WATER QUALITY SURVEY OF THE PATUXENT RIVER 1969 DATA REPORT Number 17 Annapolis Field Office Region III Environmental Protection Agency ------- Annapolis Field Office Region III Environmental Protection Agency 1969 Data Report Number 17 WATER QUALITY SURVEY OF THE PATUXENT RIVER Staff James W. Marks, Chief, Laboratory Section Orterio Villa, Jr., Chemist Anna R. Favorite, Statistician Evelyn P. McPherson, Technician ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I INTRODUCTION 1 II STATION LOCATIONS 6 III SURVEY RESULTS 7 IV MAP appendix i ------- I INTRODUCTION A. Purpose and Scope During the year of 1969 the Annapolis Field Office, Region III, Environmental Protection Agency continued surveys of the estuary portion of the Patuxent River. The purpose of the surveys was to continue upgrading data from previous years and model verification. B. General Remarks The Patuxent estuary was sampled six times during the year. Monthly sample runs were made during the summer months of June through August. C. Sampling Procedures Samples for chemical analysis were obtained by dipping a plastic bucket into the river water with a minimum of agitation. The water sample was then transferred to a plastic one-quart cubitainer. Dissolved oxygen (DO) samples were obtained by siphoning from the bucket through plastic tubing extended to the bottom of a conventional 300 ml DO bottle. The bottle was overfilled twice without excessive agitation, and the DO fixed immediately. AH samples were stored on ice. Analysis was started immediately on return to the Annapolis Field Office, generally within two hours of sampling. ------- D. Measured Parameters and Analytical Methods 1. Water temperature was determined using a mercury thermometer inserted into the sample container immediately upon collection. 2. Water temperature was read from a Beckman Salinometer. 3. Conductivity was read from a calibrated Beckman Salinometer. it. Salinity was determined with a calibrated Beckman Salinometer. 5>. Total Phosphorus Reference: Menzel, D.W. and Corwin, N., 1965. The Measurement of Total Phosphorus in Seawater Based on the Liberation of Organically Bound Fractions by Persulfate Oxidation. Limonology and Oceanography, 10: 280-282. Murphy, J. and Riley, J.P., 1962. A Modified Single Solution Method for the Determination of Phosphate in Natural Waters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 2?: 31-36. Total Phosphorus was determined after persulfate oxidation of the sample in an autoclave at 15> psi for 30 minutes. The resultant ortho-phosphate was then determined colorimetrically as the molybdenum-blue complex with the optical density measured at 882 ran. 6. Inorganic Phosphorus Reference: Murphy, J. and Riley, J.P., 1962. A Modified ------- Single Solution Method for the Determination of Phosphate in Natural Waters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 27 : 31-36. Inorganic Phosphorus was determined by automation of the above procedure using the Technicon "AutoAnalyzer." The molybdenum-blue complex formed was determined colorimetrically with the optical density measured at 885 m^. 7. Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen Reference: Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 12 ed., 1965. Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen includes ammonia and organic nitrogen and was determined by the standard micro-kjeldahl procedure. The sample was digested in the presence of strong acid to convert the organic nitrogen to ammonia. The ammonia was then distilled, collected in boric acid solution, nessleriz- ed and determined colorimetrically. 8. Nitrate and Nitrite Reference: A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis, J.D.H. Strickland and T.R. Parsons, Bulletin 167, Fisheries Reasearch Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 1968. Nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen was determined by automation of the above procedure using the Technicon "Auto- Analyzer. " This procedure utilizes cadmium reduction of nitrate to nitrite and subsequent diazotization with sulfanilamide ------- and N-(l-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine dihydrochloride with the optical density measured at 5^0 mM-. The results were re- ported as nitrogen. 9. Ammonia Reference: Southeast Water Laboratory, FWQA, Methodology for -the colorimetric determination of ammonia by the phenol-hypochlorite reaction. FWPCA Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, November 1969. Ammonia nitrogen was determined by automation of the phenol-hypochlorite procedure as described in the Southeast Water Laboratory Methodology and later adopted as the official FWPCA procedure. The intensity of the indophenol blue color, formed by the reaction of ammonia with alkaline phenol-hypo- chlorite, was increased using sodium nitroprusside as an intensifying agent. The optical density was measured at 630 mM* and calculated as NH^-N. 10. Chlorophyll a Reference: A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis, J.D.H. Strickland and T.R. Parsons, Bulletin 16?, Fisheries Reasearch Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 1968. Chlorophyll a was determined by extraction of millipore filtered samples in 90$ acetone and read spectrophotometrically. ------- 11. Turbidity was determined with a Hach photoelectric nephelometer, calibrated in Jackson Turbidity Units. 12. Dissolved Oxygen Reference: Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 12 ed., 1965- Dissolved Oxygen was determined by the azide modification of the basic Winkler method with the titration done potentio- metrically with a Fisher automatic "titralyzer." ------- II STATION LOCATIONS Station Location E 1 Route 50 Bridge E 2 Queen Anne's Bridge E 3 Bell's Junk Yard E I; Trailer Court E 5 Wayson's Corner, Route 1; Bridge E 5-A Western Branch E 6 Mouth of Western Branch E 6A Middle of Jug Bay E 7 Mouth of Lyon's Creek E 8 Nottingham E 9 Lower Marlboro, opposite wharf E 10 High Power Lines E 11 Halfway between Trueman Point and Deep Landing E 12 500 yards east of PEPCO Canal E 13 Chalk Point E ll; Benedict Bridge Channel E 15 Sheridan Point, Buoy 21 ------- Ill SURVEY RESULTS 1969 PATUXENT ESTUARY ANNAPOLIS FIELD OFFICE Date Time Sample Sample Sample Number Taken Taken Water Secchi Temp Disk "C Inches Conduc- tivity Hmhos Salinity °/oo Gage Height Feet Total mg/1 Inorganic P NOp+NO? TKN mg/1 mg/1 N NO-^-H NH, Chloro- phyll a mg/1 M tig/1 Tur- bidity DO JTU- mg/1 69020301 060901 070201 062501 102701 121801 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 091*5 091*5 0915 101*5 0925 0910 k 20 22 20 10 1 69020302 060902 070202 082502 102702 121802 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 1010 nl*5 0850 1025 1055 1035 5 21 23 19.5 9.5 1 69020303 060903 070203 062503 102703 121803 2-03 6-09 7-02 6-25 10-27 12-18 101*0 1120 Cfi30 1C1C 111'' ic5u U.5 20.5 27 20 9 1 Station El- U.S. Route 50 Bridge i*.50 2.286 1.1 3.70 3.632 0 3.39 5.206 2.530 1*.85 3.08 U.735 -3.0 2.71 Station E 2 - Queen Anne's Bridge TTu?9 .8 3.027 0 3.619 3.26G 2.130 i*.7u >3.C 2.70 ?.28 Station E 3 - Bell's Junk Yard 1.771 0 2.368 0 2.981* 2.633 2.032 1*.31 >3-0 2. 1*2 2.00 1.883 ?.8i*3 1.71*1* 1.1*13 .957 1.1463 1.529 .91*3 1.250 1.10 1.790 1.671* .551 1.065 1.98 1.221* 1.905 3.496 1.75 1.75 1.07 .997 2ol»3 3.21*8 1.6k > 1.50 1.01* .906 2.270 2.71*1* 1.65 > 1.80 .969 1.160 1.033 .780 .77 1.95 2.27 .835 .91*8 .360 .,'3 1.71* 1.1*5 .923 .585 .116 .61* 1.J8 1.146 2.25 6.75 11.25 6.00 ND 7.50 1.50 l*.5o 9.75 3.75 ND 3.75 5.25 7.50 11.25 3.00 KD 6.00 17.5 72 29 25 36 21* 10.37 1*.15 2.62 5.75 7.07 11.32 10.51 l*.5o U.22 6.13 LA 11.58 10.27 1*.88 1*.99 6.09 7.91* 11.61 LA Laboratory accident ND Not detectable ------- Sample Number 69020304 060904 070204 082504 102704 121804 69020305 060905 070205 082505 102705 121805 69020306 060906 070206 082506 102706 121806 69020307 060907 070207 082507 102707 121807 69020308 060908 070208 082508 102708 121808 Date Sample Taken 2-03 6-09 7-02 6-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 6-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 Saaple Taken 1055 1110 0600 1000 1135 1110 1140 1045 0730 0945 1015 1015 1255 1105 0745 1000 1035 1035 1245 1110 0750 1005 1045 1040 1235 1121 0805 1020 1058 1050 Water Secchi Temo Disk °C Inches 4.5 21 27 20.5 11 1 5 21.5 26 14 21 9.5 1 2.4 33 22 22 ' 13 21 9.5 1.5 2.5 27 22.5 28 18 22 10 1 2.4 25 24 28 20 23.5 11 1 Conduc- tivity Salinity Mmhos Voo Station E 4 0 0 Station E 5 0 0 Station E 5A 0 0 Station E 6 .6 0 Station E 6A .7 0 Gage Total P Height POi Feet mg/1 - Trailer Court .692 2.638 1.725 1.395 2.82 2.09 - Route 4 Bridge, 1.543 1.751 1.196 1.514 3-73 1.92 - Western Branch .290 .844 .693 .581 .858 1.53 Inorganic P P04 rag/1 1.299 2.12 1.64 Wayson ' s Corner .866 2.73 1.26 .188 .400 1.11 - Mouth of Western Branch • 99U .688 .488 1.006 2.20 . 1.49 - Middle of Jug .867 .546 .431 .795 1.03 1.03 .125 1.33 .915 Bay .095 .408 .625 TKN rng/1 M 1.265 1.773 1.273 1.456 1.91 1.222 1.291 .858 1.238 1.66 1.049 .756 1.170 .400 1.17 1.049 LA .790 .806 2.11 .926 .802 .886 .781 1.03 mg/1 NO,-N 1.302 2.230 2.212 1.22 1.75 1.01 1.C52 1.954 2.720 1.26 1.66 1.18 .548 1.006 2.212 .20 .49 .932 .937 .727 .006 .87 1.34 .885 .898 .371 ND .46 .85 .871 mg/1" N .648 .693 .252 .39 .63 1.17 1.025 .660 .230 .40 .87 1.96 .145 .423 .030 .13 .17 .873 .733 .343 .010 .35 .42 .820 .833 .190 .005 .23 .28 .559 Chloro- phyll a 9.75 9.75 7.50 3.75 ND 3.75 3.00 5-25 5.25 S.25 3.75 3.75 2.25 6.00 10.50 3-75 [CD 3.00 4.50 14.25 16.50 8.25 .75 6.75 2.25 44.25 41.25 6.75 24.25 5.25 Tur- bidity JTU 14 27 25 21 12 19 15 17.5 14.5 27.5 DO mg/1 8.85 4.42 3.87 5.50 8.4l 11.32 9-61 3.97 3.20 5.21 7.94 11.03 10.61 3.61 6.33 4.48 8.70 11.24 9.74 3.38 6.60 4.45 7.11 11.20 9.34 5.34 6.79 3-93 10.09 11.55 LA Laboratory accident ND Not detectable ------- Sample Number 69020309 060909 070209 082509 102709 121809 69020310 060910 C70210 082510 10271C 121810 69020311 060911 070211 082511 102711 121811 6902C312 060912 070212 082512 102712 121812 69020313 060913 C70213 082513 102713 121813 Date Sample Taken 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 80^ -2? 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-2? 10-27 12-18 Time Sample Taken 1215 1128 C810 1035 1105 1100 111*0 111*5 0830 1050 1120 1115 1125 1205 0850 1115 111*0 1135 1115 1220 09K 1135 120G H55 1110 1230 092=; lilt'? 1210 1210 Water Secchi Temp Disk °C Inches 2.3 18' 21* 28 20 23.5 11 1.5 2 12 21* 28 18 25 12 1.5 2 11* 21*. 5 28 16 27 13 2 2.2 11* 25 28 22 27.5 13.5 o 2.6 19 25.5 29 30 28 11* 2 Conduc- tivity Salinity Hmhos °/oo Station E 7 1.5 0 Station E 8 13.9 2.5 Station E 9 .6 it. 9 Station E 10 2.9 1.0 8.6 6.7 Station E 11 l*.l 2.0 9.8 8.8 Gage Total P Height POL Feet mg/1 - Mouth of Lyon ' s .920 .918 .1*26 .586 .775 1.07 - Nottingham ..815 .398 .1*38 .621* .539 1.28 - Lower Marlboro, .1*05 .292 .1*1*7 .612 .309 .1*59 Inorganic P P\ mg/1 Creek .072 .152 .660 .116 .11*5 .625 opposite wharf .115 .120 .261 - High Power Lines .226 .282 .370 .560 .251 .377 - Halfway oetveen .211 .21*8 .371 .301* .279 .277 • 1U9 .117 .223 Tnieman Point .166 .078 .150 TKN mg/1 N 1.C6& .61*0 .830 .756 .797 .861, .81*9 .608 .800 .31*6 .883 .750 .69? .925 .601 .651* .558 .727 1.20C 1.68 and Deep .512- .1*13 .571* .650 LA N02+N03- mg/1 N03-N .888 .31*0 :ro .35 .39 .861* .781 .163 ND .36 .12 .802 .698 .055 KD .1*0 .03 .751 .581 .018 KD .33 .03 .721* Landing .611 ND ND .21 .01* .1*52 NH mg/I N .663 .310 .008 .21 .29 .1*76 .51*5 .218 .026 .23 .OF. .1*76 .1*95 .173 ND .1C .05 .1*89 .533 .158 KD .21 .06 .!*:/* .1*1*3 .053 ND .26 .(Jh .30';' Chloro- phyll a Hg/1 6.75 51*. 00 51.75 8.25 22.50 16.50 6.75 1*1.25 6l.5o 15.75 9.00 30.00 5.25 33.00 52 . 5o 20.25 9.00 15.00 3.75 29.25 133.50 13.50 .75 Lft KD 27.75 4V.V5 15.00 3-75 11.25 Tur- bidity JTU 23 31* 35 18 25 16.5 17 12 12.5 12 DO mg/1 9.66 5.86 6.31* 3.96 11.13 10.98 10.36 6.61* 5.66 U.63 9.65 10.89 10.25 6.21 6.23 5.19 8.59 10.61 10.09 6.76 7.37 5.1*7 8.1*6 10.85 10.00 6.76 6.89 6.1U 8.57 10.93 LA Laboratory accident ND Not detectable ------- Sample Number 69020311* 060911* 070211* 082511* 102711* 121811* 69020315 060915 070215 082515 102715 121815 69020316 060916 070216 082516 102716 121816 69020317 060917 070217 082517 102717 Date Sample Taken 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-16 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 12-18 2-03 6-09 7-02 8-25 10-27 Time Sample Taken 1105 121*5 0930 1155 1230 1215 1055 1250 091*0 1205 121*0 1225 101*5 1305 0950 1220 1250 1235 1030 1320 1015 1230 1305 Water Temp •c 3.5 25.5 29 28.5 11* 2 3-7 29 28.5 11* 2 3.5 21* 28.5 28 11* 2 2.1 28 28 11* Secchi Disk Inches 21* 21* 28 1*2 36 1*6 75 1*6 Conduc- tivity Salinity Hmhos */oo Station E 12 6.0 3.6 11.6 11.3 Station E 13 9.1* b.9 12.5 11.7 Station E Ik 10.6 8.1 12.8 12.1 Station E 15 .. 11-5 9-3 13.8 13.7 Gage Total P Height POL Feet mg/1 - 500 yards east .190 .258 .392 .1*05 .278 .251* - Chalk Point .501 .221* .1*15 .51*5 .278 .221 - Benedict Bridge .139 .229 .332 .389 .251 .223 - Sheridan Point, .121 .187 .51*0 .1*17 .21*1 Inorganic P POL mg/1 of PEPCO Canal .171 .102 .128 .162 .127 .121 channel .150 .137 .068 Buoy 21 .231 .127 TKN mg/1 N, .691 .1*01 .568 1.21*1* .368 .593 .1*13 .611* .800 .797 .1*1*1* .186 .1*1*9 .1*56 .721* .716 .1*01 1.131 .500 NOo+NO,, mg/1 J NO^-N .1*53 ND ND .10 .005 .293 .375 ND ND .02 .005 .336 .382- ND ND .02 .005 .181 .265 ND ND .03 ND NH, mg/lJN .135 .1*15 .005 .10 .03 .170 .118 .278 .008 .01* .01* .211 .073 .31*3 .005 .11* .03 .108 • .01*3 .1*23 .063 .05 .03 Chloro- phyll a P«/l ~ ND 16.50 51.00 6.75 .75 19.50 It. 50 15.75 32.25 12.00 .75 2.25 9.00 17.25 30.00 12.00 3.75 22.50 8.25 11*. 25 63.75 21.00 3.75 Tur- bidity JTO 13 8.1* 10 6.1* 8 7 1*.5 3.2 DO •ft/1 9.69 6.76 6.17 7.60 8.76 11.19 9.69 6.63 6.38 9.51 8.91 11.25 9*8$ 6^83 6^21 7.06 8.99 11.55 10.13 6.kk B.Ik 7.58 9.11* ND Not detectable ------- E i - ROUTE 50 BRIDGE QUEEN ANNE'S BRIDGE - E 2 E 5A - WESTERN BRANCH BELL'S JUNK YARD - E 3 TRAILER COURT - E 4 WAYSON'S CORNER. ROUTE 4 BRIDGE -E5 MOUTH OF WESTERN BRANCH - E 6 MIDDLE OF JUG BAY - E 6A MOUTH OF LYON'S CREEK - E7 E 8 - NOTTINGHAM E9- LOWER MARLBORO. OPPOSITE WHARF HALFWAY BETWEEN TRUEMAN POINT AND DEEP LANDING E 14- BENEDICT BRIDGE CHANNEL HIGH POWER LINES - E 10 500 YARDS EAST OF P E P CO CANAL - E 12 CHALK POINT- E 13 EI5-SHERIDAN POINT. BUOY 21 PATUXENT RIVER SURVEY 1969 SCALE IN MILES ------- |