Water resource information and assessment report for the Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network

Ledder, Tracey

This report was prepared to meet the policy and regulatory portion of the water resource information and assessment needs of the Great Lakes Network (GLKN). National Park Service (NPS) mandates pertaining to water quality and water quality standards of the four network states--Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin--were reviewed and summarized. Other materials reviewed include park “Baseline Water Quality Data Inventory and Analysis” reports, available park resource management reports, Internet websites for state lists of impaired water bodies (303(d) lists), the Great Lakes Agreement, and NPS. Water is a major natural resource of the nine GLKN parks, and NPS mandates clearly state the need to protect water resources. The NPS Strategic Plan 2001-2005 provides goals and guidelines for water quality (NPS 2001). In the Omnibus Management Act of 1998, Congress required that park managers provide a “program of inventory and monitoring of the National Park System resources.” The majority of the nine Network parks exhibit generally good water quality (Table 1). However, the amount of historic water quality data available for each park varies widely, which makes comparisons difficult. Atmospheric deposition and surrounding land use practices are two of the most common threats to water quality in the nine parks. Three of the parks (Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway) are located in more urban settings and have been negatively impacted by residential and industrial anthropogenic activities. Seven of the parks have one or more water bodies listed in the corresponding state 303(d) list of impaired water bodies because of air deposition of toxics and land use practices. On the other hand, six of the parks enclose water bodies considered to be Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) by the corresponding state. Regulations for the maintaining water quality in GLKN parks include Water Quality Standards in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. All but two of the parks are located in the Great Lakes Basin and fall under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. The NPS can be assured that water quality is being maintained and meeting applicable criteria in the GLKN parks by characterizing and monitoring water quality. Water quality monitoring is an important part of water resource management and protection. A standardized monitoring plan for Network parks, using core parameters recommended by the NPS Water Resources Division, would be useful in tracking overall water system health and should be compatible with outside sampling by states and other agencies. At the same time, the diversity among the parks and variety of impacts to each dictates customized monitoring to more fully document water quality.

Water resource information and assessment report for the Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network

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