Accessing Assimilative Capacity through a Dual Discharge Approach
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 133, Issue 6
Abstract
The historical development of environmental stressors in the watershed of Onondaga Lake (N.Y.) and the adjoining Seneca River is outlined as a prelude to the presentation of a novel approach for accessing assimilative capacity in this water quality-limited system. Proposed efforts to reclaim lost uses in the lake through heroic treatment at a major metropolitan wastewater treatment plant with continued discharge to the lake have been called into question. One option, diversion of the treatment plant effluent to the Seneca River, is complicated by phenomena impacting receiving water oxygen resources. A dual discharge strategy, which takes advantage of seasonal variations in assimilative capacity and the differing response times of the lake–river systems, is proposed as an alternative. In this approach, the effluent is routed to the river except when oxygen standards may be compromised, in which case all or part of the effluent is routed to the lake. Mathematical models demonstrate the feasibility of this option to meet water quality goals for both the lake (phosphorus) and the river (oxygen).
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Ahlgren, I. (1978). “Response of Lake Norrviken to reduced nutrient loading.” Verh. Int. Verein. Theor. Angew. Limnol., 20, 846–850.
Auer, M. T., and Effler, S. W. (1990). “Calculation of daily average photosynthesis.” J. Environ. Eng., 116(2), 412–418.
Auer, M. T., Kieser, M. S., and Canale, R. P. (1986). “Identification of critical nutrient levels through field verification of models for phosphorus and phytoplankton growth.” Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 43(2), 379–388.
Auer, M. T., Johnson, N., Penn, M. R., and Effler, S. W. (1993). “Measurement and verification of rates of sediment phosphorus release for a hypereutrophic urban lake.” Hydrobiologia, 253(1–3), 301–309.
Auer, M. T., Johnson, N., Penn, M. R., and Effler, S. W. (1996). “Pollutant sources, depositional environment, and the surficial sediment of Onondaga Lake, NY.” J. Environ. Qual., 25(1), 46–55.
Auer, M. T., Doerr, S. M., Effler, S. W., and Owens, E. M. (1997). “A zero degree of freedom total phosphorus model: I. Development for Onondaga Lake, New York.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 13(2), 118–130.
Bartsch, A. F., and Gakstatter, J. H. (1978). “Management decisions for lake systems on a survey of trophic status, limiting nutrients, and nutrient loadings in American–Soviet Symposium on use of mathematical models to optimize water quality management.” U.S. EPA Report No. 600/9-78-024, Washington, D.C., 372–96.
Canale, R. P., and Chapra, S. C. (2002). “Modeling zebra mussel impacts on water quality of Seneca River, New York.” J. Environ. Eng., 128(12), 1158–1168.
Canale, R. P., Owens, E. M., Auer, M. T., and Effler, S. W. (1995). “Validation of water-quality model for Seneca River, N.Y.” J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage., 121(3), 241–250.
Caraco, N. F., Cole, J. J., Findlay, S. E. G., Fischer, D. T., Lampman, G. G., Pace, M. L., and Strayer, D. L. (2000). “Dissolved oxygen declines in the Hudson River associated with the invasion of the zebra mussel (Driessena polymorpha).” Environ. Sci. Technol., 34(7), 1204–1210.
Chapra, S. C. (1997). Surface water-quality modeling, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Chapra, S. C., and Dobson, H. F. (1981). “Quantification of the lake typologies of Naumann (surface growth) and Thienemann (oxygen) with special reference to the Great Lakes.” J. Great Lakes Res., 7(2), 182–193.
Cleary, E. J. (1967). The ORSANCO story. Water quality management in the Ohio River Valley under an interstate compact, The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Md., 213–221.
Connors, S. D., Auer, M. T., and Effler, S. W. (1996). “Phosphorus pools, alkaline phosphatase activity, and phosphorus limitation in hypereutrophic Onondaga Lake.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 12(1), 47–57.
Cooke, G. D., Welch, E. B., Peterson, S. A., and Newroth, P. R. (1993). Restoration and management of lakes and reservoirs, 2nd Ed., Lewis, Boca Raton, Fla.
Denkenberger, J. S., O’Donnell, D. M., Driscoll, C. T. and Effler, S. W. (2007). “Robotic monitoring to assess impacts of zebra mussels and assimilative capacity for a river.” J. Environ. Eng., 133(5), 498–506.
Doerr, S. M., Canale, R. P., and Effler, S. W. (1996). “Development and testing of a total phosphorus model for Onondaga Lake.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 12(1), 141–150.
Edmondson, W. T. (1994). “Sixty years of Lake Washington: Acurriculum vitae.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 10(2), 75–84.
Edmondson, W. T., and Lehman, J. R. (1981). “The effects of changes in the nutrient income on the condition of Lake Washington.” Limnol. Oceanogr., 26(1), 1–29.
Effler, S. W., ed. (1996). Limnological and engineering analysis of a polluted urban lake. Prelude to environmental management of Onondaga Lake, New York. Springer, New York.
Effler, S. W., Brooks, C. M., and Whitehead, K. A. (1996a). “Domestic waste inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to Onondaga Lake, and water quality implications.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 12(1), 127–140.
Effler, S. W., Brooks, C. M., Whitehead, K. A., Wagner, B., Doerr, S. M., Perkins, M. G., Siegfried, C. A., Walrath, L., and Canale, R. P. (1996b). “Impacts of zebra mussel invasion on river water quality.” Water Environ. Res., 68(2), 205–214.
Effler, S. W., and Carter, C. F. (1987). “Spatial variability and selected physical characteristics and processes in Cross Lake, N.Y.” Water Resour. Bull., 23(2), 243–249.
Effler, S. W., Doerr, S. M., and Owens, E. M. (1997). “Effect of reduced salinity input on river stratification and dissolved oxygen.” Water, Air, Soil Pollut., 95(1–4), 45–58.
Effler, S. W., and Hennigan, R. D. (1996). “Onondaga Lake, New York: Legacy of pollution.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 12(1), 1–13.
Effler, S. W., and Matthews, D. A. (2003). “Impacts of a soda ash facility on Onondaga Lake and Seneca River.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 19(4), 285–306.
Effler, S. W., Matthews, D. A., Brooks-Matthews, C. M., Perkins, M. G., Siegfried, C. A. and Hassett, J. M. (2004). “Water quality impacts and indicators of metabolic activity of the zebra mussel invasion of the Seneca River.” J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc., 40(3), 737–754.
Effler, S. W., O’Donnell, S. M., Matthews, D. A., O’Donnell, D. M., Auer, M. T., and Owens, E. M. (2002). “Limnological and loading information and a phosphorus total maximum daily load (TMDL) analysis for Onondaga Lake.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 18(2), 87–108.
Effler, S. W., and Siegfried, C. A. (1994). “Zebra mussel (Driessena polymorpha) populations in the Seneca River, New York: Impact on oxygen resources.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 28(12), 2216–2221.
Effler, S. W., and Siegfried, C. A. (1998). “Tributary water quality feedback from the spread of zebra mussels: Oswego River, New York.” J. Great Lakes Res., 24(2), 453–463.
Gelda, R. K., and Effler, S. W. (2002). “A river water quality model for chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen that accommodates zebra mussel metabolism.” Water Qual. Ecosyst. Model., 1(1–4), 271–309.
Gelda, R. K., Effler, S. W., and O’Donnell, S. M. (2001). “Probabilistic model of ammonia and toxicity status for urban lake.” J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage., 127(5), 337–347.
Gibbons, D. C. (1986). The economic value of water, Resources for the Future, Washington, D.C.
Hennigan, R. D. (1990). “America’s dirtiest lake.” Clearwaters, 19(4), 8–13.
Matthews, D. A., Effler, S. W., Brooks Matthews, C. M., Siegfried, C. A., and Spada, M. E. (2001). “Responses of Onondaga Lake, New York, to early stages of rehabilitation: Unanticipated ecosystem feedbacks.” Water Environ. Res., 73(6), 691–703.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). (1998). Total maximum daily loads for phosphorus in Onondaga Lake, Divisions of Water, Albany, N.Y.
Penn, M. R. (1994). “The deposition, diagenesis and recycle of sedimentary phosphorus in a hypereutrophic lake.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, Mich.
Penn, M. R., Auer, M. T., VanOrman, E. L., and Korienek, J. J. (1995). “Phosphorus diagenesis in lake sediments: Investigations using fractionation techniques.” Mar. Freshwater Res., 46(1), 89–99.
Rees, W. E. (1990). “The ecology of sustainable development.” Ecologist, 20(1), 18–23.
Rowell, C. (1996). “Paleolimnology of Onondaga Lake: The history of anthropogenic impacts on lake water quality.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 12(1), 35–45.
Rucinski, D. K., Auer, M. T., Watkins, D. W., Jr., Effler, S. W., Gelda, R. K., Doerr O’Donnell, S. M. and O’Donnell, D. M. (2003). “Management options supporting a dual discharge strategy for a major municipal wastewater effluent.” Proc., World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, EWRI, Philadelphia.
Syracuse University Research Corporation (SURC). (1966). “Onondaga Lake survey, 1964–1965.” Final Rep., Prepared for Onondaga County Department of Public Works, Syracuse, N.Y.
Schnoor, J. L., (1996). Environmental modeling. Fate and transport of pollutions in water, air, and soil, Wiley, New York.
Thomann, R. V. (1982). “Verification of water quality models.” J. Envir. Engrg. Div., 108(5), 923–940.
Thomann, R. V., and Mueller, J. A. (1987). Principles of surface water quality modeling and control, Harper and Row, New York.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). (1991). “Guidance for water quality-based decisions: The TMDL process.” EPA 440–4-91–001, Office of Water, Washington, D.C.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). (2002). “National water quality inventory: 2000 report.” ⟨http://www.epa.gov/305b/2000report/ ⟩ (Mar. 17, 2003).
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). (2003). “Permit compliance system: Water discharge permits.” ⟨http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/pcs/pcs_query_java.html ⟩ (Mar. 5, 2003).
U.S. Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works, Subcommittee on Water Resources Transportation and Infrastructure. (1989). Onondaga Lake Restoration Act of 1989, Hearing 101–80, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Vollenweider, R. A. (1975). “Input-output models, with specific reference to the phosphorus loading concept in limnology.” Schweiz. Z. Hydrol., 37, 53–83.
Welch, E. B., Rock, C. A., Howe, R. C., and Perkins, M. A. (1980). “Lake Sammamish response to wastewater diversion and increasing urban runoff.” Water Res., 14(7), 821–828.
Wetzel, R. G. (2001). Limnology: Lake and reservoir ecosystems, Academic, New York.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2002). “Global water supply and sanitation assessment 2000 report.” WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (NLM classification: WA 675).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 133 • Issue 6 • November 2007
Pages: 474 - 485
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 12, 2003
Accepted: Aug 11, 2006
Published online: Nov 1, 2007
Published in print: Nov 2007
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.