ILLINOIS POLLUTION

CONTROL BOARD

May

20, 1976

CITY OF VANDALIA,

)

Petitioner,

v.

)

PCB 76—25

ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY,

Respondent.

OPINION

AND

ORDER OF THE BOARD

(by Dr. Satchell):

Petitioner filed a variance request on January 23,

1976.

The request is for a variance from Rule 203(h)

of the Chap-

ter

3 Water Pollution Regulations in order to treat certain

shallow bays of Vandalia Lake with rotenone,

a fish toxicant,

in order to reduce the population of stunted carp from the Lake

as part of a fish management program in conjunction with the

Illinois Department of Conservation.

On January 29,

1976 the Board entered an Interim Order

allowing the City of Vandalia an additional forty-five

(45)

days to submit information

as to whether the Lake was a public

water supply or whether it discharges to a stream that is a

public water supply.

On February 26, 1976 Petitioner filed

additional information.

The Agency filed its recommendation

on May 12,

1976.

The additional information indicated that

while the Lake was not used as

a direct source of

a public

water supply,

it does have a discharge which reaches the

Kaskaskia River approximately three and one half miles from

the Lake.

The City of Vandalia withdraws raw water from the

River approximately one mile down stream from this point.

Petitioner intends to treat shallow bay areas

of the Lake

three times

in 1976

over

the

spring and

summer

months when

carp are schooling and are present in large numbers.

The

Agency

in its recommendation states that it subsequently con-

firmed that the thirty

(30)

gallons of solution was intended

to be used as the total for the season.

It is to be applied

in ten

(10) gallon doses.

In the initial petition it was

estimated that the concentration of the rotenone in the area

to be treated would be approximately

1 mg/l.

The Agency

calculates the treatment process will result in a concentra-

tion of 0.014 mg/l in the Lake.

The Agency recommendation

noted that the Lake has a surface area of approximately

660 acres and if the applied toxicant was dispersed evenly

throughout the Lake,

it would result in a concentration that

would be for all intents immeasurable when mixed with the

total water volume of the lake.

21

—

459

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A regional fisheries biologist with the Illinois Depart-

ment of Conservation will supervise the application of the

toxicant.

The fish killed will be properly removed from the

Lake.

The Agency states that the toxic effects of rotenone

will be of no threat to the users of the Vandalia Water Supply

from the proposed application.

At the estimated concentration

in the bay areas to be treated, an ingestion of some 15,000

liters would be necessary to have a toxic effect.

According

to the “Farm ChemicaisHandbook”

(1976)

rotenone loses its

effectiveness within a week of application.

The material

deteriorates rapidly in sun and air.

As any treated water

will have to travel at least 4.5 miles of natural water course,

including the Kaskaskia River, before it reaches Vandalia’s

treatment plant, the Agency states that this will further

dilute the concentration of rotenone and will also accelerate

its degradation.

Additionally, Petitioner has stated appli-

cations will be made approximately two miles from the discharge

area.

At certain concentrations, rotenone can cause taste and

odor problems

in reaction with chlorine, a treatment chemical

employed by Petitioner’s supply; however, the Agency believes

that the possibility of a concentration of rotenone sufficient

to cause such a problem reaching the treatment plant is so

slight as

to not warrant requiring Petitioner to take any

remedial action.

The Agency was also informed that there were several

private homes which withdraw water from Vandalia Lake for

potable use.

The Agency states that while there does not appear

to be any threat to these users from the amounts of rotenone

used, Petitioner should notify these residents at least twenty-

four

(24) hours prior to any application and should avoid

treating the Lake within 200 feet of their individual intake

points.

The Agency did recommend that the variance be granted

but with the following conditions:

(a)

That the rotenone treatment of the Lake be limited

to three applications during the spring and summer

months of 1976.

(b) That each application of rotenone not exceed ten

(10)

gallons of liquid solution.

(c) That the application be supervised by personnel of

the Illinois Department of Conservation.

21—460

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—3--

(d)

That individual homeowners using Vandalia Lake as

a potable water supply source be notified at least

24 hours prior to application and that no appli-

cation be made within 200

feet of any potable water

intake.

(e)

That the Agency be notified at least 24 hours prior

to any application.

(f)

That Petitioner effectively remove all fish killed

by the rotenone treatment and dispose of them in a

proper manner.

(g)

That Petitioner take a sample of its finished

water four days after the application of rotenone

to Vandalia Lake and forward the sample to the

Agency for analysis.

The Petitioner shall also

forward additional samples of its finished water

as may be required by the Agency.

The Board recognizes that the elimination of excess rough

fish is

a desirable fisheries management goal.

The variance

is granted subject to the requirements of the Agency Recommen-

dation.

This constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and

conclusions of law.

ORDER

1.

The Pollution Control Board hereby grants the City of

Vandalia a variance from Rule 203(h)

of the Chapter

3: Water

Pollution Regulations in order

to treat portions of ‘Vandalia

Lake with rotenone three times

in 1976 over the spring and

summer months subject to the aforementioned conditions in

the body of the opinion.

2.

Within 35 days of the date of this Order,

Petitioner

shall submit to the Manager, Variance Section, Division of

Water Pollution Control, Illinois Environmental Protection

Agency, 2200 Churchill Road, Springfield, Illinois,

62706,

an executed Certification of Acceptance and agreement to be

bound to all terms and conditions of the variance.

The form

of said certificate shall be as follows:

CERTIFICATION

I,

(We), ______________________________ having read the

Order of the Illinois Pollution Control Board in PCB 76—25

understand and accept said Order, realizing that such acceptance

renders all terms and conditions thereto binding and enforceable.

Signed _____________________________

Title

____________________________

Date

_____________________________

21 —461

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—4—

IT IS SO ORDERED.

I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution

Control Board, hereby cer~ifythe above Opinion and Order

were adopted on the

c~p~’

day of

(è’~

,

1976

by a vote of

~

C~~4.Moett’,

~

Illinois Pollution Contr

oard