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2011& 2012 FISH and SHELLFISH Monitoring Maury Hall and Yong Lao, MWRA Michael Moore, WHOI Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel April.

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Presentation on theme: "2011& 2012 FISH and SHELLFISH Monitoring Maury Hall and Yong Lao, MWRA Michael Moore, WHOI Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel April."— Presentation transcript:

1 2011& FISH and SHELLFISH Monitoring Maury Hall and Yong Lao, MWRA Michael Moore, WHOI Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel April 1, 2013 Update on Outfall monitoring for 2005, focus on findings

2 Flounder sampling 4 Flounder Stations
Fish sampled annually for histopathology and morphology Contaminant analyses every third year Reports on morphology and histology completed 2011 2012

3 Flounder thresholds, 2011 and 2012
No histology threshold exceedances No contaminant threshold exceedances Tissue contaminant report in preparation But what about ulcers?

4 Blind side ulcers

5 Mussel Bioaccumulation
Study conducted every third year, including 2012 Mussels collected in Maine and deployed for 60 days at 4 sites Each replicate analyzed for PCBs, Pesticides, PAHs, mercury, and lead.

6 Mussel study, 2012 No threshold exceedances in 2012
Decreases since 2005 at OS related to improved removal efficiency at DITP

7 Lobster study Study conducted every third year, including 2012
3 Lobster Stations At each station – three composites of meat and three of hepatopancreas. Each meat replicate analyzed for PCBs, Pesticides, and mercury.  Each hepatopancreas replicate analyzed for PCBs, Pesticides, PAHs, and selected metals.

8 Lobster study results, 2012 No threshold exceedances in 2012
Spatial pattern observed during baseline retained for many contaminants Deer Island > Outfall site > Cape Cod Bay Indications some pesticides are decreasing at all sites in lobster meat (e.g.chlordane, DDT).

9 Ambient Monitoring Plan: Sediment Monitoring 2011 and 2012, Part I Ken Keay Environmental Quality Dept MWRA Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel April 1, 2013

10 Hardbottom monitoring
Special study complementing soft- sediment monitoring. Abundant rocky seafloor in nearfield, erosional environments. Monitoring question: Has the hardbottom community changed? Sampled every third year under AMP revisions, including 2011 Results in Report enquad/pdf/ pdf

11 2011 data consistent with previous findings
Hard-bottom areas are spatially variable Biotic communities relatively stable between 1996 and 2011 Some subtle shifts in community structure over time Post-discharge changes have been relatively modest Lush growth continues on the active riser

12 Sediment Profile Imaging
Nearfield: 23 nearfield stations Sampled in August. Study unchanged by 2010 monitoring revisions One Contingency Plan threshold; apparent RPD depth 2011 Results in Report bor/enquad/pdf/ pdf Outline B1, Original sampling

13 Apparent RPD Threshold results, 2011 & 2012
Threshold set at half the mean depth measured during baseline (1.3 cm). No exceedances have been observed during outfall discharge.

14 SPI Summary through 2012 Outfall has not affected benthic habitat quality aRPD during discharge deeper than baseline Sediment characteristics remained similar through time aRPD in Bay sediments appears to estimate depth of highly oxidized sediments, rather than true depth of oxygen penetration (work in process). Station NF24, heterogenous fine-grain Sediments, ~300M from outfall

15 Sediment & Contaminant Monitoring
New monitoring design incorporated in 2011 & 2012 11 Stations in nearfield 3 Farfield reference stations August sampling for infauna, grain size, TOC, and Clostridium perfringens analyses Contaminants every 3 years (2011). 2011 Results in Report bor/enquad/pdf/ pdf

16 Sediment grain size 2012

17 Silt+clay at 4 stations, 1992-2012

18 Total Organic Carbon

19 Clostridium perfringens, 2012
Anerobic, spore-forming bacterium found in wastewater Spores persistent in the envrionment. Sediments in Boston Harbor and western Massachusetts Bay bore strong signal from decades of effluent, sludge discharge. Counts are the ONLY confirmed effluent signature found in sediments. Patterns observed in and 2012 consistent with previous years

20 Clostridium perfringens, baseline vs discharge monitoring

21 Contaminant Thresholds 2011
Analyze for National Status and Trends parameters, including PAHs, PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and metals. Thresholds exist for 26 analytes (e.g. chrysene) and groups of analytes (e.g. total PCBs) at NOAA ER-M. In 2011, no sediment contaminant thresholds were exceeded Only 3 parameters (Nickel, LMW PAH & HMW PAH) were 30% or more of the relevant threshold) 16 of 26 threshold parameters had mean concentrations less than the minimum observed during baseline monitoring Remaining parameters were well within the range observed during baseline monitoring.

22 PCBs


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