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