RECE WED
ILLiNOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
CLERKS OFFICE
AUG17 2004
IN THE MATTER OF:
)
STATE OF ILLNOIS
ADM.DISSOLVEDPROPOSEDCODEAMENDMENTSOXYGEN302.206
STANDARDTO
35
ILL.)
))
R04-25
(Rulemaking
-
Water)
2
CoflttO~Boar
EXHIBIT LIST
First Hearing: June 29, 2004, Chicago
Exhibit 1: “An Assessment ofNational and Illinois Dissolved Oxygen Water Quality Criteria”
James E. Garvey and Matt R. Whiles (Apr. 2004)
Exhibit 2: “Ambient Water Quality Criteria forDissolved Oxygen” USEPA (Apr. 1986)
Exhibit 3: Resume ofDennis Streicher
Exhibit 4: Copies ofletters from Dennis Streicher to various organizations concerning the
proposed rulemaking
Exhibit
5:
Resume of James E. Garvey
Exhibit 6: Resume ofMatt R. Whiles
Exhibit 7: From R02-19, written testimony ofRobert J. Sheehan & Table 1 “Spawning periods
for fishes in Illinois”
Exhibit 8: “Influences ofHypoxia and Hyperthermia on Fish Species Composition in Headwater
Streams” Martin A. Smale and Chalres F. Rabeni
(1995)
Second Hearing: August 12, 2004, Springfield
Exhibit 9: Pre-filed Testimony ofDr. James B. Garvey, with attached July 2004 report entitled
“Long Term Dynamics of Oxygen and Temperature in Illinois Streams” by Dr. Garvey.
Exhibit 10: Electronic comments by Gary Chapman in the margins of“An Assessment of
National and Illinois Dissolved Oxygen Water Quality Criteria” James E. Garvey and Matt R.
Whiles (Apr. 2004)
Exhibit 11: One-page hard copy ofe-mail sent July 22, 2004 at 8:52 a.m. from Roy M. Harsch
regarding IEPA “implementation rules”
2
Exhibit 12: Letter entitled “Fight Effort to Lower Fox Oxygen Criteria,” from David J. Horn,
appearing on the Opinion page ofthe
Daily Herald
Exhibit 13: Letter dated July 30, 2004 from David L. Thomas, PhD, Chiefofthe Illinois Natural
History Survey to Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn
RE CE ~VED
CLERK’S OFRCE
BEFORE THE ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
AUG -22004
STATE
OF ILLINOIS
Pollution Control
Ooard
IN THE MATTER OF:
)
)
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO
)
R 04-25
DISSOLVED OXYGEN
STANDARD
)
35
III. Adm. Code 302.206
NOTICE OF FILING
TO: See Attached Service List
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on Monday, August 2, 2004,
we filed the, attached
Written Testimony of ‘Dr. James E. Garvey’ Fisheries ‘and Illinois Aquaculture Center
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
with the Illinois Pollution Control Board, a
copy ofwhich is herewith served upon you.
Respectfully submitted,
By:
__________
One ofIts AttornQ~
Roy M. Harsch
Sheila H. Deely
GARDNER CARTON & DOUGLAS LLP
191 N. Wacker Drive
—
Suite 3700
Chicago, IL 60606
312-569-1000
THIS FILING IS SUBMITTED ON RECYCLED PAPER:
~1
12~~
RECE~vED
CLERK’S OFFICE
BEFORE THE ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
AUG -22004
IN THE MATTER OF:
)
STATE OF ILLINOIS
)
Pollution
Control
Board
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO
)
R 04-25
DISSOLVED OXYGEN STANDARD
)
35 Iii. Adm. Code 302.206
)
WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF DR. JAMES E. CARVEY
FISHERIES AND ILLINOIS AQUACULTURE CENTER
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS
Thank
you for the opportunity to testif~rbefore the Illinois Pollution Control
Board during
this second hearing in Springfield, Illinois. As
I noted in the first hearing
before the Board, I am an Assistant Professor in the Fisheries and Illinois Aquaculture
Center and Department ofZoology at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. My
research interests revolve around fish and aquatic ecology in lakes and streams. The
Illinois Association ofWastewater Agencies asked Dr. Matt Whiles and me to assess the
current Illinois state dissolved oxygen standard which requires that at no time shall
concentrations decline below
5
mg/L and for at least 16 hours each day they must remain
above 6 mg/L. In our report, we concluded that this standard is unrealistic for most
streams in the state, because oxygen concentrations fluctuate both seasonally and daily,
often declining below the state standards. These conclusions were based largely on
published studies summarizing research conducted outside ofIllinois in addition to my
unpublished data in tributaries ofthe Ohio River, which were discussed during the first
hearing.
Proposed Recommendations
To make the state general use standard more realistic, Dr. Whiles and I
recommended that during March 1 through June 30 when early life stages of sensitive
species are present, a minimum identical to the current Illinois standard of
5
rng/L and a
seven-day mean of6 mg/L should be adopted. During warmer, productive months and
the remainder ofthe year when species with sensitive early life stages have largely
completed reproduction, we recommended a minimum of3.5 mgIL and a seven-day
mean minimum of4 mg/L. It is important to emphasize that we included running means
to avoid chronically low dissolved oxygen concentrations. For the proposed standard to
be supported, minima must not be violated, ensuring that concentrations never approach
critically lethal limits.
Analysis ofIllinois Stream Data
In response to questions about fluctuations ofoxygen in Illinois surface waters, I
anulyzed the applicability ofboth the current state standard and the proposed standard to
eight Illinois streams, in which dissolved oxygen and temperature were intensively
monitored. My analysis is attached as Exhibit 1. I was made aware ofthese data during
a meeting with the USEPA on June 18, 2004. It is my understanding that the United
States Geological Survey (USGS) and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA)
began collecting these data to address concerns about the applicability ofthe current state
standard to streams in the state. I requested these data from Paul Terrio, a hydrologist
with USGS, shortly following the first hearing. I also reviewed oxygen and temperature
data in other reports for streams in Illinois. I have summarized my analysis ofthese data
in a recent report submitted to the Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies and
submitted as exhibit
##.
Paul Terrio (USGS), Robert Mosher (EPA), and Matt Whiles
(Southern Illinois University) have provided comments on this report that I have
incorporated into the final draft. These long-term data are unprecedented. I am aware of
2
nO other similarly comprehensive data set for streams ofthe Midwestern United States.
We now have access to robust data that will allow us to ground truth the proposed
dissolved oxygen standards.
The eight, intensively studied stream reaches were North Fork Vermilion River
near BiSmarck, Middle Fork Vermilion River near Oakwood, Vermilion River near
Danville, Lusk Creek near Eddyville, Mazon River near Coal City, Rayse Creek near
Waltonville, Salt Creek near Western Springs, and Illinois River near Valley City.
During late summer 2001 through fall 2003, semi-continuous dissolved oxygen and
temperature data were collected by IEPA and USGS. The stream segments varied widely
in physical characteristics, surrounding land use, and latitude. Five ofthe eight stream
segments are currently considered impaired and included on the most recent 303-d list
compiled by EPA. The nature ofimpairment varies from nutrient enrichment in Rayse
Creek to mercury and PCB contamination in the Illinois River.
Dissolved Oxygen Patterns in Illinois Streams
The results from this analysis uphold the conclusions ofthe Garvey and Whiles
report. As expected, dissolved oxygen concentrations declined in all streams during
summer, with diurnal fluctuations varying among them. All eight streams violated the
Illinois state standard, although violations occurred as infrequently as 1 of days and as
frequently as
65
of days. Among the unlisted, unimpaired stream segments, oxygen
dynamics variedwidely, with Lusk Creek, a functioning stream in a forested watershed,
regularly violating the Illinois standard of 5 mg/L during 22 ofdays. In two ofthe
impaired, 303-d listed streams, the Illinois standard was violated frequently,’ with
concentrations often declining below 2 mg/L, which is regarded to be lethal for many
3
aquatic organisms. However, in other listed streams, dissolved oxygen concentrations
were typically greater than the 5 mg/L minimum.
We might expect that nutrient enrichment is the primary factor affecting dissolved
oxygen dynamics Streams with greater nutnent loading should have lower oxygen
However, Salt Creek, an impaired stream with low biotic integrity and high nutrient
enrichment, had higher average dissolved oxygen concentrations than the Mazon River,,
‘which was only listed for PCB and pathogen contamination. Nutrient enrichment must
interact with other factors such as stream physical habitat to affect oxygen dynamics.
Application ofthe Proposed Standard
Adoption ofthe proposed standard greatly reduced the number ofviolations in
unimpaired streams such as Lusk Creek while still capturing violations in impaired
str..~ams.In fact, the proposed standard increased the frequency ofviolations in two of
the severely oxygen-impaired streams and identified the time period when oxygen
problems occurred. It may be tempting to regard Lusk Creek as an intermediatebetween
a functioning and an impaired system and suggest that its frequent violations ofthe
current state standard are a warning signal. However, this is quite far from the truth.
This stream segment is in the Lusk Creek Wilderness area ofthe Shawnee National
Forest and is consideredto be in a pristine state, with a highly regarded, intact, and
diverse fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage. A concern of the Board during the first
hearing was that minimum oxygen concentrations of3.5 mgIL which occurred during
summer in Lusk Creek would negatively affect summer-spawned, early life stages of
resident species. It is quite clear, given the robust assemblage in this system that natural,
summer declines in dissolved oxygen concentration below the statemandated
5
mg/L and
4
occasionally reaching 3.5 mg/L did not negatively affect fishes reproducing during this
time. Lusk Creek demonstrates that the seasonally appropriate proposed standard
protects both spring and summer reproducing species.
Temperature Effects
Dissolved oxygen concentrations were quantified in a pooled area of Lusk Creek
as recommended in the implementation guidelines ofthe Garvey and Whiles report. It is
in this area that we would expect to encounter the most conservative dissolved oxygen
concentrations. In contrast, the Middle Fork ofthe Vermilion River, in which oxygen
concentrations were consistently the highest, had a logger located about 100 m below a
riffle area, where we would expect oxygenated waterto be abundant. Although it may be
argued that Lusk Creek is a southern Illinois stream and warm temperatures may be
responsible for declines in oxygen during summer, dissolved oxygen concentrations were
lowest at intermediate summertemperatures, indicating that it is not the seasonal maxima
ofstreams that reduce oxygen concentrations. Further, I found no substantive differences
in temperature among streams across the north-south gradient in the state. These data
effectively show that the proposed standard effectively captures oxygen dynamics that
occur in natural, fully functioning Illinois streams such as Lusk Creek. A revised general
use dissolved oxygen standard in Illinois such as that proposed by Garvey and Whiles is
needed.
Habitat Modification
Some investigators have argued that artificially pooling streams or rivers by
building dams will reduce oxygen and therefore negatively affect resident species.
Recent reports in the Fox and DuPage Rivers have shown that pooled areas ofstreams•
5
violate the current standard more than open reaches and that fish composition differs
between them. The problem with implicating violations ofthe current dissolved oxygen
standard as responsible for altering or degrading species composition in pooled reaches is
that the habitat of the river changes as well as the oxygen dynamics. In short, flow
declines, sedimentation increases, and more fish that rely on accumulation oforganic
matter and open water will prosper. Oxygen declines because ofthe increased
biochemical oxygen demand ofthe sediment and increased retention time ofthe water.
As long as oxygen concentrations remain above the proposed standard in poois, species
adapted to pooi conditions will be abundant while flow-dwelling species will be rare or
absent. Of course, if oxygen concentrations decline below the proposed standards, even
species adapted to pooled conditions will cease to persist. Garvey and Whiles
recommend monitoring pooled areas ofnatural streams, because oftheir lower expected
oxygen concentration.
The eight intensively monitored streams provide, more insight into the problem of
teasing apart changes among habitat, oxygen, and other water quality parameters. Across
the streams, no relationship existed betweenbiotic integrity scores and oxygen minima as
estimated by frequency ofviolations ofeither the current orproposed standards.
Typically, integrity scores are closelyrelated to measures ofhabitat quality, which
include factors such as a stream’s substrate, habitat diversity, and riparian vegetation.
Habitat quality fosters the diversity oforganisms by providing food, shelter, and
reproductive areas. As such, it appears that habitat rather than oxygen primarily
influences’species composition. Reduced oxygen concentrations and increased diurnal
fluctuations are a secondary effect ofhabitat degradation or modification.
6
Comparison between Oxygen and Ammonia Standards
The most conservative ammonia standards for the state are designed to protect
early life stages ofall fish species for the duration ofspawning, which may extend
through October. In the first hearing, I was asked why the most conservative proposed
oxygen standard extended only through June, while the conservative ammonia standard is
extended through the entire reproductive cycle of fishes. Dynamics of total ammonia and
oxygen differin streams. The total concentration ofammonia in streams typically
depends on discharge and does not vary naturally on a seasonal basis. Further, the
toxicity oftotal ammonia increases with increasing temperature during summer,
necessitating stringent standards for all early life stages of fish, particularly those that are
produced during summer. Conversely, the data summarized in my report clearly show
that oxygen concentrations in the pooled area of a natural, functioning stream do decline
well below the current standard during summer but not below the proposed, seasonally
appropriate one. As I noted earlier, because the community in ‘such a stream is intact,
summer-spawning fish species must reproduce successfully during this time,
demonstrating that the proposed standard better reflects natural fluctuations in this system
while protecting resident fishes.
Review by Gary Chapman, Author ofthe National Criteria Document
To determine whether the seasonal standard was consistent with the United States
Environmental Protection Agency’s l98~lNational Criteria Document, I solicited a
review from its author, Gary Chapman, following the first hearing. He had provided a
review to the Water Quality Section ofthe Illinois Chapter ofthe American Fisheries
Society on June 28, 2004 and forwarded this review to me. To summarize, he felt that
7
the timing of seasonal standards depended on a working knowledge ofthe fish
community in the state and should be “left to the experts”. His largest concern was the
omission ofa 30-day running average of
5.5
mg!L in the proposed standards. Although I
still think that such a standard is generated over such a large time scale that it is generally
biologically meaningless, it may be worth considering as part ofthe proposed standards
given his expert opinion. His other comments were relatively minor, revolving around
the interpretation ofrecent findings in dissolved oxygen research. He supported Our
implementation recommendations and thought that they should be adopted. Regarding
protection offish during summer, he commented: “I have seen no data over the past 20
years that would indicate that the 3 mg!L minimum would not be adequatelyprotective
against lethal effects”.
Chemical Interactions with Oxygen
In the first hearing, I was asked about the potential effects oflow dissolved
oxygen concentrations on water chemistry in streams and lakes. To the best of my
knowledge, reduction—oxidation chemical reactions are unaffected by oxygen
concentrations until they decline far below the proposed
3.5
mgIL minimum.
Conclusions
In summary, much more is known about fluctuations in oxygen and temperature
in streams in the state ofIllinois than during the first hearing. Results ofthe new analysis
confirm the conclusions ofthe Garvey and Whiles report for other aquatic systems.
Semi-continuous measurements in pristine, forested Lusk Creek were quantified in the
appropriate location and provide a useful baseline by which general expectations for
dissolved oxygen concentrationscan be generated. Although the proposed standards may
8
‘p
be generally applied across the state, either regional standards or a stream classification
system should be adopted to better reflect use expectations. Such a system will need to
incorporate biotic integrity, habitat quality, and water quality goals rather than focusing
solely on dissolved oxygen expectations. Given the data from the eight Illinois streams
and other systems in the state, the likelihood that the current dissolved oxygen standard
will not apply to many ofthese systems and produce false violations is confirmed.
Adopting the proposed standard and standardized monitoring outlined in the Garvey and
Whiles report will not only reduce the probability ofdetecting a false violation in
functioning streams but it will provide robust, long-term water quality data Sets for
improvifig management ofsurface waters in the state.
9
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
The
undersigned certifies that a copy of the
foregoing Notice of Filing, and Written
Testimony of Dr. James E. Garvey Fisheries and Illinois Aquaculture Center Southern
‘Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois was filed by hand
delivery with the Clerk of the
Illinois Pollution Control Board and
served
upon the
parties to whom said, Notice is directed by
first class mail, postage prepaid,
by
depositing in the U.S. Mail at 191 N. Wacker Drive,
Chicago, Illinois on Monday,
August 2, 2004.
CHOI/ 12378267.1
Service List
112004-025
Fred L. Hubbard
‘
415 North Gilbert Street
Danville, IL 61834-0012
‘
Alex Messina
Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group
3150 Roland Avenue
Springfield, IL 62703
Bernard Sawyer
‘
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
6001 W. Pershing Rd.
Cicero, IL 60650-4112
:
Charles W. Wesseihoft
Ross, & Hardies
150 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 2500
Chicago, IL 60601-7567
Claire A. Manning
Posegate & Denes, P.C.
111 N. Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62705
‘
Connie L. Tonsor
EPA
1021 North Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Deborah J. Williams
EPA
‘
,
1021 North Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
‘
Dennis L. Duffield
City ofJoliet, Department ofPublic Works and
~Utilities
921 E. Washington Street
Joliet, IL 60431
Dorothy M. Gunn
Illinois Pollution Control Boark
‘
100 W. Randolph St.
Suite 11-500
Chicago,
IL 60601
Erika K. Powers
Barnes & Thornburg
1 N. Wacker
Suite 4400
chicago,
IL 60606
Frederick D. Keady
‘
Vermilion Coal
‘
1979 Johns Drive
‘
Glenview, IL 60025
James L. Daugherty
Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District
700 West End Avenue
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
James T. Harrington
‘
Ross & Hardies
‘
‘
,
150 North Michigan Avenue
‘
Suite 2500
Chicago, IL 60601-7567
,
Joel J. Sternstein
Office ofthe Attorney General
188 West Randolph
20th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
Service List
R2004-025
John Donahue
‘
City ofGeneva
22 South First Street
‘
Geneva, IL 60134-2203
Jonathan Furr
Illinois Department ofNatural Resources
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702-127 1
Ketherine D. lodge
,
Hodge Dwyer Zeman
3150 Roland Avenue
P.O. Box 5776
Springfield, IL 62705-5776
‘
‘Larry Cox
Downers Grove Sanitary District
2710 Curtiss Street
Downers Grove, IL
60515
‘
Lisa Frede
‘
Chemical Industry Council ofIllinois
2250 E~.Devon Avenue
‘
Suite’239
‘
,
Des Plaines, IL 60018-4509
Margaret Hedinger
2601 South Fifth Street
‘
Springfleld, IL 62703
‘
‘
Matthew J. Dunn
Office ofthe Attorney General’
188 West Randolph
20th Floor
,
Chicago, IL 60601
Michael G. Rosenberg, Esq.
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
100 East Erie Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Mike Callahan
Bloomington Normal Water Reclamation
District
P0 Box 3307
Bloomington, IL 61702-3307
Richard Lanyon
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
100 East Erie Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Richard McGill
Illinbis Pollution Control Board
100 W. Randolph St.
,
‘
Suite 11-500
‘
Chicago, IL 60601
‘
Sanjay K. Sofat
IEPA
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Stephanie N. Diers
,
EPA
‘
‘
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Sue Schultz
Illinois American Water Company
300 North Water Works Drive
P.0.Box24040
Belleville, IL 62223-9040
Service List
112004-025
Susan M. Franzetti
‘
‘
10 South LaSalle Street
Suite 3600
Chicago, IL 60603
Tom Muth
‘
Fox Metro Water Reclamation District
682 State Route 31
Oswego, IL 60543
Vicky McKinley
Evanston Environment Board
23 Grey Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
‘
‘
W.C. Blanton
Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP
2300 Main Street
Suite 1000
‘
,
,Kansas City, MO 64108
CHO2/ 22319597.1
t_~_
m
-a
I
Long
term
dynamics ofoxygen
and temperature in
illinois
streams
James E.
Garvey
Fisheries
and
illinois
Aquaculture
Center
Department ofZoology
Southern illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-6511
Prepared for Illinois Association ofWastewater Agencies
July 2004
2
Introduction
Garvey and Whiles
(2004) concluded
that
the current Illinois dissolved oxygen
standard
is
unrealistic, because naturally
fluctuating
dissolved
oxygen concentrations in surface
waters
ofthe state should occasionally or frequently decline below the
critical
minimum.
Specifically, the illinois general
use standard
requires
that dissolved
oxygen
concentrations within surface waters ofthe statenever decline below
5
mg/L and
remain
above 6 nig(L at least 16 hours each day. Although the Garvey
and
Whiles (2004)
report
cited published
studies
showing
that
dissolved oxygen is heterogeneous within
aquatic
systems
and that
concentrations in natural systems often
decline
below
5
mgfL
during
summer, little
stream
data within illinois were available to support
this
conclusion. Since
‘that
report was
completed, a continuous monitoring data set
has
become available
(Paul
Terrio, United States Geological Survey
and
Robert Mosher, Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, unpublished data) in whichdissolved oxygen concentrations
and
temperatureswere quantified semi-continuously in eight
stream
reaches during a two-
year period. These
streams
were distributed both along a north-south gradient
and a
gradient of
land-use
(i.e.,
urban,
agriculture,
and
forest).
Quality
ofstreams
was
also
considered in theselection of
monitoring
sites,
with
the
streams
varying from
fully
functioning
to impaired,
with
some included on the 2004, IL-EPA 303d list.
I obtained these data
and analyzed
them relative to the current IL dissolved oxygen
standard and
the standards proposed in Garvey
and
Whiles (2004). Following the
National Criteria Document (Chapman 1986),
Garvey and
Whiles (2004)recommended:
3
• A minimum of
5.0
mgfL
spring
through
early summer(i.e., March 1
through June
30)
• A
7-d
mean of6.0
mgfL
spring
through
early summer (i.e., March 1
through
June
30)
• A minimum of3.5
mg/L
the remainder ofthe year (i.e., July 1
through February
28 or 29)
• A
7-d
meanminimum of4.0
mg/L
the
remainder
of
the
year (i.e., July 1
through
February
28 or 29)
In
thisreport, I evaluate
how the current
and
proposed standards
characterize streams in
the state relative to season,
stream quality and
geographic location. Oxygen
and
temperature dynamics
are
interpreted in light ofthe extant biotic communities
and
the
location ofthe loggerwithin each stream.
Study Sites
North Fork VermilionRiver near Bismarck, IL
This east-central
lilmois
stream
reach
(IL-EPA, BPG-09) averages 20-rn
wide
at base flow
and
is 0.3- to 1-rn deep atthe
location ofthe logger. Total
surface
water for
this stream
is 1.14 km2. The drainage for
this stream
reach is
primarily agricultural.
Substrate is gravel
riffle with
vegetation
occurring in the channel during summer. Annual mean
stream
flow is 8.8 m3/s.
This
stream was
303-d listed as a high
priority
for impairmentby pathogens.
4
Middle
Fork Vermilion River near Oalcwood, IL.
This
east-central, “wild and
scenic
river”
stream
site (IL-EPA, BPK-07) is about 30-rn wide,
with
5.4
km2 surface area at
normal flows. The logger
was
placed at an area 1-rn deep near a rock
riffle
on the outside
ofa gradual bend. Some growth of
aquatic
vegetation occurs in the riffl~during late
summer. Land-use in the area is primarily
agricultural.
Annual mean
stream
flowis 11.4
m3Is.
Vermilion River near
Danville. IL. This stream
site (IL-EPA, BP-08) in
east-central
illinois is located in an area with about 91
agricultural and
4
urban
land-use.
This
stream has
a gravel and sand substrate and is about 50-rn wide at
base
flow.
Surface
area
of
this stream
is 24.3 km2. Depth at loggerlocation
was
2-3 meters at base flow. Annual
mean
stream
flow is 28.9 m3/s.
Lusk Creek near Eddyville. IL. Located in the southeastern
-
illinois Shawnee National
Forest
and draining
the Lusk Creek Wilderness
area, this
0.22-km2. meandering
stream
(IL-EPA, AK-02)
has
a bed composed ofsand, gravel, cobble,
and
bedrock. The site
was
located in a pool ofabout 2-rn deep
and
10-rn across.
Land use
is 76 forested and
about 18
agricultural.
Woody debris
and
vegetation occur in thechannel; surface flow
betweenthe pool
and
the channel
can
become disconnected. Annual
mean stream
flowis
1.7 m3/s.
5
Mazon River near Coal City. IL. This 17-km2 north-central Illinois
river
(IL-EPA,
DV-
04) is listed
as impaired
for PCBs
and pathogens. Agriculture dominates
the
land-use
(94),
with urban
being the next most
abundant class
(4).
Stream width averages at
50
in,
with vegetation
growing
in
the
channel
and
on the rock
and
gravel riffle at the site.
Annual mean
stream
flow is 9.9 m3/s.
Rayse Creek near Waltonville. IL. Although
this
southern-illinois
stream
(IL-EPA, NK-
01)resides in a predominantly
agricultural
watershed, about 17 ofthe
surrounding
land
is forested. The
stream
site is a slow moving
and
turbidpooi,
with
a flashyhydrograph
and
much debris. The
stream will
dry during periods oflow precipitation. The reach is
about 6-rn wide
and
1 m deep, although these measurements
vary
widely
with
stream
flow.
This
0.62-km2
stream
is a
tributary
ofthe Big Muddy whichis
impounded
downstream
to fonn Rend Lake.
Annual
mean stream flow is 2.5 m3/s. It is 303-d listed
with
nutrients, low pH, enrichment, pathogens,
and
suspended solids as causes of
impairment.
Salt Creek near Western Springs. IL.
This
is the northernmost
stream
(IL-EPA, GL-09)
located
prirnarilyin
the
urban
(80 ofland use) Chicago area. Surface area is about 7
km2
and
width averages 23 meters. The site
has a partial riffle with heavy
aquatic
growth
occurring during summer. Annual mean
stream
flowis 3.8 m3/s.
This stream
segment
also is 303-d
impaired, with
nutrients,
salinity, and
pathogens as causes.
6
Illinois
River near Valley
City. IL. l’his large segment
(1,003 km2
surface area;
IL-EPA,
D-32) in east-central illinois averages at 200-rn wide. Location oflogger
was
about
8-in
deep. Annual mean
stream
flow is
643.5
m3/s.
Surrounding
land
use
is about 77
agriculture with
the remainder being approximately
half
forested
andhalfurban. This
segment is also 303-d listed for metal
and
PCB contamination.
Data Collection
and
Analysis
Data collection
was
a joint effort betweentheUSGS
and
LEPA. At each
stream
site,
temperature
and
dissolved oxygen concentration (mgfL) were quantified every 30-
minutes during late summer 2001
through
fall 2003. Monitors were typically mounted in
areas
where they remained continually submerged, including bridge piers. Depth of
loggers ensured that they were 3-5 centimeters below the
point
ofzero flow in the
streams. At routine or high flow, probes were likely at
50
depth.
For each stream, I calculated daily averages
and
daily minima. For the Illinois
standard, I
determined the hours within each day that dissolved oxygen concentration
was
less
than
5
mg/L and 6 mg(L.
For the proposed
standard (Garvey and Whiles
2004), a minimum dissolved oxygen
concentration
was
defined as the lowest allowable concentration during
any
given day. A
7-day
mean was
derived by generating
daily
averages
and
then determining a
running
7
average
across 7
days. Maximum
water
concentrations that exceeded air saturation
were
corrected (i.e., decreased) to air
saturation
values.
Seven-day mean minima
were
calculatedby generating a
running
mean ofdaily minima across 7 days.
Within the proposed standard, seasons reflect times when most earlylife stages of
wannwater fishes (i.e., eggs, embryos,
and larvae,
typically 3O-d
post
spawning) are
either present
(March through
June) or absent (July
through
February) in illinois waters.
We hypothesized that warmwater species
that
spawnlater during summershould have
adaptations for
naturally
occurring reductions in dissolved oxygen concentrations
expected to
occur
during
warm
months. Hence, in systems in which dissolved oxygen
concentrations declined during summer near the proposed
minimum,
we should
still
expect the
stream
to be unimpaired (i.e., unlisted)
with
a robust biota. Thosethat
frequently declined below the
minima
would likely show
impairment
and be 303-d listed
by IL-EPA.
Results
As expected, dissolved oxygen concentrations declined in
all streams
during summer,
with each segment violating the current Illinois
standard as
infrequently as 2
and as
frequently as 65 ofthe days across the two-year period. These patterns were not clearly
delineated by latitude, stream quality, or
stream
size.
8
North Fork Vermilion River near Bismarck.. IL. Although 303-d
listed, this stream
segment declined below 5
mg/L
only 1 ofdays
(Figure
1; Table 1).
This
stream only
violatedthe
rule
ofdeclining below 6
mgfL
no more than 8-h
each day
only 2 ofdays
as well
(Figure
1; Table 1,2).
With
the proposed standard, the violations ofthe
spring
and
summer
critical minima and 7-d
means declined to near zero (Table 1).
Middle
Fork VermilionRiver near
Oakwood. IL. This full
attainment stream site below a
riffle area
had
the consistently
highest
dissolved oxygen concentrations oftheeight
segments
(Figure
2). It
still
violatedthe illinois standards on greater than 1 of
days
(Table 1,2). With theproposed standard, no violations occurred during either season
(Table 1).
VermilionRiver near Danville, IL. Although unlisted,
this stream
site violatedthe
Illinois standard on 6
and
7 ofdays for the
5
and 6 mgfL
rules, respectively
(Figure
3;
Table 1,2). Adoption oftheproposed
standard
reduced the frequency ofviolations
(Table 1). However, violations still occurred during the summer months
—
particularly
the 7-d mean
minimum
of4
mgJL
when
thisrule was
violated 9 ofthe time (Table 1).
This
suggcsts that dissolved oxygen concentrations in
this
reach maybe
chronically
low
during summer, requiringsome restoration efforts.
Lusk Creek near Eddyville. IL.
This
heterogeneous
stream
residing in a predominantly
forested watershed very frequently (22
and
32 ofdays) violatedthe current
state
standard (Figure
4; Table 1,2). Adoption ofthe proposed
standard
greatlyreduced the
9
frequency ofviolations during spring months; however, the 7-d mean minimum of4
mg/L was violated 3 ofdays (Table 1). The critical minimum during summerof3.5
mg/L was violated 1 ofdates (Table 1). However, the minimum dissolved oxygen
concentration typically declined by 0.5 mgfL below thisthreshold (Figure 4).
Mazon River near Coal City. IL. This 303-d listed stream frequently experienced very
low dissolved oxygen concentrations during summer (Figure 5), violating both the
Illinois standard and the proposed standard (Table 1,2). The higher frequency of
violations oftheproposed summerstandards suggests that summer eutrophication is a
problem in this stream (Table 1).
Rayse Creek near Waltonville. IL. This impaired stream violated the Illinois standard
andthe proposed standard most frequently (Figure 6; Table 1,2). The proposed 7-d
mean minimum of4 mg/L was in factmore sensitive than the illinois standard to
violations in this system (Table 1). Spring dissolved oxygen concentrations were
chronically below 6 mg(L and often declined below the proposed spring minimum of
5
mg/L (Table 1; Figure 6). Dissolved oxygen concentrations often declined to chronically
low levels (2 mg/I) during summer throughfall (Figure
6)~
Salt Creek near Western Springs. IL. This 303-d listed stream violated the illinois
standards of5 mg/L and 6 mgfL on 9 and 16 ofdays, respectively (Table 1,2; Figure
7). When the proposed standard was applied, violations declined somewhat. The
majority occurred during the spring months when the
5
mgIL critical minimum was
violated 6 ofdays (Table 1).
illinois Rivernear Valley City. IL. This largest ofthe stream segments violatedthe
current Illinois standard of5 mgfL on 11 ofdays and 6 mg/L on 21 ofdays(Table 1,
2; Figure 8). Violations declined with the proposedstandard, although violations
continued to occurmost frequently during the spring. The 7-d mean minimum of6 mg/L
was violated 16 ofdays (Table 1).
Temperature-Dissolved Oxygen Relationships among Streams. Lusk Creek, the
southernmost stream, was warmest duringwinter months, typically remaining above
freezing (Figure 9). During summer months, considerable overlap in monthly average
temperatures occurred, although Salt Creek and North Fork Vermilion River had lower
average temperatures. Mazon River, anothernorthern system, had consistently warmer
averages than its counterparts. Differences in monthly averages among all streams were
4°C during summer (Figure 9), with the greatest differences occurring between Rayse
(the warmest) and Salt (the coolest).
Temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration were negatively related in all streams
(Table 3). However, the strength ofthe relationship varied among streams, with
temperature only explaining 33 ofthevariation in oxygen in the Mazon Riverand 84
in the illinois River (Table 3). InLusk Creek, an apparently sound system with dissolved
oxygen concentrations that approached the proposedcritical minimum Of 3.5 nig/L
ii
during summer, low oxygen occurred most frequently during intermediate
(25°C),
rather
thanhigh, summer temperatures (Table 4). This refutes the assumption that the greatest
oxygen declines occur duringthe warmest temperatures in streams. Rather periods of
reduced flow coupled with intermittentlyhigh production in the pool ofLusk Creek was
responsible for the observed patterns.
Discussion
My goal was to identifyexpected seasonal and did oxygen curves for streams in illinois
by which we can set realistic standards. With the current Illinois standard, all streams
within the state will likely produce violations. The frequency ofviolations ofthe current
illinois standard does not appear to be associated with stream impairment. To illustrate, a
forested, functioning stream (i.e., Lusk Creek) violated the current standard far more
frequently than two ofthe listed streams (i.e., North Fork Vermilion and Salt Creek).
The proposed standards greatly reduced (although did not eliminate) the probability ofa
violation in Lusk Creek, while not greatly reducing the violations in the clearly oxygen-
impaired Rayse Creek and Mazon River. In fact, theproposed standardincreased the
frequency ofviolations for RayseCreek, andprovided aseasonal context for interpreting
the violation. Land use and alteration ofthe watershed in additionto flow likely are
major factors influencing the oxygen dynamics in these streams, and theproposed
standard would lend insight into the degradation ofthe biota within them.
12
Implementation ofthe proposed oxygen standards and interpretation ofthe oxygen
dynamics resulting from monitoring depend greatly on the location ofthe probes. (3arvey
and Whiles (2004) recommend placing loggers in pools at two-thirds depth to ensure that
areas with the greatest oxygen reductions are sampled. The loggers used in this study
were typically at depths
50
ofthe water column in areas where they could be
conveniently deployed (Paul Terrio, personal communication). Thus, the largely
microbial oxygen demand ofstream bottoms was likely integratedinto oxygen dynamics
in many ofthe deeper stream sites.
Although the recommendation oflogger depth was generally upheld, longitudinal
location ofloggers varied among streams. For example, the leastviolations ofeitherthe
current orproposed oxygen standard occurred in the Middle Fork Vermilion River, which
is ahighly valued stream resource. However, the logger at this site was placed below a
riffle. High gaseous oxygen exchange with the atmospheremay have elevated dissolved
oxygen concentrations relativeto an area with slower, less turbulent upstream flow.
Conversely, in small, intermittently flowing Lusk Creek, the logger was placed in a pool
with surface flowthat becomes disconnected from the stream. In Garvey and Whiles
(2004), this is considered the best location for quantifying oxygen dynamics because
it
provides a clear picture ofthe “worst case” ofoxygen declines in a stream. Clearly, the
heterogeneous verticaland horizontal distribution ofoxygen within stream sites will
render standardization challenging. Further, the dynamic effects offactors such as flow,
geomorphology, geology, groundwater, shading, sediment, land use, and temperature will
make interpretation ofresulting oxygen curves a daunting task.
13
The Garvey and Whiles (2004) report didnot develop standards unique to cool andwarm
water assemblagesin the state. Although some temperature differences did appear to
occur across the latitudinal gradient in the state, they appearedto be most pronounced
during winter when oxygen stress is unimportant ratherthan during summer. During
summer, slightly warmer conditions occurred in southern streams,particularly in small
Lusk Creek, whichhas the lowest average flow. However, given that the lowest oxygen
concentrations occurred at intermediate summertemperatures, the linkage between
oxygen stress and high temperature stressfor resident organisms appears to be relatively
unimportant.
Rather than linking temperature and oxygen, understanding the relationship between flow
and oxygen will likely be more informative for predicting effects on resident organisms.
As noted earlier and in Garvey and Whiles (2004), pooled areas ofstreams andrivers,
albeitnatural or artificial, should have lower oxygen concentrations and should be
targetedfor monitoring. These sites will elicit the most conservative estimate ofoxygen
dynamics in a stream reach. Recent studies in the Fox River and DuPage River systems
support this, in which oxygen concentrationswere typically lower in the pooled portions
(Santucci and Gephard2003; Hammer and Linke 2003). Inpooled areas, species with
adaptations to increased siltation, reduced flow, and increased open water are abundant
while flow-dwelling species are rare orabsent. In artificially pooled reaches, altered
habitat rather than reduced oxygen likely is ultimately responsible for shifts in the
community. Aquatic life adaptedto these modified, lentic environments will persist
14
whereas species adapted to flowing waterwill notbe present because the appropriate
flowand substrate will be unavailable. Ofcourse, ifoxygen concentrations in pools do
notmeet theproposed standards for aquatic life outlined in Garvey and Whiles (2004),
few organisms will be able to persist, regardless ofhabitat adaptations.
Conclusions
I have summarized the most comprehensive, long-term dissolved oxygen and temperature
data set available in the state ofIllinois and perhaps for streams in general. Itis clear that
theproposed standards better capture oxygen violations in truly impaired streams (i.e.,
those with modified biota suchas Rayse Creek) relative to fullyfunctioning streams such
as Lusk Creek with high quality habitat and a diverse aquatic biotic assemblage. If the
frequent violations ofthe illinois standard were biologically meaningful, then Lusk Creek
would have a greatly reduced or modified assemblage andwould be listed asimpaired.
This is not the case and the frequent declines in dissolved oxygen concentration
approaching the proposed summer minimum within the pools ofthis system during
summer do not compromise spawning fishes orother organisms. As noted in Garvey and
Whiles (2004), those species reproducingduring summerclearly have adaptations for
natural fluctuations in oxygen that occur duringthistime ofyear. Although it may be
argued that the southern Lusk Creek ismuch warmerand thus may have a warm-water
assemblageadapted to naturally low oxygen, the apparently minor (4°C average)
differences in stream temperatures across the state coupled with weak oxygen-
15
temperature relationships makes this argument tenuous. More likely, modifications to
streams that alter both surface andbelow-ground flow andhabitat quality will greatly
affect the composition ofstream communities. Ofcourse, stronglyimpaired, enriched
streams whichfrequently violate the proposed standard will have high incidences of
oxygen stress and loss ofaquatic life.
16.
References
Chapman, G. 1986. Ambient water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen. EPA
44015-86-
003, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water
Regulations and Standards, Washington, DC.
Garvey, J.E., andM.R. Whiles. 2004. An assessment ofnational and Illinois dissolved
oxygen water quality criteria. Final Report. Prepared for theIllinois Association
ofWastewater Agencies. SouthernIllinois University, Carbondale.
Hammer, J., and it Linke. 2003. Assessments ofthe impacts ofdams on the DuPage
River. FinalReport. The Conservation Foundation.
Santucci, V.J., Jr., and S.R. Gephard. 2003. Fox River fish passage feasibility study.
Final Report. Max McGraw Wildlife FOudnation. Submitted to illinois
Department ofNatural Resources.
Table 1. Proportion.frequency ofdaysin whichthe currentillinois standard andthe proposed standards were violated in each stream
reach during late summer 2001 through fall 2003. Runningmeans were only generated ifseven contiguous days ofdata were present
in the data set. For the proposed standard, spring is defined as Marchthrough June andother as July through February. Number of
days is the number ofdays by which either a critical minimum was determined or amean with seven preceding dates was available.
lllinois~Standard Minima
Pro~osedMinima
Other
Proøosed 7-d runnma
averages
Spring
mean
Other
3.5
Spring
4
Spring
Other
.
.
N
Stream
IL 5
IL 6
days 5 spring
other
days
days
6
mean
days
days
*NF Vermilion near
.
.
.
Bismark
0.01
0.02
751
0
0
231
520
0
0.01
190
369
MF Vermilion near
,
.
Oakwood
0.01
0.02
574
0
0
140
434
0
0
132
390
Vermilion near DanvilIe
0.06
0.07
458
0
0.04
84
374
0
0.09
66
250
Lusk near
Eddyvilte
0.22
0.32
653
0.01
0
204
449
0
0.03
182
429
*M~onnear Coal City
0.17
0.15
606
0.05
0.11
181
425
0.05
0.18
152
335
*Rayse near Waltonvilje
0.62
0.65
523
0.13
0.7
139
384
0.23
0.78
96
380
*Salt*iIIinoisat WesternRiver
at ValleySprings
0.09
0.16
590
0.06
0.02
208
382
0
0
167
365
City
0.11
0.21
638
0.03
0.02
240
398
0.16
0.03
159
334
*Denotes 303-d listed stream segment (2002 cycle).
17
Table 2. Frequency ofdays that issolved oxygen concentrations was lower than
5
and 6 mg/L at 4-h increments in eight Illinois
streams during summer2001 through spring 2003.
18
Total
Number of Days per Stream Reach
I
Number
of
Violation
Hours per
Day
NF
VermiliQn
ME
Vermilion
Vermilion
Lusk
Creek
Mazon
River
Rayse
Creek
Salt
Creek
Illinois
River
5 mg/L
0
740
567
431
508
504
200
536
569
.
4
8
12
16
5
3
.
1
1
2
5
0
0
7
4
12
4
51
24
28
15
18
37
38
8
8
8
12
31
3
7
21
19
14
10
12
8
,
20
24
1
.
0
0
0
0
0
10
17
1
0
43
221
4
0
2
23
6mg/L
0
721
48
87
12
4
16
4
20
5
24
2
553
402
415
454
175
471
465
4
14
12
27
7
15
17
7
12
17
32
2
10
24
8
12
34
58
5
24
18
2
11
49
32
9
41
17
0
5
29
1
16
20
7
0
2
97
2
309
9
90
19
Table 3. Linear regression results oftemperature (°C)versus dissolved oxygen
concentration (mgIL) quantified each half hourin eight illinois streams during late
summer 2001 through fall 2003.
Stream
NF Vermilion near Bismark
N
37022
F
75493
A
-0.28
b
14.5
F2
0.67
MF Vermilion near
Oakwood
27982
32959
-0.20
13.5
0.54
Vermilion near Danville
22907
23361
-0.31
15.6
0.50
Lusk near Eddyville
32034
125863
-0.31
13.7
0.79
Mazon near Coal
City
29906
14910
-0.23
13.3
0.33
Rayse near Waltonville
25812
26061
-0.36
12.1
0.50
Salt at
Western Springs
26975
85886
-0.29
13.4
0.76
Illinois
River
at
Valley
CIty
29155
163067
-0.30
13.7
0.84
20
Table 4. Frequency ofhalf-hour intervals in Lusk Creek, Illinois in which dissolved
oxygen concentrations declined below
5
or 4 mgfL as a function oftemperature (°C)
during late summer 2001 through fall 2003. This stream was chosen due to thewide
variation in temperatures and dissolved oxygen concentrations that occurred.
Temperature
5
mg/I.
4
mg/L
15
0
0
17
1
0
19
13
0
21
21
0
23
196
4
25
826
41
27
1105
35
29
434
12
31
49
0
33
0
0
35
0
0
21
List ofFigures
Figures 1-8. Top panel: Dailyaveragetemperature (°C;solid line) and daily minimum
(dotted line)dissolved oxygen concentration as afunction ofdate in eight Illinois
streams. Solid horizontal line isthe Illinois minimum standard of
5
mgfL. Bottom panel:
Seven day averages ofdaily average (solid line) anddaily minimum (dotted line)
dissolved oxygen concentrations in eight Illinois streams. Only data where seven
preceding days ofdata are available are plotted.
Figure 9. Monthly averagetemperatures in seven illinois streams. The Illinois Riveris
excluded due to its large volume, which makes comparisons with the other streams not
meaningful.
22
North Fork Vermilion near Bismarck
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
I
40
35
~25
~20
a,
15
10
0
.~
0
ci
a,
C)
a,
~
(U
1?
1/1/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
Date
0
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
16’
14
12
10
8
6
4
—
Daily
averag~
Daily
minimum
/
2
1/1/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
Date
7/1/03
1/1/04
Figure
1
23
Middle Fork Vermilion near Oakwood
40
35
I!a,
I
I
25
20
15
10
5
0
111101
20 -
18
16
?14
O 12
0
a,
0)
10
1/1/01
Daily average
Daily
minimum
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
Date
Figure 2
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0,
C
I
711101
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1103
7/1/03
1/1/04
Date
24
Vermilion River near Danville
0.
E
00,
18’
16
*14
0 12
ci
a,
0)
10
I!
2
0
1/1/01
7/1101
1/1/02
20
18
16~
0,
C
:1
8~
60
2
.7/1/02
1/1/03..... 7/1/03.
1/1/04
Date
Figure 3
111/01
7/1/01
0
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
Date
—
Daily average
Daily minimum
if
~
25
Lusk Creek near Eddyville
0)
0
ci
a,
0)
.
(a
p..
1/1/01
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
0,
I
C
1/1/04
1/1101
7/1101
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
Date
0
7/1/03
1/1/04
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
Date
Figure 4
26
Mazon near Coal City
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
111/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
Date
a)
C
I
a,
0.
E
a,
0,
‘U
I-
a,
0
0)
E
0
0
a,
18
—
Daily average
Daily minimum
16
14
12
10
I
H:
4
I
(
2
,~1
0
1/1/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
Date
7/1/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
Figure
5
27
Rayse Creek near Waltonville
I
I
16
~14
E
~12
0
a, 10
a,
2
a~ 8
.~
a,
6
4
2
0
1/1/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
Date
Figure 6
18
16
14
12
10
.~-
C
0
~
a,
ci
7/1/02
Date
35
28
Salt Creek near Western Springs
a’
0
0
0
Co
.
ci
2 30
~25
520
~ 15
10
05
0
1/1/01
7/1/01
111/02
711102
Date
—a
0
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1104
— Daily
average
Daily minimu~j
1~
18
16
14
12
10~
8
6
4,
2
0• —
1/1/01
0)
E
0
ci
0)
2
4)
‘U
V
1*.?
7/1/01
1/1/02
7/1/02
Date
‘Figüré7’
1/1/03
7/1/03
111/04
29
Illinois River near Valley City
a,
0
0
.5
Co
Co
b
Ca
ci
a,
2
I
a,
20
18
16
14
o
12
ci
a,
10
111/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
711102
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1/04
Date
— Daily
average
Daily
minimum
I ~w1i
0—
1/1/01
7/1/01
1/1/02
711/02
1/1/03
7/1/03
1/1104
Date
Figure
8
0
0)
CD
Mean Monthly Temperature (°C)
-~
-~
Ni
Ni
0
01
0
01
0
01
IIIIII
0)
0)
o
(J1
-s
0
Ni
-.4
N.)
0
0)
t~.
1
An Assessment of National and Illinois Dissolved Oxygen
Water Quality Criteria
Prepared by:
James E.1DepartmentGarvey”2 andofZoologyMatt R. Whiles1
2Fisheries and Illinois Aquaculture Center
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901
For:
Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies
April 2004
.
10
~1It7OL
Ø~
2
Executive Summary
Dissolved oxygen is an important limiting resource in aquatic systems- and-is directly
affected by human activities such as organic enrichment, increased nutrient loading, and
habitat alteration. We reviewed the published literature on responses of warmwater
freshwater systems to dynamics of dissolved oxygen and then assessed current Illinois
and national water quality standards in light of these findings. For fish, aquatic insects,
freshwater mussels, and other organisms typically found in warmwater surface waters of
Illinois, reduced dissolved oxygen has long been understood to inhibit growth, survival,
and reproduction, primarily by interfering with aerobic metabolism. More recently, low
dissolved oxygen has been suggested to act as an endocrine disruptor in fish, reducing
_________________________
(comrnent
Idispine
this
inteqretation j
reproductive viability.~Dissolved oxygen concentrations vary widely both among and,,,,,~,
within natural streams and lakes, although mean and minimumconcentrations should
decline with organic enrichment. In systems with low oxygen minima, only organisms
________________________
rcommerit ThIS
s~oiad
be
relevant
specifically adapted to hypoxic conditions should persist.~
,-“
~pp1ytonanu41cerinss~~
Our assessment of the published data generally affirms the guidelines set forth for
warmwater assemblages by the 1986 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national
dissolved oxygen water quality standards document. The current emphasis in Illinois on
biotic indicators for assessing the integrity of streams and lakes should-be continu~~~~and
continually refined in our view. Conversely, the current dissolved oxygen water quality
standard set by the Illinois Pollution Control Board (minimum of
5.0
mg/L) is too
conservative and may place many aquatic systems with naturally occurring dissolved
3
oxygen concentrations that occasionally decline below the state minimum standard in
__________________________
-
1c~mmwit:This statement is consistent
violation. I This document recommendsastandard that includes seasonally appropriate
the national
means and minima that more realistically account for natural fluctuations in dissolved
oxygen concentrations, while remaining sufficiently protective of aquatic life and life
stages. In general, our recommended standards are either equivalent to or more
___________________________
comment:
I believe thin is gLoorally
conservative than the established national dissolved oxygen standards.
.
~°°°
We reconm-iend for surface waters in Illinois (not including Lake Michigan or wetlands;
also see Table
5):
• A 1-day minimum of 5.0 mg/L spring through earlysummer (i.e., March 1
through June 30)
• A 7-d mean of 6.0 mg/L spring through early summer (i.e., March 1 through June
30)
• A 1-d minimum of
3.5
mg/L the remainder of the year (i.e., July 1 through
February 28 or 29)
• A 7-d mean minimum of4.0 mg/L the remainder of the year (i.e., July 1 through
r
Comment:
There
is
no higher moan
February 28 or 29)
inider rotoctiv~National criteriarequire
~a 30-day mean sf5.5 ing/L.
—-
• Areas in proximity to discharges in which dissolved oxygen concentrations can be
manipulated should be monitored closely, with daily minima occurring no more
than 3 weeks per year, not including spring through early summer (i.e., March 1
through June 30), or the 1 -d minimumbe increased to 4.0 mg/L
4
A 1-day minimum dissolved oxygen concentration is the lowest allowable concentration
during any given day. A 7-day mean is derived by generating time-weighted daily
averages (including the daily minimum and maximum) and then determining-arunning
average across 7 days. Maximum water concentrations that exceed air saturation should
be corrected (i.e., decreased) to air saturation values. Seven-day mean minima are
calculated by generating a running mean of daily minima across 7 days.
Seasons reflect times when most earlylife stages of warmwaterlishes--(i.e., eggs,
embryos, and larvae, typically 30-d post spawning) are either present (March through
June) or absent (July through February) in Illinois waters (see Table 3). Warmwater
species that spawn later during summer should have adaptations for naturally occurring
___________________________
r~mmentI don
t
know the
spte105
reductions in dissolved oxygen concentrations expected to occur during warm months.
,.~
~
Our review ofthe literature revealed that many gaps in our knowledge persist about
relations among diel oxygen curves, nutrient status, and primary production. Mechanistic
research rather than correlational field studies must be conducted to develop more.precise
and meaningful criteria for dissolved oxygen and other water quality measures.
Similarly, our understanding ofbiological responses to oxygen dynamics is typically
correlational. Laboratory-derived, physiological tolerance estimates rarely correspond
fcomment
This is
probably less true
well to field patterns.~Improved criteria that are relevant on a regional and habitat-
..-
Lf9~P
Pc4iiSPP!h1t4Pta~
specific basis will require a better understanding of how organisms respond to
experimentally manipulated variables in natural systems.
5
Table ofContents
Section
Executive Summary
..
.~
.
2.
Overview
6
Oxygen in Freshwater
..~
.. ~
Anthropogenic Influences
.~-----
Oxygen and Monitoring
7
Overview ofNational and Illinois Criteria
Systems in Illinois
9
Wannwater Responses
-.
Fish
.14
Macroinvertebrates
19
Environmental Variation in Oxygen
Guidelines
~
27
National
27
Illinois
30
Assessments and Recommendations
35
Spring through Early Summer
36
Other Months
37
Other Considerations
~
.~
37
Gaps and Future Directions
. .
4.2
Literature Cited
~
44
Table1
..
54
Table2
55
Table3
...
56
Table4
58
Table
5
59
Figure 1
.~-~.----
60
Figure2
.~
61.
-
6
Overview
This document reviews the current literature on dissolved oxygen in natural systems and
the potential effects of hypoxia (i.e., low dissolved oxygen concentrations) on aquatic
life. It then evaluates the current Illinois dissolved oxygen water quality standard
(Illinois Pollution Control Board 302.206, 302.502) and the national criteria (Chapman
1986) in light ofthis information. The final sections make recommendations for re-
evaluating and modifying current Illinois state water quality criteria that are based on
publishedresearch on natural fluctuations in aquatic systems and physiological tolerances
of native aquatic life. We conclude with recommendations for research that, in our view,
will improve the scientific foundation underlying dissolved oxygen criteria for freshwater
systems in Illinois.
Oxygen infreshwater habitats
Dissolved oxygen is a critical resource in freshwater systems because -it-is essential to-
aquatic organisms for aerobic respiration, and thus most biological activity and associated
processes. Further, because of oxygen’s low solubility in water, it is less abundant, and
thus more limiting, in aquatic habitats compared to terrestrial habitats. The amount of
dissolved oxygen in freshwater habitats that is available to organisms is a function of
many biotic and abiotic factors including metabolic processes (photosynthesis and
respiration), temperature, salinity, atmospheric and water pressure, and diffusion.
Dissolved oxygen that is available to aquatic biota is generally measured and expressed
as mg/L or percentage saturation. Depending on the array of aforementionedphysical
7
and biological factors, dissolved oxygen levels in natural freshwater habitats can range
from near zero (anoxic or anaerobic conditions) to supersaturated.
Anthropogenic influences on oxygen infreshwater habitats
Along with the myriad natural process that influence dissolved-oxygen levels in
freshwater habitats, many human activities can have profound effects. In particular, the
addition of nutrients (nutrient enrichment and eutrophication)ileads-Ttoieduccd oxygen
concentrations because of increased productivity and biochemical oxygen demand
(BOD). Numerous other types ofpollution (e.g., sediments, thermal discharges,
pesticides) and other types of anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., -stream channelization,
catchment logging) can influence oxygen levels because they influence the combination
of biotic and abiotic factors that control it. Oxygen depletion as a result of eutrophication
receives most attention because this is a prevalent problem associated with human
activities (e.g., sewage effluent, agricultural activities, urbanization) that is often linked to
reduced water quality and the loss and degradation of natural resources such as fisheries
(Cooper 1993). Eutrophication has also received much recent attention because of
related large-scale issues such as the hypoxic zone in the Gulfof Mexico, which has been
linked to elevated nutrient loads in the Mississippi River and its tributaries (Rabalais et
al. 2002).
Dissolved oxygen and water quality monitoring
Given that (i) oxygen is a crucial, limiting resource to life in freshwater habitats, (ii)
human activities have greatpotential to influence it, and (iii) it is relatively easy to
8
monitor, regulatory agencies logically focus on dissolved oxygen levels for setting water
quality standards and monitoring conditions. Most frequently, associated monitoring
activities focus on daily minimumlevels (often quantifiedpre-dawn) or averages over a
period of time. Although there is general agreement that dissolved oxygen levels are an
importantcomponent of water quality standards and monitoring activities, it is less clear
how standards for given regions and habitats should be set and how violations of these
standards are assessed (e.g., daily minimums vs. weekly averages vs. dynamics of diel
oscillations). More recently, biological communities, usually fish and/or
macroinvertebrate assemblages (e.g., biomonitoring), have become increasingly
important components of surface water monitoring programs because they integrate and
reflect the conditions within the habitat, including, among other things, oxygen levels and
the factors that influence them (Plaficin et al. 1989, Loeb and Spacie 1993, Barbour et al.
1999).
National and State Criteria
Because oxygen is typically the primary factor limiting aquatic lif~,several attempts ha
been made to develop specific criteria in aquatic systems (Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration 1968, National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of
Engineering 1972, Magnuson et al. 1979a). The current USEPA national standard for
dissolved oxygen (Chapman 1986) was built on this past work. The national criteria
document adopts a two-concentration structure with both a mean and a minimum and
includes specific criteria for both cool-water and warm-water systems.
9
The Illinois dissolvedoxygen criterion used at present was established by the Illinois
Pollution Control Board threedecades ago in the early 1 970s (R. Mosher, Illinois EPA,
Division of Water Pollution Control, Standards Section, personal communication). It is
based on a simple minimum allowable dissolvedoxygen concentratisn. Setting such
minima was common practice for establishing contaminant loads in the early regulatory
setting following passage of the Clean Water Act (Chapman 1986). The current Illinois
criterion, based on these earlydecisions, does not incorporate natural cycling in dissolved
oxygen nor is it supported by the most recent scientific information on responses of
f
Comment ibeartily agree
thata angle 1
aquatic life to hypoxic conditions
rneatly~
~
greatly ndeeprotective
Systems in Illinois
With the exceptionof the Lake Michigan system, most inland waters in Illinois are
dominated by warmwater, non-salmonid faunal assemblages. Although the term
warmwater has been used for decades, a formal definitionis still lacking (but see
Magnuson et al. l979b). In this document, warmwater systems are defined as those that
are typically diverse, centrarchid-dominated, and common in the Midwestern and
southem United States (Magnuson et al. 1979b). Fishes in these systems can be quite
tolerant of at least temporary periods of low dissolved oxygen (Chapman 1986, Smale
and Rabeni
1995a),
although certain species such as smailmouth bass
(Micropterus
dolomieu)
are more sensitive.
Since the national criterion for dissolved oxygen was developed, fish continue to be
emphasized because of their commercial and recreational importance. Some
10
macroinvertebrates, such as burrowing mayflies
(Hexagenia
spp.) and freshwatermussels
(Li-Yen 1998), are far less tolerant ofprolonged exposure to hypoxic conditions than
most fish (Chapman 1986, Winter et al. 1996, Corkum et al. 1997). However, this may
be expected because many sensitive macroinvertebrate species occupy pristine, well-
oxygenated benthic habitats or are riffle-dwelling. Riffles have a high dissolved oxygen
flux and organisms persisting in these environments might be expected to have high
oxygen requirements. Assessments of aquatic life responses to hypoxic conditions need
to account for the physiological, behavioral, and life history adaptations of the resident
organisms in the context oftheir natural environment. When developing oxygen criteria,
how natural cycles in dissolved oxygen structure warmwater assemblages-must-be
________________________
Comment
There is almostno
data on
cons1uere~
.1
.1
invertebratesthelowoxygenandtoleranceespeciallyofmostofwarm
wateriOctebraths.
_
,~ ~
Warmwater Organisms and Dissolved Oxygen
Setting a dissolved oxygen criterion for aquatic systems that is adequately protective to
aquatic life is challenging because of the wide adaptations that exist among organisms.
In warmwater systems, the richness and abundance of species within aquatic systems can
often be explainedby variation in dissolved oxygen, because only the most tolerant
species can persist in systems with frequent or chronic hypoxia. An extensive survey of
Missouri streams revealed that low oxygen, rather than high temperature, is the primary
factor limiting fish distributions (Smale and Rabeni 1995a,b). Increases in the dissolved
oxygen concentration and general improvement in water quality of the westem basin of
Lake Erie are largely responsible for improved fish and benthic macroinvertebrate
communities (Ludsin et al. 2001). Similar improvements in fish communities occurredin
11
Swedish streams when dissolvedoxygen increased and water quality improved across a
thirty-year period (Eklov et al. 1998, 1999).
Many physiological responses within aquatic organisms occur- to ensure survival under
hypoxic conditions. Many species will initially increase ventilation to increase the
exchange of oxygen across the respiratory surface (e.g., gills; Beamish 1964, Fernandes
et al. 1995, MacCormick et al. 2003). Tolerance to hypoxia is ultimately affected by the
capacity of blood to uptake and transport oxygen. Furmisky et al. (2003) found a marked
difference in blood oxygen content oflargemouth bass and smallmouth bass
(M
salmoides)
under hypoxia. Largemouth bass blood had a higher affinity for oxygen than
that of smallmouth bass. Further, smallmouth bass blood contained elevated
concentrations of catecholamines, stress hormones that initiate a number ofphysiological
mechanisms that increase blood oxygen transport. In contrast to species that actively
regulate oxygen concentration, other species exposed to hypoxia, typically those that are
relatively inactive in benthic habitats, will reduce activity and metabolism, thereby
decreasing oxygen demand of tissues (Crocker and Cech 1997, Hagerman 1998). Some
organisms rely on anaerobic glycolysis and other anaerobic biochen-ticalpathways to fuel
their metabolism during temporary hypoxia (e.g., common carp, freshwater mussels),
although the typical adaptation in habitats with chronically low dissolved oxygen
concentrations appears to be aerobic metabolism plus efficient oxygen uptake rather than
anaerobic metabolism (Childress and Siebel 1998, Wu 2002). When determining the
dissolved oxygen criteria for a suite of systems, the interaction between physiological
adaptations and natural environmentaldissolved oxygen cycles must be considered.
12
Aquatic organisms will also respond behaviorally to low dissolvedoxygen in the
environment. Organisms usually move away from areas of low oxygen to those of higher
concentrations when oxygen concentrations are locally heterogeneous. This may most
commonly occur in vegetated areas of lake littoral zones in which oxygen concentrations
vary both horizontally and vertically, with areas of low and high oxygen adjacent to each
other (Miranda et al. 2000). Other organisms such as some stream fishes and amphipods
use the air-water interface when dissolved oxygen levels are low (Henry-and Danielopol
1998). Some invertebrate and vertebrate species must trade-offthe use of hypoxic areas
with the risk of occupying other normoxic areas that may have a greater risk of predation
or lower food availability (Burleson et al. 2001). This has been well documented for
zooplankton and
Chaoborus
using the hypoxic hypolimnion of lakes as a refuge from
predators (Tessier and Welser 1991, Popp and Hoagland 1994, Rahel and Nutzman
1995,
Dawidowicz et al. 2001). More recently hypoxic areas have been shown to be important
for small fish evading predators (Chapman et al. 1996, Miranda and Hodges 2000,
Burleson et al. 2001) or using these areas to forage (Rahel and Nutzman
1995).
Chapman (1986) found that the early life stages (e.g., eggs and larvae) of aquatic
organisms are the most sensitive to hypoxia. For many of these organisms, much
exchange of oxygen occurs cutaneously (Jobling 1995) and thus is not expected to be
well-regulated. After the oxygen regulating structures such as gills are formed, the
ability to regulate oxygen and thus tolerate hypoxia should improve, with the structure of
gills and associated respiratory behavior reflecting species-specific oxygen demands and
13
naturally occurring oxygen concentrations (Jobling 1995). In fresh, warm-water systems
such as those in Illinois, many benthic areas where fish may deposit eggs in nests can
become hypoxic or anoxic. The behavior of nest tending and fanning in adults increases
the oxygen available to eggs and embryos, offsetting the effect of low oxygen (Hale et al.
2003). Other species in these systems have adaptations that allow their eggs and larvae to
avoid anoxic sediments including semibuoyant eggs (e.g., asian carps) or adhesive eggs
that attach to vegetation (e.g., northern pike, yellow perch). Riffle-dwelling or gravel-
spawning species rely on rapid exchange of water to keep eggs oxygenated-(Corbett and
Powles 1986). How these adaptations allow aquatic species to cope with natural cycles
and spatial heterogeneity of dissolved oxygen must be considered when developing
specific criteria. Because most species in Illinois spawn in spring when flow rates are
high and temperature-induced hypoxia is low, seasonal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen
must also be factored into the evaluation of dissolved oxygen criteria for Illinois.
Chapman (1986) pointed out that very few investigators have used conventional toxicity
tests to generate LC5Os or EC5Os and thus find critical dissolved oxygen concentrations
of aquatic organisms. With a fewrare exceptions (i.e., Nebeker et al. 1992), this has not
changed since 1986. Additionally, no standardized method for conducting acute tests
with dissolved oxygen yet exists. As a consequence, duration and intensity of
acclimation and exposure to hypoxic conditions differ among studies. Oxygen control in
studies is typically achieved either by vacuum degassing or nitrogen stripping, which
may elicit different physiological responses. Acute effects of hypoxia have often been
quantified as an interaction with other factors such as contaminants, temperature, and
14
food availability. For sublethal tests, effects have been quantified as impairment of
behavior, reproduction, or growth. Chronic tests in the published literature are rarer than
acute ones, and are assumed to include the most sensitive life stages. Because most
dissolved oxygen tests fail to include a full life cycle or, at the least, embryonic through
larval stages, these tests fall short in assessing chronic effects (but see Nebeker et al.
1992). In the field, hypoxia often only occurs temporarily because dissolved oxygen
concentrations fluctuate daily. Hence, quantifying recoveryupon return to normoxia may
also be an important requisite for standardized testing (Person-Le Ruyet 2003).
Fish Responses to Oxygen Stress
Most of the studies quantifying critical dissolved oxygen minima for warmwater fish
species (i.e., nonsalmonids) in Illinois predate the 1990s. A review of these studies
revealed that adults and juveniles of most species survive dissolved oxygen
concentrations that occasionally decline below 3 mg/l (Chapman 1986). Higher
temperatures generally increase the critical dissolved oxygen coneentretion necessary for
survival. Many warmwater species can survive prolonged periods of low dissolved
oxygen concentrations (Downing and Merkens 1957, Moss and Scott 1961, Smale and
Rabeni 1995a,b). Smale and Rabeni (1995a) determined critical oxygen minima-for 35
fish species that inhabit small warmwater streams (Table 1). These critical
concentrations, defined as the oxygen concentration at which ventilation ceased, ranged
from 0.49 mg/i to
1.5
mg/L (Table 1; Smale and Rabeni 1995a). The current national 1-
day minimum dissolvedoxygen criterion for adult life stages is 3 mg/L (Chapman 1986;
Table 2). With the exceptionof the oxygen minima set by Smale and Rabeni (1985a) and
15
tested in Smale and Rabeni (1995b), no studies to our knowledge have explicitly
determined how the criteria set forth by the Illinois Pollution Control Board or the US
EPA national water quality document translate to field distributions of fish. Smale and
Rabeni’s work suggest that the current 1-day minimum set by the national criterion for
- -
1~mment
I
have acenno data
over thai
warmwater fish is sufficiently protective ofstream fish assemblages
rSt~ Years thatwou~mdi~atethat
the
adequatelyprotective againstlethal
effecta
Because early life stages are typically more sensitive, separate national dissolved oxygen
criteria have been set for them (Table 2; Chapman 1986). An in situ test of the effect of
dissolved oxygen concentration on survival of embryonic and larval bluegill, northern
pike, pumpkinseed, and smallmouth bass was conducted at spawning sites in Minnesota
(Peterka and Kent 1976). The investigators found that tolerance of short-term exposure
to hypoxia declined from embryonic to larval stages. Upon transforming to larvae, many
fishes become free-swimming and join the open-water ichthyoplankton. Hence, some
larvae departing potentially hypoxic benthic spawning areas may no longer require high
tolerance of low dissolvedoxygen concentrations under natural conditions. Conversely,
other species with benthic larvae (e.g., lampreys) should be quite sensitive to chronic low
oxygen at the substrate-water interface.
To find tolerance for dissolved oxygen,
we digitized embryonic and larval survival data
from Figure 1 in Chapman (1986). We then subjected the data for Chapman’s “tolerant”
warmwater species (largemouth bass, black crappie, white sucker, and white bass) and
“intolerant” species (northern pike, channel catfish, walleye, and smallmouth bass) to two
sets of analyses, both ofwhich are designed to isolate an “inflection” point in the curves
16
of dissolved oxygen concentration versus percent survival (relative to controls). The
nature ofthe data did not allow us to conduct a probit analysis widely used in toxicology.
Rather, in the first analysis, we used non-linear regression to fit the best models to the
tolerant (Michealis-Mentin) and intolerant (logistic) species data. A second analysis was
used to identify the point of major change in the distributions for both tolerant and
intolerant fishes. This two-dimensional Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (2DKS) has been used
successfully for finding major breakpoints in bivariate data, for example when survival
changes from consistently high to variable beyond or below some threshold contaminant
concentration (Garvey et al. l998a).
For the non-linear regression analysis, the curves fit the data moderately well (Figure 1).
The half-saturation dissolved oxygen concentration (similar to an LC5O value) for the
tolerant species was 2.8 mg/i. For the intolerant species, the dissolved oxygen
concentration at which
50
survival occurred was much higher at 4.3 mg/L. In the
2DKS analysis, the threshold dissolved oxygen concentrations were 3.72 and 3.75 mg/L
for the tolerant and intolerant distributions, respectively, suggesting that.survivai of fish
-
- - -
I Comment
The 3 75 value is lower
variedbelow these values and was consistently high above them A conservative
~~~th~0ut
interpretationis that intolerant embryos and larvae are indeed more sensitive to low
IComment I
generallyagree
there
is a
oxygen concentrations and that survival should begin to decline below 4 3 mg/L Early
L thresholdbetween
4
and
5
rng/L
fcomment I
agree
life stages of tolerant species should only begin to show survival effects below 3.7 mg/L~:.
Sublethal effects oflow dissolved oxygen on growth are likely more common than direct
lethal ones~Thus, carefully quantifying sublethal effects is an importantrequisite for
-
17
setting criteria for fish and other organisms. Low dissolved oxygen concentrations can
__________________________
- -
Comment~
Primary egreets
(indie
reduce growth by reducing foraging behavior and increasing metabolic costs. A review
~-‘
-in thepresence ofabundant food,
conducted by JRB Associates (1984) summarized growth responses of northern pike,
largemouth bass, channel catfish, and yellow perch to reduced dissolved oxygen
concentrations (data sources: Stewart et al. 1967, Adelman and Smith 1972, Carlson et
al. 1980). For northern pike, growth declined from 16 to 25 between
5
and 4 mg/L,
with growth reduced by 35 at the lowest concentration of 3 mg/l. Growth of channel
catfish declined from 7 to 13 between 5 and 4 mg/L, with a 29 reduction at 2 mg/L.
For largemouth bass and yellow perch, strong reductions in growth did not occur until
concentrations were 2 mg/L, with growth reduced by
51
for largemouth bass and 22
foryellow perch.
Extrapolating growth results from laboratory experiments to the field may be
problematic, primarily because of differences in food availability. Althoughreduced
oxygen may reduce consumption, fish in laboratory studies may have easy access to food
and thus not suffer the same impairment as counterparts in the field (Chapman 1986).
Chapman (1986) compared the data compiled by JRB Associates (1984) to those of
Brake (1972) who conducted a pond experiment exploring the effect of reduced oxygen
on largemouth bass growth. Brake found that growth of largemouth bass was reduced by
as much as 34 at dissolvedoxygen concentrations (4-5 mg/L) that had little effect in the
laboratory. Similarly, RNA-DNA ratios (an index ofgrowth where high RNA
concentrations relative to DNA suggests rapid protein synthesis and growth) were higher
for bluegill under normoxic conditions than counterparts exposed to hypoxic conditions
18
in the natural environment (Aday et al. 2000). However, this effect of hypoxia could not
be replicated under laboratory conditions (Aday et al. 2000). Clearly, field conditions,
including reduced food, changing temperatures, increased activity rates, and fluctuating
oxygen levels, need to be incorporated into studies quantifying the intermediate- and
long-term effects of hypoxia on growth.~
. .- -~
Few studies have quantified the effect of reduced dissolved oxygen concentration on-the
reproductive viability of adult fish. Recently, hypoxia has been shown to be an endocrine
______________ _________
Comment: I believe
this
to be anatural
disruptor, affecting fish reproductive success (Wu et al. 2003). Common carp exposed to
-
~~ce of
survival. Tile
endoeriiie system is
simply
chronichypoxia had reduced levels of serum testosterone and estradiol. These reduced
bioenergetic sense: “don’t waste youi-
levels led to decreased gonadal development in both males and females. Spawning
~
-
success, sperm motility, fertilization success, hatching rate, and larval survival were all
compromised through this mechanism. Loss of reproductive capacity through reduced
energy intake or increased metabolic costs has been the more typical mechanism
implicated. For species in which adult behavior is important (e.g., nest guarding), adults
may abandon nests or cease parental care below some threshold dissolved oxygen
concentration where physiological costs outweigh the benefit of successfully producing
offspring (Hale et al. 2003).
The timing and periodicity of spawning should correspond with a host of ecological
factors including the availability of food, avoidance ofpredators, and overlap with
optimum abiotic conditions (e.g., temperature and oxygen concentration; Winemiller and
Rose 1992). Obviously, all of these conditions typically do not co-occur in time,
19
necessitating trade-offs for reproducing fish and other aquatic organisms. The majority
of warmwater fishes in Illinois spawn during spring through early summer (i.e., as early
as March and as late as June; Table 3), largely because this (i) allows young fish to
overlap with a spring pulse in primary production and (ii) provides enough-time-during
the growing season for offspring to become large and survive winter (Garvey et al.
l998b). During spring, oxygen concentrations in most stream and lake systems should
not be expected to be low, because the temperature-dependent oxygen capacity of water
is not limited, lakes are typically unstratified and mixed, and seasonal production and
thus whole-system respiration has not yet peaked. However, a few species do spawn
continuously through summer when natural oxygen concentrations may be expected to
fluctuate and may reach limiting levels. Underthese circumstances, fishes must have
adaptations to reproduce successfully including parental care (e.g., nest fanning), riffle-
Comment
This xequtres knowledge of
1
dwelling offspring, or oxygen-tolerant eggs embryos, and larvae
~
the
I
energy budget ofthe damsrs Ic~nnot
comment
specifically
on
these issues
espéciallyfbrlllinois.
--
-
~
~
1
Macro invertebrate responses to oxygen stress
Macroinvertebrate (typically larval stages of aquatic insects and freshwater mussels)
responses to low oxygen situations have been characterized at the community,
population, and individual levels. Macroinvertebrate communities and assemblages in
habitats with low dissolved oxygen levels are generally dominated by taxa that breathe
atmospheric oxygen through respiratory tubes or the use oftransportable air stores (e.g.,
pulmonate gastropods, hemipterans, and many dipteran and coleopteran taxa) and/or
those with other adaptations such as some oligochaetes and
Chironomus
midges with
hemoglobin in their blood (Hynes 1960, Wiederholm 1984). Other tolerant taxa, such as
20
the fingernail clam
Pisidium,
can perform anaerobis and go through periods ofdormancy
(Hamburger et al. 2000), and thus may also be abundant in low oxygen environments. In
contrast, taxa associated with highly oxygenated environments, such as many Plecoptera,
Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera taxa, which primarily use tracheal gills for respiration,
are usually underrepresented or absent in oxygen-limited freshwater habitats. These
patterns are the basis for numerous macroinvertebrate-based biomonitoring programs
because they are fairly consistent and reliable indicators of increasing organic pollution
and associated decreases in oxygen availability, and can thus reflect overall system health
by integrating spatial and temporal conditions associated with pollution and associated
oxygen stress (e.g., Hilsenhoff 1987, Hilsenhoff 1988, Lenat 1993, Barbour et al. 1999).
Considering the incredible diversity of freshwater invertebrates, there is relatively little
information regarding their oxygen requirements and tolerances. As would be expected
for such a diverse group of organisms, studies to date indicate that macroinvertebrate
responses to’ oxygen stress at both the population and individuai.le.vels vary greatly.
Lethal effects are obvious and well documented for many taxa, particularly more
sensitive taxa such as members of the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (Fox
et al. 1937, Benedetto 1970, Nebeker 1972, Gaufin 1973). These studies and others
(reviewed by Chapman 1986) indicate a range of lethal minima from 0.6 mg/L for the
midge
Tanytarsus
to 5.2 mg/L for an ephemerellid mayfly, and a dissolved oxygen 96-
-
- -
Comment I
remain cautiously
hour LC 50 concentration ofbetween 3 4 mg/L for about half ofall insects examined
~
complex
Issue
reqsurmg a lull monogrsph
Similarly, tolerance to hypoxia ranges dramatically among freshwater mussels a group
influenced by water flowand DO
that is of special concern because population declines are widespread and many species
21
are now threatened or endangered. In laboratory experiments, survival of
Villosa
spp., a
riffle-dwelling genus, was compromised under hypoxic conditions (2 mg/l), whereas no
negative survival effects occurred for other species such as
Elliptio
spp. and
Pyganodon
grandis
(Li-Yen 1998). Many of these values must be considered within the context in
which they were obtained, as the most sensitive taxa often live in flowing water habitats
and diffusion of oxygen into gills and other permeable surfaces is partly a function of
water velocity because it determines the replacement rate ofwater around the diffusion
surface. Using closed recirculating systems, Sparks and Strayer (1998) examined
responses ofjuvenile
Elliptio complanata
to varying dissolved oxygen levels and found a
sharp differences in behavior (e.g., gaping, siphon extending) between 2 and 4 mg/L, and
individuals exposed to concentrations of 1.3 mg/L for a week died.
Along with lethal effects, there are also important sublethal responses. The most
commonly reported sublethal effect of low oxygen levels on macroinvertebrates is
reduced growth. Reduced growth rates occur because of decreased aerobic respiration
rates and the use ofenergy reserves, which would normally be used for growth and
reproduction, for body movements such as ventilating and/or other mechanisms for
increasing oxygen uptake (Fox and Sidney 1953, Erikson et al. 1996). Pesticides and
other toxicants, which are often present in polluted habitats where oxygen stress occurs,
can further reduce invertebrate tolerances to low oxygen conditions because they often
alter respiration rates themselves (e.g., Maki et al. 1973, Kapoor 1976). For freshwater
mussels, the influence of other factors including siltation, altered habitat, and loss of fish
hosts for reproduction may interact with low dissolved oxygen concentrations to reduce
-
22
growth and reproductive success (Watters 1999). The consequences of sublethal effects
such as reduced growth are importantat the population level because adult female size is
positively correlated with fecundity in a variety of invertebrates (Vannote and Sweeney
1980, Sweeney and Vannote 1981).
Environmental variation in dissolved oxygen
Dissolved oxygen concentrations fluctuate in natural systems. Even relatively pristine
systems may have spatial heterogeneity in oxygen concentrations that requires organisms
to move or tolerate occasional spates of hypoxia. Because hypoxia is often a natural
phenomenon, most species have some adaptations that allow them to tolerate
occasionally low oxygen, while other species are specifically adapted to occupy areas of
chronically low oxygen (e.g., profundal amphipods; Hamburger et al. 2000, MacNeil et
al. 2001). This section explores factors influencing variation in aquatic systems of
Illinois, with implications for the growth, survival, and reproductive success ofresident
organisms.
Most field studies exploring ecological effects of dissolved oxygen correlate variation in
dissolved oxygen concentrations with the distributions of fish and other organisms. If a
correlation occurs, then investigators infer that dissolved oxygen is the major factor
underlying observed distributions. The most typical occurrence ofhypoxia in natural
freshwater systems arises in stratified lakes during summer. Hypolimnetic (lower strata)
waters of lakes often become depleted of oxygen during this season, causing fish and
other organisms to avoid these areas. A project quantifying the vertical and horizontal
23
spatial distribution of fishes in Lake of Egypt, Illinois during summer through fall 2003
strongly demonstratedthis pattern (Shermanand Garvey, unpublished data). Threadfin
shad, a species with a low tolerance to hypoxia, and hybrid striped bass, a more tolerant
fish, were sampled with gill nets at three depths in three locations of the lake. Spatial
distribution ofthese species was affected by the presence of hypoxic hypolimnetic water,
with consistently scarce abundance below 4 mg/L dissolved oxygen (Figure 2). This
research confirms the long-held assumption that an increase in hypoxic hypolimnetic
water, expected to occur in relatively shallow, eutrophic systems, should severely restrict
habitat for fish and other organisms (Numberg 1995a,b, 2002). Combinations of
suboptimal warm temperatures and low oxygen during summer-months -can lead to
“summerkills” of fish, particularly those species that have poor tolerance to hypoxia (e.g.,
shad). Although oxygen stratification is not prevalent during winter months,
“winterkills” of fish may occur by the natural, biologically driven depletion of oxygen
under snow-covered ice in lakes (Klinger et al. 1982, Fang and Stefan 2000, Danylchuk
and Tonn 2003). This should be more typical in the northern portion ofIllinois where
winters are more severe.
Dissolved oxygen concentrations in streams can be influencedby many natural
environmental factors. Groundwater inundation of streams may provide cool
temperatures that are preferred by aquatic organisms such as fish during summer months
(Matthews and Berg 1997). However, the tradeoff of seeking these waters maybe that
they are severely depleted in oxygen (Matthews and Berg 1997). Many streams undergo
a natural, often cyclic pattern of flooding and drying. During stream drying, isolated
-
24
pools provide refuge for stream organisms. However, extremes in temperature, increases
in nitrogenous wastes (e.g., ammonia) and salts, and reductions in oxygen can tax the
performance of resident organisms (Ostrand and Marks 2000, Ostrand and Wilde 2001).
Not surprisingly, fishes native to these systems tolerate extreme conditions such as very
low dissolved oxygen (Cech et al. 1990). Typically, oxygen reductions in streams and
other aquatic systems are caused by an increase in oxygen demand ofthe microbes and
perhaps autotrophs (particularly during night) through organic enrichment. However,
respiration of abundant organisms such as the exotic zebra mussel can be sufficiently
high to decrease dissolved oxygen concentrations within lotic systems (Caraco et al.
2000).
Many examples of alterations ofaquatic communities with either spatial or temporal
changes in dissolved oxygen concentrations exist. Natural variation in dissolved oxygen
concentration occurs in the floodplains of streams and rivers, affecting the distribution of
fish. For example, larval sunfish and shad abundance were associated with spatial
variation in dissolved oxygen concentration in wetlands of the Atchafalaya River in
Louisiana (Fontenot et al. 2001). When increased connectivity through flooding
increased dissolvedoxygen concentration (above 2 mg/L) in this system, larval fish
became abundant, likely improving recruitment. Hence, natural wetlands with high
connectivity to their respective river or lake should have high-survival-offish and other
organisms. Indeed, reductions in connectivity due to levee construction and
sedimentation have been implicated in reductions in local specieS. richness of wetlands
and adjacent ecosystems. With improvements in water quality during the past few
25
decades, increases in dissolved oxygen due to reductions in organic enrichment have
enhanced fish species richness in many systems ranging from- small streams (Eklov et al.
1999) to the Great Lakes (Ludsin et al. 2001).
Althoughfield associations between oxygen and species assemblages are somewhat
common, few field studies have attempted to link the oxygen-driven distribution of
organisms in the field with laboratory-derived critical oxygen minima. We know ofno
current published literature that explicitly links the distribution of organisms to the
warmwater dissolvedoxygen criteria set by either the national (Chapman 1986) or
Illinois water quality standards. Probably the most extensive combined field and
laboratory project that tested a specific
a priori
oxygen criterion was initiated by Smale
and Rabeni (1995a, b; Table 1). Oxygen minima in the eighteen headwater streams in
which they worked ranged from 0.8 to 6.0 mg/L during spring through summer 1987 and
1988. Dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperatures were quantified at least
monthly, and low dissolved oxygen concentrations were most frequent during warm days
with low to no flow. A multivariate analysis revealed that oxygen minima affected fish
assemblages more than temperature. Temperature maxima were only correlated with fish
assemblage composition in well oxygenated sites. Thus, oxygen concentration was the
“template” affecting fish success, with temperature only being important when oxygen
concentrations were high.
Smale and Rabeni (l995b) used the laboratory-derived oxygen minima summarized in
Table 1 to generate a hypoxia tolerance index. This index was calculated by multiplying
26
the critical oxygen minimum for each species by its frequency of occurrence at each site.
The values for each species were then summed to derive a site-specific-index value.
Mean dissolved oxygen and the hypoxia tolerance index were strongly positively
correlated (r”0.85) among sites. Further, both oxygen minima and hypoxia index values
differed among stream reach categories. Sites within the relatively stable, steep Ozark
region streams had higher values than intermittent, lower gradient, more agricultural
Prairie region streams. This research provides a framework by which streams might be
characterized by fish responses to expected oxygen minima. Much like other indices, the
fish assemblage integrates the long-term oxygen regime within streams, without frequent
and costly water quality monitoring. However, the relative contribution of human-
induced enrichment and natural factors to oxygen concentrations and hypoxia index
values in the streams were not explored in this study.
-
Identifying critical oxygen minima appears to be a potentially -useful way for
characterizing systems and setting standards for regulation of dissolved oxygen.
However, fluctuations in dissolvedoxygen may also be important, influencing the ability
for organisms to persist. Althoughwe have a strong understanding of the mechanisms
underlying fluctuations of dissolved oxygen in aquatic systems, the extent of cycling has
not been well documented. Rather, most field studies quantifying oxygen concentrations
in aquatic systems rely on temporally and spatially static point estimates. We do not have
a clear set of expectations for the spatial extent, duration, frequency, or magnitude of
dissolved oxygen fluctuations in lotic and lentic aquatic ecosystems. Nor do we clearly
understand how organic enrichment and other physical changes affect many aspects of
27
oxygen dynamics. Organic enrichment should increase the spatial extent ofhypoxia
within aquatic systems. Further, enrichment should lower mean dissolved oxygen
concentrations, decrease minimum oxygen levels, and potentially dampen daily cycles in
oxygen, with important implications for the structure of aquatic communities.
Understanding the dynamics ofoxygen should be particularly important for systems in
which organisms have no refuge from hypoxic areas.
National water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen
National water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen are based primarily on research on
the effects of low dissolved oxygen on the growth, survival, and reproduction of fishes.
Chapman (1986) reviewed information on these relationshipsanddevelopedstandards
now used by the USEPA. Chapman’s recommendations are separated into criteria for
coldwater (containing 1 or more species of salmonid Bailey et al. 1970 or other
coldwater or coolwater species that are similar in requirements)arrciwarmwater fishes,
and further divided into early life stages and other life stages (Table 2). Chapman’s
(1986) criteria reflect dissolvedoxygen levels that are
0.5
mg/L above those that would
be expected to result in slight impairment ofproduction, thus representing values that lie
between no impairment and slight impairment. Hence each value is a threshold below
which some impairment is expected. However, there is possibility of slight impairment if
criteria concentrations are barely maintained for considerable lengths oftime (Chapman
1986).
28
For averages, the period of averaging is importantand should be a moving average for
the period of interest. Seven-day averages are used because the early life stages of fish
exist for short periods and are very sensitive to oxygen stress during this period. If more
than seven days are included in the averaging, oxygen stress to earlylife stages during the
critical period may be underestimated. Longer averaging periods (e.g., 30 days) can be
used for other life stages. Daily averages can be reasonably approximated from daily
maximum and minimum readings ifdiel cycles are sinusoidal. If diel cycles are not close
to sinusoidal, time weighted averaging can be used. However, with the increasing
availability and affordability of data logging oxygen meters, estimating daily averages
with these methods is becoming obsolete and monitoring dissolved oxygen
concentrations over time is becoming easier and more accurat~.For averaging, daily
maximum values that are above air saturation cannot be used (e.g., they should be
adjusted to 100 air saturation) because they will artificially inflate daily averages and
do notrepresent anybenefits to fishes (Stewart et al. l967)~.
Daily minimumvalues are near the lethal thresholds for sensitive species and are
included to prevent acute stress and/or mortality of these sensitive species. During diel
cycling of dissolved oxygen, minimumvalues below the acceptable constant exposure
levels are tolerated as long as the properly calculated averages (see above) meet or
exceed criteria and the minimum values are not obviously causing stress or mortality. In
some cases (i.e. where large oscillations in diel cycles of dissolved oxygen concentrations
occur), mean criteria are met but mean minimum criteria are violated repeatedly. In these
cases, the mean minimum criteria are the regulatory focus.
-
29
In summary, daily minima are the lowest dissolvedoxygen concentrations that occur
each day (Table 4). Seven-day mean minima are calculated by averaging the daily
minima across seven days (Table 4). If only a maximum and minimum daily temperature
is available, a 7-day mean is calculated by averaging the daily means of the maximum
and minimum and then averaging across seven days (Table 4). It would be more
desirable to generate a time-weighted daily average of multiple (or continuous)
temperatures, including the maximum and minimum. If daily maxima exceed the air-
saturation concentration (in Table 4, 11 mg/L), then the maximum is adjusted to that
concentration before inclusion in the means.
To account for the unique problems associated with point discharges in which dissolved
oxygen concentrations can be manipulated (henceforth manipulatable discharges),
Chapman (1986) recommended that daily minimum values below the acceptable 7-day
mean minimumbe limited to 3 weeks per year or that the acceptable one-day minimum
__________________________
Comment:
These were quantitative
be increased to 4.5 mg/L for coldwater fishes and 3.5 mg/L for warmwater fishes.~
~e~~~iatc
to
address
a real qualitative issue.
Under some natural conditions (e.g., wetlands), expected dissolved oxygen
concentrations may be lower than means or minima set by the national criterion. Under
these circumstances, the minimumacceptable concentration would.be 90 percent ofthe
—-
-
Comment:
This
is
how
I
attempted to
natural concentration. A low “natural concentration” is defined by Chapman (1986) as
,- - -
~
were
naturally occurring mean or minimum dissolved oxygen concentrations that are less than
110 percent of the applicable criteria means, minima, or both.
30
Illinois water quality criteriafor dissolved oxygen
The current Illinois general use water quality standard (Illinois Pollution Control Board,
302.206) permits dissolved oxygen concentrations to be less than 6.0 mg/L no more than
16 hours a day. At no time can dissolved oxygen concentrations decline below 5.0 mg/L.
This criterion is similar to that set by the USEPA in 1976, which stated that dissolved
oxygen concentrations should not decline below 5.0 mg/L in aquatic systems (USEPA
r
Comment:
This was not a well.
1976) This early national standard was influenced heavily by a joint National Academy
of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering Report on water quality in 1972 that
_______________-—______
-
Comment:
This
was a
much
niare
encompassed a single dissolved oxygen criterion for coldwater and warmwater species.
- -‘
~
of
protection) was
a seed for the
current
Unlike the current national criterion (Chapman 1986, previous section), this earlier
~
-
national standard and the current Illinois standard are based on a single minimum, rather
than acknowledging that fluctuations may occur, necessitating the inclusion of an
average. It also does not develop separate criteria for different taxonomic groups (e.g.,
coldwater versus warmwater fishes), systems (e.g., semi-permanent streams versus
permanent lakes), or ecoregions (e.g., central corn belt versus interior river lowland).
___________________________
.1
Comment:
I will not comment in
- ‘
Illinois—specific issues as others are
much, much
snore knowledgeable than I
sill.
Illinois EPA summarizes the state’s water quality in accordance with Section 305(b) of
the Clean Water Act (IL EPA 2002). Annual reports are generated that assess the quality
of surface and groundwaters of the state. In general, surface waters are divided into
streams, lakes, and Lake Michigan, ofwhich we will focus primarily on assessments for
streams and lakes. Several monitoring programs provide data for surface water quality
assessment including the Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network (AWQMN),
31
Intensive Basin Surveys (IBS), Facility-Related Stream Surveys (FRSS), the Ambient
Lake Monitoring Program (ALMP), the Illinois Clean Lakes Monitoring Program
(ICLP), the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP), and the Source Water
Assessment Program (SWAP).
Illinois EPA has adopted several designated use categories for water including aquatic
life, primary contact (swimming), secondary contact (recreation), public water supply,
fish consumption, and indigenous aquatic life (ILEPA 2002). In this report, we
summarize the applicability of dissolved oxygen standards primarily for the aquatic life
use designation, which is intended to provide full support for aquatic organisms. The
indigenous aquatic life designation is reserved for systems in Illinois which do not fall
under Illinois EPA’s general use designation (e.g., Lake Calumet and shipping canals).
We do not explore the applicability of standards for these nonindigenous use waters,
although the criterion for dissolved oxygen is a minimumof 4.0 mg/L, 1 mg/L lower than
the statewide overall use standard.
Illinois EPA’s approach toward determining whether a water body meets the aquatic life
designation is to first use a relevant biotic indicator such as the Index of Biotic Integrity
for fish (IBI; Karr 1981, Karr et al. 1986, Bertrand et a!. 1996) or Macroinvertebrate
Biotic Index (MBI) (IL EPA 1994). Secondarily, the Illinois EPA turns to legally
established narrative and numeric water quality standards, such as the one set for
dissolved oxygen. This approach is valid because it uses accepted biological indicators to
integrate the overall effects of water and habitat quality within a stream or lake.
32
Adherence to water standards such as the one set for dissolved oxygen can then be used
to identif~’the causes of impairment.
Aquatic life use in Illinois streams is evaluated based on a “weight of evidence” approach
endorsed by USEPA (IL EPA 2002). If possible, IBI and MBI data are evaluated. These
biotic integrity values are compared to established criteria and then stream reaches are
categorized as being in full, partial, or nonsupport of the aquatic life designated use. If
index values are incomplete or available, then water chemistry data are used to assess
quality. It is under this scenario that the Illinois standard for dissolved oxygenmight be
used to determine whether a stream reach is in compliance with this use designation.
Water quality data for streams derive from several sources including the IBS, which
generates IBI and MBI data and two or threewater chemistry samples at intensive survey
basin sites. AWQIVIN stations also generate water chemistry data to be used in-
assessments (about nine samples per year). FRSS stations are located at point sources
and provide an additional two or threewater chemistry samples per station. Although
this combination of biological and water quality data provide a useful general assessment
of stream reach integrity, dissolved oxygen concentrations deriving from these sampling
regimes are limited at best and probably do not capture the natural daily and seasonal
fluctuations that occur. Limited point estimates ofdissolved oxygen concentration may
not fully reflect the oxygen dynamics occurring in stream reaches.
In recognition of the limitations of single water chemistry estimates, Illinois EPA uses
criteria based on the age and abundance of water quality samples (IL EPA 2002). For
33
example, a specific water quality criterion can be used to assess aquatic life use iften or
more samples less than
5
years old are available. Underthese conditions, a system would
be impaired for aquatic life use if dissolved oxygen concentrations declined below the
state standard in greater than 10 of samples. If greater than 25 of samples are below
the standard, then the reach is considered severely impaired. This approachbetter
integrates potential fluctuations in dissolved oxygen concentration. However, if
minimum dissolved oxygen criteria used by the state are too conservative, minima within
natural fluctuations in oxygen concentration may be interpreted as impairment. Because
the Illinois EPA designation process requires that biologists account for other site-
specific factors such as habitat quality and biotic integrity indicators, the likelihood that a
system would be considered impaired solely as a function of low dissolved oxygen
concentration is low.
A similar approach is used for the assessment of aquatic life use in inland lakes in Illinois
(IL EPA 2002). Chemical, physical, and biological
data derive from many sources, and
include as many as 2,000 lakes. Probably the most intensive survey program is the
ALMP, which includes about 50 lakes per year. Lakes are monitored five times per year,
and dissolved oxygen profiles are included in the sampling protocol. Other data derive
from the ILCP and VLMP. The Illinois EPA’s Aquatic Life Use Impairment Index (ALl)
is the primary indicator used for assessing the level of support of aquatic life use. The
ALl integrates the mean trophic state index (TSI; Carlson 1977), macrophyte coverage,
and concentration of nonvolatile suspended solids. ALl values increase with increasing
impairment (e.g., high productivity, high vegetation coverage, high suspended solids).
34
These ALl values are used to score each lake for overall use support. The overall use
scores are then averaged for a lake when more than one measurement is available. Low
dissolved oxygen concentration is considered as a potential cause of impairment (i.e.,
when the mean overall use score is high) if (1) concentrations below the minimum
standard (5 mg/L at one foot below the surface) occur at least once during a sampling
year or (2) the lake mean is consistently below this minimum. A fish kill corresponding
with low oxygen would also qualify for designation oflow oxygen as a potential cause of
use impairment.
The 2002 IEPA Water Quality (305b) report summarized aquatic life use support for
Illinois streams and lakes through September 2000. Of the 15,491 miles of streams that
were assessed, 5,450 miles were categorized as being in partial or no support ofthe use
designation. For 2,962 miles of the impaired stream reaches, low dissolved oxygen due
to organic enrichment was implicated as a potential cause of impairment. Of 148,134
acres of lakes (N=352 lakes), 3,948 acres (N2 lakes) were categorized as failing to
support overall use. In addition, 121,648 acres (N=203 lakes) were in partial support.
Organic enrichment leading to low dissolved oxygen was implicated as a cause of
impairment for 80,135 acres (N=59 lakes). Clearly, low dissolved oxygen
concentrations, as they are now defined by the state standard, are an important
contributor to impairment of designated use in Illinois surface waters.
35
Assessment ofIL water quality standard and recommendations
Based on our review of the literature and current standards, the current IL EPA methods
for assessing health and impairment are adequate, but the Illinois dissolved oxygen
standards are in need of further refinement. In particular, the focus on biological integrity
for initial assessment of freshwater habitat health is the appropriate, progressive approach
and the state should continue its focus on biotic integrity. However, the dissolved oxygen
standards, based on daily miima~are likely too conservative for freshwater systems in
-
this region and should be modified to more realistically reflect local conditions. In this
document, we provide state-wide recommendations. However, with increased scientific
information, region- or basin-specific standards likely will more realistically set criteria
basedupon expected conditions in oxygen, other water quality parameters, and habitat
characteristics.
Our recommendations are to generally adopt standards of Chapman (1986) for
warmwater systems, with some modifications based on research that has been completed
since this document was produced (see Table 4 for example of calculations). Thirty-day
moving averages identified in Chapman (1986) are not included in our recommendations
because (1) they are not appropriate for early life history stages in which development
occurs at a much shorter time scale and (2) responses of all life stages to changes in
oxygen concentrations are likely better captured and more biologically relevant during
Comment
This as ta-ne IF themean
shorter windows of time
(i
e, 1 7 days)~
~
~o~-iteraa
L4~cun1ent(a
e
5 5
mg/L)
36
Our recommendations for the State of Illinois are seasonal to (1) protect early life stages
(i.e., eggs, embryos, and larvae; typically 30-d post spawning) of spring-spawning fish
species (Table 3) and (2) incorporate the expected fluctuations and reduced maximum
capacity of dissolved oxygen during summer months when juvenile or adult stages are
largely present. Although few supporting data are available, species with offspring
produced during non-spring months (Table 3) likely have adaptations that allow them to
persist under natural oxygen concentrations expected during summer.F Thus, our
recommended criteria for non-spring months should be sufficiently protective unless
further research necessitates refinement. Our recommendations are summarized in Table
5.
Spring through Early Summeii
-
• A 1-day minimum of 5.0 mg/L during spring through early summer (i.e., March 1
through June 30). This recommendation is based on our re-analysis ofChapman
(1986)’s daily minima
(5
mg/L) for early life stages offish (Figure 1) and spawning
times summarized in Table 3.
• A 7-day mean of 6.0 mg/L during spring through early summer (i.e., March 1 through
June 30). This mean is defined as the average of the daily average values and should
be based, whenever possible, on data collected by semi-continuous data loggers. If
this is not possible, daily averages can be estimated from the daily maximum and
minimum values if daily fluctuations in dissolved oxygen are approximately
sinusoidal. If daily fluctuations are not sinusoidal, then appropriate time-weighted
37
averages must be used. Regardless of method (dataloggers or daily maximum and
minimum), maximum values used to calculate means should not exceed the air
saturation concentrations for prevailing temperature and atmospheric pressure (see
Table 4 for example).
• A 1-day minimum of 3.5 mg/L during
Other
the
Months
remainder
1~
of the year (i.e., July 1 through
February 28 or 29). This recommendation is based on our re-evaluation of Chapman
(1986)’s daily minima (3 mg/L) for adult life stages and fish spawning times
summarized in Table 3. It also is sufficiently higher than the critical minima for
survival found for many common species of fish (e.g., see Table 1).
• A 7-day mean minimum of 4.0 mg/L during periods during the remainder ofthe year
(i.e., July 1 through February 28 or 29). Mean minimum is defined as the average of
the minimum daily recorded dissolved oxygen concentrations. Seven-day periods can
represent any seven consecutive days and should be based onmovingaverages when
possible (see Table 4).
Other Considerations
• Manipulatabledischarges, defined earlier as those in which dissolved oxygen
concentrations may be manipulated and are generally serially-correlated, present a
special case where a seven-day mean minimum can be achieved while frequently
lowering conditions to the daily minimum and likely exposing aquatic life to oxygen
38
stress (Chapman 1986). As a result, two areas in proximity to manipulatable
discharges should be monitored closely (e.g., continuously). One measurement
should be taken at the zone of mixing; the other monitoring station should be
downstream, at an area beyond the direct influence ofthe mixing zone. During the
non-spring months when seven—day mean minima are allowable (July through
February; Table
5),
we recommend that the occurrence of daily minima values at the
recommended one-day minimum(3.5 mg/L) should be limited to no more than 3
weeks total per year or that the one-day minimum be increased to 4.0 mg/L for areas
in which manipulatable discharges occur. These guidelines will reduce the likelihood
of exposing aquatic life influenced by manipulatable discharges to oxygen stress.
• In cases where diel fluctuations of dissolved oxygen are extreme, systems might meet
mean criteria but still violate minima. Unusually large diel fluctuations are
symptomatic of eutrophicationand in these cases the minima should be the focus of
monitoring and assessment activities.
• Although we recommend the use of continuous monitoring with data loggers, the
detection of the violation of daily minima values will be more likely using this
method. Thus, the detection of violations of daily minima using relatively infrequent
spot checks may be indicative of larger problems than those measured with
continuous monitoring. This potential issue should be acknowledged during
monitoring and assessment.
39
• In
streams, we recommend that dissolved oxygen measurements be measured in pool
—
IComment
This whOie
paragraph is a
run habitats (not riffles) in the water column in or near the thaiweg at 67 of
thatas
neededfor adequate appJacstaon ofDO
stream depth. Readings in streams should not be taken at the sediment/water
~
~
interface, as this is a region where natural oxygen sags are expected. We recognize
that many sensitive taxa reside in the benthos and may be negatively affected by
hypoxia in this zone. Thus, future criteria including expected oxygen concentrations
at the sediment/water interface may be useful. Research that quantifies relationships
between water-column dissolved oxygen concentrations and those at the sediment
boundary would be helpful for determining such standards. Natural inundation of
potentially hypoxic groundwater also must be taken into account when assessing
stream oxygen. In lakes, readings should be taken 1 m below the surface in the
limnetic zone above the deepestpoint of the lake.
• Lake Michigan represents the only large-scale, native coldwater fisheries system in
Illinois and thus should be considered separately from our recommendations in this
document that are focused on warmwater systems. We recommend that coldwater
and coolwater fisheries associated with Lake Michigan be held to standards more
appropriate for resident fish communities, which have distinctly higher oxygen
requirements (Chapman 1986). The current IL EPA recommended daily minimum of
5
mg/L is adequate for the coldwater and coolwater fishes in Lake Michigan (see
Chapman 1986 review of tolerance of coldwater species) unless further research
indicates otherwise.
40
• Wetlands differ from lakes and streams in that they are often naturally productive
systems with low oxygen. Wetland habitats are protected by numerous laws and
other protective measures, but there is little information regarding water quality
standards for wetlands. Further, wetlands are highly variable and a single,
comprehensive standard may be difficult to achieve. As such, we cannot make
recommendations regarding wetlands except that they should not be held to the
standards we recommend for streams and lakes. Future research on water quality and
associated methods and standards in Illinois should include wetlands.
• It should be noted that the criteria we recommend for streams and lakes in Illinois
represent worst case conditions and thus the niimimum values that we recommend, or
values near the mimimum, should not be commonplace in space or time throughout
the state. Systems in which dissolved oxygen concentrations decline frequently to the
recommended minima should not be designated as being in full support of aquatic life
use. The frequency by which minima should be allowed to occur should depend on
season. During spring when earlylife stages are present, weekly or more frequent
declines to daily 1 -d minima may be sufficient to cause stress to developing eggs,
embryos, and larvae, compromising success ofpopulations that reproduce over
relatively short time periods. Conversely, twice weekly or more frequent declines to
1-d minima may be tolerated by adults during other months. Given the dearth of
scientific information available, these estimates can only be made based on our
knowledge of the timing ofreproductive events and short-term responses of adults to
hypoxia. Managers ofaquatic systems in Illinois should strive to continuously
41
improve conditions rather than avoid violations of state minimum standards. As
mentioned earlier, this may be best achieved by primarily monitoring the biological
components of aquatic systems (e.g., biotic integrity). We stress that focusing on
biotic integrity in monitoring and assessment activities should continue as a major
focus for the state of Illinois. Aquatic communities reflect the overall health of
aquatic ecosystems, and can thus integrate all stressors. Water quality monitoring
(e.g., continuous dissolvedoxygen concentrations) and habitat assessment is critical
for identifying the cause of changes in biotic integrity. Further research on specific
relationships between biotic integrity, dissolved oxygen, and other water quality and
habitat factors is needed.
• Research that quantifies relationships between biotic integrity and dissolved oxygen
concentrations in Illinois streams will allow for development ofphysiologically
based, hypoxic indices (e.g., Smale and Rabeni 1995b), which may prove very useful
for the assessment and monitoring of surface water habitats in Illinois. Laboratory-
based estimates ofphysiological tolerance of low dissolved oxygen concentrations
often fail to integratethe host ofenvironmental factors affecting growth, survival, and
reproductive viability. Thus, future research should quantify responses under more
realistic conditions.
Gaps in our knowledge
Dissolved oxygen criteria and other standards for assessing freshwater-ecosystem health
and function should continue to evolve as more information on relationships between
42
ecosystem health and the variety of measured variables is gathered. Hence, all
recommendations made within this document must be considered within the context of
our current knowledge of these relationships and may need further modification as more
information becomes available. There are many different knowledge gaps and research
needs in Illinois, as well as at the national level. In particular, we feel that further
research on quantitative relationships between diel oxygen curves, nutrient status, and
primary production will provide very importantinformation for further understanding
freshwater ecosystem health and function and further modifying water quality standards.
In particular, research that directly quantifies these relationships, rather than correlational
analyses will be of great value for establishing realistic water quality standards. Research
in this area should also focus on how diel oxygen curves are related to daily and longer-
term minima and average values, and how biological (primaryproducer communities)
and physical (nutrients, light, flow, substrates) factors interactto influence them. A more
precise understanding of these relationships in different types of surface water habitats
will greatly enhance our ability to develop more precise and meaningful criteria.
There is also a great need for further research on the use ofbiological data for assessing
freshwater ecosystem health and integrity and establishing water quality standards.
While dissolved oxygen criteria may accurately reflect oxygen stress related to nutrient
and/or organic enrichment, biological monitoring can reflect oxygen status as well as a
wide array of other potential stressors such as other forms ofpollution (e.g., pesticides,
metals) and physical habitat degradation, and integrateconditions over space and time
(e.g., Steingraeber and Wiener 1995, Rabeni 2000, Griffith et al. 2001). Because of this
43
and the many other benefits ofbiological monitoring (e.g., see Loeb and Spacie 1993,
Barbour et al. 1999, and Barbour et al. 2000 for review ofthe many benefits ofbiological
monitoring), and the national focus on biomonitoring, we ultimately recommend that
Illinois move further towards the use ofbiological data for assessing freshwater habitat
health and function and setting water quality criteria in Illinois. In order for this to
happen, region and habitat specific tolerance values, metrics, and multimetric indices that
best reflect health and function will need to be developed, tested, and calibrated
throughout the state. Along with this, research on region and habitat specific reference
conditions will be needed. As with research on dissolved oxygen dynamics, research that
moves away from only correlational analyses and focuses more on isolating and directly
testing variables will be of most value.
--
44
Literature Cited
Aday, D. D., D. A. Rutherford, and W. E. Kelso. 2000. Field and laboratory
determinations of hypoxic effects on RNA-DNA ratios of bluegill. American
Midland Naturalist 143 :433-442.
Adelman, I. R., and L. L. Smith. 1970. Effect of oxygen on growth and food conversion
efficiency of northern pike. Progressive Fish-Culturist 32:93-96.
Bailey, R. M., J. E. Fitch, E. S. Herald, E. A. Lachner, C. C. Lindsey, C. R. Robins, and
W. B. Scott. 1970. A list of common and scientific names of fishes from the
United
States and Canada (3rd ed.). American Fisheries Society Special
Publication No. 6:150.
Barbour, M.
1.,
J. Gerritsen, B. D. Snyder, and J. B. Stribling. 1999. Rapid bioassessment
protocols for use in wadeable streams and rivers: periphyton, benthic
macroinvertebrates, and fish (2nd edition). EPA 841-B-99-002, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington DC.
Barbour, M. T., W. F. Swietlik, S. K. Jackson, D. L. Courtemanch, S. P. Davies, and C.
0.
Yoder. 2000. Measuring the attainment of biological integrity in the USA: a
critical element of ecological integrity. Hydrobiologia 422/423:453-464.
Beamish, F. W. H. 1964. Respiration offishes with special emphasis on standard oxygen
consumption. III. Influence ofoxygen. Canadian Journal of Zoology-Revue
Canadienne De Zoologie 42:355-366.
Benedetto, L. 1970. Observations on the oxygen needs of some species of European
Plecoptera. International Review of Hydrobiology 55:505-510.
Bertrand, W.A., R.L. Hite, D.M. Day, W. Ettinger, W. Matsunaga, S. Kohler, J. Mick,
and R. Schanzle. 1996. Biological stream characterization (BSC): biological
assessment of Illinois stream quality through 1993. Bureau of Water, Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency Report, IEPA/BOW/96-058. Springfield,
Illinois.
Brake, L. A. 1972. Influence of dissolved oxygen and temperature on the growth of
juvenile largemouth bass held in artificial ponds. M.S. Thesis, Orgeon State
University, Corvallis.
45
Burleson, M. L., D. R. Wilhelm, and N. J. Smatresk. 2001. The influence of fish size on
the avoidance of hypoxia and oxygen selection by largemouth bass. Journal of
Fish Biology 59:1336-1349.
Caraco, N. F., J. J. Cole, S. E. G. Findlay, D. T. Fischer, G. G. Lampman, M. L. Pace,
and
D. L. Strayer.
2000. Dissolved oxygen declines in the Hudson River
associated with the invasion ofthe zebra mussel
(Dreissena polymorpha).
Environmental Science & Technology 34:1204-1210.
Carlson, A. R., J. Blocker, and L. J. Herman. 1980. Growth and survival of channel
catfish and yellow perch exposed to lowered constant and diurnally fluctuating
dissolved oxygen concentrations. Progressive Fish-Culturist 42:73-78.
Carlson, R. E. 1977. A trophic state index for lakes. Limnology and Oceanography
23:36 1-369.
Cech, J. J., S. J. Mitchell, D. T. Castleberry, and M. McEnroe. 1990. Distribution of
California Stream Fishes
-
Influence of Environmental-Temperature and Hypoxia.
Environmental Biology of Fishes 29:95-105.
Chapman,
G.
1986. Ambient water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen. EPA 440/5-86-
003, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office ofWater
Regulations and Standards, Washington, DC.
Childress, J. J., and B. A. Seibel. 1998. Life at stable low oxygen levels: Adaptations of
animals to oceanic oxygen minimum layers. Journal ofExperimental Biology
201:1223-1232.
Cooper, C. M. 1993. Biological effects of agriculturallyderived surface water pollutants
on aquatic systems
-
a review. Journal ofEnvironmental Quality 22:402-408.
Corbett, B. W., and P. M. Powles. 1986. Spawning and larva drift ofsympatric walleyes
(Stizostedion vitreum vitreum)
and white suckers
(Catostomus commersoni)
in an
Ontario stream (Canada). Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 115:41
-
46.
Corkum, L. D., J. J. H. Ciborowski, and R. Lazar. 1997. The distribution and contaminant
burdens of adults of the burrowing mayfly,
Hexagenia,
in Lake Erie. Journal of
Great Lakes Research 23 :383-390.
-
46
Crocker, C. E., and J. J. Cech. 1997. Effects ofenvironmental hypoxia on oxygen
consumption rate and swimming activity in juvenile white sturgeon, Acipenser
transmontanus, in relation to temperature and life intervals. Environmental
Biology of Fishes 50:383-389.
Danylchuk, A. J., and W. M. Tonn. 2003. Natural disturbances and fish: Local and
regional influences on winterkill of fathead minnows in boreal lakes. Transactions
of the American Fisheries Society 132:289-298.
Dawidowicz, P., A. Prejs, A. Engelmayer, A. Martyniak, J. Kozlowski, L. Kufel, and M.
Paradowska. 2002. Hypolimnetic anoxia hampers top-down food-web
manipulation in a eutrophic lake. Freshwater Biology 47:2401-2409.
Downing, K. M., and J. C. Merkens. 1957. The influence oftemperature on the survival
of several species of fish in low tension of dissolved oxygen. Annals ofApplied
Biology 45:261-267.
Eklov, A. G., L. A. Greenberg, C. Bronmark, P. Larsson, and 0. Berglund. 1998.
Response of stream fish to improved water quality: a comparison between the
1960s and 1990s. Freshwater Biology 40:771-782.
Eklov, A. G., L. A. Greenberg, C. Bronmark, P. Larsson, and 0. Bergiund. 1999.
Influence of water quality, habitat and species richness on brown trout
populations. Journal of Fish Biology 54:33-43.
Erikson, C. H., G. A. Lamberti, and V. H. Resh. 1996. Aquatic insect respiration. Pages
29-40
in
R. W. Merritt and K. W. Cummins, editors. An introduction to the
aquatic insects ofNorth America. Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, IA.
Fang, X., H. G. Stefan, and S. R. Alam. 1999. Simulation and validation of fish thermal
DO habitat in north-central US lakes under different climate scenarios. Ecological
Modelling 118:167-191.
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration. 1968. Water Quality Criteria. Report
of the National Technical Advisory Committee of the Secretary ofthe Interior.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington D.C. 234 p.
Fernandes, M. N., W. R. Barrionuevo, and F. T. Rantin. 1995. Effects of Thermal-Stress
on Respiratory Responses to Hypoxia of a South-American Prochiludontid Fish,
Prochilodus-Scrofa.
Journal ofFish Biology 46:123-133.
47
Fontenot, Q. C., D. A. Rutherford, and W. E. Kelso. 2001. Effects of environmental
hypoxia associated with the annual flood pulse on the distribution of larval
sunfish and shad in the Atchafalaya River Basin, Louisiana. Transactions of the
American Fisheries Society 130:107-116.
Fox, H. M., and J. Sidney. 1953. The influence of dissolved oxygen on the respiratory
movements of caddis larvae. Journal of Experimental Biology 30:235-237.
Fox, H. M., C. A. Wingfield, and B. G. Simmonds. 1937. The oxygen consumption of
ephemerid nymphs from flowing and from still waters in relation-to the
concentration of oxygen in the water. Journal of Expenmental Biology 14:210-
218.
Furmisky, M., S. J. Cooke, C. D. Suski, Y. Wang, and B. L. Tufts. 2003. Respiratory and
circulatory response to hypoxia in largemouth bass and smallmouth bass:
implications for “live-release” angling tournaments. Transactions ofthe American
Fisheries Society 132:1065-1075.
Garvey, J. E., E. A. Marschall, and R. A. Wright. 1998a. From star charts to stoneflies:
detecting relationships in continuous bivariate data. Ecology 79:442-447.
Garvey, J. E., R. A. Wright, and R. A. Stein. 1998b. Overwinter growth and survival of
age-0 largemouth bass: revisiting the role of body size. Canadian Journal of
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55:2414-2424.
Gaufin, A. R. 1973. Water quality requirements of aquatic insects. EPA 660/3-73-004,
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC.
Griffith, M. B., P. R. Kaufmaun, A. T. Herlihy, and B. H. Hill. 2001. Analysis of
macroinvertebrate assemblages in relation to environmental gradients in Rocky
Mountainstreams. Ecological Applications 11:489-505.
Hagerman, L. 1998. Physiological flexibility; a necessity for life in anoxic and sulphidic
habitats. Hydrobiologia 376:241-254.
Hale, R. E., C. M. St Mary, and K. Lindstrom. 2003. Parental responses to changes in
costs and benefits along an environmental gradient. Environmental Biology of
Fishes 67:107-116.
Hamburger, K., P. C. Dall, C. Lindegaard, and I. B. Nilson. 2000. Survival and energy
metabolism in an oxygen deficient environment. Field and laboratory studies on
48
the bottom fauna from the profundal zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark.
Hydrobiologia 432:173-188.
Henry, K. S., and D. L. Danielopol. 1998. Oxygen dependent habitat selection in surface
and hyporheic environments by
Gammarus roeseli
Gervais (Crustacea,
Amphipoda): experimental evidence. Hydrobiologia 390:51-60.
Hilsenhoff, W. L. 1987. An improved biotic index of organic stream pollution. The Great
Lakes Entomologist 20:3 1-39.
Hilsenhoff, W. L. 1988. Rapid field assessment oforganic pollution with a family-level
biotic index. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 7:65-68.
Hynes, H. B. N. 1960. The Biology of Polluted Waters. Liverpool University Press,
Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. 1994. Quality assurance project plan.
Bureau ofWater, Springfield, Illinois.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. 2002. Illinois Water Quality Report 2002.
ILEPA/BOW/02-006. Bureau ofWater, Springfield, Illinois.
Jobling, M. 1995. Environmental biology of fishes. Chapman and Hall, New York,
New York.
455
p.
JRB Associates. 1984. Analysis of the data relating dissolved oxygen and fish growth.
Report submitted to EPA under contract 68-01-6388 by JRB Associates, McLean,
Virginia.
Kapoor, N. N. 1976. The effect ofcopper on the oxygen consumption rates ofthe
stonefly nymph,
Phasganophora capitata
(Pictet) (Plecoptera). Zoological
Journal ofthe Lmnnean Society 59:209-2 15.
Karr, J. R. 1981. Assessment ofbiotic integrity using fish
communities. Fisheries 6:21-
27.
Karr, J.R., K.D. Fausch, P.L Angermeier, P.R Yant, and I.J. Schlosser. 1986. Assessing
biological integrity in running water: a method and its rationale. Illinois Natural
History Survey Special Publication
5.
Champaign, Illinois.
Klinger, S. A., J. J. Magnuson, and G. W. Gallepp. 1982. Survival mechanisms of the
central mudminnow
(Umbra limi),
fathead minnow
(Pimephalespromelas),
and
49
brook stickleback
(Culaea inconstans)
for low oxygen in winter. Environmental
Biology of Fishes 7:113-120.
Lenat, D. R. 1993. A Biotic Index for the Southeastern United-States
-
Derivation and
List of Tolerance Values, with Criteria for Assigning Water-QualityRatings.
Journal ofthe North American Benthological Society 12:279-290.
Li-Yen, C. Jr. 1998. The respiratory physiology and energy metabolism offreshwater
mussels and their reponses to lack of oxygen. PhD dissertation. Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Loeb, S. L., and A. Spacie, editors. 1994. Biological monitoring of aquatic systems.
Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Ludsin, S. A., M. W. Kershner, K. A. Blocksom, R. L. Knight, and
R. A. Stein. 2001.
Life after death in Lake Erie: Nutrient controls drive fish species richness,
rehabilitation. Ecological Applications 11:731-746.
MacCormack, T. 3., R. S. McKinley, R. Roubach, V. M. F. Almeida-Val, A. L. Val, and
W. R. Driedzic. 2003. Changes in ventilation, metabolism, and behaviour, but not
bradycardia, contribute to hypoxia survival in two species of Amazonian
armoured catfish. Canadian Journal of Zoology-Revue Canadienne De Zoologie
81:272-280.
MacNeil, C., W. I. Montgomery, J. T. A. Dick, and R. W. Elwood. 2001. Factors
influencing the distribution of native and introduced Gammarus spp. in Irish river
systems. Archiv fur Hydrobiologie 151:353-368.
Magnuson, J.J., P.O. Fromm, J.R. Brett, and F.E.J. Fry. l979a. Report ofthe review
committee for the dissolved oxygen objective for the Great Lakes A report
submitted to the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board, International Joint
Commission, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Magnuson, J. J., L. B. Crowder, and P. A. Medvick. 1979. Temperature as an ecological
resource. American Zoologist 19:331-343.
Maki, A. W., K. W. Stewart, and J. K. G. Silvey. 1973. The effects of dibrom on
respiratory activity of the stonefly,
Hydroperla crosbyi,
hellgrammite,
Corydalus
cornutus
and the golden shiner,
Notemigonus crysoleucas.
Transactions of the
American Fisheries Society 102:806-8 15.
50
Matthews, K. R., and N. H. Berg. 1997. Rainbow trout responses to water temperature
and dissolved oxygen stress in two southern California stream pools. Journal of
Fish Biology 50:50-67.
Miranda, L. E., M. P. Driscoll, and M. S. Allen. 2000. Transient physicochemical
microhabitats facilitate fish survival in inhospitable aquatic plant stands.
Freshwater Biology 44:617-628.
Miranda, L. E., J. A. Hargreaves, and S. W. Raborn. 2001. Predicting and managing risk
of unsuitable dissolvedoxygen in a eutrophic lake. Hydrobiologia 457:177-185.
Miranda,
L. E., and K. B. Hodges. 2000. Role of aquatic vegetation coverage on hypoxia
and sunfish abundance in bays of a eutrophic reservoir. Hydrobiologia 427:51-57.
Moss, D. D., and D. C. Scott. 1961. Dissolved oxygen requirements of three species of
fish. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 90:377-393.
National Academy of Sciences/National Academy of Engineering. 1973. Water Quality
Criteria. 1972. EPA-R173-033/ 594 p.
Nebeker, A. V. 1972. Effects of low oxygen concentration on survival and emergence of
aquatic insects. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 101:675-679.
Nebeker, A. V., S. T. Onjukka,
D. G. Stevens, G. A. Chapman, and S. E. Dominguez.
1992. Effects of low dissolved-oxygen on survival, growth and reproduction of
Daphnia, Hyalella
and
Gammarus.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
11:373-379.
Nurnberg, G. K. 1995a. The anoxic factor, a quantitative measure of anoxia and fish
species richness in central Ontario lakes. Transactions of the American Fisheries
Society 124:677-686.
Nurnberg, G. K. 1 995b. Quantifying Anoxia in Lakes. Limnology and Oceanography
40:1100-1111.
Nurnberg, G. K. 2002. Quantificationof oxygen depletion in lakes and reservoirs with
the hypoxic factor. Lake and ReservoirManagement 18:299-306.
Ostrand, K. G., and D. E. Marks. 2000. Mortality ofprairie stream fishes confined in an
isolated poo1. Texas Journal of Science 52:255-258.
51
Ostrand, K. G., and G. R. Wilde. 2001. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity
tolerances of five prairie stream fishes and their role in explaining fish assemblage
patterns. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130:742-749.
Person-Le Ruyet, J., A. Lacut, N. Le Bayon, A. Le Roux, K. Pichavant, and L.
Quemener. 2003. Effects of repeated hypoxic shocks on growtliandmetabolism
ofturbot juveniles. Aquatic Living Resources 16:25-34.
Perterka, 3. J., and J. S. Kent. 1976. Dissolved oxygen, temperature, and survival of
young at fish spawning sites. Environmental Protection Agency Report No. EPA-
600/3-76-113, Ecological Research Series.
Pflieger, W.L. 1997. The Fishes ofMissouri. Missouri Department of Conservation
Plafkin, J. L., M. T. Barbour, K. D. Porter, S. K. Gross, and R. M. Hughes. 1989. Rapid
bioassessment protocols for use in streams and rivers: benthic macroinvertebrates
and fish. EPA/440/4-89/00 1, United States Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Water, Washington DC.
Popp, A., and K. D. Hoagland. 1995. Changes in benthic community composition in
response to reservoir aging. Hydrobiologia 306:159-17 1.
Rabalais, N. N., R. E. Turner, and D. Scavia. 2002. Beyond science into policy: Gulf of
Mexico hypoxia and the Mississippi River. Bioscience 52:129-142.
Rabeni, C. F. 2000. Evaluating physical habitat integrity in relation to the biological
potential of streams. Hydrobiologia 422/423:245-256.
Rahel, F. J., and J. W. Nutzman. 1994. Foraging in a lethal environment
-
fish predation
in hypoxic waters of a stratified lake. Ecology 75:1246-1253.
Smale, M. A., and C. F. Rabeni. l995a. Hypoxia and hyperthermia tolerances of
headwater stream fishes. Transactions ofthe American Fisheries Society 124:698-
710.
Smale, M. A., and C. F. Rabeni. 1995b. Influences of hypoxia and hyperthermia on fish
species composition in headwater streams. Transactions ofthe American Fisheries
Society 124:711-725.
Sparks, B. L., and D. L. Strayer. 1998. Effects of low dissolved oxygen on juvenile
Elliptio complanata
(Bivalvia: Unionidae). Journal of the North American
Benthological Society 17:129-134.
- -
52
Steingraeber, M. T., and J. G. Wiener. 1995. Bioassessmentof contaminant transport and
distribution in aquatic ecosystems by chemical-analysis ofburrowing mayflies
(Hexagenia). Regulated Rivers-Research & Management 11:201-209.
Stewart, N. E., D. L. Shumway, and P. Douderoff. 1967. Influence of oxygen
concentration on the growth ofjuvenile largemouth bass. Journal of the Fisheries
Research Board of Canada 24:475-494.
Sweeney, B. W., and R. L. Vannote. 1981.
Ephemerella
mayflies of White Clay Creek:
bioenergetic and ecological relationships among six coexisting species. Ecology
62:1353-1369.
Tessier, A. J., and J. Welser. 1991. Cladoceran Assemblages, Seasonal Succession and
the Importance of a Hypolimnetic Refuge. Freshwater Biology 25:85-93.
Vannote, R. L., and B. W. Sweeney. 1980. Geographic analysis of thermal equilibria: a
conceptual model for evaluating the effects of natural and modified thermal
regimes on aquatic insect communities. American Naturalist 115:667-695.
Watters, G.T. 1999. Freshwater mussels and water quality: a review ofthe effects of
hydrologic and instream habitat alterations. Proceedings of the First Freshwater
Mollusk Conservation Society Symposium. Pages 261-274.
Wiederholm, 1. 1984. Responses of aquatic insects to environmental pollution. Pages
508-557
in
V. H. Resh and D. M. Rosenberg, editors. The ecology of aquatic
insects. Praeger, New York.
Winemiller, K. 0., and K. A. Rose. 1992. Patterns of life-history diversificationin North
American fishes: implications for population regulation. Canadian Journal of
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 49:2196-2218.
Winter, A., J. J. H. Ciborowski, and T. B. Reynoldson. 1996. Effects of chronic hypoxia
and reduced temperature on survival and growth ofburrowing mayflies,
Hexagenia limbata
(Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae). Canadian Journal ofFisheries
and Aquatic Sciences 53:1565-1571.
Wu, R. S. S. 2002. Hypoxia: from molecular responses to ecosystem responses. Marine
Pollution Bulletin 45:35-45.
53
Wu, R. S. S., B. S. Zhou, D. J. Randall, N. Y. S. Woo, and P. K. S. Lam. 2003. Aquatic
hypoxia is an endocrine disruptor and impairs fish reproduction. Environmental
Science & Technology 37:1137-1141.
54
Table 1. Critical minimum dissolvedoxygen concentrations for 35 species of common
headwater stream fishes determined from laboratory experiments (Smale and Rabeth
1 995b).
Critical minimumdissolved oxygen
concentration (mg/L)
Species
Rank
Mean
95
CI
Brook silversides
1
1.59
1.70-1.48
Rosyface shiner
2
1.49
1.67-1.30
Ozarkmmnnow
3
1.45
1.57-1.33
Bleeding shiner
4
1.35
1.47-1.23
Smallmouthbass
5
1.19
1.29-1.08
Redfin shiner
6
1.17
1.25-1.08
Blackbullhead
7
1.13
1.27-1.00
Rainbow darter
8
1.10
1.21-0.99
Hornyhead chub
9
1.06
1.20-0.92
Bluntnose minnow
10
1.04
1.11-0.97
Suckermouth minnow
11
1.04
1.09-0.98
Striped shiner
12
1.03
1.10-0.95
Bigmouth shiner
13
1.02
1.07-0.97
Fantail darter
14
0.98
1.06-0.91
White sucker
15
0.98
1.16-0.79
Common shiner
16
0.97
1.06-0.89
Central stoneroller
17
0.95
1.04-0.86
Sand shiner
18
0.93
1.11-0.75
Plains topminnow
19
0.92
1.02-0.82
Red shiner
20
0.91
0.99-0.82
Blackspottedtopminnow
21
0.88
1.25-0.51
Blackstripe topminnow
22
0.88
0.90-0.85
Orangethroat darter
23
0.86
0.98-0.73
Creek chub
24
0.84
0.90-0.79
Southern redbelly dace
25
0.74
0.80-0.69
Fathead minnow
26
0.73
0.79-0.67
Johnny darter
27
0.70
0.76-0.64
Golden shiner
28
0.70
0.75-0.65
Largemouth bass
29
0.70
0.77-0.63
Longear sunfish
30
0.68
0.74-0.63
Bluegill
31
0.66
0.74-0.57
Green sunfish
32
0.63
0.68-0.57
Orangespotted sunfish
33
0.62
0.68-0.56
Slender madtom
34
0.60
0.67-0.54
Yellow bullhead
35
0.49
0.52-0.46
Table 2. USEPA water quality criteria for ambient water column dissolved
oxygen concentration from Chapman (1986). Early life stages include all
embryonic and larval stages and juveniles to 30 days post-hatching.
Period/Value
Early life stages
Other stages
3odaymean
NA
5.5
7daymean
6.0
NA
7 day mean minimum
NA
4.0
1 day minimum
5.0
3.0
55
-
-
56
Table 3. Summary of spawning temperatures or times for common warmwater fish taxa
(by genus or species) in Illinois. Summaries derive from Pflieger (1997) and B.M. Burr,
personal communication, Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University,
Carbondale.
Months or Temperatures of
Common name
Genus/Species
Spawning
Season of Spawning
Lampreys
Ichthyomyzon
and
Lampetra
March through May
Spring
Paddlefish
Polyodon spathula
Aprilthrough May
Spring
Goldeye and Mooneye
Hiodon
March through April
Spring
Mudminnow
Umbra limi
April
Spring
Pikes
Esox
March through April
Spring
Creek chub
Semotilus atromaculatus
April through May
Spring
Homyhead chub
Nocomis biguttatus
April through May
Spring
Stonerollers
Campostoma
15°C
Spring
Redhorse
Moxostoma
April throughMay
Spring
Hogsucker
Hypentelium nigricans
April throughMay
Spring
Sucker
Catostomous
March through May
Spring
Spotted sucker
Minytrema melanops
April through May
Spring
Chubsucker
Erimyzon
April through May
Spring
Pirate perch
Aphredoderus sayanus
May
Spring
Sculpin
Coitus
March through April
Spring
Temperate bass
Morone
April through May
Spring
Rockbass
Ambloplites rupestris
April through May
Spring
Crappie
Pomoxis
April through May
Spring
Walleye/Sauger
Sander
April
Spring
Yellow perch
Percaflavescens
April through May
Spring
Logperch
Percina caprodes
April
Spring
Darters
Etheostoma
March through May
Spring
Freshwater drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
April through May
Spring
Sturgeons
Acipenser
and
Scaphyrhynchus
Aprilthrough June
Spring-Early Summer
Gar
Lepisosteus
Aprilthrough June
Spring-Early Summer
Skipjack
herring
Alosa chrysochloris
April through June
Spring-Early Summer
Gizzard/threadfin shad
Dorosoma
April through June
Spring-Early Summer
Common carp
Cyprinus carpio
March through June
Spring-Early Summer
Golden shiner
Notemigonus crysoleucas
April through June
Spring-Early Summer
Dace
Rhinichthys
April through June
Spring-Early Summer
Silverjaw minnow
Ericymba buccata
May through June
Spring-Early Summer
Southem
redbelly dace
Phoxinus erythrogaster
May through June
Spring-Early Summer
Minnows
Hybognathus
May through June
Spring-Early Summer
Minnows
Pimephales
May through June
Spring-Early Summer
Buffalo
Ictiobus
April throughJune
Spring-Early Summer
Carpsuckers
Carpiodes
April throughJune
Spring-Early Summer
Catfish
Ictalurus
May throughJune
Spring-Early Summer
Madtoms
Noturus
May through June
Spring-Early Summer
Black bass
Micropterus
May through June
Spring-Early Summer
Other
Percina
Percina
Varies
-
April through June
Spring-Early Summer
57
Table 3 continued.
-
Trout perch
Percopsis omiscomaycus
March through August
Spring-Summer
Killifish
Fundulus
May through August
Spring-Summer
--
Mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis
Maythrough August
Spring-Summer
Brook silverside
Labidesthes sicculus
Maythrough August
Spring-Summer
-
Sunfish
Lepomis
May through August
Spring-Summer
Chubs
Hybopsis
Summer
Summer
-
Shiners
Notropis
May through July
Summer
Flathead catfish
Pylodictus olivaris
June through July
Summer
-
Darters
Ammocrypta
Unknown
Unknown
58
Table 4. Example calculations for 1-d minimum, 7-d mean, and 7-d mean minimum
dissolved oxygen concentrations (mg/L; adapted from Chapman 1986). If only a
maximum and minimum daily temperature is available, a 7-day mean is calculated by
averaging the daily means (maximum plus minimum divided by two) and then averaging
across seven days (see below). It would be more desirable to generate a time-weighted
daily average of multiple (or continuous) daily temperatures, including the maximum and
minimum.
Day
Daily Max
Daily Mm
Daily Mean
1
9.0
7.0
8.0
2
10.0
7.0
8.5
3
11.0
8.0
9.5
4
12.0*
8.0
95*
5
10.0
8.0
9.0
6
11.0
9.0
10.0
7
12.0*
10.0
10.5*
1 day minimum
7.0
7 day mean mm.
8.1
7daymean
9.3
*Maximum value exceeds air saturation concentration of 11 mg/L.
Table
5.
Recommended water quality criteria for ambient water column dissolved
oxygen concentration in Illinois surface waters (excluding the Great Lakes, Great Lake
coolwater tributaries, and wetlands).
Period/Value
59
Spring (March 1-June 30)
Non Spring (July 1-
February 28 or 29)
l-dmiimum
5.0
3.5
7-d mean
6.0
-
7-d mean minimum
-
4.0
60
Figure 1. Percent survival (relative to controls) of “tolerant” (i.e., largemouth bass, black
crappie, white sucker, white bass) and “intolerant” (i.e., northern pike, channel catfish,
walleye, and smallmouth bass) fish larvae and embryos (adapted from Chapman 1986).
61
0
0
0
0
6
8
10
Dissolved Oxygen Concentration
Figure 2. Effect of vertical distribution in dissolved oxygen on the occurrence of
threadfin
shad and hybrid striped bass
in
Lake of Egypt, illinois during summer through fall 2003.
Fish avoided the deep, hypolimnetic water of the lake when dissolved oxygen concentrations
declined below 4 mg/L.
3
2-
0
I.-
0
U)
II-
I-
C)
E
1.5
C)
C.)
V
.c
0
0
0
0
0
0
00
02
4
Message
Page 1 of 1
Cowger, Donna
From:
Cowger, Donna on behalf of Harsch, Roy M.
Sent:
Thursday, July
22, 2004 8:52 AM
To:
‘Amessina~lERG.org’;‘Deborah.Williams@epa.state.il.
us’; ‘Jdonahue~geneva.iI.us’;‘lfrede@cicil.net’;
‘Stefanie.Diers@epa.state.ii.us’; ‘Toby. Frevert~epa.state.II. us’; ‘Cskrukrud@earthlink.net’; ‘AEttinger~elpc.org’;
‘bwentzel~prairierivers.org’;‘Syonkauski~dnrmail.state.ii.us’; ‘KHodge~lERG.org’;
‘Richard. Lanyon@mwrdgc.dst.il.us’; ‘claire©posegate-denes.com’
Subject: DO Proposal
At the first hearing in this matter Toby discussed the IEPAs willingness
to discuss this proposal and potential
implementation rules. He has set aside the morning of August 12th for a Stakeholder meeting prior to the afternoon
hearing in Springfield. Below is a list of my thoughts on the items that should be included in the IEPA Implementation
Rules for the DO proposal. These are consistent with comments that Jim Garvey got from Chapman that the first full
paragraph on page 39 of Jim’s report “is a good example of the type of implementation documentation that is needed for
adequate application of DO standards”.
1.
DO
should be measured with continuous monitoring devices or approved methods for instantaneous results. These
would include DO meters and appropriate wet chemistry methods. The rule should cite the applicable USEPA test
method, etc.
2. A
single reading below the proposed daily minimum would constitute a violation.
3. Values above saturation should be reduced to the DO level at saturation in calculating daily or long term averages.
4.
In streams, DO should be:
-
-
a. measured in pool or run habitats not riffles,
b. taken at 2/3 or 67 of stream depth,
c. and not taken at the sediment/water interface.
5. In lakes, DO should be taken one meter below the surface in the limnetic zone above the deepest point of the lake.
Please let me know if you would like to participate in this meeting. My phone number is 312
5691441
and my E Mail
address is
hars
ch©gcd.co
n.
Roy Harsch
Donna M. Cowger
Assistant to Roy M. Harsch
Gardner Carton & Douglas LLP
191
North Wacker Drive
Suite 3700
Chicago, IL
60606-1698
(312)
569-1682
dcowger~gcd.com
~_)j1~
II
8/10/2004
~itz~/o.-i
~‘
PAGE 1.4
SECTION 1 DAILY HERALD
TofearGod,
-
I
S -
-
Oi
11L L
Fence Post
Fight effort to lower
Fox oxygen criteria
The Illinois Association of
WastewaterAgencies is an orga-
nization whose membersare
concernedwith clean streams
-
and-are responsible forwaste-
water collection andtreatment
-
in the state ofIllinois. Members
ofIAWAinclude severalwater
reclamation districts alongthe
-
FoxRiver.
While IAWA claims it is con-
cernedwith clean rivers, inApril
-
2004, lAWApropOSeda rule to
the Illinois Pollution Control
Board thatwould lower the 1111-
nois dissolved oxygen criteria
from 5.0 mg/L to 3.5 mg/L.
-
The proposedreduction in
- --
dissolved oxygen criteriaWill-
not improvethe condition of
-
Illinois streams suchasth~Fox
River. In fac~t,:-jt -havie
-
opposite-effect. lxi-2002, the Fox
River was categorized as
impaired bythe Illinois Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency
One ofthe reasonsforthe
river’s impairment is low dis-
solved oxygen.Low dissolved
oxygen levels hi the Fox River
-
will negativelyimpact fish
species that spawn in late
-
summer, andsportfish such as
small mouth bass are sensitive
to low dissolvedoxygen levels.
Freshwater mussels andother
aquatic macroinvertebrates are
also negatively affectedby low
dissolvedoxygen.
-
Instead ofrequestingto lower
the state’s dissolvedoxygen
standard, IAWA, andit~affill-
-
atedreclamation districts,
should be leaders in ensuring
that dissolved oxygen levels in
IllinOis Rivers includingthe Fox
remainhigh.
Everyone can make a differ-
ence in protecting the Fox River
ecosystem~and I ask you to take
~Grovemarket.We have also
kamed something newevel
~pk that the market has
ate~since urstarting
Juxul~9.Wehavethe
work\aid andwe-we
share what wehave
far wit1-~ourElburni
-
--
- - -
,—~--
Elbun\and Sugar
uurfl, ~ugar ~rov
seem to
co
id have market
inevitab
-
heanngis
The ugar Grove Far ers
towns. By
-
Market
-
hmteerswo d like
market for
an oppo
~tyto
er-a
become sti
-
newspaper questi of two
whenboth
-
weeks ago,
~ch sked Elburn. residents
residents “Sh
Elburn have
market,
aFarmers Mar
t?”
We-say,
split i
Absolutely, b
also offer an hopetu1~as
invitation to lb
farmers,
an eveinker idea
-
smallbu& s~esan residents. that
~ft
wouldnev
Join the S gàr Grove arket
day come and we
and inst ad of twoyo g start- rerliain one strong ni
ing ma ets, we can fo
one
sç~vingnot only our
very ong market.
$1es but towns like Big
T e volunteers havewo ed 7/Kaneville, Plano and anyone
h d on planning the Sugar
jf
else who would like to partici-’
pate
-~
Ta
Grov,
corni~
comi-
-
purc1~
-
gies~
fresh\-
goun~
-
ando~
We-~
morun
peoplx
the w~-
worth
comii
willbk
make~
keep
Yoi.
ext. 7~
noon
Kanel
Parkk
Sugai
The-
-
Bi~rw
£roi~the
COnven1~ion
actior~to4ayby callingthe ~li-
-
nois Polkition Control Board
-
andasking them to deny IAWA’s
request to lowerthe dissolved
-
oxygen criteria in Illinois.
David I.Horn
Aurora
But
Su
s-f
‘
tf~Lj~
1
I’~~
I
ILLINOIS
NATURAL
HISTORY
SURVEY
July 30, 2004
Pat Quinn
Lieutenant Governor
State ofIllinois
Office ofthe Lieutenant Governor
James R. Thompson Center, Suite 15-200
Chicago, IL 60601
Dear Lt. Governor Quinn:
I am pleased to offer the following comments regarding your letter of June 24, 2004 on the
dissolved oxygen proceedings now occurring before the Pollution Control Board. These
comments are based upon my review ofthe materials submitted to the PCB, including the report
by Garvey and Whiles titled “An Assessment ofNational and Illinois Dissolved Oxygen Water
Quality Criteria”. They are also derived from an independent review ofthe literature, which
included some studies not referenced in the above document, and on my professional judgement.
I have been involved in analyzing the impacts ofvarious water quality parameters on aquatic life
since the late 1960s.
The present criteria of“not less than 6.0 mg/L during at least 16 hours of any 24 hour period, nor
less than
5.0
mg/L at any time” has a degree ofconservatism build in that should be protective of
all aquatic life in Illinois. I find the proposed change “during the months ofJuly through
February, dissolved oxygen shall not be less than a one day minimum concentration of
3.5
mg/L,
and a seven day mean minimum of4.0 mg/L” as not being conservative enough, and of
potentially endangering some aquatic life in the state. Some of the reasons I reach this
conclusion are addressed below.
-
The Garvey and Whiles report lumps Illinois fish into warm water and cold water. Many
biologist recognize that there are many fishes that would fall into a more intermediate category of
cool water fish. While there is no clear definition of what species could be classified as cool
water fish, there would be general agreement that some fish communities thrive under conditions
ofmore moderate summer temperatures and in well oxygenated water. Some ofour finer
Smailmouth bass streams would fall into this category, as would some ofour spring feed streams
and some of our wooded streams and lakes particularly in northeastern Illinois. The State of
Oregon differentiates between salmon spawning streams, and water bodies that support cool
water and warm water aquatic species. Their water quality standards for the Umatilla subbasin
are a DO level for cool-water aquatic life ofnot less than
6.5
mg/L and the minimum for warm-
water aquatic life ofnot less than
5.5
mg/L. The Illinois DNR has developed a preliminary list of
607 East Peabody Drive, Champaign,Illinois 61820-6970 USA
~ ~
(217)333-6880 Fax(217)333-4949
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu
i.~Ai~
some
55
streams and rivers in the state that they would classify as cool water. Again, while there
is no strict definition of cool water streams, there is a recognition that fish communities in these
streams differ (need generally better water quality) from other warm-water streams and rivers in
the state.
There is a rationale in the literature for the
5
mg/L minimum, and while further studies have
modified this level lower for a number ofspecies, there are other species that probably would not
be protected at lower levels. Dowling and Wiley (1986) did a review related to this issue on
“The effects ofdissolved oxygen, temperature, and low stream flow on fishes: a literature
review”. In discussing minimum oxygen standards they cite the work ofEllis (1937) who
concluded that a minimum summer dissolved oxygen concentration of
5
mg/L was necessary to
support good, mixed fish faunas. They also cited the work ofCoble (1982), who’s work in
Wisconsin indicated that with a measure ofdissolved oxygen concentration of daytime or
averaged values, the level of
5
mg/L could be identified as a point ofdeparture between good and
poor fish populations. Chapman (1986), in a discussion of field studies, cited the above two
references plus a study by Brinley (1944) who conducted a two year biological survey ofthe
Ohio River Basin. Brinley concluded that his field results showed that a concentration of
dissolved oxygen of
5
mg/i seemed to represent a general dividing line between good and bad
conditions for fish.
-
Smale and Rabeni (1995b), in their studies ofMissouri headwater streams, found that DO
minimum values influenced species composition up to approximately
4-5
mg/L, which is similar
to recommended standards for oxygen minima in warm-water streams (Welch and Lindell 1992).
They also stated in this paper that dissolved oxygen requirements for long-term persistence of
stream fishes are typically much higher than those determined in laboratory survival tests.
Garvey and Whiles (2004) discuss this effect in theirpaper, and state that growth ofa number of
fish is reduced at 4 to 5 mg/L. They cite the work ofBrake (1972) who found that growth of
Largemouth bass was reduced by as much as 34 at DO concentrations of4 to
5
mg/L, a level
that had little effect on growth in the laboratory. And it is well documented in the literature that
Largemouth bass are more tolerant of low dissolve oxygen levels than Smailmouth bass.
Furimsky et al (2003) found that progressive reductions in water oxygen levels had a much
greater impact on blood oxygen transport properties, acid-base status, ventilation rates, and
cardiac variables in Smallmouth bass than in Largemouth bass.
The document by Garvey and Whiles recognizes that the egg and larval stages of fish are more
-
sensitive to low DO levels than juveniles and adults. They suggested more stringent criteria for
March through June (the spawning period formost fish), with lower DO minimum levels the rest
ofthe year. However, many fish continue to spawn until later in the summer, and sunfishes and
bass in particular will re-nest a number oftimes if early attempts to spawn fail or are delayed. In
the testimony by Sheehan (Exhibit 7) he stated that “most Illinois fish species spawn in the
spring and summer seasons, so the months ofApril through August are without doubt within the
‘early life history stages present’ period.”
-
-
Garvey and Whiles recognize that “some macroinvertebrates, such as burrowing mayflies and
freshwater mussels are less tolerant ofprolonged exposure to hypoxic conditions than most fish”.
Chen, Heath and Neves (2001) did a comparison ofoxygen consumption in freshwater mUssels
during declining dissolved oxygen concentrations. They found for P. cordatum (Ohio pigtoe)
found in southeastern Illinois, and Villosa iris (Rainbow) found in central and northeastern
Illinois, that the former should have DO levels above
3.5
to 4.0 mg/L and the latter above 6 mgIL
to ensure that aerobic metabolism remains relatively unchanged.
-
Garvey and Whiles state near the end oftheir document that DO standards in Illinois, based on
daily minima, are likely (my emphasis) too conservative. However, there seems to be enough
evidence in the literature to indicate that the new DO standards that they recommend may not be
conservative enough to protect some T&E species (most ofwhich we have little data for) or
coolwater fish assemblages. The authors go on to state that “with increased scientific
-
information, region- or basin-specific standards likely will more realistically set criteria based
upon expected conditions in oxygen, other water quality parameters, and habitat characteristics.”
It seems that given the above it would be more prudent to keep the present standards and allow
for exemptions on particularwater bodies where it can be demonstrated that lower DO
-
minimums could be protective ofthe aquatic species within that water body. Criteria would have
to be established for making the case for an exemption.
Another approach could be- to convene a panel ofexperts on the topic, including biologists
familiar with Illinois streams, that could review the literature and available information and come
up with recommendations, possibly by grouping waterbodies with somewhat similar species
compositions. Certainly we would want to see more stringent criteria for those streams that DNR
feels would fall in the cool water stream category, or which have sensitive T&E species for
which we would like to see additional protection provided.
Finally, in terms ofpossible impacts on sport fishes there will be significant concern in the state
from sportsmen groups that Smailmouth bass streams are not adversely affected by lowered DO
levels. And based on the literature, there appears to be some chance ofan adverse affect on this
species and fishery with the proposed lower standard.
While I appreciate the fact that the present DO standard is probably overly conservative for some
ofour water bodies, it probably isn’t for other water bodies. Ifwe are going to adopt one
standard for the whole state then it needs to be a more conservative standard to protect some of
our more sensitive species. Ifwe decide to adopt DO standards by water body, then we can have
different standards for different water bodies.
I hope the above answers some ofyour questions. I would be glad to provide additional
information should you need it.
Sincerely,
1—David L. Thomas, PhD
Chief INHS
Attachment (Literature Cited)
Literature Cited
Brake, L.A. 1972. Influence ofdissolved oxygen and temperature on the growth ofjuvenile
largemouth bass held in artificial ponds. M.S. Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis.
Brinley, F.J. 1944. Biological studies. House Document 266, 78th Congress, ~ Session; Part II,
Supplement F. p. 1275-1353.
Chapman, G. 1986. Ambient water quality for dissolved oxygen. EPA 440/5-86-003, USEPA,
Office ofWater Regulations and Standards, Washington, DC.
Chen, L, A.G. Heath, and R.J. Neves. 2001. Comparison ofoxygen consumption in freshwater
mussels (Unionidae) from different habitats during declining dissolved oxygen concentration.
Hydrobiologia 450: 209-214.
Coble, D. W. 1982. Fish populations in relation to dissolved oxygen in the Wisconsin River.
Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 111:612-623.
- -
-
Dowling, D.C. and M. J. Wiley 1986. The effects ofdissolved oxygen, temperature, and low
stream flow on fishes: A literature review. INHS Aquatic Biology Section Technical Report to
Springfield City Water, Light, and Power Company. 6ip.
Ellis, M. M. 1937. Detection and measurement ofstream pollution . Bull. U.S. Bureau of Sport
Fisheries and Wildlife. 48(22): 365-437.
Furimsky, M., S. J. Cooke, C. D. Suski, Y. Wang and B. L. Tufts. 2003. Respiratory and
circulatory effects ofhypoxia in largemouth bass and smailmouth bass: an application to “live
release” competitive angling events. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 132: 1065-1075.
-
Garvey, J. E. and M. R. Whiles. 2004. An assessment ofNational and Illinois dissolved oxygen
water quality criteria. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, prepared for the Illinois
Assoc. ofWastewater Agencies. 6lp.
Sheehan, R. J. 2002. Justification and approach for adoption ofthe USEPA’s approach for
setting ambient water quality criteria for ammonia in Illinois surface waters. Written testimony
before the Illinois Pollution Control Board, in the matter ofproposed amendments to ammonia
nitrogen standards, 35 III. Admin. code, Exhibit 3, R02-19, 3/25/02.
Smale, M. A. and C. F. Rabeni.
1995.
Influences ofhypoxia and hyperthermia on fish species
composition in headwater streams. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 124: 7 11-725.
Welch, E. B. and T. Lindell. 1992. Ecological effects ofwastewater. Chapman and Hall,
London.
