WATER QUALITY SURVEY OF THE HEAD OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY MARYLAND TRIBUTARIES 1969 DATA REPORT Number 12 Chesapeake Technical Support Laboratory- Middle Atlantic Region Environmental Protection Agency- Water Quality Office ------- *n> Chesapeake Technical Support Laboratory Middle Atlantic Region Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Office 1969 Data Report Number 12 WATER QUALITY SURVEY OF THE HEAD OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY MARYLAND TRIBUTARIES by James W. Marks and Orterio Villa, Jr. U.S. ICogion Hi Regional Center for Environments information 1650 Arch Street (3PM52) Philadelphia, PA 1910S Laboratory Staff Jean Klaczkiewicz, Chemist Thomas E. Kleczynski, Biologist Evelyn P. McPherson, Technician Anna R. Favorite, Statistician 4>. /O *• PRO"t^ Regional Ccnicr for Environmcnial Information US £PA Rcginn III 1650 Arch Sc Philadelphia. PA 14103 ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I INTRODUCTION 1 II STATION LOCATIONS 6 III SURVEY RESULTS 7 IV MP appendix i ------- I INTRODUCTION A. Purpose and Scope During the year of 1969 the Chesapeake Technical Support Laboratory, Middle Atlantic Region, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Quality Office sampled the head of the bay tributaries three times during June, July and September. Tributaries sampled were Sassafras River, Elk River, Bohemia River, C and D Canal, Northeast River and two points in the upper bay. The purpose of this survey was to determine the levels of eutrophication of the tributaries entering the Chesapeake Bay. B. General Remarks The monthly surveys included analysis for Dissolved Oxygen, Chlorophyll a and Phaeopigments as well as nutrients. C. Sampling Procedures Samples were obtained using a small submersible pump attached to a wire cable calibrated in feet. The pump was lowered to the desired depth and allowed to run for two minutes before receiving samples in plastic cubitainers. Dissolved oxygen (DO) samples were obtained directly from the pump outlet extending to the bottom of a conventional 300 ml DO bottle. The sample was allowed to overflow the bottle several times and then fixed immediately. All samples were immediately ------- 2 stored on ice and analysis started upon return to the Chesapeake Technical Support Laboratory, generally within two hours of sampling. D. Measured Parameters and Analytical Methods 1. Water temperature was read from a Beckman Salinometer. 2. Light extinction, in inches, was made with a 12" (30 cm) white secchi disk. 3. The pH measurements were made with a field pH meter. Conductivity was read from a calibrated Beckman Salinometer. $. Dissolved Oxygen Reference: Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 12 ed.. 1965. Dissolved Oxygen was determined by the azide modification of the basic Winkler method with the titration done potentiometrieally with a Fisher automatic "titralyzer." 6. Total Phosphorus Reference: Menzel, D.W. and Corwin, N. 1965. The Measurement of Total Phosphorus in Seawater Based on the liberation of Organically Bound Fractions by Persulfate Oxidation, jimonology and Oceanography, 10: 280-282. Murphy, J. and Riley, J=P.. 1962. A Modified Single iolution Method for the Determination of Phosphate in Natural raters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 27: 31-36. ------- 3 Total Phosphorus was determined after persulfate oxidation of the sample in an autoclave at 15 psi for 30 minutes. The resultant ortho-phosphate was then determined colorimetrically as the molybdenum-blue complex with the optical density measured at 882 inn. 7. Inorganic Phosphorus Reference: Murphy, J. and Riley, J.P.. 1962. A Modified Single Solution Method for the Determination of Phosphate in Natural Waters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 27: 31-36. Inorganic Phosphorus was determined colorimetrically as the molybdenum-blue complex with the optical density measured at 882 nui. 8. Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen Reference: Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 12 ed.. 1965. Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen includes ammonia and organic nitrogen and was determined by the standard micro-kjeldahl procedure. The sample was digested in the presence of strong acid to convert the organic nitrogen to ammonia. The ammonia was then distilled, collected in boric acid solution, nesslerized and determined colorimetrically. 9. Nitrate + Nitrite Reference: A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis, J.D.H. Strickland and T.R. Parsons, Bulletin 167, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 1968. ------- h Nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen was determined by the cadmium reduction of nitrate to nitrite and subsequent diazotization -with sulphanilamide and N- (l-napthl )- ethylenediamine dihydrochloride. The results were calculated as nitrite nitrogen. 10. Ammonia Reference: Southeast Water Laboratory, FWQA, methodology for the colorimetric determination of ammonia by the phenol-hypochlorite reaction. FWPCA Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, 1969 ed., pp 137—lU3- Ammonia nitrogen was-determined by automation of the phenol-hypochlorite procedure as described in the Southeast Water Laboratory Methodology and later adopted as the official FWPCA procedure. The intensity of the indophenol blue color, formed by the reaction of ammonia with alkaline phenol hypochlorite, was increased using sodium nitroprusside as an intensifying agent. The optical density was measured at 630 and calculated as NH-N. 11. Chlorophyll a Reference: A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis, J.D.H. Strickland and T.R. Parsons, Bulletin 167, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 1968. Chlorophyll a was determined by extraction of millipore- filtered samples in 90$ acetone and read spectrophotometrically. ------- 12. Phaeopigments Reference: A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis, J.D.H. Strickland and T.R. Parsons, Bulletin 167, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 1968. After Chlorophyll a had been determined the sample was acidified with one normal HC1. The absorbancy of the acidified sample was obtained and the percentage of Chlorophyll present as phaeopigments was calculated. ------- 6 II STATION LOCATIONS STATION NUMBER STATION LOCATION 1 Sassafras River, Georgetown Bridge 2 Sassafras River, Nun 6 3 Sassafras River, Can 3 I4. Sassafras River, off Betterton 5 Bay, midway between Nun 2 and Bell 1 6 Bay, Turkey Point, Nun 6 7 Elk: River, Nun 10 8 Bohemia River, Nun 2 9 Behemia River, above bridge 10 Elk River, Can 1^ 11 C and D Canal, Nun 26 12 Elk River, Nun 6 13 Elk River, Nun ill 111 Northeast River, Nun 2 15 Northeast River, Nun 10' 16 Northeast River, Nun 18 17 Northeast River, mouth of creek ------- Ill SURVEY RESULTS 1969 HEAD OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRIBUTARIES Date Sample Taken Time Sample Taken Sample Depth Feet Secchi Disc Inches Water Temp. °C Field pH Cond. jjmhos DO mg/l Total P mg/l «>4 Pi mg/1 P04 TKN mg/l Organic N mg/l N02+N03 mg/l nh3 mg/l Chloro- phyll a .•K A Phaei pigmei Station 1 - Sassafras River, Georgetown Bridee 6-24 1655 Surface 24 27 11.79 .29 ND .15 • 15 < .01 ND 99 28 10 29.5 11.26 .21 ND .97 • 97 < .01 ND 7-15 0900 Surface 18 24.9 • 70 8.60 ¦35 1.32 1.30 ND .02 0845 10 ¦ 24.6 .84 8.25 • 33 ¦ 30 .29 ND .02 7-21 Surface 12 28.5 • 51 ND ND ND 97-5 117 9-09 1135 Surface 16 25-5 4.99 ¦^5 •03 1.37 .95 • 03 .42 10 25 4.23 .40 .006 1.26 .87 ¦03 .40 Station 2 - Sassafras River, Nun 6 6-24 1630 Surface 46 26 9.03 .12 ND • 59 • 55 < .01 .04 27 11 10 27 8.34 .13 ND .43 .42 < .01 .01 7-15 0920 Surface 27 24.6 .64 9-14 .16 1.40 1.38 ND .02 10 24.3 .66 8.42 ¦ 31* 1.58 1.57 ND .01 7-21 0908 Surface 18 28 • 19 • 03 ND 52.50 43 9-09 1115 Surface 24 25 7.40 .26 ND ¦ 79 • 78 ND .01 93-75 53 10 25 6.91 .24 ND ¦ 72 .69 ND .03 Station 3 - Sassafras River, Can 3 6-24 1620 Surface 50 26 7-9^ • 13 ND .50 .47 < .01 .02 20.25 23 15 27 7-95 • 13 ND ¦ 50 .47 < .01 .04 7-15 0935 Surface 34 24.3 9-75 .12 ND .01 15 24.1 9.25 .12 .58 .56 ND .02 7-21 0913 Surface 27 28 •15 ND .04 • 03 29.25 ^3 9-09 1100 Surface 26 24.5 8.02 .22 .003 • 79 • 73 .02 .06 60.00 3^ * 15 24 7.89 .23 ND .74 • 72 .02 • 03 Station 4 - Sassafras River, off Betterton 6-24 1200 Surface 33 25.5 6.73 • 19 .01 .40 • 32 • 30 • 07 45.00 20 10 27 6.75 • 15 ND .43 .40 .22 • 03 7-15 0955 Surface 38 23.76 1.85 9.28 .14 .60 ¦58 .17 .03 10 23.33 3-5^ 7.20 .12 • 50 .47 • 19 • 03 24 7-21 0930 Surface 32 27.5 .11 ND .04 • 05 19.50 9-09 io4o Surface 26 24.5 7.74 .23 ND .75 .69 .07 .07 75.00 25 10 24.5 .7.31 .27 .005 .69 .64 .07 .04 ND - Not detectable ------- 1969 HEAD OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRIBUTARIES Late Time Sample Secchi Water Total P Pi Organic NO +N0.. KH_ Chloro- Phaeo- Sample Sample Depth Disc Temp. Field Cond. DO ™g/l mg/l TKN N phyll a pigments Taken Taken Feet Inches °C pH jumbos mg/l PO^ PO^ nig/l mg/l nig/l mg/l Hg/l ^g/l Station 5 - Bay, Midway between Nun 2 and Bell 1 6-21+ 1210 Surface 22 25 7.26 .11+ .01 .26 .22 .26 • 03 16.2 15 26 7.28 • 15 .01 • 39 .28 .27 .10 7-15 1000 Surface 38 23.8 2.0 9-33 .12 ¦ 53 • 51 .20 .02 15 23.3 3.4 7.50 .13 ¦ 58 • 5*+ .20 .01+ 7-21 09^5 Surface 30 27.5 .18 ND .01+ .10 31.5 9-15 101+5 Surface 36 23.5 8.85 .38 .10 .62 .1+7 .16 •15 57.00 15 23.5 7.26 .61 • 3^ • 96 • 92 .16 • 03 Station 6 - Bay, Turkey Point, Nun 6 6-21+ 1220 Surface 22 25 7.21 .18 .001+ .1+1 • 35 .27 • 07 21+.25 15 25 6.72 .20 ND .1+1 • 37 • 27 .01+ 7-15 111+0 Surface 30 21+.8 9-55 • 39 .1+7 .M+ .20 .02 15 23.9 8.78 .13 • 5"+ • 52 .20 .02 7-21 1000 Surface 20 28 .26 ND .07 .08 1+6.50 9-15 1100 Surface ' 21+ 23.5 7.17 .28 .02 • 70 .67 .21+ • 03 60.00 15 23.5 7.21+ .28 .02 ¦ 70 .67 .21+ .03 Station 7 - Elk River, Nun 10 6-21+ 121+5 Surface 25 25 9-33 • 85 .02 .1+8 ¦ 50 • 03 25-5 15 26.5 7.00 1.00 ND .1+1 • 37 .1+9 .01+ 7-15 1150 Surface 21+ 21+.5 9.19 .81 -70 .68 .36 .02 15 21+ 8.30 .88 .79 .39 .01+ 9-16 1015 Surface 18 23.5 7.72 .26 .01+ .80 .7^ ¦ 35 • 07 82.50 15 23.5 7.67 • 36 ¦ 03 • 83 • 78 • 36 • 05 Station 8 - Bohemia River, Nun 2 6-21+ 1255 Surface 23 25 9-01 .21+ ND 1.37 1-35 < .01 .03 59.25 10 25 8.83 .16 ND 1.1+6 1.1+2 < .01 .01+ 7-15 11+50 Surface 27.7 12.81+ • 39 2.02 2.00 ND .02 8 24.7 9-95 .36 1.86 1.81 ND .05 7-21 1021 Surface 11+ 28 .1+6 ND .08 ND 111.00 9-16 1025 Surface 8 21+ 13.1+8 .63 ND 2.70 2.67 .12 .02 315.75 . 10 21+ 10.05 • 89 ND 2.72 2.60 .12 .13 ND - Not detectable ------- 1969 HEAD OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRIBUTARIES Date Time Sample Secchi Water Total P PI Organic NOg+NO„ HH Chloro- Phaeo- Sample Sample Depth Disc Temp. Field Cond. DO mg/l mg/l TKN N phyll a pigments Taken Taken Feet Inches °C pH pmhos nig/l PO^ PO^ mg/l ng/l ^g/l mg/1 ^g/l ^g/l Station 9 - Bohemia River, above bridge 6-24 1305 Surface 26 26 9-01 .14 ND 1-57 1.56 < .01 .002 93-00 10 28 8.93 ¦ 33 ND 1.27 1.26 .67 ND 7-15 1505 Surface 13 28.1 14.50 • 45 1.87 1.85 ND .01 • 10 26.2 12.21 A5 1.99 1.98 .02 .01 7-21 1045 Surface 12 27 • 53 ND .47 •50 84.00 9-16 1040 Surface 6 24 10.57 .73 ND 3.04 3.01 .12 • 03 387.00 10 24 10.49 • 79 ND 3.54 3-54 .12 .005 Station 10 - Elk River, Can 5 6-24 1325 Surface 19 26 7.66 •17 .01 • 19 .17 < .01 .02 27.00 10 28 8.05 .18 ND 1.07 1.07 .81 ND 7-15 1205 Surface 18 24.9 1.5 10.79 .26 1.29 1.27 .41 .02 71.25 10 24.6 1.7 10.53 .22 i.4o 1.38 .47 .02 9-16 1100 Surface 14 24" 8.44 .35 ND .69 .61 • 36 .08 99-00 10 24 8.48 • 37 ND .83 ¦ 75 .40 .08 Station 11 - C and D Canal, Nun 26 6-24 1335 Surface 20 25.5 8.20 .20 .004 .47 .43 • 77 .04 27.75 10 27 7.79 • 32 ND .47 .45 < .01 • 03 89.25 7-15 1350 Surface 20 26 10.27 • 29 1.09 1.07 • 55 .02 10 25.2 9.00 .24 1.86 1.83 ¦ 56 .02 9-16 1145 Surface 14 24 8.13 .40 .01 .81 • 79 .43 .02 99-00 10 24 8.07 •51 ND .90 .87 .43 • 03 Station 12 - Elk River, Nun 6 6-24 1430 Surface 28 7.25 11.U- .20 ND 1.18 1.15 .20 • 03 87.00 7-15 1410 Surface 18 25.4 9-3 13.98 • 32 2.17 2.16 LA .009 123.75 9-16 1115 Surface 12 24 6.9 10.77 .49 ND 1.12 1.10 .13 .02 123-00 ND - Not detectable LA - Laboratory accident vo ------- 1969 HEAD OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRIBUTARIES Date Time Sample Secchi Water Total P PI Organic N02+N0 NH~ Chloro- Phaeo- Sample Sample Depth Disc Temp. Field Cond. DO mg/l mg/l TKN N phyll a pigments Taken Taken Feet Inches °C pH ymhos mg/l PO^ PO^ mg/l mg/l mg/l mg/l tig/l M-g/1 Station 13 - Elk River, , Nun 14 6-24 1415 Surface 14 31 7.0 9.88 • 33 ND .94 • 90 .22 .05 7-15 1420 Surface 14 26.6 9.3 14.30 .44 .72 • 71 LA .007 9-16 1125 Surface 12 24 7.5 10.40 .50 ND 1.13 1.13 ND ND 120.71 Station 14 - Northeast River, Nun 2 6-24 1500 Surface 38 25 8.63 .22 ND .43 *27 .17 .07 37.5< 10 30 7-95 .20 ND .70 .64 .01 .05 40.5c 7-15 1025 Surface 36 24.26 .08 8.78 .14 .68 .67 • 36 ¦ 03 10 23.9 8.58 .11 1.01 • 97 • 39 .04 67.50 9-15 1115 Surface 24 23.5 9.80 .16 ND .66 .65 .15 .005 15 23 9.08 •19 .001 .61 .60 .13 .009 Station 15 - Northeast River, Nun 10 6-21+ 1510 Surface 25 26 9.0 11.28 ¦ 29 ND • 91 .89 < .01 • 03 70.50 7-15 1035 Surface 22 25.3 9.82 • 17 • 97 •93 .09 .04 50.25 6 24.45 8.94 .17 1.00 .98 .11 .02 116.25 9-15 1130 Surface 15 23.5 10.68 .24 ND .87 .85 ND .02 Station 16 - Northeast River, Nun 18 6-24 1525 Surface 2b 27.5 9.2 11.32 .20 ND 1.00 •97 < .01 .02 78.00 7-15 10^5 Surface 18 25.5 8.3 10.33 .20 1.62 1.00 ND .01 69.00 8 23.6 7-99 .23 1.16 1.15 ND .01 9-15 1150 Surface 24 7-3 8.67 .29 ND ¦ 72 .72 ND .008 102.75 10 24 6.6 7-36 .02 ND .86 .83 ND .02 Station 17 - Northeast River, mouth of creek 6-24 Surface 26 7.9 11-09 • 15 ND .50 .42 .08 45.00 7-15 1100 Surface 22 25.3 7-2 9-69 • 19 .62 .61 ND .01 57-75 9-15 1155 Surface 15 24 7.4 8.25 • 30 ND .85 .85 ND ND 117.75 ND - Not detectable LA - Laboratory accident ------- WATER QUALITY SURVEY HEAD OF CHESAPEAKE BAY TRIBUTARIES o i t a « APPENDIX ------- |