Water Quality Within the Lower Cape Fear River Watersheds, 2012 Matthew McIver, Dr. Michael Mallin, Dr. James Merritt Lower Cape Fear River Program Aquatic Ecology Laboratory UNC Wilmington Center for Marine Science January 2014

Lower Cape Fear River Program (LCFRP) Multiparameter water quality monitoring program including physical, chemical and biological analysesMultiparameter water quality monitoring program including physical, chemical and biological analyses 35 stations in Cape Fear, Black and Northeast Cape Fear River watersheds35 stations in Cape Fear, Black and Northeast Cape Fear River watersheds Aquatic Ecology Laboratory (AEL) at the UNCW Center for Marine ScienceAquatic Ecology Laboratory (AEL) at the UNCW Center for Marine Science

North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (NCDENR) Division of Water Quality (DWQ) Basinwide Water Quality Plan Use support ratings Numerical standard exceeded in < 10% of samples = Supporting Numerical standard exceeded in < 10% of samples = Supporting Numerical standard exceeded in > 10% of samples = Impaired Numerical standard exceeded in > 10% of samples = Impaired Less than 10 samples collected = Not Rated Less than 10 samples collected = Not Rated DO and pH standard exceeded in swamp streams = Not Rated UNCW AEL use support ratings Numerical standard exceeded in < 10% of samples = Rated Good Numerical standard exceeded in 11-25% of samples = Rated Fair Numerical standard exceeded in >25% of samples = Rated Poor

North Carolina State Standards Dissolved Oxygen (DO)5.0 mg/L Swampwater DO4.0 mg/L Chlorophyll a40  g/L Fecal coliform bacteria200 CFU/100 mL (human contact) Enterococcus276 MPN/100 mL (human contact) Turbidity freshwater50 NTU brackish/seawater25 NTU UNCW AEL suggested Standards Nitrate or ammoniumsmall streams200 ug/L blackwater rivers500 ug/L brownwater rivers1,000 ug/L Total Phosphorus500 ug/L

Cape Fear River Watershed 8 Digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) BRN, HAM, NC11, LVC2, AC, DP, IC, NAV, HB, BRR, M61, M54, M35, M23, M18 Cape Fear River, Harrison Ck, Turnbull Ck, Brown Ck, White Lake, Livingston Ck, Town Ck, Cape Fear River Estuary Elizabethtown, White Lake, Tar Heel, East Arcadia, Dublin, White Lake, Wilmington, Navassa, Belville, Southport

NCDENR DWQ 2005 Basinwide Water Quality Plan NPDES Dischargers: MGD Registered swine operations = 57 Total Area = 985 mi 2 Stream Miles = 586 Impaired for Fish Consumption in all waters (Hg) Impaired in Estuary for DO – TMDL suggested

BRN - representative of shallow creeks NC11 - main stem of Cape Fear River HB – Upper Estuary M23 – Lower Estuary

Black River Watershed 8 Digit HUC RC, LCO, GCO, SR, B210, COL, BBT South River, Little Black River, Big Ck, South River, Little Black River, Big Ck, Black River, Six Runs Ck, Great Coharie Ck, Little Coharie Ck, Black River, Colly Ck, Moores Ck, Singletary Lake Angier, Benson, Coats, Dunn, Roseboro, Erwin, Garland, Clinton, Harrels, Magnolia, Newton Grove, Roseboro, Turkey, Warsaw, Atkinson

NCDENR DWQ 2005 Basinwide Water Quality Plan NPDES Dischargers: 7.7 MGD Registered swine operations = 497 Total Area = 1,577 mi 2 Stream Miles = 1,039 Impaired for Fish Consumption in all waters

South River Great Coharie Creek Colly Creek Black River at 210

Northeast Cape Fear River Watershed 8 Digit HUC NC403, SAR, GS, PB, LRC, ROC, ANC, BCRR, BC117, NCF117, NCF6, SC-CH NE Cape Fear River, Matthews Ck, NE Cape Fear River, Matthews Ck, NE Cape Fear River, Rockfish Ck, Muddy Ck, Limestone Ck, Smith Ck, Burgaw Ck, Burnt Mill Ck Mt. Olive, Beulaville, Chinquapin, Faison, Greenevers, Harrells, Kenansville, Pink Hill, Rose Hill, Teachey, Wallace, Burgaw, Watha, St. Helen, Wilmington

NCDENR DWQ 2005 Basinwide Water Quality Plan NPDES Dischargers: 15.1 MGD Registered swine operations = 576 Total Area = 1,743 mi 2 Stream Miles = 1,102 Impaired for Fish Consumption in all waters Impaired for Low Dissolved Oxygen in Goshen Swamp, Muddy Ck, portions on NE River, Burnt Mill Ck

NC403 Rockfish Creek Panther Branch N117

2012 Water Quality Ratings for the Cape Fear River Watershed Stations

2012 Water Quality Ratings for the NE Cape Fear River Watershed Stations

2012 Water Quality Ratings for the Black River Watershed Stations

The following analyses include Lower Cape Fear River Program data for the period

Dissolved Oxygen ratings for the Cape Fear River

Fecal Coliform Bacteria ratings for the Cape Fear River

Dissolved Oxygen ratings for the NE Cape Fear River

Fecal Coliform ratings for the NE Cape Fear River

Total Phosphorus ratings for the NE Cape Fear River

Dissolved Oxygen ratings for the Black River

Fecal Coliform Bacteria ratings for the Black River

Total Phosphorus ratings for the Black River

2012 Chlorophyll a vs BOD Concentrations Both surface film samples and sub-surface (10 cm deep) bottle grabs yielded strong statistical relationships between the two parameters. Decaying phytoplankton blooms provide a highly digestible BOD source to river bacteria. The Cape Fear is under a TMDL for low dissolved oxygen, and these new blooms have not been considered in prior modeling efforts.

Conditions for the Blooms These blooms have occurred June through September from 2009 through 2012; Water temperatures have ranged from 25.6 – 32.2 o C at NC11 Strictly a freshwater phenomenon, although in 2012 portions of the blooms were reported by biologists to be seen in the downtown dock areas in Wilmington, an oligohaline area Reduced river discharge appears to enhance bloom formation. Average river discharge at Lock and Dam #1 from May – September 1995 – 2010 was approximately 3,580 CFS. Average discharge for those “warm season” months in 2009 was 1,898 CFS; for 2010 it was 1,769 CFS, and for 2011 it was 1,210 CFS; i.e. low flow conditions increase the chance for bloom formation. In August 2012 heavy rains in the Piedmont increased river discharge and appeared to flush out the major July blooms. First publication is now out: Isaacs, J.D., W.K. Strangman, M.A. Mallin, M.R. McIver, and J.L.C. Wright Microcystins and two new micropeptin cyanopeptides produced by unprecedented Microcystis aeruginosa blooms in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River. Harmful Algae.31:82-86.