BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF WATER QUALITY
CHARLES RIVER
AND
BOSTON HARBOR,
MASSACHUSETTS ,J§
TECHNICAL ADVISORY 8 INVESTIGATIONS BRANCH
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMIN.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
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BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF WATER QUALITY
CHARLES RIVER AND BOSTON HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS
July-August 1967
R. KEITH STEWART, Aquatic Biologist
Biological and Chemical Section
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
Technical Advisory and Investigations Branch
5555 Ridge Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio ^5213
January 11, 1968
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Summary and Conclusions 1
Introduction 6
Charles River 6
Boston Harbor 7
Water Quality 11
Charles River 11
Aquatic Life 11
Nutrients 17
Bottom Deposits 19
Summary 22
Boston Harbor and Tributaries . 23
Aquatic Life . . . 23
Nutrients 3k
Bottom Deposits . 36
Summary 39
Appendix-Tables Uo
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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
1. The Charles River Is the principal tributary of Boston Harbor.
It begins about two miles upstream from Milford, Massachusetts and
follows a general northeasterly direction for about eighty miles
to Boston, Massachusetts where it drains into Boston Harbor.
Studies of bottom-associated aquatic life, nutrients, aquatic
plants, and river deposits showed water quality degradation and
sludge deposits from wastes originating in Milford, Massachusetts
and with additional waste contributions in downstream reaches,
polluted conditions extended through Medfield, Massachusetts, a
distance of 32 stream miles.
2. Improved conditions in the Charles River existed from South Natick
to Wellesley, Massachusetts as evidenced by a predominance of
clean water bottom animals; however, nutrients from upstream
sources caused dense growths of rooted aquatic plants and phyto-
plankton in the improved reaches.
3. Combined sewers discharged to the Charles River over a distance
of fifteen stream miles in the Boston metropolitan area ultimately
caused severely degraded water in the most downstream segments of
the river.
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4. A total of 75 stream miles of the Charles River was damaged by
the discharge of inadequately treated waste waters.
5. The Charles River discharged severely polluted water to Boston
Harbor.
6. Boston Harbor is approximately kk square miles in area. It has
salinity features controlled chiefly by tides and is a vertically-
mixed estuary having more affinities with embayments than estu-
aries and aquatic life that is marine rather than estuarine.
Boston Harbor received wastes from 2.5 million people plus indus-
trial wastes from the Boston metropolitan area. The average dis-
charge of wastes from this area exceeds kOO cubic feet per second,
and the dry-weather discharge of tributary streams is near 100
cubic feet per second.
T. In addition to the Charles River, Boston Harbor has seven other
tributaries, the Mystic, Maiden, Chelsea, Neponset, Weymouth Back,
Weymouth Fore, and Weir Rivers. Studies showed that five of these
seven rivers were polluted by wastes originating in the Boston
metropolitan area.
8, Combined sewers discharged wastes to the saline reaches of the
Mystic, Maiden, Chelsea, Weymouth Fore, and Neponset Rivers. A
paucity of aquatic life indicative of clean marine waters, exces-
sively abundant polychaete worms, and sludge deposits mixed with
oily residues in these tributary reaches were indicative of grossly
polluted waters.
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9. At least six stream miles of the fresh-water segments of the
Neponset River in the vicinities of Dedham and Milton,
Massachusetts were grossly polluted, as shown by a predominance
of pollution-tolerant sludgeworms and other waste-water-associated
aquatic life.
10. The remaining tributaries to Boston Harbor were not perceptibly
contaminated by waste waters. The most inland saline waters of
the Weymouth Back and Weir Rivers supported a variety of animals
suggestive of clean marine waters such as bivalve molluscs, cum-
aceans, shrimp, and limpets. Oily residues were not found in the
bottom deposits of these tributaries.
11. Discharges of municipal and industrial wastes originating in the
Boston metropolitan and. harbor areas caused degraded water in all
of Boston Harbor and associated bays inland from the harbor mouth
near Massachusetts Bay, and included Winthrop Bay, Boston Outer
Harbor, Boston Inner Harbor, the Fort Point Channel, Dorchester
Bay, Quincy Bay, Hingham Bay and Hull Bay. A paucity in the
variety of aquatic life in these waters showed such degradation.
12. Deposition of nutrients from these wastes effected overly-abundant,
pollution-indicating populations of polychaete worms that exceeded
200 per square foot in 3^ square miles (80 percent) of Boston
Harbor. Populations less than 200 per square foot were associated
with the inland sectors of Quincy Bay and those seaward along a
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narrow course through Nantasket Roads to the southern mouth of
the harbor at Massachusetts Bay.
13. About lk square miles (30 percent) of Boston Harbor were grossly
polluted as was suggested by polychaete worms that numbered 1,000
or more per square foot. Oily residues, foul odors, and suspended
sewage-like particles often were apparent in most reaches of the
harbor.
14. Inorganic nutrients, ammonia nitrogen and soluble phosphorus, were
greater than 100 and k-0 micrograms per liter, respectively, in all
reaches of Boston Harbor and adjacent bays inland from its mouth
near Massachusetts Bay. These effected excessively dense populations
of phytoplankton that averaged more than 1,000 per milliliter
(indicative of overly enriched waters) in about 35 square miles
(66 percent) of the harbor, including the Weymouth Back and Fore
Rivers, and the saline waters of the Charles, Mystic, Maiden, and
Chelsea Rivers.
15. The Fort Point Channel in the Boston Inner Harbor area contained
sludge with very high percentages of organic carbon (235 percent)
and organic nitrogen (1.29 percent) similar to those of raw wastes
from packinghouses, sewage, or rapidly decomposing sludge. The
waters of this channel were severely polluted, and septic.
l6, Percentages of organic carbon and nitrogen in other harbor beds
showed extensive bottom deposits of decayed organic materials.
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17. Core samples of bottom deposits somewhat distant from immediate
waste sources and known channel dredging activities indicated
gradual increases in the percentages of organic matter deposited
in recent times, i. e. highest values occurred near the top or
most recently deposited portion of the core. Similar samples
from areas close to major waste sources and remote from known
channel dredging activities indicated variations in depositions
of organic matter with no gradual trend between the upper or lower
portion of the core.
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INTRODUCTION
CHARLES RIVER
The Charles River begins about two miles upstream from
Milford, Massachusetts and follows an irregular, but generally
northeasterly course for about eighty miles to Boston, Massachusetts
where it enters Boston Harbor. Principal tributaries influencing
water quality are Mine Brook and the Stop River, both located in
Massachusetts. Flowing through forested lands and several urban and
rural communities, the Charles River drains many swampy and bog-like
areas that contribute acidic waters with a pH below 7.0 along much of
its course. Except for its most downstream reach near Boston, the
entire river is slightly acidic, and in at least one upstream reach
the river has pH values as low as 6.2.
In addition to the swampy and bog-like areas, several small
man-made dams are situated on the river, and these provide a combina-
tion of features wherein the ,river is alternately impounded and free
flowing with a great variety of habitats. At one point, about midway
along its course at Dedham, Massachusetts some of the water in the
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Charles River is diverted to the Neponset River via the Mother Brook
tributary. The annual average discharge rate of the Charles River is
near 500 cfs, and the dry weather flow typically is about 50 cfs.
BOSTON HARBOR
Boston Harbor, one of the most heavily utilized harbors on the
Atlantic Coast, is a major natural economic asset of the State of
Massachusetts. It is a watercourse that bridges the Atlantic Ocean to
the Massachusetts coastline, serves both commercial and military navi-
gation, provides berthage, protects from heavy seas, provides recreation,
produces food, and assimilates untreated and partly treated sewage from
2.5 million people plus industrial wastes from the Boston metropolitan
area. Wastes from an additional O.U million people and several industries
are added to Boston Harbor or its tributaries from sources adjacent to
the metropolitan area.
Boston Harbor has an area of approximately kk square miles,
(28,000 acres) with depths ranging generally between 10 and 50 feet at
mean low tide. Extensive areas of the bay are less than 15 feet deep.
Large-craft navigation channels are dredged to maintain minimal depths
of 30 feet, and small-craft channels are maintained at a minimum depth
near 12 feet. Hydraulic and salinity features of the harbor are con-
trolled chiefly by tides and, to a much lesser extent, by fresh water
discharges from tributaries. The relatively small discharge of fresh
water coupled with other hydraulic features precludes development of a
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8
salt-wedge water mass, and facilitates a vertically mixed type of
estuary having more affinities with embayments than estuaries and
aquatic life that is marine rather than estuarine.
Seven other tributaries in addition to the Charles River drain
into Boston Harbor. Only four, the Maiden, Cystic, Charles and Neponset
Rivers, discharge significant amounts of fresh water. The Chelsea,
Weymouth Back, Weymouth Fore, and Weir Rivers are tidal streams com-
prised mostly of saline harbor water. During periods of low precipi-
tation, the tributary fresh-water discharge to Boston Harbor is near
100 cfs (cubic feet per second) and the discharge of sewage and indus-
trial wastes exceeds 400 cfs; The total discharge of fresh waters
during these periods does not drastically modify the salinity of the
harbor. Except for mouths of tributaries, salinity values in all harbor
reaches during periods of low precipitation are greater than 25 parts
per thousand.
Biological studies of Boston Harbor and its tributaries were
conducted to assay water quality and its effect on aquatic life, and to
provide supplemental information to engineering, chemical, and bacterio-
logical water quality data. Biological studies were comprised of two
conjoined surveys: investigations of the Charles River from the vicinity
of Milford, Massachusetts downstream to its confluence with Boston
Harbor; and studies of Boston Harbor plus its other tributaries, the
Chelsea, Maiden, Mystic, Neponset, Weymouth Back, Weymouth Pore and Weir
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Rivers. Segments of Boston Harbor that were surveyed for biological
and other data included Boston Inner Harbor, Boston Outer Harbor,
Dorchester Bay, Quincy Bay, Hingham Bay, Winthrop Bay, and Hull Bay.
Supplemental stations for biological data only were established in the
inland reaches of Winthrop Bay, the Fort Point Channel, and in Massa-
chussets Bay at the Brewster Islands. The general study area is
depicted in Figure 1.
Biological surveys can show gross as well as subtle changes in
aquatic environments as these are modified by human activities or man-
produced wastes. Aquatic life associated with the benthic reaches of
water courses best show these changes because they have life cycles
extending for one year or more and thus reflect water quality over a
long period of time. In addition most bottom-associated organisms have
limited methods of locomotion that restrict them to specific areas;
these organisms are used to delineate superimposed water quality whether
in a stream, lake, estuary, or embayment. Many previous studies have
shown that changes in water quality sufficient to adversely alter the
population structure of bottom dwelling organisms also similarly modify
other living components of the aquatic environment such as algae and
fish, the latter often comprising an important economic asset of the
total aquatic resource.
Unpolluted waterways support several kinds of clean-water -
associated bottom organisms such as mayflies, stoneflies, certain
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WEYMOUTH / RIVERS
FIGURE I. BOSTON HARBOR-CHARLES RIVER STUDY AREA, JULY-AUGUST
1967.
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10
beetles, and caddisflies that occur in clean fresh-water streams and
lakes, or crabs, brittle-stars, shrimp, and starfish that are found
in clean marine waters. Organisms that exhibit an intermediate response
to pollutants also may be present in clean waters, but pollution-
tolerant organisms usually are few in number. Water quality that permits
the development of an assemblage of clean-water-associated forms provides
food for fish, prevents development of nuisance organisms in large num-
bers, and provides for maximum recreational usage. Bottom dwelling
organisms respond to domestic and industrial wastes in various ways
that depend largely on amounts and kinds of such materials entering
their environments. One response of such populations is manifest by the
loss of a few kinds of organisms that thrive only in clean waters, while
those associated with mildly polluted waters increase slightly in num-
bers. A more drastic response involves the disappearance of all clean
water forms and the development of pollution-tolerant organisms often
associated with sludges and slimes. Wastes that contain toxic sub-
stances or generate toxic conditions cause a loss of all kinds of
organisms.
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WATER QUALITY
CHARLES RIVER
Aquatic Life
Two principal changes occurred in the population of bottom-
dwelling animals in the Charles River as the result of waste discharges.
One change was evidenced by a reduction in the number of kinds of
organisms by settleable solids and by slime growths resulting from
organic waste discharges, and a concommittant increase in the numbers
of remaining bottom-associated organisms effected by an Increased food
supply. The other change was shown by a loss of all bottom-associated
animals. Such a change usually is associated with toxic wastes or other
wastes that generate septic or toxic conditions.
Bottom samples collected from the Charles River at river mile
76.9 near the Route l6 bridge in MLlford, Massachusetts (Figure 2) con-
tained 15 different kinds of animals including clean water associated
mayflies and caddisflies (Figure 3 and Table l). This reach of the
Charles River is located immediately downstream from a pond that dis-
charges slightly acid water with a measured low pH of 6.2, and has been
modified recently by construction activities. If not for such
11
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MILFORD
WAITHAM CAMBRIDGE
WATERTOWN ""
NORTH
FIGURE 2. CHARLES RIVER SAMPLING STATIONS.
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25-
2O-
Q
Z
UJ
CD
s
5-
70 60 50 40 30 20 IO
RIVER MILES
FIGURE 3. NUMBER OF KINDS OF BOTTOM ORGANISMS. CHARLES RIVER, JULY-AUGUST, 1967.
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12
activities, this unpolluted reach would have supported an even more
diverse population of benthic animals such as were found downstream
in reaches not perceptibly modified by recent construction activities.
Because of recent construction, the Charles River at mile 76.9
did not support a dense population of benthic animals. Conventional
quantitative sampling devices, such as the Petersen dredge, were not used
to enumerate organism density, and only qualitative samples of benthic
forms on artificial and natural substrates were taken. Data from
samples of phytoplankton (suspended algae) support the fact that this
reach contained clean water. These samples were comprised of clean-
water-associated algae that collectively amounted to only 500 cells
per milliliter, (0.35 parts per million by volume, ppm) compared to the
15,000 per milliliter found in organically enriched reaches (Figure k
and Table 2). Sludges, oils, odors, and slimes indicative of defiled
waters were not found in this segment of the river.
Municipal wastes from Mtlford, Massachusetts substantially
degraded the river at mile 7^.7 as was evidenced by the presence of foul,
sewage odors in the turbid waters and in the settled oozy materials in
this river reach. Water quality degradation was shown also by the
benthic animal population in which 3>7^0 pollution-tolerant sludgeworms
per square foot predominated (Figure 5)- Pollution-sensitive organisms
were lacking, and there was a decrease to 11 kinds of animals from 15
at the upstream reach. This pollution-tolerant sludgeworm population
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20.000-
16.000-
OL
Ul
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cr
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Q.
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8.000-
4.000-
I
70
40 30
RIVER MILES
20
10
FIGURE 4. CHARLES RIVER PHYTOPLANKTON (number/ml.), AUGUST, 1967
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4,000-
O
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3,000-
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1,000-
50 40 30 20 10
RIVER MILES
FIGURE 5. POLLUTION-TOLERANT SLUDGEWORMS, CHARLES RIVER, AUGUST, 1967
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13
vas dependent on an abundant supply of organic wastes such as those
from the community of Milford, Massachusetts. Such data reflect the
grossly polluted character of the river reach.
Wastes entering Mine Brook from the sewage disposal facility
near Unionville, Massachusetts caused degradation of water quality in
Mine Brook, and contributed polluted water to the Charles River at
mile 6k.7. The paucity of clean water forms, an abundance of inter-
mediately tolerant sow bugs and physid snails (136 and 171 per square
foot, respectively), and the presence of abundant algal slimes attest
to the moderate pollution in Mine Brook as it entered the Charles River.
Compared with mile 1^*1, an improvement in water quality in the
Charles River was noted at mile 61.5 near Medway, Massachusetts. This
reach supported 17 kinds of animals predominated by 129 pollution-sensitive,
clean water forms per square foot of river bottom. Pollution-tolerant
sludgeworms were very few in number (Figure 5 and Table l). A luxurious
growth of attached aquatic plants receiving inorganic nutrients such as
nitrogen and phosphorus from Mine Brook and Milford, Massachusetts covered
the rocks and other bottom materials of this reach. Ehytoplankton also
require such nutrients and these too were more abundant (2,500 per
milliliter).
The Stop River, like Mine Brook, contributed polluted water to
the Charles River at mile 52.7. Although ik kinds of organisms were
found in the Stop River just upstream from its confluence with the
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Charles River at Medfield, Massachusetts, only two kinds were pollution
sensitive and these were not abundant (Table l). The population of
benthic animals in this reach of the Stop River was predominated by
intermediately tolerant forms such as scuds and sow bugs and by pollution-
tolerant sludgeworms. As in Mine Brook, dense growths of pollution-
associated blue-green algal slimes blanketed rocks and other suitable
substrates in the Stop River.
The Charles River was polluted by wastes discharged via the
Stop River. Downstream from this confluence, the Charles River at
mile 51'9 supported 12 kinds of animals numbering 73 organisms per
square foot. This is a decrease in both numbers and kinds of organisms
compared to the reaph near Medway at mile 6l.5 (Figure 3 and Table 1).
Only one kind of pollution sensitive animal was found at mile 51-9 and
phytoplankton increased to 3,600 Pe** milliliter, or a density of 2.8
ppm (Table 2). Sandy muds mixed with pebbles in this reach were covered
with a one-inch layer of settled silt-like solids.
The Charles River received treated wastes from the Medfield sew-
age treatment facility at mile ^8.3. These caused an additional depres-
sion in the benthic animal population to 10 kinds of organisms at mile
U8.1 (Figure 3). Settleable components of such wastes provided a food
source for an increase to 160 pollution-tolerant sludgeworms per square
foot;
Wastes from the St. Stephens School outfall at mile Mt-,5 did not
have a perceptible deleterious effect on the benthic aquatic life 3.2
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15
miles downstream at mile 4l.3. Substantially improved water quality
was noted in this and subsequent reaches of the Charles River downstream
through mile 19.6. These reaches, designated by river miles hi.3, 3^.6,
26.8, 25.2, and 19.6 in Figure 3 and Table 1, contained populations of
benthic animals predominated by clean water organisms such as mayflies,
caddisflies, and certain beetles. Sludgeworms were present, but low in
numbers, as in other clean waiters. Two downstream reaches, miles 25.2
and 19.6 supported only three kinds of sensitive organisms in lieu of
the six kinds found upstream (Table l). Such reductions reflected
minor water quality impairments resulting from changes in the physical
habitat (stream channel modification by machinery) at mile 25.2 and
urban storm drainage waters at mile 19«6 rather than discharges from
municipal or industrial waste outfalls.
Although substantially improved water quality was indicated by
populations of bottom associated organisms in the series of reaches
from mile ^1.3 downstream through mile 19-6, waste waters discharged to
the tributaries or to the river upstream from mile 4l.3 contained
sufficient nutrients to cause degradation of water quality that was
perceptible in phytoplankton populations. Except in the vicinity of
mile 3^-»6 where there was an abundant growth of rooted aquatic plants,
phytoplankton increased to ^,000 or more, and were as abundant as 15,000
per milliliter in this series of reaches (Figure 4 and Table 2). Such
populations could interfere with any future domestic water uses because
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they would contribute to or cause taste and odor problems in finished
water supplies and would reduce the length of filter runs in any
water treatment facility located nearby. They also unduly increase
the turbidity of the stream, thereby reducing its aesthetic and
recreational values.
Wastes discharged from combined sewers intermittently flowed
into the Charles River in subsequent downstream reaches and became
more numerous as the stream approached Boston Harbor. Such discharges
effected a reduction in the number of kinds of clean water organisms
and a significant increase in pollution-tolerant sludgeworms associated
with reaches at miles lk.8, 12.0 and 9.0. Only one kind of clean water
organism, and sludgeworms populations exceeding 100 per square foot were
found in these polluted reaches.
Numerous additional waste sources from combined sewers, and
possibly some from industries, severely polluted the Charles River in
reaches used intensively for recreation further downstream as was
evidenced by the occurrence of only one kind of organism at mile k.O
near the John Weeks Foot Bridge, and by the 3a ck of any bottom-
associated animals at mile 0.6 near the Longfellow Bridge (Figure 3).
The paucity of such organisms was suggestive that toxic conditions pre-
vailed, thereby precluding establishment of bottom-associated animal
life. Black oozy muds that emitted foul odors and contained much
oily residue were found here> and the surface of the river was pock-
marked with bursting bubbles of hydrogen sulfide.
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Nutrients
Nitrogen and phosphorus stimulate aquatic plant growths. Some
aquatic plants can utilize organic forms of nitrogen and certain others
such as blue-green algae can fix atmospheric nitrogen. Most, however,
depend on soluble inorganic forms of nitrogen for growth and maintenance,
and al.l require soluble phosphorus. When sufficient quantities of
inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus are available and other factors such
as light, trace elements, temperature and substrate are not limiting,
abundant growths of aquatic plants occur in fresh water lakes and streams.
In the Charles River at mile 76.9 upstream from Milford, Massa-
chusetts, concentrations of inorganic nitrogen (N) and soluble phosphorus
(p) were low, 170 and 20 micrograms per liter, respectively (Table 3 and
Figures 6 and 7), and aquatic plants were not unusually abundant.
Wastes from the Milford sewage treatment facility increased
the concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and soluble phosphorus in the
river at mile 7^.7 (Figures 6 and 7), and this resulted in very abundant
rooted aquatic plants that restricted the flow of water in this reach.
Competition for nutrients by rooted aquatic plants found here prevented
an increase in phytoplankton (Figure U).
In Mine Brook inorganic nitrogen and soluble phosphorus concentra-
tions were high, amounting to more than 3,000 and 700 micrograms per
liter respectively. Most of the inorganic nitrogen was ammonia nitrogen
in this tributary (Table 3).
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18
These nutrients and those from the Milford sewage treatment
facility increased phytoplankton populations to 2,500 per milliliter
(Figure U) and caused dense growths of rooted aquatic plants in the
Charles River in subsequent downstream reaches to Medway, Massachusetts,
at mile 61.5. Even though aquatic plants were abundant, rich supplies
of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus were still present in this
reach. Such nutrients were available for additional plant popula-
tions farther downstream.
The Stop River also contributed inorganic nutrients to the
Charles River, but these contributions were less than those from
upstream sources in Mine Brook and the sewage treatment facility at
Milford, Massachusetts (Figures 6 and 7).
Downstream in the Charles River at mile U8.1 both rooted
aquatic plants and phytoplankton populations decreased, the latter
to 2,200 cells per milliliter. Sufficient concentrations of in-
organic nitrogen and phosphorus (6UO and 270 micrograms per liter,
respectively) still were available for growth of aquatic plants in
this reach, but increased turbidity and river depth may account for
the plant populations reductions.
Subsequent reaches of the Charles River downstream through
mile lU.8 near Newton, Massachusetts, had high concentrations of
inorganic nitrogen (more than 500 micrograms per liter) and soluble
phosphorus (130 or more micrograms per liter). Phytoplankton
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40
RIVER MILES
30
20
10
FIGURE 6. INORGANIC NITROGEN (jjg/l) IN THE CHARLES RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, JULY-
AUGUST, 1967.
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3000-
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FIGURE 7. SOLUBLE PHOSPHORUS (jjg/l) IN THE CHARLES RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES , JULY-
AUGUST, 1967.
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19
populations (Figure k, Table 2), rooted aquatic plants, or both
were abundant in these reaches (dense growths of rooted aquatic
plants usually were accompanied by decreased density of phyto-
plankton, and vice versa).
Inorganic nitrogen in! the Charles River also was high arid
amounted to 570 roicrograms per liter at mile 12.0 (Figure 6, Table
3). Storm and combined sewers in the vicinity of Waltham Highlands
and Newton, Massachusetts discharge wastes into this reach. No in-
crease in soluble phosphorus was found here (Figure 7). Rooted
aquatic plants were not observed, but phytoplankton increased to
19,800 cells per milliliter.
Downstream reaches of the river to its confluence with Boston
Harbor contained increased concentrations of inorganic nitrogen (680
to 9^-0 micrograms per liter)'and soluble phosphorus (l?0-l8o micro-
grams per liter) that supported abundant phytoplankton populations
exceeding 10,000 cells per milliliter. Many combined sewers discharge
to these reaches.
Bottom Deposits
Municipal sewage and certain industrial wastes contain sub-
stantial quantities of organic nitrogenous and carbonaceous materials
that settle and form sludge deposits when discharged to receiving
waters. These deposits decompose and consume oxygen from the
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20
overlying water causing a decrease in the amounts of oxygen available
for aquatic life such as fish and fish food organisms. In the
Charles River, percentages of organic carbon and organic nitrogen
were determined from dried river bed samples (Table U, Figure 8).
Bottom materials in the Charles River at mile 76.9 contained
0.3 percent organic carbon and 0.07 percent organic nitrogen. These
values are low and are not suggestive of organic pollution.
Suspended solids from wastes at the Milford sewage treatment
facility settled to the bottom of the Charles River and formed
sludge deposits rich in carbonaceous and nitrogenous materials in
the polluted reach associated with mile 7^«7. About 12 percent of
this sludge was organic carbon |(Pigure 8), and 0.73 percent was
organic nitrogen (Table k).
Mine Brook and the Stop River (miles 6U.7-07 and 52.7-0.2),
lacked sludge deposits. The Charles River reach between these
tributaries had abundant growths of rooted aquatic plants and lacked
sludge deposits; the bottom sample contained less than 3 percent
carbon, and this was due in part to the presence of aquatic plant
fragments in the sample.
Downstream from the confluence with the Stop River, sludge-
like bottom materials contained 6 percent organic carbon and 0.32
percent organic nitrogen (mile 51.9) Some organic matter in these
deposits may have originated in the polluted Stop River.
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WASTE SOURCES
60
50
20
40 30
RIVER MILES
FIGURES. PERCENTAGE OF ORGANIC CARBON IN CHARLES RIVER MUDS , AUGUST J967.
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Carbonaceous and nitrogenous matter decreased in bottom
deposits of the Charles River at mile U8.1 downstream from the
Medfield sewage treatment facility. Chemically the deposits were
not characteristic of sludge. In the subsequent reaches downstream
through mile 19.6 samples of bottom deposits were not chemically
analyzed, because the bottom materials were composed of silty sand,
pebbles, or rock.
Suspended organic matter from storm water discharges settled
out in the reach at mile lU.8 where the organic carbon and organic
nitrogen contents of the bottom deposits amounted to 11.2 and O.kl
percents, respectively. This segment of the Charles River is located
at the upstream end of an impoundment where the velocity of the
river was much reduced, thus providing an opportunity for settling
of suspended organic matter. Sludge deposits were not found in
the reach at mile 12.0 near the dam that impounded this river reach.
The many combined sewers that are located in the three re-
maining reaches downstream to the confluence with Boston Harbor
deposited highly carbonaceous and nitrogenous wastes to the Charles
River (Table 4). The organic carbon content of these sludges
exceeded 12 percent (Figure 8), and the organic nitrogen ranged
from 0.70 to 0.8U percent, indicating part organic pollution (Table
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Summary
A study of bottom organisms, aquatic plants, nutrients and
chemical characteristics of bottom deposits in the Charles River
showed water quality degradation from wastes originating in Milford,
Massachusetts, and with additional waste contributions in down-
stream reaches polluted conditions extended through Medfield,
Massachusetts, a distance of 32 stream miles. Improved water quality
existed in subsequent reaches to Wellesley, Massachusetts, but nutri-
ents from upstream waste sources caused dense growths of aquatic
plants, including phytoplankton, in these improved reaches. Com-
bined sewer discharges in the Boston metropolitan area ultimately
caused severely degraded water in the most downstream segments of the
Charles River (15 stream miles). A total of 75 miles of the river is
damaged by the discharge of inadequately treated waste waters. The
Charles River contributed grossly polluted water to Boston Harbor.
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BOSTON HAEBOR AND TRIBUTARIES
Aquatic Life
In addition to the Charles River, certain other tributaries
contributed polluted water to Boston Harbor. Numerous outfalls
discharge municipal and industrial wastes to the Mystic, Maiden,
and Chelsea Rivers. Sampling sites in these tributaries are shown
in Figure 9.
The upstream reach of the Cystic River at the Route 16 bridge
near Medford, Massachusetts, supported only one kind of bottom
associated animal (Table 5). Substantial quantities of oily residues
were observed in the black sludge that covered the river bottom.
Additional downstream qualitative sampling disclosed that black
sludge deposits predominated in the benthic environment of the
Mystic River to its confluence with the Maiden River. Phytoplankton
density in surface waters of the Mystic River were high, exceeding
40 ppm, or 29,000 cells per milliliter (Table 6). If not severely
polluted these benthic reaches of the Mystic River would support
additional kinds of bottom animals such as sludgewonns and midges,
or polychaete worms.
The Maiden River was severely polluted upstream from its
confluence with the Mystic River near the Revere Beach Parkway
bridge at Medford, Massachusetts. Bottom-associated animals were
not found here, and four inches of black sludge mixed with oily
-------
MASSACHUSETTS
BAY
FIGURE 9. STATION LOCATIONS IN BOSTON HARBOR
AND TRIBUTARIES.
-------
residues covered the stream bottom. Surface waters of the Maiden
River contained more than 60,000 phytoplankton per milliliter that
amounted to a density of 13.8 ppm. The Maiden and Mystic Rivers
contributed severely polluted water to the inner reaches of Boston
Harbor.
Marine waters supporting polychaete worms prevailed in all
but one of the remaining tributaries and in all Boston Harbor reaches.
Polychaete worms were sufficiently common in these waters that their
abundance was used to show areas and degrees of over-enrichment. The
use of marine worms for these purposes is not unlike the use of
sludgeworms to delineate areas of over-enrichment in fresh waters
because the nutritional and substrate requirements of both groups
of organisms are similar. Polychaete worm populations that exceed
a density of 200 per square foot in the following marine waters of
Boston Harbor were considered indicative of excessive enrichment
(Figure 10).
The two lower marine reaches of the Chelsea River supported a
minimal variety of bottom animals (Table 5). Samples from the up-
stream segment near the Broadway Street bridge contained organisms
that represented only two groups of marine animals, polychaete
worms and scuds. Suspended solids in wastes discharged to this
segment of the river settled to the bottom and provided organic
materials that supported 792 polychaete worms per square foot.
-------
NORTH
MASSACHUSETTS
BAY
WEYMOUTH / R.
FIGURE 10. NUMBER OF POLYCHAETE WORMS PER
SQUARE FOOT, BOSTON HARBOR AND
TRIBUTARIES, JULY-AUGUST, 1967.
-------
25
The slightly oily, black sludge found here emitted foul odors and
surface waters of the reach were streaked heavily with oil from
nearby petroleum storage facilities. Additional downstream wastes
caused an increase to 2,500 per square foot in the polychaete worm
populations of the Chelsea River near its mouth below the Meridian
Street bridge. These were associated with only one other group
of organisms, snails. If not grossly polluted, the Chelsea River
bottom-animal populations would include organisms such as clams,
crabs, nematode worms, and mussels, and polychaete worms would be
few in numbers.
The confluence of the Chelsea, Cystic, and Charles Rivers
forms a waterway that is known as Boston Inner Harbor (Figure 9).
Tidal currents in Boston Inner Harbor are strong and rapidly would
displace the wastes entering the area from these tributaries, but
additional wastes entering the Inner Harbor exceed the waste dis-
persal capacity of the currents. Consequently, some wastes from
local and tributary sources are deposited here as sludge. Qualitative
samples taken in the vicinity of the confluence of these tributaries
showed that oily sludge covered these bottom reaches of the Inner
Harbor, and that the predominant associated aquatic life was
polychaete worms. Quantitative samples from the Inner Harbor in
the vicinity above the Sumner tunnel showed that the oily sludge
deposits located here supported 96^ polychaete worms per square foot
-------
26
(Table 1, Station H-l). Other benthic organisms associated with unpol-
luted marine waters were not found. Such a population of polychaete
worms shows excessive enrichment of this reach (Figure 10). It is
likely that harbor dredging operations for channel maintenance suffi-
ciently disturb these bottom deposits to preclude development of higher
populations of polychaete worms.
Many other waste outfalls are located in seaward reaches of
Boston Inner Harbor. Wastes from those entering the Port Point Channel
severely polluted the water there. Qualitative sampling showed an
absence of bottom-associated organisms in this channel. Sludge deposits
in the Fort Point Channel were more than 3 feet deep, contained oily
residues, and emitted foul odors. Hydrogen sulfide bubbles effervesed
from the sludge in this reach, rose to the surface and burst, creating
readily apparent odors like those of raw sewage and rotten eggs.
Settleable solids from additional waste sources were deposited
in the seaward reach of Boston Outer Harbor north of Spectacle Island
where they formed sludge deposits that supported more than 5*000 poly-
chaete worms per square foot (Table 7, Station H-2). Severely enriched
conditions were apparent (Figure 10). Scuds were the only other organ-
isms found here. Such high populations and the presence of only one
I
additional kind of bottom animal attest that this harbor reach was
grossly polluted.
Polychaete worms decreased in abundance and the variety of
associated animals increased slightly farther seaward in areas near a
-------
27
course toward the mouth of the outer harbor at Massachusetts Bay
(Figure 9 and Table 1, Stations H-5, and H-17). These relationships
are suggestive of progressive improvements in water quality. Samples
from Station 17 near the Deer Island sewer outfalls at the mouth of
Boston Harbor supported 115 polychaete worms and four other kinds of
benthic organisms per square foot. Bottom materials in these samples
i
consisted of scraps of mollusc shells, small pebbles, black silty
particles, sand, and some sewage-associated wastes such as pieces of
vegetables, aluminum foil, and soap-like particles. Sewage-like solids,
other assorted rejectimenta, and oily slicks also were observed in the
surface waters of this reach |during both flood and ebb tides. Tidal
currents here are very strong and likely prevent immediate settling of
i
much suspended matter from the nearby waste outfalls of the Deer Island
sewage treatment facility. Such observations in conjunction with the
abundance of polychaete worms and the paucity of other kinds of organisms
show that this reach also was polluted.
Clean water, as indicated by a great variety of benthic organisms,
was found at a supplemental biological station located seaward of Boston
Harbor in Massachusetts Bay between Green Island and the Brewester
i
Islands (Figure 9). Qualitative samples from this area showed that it
supported at least 1^ different groups of organisms. Many of these were
clean-water-associated animals such as chitons, sponges, starfish,
shrimp, brittle-stars, and crabs (Table 7, Station H-21). Sludge-like
-------
28
deposits were not present here, and bottom materials were comprised
of clay, clean sand, rocks, and rubble that also supported a variety
of attached brown, green, and red algae.
Additional wastes sources, primarily combined sewer outfalls,
are located in certain other reaches of Boston Harbor. Some of these
drained into Winthrop Bay and effected polluted conditions. The most
inland reach of Winthrop Bay north of Logan International Airport
supported only two groups of bottom animals, polychaete worms that
numbered hOk per square foot and certain shrimp often found on soft
sediments (Figure 9 and Table 6, Station H-20). Benthic deposits com-
prised of dark gray oozy muds,emitted a detectable odor of hydrogen
sulfide, and contained perceptible oily residues. Samples from the
seaward reach of Winthrop Bay between Winthrop, Massachusetts and Logan
International Airport contained sand mixed with black particles,
emitted faint odors of hydrogen sulfide, and included six groups of
organisms predominated by 7l6'polychaete worms per square foot of sub-
i
strate. Tidal currents in the narrow channel are strong and prevent
excessive deposition of suspended materials (Station H-19). The lack
of a greater variety of bottom animals and the abundance of polychaete
worms are suggestive of polluted water in these two excessively enriched
inland reaches of Winthrop Bay (Figure 10).
Near the mouth of Winthrop Bay, polychaete worm populations
exceeded a density of 4,000 per square foot (Station H-l8, seaward and
southeasterly from Logan International Airport). Other associated
-------
29
organisms were not found. It is reported that wastes from the Deer
Island sewage treatment facility may enter this reach of Winthrop
Harbor during flood tides.* Settling of suspended solids from these
wastes could form the grayish-brown deposits sampled here and would
furnish an adequate food supply for this abundant worm population.
Strong odors and oily residues were not perceived in such deposits.
This seaward reach of Winthrop Bay was polluted (Figure 10).
As in Winthrop Bay, other wastes discharged from the Boston
metropolitan area effected pollution of Dorchester Bay and its fresh-
water tributary, the Neponset River (Figure 9)« In "the upstream fresh-
water reach of the Neponset River at the Neponset Valley Parkway, raw
sewage and combined sewer effluents grossly polluted the water. Pollu-
tion-tolerant sludgewonns amounting to 10,000 individuals per square
foot and short attached streamers of sewage-associated bacteria (Sphaero-
tilus sp) predominated the substrates here (Table 5, Station N-l).
i
Sludge containing oily residues and foul odors also were noted. No
improvement in water quality was observed downstream at Station N-2 in
the vicinity of the Central Avenue Bridge at Milton, Massachusetts where
i
oily bottom material supported only 3 kinds of animals not represented
*Sawyer, C. N. 1965. The Sea-Lettuce Problem in Boston Harbor.
Journal of the WPC Federation, Volume 37, No. 8, pp 1122-1133.
-------
30
by pollution-sensitive forms. Qualitative samples in this reach showed
sludge deposits, and rocks stuck together with red precipitates similar
to iron oxide. Such deposits and the associated aquatic life are sugges-
tive that upstream wastes were toxic and of sewage and industrial origin.
Both reaches of the Neponset River were severely polluted, and each con-
tributed grossly polluted water to the Dorchester Bay area of Boston Harbor.
Apparent pollution and fexcessive enrichment of Dorchester Bay,
principally caused by associated combined sewer discharges, was evi-
denced by a lack of organisms other than polychaete worms in samples
from Station H-4 just north of the Boston Harbor Marina (Figures 9 and
10). Samples from these black sludge deposits contained 1,18^ polychaetes
I
per square foot, emanated strong hydrogen sulfide odors, and contained
I
oily residues. Seaward from this reach, near the west side of Thompson
i
Island, two kinds of bottom animals were found including polychaete
worms amounting to 1,756 per square foot (Table 7, Station H-3). Per-
I
ceptible quantities of oily residues were noted.
Wastes discharged at Moon Head and those from the Nut Island
sewage treatment facility caused excessive enrichment of harbor reaches
l
around Long Island (Figure 10)^ Benthic deposits supported polychaete
worm populations that ranged from 288 to 572 individuals per square foot
i
(Table 7, Stations H-5, H-6, H-7, H-l6, and H-16A). Suspended sewage
solids were observed in the reach at Station 6 near Moon Head, and the
-------
31
dark gray, soft bottom materials here supported four additional kinds
of organisms such as snails, two kinds of scuds, and nematode worms.
If not polluted, this reach would support additional kinds of organisms
such as starfish, crabs, and shrimp that are associated with clean water.
Similarly polluted water was found at Station 5 which receives
pollutants chiefly from outfalls at the north end of Long Island during
flopd tides. About two inches of oozy material blanketed the scraps
of shells mixed with dark sand and pebbles here.
Black sludge-like deposits at Station H-7 supported only three
groups of organisms, including the polychaete worms that exceeded a
density of 200 per square foot.
The primary waste source that caused pollution at Stations H-l6
and H-16A is the outfall at Long Island. Five kinds of organisms pre-
dominated by polychaete worms were found in these polluted reaches con-
taining black sludge and oily residues between Long, Gallops, Georges,
and Rainsford Islands.
Excessively enriched waters were not apparent in Quincy Bay and
in reaches seaward through Nantasket Roads to the mouth of Boston Harbor
between Georges Island and Pemberton. Samples in these reaches, however,
lacked the great variety of organisms contained in the clean water reach
associated with Green and the Brewster Islands beyond the mouth of
Boston Harbor in Massachusetts Bay.
-------
32
Samples from the inland reach of Quincy Bay at Stations H-8 and
H-9 contained only two kinds of bottom animals, and observations of
associated surface waters disclosed flocculent sewage-like particles,
assorted waste solids, and much oily residue. The paucity of kinds of
organisms at these sites is evidence that such waters are polluted.
Disposal of wastes from the Nut Island sewage porcessing facility
include outfalls in the vicinity of Station H-10 in addition to those
located north of Long Island. Most settleable solids are not deposited
in the reach at Station H-10 because of strong tidal currents. Dark
colored sand, small rocks, and shell scraps rather than oozy deposits
were collected here and these supported a minimal variety of associated
animals, polychaete worms, scuds, and snails. The lack of other forms
such as starfish, crabs, chitons, and sponges is suggestive of polluted
conditions.
Moderately polluted water was indicated at Station H-15 between
Pemberton Point and Peddocks Island. Six kinds of organisms, including
starfish, sow bugs, and nematode worms, were associated with the sandy
and pebble laden bottom material of this turbulent reach. Brittle-
stars, chitons, and sponges were not found, and polychaete worms were
represented by a small number of individuals (Table 7). Oily residues
and flocculent solids resembling sewage wastes were present in surface
waters.
Excessively dense polychaete worm populations indicate that much
of the Hingham Bay area of Boston Harbor, one of its. tributaries, the
-------
33
Weymouth Fore River, and Hull Bay were polluted (Figure 9 and 10).
Organisms associated with polychaete worms in the vicinity of the
seaward reach of Hingham Bay east of Peddocks Island at Station Ik
included cumaceans, four kinds of scuds, and snails. This combina-
tion of benthic animals is discordant with those found in clean water.
Benthic materials were black and oozy, and contained oily residues,
many scraps of paper, cellophane and aluminum foil. Oil slicks and
suspended flocculent solids were observed in this polluted reach,
as in the turbulent reach at Station H-15 just seaward of Hingham
Bay.
The Weymouth Back River at Station WB-1 was not significantly
polluted. Polychaete worms were not excessively abundant, and were pre-
dominated by organisms often associated with clean marine water, such
as bivalve molluscs, shrimp, and limpets (Table 5)« Suspended flocculent
materials resembling those in sewage waste were lacking in the surface
waters of this reach. Oily residues and noxious odors were not presenr
in samples of the clean brown sands and pebbles collected from the
river bottom.
The Weir River was not perceptibly polluted in the vicinity of
the Washington Bridge (Table 5, Station W-l). Bottom materials of the
river in this vicinity were a mixture of clay, mud, pebbles, vegetation
and empty shells that supported nine kinds of organisms, including
bivalve molluscs, cumaceans, and limpets. Polychaete worms and scuds
were not abundant.
-------
Hull Bay lies northeasterly of Hingham Bay and, like the seaward
reaches of Hingham Bay, was grossly polluted. It supported a minimal
variety of bottom animals predominated by polychaete worms that
exceeded a density of 200 per square foot.
Nutrients
Sewage waste waters discharged through the many outfalls in
Boston Harbor and associated ,bays and tributaries caused very high
concentrations of ammonia nitrogen (N) and soluble phosphorus (P) that
averaged or exceeded 100 and 'Uo micrograms per liter, respectively in
390 samples from all reaches of the harbor inland from Massachusetts
i
Bay, including those near the mouth of the harbor at Stations H-17 and
H-15 (Table 9).* The highest1 average concentrations (22 samples) of
such nutrients occurred in Boston Inner Harbor at Station H-l, where
ammonia nitrogen was 200 micrograms per liter and soluble phosphorus
11
was 70 micrograms per liter. , Maximum single sample concentrations were
300 micrograms per liter ammonia nitrogen (N) and 120 micrograms per
liter soluble phosphorus (P) at Station H-l. The average concentration
of ammonia nitrogen ranged from 100 to 128 micrograms per liter in
southern sectors of Boston Harbor associated with the waters of Nantasket
Roads, and Hingham and Hull Bays. The average concentrations of soluble
i
phosphorus in these reaches ranged from 40 to 70 micrograms per liter.
*As a control point, Sawyer reported values of 20 and 16 micrograms per
liter in Massachusetts Bay at the Beacon Street jetty (Sawyer, C. N. 1965.
The Sea Lettuce Problem in Boston Harbor, Journal of the WPC Federation,
Volume 37, No. 8, pp 1122-1133.)
-------
35
High concentrations of inorganic nutrients in these and
certain associated waters caused excessively dense populations of
phytoplankton that averaged more than 1,000 per milliliter in about
35 square miles or 66 percent of Boston Harbor, including the Weymouth
Back and Fore Rivers, and the saline reaches of the Chelsea, Charles,
Maiden, and Jfystic Rivers (Figure 11, Tables 6 and 9)-* The highest
average phytoplankton densities occurred in Boston Inner Harbor,
Winthrop Bay, and in the vicinity circumscribed by Georges, Peddocks,
Rainsford and Long Islands. Hull, Hingham, and the inland reaches of
i
Quincy and Dorchester Bays had phytoplankton populations amounting to
i
less than 1,000 per milliliter.
In addition to causing excessive phytoplankton populations, the
nutrients stimulated dense growths of attached marine plants. Observa-
tions throughout Boston Harbor disclosed such growths on most buoy,
pier, and marina facilities. Several intertidal and shallow areas of
the harbor and certain reaches of Winthrop Bay also supported dense
growths of attached marine algae. These cause noxious conditions in
Winthrop Bay, unsightly growths at marina facilities, and increase
maintenance costs associated with buoys and piers. In Winthrop Bay,
decomposing masses of sea lettuce have caused hydrogen sulfide emissions
sufficient to discolor white paint on adjacent dwellings.
^Studies in other marine and estuarine waters have disclosed that
phytoplankton populations more dense than 1,000 per milliliter are
indicative of over-enrichment in such waters.
-------
NORTH
MYSTIC R.
MASSACHUSETTS
BAY
F 1 < I000/ml.
IOOO to ISOO/ml.
11 > 1900/ml.
Outer boundary of
harbor ttudy
FIGURE II. AVERAGE NUMBER OF PHYTOPLANKTON
(number/ml.), IN BOSTON HARBOR, AUGUST,
1967.
-------
Boston Harbor and Tributary Bottom Deposits
Wastes discharged from the Boston metropolitan area contain
organic carbon and organic nitrogen that settle and form soft deposits
in the receiving waters of Boston Harbor, its associated bays, and
saline reaches of the Chelsea, Maiden, Mystic, Neponset, and Weymouth
Fore Rivers. The percentages of organic carbon and organic nitrogen
in such bottom deposits were determined from dried samples (Tables 10
and 11).
The highest percentages of organic carbon (12.5) and organic
nitrogen (0.3*0 in sludge of saline tributaries were found in the most
inland reach of the Chelsea River near the Broadway Street bridge;
these values are indicative of actively decomposing organic solids.
(Table 10, Station Ch-l). Sludges from the bayward reach of the Chelsea
River, and from the Maiden, Mystic and Neponset Rivers had more than
four percent organic carbon, and more than 0.10 percent organic nitrogen.
Such values are suggestive of excessively enriched deposits.
The polluted Weymouth Fore River had deposits with less than
four percent organic carbon and less than 0.10 percent organic nitrogen,
and samples from Weir River contained aquatic plant fragments that
resulted in k.O and 0.29 percentages of organic carbon and nitrogen,
respectively.
The highest percentages of organic carbon (23.5) and organic
nitrogen (1.29) associated with harbor sludges were found in the Fort
Point Channel (Table 11, Station FP-l). This reach was very intensively
polluted, and septic. Such values are not unlike those associated
with raw wastes from packinghouses, sewage, or rapidly decomposing sludge.
-------
37
Other harbor reaches had sludges with lesser percentages of
organic carbon and nitrogen than the Fort Point Channel (Table 11).
More than four percent organic carbon, and 0.20 percent organic
nitrogen were found in sludge samples from Stations H-l (Boston Inner
Harbor), H-4 (Dorchester Bay,, north of marina near mouth of Neponset
i
River), H-6 (adjacent to waste outfall at Moon Island), and Station
H-l8 (seaward reach of Winthrpp Bay). Samples from the remaining harbor
stations contained less than four but more than twp percent organic
carbon, and organic nitrogen that varied from 0.06 to 0.27 percent.
Organic carbon and nitrogen in bottom deposits seaward from the harbor
i
in the clean reaches of Massachusetts Bay amounted to O.k and 0.0^ per-
cents respectively, and these deposits consisted of clay overlaid by
sand, pebbles, and rocks. These data show that «-1.i. of Boston Harbor,
its inland bays, and the saline reaches of the Chelsea, Maiden, Mystic,
Neponset, and Weymouth Fore Rivers contained extensive bottom deposits
of decayed organic material, much of which probably originated from
l
associated waste discharges.
I
In addition to surface1deposits, core samples from several harbor
stations also were chemically analyzed (Table 12). Core samples from
stations somewhat distant of immediate waste sources and known channel
dredging activities, such as the 15-inch core from Station 7 southeast
of Long Island, had decreasing percentages of organic carbon (from ^.7
at the top of the core to 0.3 at the bottom) and organic nitrogen (from
Q.kQ to 0.03, respectively) suggestive of gradual increases in percentage
-------
38
of organic matter with time. Core samples from stations close to
major waste sources and remote from known channel dredging activities
and strong currents, such as the 22-inch core from Station 18 in the
mouth of Winthrop Bay and the 13-inch core from Station 6 near the
Moon Island outfall, had varying percentages of organic carbon and
organic nitrogen (ranging from 1.3 to 6.2 and from 0.09 to 0.52
respectively) indicative of variations in rates of settling of organic
matter, in quantity of mineral matter incorporated in the sediments,
and in the decomposition of organic sediments before new materials were
deposited.
-------
39
Summary
All reaches of Boston Harbor and each of its tributary streams,
except the inland marine reaches of the Weymouth Back and Weir Rivers,
were polluted as was evidenced by a paucity of kinds of organisms
associated with benthic deposits. About 1^ square miles or 30 per-
cent of the harbor inland from Massachusetts Bay were frossly polluted.
Deposition of suspended sewage waste particles effected dense popula-
tions of polychaete worms that exceeded 200 per square foot in all
of Boston Harbor except those waters associated with the inland
sectors of Quinpy Bay, and those seaward along a relatively narrow
course through Nantasket Roads to the southern mouth of t^e harbor
at Massachusetts Bay.
Ammonia nitrogen (N) and soluble phosphorus (P) were equal to or
greater than 100 and 4o micrograms per liter, respectively, in all areas
of Boston Harbor inland from its mouth near Massachusetts Bay. Such
high concentrations of nutrients caused overly-enriched conditions
that stimulated dense populations of phytoplankton exceeding 1,000 per
I
milliliter in about 35 square miles or 66 percent of the harbor, includ-
ing the Weymouth Back and Fore Rivers and the saline reaches of the
dhelsea, Charles, Maiden, and Mystic Rivers. Extensive deposits of
decayed organic matter and incorporated oily residues covered much of
the harbor bed.
-------
APPENDIX
Tables
-------
Table 1. Charles River Bottom Organises
Kinds and Numbera per Square Foot
August 1967
Organism
Mayflies
Tricorythodgs sp.
Bitetis sp.
Caenis ap.
Stenonema op.
CaddlBfllea
Agralea sp.
Cheupatqpayche sp.
Hater-penny Beetles
Paephenua
Riffle Beetles
Stenelnls ap.
Aquatic Caterpillars
F.lophil* sp.
Subtotal 'Nunbera
Subtotal Kinds
Crawl inc Water Beetles
Hallplus sp.
Dry op Id DcetJea
(felichua ap.
BlacKrtlee
Sitnullun ap.
ProaiflnTTlun op.
Midget
Chironooos op.
Tanytargufl ap.
Pentaneura sp.
Polypediliiat sp.
C^ott°uf^>'
brytochlronopua ip.
Dance-flies
Enpldld&e
Biting Midges
Bezila ap.
Scuds
Gammarua sp.
Sow-bugs
Asellus sp.
Crayfish
Cambarlnae
Limpets
Ancyl idae
Snails
Phyoldae
Clams
Plecepoda
Plonarlans
Planarlidae
Leeches
Hirudlnea
Subtotal munbers
Subtotal Kinds
Station Nuabe
c-1 C-2 C-3 C-li C-5 C-6 C-7
(76.9) (7>».9) (6U.7-0.7)(6l.5)(52-7-0.2)(5l.9)
3
30 160
33 160
2 1
73 222
12 10
-
2
2
1
2k3
23
-
1
1
1
338
2k
«
1
1
376
19
44-4-
20 12 160 120 256
21 1) ' 160 121 256
2 2 1 2 1
5t 203 231 557 '87
15 Ik 7 15 5
-
-
0
0
1
1
-
-
0
0
0
0
* Q - Present in qualitative sraples; given an arbitrary vmlue of 1 In the totals.
-------
Table 2. Charles River Enytoplankton
Numbers and Volume
August 1967
River Mile
Number per mi.1 1 iliter
Flagellate
Diatoms Greens Greens Other Total
Volume (parts per million)
Flagellate
Diatoms Greens Greens Other Total
76.9
74.7
64.7-0.7
61.5
52.7-0.2
51-9
48.1
41.3
34.6
26.8
25.2
19.6
14.8
12.0
9.0
4.o
0.6
100
100
100
300
800
400
600
2,000
3,000
1,100
12,800
12,100
17,200
12,700
4,700
1,400
400
100
100
50
1,100
800
3,200
200
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,700
1,800
900
5,400
6,700
100
200
-
2,250
350
900
900
l,4oo
-
700
1,700
1,000
4oo
700
300
700
1,300
;
-
50
150
- 800
100
-
200
-
-
-
-
100
-
4oo
800
500
300
200
2,500
850
-3/600 -
2,200
5,200
2,400
5,200
4,300
15,300
14,200
19,800
13,900
11,200
10,200
0.01
0.03
0.04
0.40
-0.81-
1.02
1.17
1.28
1.69
0.77
7.26
5.23
8.55
5.04
2.97
1.77
0.15
0.01
0.18
0.01
- 0.87-
0.11
2.71
0.01
0.96
7.03
2.38
0.97
8.52
1.10
43.90
4.32
0.20
0.08
-
1.06
0.19
1.16
0.68
3.37
-
0.35
13.96
0.97
0.20
3.50
1.58
1.05
1.19
-
0.01
0.49
0.01
0.01
-
0.01
-
-
«
-
3.20
-
0.01
0.09
0.35
0.09
O.o4
1.29
1.09
2.85
1.82
7.25
1.30
3.00
21.76
10.61
6.4o
23.71
7.72
47.93
7.37
-------
Table 3. Average Concentrations of Nutrients
Charles River, Mine Brook and Stop River
July-August 1967
Station Location
(River mile)
76.9
74.7
64.7-0.7
(Mine Brook)
61.5
52.7-0.2
(Stop River)
51-9
48.1
41.3
34.6
26.8
25.2
19.6
14.8
12.0
9-0
4.0
0.6
NO -W
< 100
4,000
100
1,000
200
600
500
500
4oo
4oo
4oo
400
500
4oo
500
too
400
Micro grams per
NH -N Org-N
70
3,o4o
2,930
380
300
150
ito
130
120
110
100
130
120
170
180
430
54o
900
1,700
1,500
1,200
1,100
1,100
1,100
1,300
1,100
1,100
1,200
1,200
1,200
1,200
1,200
1,100
900
liter
Total P
70
3, ito
1,090
650
' 380
U6o
420
370
300
280
280
2oO
2to
240
250
310
270
Sol. P
20
2,920
710
480
2to
320
270
280
200
190
170
150
130
120
120
180
180
-------
Table 4. Charles River Muds
Percentages of Organic Carbon and Organic Nitrogen
(Dry Weight)
July-August 1967
Sampling Stations
(River miles)
76.9
7^.7
61.5
51.9
U8.1
ill-. 8
9.0
4.0
0.6
Percentage
Organic Carbon
0.3
12.2
1.3
6.0.
3-3
11.2
;2o.o
18. U
13.7
Percentage
Organic Nitrogen
0.07
0.73
0.12
0.32
0.15
o.Ui
0.7^
0.82
0.70
-------
Table 5. Bottom Organisms in
Mystic, Maiden, Chelsea, Heponset, Weymoutha and Weir Rivers
Numbers and Kinds per Square Foot
July-August 1967
Organisms
Marine Annelids
Polychaeta
Scuds- Amphipoda
Caprellidae
Corophiidap
Corophium sp
Photidae
Sow bugs
Isopoda
Cumaceans
Diastalis sp.
Shrimp
Natantia
Bivalve Molluscs
Pelecepoda
Snails
Gastropoda
Phantom Midges
Chaoborlnae
Limpets
Gastropoda
Leeches
Hlrudlnea
Sludgevoims
Tubificldae
Total Organisms
Total Kinds
Station Designation
Veymouth Rivers
^stic River Maiden River Chelsea River Neponset River Fore Back
M!f-l MY-1A MArl CH-1 CH-2 H-l B-2 WF-1 WB-1
796 21*96 - - 56U 120
......
16 - 3 320
iltOS
- - - . - . - - - - 232
.. . ......
2 Q
3 3632
U8 Q* 3 26 ft
16 - - .-..-.
26 Q
- « 259
- - 10,000 581* - -
16 0 0 812. 25UU 10,002 81*6 62U 5715
10 0 223368
Weir Hiver
W-l
173
3
16
13
16
2
-
Q»
3
-
Q
-
~
£28
9
* 9. - Present in qualitative samples; given an arbitrary value of 1 In totals.
-------
Table 6. Phytoplankton in Mystic, Maiden, Chelsea,
Neponset, Weymouth Fore, Weymouth Back, and Weir Rivers
Numbers and Volumes
August 1967
Tributary
Station
Number
Number per milliliter
Diatoms Greens
Flagellate
Greens Q-ther Total
Volume
Diatoms Greens
(parts per million)
Flagellate
Greens
Other
Total
Mystic River
MY-1 16,750
Maiden River
MA-1 1,500
Chelsea River
CH-1
CH-2 2,300
Neponset River
N-l
N-2
Weymouth Fore River
WF-1
Weymouth Back River
WB-1 100
Weir River
W-l 50
9,000
10,250
31,250
150
-
-
3,500
50,250
-
550
200
900
700
50
- 29,250
62,000
- 31,250
600 2,900
700
200 ItOO
300 1,200
300 1,100
100
8.73 21.56
0.07 2.3k
5.26
0.59
0.01
-
O.lk
0.06
10.16
11.46
-
0.50
0.07
0.23
0.18
0.01
40.^5
- 13.87
5.26
0.15 0.74
0.51
0.01 0.08
0.10 0.33
0.08 0.40
0.07
-------
Table 7. Boston Harbor Bottom Organises
Kinds and numbers per Square Foot
July-August 1967
Station Designation
Organlnm H-l H-2 H-3 B-fc H-5 B-6 H-7 H-8 B-9 B-10 H-ll H-12 H-13
Marine Annelida
Polyenaeta 96U 5285 1756 118» 31257S28868128 11 312 560 26li
Photldfle
Other -80 55 ------ - - -
Coryphildae
Etenotboldle
Metopa «p. .-..U---- ...72
Other - - - - 128 38 l>76 52 796 352 1288 2W
Sew bugs
Iiapoda -----378-- ---.
CUUCMDI
BlvalvB Mallnsca
SeMtode Worna
HaKtoda - - - - It - - . - - Q 16 -
Starfllh
Brittle- rtar«
Crabs
Baraacles
Chitons
Sponges
Total number of
organisms per
square foot 96U 5365 l8ll USk U90 6^*9 778 120 9BU 368 1602 82k Uko
Total lumber
B-llt H-15 H-16 H-16A H-17 K-18 H-19 B-20 H-21
211 8 512 262 115 U288 716 1>OU 4
--.- 5.16--
30- 8 13 29 -3 -ft
9k - 19 3 --11-Q
10k--
Q36 5. ft..
- 128 9
717 280 573 286 186 U288 771 U36 111
0 Present In qualitative sangiles; given an arbitrary value of 1 In the totals.
-------
Table 8. Boston Harbor Phytoplankton
Numbers and Volumes
August 1967
HIGH TIDE (8-17-67)
LOW TIDE (8-28-67)
Volume
Volume
Station
Number
H-l
H-2
H-3
H-l.
H-5
H-6
H-7
H-8
H-9
H-10
H-ll
H-12
H-12A
H-13
H-lU
H-15
H-16
H-17
H-18
Depth
(Feet)
S*
20
3
20
2
10
S
0
10
s
s
10
s
s
s
10
s
10
s
10
s
s
s
20
s
10
s
10
s
20
s
10
Numbers
Diatoms
200
100
600
1.00
800
300
500
-
1)00
-
200
100
-
-
200
200
-
-
100
1*00
100
700
200
100
300
900
200
100
1,1*00
100
300
600
per mlllillter
Other Total
2,300
600
300
1*00
1,300
1,500
300
1,200
500
1,1.00
700
1,1*00
900
ItOO
500
1,300
uoo
1,100
1,100
800
300
200
1,000
1.000
500
500
1,200
1,000
800
1.00
1,300
1,700
2,500
700
800
800
2,100
1,800
600
1,200
900
1,1*00
900
1,500
900
1*00
700
1,500
Uoo
1,100
1,200
1,200
too
900
1,200
1,100
800
1,1.00
1,UOO
1,100
2,200
500
1,600
2,300
(parts
Diatoms
2.39
0.38
1.73
1.51.
1.92
5.91
0.13
0.00
1.53
0.00
0.58
0.21
0.00
0.00
1.15
0.58
0.00
0.00
0.38
0.96
O.ll*
1.73
0.58
0.19
1.23
11.62
0.20
0.19
3-11
0.20
1.63
1.16
per million)
Other Total
0.88
0.20
0.05
0.15
0.31*
0.38
0.08
0.30
0.13
0.1*3
0.26
0.35
0.25
0.15
0.10
0.65
0.10
0.35
0.38
0.20
0.08
0.10
0.28
0.30
0.18
0.13
0.38
0.23
0.19
0.13
0.38
0.1*6
3.27
0.58
1.78
1.69
2.26
6.29
0.21
0.30
1.66
0.1*3
0.81*
0.56
0.25
0.15
1.25
1.23
0.10
0.35
0.76
1.16
0.22
1.83
0.86
0.1*9
l.Ul
11.75
0.58
0.1.2
3-3P
0.33
2.01
1.62
Numbers
Diatoms
1,100
200
700
700
300
200
500
200
1*00
200
200
1,000
100
200
300
'
800
500
2,900
1,100
1,300
1,100
300
1*00
per mlllillter
Other Total
2,900
100
900
1,500
600
1*00
600
900
800
500
600
300
200
100
100
500
1(00
1*00
600
700
2,000
1,500
700
600
l»,000
300
1,600
2,200
900
600
1,100
1,100
1,200
700
800
1,300
300
300
1*00
500
1,200
900
3,500
1,800
3,300
2,600
1,000
1,000
(parts
Diatoms
0.35
0.20
1.72
1.92
0.3k
0.07
1.59
0.38
0.23
0.07
0.25
2.05
0.19
0.19
0.67
0.00
1.1*2
1.66
9.52
It. 57
1.1*7
1.69
0.20
0.96
per million)
Other Total
0.53
0.03
0.23
0.38
O.l6
0.50
0.29
0.52
0.20
0.13
0.23
0.08
0.05
0.03
0.03
0.15
0.10
0.09
0.13
0.18
0.50
0.1*0
0.20
0.15
0.88
0.23
1-95
2.30
0.50
0.57
1.88
0.90
0.1*6
0.20
0.1*8
2.13
0.21*
0.22
0.70
0.15
1.52
1.75
9.65
U.75
1.97
2.09
0.1*0
1.11
*S = surface sample taken at a depth of 2 feet.
Table 6. Phytoplankton in Itystic, Maiden, Ch-
-------
Table 9« Average Concentration of Nutrients
Boston Harbor
Ammonia Nitrogen and Soluble Phosphorus
July-August 1967
Station
H-l
H-2
H-3
H-U
H-5
H-6
H-T
H-8
H-9
H-10
H-ll
H-12
H-13
H-lU
H-15
H-16
H-17
H-18
Micrograms
NH -N
200
215
177
225
205
163
180
150
132
135
128
12k
100
112
113
186
195
167
per liter
Sol. P
70
50
60
60
60
70
60
70
60
60
70
60
50
50
ho
50
Uo
60
-------
Table 10. Percentages of Organic Carbon and Organic Nitrogen
Chelsea, Maiden, Cystic, Neponset, Weymouth Back,
Weymouth Fore, and Weir Rivers
July-August 1967
River & Station Number % Organic C % Organic N
Chelsea River
Ch-1 12.5 0.3U
Ch-2 U.2 0.18
Maiden River
Ma-1 . 6.5 0.2k
Nystic River
My-1 lf.1 0.11
Neponset River
N-2A * if.7 0.23
Weymcuth Pore River
WF-1 3.8 0.09
Weymouth Back River
WB-1**
Weir River
W-l . U.O 0.29
* This reach of the Neponset River is saline, and is located
in the vicinity of the Neponset Avenue bridge near Quincy,
Massachusetts.
** The most upstream reach of the Weymouth Back River contained
sand, pebbles, and small rocks; such materials would be ex-
pected to have very low percentages of organic carbon and
nitrogen, that is, less than 1.0 and 0.1 percents, respectively.
-------
Table 11. Percentages of
Organic Carbon and Organic Nitrogen
Boston Harbor Bottom Deposits
July-August 1967
Station Number % Organic Carbon % Organic Nitrogen
H-l ,5.5 0.20
FP-1* 23.5 1.29
H-2 2.1 0.19
H-3 2.1». O.lU
E-k h.6 0.27
H-5 3.6 0.22
H-6 15.0 0.26
H-7 U.6 0.37
H-8 3.6 0.20
H-9 2.3 0.20
H-10** [ -
H-ll 2.8 0.12
H-12 3.8 0.25
H-13 . 2.6 0.19
H-lll- 2.5 0.22
H-15** ! -
H-16 2.0 0.15
H-16A 3.2 0.20
H-17 2.1 0.06
H-18 h.9 O.kl
H-19 2.9 0.13
H-20 3.3 0.16
H-21 0.1* 0.0k
* FP-1 is located in the Fort! Point Channel.
** These stations had sand, pebbles and small rocks and would
have very low percentages of organic carbon and nitrogen,
that is, less than 1.0 and 0.1 percents, respectively.
-------
Table 12. Percentages of Organic Carbon and Organic Nitrogen
Cores from Selected Deposits in Boston Harbor
July-August 196?
Depth from top
of core (mm)
0-20
20- 40
40-60
60-80
80-100
100-120
120-140
140-160
160-180
180-200
200-220
220-240
2UQ-260
260-280
280-300
% Org.
Carbon
4.7
4.5
4.8
4.5
>.-9
4.3
3*
2.3
1-7
1.7
1.3
1.2
1.9
1.1
1.0
H-7
% Org.
Nitrogen
0.48
0.42
0.37
0.40
0.42
0.39
0.25
0.21
0.16
0.19
0.11
0.16
0.14
0.16
0.09
Station Number
H-6
% Org. % Org.
Carbon Nitrogen
4.4
4.1
4.7
5.7
5,9
5.9
5.9
5.9
6.2
6.1
5.0
4.8
4.9
5.1
5.5
0.39
0.33
0.32
0.36
0.37
0.38
0.37
0.31
0.31
0.34
0.25
0.25
0.30
0.33
0.33
H-18
% Org.
Carbon
2.8
-
3.1
-
2.6
-
3.0
-
3.0
-
1.7
-
1.6
-
1.8
% Org.
Nitrogen
0.20
-
0.17
-
0.20
-
0.21
-
0.21
-
0.13
-
0.12
-
0.11
-------
Table 12. (Con't.)
Depth from top
of core (mm)
300-320
320- 3 to
3to-360
360-380
380- too
too- 1*20
1*20-1*1*0
1*1*0-1*0
1*80-500
500-520
520- 5 to
560-580
H-7
% Org. % Org.
Carbon Nitrogen
1.1 0.13
1.0 O.Ol*
1.0 0.06
0.5 0.02
0.3 0.03
Station Number
H-6 H-18
% Org. % Org. % Org. % Org.
Carbon Nitrogen Carbon Nitrogen
5.3 0.33
5.7 0.31* 1.3
-
2.7
3.1
-
3-1
3-3
-
5.0
5.0
0.09
-
0.19
-
0.27
-
0.30
0.33
-
0.52
0.1*1*
------- |