Ottawa CountyOttawa County’’s Pigeon River: s Pigeon River: A Qualified Success StoryA Qualified Success Story

Neil W. MacDonaldNeil W. MacDonaldBiology Department Biology Department

Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MichiganAllendale, Michigan

October 26, 2009October 26, 2009

Grand Haven

Holland

GrandRapids

BackgroundBackground41,30041,300--acre watershed, originally covered by forests and acre watershed, originally covered by forests and wetlands.wetlands.Most of watershed cleared and drained for agriculture by the Most of watershed cleared and drained for agriculture by the 1920s. 1920s. Large areas reforested in 1940s to control wind erosion. Large areas reforested in 1940s to control wind erosion. Lower mainstream stocked with trout by MDNR through Lower mainstream stocked with trout by MDNR through late 1960s, when trout population was considered selflate 1960s, when trout population was considered self--sustaining. sustaining. By 1989, however, water quality had become impaired by By 1989, however, water quality had become impaired by both point and nonboth point and non--point source pollution. Stream surveys point source pollution. Stream surveys found a degraded biotic community and no trout.found a degraded biotic community and no trout.In midIn mid--1990s, state regulatory action taken and Pigeon River 1990s, state regulatory action taken and Pigeon River Watershed Project initiated to address water quality Watershed Project initiated to address water quality problems.problems.

Regulatory ActionRegulatory ActionLarge foodLarge food--processing processing plant in central part of plant in central part of watershed was routinely watershed was routinely exceeding permitted exceeding permitted discharges of pollutants.discharges of pollutants.

MDEQ took action in mid MDEQ took action in mid 1990s. Company upgraded 1990s. Company upgraded its water treatment plant its water treatment plant and has complied with and has complied with permitted pointpermitted point--source source discharges since then. discharges since then.

Pigeon River Watershed ProjectPigeon River Watershed Project

CommunityCommunity--based based project initiated in 1995 project initiated in 1995 as combined effort of as combined effort of interested public interested public agencies, nonagencies, non--profit profit organizations, and organizations, and private landowners.private landowners.

Examples of Project ActivitiesExamples of Project Activities

Critical Areas Map DevelopmentCritical Areas Map Development

Watershed Model DevelopmentWatershed Model Development

HECHEC--HMS Model HMS Model developed by Dave developed by Dave FongersFongers of MDEQ to of MDEQ to assist watershed planning assist watershed planning efforts.efforts.

Model predictions indicate Model predictions indicate restoration of strategically restoration of strategically located areas of upstream located areas of upstream wetlands would help wetlands would help regain hydrologic stability.regain hydrologic stability.

Modeled Discharge at 120th Avenue for 5-Year Storm, Existing Watershed Conditions

0

10 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0 0

6 0 0

3 - A ug- 0 8 5 - A ug- 0 8 7 - Aug- 0 8 9 - Aug- 0 8 11- Aug- 0 8 13 - Aug- 0 8 15 - Aug- 0 8

D at e

Modeled Discharge at 120th Avenue for 5-Year storm, Restored Wetlands Upstream

100

200

300

400

500

600

Dis

char

ge, f

t3 /sec

03-Aug-08 5-Aug-08 7-Aug-08 9-Aug-08 11-Aug-08 13-Aug-08 15-Aug-08

Date

Water Quality MonitoringWater Quality Monitoring

FourFour--year water quality year water quality study of the Pigeon study of the Pigeon River funded through River funded through AWRI Faculty AWRI Faculty Research grants (1996Research grants (1996--2000). 2000).

Results published in Results published in Michigan Academician Michigan Academician (2001). (2001).

Conclusions of Initial Phase of StudyConclusions of Initial Phase of Study

The Pigeon River contained high levels of The Pigeon River contained high levels of inorganic pollutants from both point and inorganic pollutants from both point and nonpointnonpointsources.sources.Inputs of degraded water during high flows Inputs of degraded water during high flows created episodes of environmental stress in the created episodes of environmental stress in the lower mainstream, especially during the summer.lower mainstream, especially during the summer.Temperatures and dissolved oxygen Temperatures and dissolved oxygen concentrations in lower mainstream typically concentrations in lower mainstream typically remained in range suitable for trout despite these remained in range suitable for trout despite these existing pollution problems.existing pollution problems.

14 16 18 20 2296

29

8

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

Dissolved Oxygen, mg/L

Temperature, Degrees C

Discharge, ft3/sec

Temperature, Discharge, and Dissolved Oxygen Concentration at Pigeon Creek Park

7-86-75-64-53-4

Summer baseflow

Small summer storms

Large summer storms

>100-yearsummer storms

Ongoing GVSU Course ProjectOngoing GVSU Course Project

Water quality study Water quality study continued each fall as continued each fall as part of NRM 452, part of NRM 452, Watershed and Watershed and Wetland Management.Wetland Management.Thirteen years of data Thirteen years of data have been collected have been collected and are available to and are available to local and state local and state agencies.agencies.

Fall Concentrations of Soluble Reactive Phosphorus in the Pigeon River, Ottawa County, Michigan, 1996-2008

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Year

mg/

L

Means include data from four sampling stations and three months (September-November) for each year. State surface water quality standard for SRP = 0.05 mg/L.

1997-2002 mean = 0.08 mg/L2003-2008 mean = 0.06 mg/L

Macroinvertebrate-Based Stream Quality Scores at Five Stations on the Pigeon River, Ottawa County, Michigan, 2005-2008

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50

96th Avenue 104th Avenue Pigeon Creek Park 136th Avenue West Olive Road

Sampling Station

Stre

am Q

ualit

y Sc

ore

SensitiveIntermediateTolerant

Average scores for all stations fall in the "good" rating category.

Pigeon River GreenwayPigeon River GreenwayPigeon Creek Park and Pigeon Creek Park and Hemlock Crossing Park Hemlock Crossing Park provide watershed provide watershed protection and public protection and public access to the mainstream access to the mainstream of the Pigeon River.of the Pigeon River.

Private landowners Private landowners between these two parks between these two parks have maintained the have maintained the natural features of the natural features of the intact, forested floodplain. intact, forested floodplain.

Fish Population StudyFish Population StudyBased on results of Based on results of water quality studies, water quality studies, MDNR resumed MDNR resumed brown trout stocking brown trout stocking on experimental basis on experimental basis in 2003.in 2003.GVSU evaluated GVSU evaluated stocking success with stocking success with followfollow--up studies in up studies in 2006 and 2007 by Dan 2006 and 2007 by Dan Mays, MS student. Mays, MS student.

Pigeon River Fish Survey StationsPigeon River Fish Survey Stations

Multiple Size Classes of TroutMultiple Size Classes of Trout

Continuing ConcernsContinuing Concerns

Water QualityWater QualityWater quality generally Water quality generally good, but further good, but further improvement needed, improvement needed, especially during especially during stormflowsstormflows..Fish population still Fish population still dominated by dominated by pollutionpollution--tolerant tolerant species, indicative of species, indicative of episodic periods of episodic periods of environmental stress.environmental stress.

Hydrologic InstabilityHydrologic InstabilityDischarge in the Pigeon River at Pigeon Creek Park, Fall, 2008

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

8/30/2008 0:00 9/13/2008 0:00 9/27/2008 0:00 10/11/2008 0:00 10/25/2008 0:00 11/8/2008 0:00 11/22/2008 0:00

Date and Time

Dis

char

ge in

ft3 /s

ec

“Flashy” discharge in response to rain events

Irrigation Withdrawals During Low FlowsIrrigation Withdrawals During Low Flows

Daily Variation in Discharge in the Pigeon River Below 136th Avenue, Mid June-Early July, 2007

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6/19/2007 16:30 6/26/2007 16:30 7/3/2007 16:30

Collection Date and Time

ft3 /sec

Summer irrigation withdrawals can reduce streamflow to low levels

Continuing Need to Protect the Intact Continuing Need to Protect the Intact Floodplain of the Lower MainstreamFloodplain of the Lower Mainstream

ConclusionsConclusionsThe Pigeon River is a valuable public resource that The Pigeon River is a valuable public resource that benefits the citizens of Ottawa County.benefits the citizens of Ottawa County.

Regulatory action, watershed project efforts, public Regulatory action, watershed project efforts, public land acquisition, protection by private landowners, land acquisition, protection by private landowners, and active fishery management have helped to and active fishery management have helped to maintain and improve the river.maintain and improve the river.

Continued vigilance and management are needed Continued vigilance and management are needed to further protect and preserve the stream for to further protect and preserve the stream for future generations.future generations.

Questions?Questions?