St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Macroinvertebrate Study
August 1978
__.
EPA
United States
. .
Environmental
Protection Agency
Region I
NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL LABORATORY
60 WESTVIEW AVE. LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS 02173
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St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Macroinvertebrate Study
August 1978
Peter M. Nolan
Arthur F. Johnson
New England Regional Laboratory
Lexington, Massachusetts
January 1979
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Summary
The St. Croix River downstream of the Georgia-Pacific effluent
discharge, no longer exhibits the gross to moderate pollution conditions
described by EPA in 1972. The river presently has a significantly
greater diversity of benthos on the Maine side of the river, when
compared with data of eight years ago. This "species richness" appears
to increase linearly with distance downstream of the G-P discharge,
until the river habitat changes below the rips at Baring, Maine.
>
Although the St. Croix is recovering and has the ability to support
a variety of benthic invertebrate life, there appears to be nutrient and
organic enrichment downstream of the discharge. This is suggested by the
profuse growth of aquatic worms at Station 16U and the abundance of
caddis larvae also at 16U and at 17U.
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St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Macroinvertebrate Study
August 1978
Introduction
During the summer of 1972 EPA conducted a biological study of the
St. Croix River in the vicinity of Woodland, Maine. At that time, on
the basis of the benthic invertebrate populations found, the river was
found to be in a gross to moderately polluted state downstream of the
Georgia-Pacific effluent discharge. Subsequent to this time, Georgia-
Pacific has upgraded their waste water treatment to secondary with the
addition of 60 acres of extended aeration lagoons. Nolan and Johnson
(1977), found Sediment Oxygen Demand values in the river downstream of
Woodland to have improved in comparison to similar data generated five
years earlier, EPA (1972). Parker (1978), found the secondary effluent
from the G-P mill to be non-acutely lethal to Atlantic Salmon finger-
lings during a 96-hour replacement type static bioassay. The macro-
invertebrate study discussed in this report was requested by the
International Joint Commission. Although somewhat limited in scope,
the study is intended to qualitatively assess present benthic macro-
invertebrate populations for comparison with the earlier 1972 study,
as well as, to supplement past and future information as it becomes
available.
Methods
Qualitative benthic sampling employs the use of a variety of
collection techniques such as dip netting, sieving, dredging and hand
sampling. Together these tools are used for each station where
unrestricted sampling for all habitat types is conducted. An intensive
search is continued for a period of time until no new benthos is found
to the order level and if possible to family. The collected specimens
are preserved, labeled and returned to the laboratory for identification.
Sample analysis is conducted to the lowest taxonomic level possible using
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Methods (Con't.)
available reference material. Qualitative examinations such as performed
in this study can yield reliable estimates of the "health" of a water
body based on diversity or species richness, dominance of certain kinds
and pollution tolerance levels.
Station Locations
Macroinvertebrate sampling was conducted at selected stations at or
near sample locations used in 1972. The approximate longitudes and
latitudes, with a brief station description, are listed in Table 3.
Figure 1 is a map of the study area..
Rasu]ts
Table 1 gives a taxonomic listing of the benthic macroinvertebrate
found in August 1978. From this list a good idea of species diversity
can be obtained. At Station 16U (approximately 300 meters downstream
G-P effluent), a total of seven species is found, dominated by profuse
populations of the Naidid worm Aulophorcis vagus. Tne caddis larvae,
Hydropsyche sp. is also found in abundance at this station. The fact
that invertebrate life is living very near the G-P waste discharge in-
dicates a vast improvement over conditions in 1972, where this station
was devoid of life. However, the relatively low species diversity and
extremely dense populations of worms and caddis larvae suggest organic
and nutrient enrichment resulting from the discharge.
At Stations 17U and 17C (approximately 4.0 Km downstream G-P
discharge), the species count is 18 and 17 respectively. The water on
the Canadian side of the river at this location is clear and clean in
appearance, whereas on the U.S. side it is darkly stained and tainted.
Although the number and species are approximately the sair.e for both
sides of the river there is a difference in composition. On the U. S.
side, there is an extreme abundance of Hydropsyche s£^ a different array
-------
Results (Con't.)
of midge larvae and the total absence of mayfly nymphs and blackfly
larvae. The 18 species found, however, represents a significant
improvement in water quality and means recovery rapidly takes place
in the relatively short distance of 4.0 km. from the point of discharge.
At Station 18U (approximately 10 km. downstream of G-P discharge),
the St. Croix River continues to demonstrate marked recovery. The
28 species found make this the most diverse station sampled. Included
in the overall list are eight taxa of the basically pollution intolerant
caddisfly larvae, and two kinds of mayfly nymphs. Sixteen species were
found at Stations 19U and 19C. These locations are in the river reach
where the water velocity slackens, widens and deepens. The benthic
invertebrate fauna found here is typical of that found in riverine
habitats.
In Woodland Lake (15M) five species were found. Above Kelleyland
at Stations 10 and 12, 18 and 10 species were found respectively.
Table 2 presents a comparison of the benthic macroinvertebrates
found in 1978 and 1972 at the family level. Again, the improvement in
water quality conditions since Georgia-Pacific upgraded their waste
treatment to secondary is noticeable. Table E-2, the 1972 data, is
appended for referral purposes.
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References
EPA, 1972, "St. Croix River Study," Region I, Boston, Massachusetts
Nolan, P.M., A. Johnson 1977, "Sediment Oxygen Demand Investigation,
St. Croix River, Maine, U.S.A. & New Brunswick, Canada," EPA, New
England Regional Laboratory, Lexington, Massachusetts.
Parker, W.R., 1978, "Results of Acute Lethal Toxicity Tests on the
Secondary Treated Effluent from the Georgia-Pacific Pulp Mill,
Woodland, Maine," Environmental Protection Service, Atlantic Region,
Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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Figure I
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St. Croix River
Station Locations August 1978
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Figure 1 (Con't.)
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TABLE I
"St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Benthic Invertebrate Survey
August 7-10, 1978
Organism
Plecoptera (stoneflies)
Perlidae
Acroneuria lycorias
Paragnetina media
Neoperla clymene
Ephemeroptera (mayflies)
Ephemeridae
Hexagenia occulta
Heptageniidae
Stenonema sp.
Baetidae
Tricorythodes sp.
Siphlonurus sp.
Ephemerella sp.
Trichoptera (caddisf lies)
Ilydropsychidae
Hydropsyche bet ten i
Hydropsyche bif ida
Hydropsyche slossonae
Hydropsyche simulans
Hydropsyche sp.
Macronemum zebratum
Limnephilidae
Pycnopsyche sp.
Anabolia sp.
Limnephilus sp.
Psychomyiidae
Phylocentropus placidus
Psychomyia sp.
Philopotamidae
Chimarra sp.
Dolophi lodes sp.
Polycentropodidae
Phylocentropus
Polycentropus
Stations - SCB
10 12 15M 16U 17U 17C 18U 19C 19U
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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TABLE I (Con't.)
St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Benthic Invertebrate Survey
August 7-10, 1978
Organism Stations - SCB
10 12 15M 16U 17U 17C 18U 19C 19U
Leptoceridae
Oecetis sp. X
Leptocerus americanus X
Glossosomatidae
Glossoma sp. X
Hydroptilidae X
Agraylea sp. X
Megaloptera (alderflies, fishflies)
Sialidae
Sialis sp. X X
Corydalidae
Chauliodes sp. X X
Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies)
Anisoptera
Libellulidae
Tetragoneuria sp. X
Erythrodiplax sp. X
Macromia sp. X
Macromia magnifica X
Somatochlora sp. X
Epicordulia sp. X
Gomphidae
Gomphus sp_._ X
Hagenius sp. X
Zygoptera
Coenagrionidae
Chromagrion conditum X
Ischnura verticalis X
Ischnura sp. X X
Agrionidae X
Coleoptera (beetles)
Elmidae
Stenelmis sp. X
Haliplidae
Peltodytes sp. X
Dystiscidae
Laccophilus sp. X X
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TABLE I (Con't.)
St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Benthic Invertebrate Survey
August 7-10, 1978
Organism
Diptera (midges)
Chironomidae
Chironomous riparius
Tanytarsus obediens
Tanytarsus sp.
Procladius sp.
Anatopynia sp^
Diplocladius sp.
Ablabesmyia sp.
Psectrocladius simulans
Micropsectra sp.
Polypedilum sp.
Unidentified
Simuliidae
Simulium venustum
Gastropoda (snails, limpets)
Hydrobiidae
Bithynia tentaculata
Amnicola limnosa
Planorbidae
Helisoma anceps
Physidae
Physa elliptica
Physa sp.
Lymnaeidae
Lymnaea sp.
Ancylidae
Pelecypoda (clams, mussels)
Sphaeridae
Sphaerium sp.
Amphipoda
Talitridae
Hyalella azteca
Gammaridae
Gammarus sp.
Stations - SCB
10 12 15M 16U 17U 17C 18U 19C 19U
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X XX
X X
X
X
X
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10
TABLE I (Con't.)
St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Benthic Invertebrate Survey
August 7-10, 1978
Organism
Isopoda (sowbug)
Asellidae
Asellus communis
Asellus
10 12
Oligochaeta
Tubificidae
Stylaria fossularis
Tubifex tubifex
- Limnodrilus clarparedianus
Limnodrilus sp.
Lumbriculidae
Lumbriculus inconstans
Naididae
Aulophorus vagus
Hirudinea (leeches)
Glossiphoniidae
Batracobdella picta
Helobdella lineata
Helobdella stagnalis
Helobdella sp.
Erpobdellidae
Erpobdella sp.
Unidentified
Turbellaria (flatworms)
Planariidae
Unidentified
Cladocera (water flea)
Ostracoda (seed shrimp)
X
X
X
X
Stations - SCO
15M 16U 17U 17C
18U 19C 19U
X
X
X
X
X
Total Kinds 18 10
18
17
28
16
16
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11
TABLE 2
St. Croix River, Maine
Qualitative Benthic Invertebrate Survey
A Comparison* of Surveys of
August 1972 and August 1978
Kinds of Organisms
Total 1972
Total 1978
Stations - SCB
10
15
12
12
17
8
15M
7
5
16U
0
4
17U
1
9
17C
12
10
18U
7
16
19C
5
11
19U
o
12
*Identification to order and family (same as
the 1972 survey)
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Table 3
Station Locations
St. Croix River Study
August 1978
Benthos Stations
Station
SCB10
SCB12
SCB15M
SCB16U
SCB17C
SCB17U
SCB18U
SCB19C
SCB19U
Latitude
0 '
45 18 02
45 16 28
45 10 36
45 09 19
45 08 53
45 08 52
45 07 51
45 09 12
45 09 13
Longitude
0
67 27 40
67 29 49
67 24 07
67 23 38
67 22 36
67 22 43
67 19 08
67 17 49
67 17 45
Description
St. Croix River 1,000' downstream from Landmark 175, three feet
from U.S.A. bank, T1R1, Maine.
Grand Falls Flowage midway between Scow Point and point of land
northwest of Kellyland, Maine.
Woodland Pond 6,000' downstream from Landmark 191, midpoint in
river, Baileyville, Maine.
700' downstream from defoaming lagoon outfall at Georgia-Pacific
Corp., 5' from U.S.A. bank Woodland, Maine.
1,000' downstream from Landmark 197, 51 from Canadian bank
opposite Baileyville, Maine.
5' from U.S.A. bank opposite Landmark 198, Baileyville, Maine.
1,400' east of Landmark 206, 5' from U.S.A. bank, Baring, Maine.
10" from Canadian bank opposite Magurrewock Stream, Calais, Maine.
United States side near Magurrewock Stream, Calais, Maine.
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TABLE E-2
ST. CROIX RIVER STUDY - AUGUST 1972
IDENTIFICATION OF SOTTO:! ORGANISMS (QUALITATIVE)
ORGANISMS
PLECOPTERA (STCXEFLIES)
I?:;E>:iRO?7ERA (MAYFLIES)
TRICI.OPTERA (CADDISFLIES)
SIAL1DAE (ALDERFLIES)
CORYDALIDAE (D03SONFLIES)
GDON'ATA
ANISOPTERA (DRAGONFLY)
ZYCCPTERA (DAMSELFLY)
DIPTERA OXIES, MIDGES)
TEKDIPEDIDAE
CL'LICIDA'i
SIXULIDAE
TABAJ.'IDAE
COLEOPTERi\ (BEETLES)
PSEPSiENIDAE
KALIPLIDAE
STATION'S
CONTROL
y.cio
X
X
X
X
X
SCD10 i SCB11
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
SCB12
X
X
X
X
X
TOT STORAGE
SCD13
U
X
X
2
<
X
X
X
SCBl-'t
U
X
X
i:
X
c
X
SCQ15
U
X
M
X
X
X
c
X
X
DOVE'S! i*r AX VROy. ~i.C
GEORGIA - PACITIC MILL
SCB16
U
M
X
X
c
X
X
X
X
sen /
u
V
X
7.
X
X
X
sc^m
X
X
•'!C
X
X
set: 9
b
X
A
X
^
X
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TABLE E-2 continued
ORGANISMS
EL11IDAE
CHRYSOMELIDAE
GASTROPODA (SNAILS)
IIYDROBIIDAE
PLANORBIDAE
ANCYLIDAE
VIVIPARIDAE
PHYSIDAE
LYXNAEDIAE
PELECYVODA (CLAM)
) LIGOCHAETA (WORM)
TUEIFICIDAE
UNIDENTIFIED
HIRUDINEA (LEECH)
NEMATODA (ROUNDWORM)
TRICLADIDA (PLAN'ARIAN)
AMPllIPODA (SCUD)
STATIONS
MC10
X
X
X
X
X
X
CONTROL
SCB10
X
X
X
X
X
SCB11
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
SCB12
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
WET STORAGE
SC313
1!
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
c
X
X
X
X
X
x
X
X
X
SCB14
U
X
X
M
X
X
X
X
X
c
X
X
t
X
X
X
SCB15
11
X
X
X
X
X
M
*"
X
X
c
X
X
X
DOWNSTREAM FROM TrtE
GEORGIA- PACIFIC MILL
seine
11
H
X
X
X
c
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
SCB17
U
X
:i
X
X
X
X
c
X
X
X
X
X
X
ECB18
U
X
X
X
X
.
X'
:i
X
X
c
X
X
pcai9
L
X
X
X
X
X
X
K
X
X
r
X
X
X
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TABLE E-2 continued
ORC ••-.:; :sxs
ISOPCDA (SOVSUG)
KYDrvACASINA (WATER MITE)
CS7RAC03A (SCED SHRIMP)
CLADOCCXA (WATER FLEA)
?Orw"E?A (SPONGE)
XYO-.CZOA (HYDRA)
CCPEPODA
TOTAL Ki:."3S
STATIONS
CONTROL
MC10
X
12
SCD10
.
15
SCB11
X
19
SCJ512
X
X
X
X
X
17
WET STORAGE
SCB13
U
9
0
X
14
SCDl'i
uu:
4
X
7
r.
X
7
SC.B15
1!
X
7
71
X
7
C
X
X
-
7
DOWNSTII..A.". FRO:; i.".£
CEOSCIA - ?'\CIFIC ::ILL
SCD16
i;
0
M
X
6
C
X
X
X
14
rein/
ill::
i
X
\
7
LC
X
X
12
SC31S
1!
7
••
3
C
3
sen 10
<,
X
9
L^'c
X
6
X
5
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