SAUGUS DUMP SURVEY
SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS
   APRIL 6, 1972

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iNTRODUCTION
At the request of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) Region I Technical Operations Section, personnel from the Technical
Studies Section conducted a study of the water surrounding the DeMatteo
Construction Company’s Saugus Dump Operation (Saugus Dump).
The Dump site encompasses approximately, 150 acres of salt marsh
land located some 7 miles northeast of Boston. The south side of the
site drains to the Pines River via an unnamed tributary. The north side
of the site drains to the Saugus River via Bear Creek. The Pines River
flows into the Saugus River about Ľ mile upstream from its confluence with
Lynn Harbor (See Figure 1).
Cochrane et al (1) in “ A Report on Water Resources Potential of an
Urban Estuary” Northeastern University, Boston, Mass. June 1970, states
“movement of pollutants from the Lynn outfall proceeds along the western
channel of Lynn Harbor to the mouth of the Saugus and Pines Rivers. Since
that study area was limited to Lynn Harbor itself, the dye was not followed
into the Saugus and Pines Rivers but strong tidal action and currents would
indicate that the pollutants would continue further upstream. ‘t
OPERATI ON
The Saugus Dump, a “dump and cover” operation apparently has two
working faces On March 23, 1972 the working face was on the north or
Bear Creek side, while on April 6, 1972 the working face was on the south
or Pines River side. During both days, paper and other refuse lined ‘the
banks of the tributaries to the Pines and Saugus Rivers and in some cases
refuse was observed in the water. Light duty fencing surrounds the dump
site area on the north arid south sides. This fencing was in a general state

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of disrepair and was leaning or broken in numerous places.
SAMPLINC INFORMATION
The study included water quality and shellfish sampling during ebb and
low tides at several stations around the dump area. Water quality sampling
stations were located in the two major drainage paths to determine the effect
of the dump on the surrounding water (See Table 1 and Figure 1).
The unnamed tributary to the Pines River, which drains the south side
of the dump, was sampled near the dump face (SDO].) and near its confluence
I
with the Pines River (SDO2). The Pines River was sampled upstream (SDO3)
and downstream (SDO4) from its confluence with the unnamed tributary.
Bear Creek was sampled near the north face of the dump(SDO5) and
near its confluence with the Saugus River (SDO6). The Saugus River was
sampled upstream from its confluence with Bear Creek (SD07) and downstream
from its confluence with 1 the Pines River (SDO8).
Shellfish samples were collected from the tidal flats of the Pines and
Saugus Rivers (MIS 3,4,5, & 6).
All water and shellfish samples were collected, identified, preserved,
transported, and analyzed in accordance with standard EPA procedures where
applicable. Metals analyses on the shellfish samples will be performed at
the National Field Investigation Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Coliforrn
bacteria analyses on the shellfish were performed in accordance with the
American Public Health Association’s (APHA) “Recommended Procedures for
the Examination of Sea Water and Shellfish” Fourth Edition 1970. EPA’s
chain of custody record system was used in handling the samples. Salinity,
conductivity and temperature were determined in the field by use of an
electrodeless induction salinometer.
-2-

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RESULTS
Table 2 summarizes the water quality and shellfish results of the
samples taken during the study with the exception of metals which will
be reported at a later date.
The oxygen demand created by the leachate and drainage as measured
by the five day biochemical oxygen demand test (BOD 5 ), is an indication
of the waste’s potential for reducing the dissolved oxygen (DO) in the
receiving water. Adequate DO levels are necessary to support fish and
other aquatic lifee If DO becomes totally depleted, hydrogen sulfide gas,
(H 2 S), is produced creating obnoxious odors and unpleasant environment
for persons living or working nearby. The H 2 S given off may turn nearby
houses, bridge, or other lead based painted structures black. High BOD 5
was found in Bear Creek (11.0 and 2.6 mg/i) and extremely high BOD 5 values
were found in the unnamed tributary to the Pines River (260 and 82 mg/i).
See Table 2. The BOD 5 of “unpolluted”water is below 1.0 mg/i. The high
BOD 5 causes the low DO values found in Bear Creek (5.1 and 5.5 mg/i) and
the absence or near absence of DO in the unnamed tributary to the Pines
River (0.0 and 0.6 mg/i). D.O. saturation values are shown on Table 3.
The Massachusetts Water Quality criteria for DO in class SB waters is not
less than 5 mg/i at any time.
Suspended solids concentration found in the water samples are high.
Suspended solids, if in sufficient quantity, can interfere with the normal
estuarine ecology by reducing photosynthetic activity by sunlight reduction
or by killing benthic organisms by forming sludge deposits.
Total coiiform bacteria are used as indicators of pathogenic bacteria.
Coliform concentrations in the unnamed tributary to the Pines River (SDO1
—3-

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& SDO2) indicate that the Massachusetts Class SB bacteria criteria of not
more than 700 total coliforms per 100 ml of sample nor more than 2300 total
coliforms per 100 ml in more than 10% of the monthly samples may be exceeded.
Shellfish taken from the tidal flats along the Saugus and Pines Rivers, with
the exception of station MIS4 on the Pines River, have a fecal coliform con-
centration which exceeds the National Shellfish Standard for marketable shell-
fish of 230 fecal coliform per 100 ml sample. The Massachusetts Department of
Public Health has closed portions of the Saugus and Pines Rivers for the taking
of shellfish. This was done because of the poor bacterial quality of the water
and a sanitary survey of the area which showed the shellfish beds to be exposed
to various pollutant sources.
Estuaries are literally the “nurseries” of the ocean since so many animals
utilize them for breeding and early life development. Nutrients are necessary
for a normal estuarine system. However, an excess or imbalance of nutrients
such as nitrogen and phosphorus lcan upset the balance of the estuarine ecosystem.
With the exception of the upstream station on the Saugus River, SDO7, the
Massachusetts Class SB ammonia nitrogen criteria, 0.2 mg/l, is exceeded. The
ammonia nitrogen values of the Pines and Saugus Rivers increase as drainage
from the dump area enter them. Total phosphorus values exceeded the Mass-
achusetts Class SB criteria, 0.07 mg/i, at all stations except SDO3 and SDO8.
The waters samples exhibited an oil and grease range of 16.7 and 34.8 mg/i.
This is in violation of the Mass. SB criteria for oil and grease which specifies
“non allowable”.
S
Results of the metals analyses on the shellfish samples are not included
in Table 2 but will be included as an addendum when the results are received
from EPA’s National Field Investigations Center (NFIC) in Cincinnati, Ohio.
-4-

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The estuary is suffering from the effects of pollution, some of which
is coming from the Saugus Dump. However, proving damages caused by the
dump would require a great deal more sampling and even then proving gross
damage is not certain.

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SAUGUS
• DUMP AREA
SAUGUS DUMP STUDY
SAUGUS, MASS.
N
LYNN
HARBOR

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TABLE 1
STATION
SDO1
S DO 2
SDO3
SDO4
S D05
SDO6
SDO7
SDO8
MI S3
Ml S4
NI S 5
NI S 6
LATITUDE
oI It
42 26 05
42 25 57
42 25 56
42 25 53
42 26 40
42 26 47
42 26 53
42 26 38
42 25 54
42 26 01
42 26 31
42 26 53
LONGITUDE
o
70 59 03
70 59 01
70 59 07
70 59 00
70 58 50
70 58 25
70 58 28
70 58
70 59 08
70 58 38
70 58 16
70 58 31
DESCRI PTION
An unnamed tributary to the Pines River near the dump ar
The mouth of the unnamed tributary to the Pines River
The Pines River upstream of the unnamed tributary
The Pines River downstream of the unnamed tributary
Bear Creek near the dump area
The mouth of Bear Creek
The Saugus River upstream of Bear Creek
The Saugus River downstream of the Pines River
The Pines River upstream of the unnamed tributary
The Pines River downstream of the unnamed tributary
Near mouth of the Pines River
The Saugus River just above Bear Creek

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SAMPLE ANALYSES
ABBREVIATIONS AND UNITS OF MEASURE
Analysis Reported Description Measured In
Temperature Sample Temperature Degrees Centigrade (°c)
Conductivity Conductivity Millimhos per square
centimeter
Salinity Salinity Parts per thousand
Turbidity Turbidity Jackson candle turbidity
units (JTu)
Total non-filterable Total Suspended Solids Milligrams per liter (mg/U
residue (NFR)
Fixed non-filterable Inorganic Suspended Solids mg/l
residue (NFR)
DO Dissolved Oxygen mg/I
BOD-5-Day 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen mg/I
demand incubated at 20°C
Oil and Grease mg/I as oil, and grease
(Hexane extractable)
TKN Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen mg/I
as N
NH 3 -N Ammonia Nitrogen as N mg/i
Total P Total Phosphorus as P mg/i
Total Coliforms Total Coliform bacteria Number per 100 milliliters
Fecal Coliforms Fecal Coliform bacteria Number per 100 milliliters
Letters preceding a reported value denote the following:
N = Results qualified not quantified
K = Less than recorded value

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TABLE 2
SUMMARY OF DATA
DEMATTEO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
SAUGUS DUMP AREA
APRIL 6, 1972
TOTAL FIXED OIL &
STATION TIME TEMPERATURE CONDUCTIVITY SALINITY TURBIDITY NFR NFR DO BOD 5 GREASE TKN NH 3 -N TOTAL P
°C mii limhos/cm 2 0/00 JTU (mg/I) (mg/I) (mgJl)(mg/1) (mg/I) mg/i mg/i mg/I
SDO1 1050 200 221.8 146.3 0.0 260.0 28.3 M 23.50 0.34
SDO2 1105 5.8 26.6 26.2 45 47.8 8.6 0.6 82.0 - - - 0.16
SDO3 1040 5.7 26.5 26.2 4.5 20.0 3.9 9.2 2.3 21.2 - - 0.06
SDO4 1050 5.8 26.7 26.1 4.0 26.2 5.0 9.6 1.6 16.7 M 1.23 0.08
SDO5 0945 10.0 47.4 17.8 5.1 11.0 26.8 3.60 2.76 0.14
SDO6 0935 - 7.0 20.0 5.6 5.5 2.6 - - - 0.10
‘SDO7 0955 6.9 23.7 22.0 6.0 15.0 1.5 6.2 1.4 19.3 0.50 0.20 0.10
SDO8 1140 6.0 27.6 27.4 15.0 15.8 0.7 9.2 1.5 34.8 0.50 0.44 0.06
Note: All ‘eater samnies ‘ere collected at a c!enth of one foot.

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TABLE 2 (Cont.)
SUMMARY OF DATA
DEMATTEO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
SAUGUS DUMP AREA
APRIL 6, 1972
TOTAL FECAL
STATION TIME COLIFORM COLIFORM
per 100 ml per 100 ml
SDO1 1050 3000 330
SDO2 1105 1000 220
SDO3 1040 30 2
SDO4 1050 J0 6
SDO5 0945 94 28
SDO6 0935 250 48
SDO7 0955 410 48
SDO8 1140 330 18
MIS3+ 1300* 17200 4600
M1S4+ 1050* ::2400 330
1130 230 K20
MIS S+ 1220* 13000 500
MIS6+ 0945* 70000 7000
* Denotes shellfish meat samples + Indicates analysis performed by APHA’S moi€probable number method.
Note: All water samples were collected at a depth of one foot.
All shellfish samples were collected from the tidal flat muds.

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D. 0. SATURATION
STATION SATURATIP ACTUAL °L SATURATION
SDOI 0.0 0
SDO2 9.0 0.6 6.7
SDO3. 9.0 1 9.2 Super saturated
SDO4 9.0] 9.6 Super saturated
SDO5 5.1 - probably
less
SDO6 - 5.5 - than
750/
SDO7 ç9.4\ 6.2 66
SDO8 8.8 9.2 Super saturated
TABLE 3

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BI BLI OGRAPHY
1) Cochrane et al ttReport on Water Resources Potential of an Urban
Estuary’ t P.6 , Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, June 1970.

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‘1 1w Loll tdz..: dntr. I r ,athmi I.tod an Urn ;‘ sieJrnOunp rurnrrnd I. •
1 b,. repor L natit. Lcd:
Sauzus Dump Survey
Saugus, Massachusetts
April 6, 1972
All station numbers referred to In this addendum with the exce: Lon
of station 3Db are described and located In the original r:port.
Water samples were takon at. stations SDO1-3D38 to be analyzed
for: mercury md arsenic. As can be seen from Table 1Ł, arsenic
values at all stations were less than 6.0 u f).. A concentration f
3 ug/l in seawater is considered normal. The samples t ’ere not c’ole
to ‘be analyzed f3r mercury at NflC because of interfera:ces encountered
during testthg. Subsequently two more samples were taken on Kay 22, 1972
at itations Sf02 and Sf10 for mercury and arsenic analysIs. See Table IA.
Station Sf10 is located at the zouth of Bear Creek slic.t;’:y south of Sf06.
• ‘3eef i g n 1A.
Shellfish samples frpr. stations NiS34 I56 were analy3cd fo: c:. f:d.in,
copper, iron, chromium, zinc, lead and mercury. Se. ..s 1 A $& mcults :
of the analyses; In an unpublished report, Hr. a’ t7or.g of Efl, c i S c -
cusses the average trace metals expected to be found in sheflf’.h.
Attichiiient #1. as values of the metals found in the shellf± A tar..’.
taken durin t the survey are representative of t ia average met: .L, cct-
baritrat1a s normally associated with ‘she1lf s .tung, the at: ‘

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: lurj J. 6, 1972 . . N L 2?, 1972
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
- - .YTO Edward F. . ong, Natural Resources Officer
ATTN ‘ DATE: June 6, 1972
5UBJ GT. Shelifisheries — Pines River, Saugus, Massachusetts
TO; • Thomas Devine, Chief, Technical Support Section
Summary
The Sau us Dumb is located on Route 107 with its easterly and southerly
exposures bordering on the Pines River. The northeasterly portion of
the dump borders on Bear Creek which empties into the Saugus River just
north of the junction of the Pines and Saugus Rivers. The active dump-
ing area has not approached the river bed, but the issue is raised that
leachate from the dump site is entering into the waters of the Pines River
and possibly Bear and Diamond Creeks. The effects of the discharges from
the dump on the shelifisheries, based on bacterial and metal analyses of
samples collected in the waters adjacent to the dump, show that at the
time of sampling, the data partially but inconclusively incriminated the
dump to the pollution of the shellfish. However, the shellfish beds were
ordered closed to shelifishing by the State Department of Public Health
due to excessive bacterial densities exceeding ciepuration criteria. Using
metals as an index to pollution, the data did not show conclusively that
leachate from the dump had caused inordinately high levels of metal in
the shellfish.
Shellfish Classification
The Pines River in Saugus and Revere is classified by the State De artr er .t
of ?ublic Health as shellfish area N26.l and made available to licensed
commercial diggers under the supervision of the Division of Marine Fisheries.
This classification is a restricted area (d.epuration) arid all shellfish
harvested from the beds must be taken to the shellfish treatment plant
before used for food purposes. Reference to shellfish in this report
applies to the available commercial specie of soft clams, Mya Arenaria.
The area is defined as follows:
N26.1
The waters and flats of the Pines River, southwest of a line drawn between
the remains of a breakwater the south of which is in Saugus. This is east
of the Boston and Maine Railroad bed and west of Route lŔ.
On June 8, 1971, the Depart:nent of Public Health, as a result of surveys,
determined that shellfish harvc ted f:c:i tha; cc ’tion of shellfish a:ea
N26l, as defined e1ow, are unfit i o food : poses and. iay be dangerous
to the puolic health even after tr nt at the Itewburyport Shellfish
/7 , 777C T ‘/
DA .. I I thL lII.7I

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—2—
eat ient Plant. Therefore, the Department, until further notice, closed
t e area to the taking of shellfish for food. purposes. The prohibited.
area of N26.l now include all the waters and flats of the Pines River
from the bridge crossing the Pines River, Route 107 northeasterly to its
point of confluence with the Saugus River.
:- 3Wever, not all of the Pines River was closed to shellfish harvesting.
On the sa:. date, a portion of the river remained restricted to depuration.
N26.1 Restricted Area (Depuration)
All the vaters and. flats of the Pine River, including Diamond Creek from
the bridge crossing the Pines River at Route 107 northwesterlY to Route
Ci, Saugus.
Field Data
A. Bacterial results -
The State Department of Public Health closed shellfish area N26.l be-
cause surveys indicated that the overlying shellfish waters did not meet
the depuration standard of 700 N per 100/mi of sample. At no time did
the State incriminate the dump as the polluting source and the reason for
closure of a portion of N26.1.
The National Shellfish Sanitation Standard considered satisfactory for
market shellfish is a fecal coliform density of not more than 230 N per
100 grams (shellfish meats) and 35°C plate count of not more than 500,000
per gram (shellfish meats) will be acceptable without question.
Shellfish samples collected on April 6, 1972 showed that results of bacterial
fecal coliform data at all stations failed to meet the market standard of
-the National Program. The ranges vent from the lowest figure of 330 TN
at Station fISh to a high of 700 MPN at Station MIS6, a location on the
Saugus River between the railroad tracks and. Route 107.
Other shellfish samples collected during the _:‘st survey, July 20, 1971
indicated contrasting bacterial densities at all stations as compared to
subsequent surveys of the following day and. the survey of April 6, 1972.
Of the nine fecal results, only two met the standard for market shellfish.
The differences between the three surveys showed that hydrographic influences
caused by the Saugus River, Revere Sound, and. Lynn Harbor do relate to the
flushing of the Pines River causing inconsistent bacterial results.

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—3—
Bacterial Results of Shellfish Meats, Pines River
Statl3fls Dates Fecal Coliforms 100/grams
MIS 3 July 20, 1971 3300
July 21, 1971 200
April 6, 1972 6o
MIS i July 20, 1971 3300
July 21, 1971 200
April 6, 1972 330
!IS 5 July 20, 1971 1700
July 21, 1971 1 OO
April 6, 1972 500
MIS 6 April 6, 1972 7000
B. Shellfish Metal Analyses
In 1967, Doctors Benjamin H. Pringie and Carl N. Shuster, Jr., forirerly
of the Northeast Marine Health Sciences Laboratory, Narragansett, Rhode
Island, in an unpublished report, produced a guide to trace metal levels
in shellfish. Pringle and Shuster analyzed eight species of shellfish
from about one hundred stations along the Atlantic coast, Maine through
North Carolina and from two stations on the Pacific coast of Washington.
The test performed by Pringle on the different species of shellfish gave
wide ranges for each metal. For example, zinc analyses on the soft clam
gave a range of 9.0 — 28, iron was I 9.70 — 1710, lead 0.10 - 20 and
chromium 0.10 — 5.0, all expressed in ppm. To arrive at some index for
the ranges, Pringle settled on computing and designating an arithmetical
metal average for each specie of shellfish. I an using this average as a
baseline to compare with the results of the metal analyses, which were
made by the Division of Field Investigations, Cincinnati for NEBO of shell-
fish sam 1es collected during the July 21, 1971 survey by NEBO.
Cincinnati took the three shellfish samples and with each lot divided it
into 10-12 separate portions and proceeded with the analyses. I averaged
the results of each station (the separate portions) and arrived at a
single number for each metal of each sampling point. This gave me a
figure to use as comparability with Pringle’s average figures covering
the East Coast.
Shellfish from all three stations contained higher levels of lead and
chromium when matched against Pringle’s data. One other metal, zinc, in
sl-.ellfish from Station MIS 3 exceeded Pringle’s average by a slight amount.
The iron level from all three stations were less than the control average,
especially Station MIS 3 with a reading of 85.8 as against &05.0. The
mercury levels from all stations were within the FDA standard for market
shellfish.

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_14 —
c pariso: of Trace Metal Levels in Soft Clams from the Pines River, MA
j) . P:- r c :96T
Atla ;i Coast.
M — North
Ca
NEBO
rolina MIS3
July 21,
M1S 1 4
1971
MIS5
MLTAL
mg/kg
in
t
tissue wei ’hts
Zinc
17.0
20.5*
16.7
16.3
Co uer
5.8
14.6
.5.5
14.3
Iron
2405.0
85.8
379.6
289.3
Lead.
0.7
6.66k
57ii
24.249*
Chromium
0.52
1.02 w
i.6
2. 1 43*
!‘ ercu rv
0.2
0.1 4
0.1
0.1
Discussion
Shellfish can selectively concentrate chemical materials up to many hundreds
of times those levels found in the environment. Accumulation occurs through
several pathways, chiefly by ingestion of particulate material and by ab-
sorption. Oysters for example, have a propensity to accu.mmulate more cop-
per, zinc, and. cadmium in preference to other heavy metals. The shellfish,
because of physiological reaction to certain environmental conditions such
as o rgen, temperature, salinity, algalblooms, can be stimulated to hypera-
ctive response or relegated to a dorzna.nt state of hybernation. Oysters
again of temperatures below l°P’ are known to hybernate for the winter and
bacterial examination at that time would generally yield low results. There-
fore, environmental levels of the metals cannot be accurately determined
based simply on the levels found in shellfish. Seasonal or any other
variations in the levels of contamination in the environment can be key
factors in the concentration of trace metals accumulated by the shellfish.
In general, leachate from a sanitary landfill is quite polluting. Some-
times it may take as long as 20 years to appear but its appearance may
show up much sooner. The short-term study of this particular landfill may
not at the present, establish the magnitude of the problem. Common in the
leachate are many metals in various physical and chemical states. It is
generally accepted that the waste contains iron 200 — 1TOO, zinc 1 — 135,
nickel 0.01 — 0.8, and copper 0.10 — 9.0, all expressed in mgll. Using
iron as the index to show a cause and effect relationship between the
shellfish and dump waste, we find that the levels of iron in the shell-
fish were no greater than what normally was found in the estuaries (Pringle’s
findings). We know that chloride and other ions such as iron are not re-
leased in one slug; rather periodically or seasonally. It generally takes
from 200 to 1400 days from the day of deposit for the iron to be released
in a heavy concentrations, a range of less than 300 to 1700 mg/i. In other
words, did we survey at the right ti.rne? In our shellfish sampling I would
look for a high level o iron concentration in the shellfish which indeed
did not appear. Based only on three stations and during one single run,
I would not, under any circumstances, draw definitive conclusions. The
dump, however, has been in exist ance for a long time and. I would, assume
that the shellfish were exposed to these C Ci C trends.
Shellfish Populations
On April 6, 1972, while collecting samples of shellfish for analyses, I did

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—5—
not use a grid, pattern to determine shellfish population densities of
the Pines River estuary, however, shellfish uncovered at the three
stations and a few othei adjacent ones did reveal heavy sets of spat an
juvenile soft clams. Juvenile class of clams are not marketable, being
less than one and one/half inch. The legal i-arket size is two inches.
I noted that most of the beds were about 25 feet from the high water
irLark edging irregularly toward the river channel in the in ’ ertidal areas.
The channel area is clear except for patches of mussels which extend into
the sand bars. During the collection, I also noted that most of the
i arket size clams were found on the sand bars further up the Pines River
beyond the railroad bridge. In the absence of sheilstock measurements
at the time of collection I would guess from general observations that
the number of in mature clans were at least, 5—6 times that of market shell-
fish.

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