ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT FIELD RECONNAISSANCE OF JERSEY CREEK KANSAS CITY, KANSAS National Field Investigations Center-Denver Denver, Colorado and Region VII Kansas City, Missouri June, 1972 ------- FIELD RECONNAISSANCE OF JERSEY CREEK INTRODUCTION On April 27, 1972, Region VII of the Environmental Protection Agency requested technical assistance from National Field Investigations Center- Denver in support of enforcement actions in the Kansas City, Kansas area. The investigations, to be conducted in the Wyandotte County area, include: (1) municipal and industrial waste source evaluations; (2) a detailed field reconnaissance of the Kansas River, Turkey Creek, and Jersey Creek, with documentation of raw waste outfalls; (3) an assessment of current sewerage projects of the City of Kansas City, Kansas; and (4) a detailed survey of city storm sewers for the purpose of identifying municipal and industrial waste sources. The detailed field reconnaissance of Jersey Creek and the evaluation of the current sewerage projects were made on May 15-19, 1972. Grab samples of raw sewage discharges and Jersey Creek water were taken on May 25. Description and location of sanitary and storm discharges to Jersey Creek, the assessment of the sewerage projects, and the results of grab-sample analyses are contained in this report. FIELD RECONNAISSANCE OF JERSEY CREEK Description of the Area The source of Jersey Creek is on the west side of 38th Street near Everett Avenue. The creek flows eastward approximately 4.1 miles and discharges to the Missouri River about 0.35 miles upstream of the con- fluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers [Figure 1]. ------- Fi^t;rc 1. jersey Creek, ^ • Kansas City, Kansas ------- The field reconnaissance was conducted on the reach of the creek from 38th Street to 13th Street. The reach downstream from 13th Street to the confluence with the Missouri River (approximately 2.15 miles) was not investigated as all sanitary waste discharges to the creek will be connected to municipal interceptor sewers by July or August, 1972. Water quality standards have not been established for Jersey Creelc by the State of Kansas. However, the Kansas Water Quality Criteria re- quire that all municipal wastes discharged within the Kansas River Basin must receive a maximum of secondary treatment to achieve a minimum of 85 percent reduction of the five-day biochemical oxygen demand by December 31, 1975. All industrial wastes discharged must achieve an equivalent treat- ment by December 31, 1975. RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY FINDINGS Grab samples of Jersey Creek water were taken upstream of and down- stream from all raw sewage discharges. Additional grab samples were taken of all raw sewage discharging into Jersey Creek. The samples were iced, transported to NFIC-Denver, and analyzed (within 5 hr after collection) for total and fecal coliform bacteria, BOD, COD, and suspended solids. Field measurements were made for pH, temperature, and conductivity. [Appendix A, Methods of Analysis.] Results of analyses of the raw sewage effluents are included in the description of the individual outfalls in the subsection entitled "Raw Sewage Discharge". Results of analyses of the Jersey Creek water are listed below. ------- Upstream of Wood Ave 13th Street (Upstream of (Downstream from Parameter Waste Discharges) Waste Discharges) Flow, cfs 1.55 8 pH, S. U. 7.6 7.3 Temperature, °C 17.5 18.5 Conductivity, pmhos/cm 800 1100 BOD, mg/1 1.2 92 COD, mg/1 7.2 129 SS, rag/1 27 130 Total Coliforms, MF/100 ml 35,000 >8,000,000 Fecal Coliforms, MF/100 ml 2,000 2,700,000 * These values are estimated. In the reach from 38th Street to 22nd Street, the water was low in turbidity (value not determined); however, from 37th Street to 36th Street, the creek bed had an orange color, attributable to deposited solids. In addition, the creek bed contained numerous deposits of trash and debris. In the reach from 22nd Street to 13th Street, trash and debris were evident. In one area sludge banks had accumulated. Rats were observed in various sections below raw sewage discharges. A large growth of bloodworms was found 50 feet upstream of 18th Street. The water was highly turbid because of waste discharges. Raw Sewage Discharges - Location, analytical results, and a brief description of raw sewage discharges to Jersey Creek are contained in the following paragraphs. [The paragraph numbers correspond to discharge locations shown in Figure 2.] ------- LEDGEiiD NUMBERS CORRESPOND TO THE DESCRIPTION OF THE OUTFALLS LISTED UNDER "RAW SEWAGE DISCHARGES" IN THE TEXT ARROWS INDICATE LOCATION O F OUTFALLS '•"nn't; 2. S a Hilary 5cv/r.I)ischarj*cs,Jcrsey Creek DiihinJWimsas Celv,lAanisas XS O O * ------- 1) 48-in. diameter pipe; north bank, approximately 150 yd dovmstream from Wood Avenue (between Richmond and Franklin Avenues). This pipe acts as an overflow for the Kensington Sanitary Interceptor Sewer. Effluent Characteristics Flow: 10 gpm (estimate) BOD: 1.6 mg/1 pH: 7.0 COD: 14 mg/1 Temperature: 15.5°C SS: 32 mg/1 Conductivity: 1325 ymhos/cm Total Coliforms: 62,000/3 00 ml Fecal Coliforms: 2,500/100 ml 2) 4-in. diameter clay pipe; north bank, 50 ft downstream from Garfield Avenue. Kitchen wastes (spaghetti, soap suds, garbage), accu- mulated at the outfall, apparently came from the residential area. The flow was a very small trickle. 3) 4-in. diameter pipe; north bank, 200 ft downstream from Garfield Avenue. Sanitary waste solids, apparently from a residential area, had accumulated at the outfall. No flow was observed. 4) 15-in. diameter concrete pipe; north bank, 200 yd downstream from Garfield Avenue. The wastes were from the overflow manhole on a sanitary intercepting sewer under Glendale Avenue. Effluent Characteristics Flow: 50-75 gpm (estimate) BOD: 275 mg/1 pll: 7.4 COD: 497 mg/1 Temperature: 18.5°C SS: 505 mp/1 Conductivity: 900 ymhos/cm Total Coliforms: >8,000,000/100 ml Fecal Coliforms: 400,000/100 ml 5) 4-in. diameter clay pipe; north bank, approximately 250 yd down- stream from Garfield Avenue. The source of black sludge that had accu- mulated at the outfall is apparently a septic tank. The flow was small and the wastewater hed r. septic odor. ------- 6) Hidden pipe (behind rocks) of unknown size; south bank, behind the APCO service station at 18th Street and Troup Street. Rats were observed in the area. Effluent Characteristics Flow: 50-75 gpm (estimate) BOD: 205 mg/1 pH; 7.3 COD: 258 mg/1 Temperature: 18°C SS: 250 mg/1 Conductivity: 1100 ymhos/cm Total Coliforms: >8,000,000/100 ml Fecal Coliforms: 1,800,000/100 ml 7) 6-in. diameter cast iron pipe; north bank, directly across the stream from the discharge located behind the APCO service station at 18th Street and Troup Street. The flow was small and it was not possible to determine the type of waste discharged. 8) 4-in. diameter clay pipe; north bank, 100 ft upstream of 18th Street near Parallel Avenue. Sanitary-waste solids had accumulated at the outfall. Large colonies of bloodworms were observed in the creek downstream from this outfall to 18th Street. This sewer apparently serves the residential area. The flow was a very small trickle. The total- and fecal-coliform bacteria densities were 360,000 and 13,000/100 ml, respectively. 9) 8 x 10-ft storm sewer; southeast corner, 18th Street and Chelsea Trafficway. This sewer intercepts storm water in the area west of 18th Street. Sanitary waste is discharged to the storm sewer from intercepting * sewers that have been broken in five or six locations. Rats were observed in the area. The waste flow was more than double that in the creek. * Information was received fron the City Engineer's Office (Mr. TroffiLt) , Kansas City, Kansas. ------- Effluent Characteristics Flow: 1.5-2.0 mgd pll: 7.3 Temperature: 18°C Conductivity: 1000 vimhos/cm BOD: COD: SS: Total Coliforms: Fecal Coliforms: 34 mg/1 55 mg/1 55 mg/1 >8,000,000/100 ml 900,000/100 ml 10) 18-in. diameter clay pipe; south bank, approximately 50 ft up- stream of 16th Street. The source of this discharge was the overflow from a manhole, about 20 ft up the bank. The invert of the 18-in. pipe was at ground level (i.e., pipe was exposed and not adequately protected) and the pipe was broken at both the manhole inlet and outlet. The flow was discharging from the pipes outside of the manhole. Effluent Characteristics Flow: 1 mgd (estimate) pll: 7.1 Temperature: 17.5°C Conductivity: 1100 iimhos/cm BOD: COD: SS: 220 mg/1 350 mg/1 285 mg/1 Total Coliforms: >8,000,000/100 ml Fecal Coliforms: 1,600,000/100 ml Storm Sewers - The location and brief description of each storm sewer discharging to Jersey Creek follows. [The paragraph numbers cor- respond to the discharge locations shown in Figure 3.] 24-in. diameter corrugated metal pipe; origin of Jersey Creek at 38th Street and Everett Avenue. No flow was observed. 2) 4-in. diameter clay pipe: origin of Jersey Creek at 38th Street and Everett Avenue. No flow was observed. 3) 24-in, diameter corrugated metal pipe; south bank, 37th and Oakland Avenue. The flow was clear and estimated at less than 0.1 gpm. ------- leg:i:d NUMBERS CORRESPOND TO TriE DESCRIPTION OF THE OUTFALLS LISTED UNDER STORM o EWERS" IN THE TEXT ARROWS INDICATE LOCATION OF OUTFALLS PARALLEL a : e ? ;v c r C* f \ t /» f\ t* 1 V W ^ V iJ U 'A.' % ^ V ¦ . » V, f ------- 4) 36-in. diameter pipe; south bank, west side of 29th Street and Freeman Avenue. The flow, estimated to be about 10-15 pgm, was clear and possibly came from a swimming pool located in the adjacent apartment complex. 5) 18-in. diameter pipe; north bank, east side of 29th Street and Freeman Avenue. No flow was observed. 6) 36-in. dianetcr pipe; north bank, 20 ft downstream from 29th Street. No flow was observed. 7) 36-in. diameter concrete pipe; north bank, approximately at 27th Street (street does not cross the creek). The flow was clear and esti- mated to be 2 gpm. 8) 36-in. diameter pipe; north bank, approximately 150 yd downstream from 27th Street and about 75 yd back from the creek. No flow was observed. 9) 30-in. diameter pipe; south bank, 100 yd downstream from 26th Street. No flow was observed. 10) 42-in. diameter pipe; south bank, 50 ft upstream of 25th Street. No flow was observed. 11) 24-in. diameter pipe; south bank, 75 ft upstream of 22nd Street. No flow was observed. 12) 24-in. diameter pipe; south bank, approximately 25 ft upstream of 22nd Street, No flow was observed. 13) 4-in. diameter clay pipe; north bank, 40 ft downstream from Wood Avenue. The fiow was about 0.5 gpm and the source appeared to be from a municipal water pumping station. ------- 14) 24-in. diameter concrete pipe; south bank, west side of 17th Street. No flow was observed. CURRENT SEWERAGE PROJECTS The current sewerage projects in the Jersey Creek area consist of two phases and include both the construction of a concrete liner on the bed of Jersey Creek, from its mouth to 27th Street, and the removal of all sanitary waste discharges to the creek, that are not diluted, at a ratio of three to one, with storm water. Sanitary wastes will be bypassed to the creek only when they are diluted with storm water at a ratio of three to one or greater. Under dry weather flow conditions the sanitary wastes will be conveyed to the main wastewater treatment plant at 50th and Market. The first phase, from the mouth to 11th Street, is currently under construction; the second phase, from 11th Street to 27th Street, is scheduled to begin in July or August, 1972, with completion anticiptatcd by the end of 1973. The consulting engineering firm of Taliaferro and Browne has been awarded the contract for the Jersey Creek project. Although there are no stream standards or regulations for Jersey Creek, removal of all sanitary waste discharges is necessary to improve the water quality of the creek and to protect the public health of the neighboring residential community. Proper and adequate maintenance of the intercepting sewers is also required. The two largest sources of waste are from existing sewers that are not designed to discharge to the creek. Sanitary waste, in the 8 x 10-ft storm sewer at 18th Street and Chelsea Trafficway, is from intercepting sewers (in the vicinity west ------- of 18th Street) which have been broken in five or six locations. Sanitary waste overflows to Jersey Creek from the broken inlet and outlet pipes in the manhole at 16th Street. The current sewerage plans for the Jersey Creek area are adequate, provided that the work proceeds as scheduled and that completion dates are met. However, the broken sewers should be repaired immediately. These repairs would prevent approximately 2 to 3 mgd of sanitary waste from entering Jersey Creek. * Information was received from the City Engineer's Office (Mr Proffitt) , Kansas City, Kansas. ------- GLOSSARY OF TERMS BOD - Biochemical Oxygen Demand, 5-Day COD - Chemical Oxygen Demand SS - Suspended Solids cfs - flow rate given in cubic feet per second gpm - flou rate given in gallons per minute mgd - flow rate given in million gallons per day mg/1 - concentration given in milligrams per liter pmhos - measurement of specific conductance at 25°C ------- APPENDIX A METHODS OF ANALYSIS Bacteriological analyses for total and fecal coliform were performed A according to Standard Methods using the membrane filter technique. In order to prevent contamination all samples were collected in sterlized bottles. The BOD was determined according to Standard Methods using the azide •k modification of the Winkler method. All other laboratory analyses and field measurements used were con- ducted in accordance with standard EPA procedures. * M.J. Taras, A. E. Greenberg, R. D. Hoak, and M.C. Rand, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 13th Ed., Amer. Public Health Assn. New York, N. Y. 1971. ** Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Hastes, Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental Research Center, Analytical Quality Control Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1971. ------- |