TRENDS IN SELECTED WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS FOR THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL


TRENDS IN SELECTED WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS
FOR THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL
SUMMARY REPORT
TECHNICAL SECTION
WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT BRANCH
U.S. EPA REGION 6
1445 ROSS AVENUE
DALLAS, TX 75202-2733
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS SECTION
SURVEILLANCE BRANCH
U.S. EPA REGION 6
1445 ROSS AVENUE
DALLAS, TX 75202-2733

4>	.A
-n pro
SEP 1392

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SUMMARY
A recent investigation was conducted to determine the condition of
water quality for the Houston Ship Channel. This involved
assessing data for selected water quality parameters as well as
reviewing available literature pertaining to the inland portion of
the Ship Channel. Of key interest was the biological community
since the types and numbers of organisms present serve as an
overall indicator of ecological health. Evaluations of this type
are important to determine whether current water quality management
programs are adequate and to better focus resources on problem
areas or specific pollutants. Water quality in the Ship Channel is
of interest since it receives point source discharges from the most
extensive petrochemical complex in the nation. The Port of Houston
also serves as the second largest seaport in the nation.
The most encouraging finding was the return of fish and other
marine organisms to upstream portions of the Ship Channel. Studies
by the Texas Water Commission (TWC) during 1988-89 documented the
presence of a fairly diverse fish community. A total of 76 species
were collected in segment 1006 (Greens Bayou to the San Jacinto
River), and 59 species in segment 1007 (Greens Bayou upstream to
Highway 59), with 84 species collected overall. In contrast, fish
sampling studies conducted in the 1950s found these segments to be
virtually devoid of aquatic life. Similar studies in the 1970s
showed that species diversity and utilization of the Ship Channel
by aquatic life was improving in segment 1006, but was still poor
further upstream in segment 1007. The TWC study confirms a trend
of improvement in water quality conditions which reflects more
stringent regulatory control of point source discharges.
In this investigation, EPA assessed trends of specific water
quality parameters over the last 10-20 years for five monitoring
stations on the Ship Channel. The parameters found to be improving
over time include: organic carbon, suspended solids, fecal
coliforms, ammonia, phosphates, heavy metals (total arsenic,
copper, cadmium, mercury, nickel and zinc) as well as arsenic and
cadmium in bottom sediment. Improvements in dissolved oxygen,
biological oxygen demand and Kjeldahl nitrogen were found in the
upstream portions of the Ship Channel (i.e., turning Basin to
Greens Bayou). It is extremely encouraging to see these
significant decreasing trends for numerous pollutants, again
indicating water quality as a whole is improving.
This investigation, a recent special EPA/TWC study, and additional
studies funded by the Galveston Bay National Estuary Program
(GBNEP) will aid in developing water monitoring and management
programs for Galveston Bay. These studies have also found that
certain aspects of the water quality remain a concern. Nitrate,
nitrite and selenium appear to be increasing. Also the state and
EPA are investigating water quality standards exceedances for
several heavy metals, including dissolved copper, lead, mercury,
and nickel. While some concerns remain, the degree of improvement
demonstrates the overall success of our regulatory and water
quality standards programs.

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OVERALL SUMMARY OF WATER QUALITY TRENDS BY PARAMETER
Improving
Total Organic Carbon
Total Suspended Solids
Fecal Coliform Bacteria
Ammonia
Organophosphate
Total Phosphate
Total Arsenic
Total Copper
Total Cadmium*
Total Mercury*
Total Nickel*
Total Zinc*
Arsenic in Bottom Sediment
Cadmium in Bottom Sediment*
Differs bv Location
Dissolved Oxygen*
Biological Oxygen Demand*
Kjeldahl Nitrogen*
Total Lead
Total Silver
Copper in Bottom Sediment
Lead in Bottom Sediment
Zinc in Bottom Sediment
No Change
Total Chromium
PCBs in Bottom Sediment
Worsening
Nitrate
Nitrite
Selenium
* Improving at upstream station(s) only
iii

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WATER QUALITY TRENDS FOR HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL
PARAMETER/LOCATION	TRENDS*
DISSOLVED OXYGEN
Turning Basin	t
Greens Bayou Confluence	t
San Jacinto Monument	t
Channel Marker 120	~i
Morgans Point	4
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Turning Basin	I
Greens Bayou Confluence	i
San Jacinto Monument	I
Channel Marker 120	I
Morgans Point
FECAL COLTFORMS
Turning Basin	I
Greens Bayou Confluence	I
San Jacinto Monument	~l
Channel Marker 120	~±
Morgans Point
BOD 5-DAY
Turning Basin	I
Greens Bayou Confluence	-
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120	-t
Morgans Point	t
TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON
Turning Basin	4
Greens Bayou Confluence	4-
San Jacinto Monument	4-
Channel Marker 120	I
Morgans Point	*
AMMONIA-NITROGEN
Turning Basin	*
Greens Bayou Confluence	;
San Jacinto Monument	I
Channel Marker 120	4-
Morgans Point	I
NITRATE
Turning Basin	t
Greens Bayou Confluence	t
San Jacinto Monument	t
Channel Marker 120	t
Morgans Point	t
*t = Apparent Increasing Trend
I = Apparent Decreasing Trend
~t/~i = Possible Increasing/Decreasing Trend
- = No Apparent Trend
iv

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NITRITE
Turning Basin	~t
Greens Bayou Confluence	t
San Jacinto Monument	-t
Channel Marker 120	-t
Morgans Point
TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN
Turning Basin	l
Greens Bayou Confluence	I
San Jacinto Monument	I
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point	t
ORTHOPHOSPHATE
Turning Basin	I
Greens Bayou Confluence	4
San Jacinto Monument	I
Channel Marker 120	4
Morgans Point	~ i
TOTAL PHOSPHOROUS
Turning Basin	;
Greens Bayou Confluence	I
San Jacinto Monument	I
Channel Marker 120	4
Morgans Point	I
TOTAL ARSENIC
Turning Basin	4
Greens Bayou Confluence	I
San Jacinto Monument	-4-
Channel Marker 120	4-
Morgans Point	~l
TOTAL CADMIUM
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence	-I
San Jacinto Monument	I
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL CHROMIUM
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL COPPER
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
v

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TOTAL LEAD
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL MERCURY
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL NICKEL
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL SELENIUM
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL SILVER
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
TOTAL ZINC
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Channel Marker 120
Morgans Point
ARSENIC IN BOTTOM SEDIMENT
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Morgans Point
CADMIUM IN BOTTOM SEDIMENT
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Morgans Point
vi

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COPPER IN BOTTOM SEDIMENT
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Morgans Point
LEAD IN BOTTOM SEDIMENT
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Morgans Point
ZINC IN BOTTOM SEDIMENT
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Morgans Point
PCBs IN BOTTOM SEDIMENT
Turning Basin
Greens Bayou Confluence
San Jacinto Monument
Morgans Point
vii

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reens
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FIG. 2. DISCHARGE FLOW (a), CARBONACEOUS BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN
DEMAND-5 (b), AMMONIA LOADING (c), AND ULTIMATE OXYGEN
DEMAND (d) FOR THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL OVER TIME.
a. Flow vs. Time
Flow (MOD)
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Ammonia (Iba/day) (Thouaanda)
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140
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80
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20
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Jm Jul Jm Jul Jm Jul Jm
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Jul
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88
Time (month/year)
Tims (month/year)

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