The Post Tribune is reporting today that IDEM does not consider the clumps found on the beach a few weeks ago to be of any toxic substances, and only very small traces of mercury were found. See the article below:
http://www.post-trib.com/news/769334,ogdenfolo.article
Also, to help you understand the Indiana 303d Impaired Waters list, below is more information.
http://www.lakemichigan.org/news/2008-0127.asp
With respect to the presence of mercury, it’s primarily fish consumption that you really need to worry about. Mercury in lakes and rivers is converted into methyl mercury by certain bacteria. Fish ingest methyl mercury by swimming or feeding in contaminated water. Methyl mercury accumulates in fish tissue and is carried up the food chain to larger fish, animals and humans. Mercury is bioaccumulative in organic systems, which means that mercury ingested by an organism will remain in the body.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Beach Clump Mystery Resolved
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Pollywog Pond Fit for Skating Again
After several years of restoration efforts to remove invasive Phragmites, also known as Common Reed Grass, from Pollywog Pond in Ogden Dunes, the pond is finally clear enough for ice skating. Several children have been enjoying skating on the pond in the past week.
This project is part of our CLEAN Community Challenge Program, which commited the town to restoring the natural habitat of this important coastal wetland. Invasives control will be an ongoing effort since Phragmites is very aggressive. Another invasive, Reed Canary Grass, is also starting to become prevalant.
The Town has been working on this project in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) with support of the Home Association and the Fire Department's prescribed burns. The NPS owns nearly 1/2 of the wetland.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Town and Water Company Ask for CSO Notifications
As a follow up to the storm event that impacted Lake Michigan water quality and beaches in the area the week of January 7, the Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board (ODEAB) is asking the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for assistance in making sure the Town of Ogden Dunes, and more importantly, the Indiana American Water Company, is immediately notified of any Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) events.
“Being notified of CSOs is crucial because Ogden Dunes sits near the mouth of Burns Ditch, which is the endpoint for the Little Calumet River watershed, which also drains the Salt Creek, Coffee Creek and Deep River sub-watersheds in Porter and Lake Counties,” said Susan MiHalo, Chair of the ODEAB. In addition, Indiana American Water maintains a water intake off the shores of Ogden Dunes.
During an ODEAB meeting held Thursday, January 17, residents and committee members expressed concern about the basketball-sized balls of matter that landed on the beach. MiHalo indicated that IDEM is testing the matter for additional parameters, like mercury, and will have results in about a week or more.
It was also noted that water quality issues pertaining to Burns Ditch are also impacted by other types of nonpoint source pollution such as run-off from impervious surfaces and increasing development throughout the sub-watersheds. Residents and committee members were urged to get involved in watershed management planning efforts in the area, and to report what they believe are illicit discharges and violations of erosion control laws.
IDEM defines a combined sewer as a combination of wastewater, including domestic, commercial or industrial wastewater and storm water that are transported in the same conveyance. A CSO event occurs when the hydraulic capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, combined sewer system, or part of the system, is exceeded as the result of a wet weather event.
Distinctions between “bypasses” and “sewer system overflows” (SSOs) were also provided during the meeting. Bypasses, which occur rarely, may happen, for example, if planned maintenance needs to occur, or if something like eminent flooding threatens to shut down the system. According to MiHalo, IDEM requires that bypasses and SSOs be reported to IDEM within 24 hours, but no public notification is required.
On the other hand, “the public has a right to be notified of CSO events if they have requested to be notified,” said MiHalo. According to IDEM rules, each CSO community is required to describe how individuals and entities may be notified, and this information must be published in a newspaper each March.
Attendees were also urged to let their Senators and Congressman know that they support efforts to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize appropriations for State water pollution control revolving funds. States would use such grants along with their own funds to make low-interest loans to communities to construct wastewater treatment facilities and to fund other related projects. The Sewage Overflow Right-to-Know Act, introduced in the Senate last year, would require that sewage treatment plants monitor for and report discharges of raw sewage.
“Being notified of CSOs is crucial because Ogden Dunes sits near the mouth of Burns Ditch, which is the endpoint for the Little Calumet River watershed, which also drains the Salt Creek, Coffee Creek and Deep River sub-watersheds in Porter and Lake Counties,” said Susan MiHalo, Chair of the ODEAB. In addition, Indiana American Water maintains a water intake off the shores of Ogden Dunes.
During an ODEAB meeting held Thursday, January 17, residents and committee members expressed concern about the basketball-sized balls of matter that landed on the beach. MiHalo indicated that IDEM is testing the matter for additional parameters, like mercury, and will have results in about a week or more.
It was also noted that water quality issues pertaining to Burns Ditch are also impacted by other types of nonpoint source pollution such as run-off from impervious surfaces and increasing development throughout the sub-watersheds. Residents and committee members were urged to get involved in watershed management planning efforts in the area, and to report what they believe are illicit discharges and violations of erosion control laws.
IDEM defines a combined sewer as a combination of wastewater, including domestic, commercial or industrial wastewater and storm water that are transported in the same conveyance. A CSO event occurs when the hydraulic capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, combined sewer system, or part of the system, is exceeded as the result of a wet weather event.
Distinctions between “bypasses” and “sewer system overflows” (SSOs) were also provided during the meeting. Bypasses, which occur rarely, may happen, for example, if planned maintenance needs to occur, or if something like eminent flooding threatens to shut down the system. According to MiHalo, IDEM requires that bypasses and SSOs be reported to IDEM within 24 hours, but no public notification is required.
On the other hand, “the public has a right to be notified of CSO events if they have requested to be notified,” said MiHalo. According to IDEM rules, each CSO community is required to describe how individuals and entities may be notified, and this information must be published in a newspaper each March.
Attendees were also urged to let their Senators and Congressman know that they support efforts to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize appropriations for State water pollution control revolving funds. States would use such grants along with their own funds to make low-interest loans to communities to construct wastewater treatment facilities and to fund other related projects. The Sewage Overflow Right-to-Know Act, introduced in the Senate last year, would require that sewage treatment plants monitor for and report discharges of raw sewage.
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