Geographic Information Systems and Modeling
Outline
What are Geographic Information Systems?
Modeling with GIS
Septic Suitability Model
Erosion Potential Model

Geographic Information Systems
Visualization of geographic features and the corresponding physical attributes
Road map
Land use type
Soil map
Contour map
Modeling of natural processes using Arc GISª Spatial Analyst

Modeling with GIS
Several input maps
Simulate factors that affect water quality
Septic suitability
Erosion potential

Septic Suitability Model
What makes land suitable for septic systems?
Gentle slopes
Soil containing loam, sand, and gravel
Input maps:
Soil
Slope

Soil Map
Digitized polygons of the 17 soil types in the watershed
Septic suitability description

Septic Suitability of Soils
Slope Map
Ranked for suitability on a 1 to 9 scale:
Steep slope = 9
Gentle slope = 1
Range = 0o to 28o
Created from digital elevation maps

Weighted Overlay
Septic Suitability Results
84% of watershed suitable
<1% unsuitable
Uses:
Guidance for proper system installation
Focus remediation efforts

Erosion Potential Model
Displays
Erodibility of land in watershed
Potential effect erosion has on water quality
Accounts for proximity to the lakes and streams
5 Input maps
Soil
Slope
Land Use Type
Proximity to lakes
Proximity to streams

Slope and Soil Maps
Same slope map
The soils were ranked for erodibility on a 1 to 9 scale based on K values

1998 Land Use Map
Proximity Maps
Lake proximity zones
200 ft
1,200 ft
Stream proximity zones
200 ft

Weighted Overlay
Erosion Potential Results
Northeast corner has high impact
Wetlands are light gray
Useful for focusing remediation and erosion control efforts

Summary of GIS Models
Septic suitability model
Functioning septic systems = better water quality
Guidance for proper septic placement and installation
Erosion potential model
Locates areas that contribute high erosion runoff
Focus remediation and control efforts for maximum increase in water quality

Buffer Strip and Septic Surveys: Results and Remediation

Elizabeth Turnbull

"Shoreline Zoning Regulations"
 Shoreline Zoning Regulations
 Development Survey
 Buffer Strip Survey and Remediation
- Septic Systems
- Septic Remediation

MaineÕs Residential Shoreline Zoning Regulations
MAXIMUM:
Structure height
MINIMUM:
Setback
Shore frontage
Area (ft2)
Total area of impervious surface

Development Assessment
560 total houses
203 shoreline
357 non-shoreline
142 seasonal
418 year-round

Buffer Strips

"Poorly buffered property"
Poorly buffered property
little vegetation
artificial beach
lawn mowed to shore
no deep root systems

"Results show a large quantity..."
    Results show a large quantity of poor and failing buffers

Slide 25
Buffer Remediation
Avoid mowing to the shore
Native species
Duff layer
Riprap
Winding paths
Any buffer is better than nothing

Wastewater Disposal in Threemile Pond
Mostly septic systems
Common problems:
Too near the shore
Old
Grandfathered
Leaky

Septic Health
Compost- No Disposal
Conserve water- spread out use
Pump regularly
Replace when expanding and winterizing
Avoid dumping bleach or antibacterial substances
Avoid driving on leach field
Native plants
Low phosphate detergents and soaps
New development?

Some Watershed Remediation Techniques


Sarah Goodwin
Overview of Selected Watershed Management
Sources
Road Survey
Agriculture
Household remediation

Phosphorus Budget
Determines the sources of phosphorus within the watershed
Starts with estimations and is adapted to findings
Determines the amount of phosphorus that each land type contributes
Influenced by area of each land use type

Phosphorus Inputs
Road Survey
Importance of road maintenance, camp roads in particular
Assessed all roads in watershed

Crowning and Grading
Smooth surface and a crown that rises 1/2 inch for each foot of road width
Remove berms
Grade when appropriate

Ditches
Collect and store storm water
Trapezoidal or parabolic
Vegetation

Water Diversions
Water bars

Road Assessment Results
22 acres of camp roads
74 acres of municipal or state roads
Camp roads in worst condition
Implications for Threemile Pond

Problem Areas
Other Forms of Remediation
Agriculture
Household impacts

Agriculture
Potential impacts
Limit excessive use of fertilizers
Contour cultivation
Stubble mulching
Minimizing tillage

Other Remediation Techniques
Fertilizer use
Household products
Boat ramp

Some Watershed Remediation Techniques
Maintain integrity of roads
Practice agriculture techniques that minimize phosphorus entering lakes
Be aware of household impacts
Importance of managing a watershed before looking to in lake remediation techniques

Lake Remediation

 Aubris Pfeiffer
Overview of Remediation
Remediation of Threemile Pond
Review of nonapplicable remediation techniques
Recommendations
Implementation in Threemile Pond

Definition of Lake Remediation
Òthe manipulation of a lake ecosystem to effect an in-lake improvement in degraded or undesirable conditionsÓ
~Dunst, et al. 1974

Challenges for Threemile Pond Remediation
Multiple Towns
Non-point Sources
Nature of a lake system
Cost/benefit analysis

Application to Threemile Pond
Important to consider:
Technique requirements
Costs/benefits
How it specifically applies to Threemile Pond and its demands

Common Remediation Techniques
Dredging
Water removal techniques:
Hypolimnetic Withdrawal
Dilution
Drawdown

Additional techniques
Algicides
Temporary, toxic, expensive
Aquatic Plant Harvesting
Not enough phosphorus in biomass
Physical Liners
Application is difficult & expensive, lake size

Potential Techniques for Threemile Pond
Wetland Maintenance
Alum Treatment
Hypolimnetic Aeration
Biological control through fish stock manipulation

ALUM TREATMENT
Chemically inactivates phosphorus
Learn from previous treatment
Inadequate application
Buffering agent
More advanced technology
GPS and GIS to map areas of lake for specific application

"Ideal tool for determining alum..."
Ideal tool for determining alum treatment application

Hypolimnetic aeration
Prevents anoxic/anaerobic conditions by aerating the hypolimnion
Destratification vs. layer technique

Biological Control: Fish Stock Manipulation
Decrease planktivorous fish
Discontinue stocking of alewives
Increase piscivorous fish
Continue/Increase stocking of brown trout
Stock small & large mouth bass

Implementation in Threemile Pond
Alum treatment, hypolimnetic aeration, and fish stock manipulation are promising
Methods worth further consideration and study
Consider implementation for improvement

Emily Arell
Future Predictions and
Recommendations for Threemile Pond

Historic Population Trends
Future Population Trends

Historic and Future Development Trends
Agriculture will continue to decline
Demand for housing and development will continue to rise
Shoreline property
Subdividing of existing lots

Prediction of Land Use  Changes by 2040
Cleared land
Transitional forest
Residential
Municipal
Cropland
Pasture
Mature forest
Reverting
Wetlands
Increase
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease
Decrease
Decrease
Decrease
Decrease

Watershed Management
Maintenance of septic systems
Create Buffer strips
Follow shoreline zoning regulations
Maintain integrity of roads
Practice agriculture techniques that minimize phosphorus entering lakes
Be aware of household impacts

In-lake Remediation Techniques
External phosphorus loading must be addressed prior to  in-lake treatment for successful remediation
Possible Techniques for Threemile Pond:
1) Biological control through fish stock manipulation
2) Alum treatment
3) Hypolimnetic aeration

Threemile Pond Remediation Summary
Assess lakes individually
Small changes can have a BIG effect
Address as many problems as possible
Establish a balance
Social
Economic
Environmental

Water Quality Monitoring
Water monitoring throughout summer-Characterization sites: 1, 2, 3
Transparency: bi-weekly
Dissolved Oxygen: bi-weekly
Phosphorus: test surface and
epicore monthly
Community volunteers

Community Awareness and Education
Work closely with the China Region Lakes Alliance and Threemile Pond Association
Distribute fact sheets and brochures
Provide information in town offices and schools
Involve local schools in monitoring Threemile Pond

Grants and Funding
Maine DEP website
Non-point source Water Pollution Control Grants
Non-governmental funding sources
Watershed Protection Grant
Maine Natural Resource Protection Act

General Summary
The primary problem in Threemile Pond is cultural eutrophication
Remediation must consider all sources of phosphorus runoff
Water quality will improve with:
Reduction of external phosphorus loading
Reduction of sediment release of phosphorus

Threemile Pond
Remediation means the preservation of:
Environmental Health
Economic Viability
Cultural History

Special Acknowledgments
Roy Bouchard
Dave Halliwell
Rebecca Manthy
Jenna Richardson
Nate Sylvester
Dan Dubord

Questions