INTERSTATE POLLUTION OF OHIO RIVER
WHEELING, W.VA. - STEUBENVILLE, OHIO AREA
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
REGION III
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A REPORT ON POLLUTION
OF THE OHIO RIVER
IN THE
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA AREA
U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION III
SEPTEMBER 1971
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
List of Tables ill
List of Figures iv
Introduction 1
Summary 3
Conclusions 5
Recommendations 7
Area 9
Water Uses 13
Present Uses 13
Water Uses as Defined by Water Quality Standards 16
General Water Quality Criteria 16
Sources of Waste 21
Effects of Pollution on Water Quality and Uses 29
Effects of Pollution on Aquatic Life 41
Bibliography 57
ii
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List of Tables
1. Current Approved Specific Criteria - Ohio River
2. Ohio's Temperature Criteria for the Ohio River
3. Sources of Municipal Wastes - Ohio River
4. Industrial Sources of Wastes - Ohio River
5, Sampling Stations, Special Study - EPA - Ohio River,
July - August 1970
6. Biological Sampling Stations
7. Fish Flavor Evaluation - Ohio River - August 1970
iii
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List of Figures
1. Location Map, Ohio River, Wheeling Area
2. Location of Sampling Stations and Mile Points
3. Coliform Densities, Ohio River, July - August 1970
4. Composition of Bottom Samples Collected with Basket
Samplers, Ohio River, July - August 1970
5. Composition of Suspended Algae, Ohio River, July 27
and August 3, 1970
6. Concentrations of Chlorophyll in the Ohio River,
July 27 and August 3, 1970
7. Composition of Attached Growths, Ohio River, August 1970
8. Quantity of Chlorophyll in Attached Growths, Ohio River
July - August 1970
iv
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INTRODUCTION
On the basis of reports, surveys or studies, the Administrator
of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, having reason to be-
lieve that pollution from sources in Ohio and West Virginia was
endangering the health or welfare of persons in Ohio and West Vir-
ginia, called a conference of the States of Ohio and West Virginia,
the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) and the
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the interstate pollu-
tion of the Ohio River. The conference was called in accordance
with Section 10(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
amended (33 U.S.C. 1160).
The purpose of this report is to delineate the characteristics
of this pollution of the Ohio River; the municipal and industrial
sources of this pollution; the effects of this pollution upon water
quality and water uses; the adequacy of present wastewater treatment
facilities; and future abatement requirements.
This report on pollution of the interstate waters of the Ohio
River is based upon: previous reports; data and other material
obtained from ORSANCO and the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS); in-
formation furnished by other Federal, State, and local agencies
and individuals; official records of the Department of the Interior;
and data obtained by EPA, formerly Federal Water Quality Administra-
tion, during field studies in July and August 1970.
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The U. S. Department of Justice has already filed civil
injunctions against five industries within the conference area.
These are the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation plants at
Steubenville, Ohio and Follansbee, West Virginia, the Koppers
Company at Follansbee, West Virginia, Valley Camp Coal Company
at Triadelphia, West Virginia, and Weirton Steel Division of
the National Steel Corporation at Weirton, West Virginia.
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SUMMARY
The portion of the Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio to
McMechen, West Virginia, is the subject of this report. The
river is used commercially for transportation of goods and
industrial water supply. People in the area use the river for
water supplies, pleasure boating and a small amount of fishing.
The river water quality is degraded throughout the area
from Toronto, Ohio, to McMechen, West Virginia. Sludge banks,
oil slicks, medicinal tasting phenols and harmful substances were
found polluting the river. Bacteria were found in numbers exceed-
ing .the Federally approved standards set by the States. The pres-
ence of disease-producing bacteria was also verified. Other harmful
substances found in excessive concentrations in the river include
cyanide and lead.
Fish population studies of this area are characterized by an
abundance of predominately pollution tolerant species. Good tast-
ing fish were brought in and placed in wire baskets at selected
points in this study area. Over a three day period, they acquired
various levels of off-flavors depending on the site. Fish from a
site 0.6 miles downstream from the Koppers Company outfalls acquired
the most extreme off-flavor found. Some of the fish at this site
died from the pollution in the river. Studies of the bottom dwel-
ling organisms, suspended algae and attached growths were made in
this area by EPA biologists at the same time as the water quality
studies. Samples collected downstream from several of the major
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industrial complexes indicated areas of serious degradation,
followed in nearly every case by zones of partial natural re-
covery. All samples taken, however, indicated a degraded water
quality.
The quality of the effluents from industrial outfalls was
found to be very poor. Pollution from the industries which were
surveyed contributes to violations of Federal-State water quality
requirements for the Ohio River. In addition, violations of
existing Federal laws concerning discharge of oil and refuse
were noted at industrial outfalls.
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CONCLUSIONS
1. The Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio (river mile 60.0) to
McMechen, West Virginia (river mile 96.1) is degraded by
waste discharges from Ohio and West Virginia, causing
interstate pollution which endangers health and welfare
of persons in both States.
2. The Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio to McMechen, West Virginia
often contains -excessive amounts of oil, phenols, cyanide
and other chemicals discharged by industries in the area.
Oils and solids settle to the river bottom near the outfalls
and form putrescent, objectionable sludge deposits. Phenols,
cyanide and other chemicals harm or kill fish and other
aquatic life and taint the flavor of fish flesh; they also
are a cause of much concern to municipal water supply operators,
3. Several industries along the Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio to
McMechen, West Virginia discharge wastes which cause visible
pollution in the area of the outfalls.
4. The Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio to McMechen, West Virginia
often contains excessive densities of bacteria including
pathogenic varieties which originate from untreated or inade-
quately treated domestic sewage; as a result, the use of the
Ohio River for any type of recreation is hazardous to human
health.
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5. The major sources of municipal and industrial wastes being
discharged to the Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio to McMechen,
West Virginia are:
Munici pa1ities
Toronto, Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Mingo Junction, Ohio
Brilliant, Ohio
Tiltonsville, Ohio
Belmont County S. D. #1
Weirton, West Virginia
We 11sburg, West Virginia
Beech Bottom,West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
McMechen, West Virginia
Industries
Weirton Steel - Division of National Steel Corporation
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
Koppers Company
6. Many tributaries to the Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio, to
McMechen, West Virginia, are polluted by mine drainage
which impairs use of the streams for water supplies, water-
based recreation and fish propagation, and it aesthetically
damages and degrades property values.
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REGOMMENDATTONS
It is recommended that:
1. All waste waters discharged to the Ohio River or its tribu-
taries in the conference area from municipal and industrial
sources, including active mining operations, meet the follow-
ing criteria:
a. the total oil concentration shall be less than or
equal to 10 mg/1 and no irridescence shall be visible.
b. the concentration of settleable solids plus the concen-
tration of suspended solids shall not exceed 30 mg/1.
c. pH shall be between six and nine standard units.
d. there shall be no net acidity concentration.
e. the total iron concentration shall be 7 mg/1 or less.
f. the discharge shall not contain amounts of the follow-
ing substances which would cause the concentration in
the receiving stream to exceed the acceptable level
as specified in the most recent edition of the USPHS
Prinking Water Standards:
Arsenic Copper Phenols
Barium Cyanide Selenium
Cadmium Lead Silver
Chromium, hexavalent Nickel Zinc
g. the discharge shall not contain harmful or toxic material
which kill over half the test organisms in a 96-hour bio-
assay.
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2. All municipal waste treatment plants in the conference area
shall provide a minimum of secondary treatment and adequate
disinfection of their waste effluents. Secondary treatment
is defined as that which provides a minimum of 85 percent
reduction of both suspended solids and oxygen demanding
material as measured by the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand
(BOD^) test. Adequate disinfection is defined as that which
provides an effluent which will contain a concentration not
greater than 200 per 100 ml of fecal coliform organisms as
a geometric average value, nor greater than 400 per 100 ml
of these organisms in more than 10 percent of the samples
tested.
3. All industrial waste sources ere to provide, as a minimum,
the equivalent.of secondary treatment.
4. All municipal and industrial waste sources including active
mining operations in the conference area have treatment
facilities installed and operating to meet the recommended
criteria by December 31, 1974, except when completion is
required earlier by the Federally approved water quality
standards or by court decision. Interim dates for all
waste sources in the conference area be submitted to the
Conference Chairman within three months.
5. All concentrations of materials be determined according to
the procedures outlined in the latest edition of Standard
Methods.
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AREA
The Ohio River defines the boundary between West Virginia
and Ohio. Figure 1 represents 36 miles of the river which are
the subject of this report. Most of the towns in the study area
are situated along the river as shown in Figure 1. About 165,000
people lived in all these towns in 1970, a decrease of approximately
1 2
seven percent since 1960. '
Every second of the day an average of 36,000 cubic feet of
water comes down the river into the area under consideration here.
A drop of water in the river may take from 10 hours to 10 days to
pass through this area. The average time of travel through this
area is 30 hours. Tributary streams along this reach of the
river add an average of 1500 cubic feet of water per second to
the river. The flow in the river at any given time is controlled
by the locks and dams. Flows during this study ranged from 12,800
cfs to 53,600 cfs as calculated from data on the Pike Island Dam
releases.
The Corps of Engineers maintains three locks and dams on
this reach of the Ohio River providing a nine foot pool depth for
year-round navigation. The Pike Island Lock and Dam (Figure 1)
is the newest of the three. The Pike Island locks provide a ver-
tical lift of 17.8 feet while the older locks at Warwood and
McMechen provide lifts of only 8.4 feet and 7.3 feet, respectively.
The upper 24 miles of the river in this area are on the pool main-
tained by Pike Island Dam.
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Toronto
MP60-
N
MP6!
STEUBENVILLE
Follonsbc*
Mingo Junction*
OHIO
WEST
VIRGINIA
Martin*
WHEELING
.DAM 13
>Mc Mechen
FIGURE 1
OHIO RIVER
Wheeling Area
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In this area, the river flows in a narrow valley about 600
feet deep. Occasional islands and small flood plains exist at
wide parts of the valley. At the upstream portion of the reach
of the river under consideration, the valley walls contain thick
clays, which are used in that area's ceramics industry. Goal and
limestone appear on hilltops further downstream. These deposits
are found closer down to the river as it flows south past Wheeling.
The combination of limestone and coal produces highly buffered
water draining from the many old surface mines in the area. The
sulfate and iron from mine drainage have colored many tributary
stream beds red and orange. Historically, it was the rich coal
veins in this area which brought the steel industry to Ifeirton,
Steubenville, and Wheeling. Large electric generating plants
were built more recently. These electric plants use some of the
worlds tallest smokestacks to carry smoke from their coal fired
boilers above the hilltops and spread it over ridges and valleys.
The older steel industry and the newer power generating plants
both depend on the river to carry fuel for their furnaces and to
supply water necessary for their operation.
11
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WATER USES
PRESENT USES
The Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio, river mile 60.0, to
McMechen, West Virginia, river mile 96.1, is used primarily for
navigation and as a source for industrial water supplies. Other
uses include municipal water supplies, recreation and fishing.
At the present time, there are no hydro-electric power plants on
the Ohio River in this area.
Municipal Water Supply
Three communities in this reach use the Ohio River as a raw
source for water supply. Toronto and Steubenville, Ohio and
Wheeling, West Virginia use the Ohio to supply approximately 113,900
people with 13.94 million gallons per day. All other communities
along the river in this reach rely on ground water from infiltration
galleries, Ranney wells, and drilled wells for raw water sources.
Fishing
Commercial fishing is non-existent on the Ohio River within
this study area. However, the river is used for sport fishing
although the use is limited by the type of fish population (pre-
dominately carp, gizzard shad and channel catfish) and the edi-
bility of the fish. Fishermen are also reluctant to fish in the
river because of the oil, scum, and debris that persist throughout
the area.
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Recreation
Boating is the main recreational use of the Ohio River in
this area. The Corps of Engineers reports that the 14 marinas,
ramps, or docks along the 36 miles of river between Toronto and
McMechen have a mooring capacity of 488 berths. For comparison,
the 40 miles of river in Pennsylvania from Pittsburgh to the
Pennsylvania-West Virginia line has a mooring capacity of 185
•*
berths at nine facilities.
Water contact recreation, such as water skiing and swimming,
is limited because of the oil and floating debris that persists
in most sections of the river. More important, but not visible,
is the high concentration of bacteria, including pathogenic or-
ganisms, indicating the presence of a health hazard to persons
coming in contact with the water.
Industrial Water Supply
The Ohio River from Toronto, Ohio to McMechen, West Virginia,
is used extensively by industries as a source of process and cool-
ing water. Total water use is in excess of 2.8 billion gallons
per day, of which approximately 90 percent is used as once-through
cooling water for thermal electric power generation. Two major
steel producers account for the majority of the remaining ten per-
cent, the bulk of which is used for cooling purposes.
Navigation
Navigation is an integral part of the economic growth of
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this area. Commercial barges carry an ever increasing quantity
of material over this reach as shown in the table below:
Millions of Tons through Pike Island Locks
Year Upstream Poms tream
1965 12.0 4.5
1967 14.1 4.3
1968 15.2 4.6
The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers indicate that the following
tonnages of materials passed through the Pike Island Lock in 1968:
Total Tonnage in Millions of Tons
Material Upstream Downstream
Coal & Coke 8.1 1.1
Oil & Gasoline 3.6 0.4
Iron & Steel 0.7 1.8
Stone, Sand & Gravel 0.2 0.2
All Others 2.6 1.1
The predominance of transportation of fuels is also reflected in
the types of terminal facilities in this area. The following
table lists the number of terminals capable of handling the
specific material:
Material Number of Terminals
Coal & Coke 16
Oil & Gasoline 10
Iron & Steel 6
Sand & Gravel 6
Some facilities can handle more than one type of material making
the above list non-additive. A total of 37 separate terminals
exist, but the above list does not include all the types of ter-
minals in the area. Other terminals handle miscellaneous materials
or provide mooring services.
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WATER USES AS DEFINED BY WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
In the establishment of Water Quality Standards, the States
listed the uses for each interstate stream in order to determine
the applicable water quality criteria. The following delineates
the uses of the Ohio River as given by West Virginia and Ohio in
their respective Water Quality Standards, as approved by the
Federal Government:
West Virginia
1. Water Contact Recreation
2. Water Supply, Public
3. Water Supply, Industrial
4. Water Supply, Agricultural
5. Propagation of Fish and Other Aquatic Life
6. Water Transport, Cooling and Power
7. Treated Wastes Transport and Assimilation
Ohio
1. Public Water Supply
2. Industrial Water Supply
3. Aquatic Life - Warm Water Fish
4. Recreation
5. Agricultural Use and Stock Watering
GENERAL WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Each State's Water Quality Standards included criteria de-
signed to protect the water uses of the stream. Specific approved
criteria by States are listed in Table 1. The following is the
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TABLE 1
Current Approved Specific Criteria-Ohio River
Ranges
pH (Standard Units)
Maximums
Temperature ( F)
(May-November)
(December-April)
Temperature change (over natural)
Threshold Odor No. & 60°C
Total Coliforms /100 ml
Fecal Coliform /100 ml
Radioactivity (ci/1)
Gross Beta
Dissolved Strontium-90
Dissolved Alpha
Maximum Concentrations (mg/1)
Toxic Substances
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chromium (hexavalent)
Lead
Silver
Nitrates
Phenol
Cyanide
Floride
Selenium
Iron (Total)
Manganese (Total)
Dissolved Solids
Dissolved Solids
West Virginia
6.0-8.5
Minimum Concentrations (mg/1)
Dissolved Oxygen
For 16 of any 24 hours
Daily Average
87U
73°
5°
8*
1000**
1000
10
3
0.50
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
45.0
0.001
0.025
1.0
0.01
5.0
II
24*
200**
1000
10
3
1/10TL
m48
0.05
1.0
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.025
1.0
0.01
750.Ox
500.0**
4.0
5.0
* - Daily average.
** - Monthly average.
I/ See TABLE 2.
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TABLE 2
Ohio's Temperature Criteria for the Ohio River
Maximum Temperature (°F) During Month
January 50 July 89
February 50 August 89
March 60 September 87
April 70 October 78
May 80 November 70
June 87 December 57
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general criteria adopted by the respective States and approved
by the Federal Government:
West Virginia^
"Certain characteristics of sewage, industrial wastes or
other wa,stes or factors which render waters directly or indirectly
detrimental to the public health or unreasonably and adversely af-
fect such waters for present or future reasonable uses, are objec-
tionable in all the waters of the State. Therefore, the State
Water Resources Board does hereby proclaim that the following gen-
eral conditions are not allowed in any of the waters of the State."
"No sewage, industrial wastes or other wastes entering any
of the waters of the State shall cause therein or materially con-
tribute to any of the following conditions thereof, which shall
be the minimum conditions allowable:
1. Distinctly visible floating or settleable solids,
suspended solids, scum, foam or oily sleeks of
unreasonable kind or quality;
2. Objectionable bottom deposits or sludge banks;
3. Objectionable odors in the vicinity of the waters;
4. Objectionable taste and/or odor in municipal water
supplies;
5. Concentration of materials poisonous to man, animal
or fish life;
6. Dissolved oxygen concentration to be less than 3.0
milligrams per liter at the point of maximum oxygen
depletion;
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7. Objectionable color;
8. Objectionable bacterial concentrations;
9. Requiring an unreasonable degree of treatment for the
production of potable water by modern water treatment
processes as commonly employed."
Ohio
"Minimum conditions applicable to all waters at all places
at all times:
1. Free from substances attributable to municipal, indus-
trial or other discharges that will settle to form
putrescent or otherwise objectionable sludge deposits;
2. Free from floating debris, oil, scum, and other float-
ing materials attributable to municipal, industrial or
other discharges in amounts sufficient to be unsightly
or deleterious;
3. Free from materials attributable to municipal, indus-
trial, or other discharges producing color, odor or
other conditions in such degree as to create a nuisance;
4. Free from substances attributable to municipal, indus-
trial or other discharges in concentrations or combina-
tions which are toxic or harmful to human, animal or
aquatic life."
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SOURCES OF WASTES
The conference area contains numerous sources of untreated
or inadequately treated wastes which are harmful and hazardous.
These sources are given here in their order of significance as
they affect water uses.
The most important source of wastewater in the area causing
pollution is the steel industry and its related industries. Iron
and steel are produced at Steubenville and Mingo Junction, Ohio
by the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, and at Weirton, West
Virginia by the Weirton Steel Division of the National Steel Cor-
poration. The flue gas wash water from these blast furnaces at
these plants passes through clarifiers to remove solids. These
clarifiers are frequently overloaded, however, and solids are dis-
charged to the river where they form deposits on the stream bottom.
The steel is shaped and sometimes coated at other steel plants
in the area. Weirton Steel Division of National Steel has shaping
and coating operations at Weirton, West Virginia and Steubenville,
Ohio. Wheel ing-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation has shaping and coat-
ing plants at Steubenville, Mingo Junction, Yorkville and Martihs
Ferry, Ohio; and at Follansbee, Beech Bottom, and Benwood, West
Virginia. Most of these steel plants have at least some elementary
form of wastewater treatment. Oil is another significant waste
found in steel mill discharges, especially from the shaping and
coating plants. Rolling mills use lubricating oils in the large
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machinery as well as coating oils on the steels being formed.
A portion of these oils find their way into the river. Other
wastes from steel mills are: acid and alkaline materials from
rinses, hexavalent chromium, cyanide and iron.
The steel companies also produce coke for their furnaces.
Coke is made by heating coal in the absence of air. The waste-
waters from coke plants contain phenols, cyanides, ammonia and
organic chemicals. The coke plants at Weirton and Follansbee,
West Virginia, owned by Weirton and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel,
treat their effluents to remove much of the pollutants.
The Koppers Company operates a coal tar plant at Follansbee,
West Virginia. Coal tar is supplied from the nearby coke plants.
Various solvents, tars, and chemicals are produced. Wastewaters
from the plant contain phenols, oils, solids, and alkaline materials^
Raw and inadequately treated sewage discharged to the river
and streams is also a major pollution problem in this reach of the
Ohio. These wastes carry great numbers of intestinal bacteria from
human excretions, and pathogenic organisms are present. The muni-
cipal waste sources discharging to the Ohio Uiver in the conference
area are listed in Table 3. Several municipalities do not provide
complete sewage collection systems for all the homes in their area.
Harmon Creek, at Weirton, West Virginia, for example, reflects the
lack of a complete collection system in that area. The high bac-
teria concentrations found in Harmon Creek are an indication that
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TABLE 3
Sources of Municipal Wastes
Ohio River - Wheeling Area
River
Mile
59.0
68.0
71.0
74.5
82.0
83.0
84.0
92.0
61.8
70.5
74.2
78.0
91.0
94.2
96.0
Name
Toronto, Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Mingo Junction, Ohio
Brilliant, Ohio
Ray land, Ohio
Tiltonsville, Ohio
Yorkville, Ohio
Belmont County S. D. #1
(Martins Ferry, Ohio)
(Bridgeport, Ohio)
(Brookside, Ohicr)
(Bellaire, Ohio)
Weirton, West Virginia
Follansbee, West Virginia
Wellsburg, West Virginia
Population
Served
8,000
34.700
5,300
2,400
600
2,570
1,800
11,600
3,700
800
10,900
30,000
5,000
5,500
Beech Bottom, West Virginia 500
Wheeling, West Virginia
Benwood, West Virginia
McMechen, West Virginia
70,000
3,500
3,000
Type of
Treatment
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
Secondary + Chlorination
None
None
Primary + Chlorination
Secondary + Chlorination
Primary + Chlorination
23
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many homes discharge raw sewage directly into the creek.
Coal mining activities are the third most important source
of waste. Coal mining and related activities are carried out
on tributaries to the Ohio River. Acid water drains from old,
inactive mines carrying high concentrations of iron and sulfate.
Active mines also discharge similarly polluted water. Frequently,
water from the coal preparation plants pollute the receiving
streams with black coal dust. Mine refuse piles are also a known
source of highly polluted water. The water pollution from coal
mining activity is a unique source of industrial waste in that
it continues long after the mining has ceased. Acid waters carry-
ing iron, sulfates and other dissolved materials comes from many
sites of mining activity; the receiving streams become red and
yellow, and the stream beds are caked with "yellowboy," a yellow
precipitate of iron hydroxide usually containing calcium sulfate
and aluminum hydroxide. Mine refuse is washed to the streams
where it accumulates in stream beds. Many of the tributaries to
the Ohio River in this area are grossly polluted by waste from
coal mining activities.
Other industries discharge polluted waters. Thermal electric
generating plants discharge large volumes of heated water.
American Electric Power operates the Cardinal Plant and the Tidd
Plant at Brilliant, Ohio and the Beech Bottom Plant at Power,
West Virginia. The Cardinal and Tidd Plants, in combination, are
a significant source of heated water. The Federal Paper Company
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at Steubenville, Ohio and the Saint George Paper Company at
Wellsburg, West Virginia are among the paper processing plants
known to discharge high amounts of solids. The river below
these plants has been visibly discolored by these discharges.
Sand and gravel companies frequently discharge excess concrete
to the banks of the river. Large fan-like deposits of concrete
extend into the river at these locations. Oil terminals along
the river have had few incidents of oil spills, but oil slicks
have been observed in the area. Other industries in the area
have discharges which have not been investigated.
Table 4 is a listing of industrial dischargers to the Ohio
Fiver in the Wheeling area. Effluents from some of these industries
were sampled during the field survey for this report. Coal mining
operations are not included in the table. Only coal loading facil-
ities are listed.
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Mile Point
59.3R
60.5R
61.8L
62.OL
64.6R
65.7L
66.3L
66.8R
67.3R
"67.4R
68.3R
68.6L
68.7R
68.8L
69.1L
TABLE 4
Industrial Sources of Waste
to the Ohio River
Industry
Toronto Paperboard Company
Titanium Metals Corporation of America
Standard Slag Company
Weir ton Steel-Division of
National Steel Corporation
Sinclair Oil Company
Advance Metal Lithographing, Inc.
Signode Corporation
Starvaggi Industries, Inc.
Eastern Ohio River Sand and Gravel Co.
Federal Paperboard Company, Inc.
Hartje Brothers
Weirtbn Steel-Division of
National Steel Corporation
Allied Oil Company
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
North Steubenville Plant
Steubenville, Ohio
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
East Steubenville Plant
Follansbee, West Virginia
Allied Oil Company
Comment
Solids
Oil, Solids
Metalic Iron,
Phenols, Cyanide
Hexavalent Chromium,
Lead, Acidic Material
Tank farm
Solids
Solids
Solids
Solids, Heat
No outfall visible
Oil, Acidic
Materials
Tank farm
Oil, Iron, Lead
Cyanide, Solids
Manganese, Acidic
Materials, Heat
Phenols, Heat
Cyanide
Terminal
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TABLE 4 (Continued)
Mile Point
69.2L
70.3L
70.6L
70.8R
71.1R
71.8R
73.3L
to
73.7L
74.1L
76.1R
76.5R
79.2L
79.8L
81.1R
81.1R
82.2L
82.6R
Industry
Koppers Company, Incorporated
Follansbee, West Virginia
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
Follansbee Plant
Follansbee, West Virginia
Follansbee Steel Company
Follansbee, West Virginia
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
South Steubenville Plant
Mingo Junction, Ohio
Penn Central Railroad
Nickle Plate Railroad
Banner Fibreboard Company
West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company
Pillsbury Company
Mammoth Plastics, Incorporated
S. George Company
Ohio Ferro Alloys Corporation
Ohio Power Company
Cardinal and Tidd Plants
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
Beech Bottom Plant
Beech Bottom, West Virginia
Ohio Power Company
Beech Bottom Plant
Tri-State Asphalt Corporation
Ohio Coal and Construction Company
Valley Camp Coal Company, No. 1-Short Creek
Standard Oil
Comment
Phenols, Oil
Solids, Heat
Cyanide
Oil, Iron, Solids,
Lead, Hexavalent
Chromium, Heat
Alkaline Materials
Solids
Heat
Oil
Heat
27
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TABLE 4 (Continued)
Mile Point Industry
83.5R Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
Yorkville Plant, Yorkville, Ohio
85.5L Esso Standard Oil Company
85.6L Sun Oil Company
85.8L American Oil Company
86.6L Warwood Tool Company
86.7L Wheeling Stamping Company
87.9R Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
Martins Ferry Plant
Martins Ferry, Ohio
88.OL Centre Foundry and Machine Company
88.2L Pure Oil Company
88.9R Quaker State Oil Company
91.1L Contractors Supply Corporation
of West Virginia
91.8L Standard Sand and Gravel Company
91.9L Delta Concrete Company
93.6L Hanna Coal Company - Division of
Consolidation Coal Company
Shoemaker Mine
93.8R Delta Concrete Company
94.4L Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation
Benwood Plant
Benwood, West Virginia
Comment
Oil, Solids, Xron
Heat, Phenols
Acidic Materials
Terminal
Terminal
Terminal
Termina 1
Terminal
28
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EFFECTS OF POLLUTION ON WATER QUALITY AND USES
Various studies have been made in the study area to define
the effects of pollution on water quality and water uses. In
addition, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains
one sampling station in the area as part of its Pollution Sur-
veillance Program.
Figure 2 and Table 5 are descriptions of the 13 stations
that were sampled by the EPA during a special study conducted
from July 27 through August 7, 1970. These data illustrate the
condition of the river during warm summer months. The EPA study
shows that the river is in a degraded condition throughout the
area. The pollution from the Weir ton-Steubenville area degrades
the river water quality in that area. Water quality improves
downstream to a maximum just above the Pike Island Lock and Dam.
At that point, the river water quality is at its best in this
reach of the river. Industrial and municipal wastes cause degrada-
tion of the river from that point to the downstream end of the
s tudy area.
Both Ohio and West Virginia have agreed on the desirability
of the "four freedoms" of water quality. These freedoms outline
the rights to clean water which every citizen has. Each of the
"four freedoms" listed below was violated during the study period.
"1. Free from substances attributable to municipal,
industrial or other discharges that will settle
to form putrescent or otherwise objectionable
sludge deposits;"
29
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Toronto
MP60-
Figure 2
Sample Locations
Legend
Stream Sample Locations
Industry Outfall Sample Locations
MP6i
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel
STEUBENVII
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel
Mingo Junction i
Wheeling-Pittsburgh
Steel
Martin* Ferry
IWHEELING
Weirton
Weirton Steel
Oft
Koppers Company
Follansb««
>Benwood
.DAM 13
(Me Mechen
FIGURE 2
Sample Locations
Shadyside
30
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TABLE 5
Samp line; Stations
Special Study-EPA-Ohio River
July-August. 1970
Description Mile Point
Ohio River downstream of Toronto, Ohio 60.8
Ohio River opposite Steubenville, Ohio, water intake 65.3
Harmon Creek at W. Va. Route 2 bridge
Ohio River upstream of Steubenville, Ohio, 67.1
sewage treatment plant
Ohio River downstream of Steubenville, Ohio, 67.9
sewage treatment plant
Ohio River downstream of Wheeling-Pittsburgh 70.0
Steel and Koppers Company
Ohio River downstream of Follansbee, West Virginia 72.0
Ohio River downstream of Wellsburg, West Virginia 75.0
Ohio River downstream of Brilliant, Ohio, 75.6
sewage treatment plant
Ohio River upstream of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, 82.7
Yorkville, Ohio
Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia, raw water 86.7
intake-^/
Ohio River opposite Bellaire, Ohio, water intake 94.0
Ohio River upstream of Lock and Dam No. 13 95.5
I/ EPA Pollution Surveillance Station.
31
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Oils and solids from industries form sludge banks in the Ohio
River and its tributaries.
"2. Free from floating debris, oil, scum, and other
floating materials attributable to municipal,
industrial or other discharges in amounts suf-
ficient to be unsightly or deleterious;"
Oils from industries form slicks and scum on the Ohio River.
"3. Free from materials attributable to municipal,
industrial or other discharges producing color,
odor, or other conditions in such degree as to
create a nuisance;"
Phenols, mine drainage and sewage from industries and municipali-
ties create nuisances in the Ohio River and its tributaries.
"4. Free from substances attributable to municipal,
industrial or other discharges in concentrations
or combinations which are toxic or harmful to
human, animal or aquatic life."
Pathogenic bacteria, chemicals and heavy metals from industries
and municipalities are toxic and harmful to human, animal and
aquatic life.
Much of the pollution along the river has interstate effects
between Ohio and West Virginia.
BACTERIAL POLLUTION
Municipal sewage contains high numbers of bacteria, frequently
including pathogenic bacteria, derived from human excreta. These
32
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pathogenic bacteria can cause gastro-intestinal diseases such as
typhoid fever, dysentery and diarrhea. Infectious hepatitis, a
virus disease, can also be caused by ingesting sewage-polluted
water. Eye, ear, nose, throat or skin infections may result from
bodily contact with such water. As the densities of pathogenic
bacteria are reduced by sewage treatment or forces of natural
purification, the hazards of contacting disease are proportion-
ately reduced.
Sewage also contains readily detectable coliform bacteria
which typically occur in excreta or feces and are always present
in sewage-polluted wattr. Though generally harmless in themselves,
coliform bacteria have been considered indicators of the presence
of pathogenic bacteria. The coliform group includes several
types of bacteria which may come from sources other than excreta.
Testing for fecal coliform bacteria is becoming more popular
as an indicator of bacterial pollution because fecal coliform bac-
teria specifically inhabit the intestinal tract of man and warm-
blooded animals. The presence of these organisms in water is
positive proof of fecal contamination which may contain associated,
disease producing organisms.
Coliform Bacteria
Presently, the States of Ohio and West Virginia use the total
coliform group as an indicator of bacterial pollution. The State
of Ohio is in the process of changing its recreational criterion
33
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for bacteria {to the fecal coliform group. Specific bacterial
criteria by State are listed in Table 1, on page 17.
Pollution surveillance by the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency includes samples at one station in the area sampled twice
a month since January 1967. Through October 1970, the Ohio River
at the Wheeling, West Virginia, water treatment plant intake has
exceeded West Virginia's water quality standard of 1,000 total coli-
forms per 100 ml in 32 of the 33 months.
In the study of the Ohio River in July and August 1970, total
coliform densities in this conference area exceeded West Virginia's
standard of 1,000 per 100 ml 100 percent of the time (120 samples).
Total coliform densities exceeded 5,000 per 100 ml 77.5 percent of
the time and exceeded 10,000 per 100 ml 46.7 percent of the time.
Figure 3 shows t;he average total and fecal coliform densities as
plotted against Ohio River mile points.
Salmonella Bacteria
In addition, a pathogen study was made at two sampling points
during this study. While coliform densities indicate the magnitude
of fecal pollution which may contain disease-producing organisms,
detection of pathogenic Salmonella bacteria in water is positive
proof that these disease-producing bacteria are actually present.
Modified Moore swab samples were taken at the following
locations:
Description River Mile
Ohio River below Steubenville, Ohio 67.9
sewage treatment plant
Ohio River at Bellaire, Ohio 94.0
34
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60.8
9,900 65.3
67.9
70.0
70.2
75.0
75.6
82.7
86.7
Toronto
MP60-
•Weirton
STEUBENVILLE*
I PIKE ISLAND
LID
Martins F«rry«^?DAM 12
WHEELING
Im Benwood
MP954
Follansb««
3
*
Shadyside
>Mc Mechen
Co I! form Densities
I
3
i
2
. Fecal
»«r 100 ML (nOOO)
i
1
) 10 20 30 HO 50
Arg. Total Coliforn
per 100 ML (X1000)
60
35
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Salmonella, an enteric pathogen, was isolated at both sta-
tions , showing the existence of a health hazard in the river
water.
Sewage treatment plants can drastically reduce the amount of
bacteria in sewage depending upon the capacity and type of plant
disinfection practices and the skill of the plant operators.
PHENOLS
Phenolic materials have plagued municipal water users of the
Ohio River for years. Chlorination of finished water containing
excessive phenols gives a medicinal taste and odor to the water.
Experience has shown that phenolic concentrations in the Ohio
River are at a maximum in the winter months when the biological
degradation of the phenols is retarded by cold water temperatures.
For example, EPA pollution surveillance data obtained during the
period 1966-1970 from the Ohio River at Wheeling had an average
phenolic concentration of 0.002 mg/1 for the period May through
November and increased to 0.024 mg/1 for the period December through
April. Maximum concentration recorded during this period was
0.078 mg/1, which occurred in January, 1970.
ORSANCO records of the Wheeling water treatment plant intake
for the year 1969 show an average phenolic concentration of 0.005
mg/1 for the period May through November and an increase to 0.011
mg/1 for the period December through April.
36
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West Virginia's criteria for phenols in the Ohio River is
0.001 mg/1 The State of Ohio has not set a phenolic standard
for the Ohio River. The special study in the warm months of
July and August, 1970, showed the average phenolic concentration
at the Wheeling station to be 0.002 mg/1, however, a high of 0.053
mg/1 was detected at the stream station located 16.7 miles upstream
of Wheeling, West Virginia.
OIL POLLUTION
Oil pollution is one of the most visible forms of pollution
in the Ohio River in this area. Surface oil destroys the aesthetic
value of the river and restricts its use for recreation. A large
number of complaints lodged by citizens in this area to the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency concern floating surface oils.
Oils also coalesc'e with natural sediment and other suspended
material to form bottom deposits that are toxic to bottom animals,
thus restricting the use of the river for aquatic life.
Oil samples were not collected as part of the special two week
stream study conducted in this area. However, floating surface
oils were observed on numerous occasions by the field crews. Oil
analyses were part of the special 3-day industrial outfall sampling
program which followed the stream sampling program. Oil concentra-
tions in excess of 1,000 mg/1 were recorded at outfalls of the
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation's North Steubenville and
Yorkville, Ohio plants. Oil concentrations exceeded 20 mg/1 in
37
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34 of 57 outfall samples taken during the 3-day period.
SLUDGE DEPOSITS
Sludges or settleable solids are a highly objectionable
form of pollution since they are so readily controlled. During
the EPA field survey, sludge banks were found in the river below
industrial outfalls despite the churning of the powerful tow
boats on the river. Notable sludge banks are found at Weirton
Steel outfalls near Browns Island and at the mouth of Harmon Creek.
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel outfalls at Yorkville have sludge banks
along the shore near the outfalls. These sludges vary in consist-
ency, but all inhibit aquatic life, hinder navigation, and cause
nuisance conditions.
CYANIDES
The discharge of cyanide to water bodies is critical to the
aquatic environment because of the toxic nature of the material.
The States of Ohio and West Virginia have established a maximum
limit of 0.025 mg/1 of cyanide for the Ohio River. During the
two week study in this area, this value was exceeded in nine of
86 samples (10.5 percent). The maximum concentration found was
0.040 mg/1. EPA's pollution surveillance data at the Wheeling
water intake during the period 1968-1970 shows an average of
0.02 mg/1 with a maximum of 0.08 mg/1
During the 3-day industrial outfall sampling program,
ORSANCO's effluent standard of 0.2 mg/1 for cyanide was exceeded
38
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at three outfalls, that is, Weirton Steel at Weirton, and Koppers
Company and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel at Steubenville.^
COAL MINE DRAINAGE
Many of the tributary streams to the Ohio River are intensely
polluted by coal mine drainage.
Stream pollution problems within these tributary areas attri-
butable to mine drainage are: high concentrations of acidity, iron,
manganese, sulfate, and hardness; low pH, and turbidity and bottom
deposits from chemical precipitates. Siltation caused by runoff
from mining activities often causes severe local stream pollution
problems.
The pollutants from mine drainage impair the principal water
uses for municipal, industrial and agricultural water supplies;
certain water-based recreation; and support and propagation of
fish and other aquatic life. In addition, these pollutants cause
corrosion of instream facilities and aesthetically damage and de-
grade the waterfront property values.
39
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EFFECTS OF POLLUTION ON AQUATIC LIFE
In conjunction with the physical, chemical and bacteriological
studies conducted during July and August 1970, certain biological
studies were carried out to determine the extent of the effects of
pollutants on the aquatic life of the Ohio River from Stratton,
Ohio (M.Pi 54.4) to New Martinsville, West Virginia (M.P. 129.1).
These studies, which included fish flavor evaluations and sampling
for bottom organisms, suspended algae and attached growths, were
conducted at 15 stations throughout the study area (see Table 6).
The fish population data was taken from previous studies.
FISH POPULATIONS
Fish population studies of the upper Ohio River were con-
ducted during the period 1957-1959 by the ORSANCO-University of
6
Louisville aquatic life study. The analyses of the data collected
during that study consisted of dividing the Ohio River into 100
mile sections for comparative purposes. The sections 0-100 miles
and 100-200 miles downstream from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, cover
the stretch of the river under consideration in this report. A
total of 20 samples were collected from 14 different lock chambers
in the first 200 miles of the Ohio River.
In general, the fish population of the upper Ohio River
during the 1957-1959 period consisted primarily of bullhead, carp,
and shiners. The standing crop for section 0-100 miles was 38 pounds
per surface acre and for section 100-200 miles was 124 pounds per
acre.
41
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TABLE 6
List of Biological Sampling Stations*
Mile Point
Description
56.0
62.0
63.0
66.2
68.0
69.9
71.9
78.0
83.0
8U.O
87.^
93.^
96.1
129.1
New Cumberland Locks and Dam
Belov New Cumberland Locks and Dam
In the back-channel of the Ohio River
around Brown Island
In the main channel around Brown Island,
approximately 0.7 miles below National Steel
Old Lock and Dam #10, above Steubenville, Ohio
Left -1.3 miles below Harmon Creek
Right .0.1 miles below Steubenville Sewage
Treatment Plant
Left - 0 .6 miles below Koppers Company
Right - 1 mile below Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel
Right - Q,k miles below Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel,
Mingo Junction
Right - 1 mile below Ohio Power Company
0.2 miles above Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel,
Yorkville, Ohio
Right - 0.6 miles below Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel,
Yorkville, Ohio
Lock and Dam #12
Left - 2 miles below Wheeling Sewage Treatment Plant
Lock and Dam #13, l.k miles below Wheeling-Pittsburgh
Steel, Benwood, W.Va.
Lock and Dam #15
*Phytoplankton samples were collected at the chemical sampling stations
and are listed in this section by station number and mile point.
42
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A 1967-1969 study was conducted by the Federal Water Quality
Administration similar to the 1957-1959 study. However, most of
the lock chambers used during the earlier study have been replaced
by newer and larger structures. A total of seven samples were col-
lected within the section of the Ohio River under study in this
report. The following table summarizes the composition of the
fish population sampled during this study:
Range of Percentage (by weight) Composition
of Fish Population 1967-69
Species
Carp
Bullheads
Gizzard Shad
Channel Cat-
fish
Sun fishes
Minnows
M.P.
73
8
2
2
1
.7 -
.0 -
.4 -
.4 -
.5 -
1 -
54.
78.
14.
2.
5.
4.
2.
4
4
7
6
6
4
2
M.P. 84.
43
8
5
4
2
3
.2
.6
.0
.5
.1
.9
- 69.
- 14.
- 32.
- 4.
- 3.
- 8.
2
2
7
1
7
3
6
M.P.
4.
1.
1.
45.
10.
17.
6
4
6
9
5
6
129.1
- 9.6
- 1.9
- 7.8
-47.7
-20.9
-19.6
No. of species 20 - 26 18 - 26 20 - 25
Pounds/acre 180 - 238 153 - 263 78 -108
The data obtained for the 1957-59 study for individual sam-
pling locations is not available. The only comparison that can
be made must be based on the accumulated data for a 100 mile sec-
tion of the river. The section of the river under study here
overlaps these 100 mile sections as presented in the publication
reporting on the 1957-59 study.
43
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There are, however, some observations that can be drawn
from the comparative data presented in this report. The 1967-69
study indicates little change in composition from the 1957-59
study in the first 100 miles of the Ohio River downstream of Pitts-
burgh. The 1967-69 data shows a predominance of carp, bullhead and
gizzard shad. The primary difference between the two studies in
this section (0-100 miles) appears to be (1) fewer minnows (2) more
gizzard shad and (3) increase in the standing crop of fishes.
The fish composition observed at mile point 129.1 indicates
improvement of water quality downstream of the first 100 miles of
the Ohio River. The predominance of channel catfish and sunfishes
(including the basses), along with a decrease in the carp and bull-
heads is indicative of more favorable conditions for pollution
sensitive fishes.
In summary, fish population of the section of the Ohio River
from New Cumberland, West Virginia to New Martinsville, West Vir-
ginia (74.7 miles) is characterized by an abundance of fish, pre-
dominately pollution tolerant species in the upper part of this
section, and some increase in pollution sensitive fishes in the
lower part of this section of the river.
FISH TAINTING
Several studies have been made in the past three years con-
cerning the palatability of fish caught in the Ohio River. Re-
sults of these studies have shown that fish taken from nearly
44
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all points in the Ohio River have an unacceptable flavor and are
generally considered undesirable for eating. Certain locations
produce off-flavors in fish flesh which are characterized as being
"very extreme" while others are nearly acceptable.
To identify sources of wastes producing off-flavors, channel
catfish known to have an acceptable flavor were placed in wire
baskets downstream from industrial outfalls. After an exposure
period of 72 hours, the surviving fish were retrieved and sub-
jected to a panel test. The judges scored on seven point scales
the degree of off-flavor and of over-all desirability. The results
of the evaluation are shown in Table 7 . Fish flesh having scores
from five to seven are considered to be acceptable. Using this
criterion, only the control fish would be considered acceptable.
The river water at all locations tested gave an undesirable flavor
to the good fish placed there in this study.
Two of the catfish held at M.P. 54.4 did not survive the ex-
posure period. The remaining four acquired a moderate off-flavor.
During the four previous studies of this nature, no sample from
the Ohio River ever acquired such an extreme off-flavor as was
found at M.P. 69.9. This station was located 0.6 miles downstream
from the Koppers Company outfalls at Follansbee, West Virginia. Of
the six fish held at this location, only two survived the three day
exposure period, indicating a presence of toxic substances in the
water.
45
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o
ON
H
P
8
a
O
O
o
M
o
§
CO
H
CO
co
I
o
H
H
S
H
CO
iJ
CO
-------
Fish held at M.P. 71.9, downstream of the Mtngo Junction,
Ohio industrial complex, were rated by the judges as having a
strong off-flavor. At M.P. 129.1, the degree of off-flavor was
rated as moderate, similar to the two uppermost stations.
BOTTOM ORGANISMS
Bottom dwelling organisms (macroinvertebrates), such as
insect larvae, snails, clams, worms, etc. are useful in deter-
mining the effects of pollutants. These organisms lack a means
of rapid locomotion and are thus prevented from making extended
migrations. Because of their limited migration and their rela-
tively long life cycles, bottom organisms reflect conditions at the
sampling point for an extended period of time, and thus serve as in-
dicators of prevailing water quality conditions.
Bottom organisms were collected during this study using a
Peterson dredge and rock filled basket samplers. The baskets were
exposed at a depth of one to two feet for a period of four weeks.
These artificial substrates provided a habitat for colonization
unaffected by variations in sediment or bottom materials. The re-
sults of the basket sampling are summarized in Figure 4.
In general, aquatic worms comprised a large percentage of
each sample. Pollution-sensitive forms, such as mayflies and
stoneflies, were absent; however, caddis flies, which are tolerant
of a wide range of environmental condition, were collected at
several stations. All samples collected from M.P. 54.4 to M.P. 71.9
contained relatively low numbers of organisms and limited diversity,
47
-------
I '
•BA *M '
•o '
•o***°r oSuiw-
l woo-row •
1-5
ON
c\J
-4-
•
c-
co
g
CO
CO
03
g
II
§3
I I 1
ir\ O ir\ o
JO
8
8
JO
48
Figure
-------
indicating degraded water quality. The basket sample on the left
(West Virginia) bank at M.P. 69.9 contained only two midge fly
larvae, indicating toxic conditions at that station. As noted
earlier, this station is a short distance downstream from the
Koppers'Company plant at Follansbee, West Virginia. This was
the poorest sample collected throughout the study area. At
M.P. 78.0, diversity increased, indicating a recovery zone.
This increase in diversity was also apparent, although to a
lesser degree, at M.P. 83.0. Diversity decreased again at M.P. 84.0,
probably as a result of discharges from the Yorkville, Ohio plant of
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Company.
Another increase in diversity occurred at M.P. 87.4, again
indicating a partial recovery. At M.P. 96.1, downstream from the
Benwood plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, numbers and diversity
were limited. However, at M.P. 129.1, diversity had again increased.
As initially stated, all samples indicated a degraded water
quality. However, samples collected downstream from several of the
major industrial complexes indicated areas of more serious degrada-
tion, followed in nearly every case by zones of partial recovery.
SUSPENDED ALGAE
Suspended algae (phytoplankton) occupy a position at the
bottom of the food chain and are, therefore, important members of
the aquatic community. An over-abundance of suspended algae indi-
cates the presence of excessive amounts of nutrients in the water
while low numbers of suspended algae generally indicate either a
lack of nutrients or the presence of toxic substances.
49
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During this study, samples were collected on July 27 and
August 3 at the 12 stations designated as sampling points for
chemical analyses. These samples were used for suspended algal
counts and chlorophyll concentrations. The results are summarized
in Figures 5 and 6.
All of the algal counts from this portion of the Ohio River
fall within the range of those indicative of unproductive waters.
There was a general increase in numbers as the water flowed down-
stream, indicating a possible increase in nutrient levels. Chloro-
phyll concentrations remained fairly stable throughout the study
area with a slight increase in the downstream samples. These
studies do not distinguish between toxic effects or lack of nutrients,
ATTACHED GROWTH
The attached growths (periphyton) are similar to the suspended
algae in their environmental role. However, since they are attached
instead of free floating, they reflect the prevailing water quality
at a given point in the stream in much the same way as do the bot-
tom organisms.
For this study, attached growths were collected on glass
slides exposed at the surface for a four-week period in floating
samplers. Four slides from each sampler were prepared for Sedg-
wick-Rafter counts, and each of the remaining four slides were
prepared for chlorophyll analysis. The composition of the attached
growths and the chlorophyll values are shown in Figures 7 and 8,
respectively.
50
-------
I I 1 I
d-M
o-RO
§
C T
^T
ITN
MD
•
lf\
t-
, I
O
ON
•
C--
CO
•
ir\
vo
00
s
CV]
51
jo X9cpm.fi Figure 5
-------
0>
rH
H
-------
I 1
*M * pooM.ua a
*0 *
133 IS
0 "V>f 08UTW.
! r
ITS O
H H
_s
ON
O
•@ H
oo -P
w
on
co
O
T»
«i
CQ
0)
.ON +>
N •<
<^i
o
*
O -H
• co
CO
jo
jo
53
Figure 7
-------
o
o
I
CH
w
H
oJ
I
Figure 8
54
-------
An examination of the data shows an increase in both numbers
of cells and quantity of chlorophyll from M.P. 54.4 to M.P. 68.0,
indicating a probable increase in available nutrients at the latter
station. Downstream from M.P. 68.0, both total counts and quantity
of chlorophyll show a gradual decline. This is indicative of either
a decreasing availability of nutrients or an increasing concentration
of toxic substances in the water or both. Numbers and quantity of
chlorophyll decreased downstream from Koppers Company at M.P. 69.9,
suggesting toxic influences.. Decreases also occurred downstream
from the Yorkville plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel at M.P. 84.0
and downstream from the Benwood plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel
at M.P. 96.1. These decreases were small but do suggest a prevail-
ing presence of toxic substances in the plant effluents. At M.P.
129.1, a slight increase was evident, indicating a partial zone of
recovery.
55
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BIBLIOGRAP. HY
1. U. S Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population,
1970. State of Ohio - PC (VT)-37. Advance Report.
January 1971.
2. U. S. Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population,
1970. State of West Virginia - PC (PI) - 50. Preliminary
Report. July 1970.
3. U. S. Army Engineer Division, Ohio River. "Ohio River and
Tributaries - Small Boat Harbors, Ramps, Landings, etc."
Corps of Engineers, Cincinnati, Ohio. April 1969.
4. U. S. Army Engineer Division, Ohio River. "River Terminals,
Ohio River and Tributaries." Corps of Engineers, Cincinnati,
Ohio. April 1970.
5. "Definitions and Procedures for Application of Pollution
Control Standards Numbers 1-70, 2-70." Ohio River Valley
Water Sanitation Commission, Cincinnati, Ohio.
6. Krumholz, L. A., Charles, J. R., and Minckley, W. L.
"The Fish Populations of the Ohio River. In: Aquatic
Life Resources of the Ohio River." ORSANCO, Cincinnati,
Ohio. 1962.
57
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