DESIGNING PROVINCIAL-SCALE WATER MONITORING

NETWORKS TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS

Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN)

Provincial Stream Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN)

Presentation

for

Solinst Symposium on Recent Advances

in Watershed and High Resolution Monitoring

Ontario Ministry of Environment

October 2009

File: U:\ Solinst October 2009.ppt

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The Ontario Experience

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BACKGROUND

The Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation Ontario, the

Conservation Authorities, and 10 Municipalities implement two provincial-

scale water monitoring programs:

Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) Program

Provincial Stream Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN)

Program

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PRESENTATION

This Presentation will provide:

1) an overview of the current program objectives

2) an overview of the current network designs

3) some examples of current program utility / products

4) anticipated future needs

5) current activities to meet future needs

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(1) CURRENT PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

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1a) CURRENT PGMN (Groundwater) OBJECTIVES

Monitor ambient groundwater levels and chemistry to:

• support drought response decisions

• support groundwater management activities such as: source

water protection, water allocation, planning decisions

• identify trends and correlations,

• support policy, standard, and guideline

development/assessment

Monitor precipitation at selected sites to:

• better understand correlations between precipitation,

groundwater levels and groundwater chemistry

Share information with Local Health Units on potential water quality

concerns (ie. PGMN Exceedence Protocol)

Share information with other water resource managers, public,

consultants, academia, etc

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1b) CURRENT PWQMN (Stream Water) OBJECTIVES

Monitor ambient stream water chemistry to :

• support stream water management activities such as: source

water protection, planning decisions, impacts to near shore

environments of the Great Lakes

• identify trends and correlations,

• support policy, standard, and guideline development /

assessment

• provide information on emerging contaminants

Share information with other water resource managers, public,

consultants, academia, etc.

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(2) CURRENT NETWORK DESIGNS

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DESIGN FOUNDATION

Program design is based on the following concepts :

implementation through a partnership arrangement made

between the Province and the Conservation Authorities or

participating Municipalities.

creation of a continuous, ambient monitoring framework within

which special studies or research can be performed and in which

enhancements can be made.

watershed-scale monitoring

selection of sites in consultation with program partners; balancing

local and provincial interests

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The PGMN (groundwater) Program monitors:

• ambient groundwater levels once per hour at 474 monitoring wells

• ambient groundwater chemistry once per year at about 360 monitoring wells

• precipitation at ~ 85 monitoring wells (in progress)

• barometric pressure once per hour at ~ 35 monitoring wells

• continuous chemistry at 2 monitoring wells in high infiltration areas

It supports :

• Source Water Protection activities

• Low Water Response Program (in progress)

• Standards and Guideline Development

• Water Allocation / PTTW issuance

• Linkages between Groundwater Monitoring and Health Units

• Understanding Potential Climate Change impacts on the Groundwater Levels

and Chemistry

• Nutrient Management activities

• Groundwater Industry

2a) CURRENT DESIGN OF THE PGMN PROGRAM

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Distribution of PGMN (Groundwater) Monitoring Wells

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Field Instrumentation:

474 level loggers

220 dedicated pumps

282 telemetry systems serving 336 wells

- mainly cell phone

- 2 satellite

35 baro-loggers

85 rain gauges

2 in-situ water quality monitoring stations

Data Management

1 web-based information system

posting on Ministry Geo-portal and public web site (in

progress)

PGMN NETWORK INSTRUMENTATION / TECHNOLOGY

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PGMN WELL WITH TELEMETRY SYSTEM

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RAIN GAUGE TIPPING BUCKET ON MAST NEXT TO

WELL WITH TELEMETRY SYSTEM

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Continuous GroundwaterContinuous Groundwater

Quality Monitoring withQuality Monitoring with

Satellite CommunicationSatellite Communication

This site collects continuous

groundwater quality and level data.

The technology uses in-situ probes

that measure the following

parameters once per hour and uses

satellite communication to send the

information to the PGMN information

system daily.

temperature pH

nitrate electrical cond.

chloride diss. Oxygen

A dedicated pump also allows for the

manual collection of a water sample

for QA/QC

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Groundwater Chemical Analyses under the PGMN Program

• Initial Comprehensive Set of Chemical Analyses

includes most of the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Chemical

Standards set out in Regulation 169 of the Safe Drinking Water Act :

• Major ions (Ca++, Mg++, Na+, K+, Cl-, SO4- - , HCO3- )

• Nutrients ( NO3-, NO2

- , NH4+, NH3 , P)

• Metals

• Volatile Organics

• Pesticides / Herbicides

• Subsequent Rounds of Chemical Analyses:

focuses on:

• Major Ions

• Nutrients

• Metals

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The PWQMN (stream water ) Program monitors:

• ambient stream water chemistry typically 8 times per year (in wet and dry

periods) at over 400 core-program monitoring stations;

• nutrient monitoring about 20 times per year at 15 agricultural-based watersheds;

• pathogen monitoring about 20 times per year at 3 monitoring stations,

• urban contaminants monitoring about 12-15 times per year at 10 urban-based

watersheds.

It supports :

• Source Water Protection activities

• Nutrient Management activities

• Standards and Guideline Development

• Linkages between Stream Water Monitoring (pathogens) and Health Canada

• Water Allocation / PTTW issuance

• Understanding Potential Climate Change impacts on the stream water chemistry

• Pesticides in Urban and Non-urban watersheds

• Consulting Industry

2b) CURRENT DESIGN OF THE PWQMN PROGRAM

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Distribution of PWQMN (Stream Water) Monitoring Stations

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• Monitoring initiated in 2004 to assess

the influence of the Nutrient

Management Act activities on stream

water quality in agricultural

watersheds.

• Fifteen small (<60 km2) watersheds

are being monitored.

• About 20 water samples are collected

at the outlet of each watershed. Both

baseflow and storm events are

collected.

• A turbidity threshold system has been

installed in the Nissouri Watershed to

measure changes in water quality in

response to storm events.

NUTRIENT MONITORING STATIONSNUTRIENT MONITORING STATIONS

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• Initiated in 2003 to characterize the

range of contaminants and quantify

loadings to Lake Ontario from different

land uses.

• Ten sites are monitored in 6 watersheds

(Etobicoke, Mimico, Humber, Don,

Highland, Rouge).

(1 forested, 6 urban, 3 agricultural)

• 12-15 water samples are collected

throughout year during base flow and

storm events.

• A continuous water quality station was

established at Etobicoke Creek to

measure changes in water quality in

response to storm events.

URBAN CONTAMINANT MONITORING STATIONSURBAN CONTAMINANT MONITORING STATIONS

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Program began

in 2007

3 tributaries:

• Nith River

• Canagagigue Creek

• Schneider Creek

PATHOGEN MONITORING STATIONSPATHOGEN MONITORING STATIONS

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0 25 50 75 10012.5

Kilometres

Stream Water Sites - Microbiology

!( PWQMN Sites with Microbiological Analysis

!( Lake Ont Tributary Study Sites

#* Source Protection - Protozoa Study Sites

#* Source Protection - C-EnterNet Sites

!(Nutrient Management Project Sites

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Field Instrumentation

grab samples are taken from core monitoring sites

10 automated sampling stations (urban contaminants)

1 Turbidity Threshold Station (TTS – nutrient

monitoring program)

Data Management

posting on Ministry Geo-portal and public web site (in

progress)

PWQMN NETWORK INSTRUMENTATION/TECHNOLOGY

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Automated Sampling at 10 Stations in the Greater Toronto AreaAutomated Sampling at 10 Stations in the Greater Toronto Area

Automated Sampling

Cellular communication

Remote triggering

Large volume samples

– PAHs

– PCBs

– General chemistry

• Metals, ions, nutrients

– Fluorinated compounds

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Sampling boom

Turbidity Threshold Station in Nissouri Creek

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• Core Monitoring Stations:

- temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen – field parameters

- total phosphorous, phosphate

- nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, total kjeldahl nitrogen

- suspended solids, turbidity

- pH, alkalinity, conductivity

- chloride

- major ions ( Ca, Mg, Na, K)

- hardness

- pesticides are monitored at a limited number of stations

• Nutrient Management Monitoring Stations

- special focus on nutrients

• Pathogen Monitoring Stations

-cryptosporidium

-giardia

• Urban Contaminant Stations

- special focus on urban contaminants

Stream Water Chemical Analyses

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(3) PROGRAM UTILITY AND EXAMPLE PRODUCTS

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WATER QUALITY MAPS

Correlations:

Water Chemistry and Land Use Activity

Water Chemistry and Geology

Compare Chemistry to Standards / Guideline Concentrations:

Ecological Receptors (eg. Provincial or Canadian Water Quality

Objectives

Human Receptors (eg. Ontario Drinking Water Quality

Standards)

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Nitrate Concentrations in Stream Waters

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Phosphorous Concentrations in Stream Waters

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Nitrate + Nitrite Concentrations in PGMN WellsNitrate + Nitrite Concentrations in PGMN Wells

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Fluoride Concentrations in PGMN WellsFluoride Concentrations in PGMN Wells

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Arsenic Concentrations in PGMN Wells

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Uranium Concentrations in PGMN WellsUranium Concentrations in PGMN Wells

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GROUNDWATER LEVEL PROFILES

Ambient Seasonal Variations/ Patterns

Correlations with Precipitation

Trends over Time

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PGMN Well 336-1

Seasonal Variation in Groundwater Level is 5 to 5.75 m

0

blue shale

limestone

mete

rs b

elo

w

gro

und s

urf

ace

10

20

30

40

clay with sand

open h

ole

36

0

25

50

75

10

0

125

clay

limestone

limestone

shale and

limestone

limestone

limestone

open h

ole

mete

rs b

elo

w g

round s

urf

ace

PGMN Well 406-1

Seasonal variation can be up to 11 meters

Karstic Geology

Real-time chemistry monitoring in progress

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Enlarged view of the period August 2008 to March 2009

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0

gravel

clay

and siltmete

rs b

elo

w

gro

und s

urf

ace

PGMN Well 220

2

4

6

8

scre

en

Groundwater Level and Precipitation Data from Well 220

Well 220 has elevated nitrate concentrations

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STREAM WATER QUALITY TRENDS

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PWQMN Stations 202 and 1102

Core program monitoring and Nutrient Management monitoring

Nitrate Concentration at Bayfield River

0

5

10

15

20

1964 1967 1969 1972 1975

Year

Nit

rate

Co

nc

en

tra

tio

n

(mg

/L)

Nitrate Concentration at Bayfield River

0

5

10

15

20

2001 2004 2006 2009

YearN

itra

te C

on

ce

ntr

ati

on

(mg

/L)

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Turbidity Threshold Sampling of Turbidity Threshold Sampling of NissouriNissouri Creek Creek

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Turbidity Threshold SamplingTurbidity Threshold Sampling

Relationship between turbidity and suspended sediment concentration

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(4) ANTICIPATED FUTURE ISSUES / NEEDS

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(a) Climate Change Impacts - Detection

- Adaptation

(b) Relationships between Components of the Hydrologic

Cycle (Integrated Monitoring )

(c) Insitu Real -Time Monitoring Capacity

(d) Emerging Chemicals and Pathogens

(e) Predictive Capacity (Modelling)

FIVE KEY ANTICIPATED FUTURE MONITORING NEEDS

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(5) CURRENT ACTIVITIES TOWARD MEETING

ANTICIPATED FUTURE ISSUES / NEEDS

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5a) Climate Change Impacts: Detection and Adaptation

PGMN and PWQMN Climate Change Assessment Project (in progress)

- 2.5 year project

- Led by Ontario Ministry of Environment and Conservation Ontario

- Funded by Canada-Ontario Agreement

- Development of a Methodology for Assessment

- In-put of Expert Advice ( academia, experts in climate change

field, etc

- Core working team ( MOE, CO,MNR, OMAFRA)

- Considerations include: coverage, integration, prioritization/vulnerability

- Final Report : Early summer 2010.

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SOME PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR

PGMN AND PWQMN ENNHANCEMENTS

DETECTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE SIGNALS:

▲ Integrated Monitoring within Reference Hydrometric

Basin Networks

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS:

▲ Monitoring Coverage and Integration in Sensitive Areas (as a

priority)

▲ Integrated / Real-time Monitoring

▲ Establishing indicator / trigger levels in select PGMN Monitoring

wells for use in the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)–led Low

Water Response Program

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Map Under Construction

Map of Quaternary Watershed Sensitivity to Climate Change

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0

gravel

clay

mete

rs b

elo

w

gro

und s

urf

ace

PGMN Well 056-1

10

20

30

40

scre

en

gravelsoil

217.6

217.7

217.8

217.9

218.0

218.1

218.2

218.3

218.4

218.5

218.6

2001/0

7/2

5

2001/1

0/2

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2002/0

1/2

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4/2

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2002/0

7/2

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2002/1

0/2

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1/2

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4/2

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2003/0

7/2

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0/2

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1/2

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7/2

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0/2

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2007/0

4/2

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Date

Gro

un

dw

ate

r E

lev

ati

on

(m

as

l)

75th Percentile Median or 50th Percentile

25th Percentile Trigger 1 10th Percentile Trigger 2

5th Percentile Trigger 3 Minimum

30 day average of measured levels Linear (30 day average of measured levels)

Gap

75th Percentile

50th Percentile

Trigger 1

Trigger 2

M inimum

Level

Above Normal:

30 day average above

75 th percentile

Normal to Above Normal:

30 day average in 75th to 50th

percentile range

Below Normal:

30 day average in 50th

to Trigger 3

Trigger 3

PGMN Well # 56-1 is being tested for use in the Low Water Response Program

Percentile Method

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5d) Emerging Chemicals and Pathogens

monitoring stream waters in the urban environment for flame retardants

and fluorinated compounds has begun, but has not yet begun for ground

waters

monitoring stream waters in the a select watershed for pathogens has

begun, however due to the current nature of the groundwater program,

pathogens in groundwater has not been monitored

monitoring for pharmaceuticals or personal care products has not begun

in either program.

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5e) Predictive Capacity (Modelling)

Modelling of Nutrients in Stream Waters in South-western Ontario is just

beginning under the PWQMN Program

It is anticipated that the modelling will allow for predictions to be made for

various scenarios or to test the efficacy of Best Management Practices

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Thank you