United States	Office of Wetlands,	EPA 841 -N-94-004
Environmental Protection Oceans and Watersheds May 1994
Agency
&ERA The Water Monitor
RaaoNAi. and State AcnvmES
Region 1
Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring, 305(b), Volunteer Monitoring: Diane
Switzer (617) 860-4377
Wateibody System: Al Pratt (617) 860-4379
303(d)/TMDL: Mark Voorhees (617) 565-4173
Nonpoint Source: Bob Moorehouse (617) 565-3513
Clean Lakes: Warren Howard (617) 565-3515
REGIONAL OFFICE: Blackstone River Study: From
1991-1993, EPA Region 1, the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection, the Rhode Island Department
of Environmental Management, and the University of
Rhode Island conducted a comprehensive monitoring
program on the Blackstone River under diy and wet weather
conditions. One portion of the program included chronic
toxicity testing. The findings of the toxicity study have just
been made available and are summarized at the back of this
issue of The Water Monitor.
For more information on the study, contact Celeste
Philbrick-Barr, USEPA Region 1, Environmental Services
Division, ETB-LEX, 60 Westview St., Lexington, MA
02172, at (617) 860-4612.
What's Inside.
Calendar Highlights	p. g
Headquarters Activities	p, 3
On the Bookshelf.	p. 9
Fact Sheet: Wet and Dry Weather
Toxicity in the Blackstone River	p. 11
Order and Comment Form	p. 12
Region 2
New York
New Jersey
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
63V*
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring: Randy Braun (908) 321-6692
305(b), Waterbody System: Xuan-Mai Tran
(212)264-3188
Volunteer Monitoring: Diane Calesso (908) 321-6728
303(dyTMDL: Rosella O'Connor (212)264-8479
NonpointSource: Barbara Spinweber (212)264-8632
Clean Lakes: Terry Faber (212) 264-8708
REGIONAL OFFICE: Puerto Rico Water Quality
Study: In March 1994, Environmental Services Division
personnel conducted a water quality monitoring survey in
Puerto Rico at 105 stream sites in 11 major drainage basins.
The primary objectives of the survey included field testing
the use of EPA's Rapid Bioassessment Protocols on tropical
streams and gathering baseline data for trend monitoring. At
the present time, no biological components (e.g. community
assessments, toxicity testing, bioaccumulation) are incorpo-
rated into Puerto Rico's routine surface water monitoring
program. Information gathered from the survey will be used
to assist Puerto Rico in developing a.biological monitoring
program. For more information contact James Kurtenbach
at (908) 321-6695.
NEW JERSEY: Water Monitoring Summit: On April
27,1994 the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection and Energy's (NJDEPE) Water Monitoring
Management Element sponsored the department's first
Water Monitoring Summit. Over 60 people representing a
wide variety of groups and agencies, including water
purveyors, local and regional environmental agencies, local
municipalities and counties, attended the summit.
The purpose of this summit was to determine the extent of
ambient water monitoring in New Jersey and explore the
possibility of consolidating existing sampling activities

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and decreasing monitoring costs by avoiding duplication
of efforts. For additional information, contact James
Muminan at (609) 292-1623.
Harvesting Reopened in 318 Acres of Coastal Waters:
The DEPE has reopened 318 acres of coastal waters in the
Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay for shellfish harvesting,
marking the seventh year that more total shellfish
harvesting acres have been upgraded than downgraded.
Readoption and amendments to the state’s shellfish-
growing water reclassification regulations also included a
downgrading of 87 acres in Atlantic County waters to
prohibited. Prohibited waters, as defined by the regula-
tions, do not meet the sanitary requirements for shellfish
harvesting. This decrease in water quality is largely
attributable to nonpoint source pollution, which usually
takes the form of runoff from stormwater drainage
systems. Shellfish-growing areas that were previously
classified as prohibited and are now reclassified as
approved because of improved water quality include 140
acres in the Atlantic Ocean. In Barnegat Bay, 178 acres
were reclassified from seasonal to approved. A seasonal
classification, as defined by the regulations, means that
waters meet sanitary requirements for harvesting for only
part of the year.
Approximately 524,000 approved and seasonal acres are
open to shellfish harvesting in New Jersey. In 1993,
15,000 water samples were collected from 3,500 monitor-
ing stations to assess water quality in these waters. The
annual survey was conducted by the DEPE’s Bureau of
Marine Water Classification and Analysis in the Water
Monitoring Management unit as required by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration under its National Shell-
fish Sanitation Program. For additional information,
contact William Eisele, Chief, Bureau of Marine Water
Classification and Analysis at (609) 748-2000.
Delaware
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Virginia
West Virginia
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring, 305(b), Waterbody System: Chuck Kanetsky
(215) 597-8176
3o3(dyTMDL: Thomas Henry (215) 597-8243
Nonpoint Source, Clean Lakes: Hank Zygmunt
(215) 597-3429
REGIONAL OFFICE: Coastal Waters Program
Update: The Region has conducted a number of recent
coastal studies and is developing special surveys for the
coming year. These are summarized below.
* The Region recently completed ten year temporal
trend analysis of the mid-Atlantic Bight. Statistical
analysis of 1982-1992 near coastal water quality data
indicated that a significant increase in dissolved
inorganic nitrogen has occurred at 9 of 13 monitoring
stations between southern New Jersey and North
Carolina, with the bulk of these stations off the
Delmarva Peninsula. At one station south of the
Chesapeake Bay, dissolved inorganic orthophosphate
phosphorus showed a significant negative trend.
• The first flight of the Region 3 Aerial Surveillance
Program’s 1994 season took place on AprIl 26.
Researchers spotted approximately 75 dolphins off
Cape Charles Island in the Virginia Delmarva Penin-
sula. Dolphin sightings have increased over the last
three years and appear to indicate that a health
recovery is occurring since the 1987 mass dieoff.
Turtle sightings (leatherbacks and loggerheads) have
remained relatively consistent over the past six yC&S.
• Three oceanographic surveys are planned for this
spring and summer. These multi , -discipliflarY opera-
tions will study dredged material and fish waste
disposal sites, near coastal water quality, and floating
plastic and debris in marine waters and will collect
data at ocean outfalls for biocriteria development.
I The lower Delaware Artificial Reef Study is in the
fifth and final year of its initial evaluation and will
include two surveys in the first week of June. Prelimi-
Region 3
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nary results indicate that the reefs have contributed to
increased biornass in the area of their deployment, and
that bivalves have been the main contributors.
For more information on the Regional coastal waters
program, contact Mark Barath at (215) 597-7817.
MARYLAND: Aquatic Toxicity Tests on Rainwater:
The Maryland Department of the Environment’s Water
Quality Program has recently conducted bioassays on
samples of uncontaminated rainwater. The tests were
conducted as part of an investigation of whole effluent
toxicity (WET) of an NPDES permitted point source
discharge. The discharge is entirely rainfall generated and
was failing WET tests conducted on freshwater inverte-
brates. Studies conducted by the permittee suggested that
the toxicity was due to very low alkalinity and hardness.
Tests on the rainfall samples collected at Maryland’s
biomonitoring laboratory yielded similar results. With
very low alkalinity and hardness and low pH, there was
complete daphnid mortality in the 100% rainwater
samples with or without pH adjustment. For more
information, contact Melvin Knott at (410) 631-3906.
North Carolina
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennesee
Georgia
Alabama
Mississippi
Florida
Monitoring, Volunteer Monitoring, 305(b), Waterbody
system: Davki Melgaard (404) 347-2126
303(dYTMDL: Jim Greenfield (404) 347-2126
Nonpoint Source: Mary Ann Gerber (404) 347-2126
Clean Lakes: Howard Marsha/I (404) 347-2126
ALABAMA: Region 4 Water Quality Award Recipi-
ents: The EPA Region 4 Water Quality Awards for the
State of Alabama were presented to Graveman Farms as
the Outstanding District Cooperator in 1993. To improve
water quality, Graveman Farms constructed a dry stack
and composter to properly manage waste and provide for
better nutrient management. In addition, a pond and
adjacent streams were fenced to keep out cattle and
reduce nutrient loading to streams. A gravity flow water
trough provides clean water for cattle. The Farm hosts
tours to show how the system works and how water
quality can be improved. For more information, contact
Betty Barton at (404) 347-2126.
Region 4
Regional Coordinators
KENTUCKY: Region 4 Water Quality Award Recipi-
ents: The EPA Region 4 1993 Water Quality Awards for
the State of Kentucky were presented to Warren County
as the Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District
and to Pig Improvement Company, Inc. as the Outstand-
ing District Cooperator.
Warren County has instituted long-range planning for
water quality protection and improvement by emphasizing
protection of wetland resources, help for landowners in
the installation of conservation practices and systems to
protect water quality, and water quality education and
other outreach activities.
Pig Improvement Company (PlC) has invested in a large-
scale waste management system at its Dogwood Ridge
Farm to handle waste products. The system uses a series
of constructed wetlands to clean up effluent from waste
lagoons. The polished waste water can then be recycled
for wash water as an alternative to waste water irrigation.
NC hosts tours of their facility and provides an interna-
tional link in the transfer of agricultural waste manage-
ment technology. For more information, contact Duane
Robertson at (404) 347-2126.
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring, 305(b): Dave Stoltenborg (312) 353-5784
303(d)/TMDL: Robert Pepin (312) 886-1505
Waterbody System: Fouad Dababneh (312) 353-3944
Volunteer Monitoring: Clyde Marion (312)35.3-5966
Nonpoint Source, Clean Lakes: Tom Davenport
(3 12) 886-0209
REGIONAL OFFICE: Wetlands Protection Month
Activities Around the Region: Following the proclama-
tion of May as American Wetlands Month, several states
in Region 5 conducted special activities to mark the event.
• The Indiana Wetlands Project (Hoosier Chapter, Sierra
Club) sponsored two mailings and a news release.
Wetlands celebration activities i.ncluded a Little River
Wetland Project tour of the Des Plaines Wetland
Research Station; a canoe trip down the Patoka River
Region 5
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Minnesota
Ohio
Wisconsin
3

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and through the bottomland hardwoods in a proposed
national wildlife refuge; a wetlands presentation at the
annual Save the Dunes council meeting in Dunes
National Park; a wetlands presentation and field
demonstration at Holiday Park, Indianapolis; a wetlands
booth and activity at Monroe County Earth Fest; and a
wetlands walk at Restle Wetlands in Bloomington.
• In Michigan, the city of Novi conducted several
activities to celebrate wetlands including a wetland tour
emphasizing land use changes around protected
wetlands; a city hall display during a special town
meeting; talks to homeowner associations regarding the
wetlands in their subdivisions; and distribution of
information to homeowners who live near wetlands.
• In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) sent out a news release, and many of
its local offices sponsored educational activities. The
Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, in coopera-
tion with the DNR, developed a poster on wetlands
functions and uses. The poster was sent to about a
thousand people along with a letter on educational
activities for local groups. The Environmental Resource
Center of the University of Wisconsin-Cooperative
Extension prepared a second edition of the annotated list
of curricula called Educating Young People About Water.
For more information, contact Dave Stoltenberg at
(312) 353-5784.
Region 6
Regional Coordinators
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
New Mexico
Monitoring: Charlie Howell (214) 655-8354
303(d)ITMDL: Troy Hill (214) 655-6647
305(b): Russell Nelson (214) 655-6646
Waterbody System: Paul Koska (214) 655-8357
Volunteer Monitoring: Mike Bira (214) 655-6668 and
Paul Koska (214)655-8357
Nonpoint Source: Brad Lamb (214) 655-7140
Clean Lakes: Mike Bira (214) 655-6668
REGIONAL OFFICE: Macroinvertebrate Tolerance
Values and Feeding Groups: Region 6 has developed a
personal computer application that provides a quick
reference for macroin vertebrate tolerance values and
functional feeding groups. Data source references are also
included. The original species list and dataset were
compiled by EA Engineering during development of
EPA’s Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Use in Streams
and Rivers. The dataset has been updated with recently
published tolerance values, and now includes data for
about 1,300 taxa.
The application requires MS-Windows, a mouse or other
pointing device, 4÷ megabytes RAM, 3.4 megabytes of
hard drive space, and a high density disk drive. Contact
Charlie Howell at (214) 655-8354 for more information or
to request a copy of the program.
TEXAS: Rapid Bioassessment Workshop: The Brazos
River Authority, Angelina and Neches River Authority,
Sabine River Authority, Lower Colorado River Authority,
Red River Authority, and Texas Natural Resources
Conservation Commission recently held a rapid
bioassessment workshop in east Texas. The workshop
provided an opportunity to explore alternate
macroinvertebrate habitats for use in biosurveys. For
more information, contact Charlie Howell at
(214) 655-8354 or Tom Conry at (817) 772-6010.
Region 7
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring: Jerry Anderson (913) 551-5066
305(b), 303(dyrMDL: John Houlihan (913) 551-7432
Waterbody System: Jerome Pitt (913)551-7766
Volunteer Monitoring: Jerome Pitt (913)551-7766 and
Donna Sefton (913) 551-7500
Nonpoint Source: Julie ElMng (913) 551-7475
Clean Lakes: Larry Sheridan (913) 551-7439
REGIONAL OFFICE: Educators’ Packet: As part of
Earth Day activities, the Regional Office mailed copies of a
specialized map of Kansas City and its Surroundings to over
700 educators in the area. The map indicated major streams
and topography and was developed by a Kansas City group
called Heartland All Species Project. The purpose of the map
was to give educators and students a better perspective of
watersheds in the Kansas City area. Along with the map was
a watershed guide which addressed methods for determining
watersheds using the map and demonstrations to illustrate
monpoint source pollution. The map and guide will be
excellent tools for watershed education. Contact Jerome Pitt
at (913) 551-7766 for more information.
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Hilisdale Water Quality Project: The Hilisdale Water
Quality Project was started in 1992 through the efforts of
citizens concerned about protecting and improving the
quality of Hilisdale Lake. Hilisdale Lake supplies drinking
water for parts of Johnson, Miami, and Franklin counties,
Kansas. The watershed extends into Douglas County. Nonn
Crisp of Region 4’s ENSV is serving as technical advisor to
the project.
The goal of the Hillsclale Water Quality Project is to
develop a partnership among watershed residents and
communities to implement water quality monitoring
programs and adopt pollution control measures. Through
educational programs and cooperative demonstration
projects, residents of the area will learn about their responsi-
bility to Hilisdale Lake.
This is the second year of monitoring the lake’s tributaries
for nonpoint source pollutants. A public information and
educational campaign will begin this year to create a greater
awareness among residents about their impact on Hillsdale
Lake. For more information, contact Flillsdale Water
Quality Project, One Industrial Parkway, Industrial Airport,
KS 66031, (913) 839-9414, FAX (913) 782-1775.
Montana
Utah
Wyoming
Colorado
North Dakota
South Dakota
Region 8
Because of several government jurisdictions (over one-
third of the basin is federal land) and diverse water quality
concerns in the basin such as point source and nonpoint
source issues, a variety of federal and state agencies are
monitoring water quality in the Arkansas basin. This has
resulted in confusion and frustration among local citizens,
since some monitoring efforts may be duplicative or
difficult to understand. An April 1994 citizen forum on
the Upper Arkansas River Watershed was organized as a
way to exchange information about the many activities in
the watershed, especially those related to water quality
and quantity issues. EPA supported the forum financially
and presented data describing the changes in water quality
from 1987 to the present.
The infonnation presented included qualitative and
quantitative fish, periphyton and macroinvertebrate
inventories, water column sediment toxicity test results,
A citizen forum on the Upper
Arkansas River Watershed
was organized as a way to
exchange information about
the many activities in the
watershed.
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring, 305(b): PhIl Johnson (303) 293-1581
303(dYrMDL: Bruce Zander (303) 2
Wateibody System: Toney Ott (303) 293-1573
Volunteer Monitoring: Paul Mclver (303) 293-1552 and
Phi/Johnson (303) 293-1573
Nonpoint Sourc&Clean Lakes: Dave Rathke
(303) 293-1703
REGIONAL OFFICE: Upper Arkansas River
Watershed Forum: The Upper Arkansas
River valley in Colorado is the source of
one of the nation’s largest rivers. Water
usage in the basip centers around agricul-
ture, drinking water, and recreation (sport
fishing and white-water rafting). Extensive
historical mining activity occurred within
the basin (including a large Superfund
site), and the mainstem Arkansas and many of its
tributaries are severely impaired by heavy metals.
21
and water column and sediment chemistry. Water column
quality has improved in the upper reaches because of
multi-million dollar treatment plants placed on two mine
drainages. Because of heavy metals contamination of
sediments, macroinvertebrate communities are depressed,
though improving. Additionally, extensive nonpoint
sources of heavy metals are not treated and continue to
load metals to the upper Arkansas River. These data
suggest that recovery of the brown trout fishery may be
dependent on food resources such as periphyton,
macroinvertebrates and forage fish, in addition to clean
water.
The forum was very successful, bringing to the public
information about federal, state, and local activities. It
also helped citizens develop a sense of ownership and
involvement in their local watershed. Additional informa-
tion on watershed activities in Region 8 can be provided
by Karen Hamilton at (303) 293-1576.
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I,
Calendar Highlights
June
August
16-17 8th Annual Watershed Conference:
Nonpoint Source Pollution, Spring-
field, MO. Contact Watershed
Committee of the Ozarks at
(417)866-1127.
7-12
taring Needs, Crested Butte, CO.
Contact Barbara Hickernell, Environ-
mental Foundation, 345 E. 47th St,
New York, NY 10017 at
(212) 705-7837.
26-29 Effects of Human-Induced
Changes on Hydrologic Systems,
Jackson Hole, WY. Contact Ameri-
can Water Resources Association,
5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 220,
Bethesda, MD 20814-2192, at
(301)493-8600; FAX (301) 493-5884.
July
5-15
8-12 Geomorphology in River Restora-
tion (short course), Berkeley, CA.
Contact River Workshop, 2241 Ward
Street, Berkeley, CA 94705, FAX
(510)486-1210.
Water Institute for Teachers (short
course), Laranie, WY. Contact Chris
Goertler, University of Wyoming,
(307) 766-6653,
10-13
15 Rivers Curriculum Work hop,
Edwardsville, IL. Contact Dr. Robert
Williams Rivers Curriculum Project,
Box 2222, Edwardsville, IL 62026-
2222, at (618) 692-3788;
FAX (618) 692-3359.
September
A Global Perspective for Reducing
CSOs: Balancing Technologies,
Costs, and Water Quality, Lou is-
ville, KY. Contact Nancy Blatt, WEF,
601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA
2231 4-1994, (703) 684-2400.
28-30 Watershed 94: CreatIng the Links:
People, Politics, Science and
Stewardship, Bellevue, WA. Contact
Andrea Lindsay at (206) 553-1896 or
1 -800-424-4EPA ext. 1896.
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California
Nevada
Arizona
Hawaii
Guam
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring, 305(b), Waterbody System: JanetHashimoto
(415) 744-1156
303(d)!TMDL: David Smith (415) 744-2019
Volunteer Monitoring: Clance Olson (415) 744-1489 and
Janet Hashimoto (415) 744-1156
Nonpoint Source: Joy/ta E. Pajariio (415) 744-2011
Clean Lakes: Wendell Smith (415) 744-2018
REGIONAL OFFICE: Hands-On Toxicity Testing
Workshop at the Region 9 Lab: The Region 9 laboratory
sponsored a one-thy toxicity testing workshop for regula-
tors on June 8, 1994. The objective of this workshop was to
better educate pennit writers, compliance officers, and
managers in the use and interpretation of marine and
freshwater toxicity testing. The training took place at the
laboratory in Richmond, California. For more information,
contact Amy Wagner at (510) 412-2329.
Workshop to Standardize California Biological Assess-
ment Methods: A workshop to standardize California’s
biological assessment methods will be held on September
26-28, 1994, at the Energy Commission Building in
downtown Sacramento (the date was changed due to the
start of the summer sampling period). The objective of the
workshop is to launch a California-based workgroup to
explore the use of EPA’s Rapid Bioassessment Protocols
for Use in Streams and Rivers in developing biological
water quality criteria for California streams. For more
infonnation, contact Jim Harrington of the California
Department of Fish and Game at (916) 355-0856.
Region 10 L a n
Idaho
Alaska
Regional Coordinators
Monitoring, Waterbody System: Gretchen HaysIi
(206)553-1685
305(b): Donna Walsh (206) 553-1754
303(d)/TMDL: Bruce Cleland (206) 55i-2600
Volunteer Monitoring: Susan Handley (206) 553-1287
Nonpoint Source: Elbert Moore (206) 553-4181
Clean Lakes: Krista Mendelman (206) 553-1571
OREGON: Willamette River Basin Water Quality
Study: In 1991, Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) embarked on a cooperatively funded, four-
year study of the water quality of the Willamette River
and its tributaries. The study focuses on pollution types,
sources and their effects on the river’s health and the
basin’s ecosystem, and will provide DEQ with informa-
tion needed to protect the many important uses of the
river. DEQ will be working jointly with the U.S. Geologi-
cal Survey (USGS) and technical consultants to thor-
oughly study the hydrology, chemistry, and aquatic
biology of the Willamette. The main areas of focus for
this study are: dissolved oxygen, toxics, point sources,
nonpoint sources, bacteria, and ecological conditions.
Funding for the study has come from the Oregon Legisla-
ture, the Association of Clean Water Agencies, the U.S.
Geological Survey, pulp-and-paper companies in the
basin, and the Associated Oregon Industries. Funding for
the first phase was $ 1.275 million; an additional $1.2
million has been allocated to complete the study.
Phase one (199 1-1993) preliminary findings have
provided clues about potential problems and have allowed
DEQ to apply computer models to assist with further
research. Preliminary findings indicate that about 70 to 80
percent of pollution enters the river via nonpoint sources,
particularly from agricultural activity. A computer model
developed for the study will be used to predict levels and
movement of toxics in water and sediment. Models are
also being used to study changes in concentrations of
dissolved oxygen and levels of nutrients in the river. The
second phase of the study will be based on findings from
the first phase.
Region 9
The Water Monitor is produced monthly to
exchange surface water assessment informa-
tion among states and other interested parties.
If you would like more information or want to
be added to the mailing list, please 1111 out the
order and comment form on page 12.
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After the study is completed, DEQ will use the informa-
tion gained from the study to direct pollution control
efforts in the Willamette Basin. By gaining an under-
standing of the problems facing the river, DEQ will be
better able to use resources effectively. For additional
information, contact Barbara Priest, DEQ Willamette
River Basin Study Coordinator at (503) 229-5945.
Assessment and Watershed Protection
Division (A WPD)
The Flood Event Water Quality Monitoring
(FEWQM) Working Group: On April 14, the FEWQM
Working Group, cochaired by USGS and Mary Belefski
of AWPD, distributed draft monitoring guidance for
spring flooding. This interagency working group of the
USGS-sponsored Subcommittee on Water Quality
prepared the draft guidance for broad distribution to help
flood cooperators organize their water quality monitoring
efforts prior to any major flooding this spring. The draft
was distributed to EPA Regional Monitoring Coordina-
tors, members of the Flood Environment, Health and
Safety Committee and its Water Work Group, other
Federal agencies, Public Health officials from Midwest-
ern States, and the National Governors Association. The
group will finalize the guidance in 1995. For more
information, contact Mary Belefski at (202) 260-7061.
Regional/State Nonpoint Source Coordinators Meet:
Regional and State Nonpoint Source Coordinators met on
April 12-15 in Philadelphia to discuss a variety of issues
related to the nonpoint source section 319 program. The
Section 319 Grants Reporting and Tracking System
(GRTS) was one of the items discussed. Both Regional
and state nonpoint source personnel agreed to use GRTS
for national reporting in FY 1994. Furthermore, a
Regional/State task force will develop a blueprint for
quarterly status reports using GRTS as the reporting
mechanism. For more information, contact Don Kunkoski
at (202) 260-7103.
Oceans and Coastal Protection Divsion
(OCPD)
Outcome Monitoring for Estuary Managers Draft
Report: Through an agreement with OCPD, the Urban
Institute developed procedures that estuary program
managers may use in
assessing and reporting -
program progress. The
draft report was discussed
at an April 28 meeting of
the advisory committee,
which includes Federal,
state, private, and
nonprofit group representatives. The report describes
procedures for tracking progress in actions taken by local
governments, businesses, households, and boaters, and for
developing bay quality indices. For more information,
contact Betsy Tam at (202) 260-6466.
Wetlands Division (WD)
Wetlands Outreach to Private Landowners: On April
13, WD staff hosted a seminar on gaps in wetland
educational materials for private landowners. Dennis
Nelson of Montana, a special guest at the meeting,
discussed Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), a
project he is developing which is funded in part by a state
grant in Region 8. A portion of his project includes a
landowners’ guide based on the Maryland Wetlands
Assistance Guide. Gaps identified in the seminar are the
need for nontechnical information on wetlands restora-
tion, a resource network, and a delivery mechanism for
reaching the target audience—the landowner. For more
information, contact Marjorie Wesley at (202) 260-1905.
Wetlands Enforcement Committee: The Wetlands
Enforcement Committee of the Interagency Working
Group on Federal Wetlands Policy recently established
four working groups: (1) training, (2) case processing, (3)
enforcement priorities, and (4) communication strategy
and education. The communication strategy and education
work group held its first meeting on April 12. The work
group identified three areas for further attention including
outreach activities needed for specific cases, general
outreach on CWA section 404, and institutional barriers
to better communication with the media. For more
information, contact Hazel Groman at (202) 260-8798 or
Anne Weinberg at (202) 260-7107.
OFFICE OF WETLANDS, OCEANS
AND WATERSHEDS (OWOW)
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On the Bookshelf...
Aquaphyte, volume 14, number 1, spring 1994. This
newsletter of the Center for Aquatic Plants and the
Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System of the
University of Florida covers comments, announce-
ments, arid news items relevant to aquatic plant
research. This issue contains an extensive book review
section and a sampling of research artiöles and reports
which have been entered into the aquatic plant
database since November 1993. For more information,
contact the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences,
University of Florida at (904) 392-1799.
Enhancing the States’ Lake Management Pro-
grams: Strengthening Local Lake and Watershed
Protection Efforts, 1993. This Proceedings document
from the May 5-7, 1993 conference summarizes a
number of interactive sessions on topics such as
education initiatives among lake programs, expanded
lake volunteer monitoring programs, and a
multidisciplinary approach to middle school education.
It also documents the results of a survey on expanded
lake volunteer monitoring programs (beyond the secchi
disk). For a copy, contact Kimberly Soulliere at the
Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, Natural
Resources Department, 222 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 1800, Chicago IL 60608, (312) 454-0400, ext.
305,
Getting Started. This 138-page guide to innovative
ways teachers can integrate environmental eduóation
into their classroom was prepared by the National
Consortium for Environmental Education and Training.
It includes descriptions of over 110 state and national
organizations that can help with information on
curricula, funding, and classroom actMties. Copies are
$9.95 plus $3 postage and are available from NCELT
PublicatIons, P0 Box 1141, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1141
or call (313) 998-6726.
National Water Quality Inventory: 1992 Report to
Congress. EPA 841 -R-94-001. This 400+ page Report
to Congress presents water quality conditions for the
1990-1992 period, as reported by the States. It
contains chapters on conditions in rivers, lakes,
estuaries, wetlands, and ground water; summarizes
key public health/aquatic life concerns; includes state
recommendations to improve water quality, and exten-
sively covers water quality management programs For a
copy, contact NCEPI, 11029 Kenwood Road, Building 5,
Cincinnati, OH 45242 or FAX your request to NCEPI at
(513) 891-6885. Be sure to include the EPA document
number in making your request,
The Quality of Our Nation’s Water: 1992. EPA 841 -S
94-002. This 43-page document summarizes the
National Water Quality Inventory 1992 Report to
Congress in easy-to understand language Photos,
graphics, and special highlights are included, along with
summary information for streams, lakes, estuaries,
wetlands, and ground water. For a copy, contact NCEPI,
11029 Kenwood Road Building 5, Cincinnati, OH 45242
or FAX your request to NCEPI at (513) 891-6685. Be
sure to include the EPA document number in makingi
your request.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Resource Libraiy Direc-
tory. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division
(EPD) has prepared this list of available resources on
rionpoint source issues such as stormwater manage-
ment, urban stream management, erosion control, water
conservation; and ‘What Citizens Can Do.” For a copy,
contact the Georgia EPO, Water Quality Management
Program 7 MKL Drive, Suite 647, Atlanta, GA 30334,
(404) 656 4934
Pointless Pollution in Georgia This brochure explains
and identifies nonpoint pollution sources, suggests what
citizens can do to help remedy the problems and
includes a list of contracts for Georgia residents Over
13,000 copies of this brochure have been distributed to
date. For a copy, contact the Georgia EPDI Water
Quality Management Program, 7 MLK Drive, Suite 647,
Atlanta, GA 30334, (404) 656-4934
TMDL Case Study Modeling the Appoqulnim Ink
River EPA 841 F 94-004 This total maximum daily load
case study is the 12th in the series published by the
Watershed Branch of AWPD It is available either on the
NPS-BBS TMDL Special Interest Group forum or
through your regional 303(d) coordinator.
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FACT SHEET
WET AND DRY WEATHER TOXICITY IN THE BLACKSTONE RivER,
MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND
Introduction
The Blackstone River Valley was designated as a National
Heritage Corridor by the U.S. Congress in 1986. Recogniz-
ing the Blackstone’s importance and its long history of
pollution problems, the Blackstone River Initiative was
organized. The effort was coordinated by the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency in cooperation with the Massa-
chusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Rhode
Island Department of Environmental Management, and the
University of Rhode Island.
A major component of the initiative was to conduct dry
weather and wet weather surveys of the river. This work
included analysis of toxicity and chemistry of ambient river
water, sediments, sediment pore water, major industrial and
municipal wastewater effluents and an analysis of the
benthic macroinvertebrate community. A model will be
constructed to differentiate and quantify wet and dry weather
loadings to the river to arrive at Total Maximum Daily
Loadings. The information gathered by this work is useful
for prioritizing restoration measures for the Blackstone River
and Narragansett Bay and for targeting Best Management
Practices for nonpoint source pollution in selected areas.
The chronic toxicity testing was completed as a component
of this comprehensive monitoring program on the
Blackstone River. The dry weather toxicity testing, along
with chemical analyses, provides a baseline of ambient
water quality during low flow conditions at 21 stations along
the length of the river and its tributaries. The rain event
testing was conducted to assess whether toxicity increased
during rain events and, if so, whether this could be attributed
to non-point source or point source discharges.
The first flusi’ 01 the rain storm was considered to be the
time when storm sewer runoff began and accumulated land
contaminants were being washed into the river. The peak of
the storm was the time when the river flow reached its
maximum. It is at this time that combined sewer outfalls
(CSOs) began to flow and when sediment resuspension was
most likely.
There are 37 permitted discharges to the Blackstone River
and its major tributaries. Eighteen of these were identified
as being major discharges and were examined for toxicity as
an earlier part of this study. One major CSO outfall was also
included for toxicity testing during wet weather conditions.
Materials and Methods
Sampling for the dry weather toxicity testing was conducted
on July 10, August 14, and October 2, 1991. Each sample
consisted of a composite of four subsamples collected at six
hour intervals. Sampling for the wet weather toxicity
testing was conducted on September 23 and November 4,
1992 and October 12, 1993. Wet weather samples, taken
during specific rainstorm conditions, were also collected at
six hour intervals but were not composited. The samples
collected at the time of the first flush as well as the storm
peak were analyzed separately for toxicity.
The toxicity test procedures followed those outlined in the
EPA Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic
Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater
Organisms (EPAI600/4-89/0O1). Variations to this method
follow. Fathead minnows, Pimephalespromelas, and the
cladoceran, Ceriodaphnia dubia, were used in the dry
weather testing. Only Ceriodaphnia were used in the wet
weather phase because little differencwa&observedi
sensitivity between the two species and it was not possmt>1
to maintain fish cultures necessary for conducting these
tests on a 24-hour notice of a storm event. All organisms
were maintained at 25 ’C + l ’C and on a 16:8 hour
light:dark cycle. Survival was monitored every 24 hours as
was the number of young in the cladoceran reproduction
tests. Total residual chlorine (TRC) was measured in
WWTP effluent samples, in the ambient river samples
immediately downstream of the WWTPS and in CSO
discharges. Samples were dechlorinated prior to testing
when TRC was detected.
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Analysis
Survival and mean dry weight data from the fathead
minnow chronic toxicity tests were analyzed using
Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. The survival data from the
cladoceran reproduction tests were analyzed using
Fisher’s Exact Test. Reproduction data were analyzed
using the 1-Test for unpaired comparisons.
Results and Discussion
Dry Weather
• Toxicity was observed in only 3 out of 129
occasions during dry weather testing. There was no
observable association with identifiable point
sourCeS.
Wet Weather
• Toxicity was observed in 35 out of 118 occasions
during wet weather testing. Toxicity in the first
flush of the storm accounted for 14 toxic endpoints.
The remaining 21 toxic endpoints occurred in the
samples collected during the peak of the storm.
I Toxicity occurred at the same stations for the most
part during first flush and peak of the storm. Six
stations had recurrent toxicity in the peak storm
conditions, thus the larger number of toxic end-
points observed during peak rain. Only two Stations
were toxic first flush and non-toxic during peak.
• Forty percent of all toxic endpoints ocurred in the
first two miles of the river in the Greater
Worcester area.
• Toxicity occurred in all of the dechlorinated
WWTP effluents at least once and in the combined
sewer outfalls. The effluent of Woonsocket
WTp was toxic during all three wet weather
events (three times during peak flow and once
during first flush). The effluent of the Narragansett
Bay Commission Bucklin Point WWTP was also
toxic during alt three storm events. All peak
samples were toxic and two of the three first tiush
samples were toxic. This may indicate bypassing
during rain events.
I River stations 01, 02,05, 11 and 09 (in the
Mumford River, a tributary receiving municipal and
industrial wastewater) significant toxicity occurred
on more than one occasion.
*15 Mainsi.m Statlon. /
4T ,thu iri.e
Wet Weather Testing*
lcso
Samples Collected Species Tested
Chronic Endpoints
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Reproduction
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Dry Weather Testing*
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Samples Collected Species Tested
Chronic Endpoints
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7110/91 Fathead Minnow
Survival &
‘
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Cevlodaphnla dub/a
Reproduction
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• Toxicity testing conducted during low flow conditions
(near the 7Q10) indicates that there is no signifcant
toxicity in the water column of the Blackstone River.
Only one toxic endpoint occurred in the mainstem
during dry weather testing.
• Compared with other tributaries, the Mumford River
had the most toxic endpoints; two were observed in dry
weather and two during wet weather.
I Little difference was observed between toxicity
occurring in first flush and peak storm samples.
• Toxicity was much more prevalent during wet weather
conditions. Forty percent of all toxic endpoints
measured occurred in samples from the uppermost two
miles of river in the Greater Worcester, MA area.
• Acute toxicity, the more significant measure of
toxicity, was the predominant endpoint during wet
weather toxicity testing.
• Two of three major WWTPs were more often toxic at
peak flow than at the time of first flush.
For more information on the Blackstone River toxicity
study, contact Celeste Philbrick-Barr, USEPA Region 1,
ETB-LEX, 60 Westview St., Lexington, MA 02172.
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