Action Plan III, GLRI federal
agencies and partners will promote adoption of these
tools and assess how effective they are at reducing
phosphorus loads.
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Pictured right: The Ohio Applicator Forecast is designed
to help nutrient applicators identify times when the
weather-risk for applying nutrients is low. The risk forecast
is created by the National Weather Service and takes
into account snow accumulation and melt, soil moisture
content, and forecast precipitation and temperatures.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan
>'
Ohio Runoff Risk Forecast
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FOCUS AREA 3
Measures of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/
Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
3.3.1. Nutrient monitoring and assessment
activities conducted.
Baseline: 30
Universe: N/A
30
30
30
30
30
3.3.2. Nutrient or stormwater runoff reduction
practices or tools developed or evaluated.
Baseline: 10
Universe: N/A
10
10
10
10
10
"Baseline" and "Targets" for Measure 3.3.1 identify the regularly expected monitoring and assessment activities conducted annually. "Baseline" and "Targets" for
Measure 3.3.2 identify the regularly expected practices or tools developed or evaluated annually. "Targets" are not cumulative. "Universes " are not applicable.
Annex 4 of the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement calls for coordinating
binational actions to manage phosphorus
concentrations and loadings, and other
nutrients if warranted, to control the
growth of nuisance and toxic algae. Under
Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies and
partners will continue to coordinate efforts
to control and monitor nutrients in support
of Annex 4 goals.
A typical agricultural edge-of-field study
takes at least eight years. Water quality
data is collected downstream of fields and
at the outlet of the watershed to measure
improvements in water quality associated
with agricultural conservation activities.
Under Action Plan II, six edge-of-field
monitoring sites were established to
evaluate the impact of nutrient-reduction
activities in the priority agricultural
watersheds. In addition, GLRI federal
agencies and partners are monitoring
the effectiveness of stormwater runoff
reduction projects at four sites. The
information learned from these studies
will be used to improve future project
designs so that water quality benefits can
be maximized.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
Under Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies
and their partners will continue to apply adaptive
management to maximize nonpoint source-control
efforts using a three-pronged strategy:
1. Continue the edge-of-field monitoring studies
underway in agricultural priority watersheds, and
establish new sites to test the effectiveness of
innovative practices such as bioreactors;
2. Use the tools and lessons learned under Action
Plan II to optimize outcomes of nutrient and
stormwater reduction projects; and
3. Promote development of new strategies for
nonpoint source control, such as market-based
approaches, nutrient recovery, and manure
transformation technologies.
Effectiveness monitoring of nonpoint source runoff
in urban (top) and agricultural (bottom) settings.
USGS streamgage
Collects data on the
entire subbasin
Edge-of-field site:
Control basin
Collects data on runoff from an
individual farm field basin using
traditional farm practices
Edge-of-field site:
Treatment basin
Collects data on runoff from an
individual farm field basin with
installed conservation practice
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FOCUS AREA 4
HABITATS AND SPECIES
Objective
4.1. Protect and restore
communities of native
aquatic and terrestrial species
important to the Great Lakes.
Commitment
Identify habitats that support important Great Lakes species and take
actions to restore, protect, enhance, and/or provide connectivity for
these habitats.
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GLRI will continue to support people and communities to better understand coastal processes under protected settings, including those
in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (left photo), and implement the best approaches to restore the interface of the Great Lakes and
shorelines where species and people interact, including, for instance, the Chicago waterfront (right photo).
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal
agencies and their partners, including
states and tribes, have worked to
protect, restore, and enhance habitat in
the Great Lakes basin.
Key accomplishments include:
Bringing Back the Great Lakes Piping
Plover: Protecting its habitat and
increasing the number of breeding
pairs to 67 (as of 2018) over a much
wider area of the Great Lakes, including
breeding pairs identified in Illinois,
Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Lake Sturgeon Recovery: Multiple
Great Lakes tributaries have been
selected for rearing and release of
juvenile lake sturgeon to increase the
population size in Lake Michigan and
Lake Erie. The barriers to the successful
return and spawning of lake sturgeon
in Great Lakes tributaries are being
addressed through innovative fish-
passage projects such as those on the
Menominee River in Wisconsin and the
Boardman River in Michigan.
A comprehensive approach was taken
to make sure this long-lived, prehistoric
fish remains in the Great Lakes for
future generations.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
Coastal Wetlands Protection: The
GLRI has provided the resources
necessary to assess, protect, and restore
many of the remaining coastal wetlands
across the Great Lakes. Partners across
the basin have accelerated protection
of remaining high-quality coastal
wetlands and undertaken efforts to
bring back coastal wetlands lost to
human development and drainage
practices. An example of such a coastal
wetland restoration is the Howard Farms
Restoration Project in Curtice, Ohio,
which will restore 568 acres of coastal
wetlands, restore hydrologic exchange
with Lake Erie, provide fish nursery
habitat, and provide stopover habitat
for migrating birds and waterfowl. GLRI
investments from FY 2015 through
FY 2018 have protected or restored over
52,000 acres of coastal wetlands across
the Great Lakes.
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FOCUS AREA 4
Measures of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
4.1.1. Acres of coastal wetland, nearshore,
and other habitats restored, protected, or
enhanced.
Baseline: 370,488
Universe: 1,550,000
394,000
406,000
418,000
430,000
442,000
4.1.2. Miles of connectivity established for
aquatic species.
Baseline: 5,289
Universe: N/'A
5,700
5,900
6,100
6,300
6,500
"Baselines" identify results through FY2018. "Targets" are cumulative. "Universes," when applicable, represent the total number possible.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies and
their partners will build upon and maintain past GLRI investments
while recognizing where additional habitats and emerging issues are
important to targeted species. Examples of such projects include:
restoring riparian habitat corridors and riverine wetlands associated
with significant fish barriers already removed and/or bypassed; further
connecting high-quality terrestrial and aquatic habitat areas; and
reducing impacts of human activities such as trash, litter, and debris in
our waters. GLRI federal agencies and their partners will strategically
collaborate between the GLRI invasive species and habitat restoration
activities to reduce the possibility of past investments regressing due to
invasive species occurrence.
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will continue to support
projects that increase coastal communities' understanding of lake
processes important to habitats and species. Collaborative partnerships
will pursue innovation related to the use of natural and nature-based
features that will enhance coastal ecosystem function and, when
possible, consider the beneficial use of dredged material to create new
habitats for species important to Great Lakes stakeholders. Projects
will be initiated that use lessons learned from past efforts and address
fragmented habitats by connecting habitats important to key species
and communities to increase their resilience. Sound, cutting-edge
science and tools will guide future GLRI-funded efforts to maximize their
conservation value.
EPA Administrator Wheeler announces Trash-Free Great Lakes Benefits of GLRI dam removal and stream channel restoration
Grant Program to be offered in FY 2020. on the Ottaway-Boardman River include great recreational
opportunities for paddling and fishing.
Lake trout (above) and native prey fish species
(below) such as cisco and bloater are important
native fish species to the open lake food web and a
focus of GLRI restoration activities.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
22
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FOCUS AREA 4
HABITATS AND SPECIES
Objective
4.2. Increase resiliency of
species through comprehensive
approaches that complement
on-the-ground habitat
restoration and protection.
Commitments
Update and implement recovery actions for federal threatened,
endangered, and candidate species.
Support population-level protections, enhancements, and reintroductions
for state, tribal, and Great Lakes native species of importance.
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and their partners have worked
to maintain, restore, and enhance populations of native fish and wildlife species.
This was accomplished through multi-jurisdictional and stakeholder groups,
including the Council of Lake Committees, the Upper Mississippi and Great Lakes
Region Joint Venture, the Great Lakes Coastal Assembly, the Lakewide Action and
Management Plans, and others. Focus Area 4 will continue to be responsive and
direct efforts to advance science needs, as well as support species reintroductions
informed by changing Great Lakes conditions and management strategies.
GLRI federal agencies responded to needs offish and wildlife management
agencies through activities such as assessments of top-level predators in the open
lakes, including lake trout and other salmonids, and assistance in the reintroduction
of native prey species to support a healthy ecosystem and sustainable fishery. GLRI
federal agencies will continue to be responsive to Great Lakes states, tribes, and
communities and provide needed science, complement other restoration efforts,
and address emerging issues.
Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Catch Rate - Northern Green Bay
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Gill Net Assessment Data
0.40-
0.OO-
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Year
2014
2015
2016
2017
Establishment of juvenile sturgeon-rearing trailers at strategic locations
and release of reared individuals (top two photos on the right) in future
years is expected to continue to increase population numbers of this
iconic fish species to more resilient levels (bottom photo on the right).
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 4
Measure of Progress with Annual Targets
Baseline/
Universe
FY 2020
Target
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
FY 2023
Target
FY 2024
Target
4.2.1. Species benefited where actions have
been completed to significantly protect or
promote recovery of populations.
Baseline: 0
Universe: N/A
1
2
4
6
8
"Baseline" identifies results through FY2018. "Targets" are cumulative. "Universe" is not applicable.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies and their partners
will continue to work to maintain, restore, and enhance the habitats of native
fish and wildlife species in order to increase the resiliency and overall health
of these species. Protection and restoration of federally listed species will be
rooted in past successes from across the Great Lakes. GLRI federal agencies have
identified a subset of federally threatened, endangered, and candidate species for
demonstrating how GLRI investments can have the greatest impact in a relatively
short time period. Agencies will maximize habitat improvements for aquatic and
terrestrial species through collaborative conservation and monitoring at local
and regional scales. This conservation network approach will especially benefit
breeding marsh birds, such as rails, grebes, bitterns, black and common terns, and
other species that rely on high-quality coastal wetlands.
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will target species protection, restoration,
and enhancement projects based on consensus-based Great Lakes restoration and
conservation plans developed by GLRI federal agencies, states, and tribes. Future
projects will support population-level enhancements, reintroductions, and tracking
of state, tribal, and other Great Lakes native species of importance. Expected
outcomes will include avoiding species extinction, identifying key habitats and the
factors that limit species recovery, and increasing or protecting population levels.
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will evaluate population dynamics to
aid in successfully maintaining fish and wildlife communities. Results of annual
project evaluations will be used to prioritize locations and species to be targeted
in future projects. Drawing from western science and traditional ecological
knowledge, GLRI federal agencies and their partners will continue to support
protection of native species that have cultural, subsistence, and economic value.
Protection and restoration of wild rice, such as shown above In the Kakagon Sloughs on the Bad River Reservation in northern Wisconsin,
will continue to be a priority. Wild rice is a plant of significant cultural value to Great Lakes tribal nations.
Examples of species that may
benefit under this measure during
Action Plan III include, but are not
limited to:
Lake trout
Native prey fish
Wild rice
Dwarf lake iris
Great Lakes piping plover
Pitcher's thistle
Breeding marsh birds
Lake sturgeon
Brook trout
Native freshwater mussels
Lakeside daisy
American Hart's-tongue fern
Chittenango amber snail
Mitchell's satyr
Poweshiek skipperling
Moose
Rusty patched bumble bee
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 5
FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE
RESTORATION ACTIONS
Objective Commitment
o.!. Educate the next , Support experience-based learning opportunities for youth to
generation about the Great promote Great Lakes stewardship.
Lakes ecosystem.
Removal of an invasive plant species. CGLL Shipboard Science Workshop on the Park visitor being educated on Lake Sturgeon,
Research Vessel Lake Guardian.
Educators being trained at a Professional
Development Day.
GLRI trained educators across the
Great Lakes (FY2018).
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and their partners promoted
Great Lakes ecosystem education and stewardship through a focus on training
educators and engaging people through place-based experiential learning.
Partners implemented a number of activities to promote Great Lakes-based
environmental education and stewardship, including:
The Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL), a Great Lakes Sea
Grant Network program, which seeks to develop a community
of Great Lakes-literate educators, students, scientists,
environmental professionals, and citizen volunteers dedicated
to improved Great Lakes stewardship;
' The Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training
Program (B-WET), which provides hands-on environmental
activities that are aligned with academic learning standards;
and
Collectively, CGLL, B-WET, and other education projects resulted in the training
of more than 2,200 educators from FY 2015 through FY 2018, who in turn have
provided hands-on experiential learning to an estimated 200,000 students.
National Park Service interpretive programs, which offer
hands-on experiences, educational resources, and networking
opportunities to promote Great Lakes literacy among an
engaged community of educators, scientists, and residents.
25
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 5
Measure of Progress
5.1.1. Youth impacted through education and stewardship projects.
Under GLRI Action Plan III, GLRI federal agencies
and their partners will continue to promote Great Lakes-based
ecosystem education and stewardship for K-12 school students
and other interested community members (for example, courses
at parks, nature centers, museums, zoos, and on-board vessels).
GLRI agencies and their partners will continue to support
activities centered on providing experience-based learning
opportunities, with an emphasis on youth. GLRI federal agencies
and their partners wili also continue to develop Great Lakes-
literate educators using the essential principles and fundamental
concepts included in the Great Lakes Literacy curriculum.
These activities will support the overall goal of impacting
as many youths as possible over time to foster Great Lakes
stewardship, promote conservation, and expose and prepare
under-represented youth for higher education opportunities in
natural resource management. Where appropriate, activities will
encourage opportunities to incorporate traditional ecological
knowledge and cross-cultural learning. GLRI activities will also
evaluate the effectiveness of education programs.
Park Rangers educate a youth group on ways they can improve
the ecosystem.
The Center for Great Lakes Literacy is a collaborative effort led by Great Lakes Sea Grant network educators throughout
the Great Lakes watershed. The center fosters informed and responsible decisions that advance basin wide stewardship.
Educators use Great Lakes Literacy Principles, developed by education leaders in the Great Lakes Sea Grant network, as a
framework for communicating key scientific concepts and the important connections between humans and the Great Lakes.
National Park Rangers introduce early learners to the Great Lakes ecosystems.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
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FOCUS AREA 5
FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE
RESTORATION ACTIONS
Commitments
Objective . Assess overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem and identify the
5.2. Conduct comprehensive most significant remaining problems.
science programs and projects. identify cross-cutting science priorities and implement projects to
address those priorities.
Since GLRI began, GLRI federal agencies and their partners have
worked together using a science-based adaptive management approach to
investigate complex scientific issues that affect multiple focus areas. These
agencies and their partners used GLRI resources to monitor and assess
the overall health of the Great Lakes. This work has contributed to the
identification of current and emerging challenges to Great Lakes water quality
and ecosystem health, which helps agencies evaluate the effectiveness of
programs and policies. Part of this work includes the use of a suite of nine
indicators of ecosystem health, in conjunction with 45 sub-indicators, to
support U.S. commitments under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
More than 200 government and non-government Great Lakes scientists
and other experts worked to assemble available data, including annual
monitoring data from the research vessel Lake Guardian pictured below,
in this international effort. GLRI federal agencies and their partners have
implemented targeted projects such as studying the causes and impacts of
harmful algal blooms and Cladophoratwo environmental issues that are
caused by excess nutrients, influenced by invasive mussels, and have impacts
on fish, wildlife, and humans.
Large research vessels allow scientists to test water quality and the health of bottom sediments near the coastline and far offshore.
Cylindrical, multi-chambered "Rosette" samplers are used to collect water. Small metal "Ponar" samplers are used to scoop up and
retrieve sediments.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
GLRI agencies assess the overall health of
the Great Lakes.
GLRI agencies use indicators to assess status
and trends of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
GLRI agencies assess conditions of
nearshore and coastal zones.
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FOCUS AREA 5
Measures of Progress
5.2.1. Annual Great Lakes monitoring conducted and used to prioritize GLR! funding decisions.
5.2.2. Identify and address cross-Focus Area science priorities to support implementation of GLRI and the
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Under GLRI Action Plan III,
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will
continue to investigate the most significant
ecological problems in the Great Lakes.
Monitoring the health of the Great Lakes
at different scales will remain a priority,
including, but not limited to, monitoring
of: contaminants in Great Lakes fish, water
quality and the lower food web in the offshore
waters, and excess nutrients and harmful algal
blooms in priority areas. GLRI federal agencies
and their partners will identify and address
cross-Focus Area science priorities to support
implementation of the GLRI and the Great
Lakes Water Quality Agreement. They will also
continue to develop new tools for monitoring
and forecasting, measure project effectiveness,
prioritize management activities, and consider
environmental and health outcomes.
Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative
Lake
Huron
2022
Superior
Lake
Ontario
2023
Lake
Michigan
2020
Lake
Erie
2024
The GLRI-enhanced Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative
coordinates scientific work to support Great Lakes management. Enhanced
monitoring and field activities are conducted in one lake each year, tied to
priorities identified by the Lake Partnerships.
Science Highlights
GLRI federal agencies and their partners
have developed new approaches to detect
harmful algal blooms in real time. One
approach uses an airplane mounted with
a hyperspectral camera to capture images
and improve harmful algal bloom forecasts
when satellite imagery cannot be used due to
cloudy conditions. A complementary approach
includes a network of real-time continuous-
observing buoys that track detailed water quality conditions
(including toxin concentrations) to support modeling, forecasting,
and public warnings of harmful algal bloom conditions throughout
western Lake Erie.
GLRI federal agencies and their partners
are implementing a Great Lakes-wide,
coordinated investigation into the factors
that contribute to nuisance Cladophora
algae growth. The collaborative effort
relies on several research vessels, scuba
divers, and field scientists to better
understand the role of invasive mussels, bottom sediments, water
transparency/sunlight, and nutrient levels.
GLRI federal agencies and their partners are
developing an innovative Selective Fish Passage
Project that matches physical and behavioral
attributes of fish with technology and engineering
to selectively pass desirable species and exclude
invasive species. The project reconnects a
watershed to the Great Lakes and will be used to
apply lessons learned to other watersheds.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III
28
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Great Lake
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