Photograph by Steven Higgs
Indiana’s surface waters are in trouble. The environmental group Improving Kids' Environment reports that in 2004, more than 1 billion gallons of untreated waste were discharged into Indiana’s rivers, lakes and streams. A new SPEA study is evaluating water quality in 50 randomly selected Hoosier lakes.
Field crews from IU's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) launched a survey earlier in the summer to measure the ecological conditions of 50 lakes throughout the state.
Professor Bill Jones leads the study, which is an effort to assess the condition of Hoosier waters, investigate pollution and evaluate the effectiveness of protection and restoration efforts.
Indiana’s lakes are in trouble, according to Deborah Marr, an IU South Bend professor of ecology and evolution.
She said many fail to meet the water quality standards for recreation because of potential waste contaminants.
“A problem throughout Indiana is that we have an aging sewer system, so you get sewer overflows anytime there’s a rain event because the sewer pipes cannot handle the volume,” Marr said.
Indiana has more than 100 communities with combined sewer overflow systems (CSO) that are designed to discharge untreated waste into Indiana surface waters during heavy rains.
The environmental group Improving Kids' Environment (IKE) reported that Indiana communities in 2004 had more than 2,000 overflows, totaling more than 1 billion gallons.
“Thirty percent of the reports did not include estimated gallons, so the actual numbers are higher,” IKE said.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , another study sponsor, high levels of fecal bacteria pose serious health risks, including dysentery, hepatitis, cholera and typhoid fever.
The SPEA survey randomly selected 50 lakes to represent the range of ecological conditions across Indiana. The survey examines ecological, water quality and recreational indicators in the waters.
It also assesses key stressors, including nitrogen, acidification and phosphorous, which threaten aquatic life.
Surveyors evaluate temperature, bacteria, water clarity, dissolved nutrients and microscopic animals and plants in all 50 lakes.
The study is part of a national survey. Under the Clean Water Act, the EPA is required to report to Congress biannually on the status of waters in the country.
All 48 states involved in the study must use uniform methods so the results can be compared on a national level and compiled for the upcoming 2009 report, “Survey of the Nation’s Lakes.”
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is organizing the survey for Indiana, in cooperation with SPEA. The results will be scored on a report card that estimates the health of lakes around the state.
“The results will be used to determine the real status of the nation’s lakes, to see if and what water pollution control measures are working and to see what additional protections and policies need to be in place,” Jones said.
Crews hope the survey will elevate public awareness of the quality of water in Indiana and reel in more volunteers to give back to the environment. Existing water-quality programs, such as the Indiana Clean Lakes and the Volunteer Lake Monitoring programs, allow citizens to build a better, cleaner environment.
Maaria Chaudhry can be reached at mchaudhr@iusb.edu.