Environment Ontario Legacy, Vol 12, No.1-2 Winter 1983/1984. Pg. 18
In 1983-84, Environment Ontario will spend more than $3 million on water quality studies on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways.
The Great Lakes surveillance program reflects the priorities and needs of the ministry to investigate areas of water quality degradation, measure effectiveness of remedial programs and actions, provide early warning of emerging problems and identify long term trends.
Studies planned, under way or nearing completion are:
Lake Ontario
Niagara River
This year’s $205,000 includes assessments of the impact of U.S. and Canadian industrial and municipal discharges and drainage from tributary streams. Emphasis is placed on detecting traces of contaminants and their effect on water quality and biota.
Toronto Waterfront
A total of $260,000 is being spent to monitor water quality along the Toronto waterfront. Assessment of potential interference with water uses such as water quality, is monitored for effects of dredging and lakefilling construction. In co-operation with the City of Toronto Public Works Department and the City Health Department, bacterial water quality is monitored.
Humber Bay
About $100,000 has been designated for assessing the impact of the Humber sewage treatment plant on nearshore water quality. The effects of the Humber on nearshore water quality are also being investigated to support the Toronto Area Watershed Management Strategy program.
Other Projects
Some of the continuing work on Great Lakes water quality involves:
- Reporting on the investigation of the effects of Hamilton Harbor on Lake Ontario nearshore and the effects of the reduction of ammonia, biological oxygen demand (BOD), and phosphorus inputs on water quality in Hamilton Harbor.
- Assessment of the effectiveness of a modified outfall diffuser at the Lakeview Sewage Treatment Plant.
- Monitoring of inorganic chemicals accumulation in Cladophora algae at selected sites in the nearshore as a basis for monitoring future changes in lake water chemistry.
- Bacterial water quality investigation near Port Weller and Port Dalhousie.
Lake Superior
To update findings of the 1973-76 Lake Superior studies, Environment Ontario’s Water Resources Branch is conducting intensive water quality studies in Lake Superior. These surveys also constitute the ministry’s contribution to the 1983 international intensive study on Lake Superior coordinated through the International Joint Commission.
Nine Lake Superior Bays
An allocation of $127,000 has been provided to examine nutrient and contaminant levels immediately after the spring melt in nine bays to compare current water quality information to that collected in 1973.
Thunder Bay, Nipigon Bay, and the Peninsula Harbour
These three areas have received funding of up to $351,000 among them to determine the condition of the aquatic environment in their areas.
Much of the impact on these environments has resulted from historic waste-water discharges from pulp and paper mills. Jackfish Bay was also investigated in 1981.
An assessment of sediment composition and chemicals absorbed by bottom-dwelling organisms in these three Lake Superior bays and three other bays without industrial discharges will absorb $157,000 of the budget.
Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie
For the documentation of levels of contaminants in sediments and simple bottom-dwelling organisms in Lake St. Clair, $70,000 has been allotted. These activities were coordinated with those of the University of Windsor, Great Lakes Institute. Sediment cores will also provide a look at the historic accumulation of contaminants in the lake.
St. Clair River
An estimated $60,000 was used to evaluate the effectiveness of new pollution control measures by industries and the study of conditions of sediments in the St. Clair River. Studies at Sarnia Bay will provide information for design of corrective actions for storm and sanitary bypass sewers.
Other projects:
The effects of discharges to the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, using freshwater clams and young-of-the year fish as indicators of pollution sources, are assessed continuously.
The study of the impact of increased municipal and industrial development at Nanticoke in Lake Erie was continued.
St. Marys River, Lake Huron
St. Marys River
A total of $120,000 has been assigned to evaluate the effects of St. Marys River flow changes after the completion of the Great Lakes power hydroelectric project. Knowledge of sediment quality and bottom organisms is also being updated.
Penetang-Midland-Sturgeon Bay
Assessment of improvements of water quality resulting from the provision of larger treatment facilities and phosphorus removal at sewage treatment plants in this area accounts for some $42,000 of the yearly budget allotted to Lake Huron.
Other Projects
Waterworks Intake Monitoring
Approximately $145,000 has been allotted for weekly monitoring of lake water quality at the intakes of 1 7 water treatment plants. The main objective of this project is monitoring long-term trends in water quality in nearshore areas.
Tributary Monitoring
A total of $123,000 has been budgeted for the continued monitoring of nutrients and contaminant levels in 17 major tributaries to the Great Lakes.
Information on tributary loadings to the lakes is essential for mass balance calculations as well as to provide input for assessing the effectiveness of the phosphorus control program.
Data Management
The maintenance, quality control updating, and operation of a computerized Sample Information System to streamline the flow of field and laboratory data requires $160,000 for its annual operation.
Other projects:
Surveillance continued of young fish (spottail shiners) contaminants, especially in the Niagara and Detroit Rivers. Since 1975, data have been collected from 81 sites.
The potential environmental impact of contaminated lake bottom sediments, and the development of management strategies to protect the aquatic environment is continuously being assessed.
Radioactivity is monitored at uranium mining and refining locations and at nuclear generating stations.
Development of cost-effective and reliable instrumentation for sampling continues.
Scientific and technical support is provided for the International Joint Commission and the Canada-Ontario Agreement Review Board to fulfill Environment Ontario’s commitment to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreements.
There isn’t a jurisdiction anywhere as rich as Ontario in the world’s most valuable resource, fresh water.
During the past 30 years, Ontario has done more than most of its North American countertparts to protect this unique wealth. It has spent close to $5 billion to provide sewage and water treatment to more than 90 per cent of its population. Its phosphorus control and the control of industrial emissions into the Great Lakes are among the most advanced in North America.
Source Link:
Administrator Notes: I did not include photographs that appear in the source material as they are largely decorative.
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks works contained herein are protected by Crown copyright (unless otherwise indicated), which is held by the Queen’s Printer for Ontario. These works may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes if credit is given and Crown copyright is acknowledged.
These works may not be reproduced, in all or in part, for any commercial purpose except under a license from the Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
For information on reproducing Government of Ontario works, please contact Service Ontario Publications at copyright@ontario.ca