Lake Huron Critical Pollutants

Uses and Problem Areas

PCBs (POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS)

PCBs were widely used in electrical equipment such as transformers and capacitors; some equipment was filled with PCBs, while other equipment was contaminated with PCBs during testing and maintenance. PCBs are carcinogens and probable endocrine disrupters. Human poisoning has occurred. Some 1.4 billion pounds of PCBs were manufactured in the U.S. before such manufacture was banned in 1978; Canada imported 0.9 billion pounds before this manufacturing ban took effect. PCBs in Lake Huron fish have caused fish consumption advisories; PCBs have also been detected in Lake Huron water, sediment and wildlife. Also, dredging activities are impaired on the Ontario shoreline of the St. Clair River due to PCBs.

CHLORDANE

Chlordane was used to control pests on crops (corn, grapes, strawberries, etc.), and to control fleas, ticks and mange on pets. It is a probable human carcinogen. The U.S. banned most uses in 1978 and all uses except termite control in 1987. Canada discontinued use in 1990. Chlordane has been detected in Lake Huron water, fish and wildlife.

2,3,7,8-TCDD (TETRACHLORODIEBENZO-P-DIOXIN)

There is no known use of dioxins; it is a by-product of processes involving chlorine, organic chemicals and heat, including incineration, pulp and paper bleaching with elemental chlorine, and chemical manufacturing. Dioxins are extremely toxic. It is a carcinogen and may be an important endocrine disrupter. Concentrations from pulp and paper bleaching are dropping as mills switch to alternative technologies. Other processes, including incineration of medical and solid waste, continue to produce significant amounts. Dioxins have been detected in Lake Huron fish and wildlife.

MERCURY (Hg)

Mercury is widely used in batteries (use in alkaline batteries has been banned in most batteries, limited in others), electrical equipment (switches), medical equipment, thermometers, thermostats and preservatives -- even in the silver amalgam dentists use for fillings. Many former uses (i.e., as a fungicide, pesticide and in latex paint) have been discontinued, but mercury is still needed in some products and processes. Its largest U.S. use today is at chlor alkali plants that produce chlorine gas and caustic soda. Small concentrations of mercury that exist in natural materials such as coal, wood and metal ore are released when these materials are processed; because such huge quantities of these materials are processed, much mercury is released. Mercury is also released when garbage is burned, and it vaporizes from landfills. It is not known to be a carcinogen, but is toxic to the fetuses of humans and animals. Human poisoning has occurred. U.S. use dropped from 2,649 tons in 1980 to 690 tons in 1993. The last registered use of mercury as a pesticide in the U.S. was voluntarily cancelled by the manufacturer in 1994. Mercury in Lake Huron fish has caused fish consumption advisories and has been detected in Lake Huron water, sediment and wildlife. Also, dredging activities are impaired on the Ontario shoreline of the St. Clair River and Severn Sound.

DDT (DICHLORO-DIPHENYL-TRICHLORO-ETHANE)

This pesticide was used in large quantities in the 1950s and 1960s on cotton fields, orchards and other crops, and in unsuccessful extermination campaigns against the Japanese beetle, spruce budworm, gypsy moth and Dutch elm disease bark beetle. DDT was also an ingredient in the pesticide Kelthane (Dicofol). DDT breaks down into toxic metabolites, primarily DDE. DDT and DDE are probable human carcinogens and endocrine disrupters. The United States banned DDT (except for public health emergencies) in 1973, and banned Kelthane (unless it contained less than 0.1% DDT) in 1988. Canada discontinued DDT in 1985. DDT is still used in other countries, mostly for insect control. A major source of DDT in the Lake Huron watershed in the Pine River near St Louis, Michigan at a now closed chemical processing plant. Remediation of contaminated sediment was initiated at the site in the spring of 1999. Also, some DDT has been stockpiled in the Lake Huron Basin, as it still shows up when agricultural pesticides are collected. DDT has been detected in Lake Huron water, fish and wildlife.

Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), a flame-retardant material, was introduced into the food chain in Michigan in 1973 due to a manufacturing and distribution mistake. A major source of PBB in the Lake Huron watershed in the Pine River near St Louis, Michigan at a now closed chemical processing plant.

LEAD, NICKEL, COPPER, ZINC, CADMIUM

Lead, nickel, copper zinc and cadmium are heavy metals common hazardous waste and can damage organisms at low concentrations and tends to accumulate in the food chain. These heavy metals are found in sediment in Lake Huron and are associated with degradation of benthos, and planktonic communities and result in restrictions on dredging in navigation harbors. In most cases, existing concentrations are due to historical discharges. Also, dredging activities are impaired on the Ontario shoreline of the St. Clair River and at Severn Sound.

NUTRIENTS

PATHOGENS

Sediment is solid material, either suspended or settled and both mineral and organic, that has been deposited within a water channel or impoundment. Sediment is a pollutant originating primarily from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff, urban runoff or from stream banks. Sediment usually occurs due to human-induced changes to the landscape. Sediment causes harm through a number of actions including carrying pollutants downstream and, covering fish spawning and aquatic invertebrate habitat. Excessive Sediment is a problem in many Lake Huron streams in that it impedes fishery restoration by degrade spawning habitat and lower or change food web productivity, both in Lake Huron (especially Saginaw Bay) and in the tributaries.

Tritium is a by-product of light-water and heavy-water nuclear reactor operation. In their coolants, these reactors produce about 500 to 1,000 and 2 x 10 Ci/yr, respectively, for every 1,000 MW(e) of power. Tritium is a fission product within nuclear fuel, generated at a rate of 1-2 x 10{sup 4} Ci per year/1000 MW(e). Also, tritium occurs naturally in the environment. Reactions between cosmic radiation and gases in the upper atmosphere produce most of the world's natural tritium.

The following table identifies all nonindigenous, species found in the Great Lakes. The table indicates the first documented location, mechanism of introduction, and whether the species is currently found in Lake Huron. Information was provided by both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the report titled Exotic Species in the Great Lakes: A History of Biotic Crisis and Anthropogenic Introductions (Mills, 1993). Many species have not been documented in Lake Huron that may currently exist as in many other lakes. The purpose of this table is to initiate a compilation of species found in the Great Lakes and their specific locations.

The following table identifies all nonindigenous, species found in the Great Lakes. The table indicates the first documented location, mechanism of introduction, and whether the species is currently found in Lake Huron. Information was provided by both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the report titled Exotic Species in the Great Lakes: A History of Biotic Crisis and Anthropogenic Introductions (Mills, 1993). Many species have not been documented in Lake Huron that may currently exist as in many other lakes. The purpose of this table is to initiate a compilation of species found in the Great Lakes and their specific locations.

alewife - a small silver-colored fish that is not native to Lake Huron.

anthropogenic - of man-made origin, not occurring naturally.

areas of concern - specific areas of 42 tributaries to or bays in the Great Lakes where degraded environmental conditions have created an impairment to human or ecological use of the water body.

beneficial uses - uses of Lake Huron that are valued by society, such as water quality that is suitable for drinking, swimming, agricultural, and industrial uses; healthy fish and wildlife populations which support a broad range of subsistence, sport, and commercial uses; and aesthetics.

benthos - bottom-dwelling aquatic plants and animals.

bioaccumulation - the net accumulation of a substance by an organism as a result of uptake from all environmental sources. As an organism ages, it can accumulate more of these substances, either from its food or directly from the environment. Bioaccumulation of a toxic substance has the potential to cause harm to organisms, particularly to those at the top of the food chain.

bioavailability - the degree to which toxic substances or other pollutants are present in sediments or elsewhere in the ecosystem to affect or be taken up by organisms. Some pollutants might be "bound up" or unavailable because they are attached to clay particles or are buried by sediment. The amount of oxygen, pH, temperature, and other conditions in the water can affect availability.

biota - all living organisms that exist in an area.

burrowing mayflies - bottom-dwelling burrowing Mayfly larvae,(Hexagenia) are indicators of high water quality. In the 1950s, mayflies were wiped out in Lake Huron due to poor water quality. Low numbers of mayflies are an indicator of low amounts of dissolved oxygen. Also called Canadian soldiers, June bugs, fish flies.

carcinogen - something that causes cancer.

chlordane - used as a pesticide until banned by the United States in 1983 (except for use in controlling underground termites). Chlordane can accumulate in fish and wildlife tissue and is suspected to be a carcinogen.

Clean Water Act - Public Law 92-500. The United States federal law that set national policy for improving and protecting the quality of the Nation's waters. The law set a timetable for cleanup of the Nation's waters and stated they are to be fishable and swimmable. It also required all pollutant dischargers to obtain a permit and meet the conditions of the permit. To accomplish this pollution cleanup, billions of dollars have been made available to help communities pay the cost of building sewage treatment facilities. The Clean Water Act was amended in 1977, 1981, and 1989.

confined disposal facility - a facility built specifically for the disposal of dredged sediment. Often referred to by the acronym CDF.

consumption advisory - a health warning issued by a public agency recommending that people limit their eating fish or wildlife from certain areas based on the levels of toxic contaminants found in tissues.

dioxins - unwanted chemical byproducts of incineration and some industrial processes that use chlorine. Dioxins can accumulate in fish and wildlife and are suspected human carcinogens.

ecosystem - the complex of a living community and its physical and chemical environment, functioning together as a unit in nature, with some inherent stability.

ecosystem approach - the integration of water quality management and natural resources management, across jurisdictional boundaries, in order to protect and restore the beneficial uses of the Lake Huron ecosystem.

embayment - an area of water protected by land forming a bay such as Saginaw Bay.

environmental stressors - factors which cause, or have the potential to cause, impairments of beneficial uses of Lake Huron. These factors include chemical, physical, or biological influences on the Lake Huron ecosystem, as well as management practices.

eutrophication - the process by which a lake becomes rich in dissolved nutrients and deficient in oxygen, occurring either as a natural stage in lake maturation or artificially induced by human activities such as the addition of fertilizers and organic wastes from runoff.

Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement - an agreement signed in 1978 by the United States and Canada and amended in 1987. Its purpose is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.

habitat - The place or type of site where a plant or animal naturally lives.

heavy metals - A group of metals that might be present in municipal and industrial wastes that pose long-term environmental hazards if not disposed of properly. Heavy metals can contaminate ground and surface waters, fish, and food. The metals of greatest concern are arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc.

International Joint Commission (IJC) - commission established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, consisting of representatives from both the United States and Canada. The Commission's role is to oversee activities common to the borders of the two countries, including water quality in the Great Lakes.

lead - a heavy metal that may be hazardous to health if breathed or swallowed. Lead can bioaccumulate in fish and wildlife.

loadings - the amount of pollutants being discharged or deposited into the lake.

macroinvertebrates - animals without backbones ("invertebrates") that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye ("macro"). Examples of macroinvertebrates include: crayfish, snails, clams, aquatic worms, leeches, and the larval and nymph stages of many insects, including dragonflies, mosquitoes, and mayflies. Macroinvertebrates are excellent indicators of water quality because they cannot move to a different section of water if the water they are in is uninhabitable.

mercury - a heavy metal that is a neurotoxin that is toxic if breathed or ingested at sufficiently high concentrations. Because of its common use, mercury is released during garbage incineration and through the combustion of fuels such as coal and wood for energy production. Mercury readily bioaccumulates in all aquatic organisms.

neurotoxin - a substance that is known or suspected to be poisonous to nerve tissue.

nonpoint source pollution (NPS) - pollution for which the sources cannot be traced to a single point such as a municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plant discharge pipe. Nonpoint sources include eroding farmland and construction sites, urban streets, and barnyards. Pollutants from these sources reach waterbodies in runoff, which can best be controlled by proper land management.

oligotrophic - the state of a poorly-nourished, unproductive lake that is commonly oxygen rich and low in turbidity.

omnivorous fish - fish, such as carp, that eat both plants and animals and are tolerant of poor water conditions.

organochlorines - a class of chemicals that contain chlorine, carbon, and hydrocarbon. Generally refers to pesticides and herbicides that can be toxic. Examples include PCBs and pesticides such as DDT and dieldrin.

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - PAHs are the result of incomplete combustion of organic compounds due to insufficient oxygen and are associated with oil, grease, and other components derived from petroleum products that can end up in sediments. Examples of compounds in the PAH group include benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, phenanthrene and pyrene.

PCBs - polychlorinated biphenyls. A group of toxic, persistent chemicals used in transformers and capacitors. They often accumulate in sediments, fish, and wildlife and have been associated with health problems.

phytoplankton - plant microorganisms that float in the water, such as certain algae.

remedial action plan - a remediation plan being developed for each of the Areas of Concern. Often referred to as a RAP, its purpose is to restore all beneficial uses to the area.

sediment - soil particles suspended in and carried by water as a result of erosion. Particles are deposited in areas where the water flow is slowed, such as in harbors, wetlands, and lakes.

total phosphorus - the total concentration of phosphorus found in the water. Phosphorus is a nutrient and acts as a fertilizer, increasing the growth of plant life such as algae.

toxic substance - a substance that can cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutations, or physiological or reproductive malfunctions or physical deformities in any organism or its offspring, or a substance that can become poisonous after concentration in the food chain or in combination with other substances.

trophic - status characterization of the condition of a body of water as eutrophic, oligotrophic or mesotrophic. Indicators or certain characteristics of a lake are used to measure the productivity of a lake. Indicators can be chemical, physical or biological in nature.

watershed - the land area that drains into a lake or river.

wetlands - those areas which are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a variety of vegetative or aquatic life. Wetland vegetation requires saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions for growth and reproduction. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, fens, and bogs.

zooplankton - animal microorganisms that float in the water.

Acronyms

Adams, J., M. Fodale, D. Cuddy, R. Bergstedt, and G. Christie. 1999 St. Marys River Granular Bayluscide Treatment - Initial Summary of Results. 1999.

Argyle, R., G. Curtis, and J. Schaeffer. Status of the Prey Fish Community in Lake Huron. 1998. U.S. Geological Survey.

Bowerman, W.W. 1997. Bald Eagle Studies in Support of Saginaw River and Bay Natural Resources Damage Assessment.

Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Health Unit. May 1997. Lake Huron Shoreline Tritium Pilot Project Study Summary. Owen Sound, Ontario.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994. Toxic Contaminants in the Great Lakes. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1994.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994. Aquatic Habitat and Wetlands of the Great Lakes. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1994.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994. Nutrients: Trends and System Response. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1994.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994. Integration Paper. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, September 1994.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1995. State of the Great Lakes - 1995.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1996. Conference Proceedings. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1996.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1996. Integration Paper. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1996.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. State of the Great Lakes - 1997.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1997.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Coastal Wetlands of the Great Lakes. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1997.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Land by the Lakes: Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1997.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Impacts of Changing Land Use. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1997.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 1998. Biodiversity Investment Areas - Aquatic Ecosystems. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1998.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 1998. Biodiversity Investment Areas - Coastal Wetland Ecosystems. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1998.

Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 1998. Biodiversity Investment Areas - Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems. Prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, 1998.

Federation of Ontario Naturalists, 1998. Seasons, Vol. 38, No. 2, "How much is too much development?".

Francis, G. R., J. J. Magnuson, H. A. Regier, and D. R. Talhelm. 1979. Rehabilitating Great Lakes Ecosystems. Greta Lakes Fisheries Comm. Tech. Rep. 37:99 p.

Great Lakes Fishery Commission. 1995. Fish - Community Objectives for Lake Huron. Special Publication 95-1.

Great Lakes Fishery Commission. 1995. The State of Lake Huron in 1992. Special Publication 95-2.

Hay-Chmielewski, Elizabeth M. and Gary E. Whelan. Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Strategy. Fisheries Special Report 18. 1997.

International Air Quality Advisory Board. July, 1999. Linking Canada and United States Sources and Source Regions of Selected Persistent Toxic Substances to Deposition in the Great Lakes Basin: A Progress Report.

Lake Huron Technical Committee, Great Lakes Fishery Commission. 1999. Fish Stocking in the Lake Huron Basin, 1968 to 1998.

Michigan Department of Community Health. 1998. Michigan Fish Advisory.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 1988. Remedial Action Plan for Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 1997. Personnel Communication. (data unpublished)

Michigan Office of the Great Lakes. 1997. State of the Great Lakes - 1997 Annual Report.

Mills, E. et al., Journal of Great Lakes Research, 19(1):1-54. 1003, 1993.

Nester, R. T. and T. P. Poe. 1987. Visual observations of historical lake trout spawning grounds in western Lake Huron. North Am. J. Fish. Manage. 7:418-424.

Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 1989. Severn Sound Remedial Action Plan, Stage I Report.

Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 1993. Spanish Harbour Remedial Action Plan, Stage I Report.

Pierce, Ronald, D.M. Whittle. And J.B. Bramwell. 1998. Chemical Contaminants in Canadian Aquatic Ecosystems.

Saginaw Valley State University. 1994. Saginaw Bay Watershed: A Strategy for Wetland Restoration.

Wilcox, D. A., Meeker, J. E. 1995. Wetlands in regulated Great Lakes. In: LaRoe, E.T., Farris, G.S., Puckett, C.E., Doran, P.D., Mac, M.J. (eds.) Our Living Resources: A Report to the Nation on the Distribution, Abundance, and Health of U.S. Plants, Animals, and Ecosystems. pp. 247-249. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Biological Service, Washington, D.C.

Zorn, T.G. and S.P. Sendek, In press, Au Sable River Assessment. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division. Special Report 20. Ann Arbor.