2010 South Fork Holston River Environmental Monitoring Studies Patrick Center for Environmental Research 2010 South Fork Holston River Environmental Monitoring Studies Report No. 10-04F Submitted to: Eastman Chemical Company Tennessee Operations Submitted by: Patrick Center for Environmental Research 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103-1195 April 20, 2012 Executive Summary he 2010 study was the seventh in a series of comprehensive studies of aquatic biota and Twater chemistry conducted by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in the vicinity of Kingsport, TN. Previous studies were conducted in 1965, 1967 (cursory study, primarily focusing on al- gae), 1974, 1977, 1980, 1990 and 1997. Elements of the 2010 study included analysis of land cover, basic environmental water chemistry, attached algae and aquatic macrophytes, aquatic insects, non-insect macroinvertebrates, and fish. For each study element, field samples were collected and analyzed from Scientists from the Academy's Patrick Center for Environmental Research zones located on the South Fork Holston River have conducted seven major environmental monitoring studies on the (Zones 2, 3 and 5), Big Sluice (Zone 4), mainstem South Fork Holston River since 1965. Holston River (Zone 6), and Horse Creek (Zones HC1and HC2), the approximate locations of which are shown below. The design of the 2010 study was very similar to that of previous surveys, allowing comparisons among surveys. In addition, two areas of potential local impacts were assessed for the first time: Big Tree Spring (BTS, located on the South Fork within Zone 2) and Kit Bottom (KU and KL in the Big Sluice, upstream of Zone 4). The field sampling was conducted from 11-17 July 2010. The primary objectives for each element were 1) assessment of differences among zones as indicators of potential stressors, such as flow regulation by the Fort Patrick Henry Dam, various municipal and industrial activities in Kingsport, and effects of watershed development; and 2) assessment of temporal trends, as indicators of changes in local conditions. Results of the study will fulfill requirements of Eastman's hazardous waste management permit, aid Eastman's evaluation of its efforts to protect the Map of the 2010 South Fork Holston River environmental monitoring studies zones. On the cover: Dr. Raymond W. Bouchard Jr. and Sylvan Klein (left to right) collecting macroinvertebrates at Zone 6, and examples of the many aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates and fishes recorded during the 2010 survey (from left to right; a hellgrammite, American Waterweed and a redear sunfish). The Academy of Natural Sciences i Patrick Center for Environmental Research EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2010 South Fork Holston River Environmental Monitoring Studies environment, and help to fulfill the company's Responsible Care® goals of understanding and communicating environmental issues. The main findings of each study element are summarized below. Land Cover n analysis of land cover in the subwatersheds of the study area showed that the area was pre- dominantly forested (62.4%), with significant amounts of agricultural (25.0%) and urban A(9.3%) lands in 2001 (the most recent data available). There were relatively small changes in land cover between 1991 and 2001, with decreases in forested area (1.4%) and increases in agricul- The watersheds that flow into the Academy's study area contain a wide variety of land uses, with each potentially impacting downstream water quality. tural (0.45%), grassland/scrub (0.49%), and urban lands (0.40%). Environmental Geochemistry rends of increasing concentrations in the downstream direction were noted Tfor several parameters along the South Fork and mainstem Holston rivers, in- cluding total alkalinity, total hardness, dis- solved major ions, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, ortho-phosphorus, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO), % DO saturation, and water temperature were lowest at Zone 2, Senior Chemist, Paul Kiry, compositing a water sample from Zone 2. Patrick Center for Environmental Research ii The Academy of Natural Sciences 2010 South Fork Holston River Environmental Monitoring Studies EXECUTIVE SUMMARY near the bottom-release Fort Patrick Henry Dam. Among South Fork and mainstem Holston rivers zones, dissolved ammonium+ammonia and total phosphorus concentrations were highest at Zone 5, while other parameters showed no other consistent spatial pattern within the river system. A few parameters showed elevated levels in Horse Creek (compared to most or all of the five river zones), including turbidity, conductivity, total solids, some dissolved major ions, soluble Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, DOC and TOC. DO and % DO saturation were lower in Horse Creek than in the South Fork and mainstem Holston rivers zones. Biological oxygen demand (BOD) concentrations were low (< 1 mg O2/L) across the study area, although slightly higher than seen in the 1997 sur- vey. A high concentration of fecal coliforms was noted in one sample from Zone 3, presumably re- lated to runoff containing animal wastes, leachate from failed septic systems, and/or point and non-point source runoff between Zones 2 and 3 following a recent rain event. In general, concentra- tions were similar to those of the 1997 survey. Water quality at Big Tree Spring (BTS) differed from the adjacent mainstem in several parameters, such as lower water temperature, lower pH, higher turbidity, conductivity, total alkalinity, and total hardness, and higher concentrations of dissolved major ions, dissolved nitrate+nitrite, and total nitrogen. Differences between BTS and river water may derive from the nature of groundwater in areas with carbonate rocks (e.g., higher hardness), from landfill leachate, or from other point or non-point sources contributing water to the spring. However, the flow of BTS was small relative to the river, and the area of mixing encompassed only a small area around the mouth of the spring. Data from all ANS Holston River surveys (1965-2010) were standardized and compared among surveys. Concentrations of selected parameters show an improvement from the earlier surveys. This is evident for BOD, fecal coliform and possibly dissolved ammonium+ammonia concentrations. The largest improvements occurred from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Over the past 20 years water quality appears to be stable with no substantial change in the parameters examined. A few parameters, such as dissolved nitrate+nitrite and dissolved chloride, show recent slight increases (following earlier declines), although current values are similar or lower than those during the earliest surveys. These increases may come from watershed sources, related to land development and population growth in the region. Algae and Aquatic Macrophytes ue to modern taxonomic techniques, there has been considerable recent change in algal Dtaxonomy, especially for diatoms and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). The number of Phycologist, Frank Acker, collecting an algae sample from taxonomic changes since the previous survey (1997) Horse Creek. The Academy of Natural Sciences iii Patrick Center for Environmental Research EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2010 South Fork Holston River Environmental Monitoring Studies is probably greater than the changes observed since studies of Holston River algae started in 1965. Compi- lation of changes since 1997 was done to allow comparison of results. Filamentous algal forms (blue-greens, greens and yellow-greens), which can indicate enrichment when abundant, were found consistently throughout the study area, probably more so in 2010 than the previous study (1997) when the most pronounced forms A mixed stand of American waterweed, long-leafed pondweed and sago pondweed at were diatoms. The largest algal Zone 3. Submerged aquatic vegetation provides food and shelter for a wide variety of macroinvertebrates and fishes. growths in the 2010 studies were small "streamers" of green algae from moderate- to heavily-sedimented rocks in slow to moderate flow. Similar to the previous four surveys (1977, 1980, 1990 and 1997), the abundant diatom species were indicative of waters with high nutrients. The major differences in diatom communities during the 2010 Holston River studies were between the Horse Creek zones and Zone 2, below the Fort Patrick Henry Dam, and the other Holston River zones. The diatom communities in the Horse Creek zones were influenced by higher turbidity and alkalinity. Influences to the periphyton communities in Zone 2 were dam-related. There were more planktonic algae than in other downstream Holston River zones and, related to larger water level fluctuations, there were greater amounts of diatoms that could withstand daily desiccation. The algal community in the area of the Big Tree Spring was essentially a very large mat of filamentous green algae with epiphytic diatoms and several populations of blue-green algae near the interface between water and muddy sand. Beds of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) were observed throughout the study area, consisting of Heteranthera dubia, Elodea canadensis, and several species of Potamogeton. SAV was particularly extensive at Zones 3 and 6 and appeared more extensive than in previous surveys at several zones, e.g., Zone 2, part of Zone 3 and at Zone 6. Although there are many factors that explain the presence and absence of aquatic plants, the amount of plant material at several of the zones, especially Zones 2 and 3, was indicative of organic enrichment.