Spy Pond a Diagnostic Study

7.1-E-2 SPY POND A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY 1980-1981 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering \ Anthony D. Cortese, Commissioner DIVISION of WATER POLLUTION CONTROL Thomas C. McMahon, Director SPY POND : A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY 1980-1981 EBEN W. CHESEBROUGH SANITARY BIOLOGIST and CHRISTINE DUERRING. AQUATIC BIOLOGIST MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENGINEERING DIVISION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNICAL SERVICES BRANCH WESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS DECEMBER 1982 Cover View of Arlington Boat Club, early 1900's Drawing by Robert Kerrigan adapted from a photograph from Spy Pond Stories (Balazs, 1973). Publication #13,2i2-125-75-5-83-C.R. Approved by John J. Manton, State Purchasing Agent ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Division of Water Pollution Control wishes to thank those whose efforts made this Diagnostic Study possible. The following groups and individuals have been particularly helpful: - George Minasian and the staff of the Lawrence Experiment Station who performed the analyses on the chemical and bacteriological samples from lake surveys; - Frank P. Wright, Director of the Department of Properties and Natural Resources for the town of Arlington, who provided background and historical information on Spy Pond; - Members of the Spy Pond Study Committee, especially Herbert M. Kagan, Chairman, Kevin G. Barbera, and John Hill. - Nancy Flynn of Arlington, Massachusetts whose efforts were important in initiating proceedings for this study. - The following individuals assisted in the surveys of Spy Pond and the analysis of the chemical and biological samples: Mike Ackerman Judith Morrison Joan Beskenis Barbara Notini Richard McVoy Gayle Whittaker TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEM PAGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2 LIST OF TABLES 4 LIST OF FIGURES 5 FOREWORD 6 INTRODUCTION Purpose of Study Background and History 8 WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS 11 Physical Description 11 Development 18 LAKE CHARACTERISTICS 23 LIMNOLOGICAL DATA 27 Methods 27 Results 32 Physical 32 Chemical 36 Biological 60 Storm Drains 73 CONCLUSIONS 85 REFERENCES 86 APPENDIX A Chlorophyll a. Procedures 90 APPENDIX B Water Quality Data 92 APPENDIX C Phytoplankton Data 102 APPENDIX D A Note on Limnology and Lake Restoration Projects 107 APPENDIX E Description of Terms 116 APPENDIX F Algal Assay Results 121 APPENDIX G Record of Daily Precipitation 124 LIST OF TABLES NUMBER TITLE PAGE 1 ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS POPULATION INFORMATION 21 2 SPY POND MORPHOMETRIC DATA 25 3 SPY POND WATER QUALITY SAMPLING PROGRAM 28 4 SECCHI DISC READINGS - TIME, WEATHER, AND WATER 34 CONDITIONS 5 RESULTS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSES - STATION 1 41 6 RESULTS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSES - STATION 2 47 7 COMPARISON OF CONDUCTIVITY, CHLORIDE, AND TOTAL 52 SOLIDS IN FOUR LAKES 8 COMPARISON OF HISTORICAL DATA 61 9 RESULTS OF BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING 63 10 SANITARY SURVEY DATA 67 11 STORM DRAIN DATA 74 12 STORM DRAINS - BRIEF DESCRIPTION 79 13 STORM DRAIN WET WEATHER SURVEY DATA 81 14 ALGAL ASSAY DATA FROM SPY POND 123 LIST OF FIGURES NUMBER TITLE PAGE 1 SPY POND - GENERAL WATERSHED MAP 12 2 SPY - GENERAL SOILS MAP 14 3 LOCATION OF STORM DRAINS AND DRAIN SAMPLING STATIONS 16 3A WATERSHED STORM DRAIN SYSTEM AREAS 17 4 SPY POND - GENERAL LAND USE MAP 19 5 ' SPY POND BATHYMETRIC MAP AND LOCATION OF SAMPLING 24 STATIONS 6 SANITARY SURVEY STATION LOCATIONS ' 29 7 DEPTH-TIME DIAGRAM OF ISOTHERMS - STATION 1 33 8 SECCHI DISC TRANSPARENCY - STATIONS 1 AND 2 35 9 COMPARISON OF SUSPENDED SOLIDS DATA AT SURFACE WITH 37 SECCHI DISC TRANSPARENCY - STATION 1 9A SECCHI DISC vs. PHYTOPLANKTON COUNTS - STATION 1 38 10 DIAGRAM OF ISOPLETHS OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN - STATION 1 39 11 TOTAL IRON - STATION 1 54 12 TOTAL MANGANESE - STATION 1 ' 55 13 SURFACE CONCENTRATIONS OF AMMONIA NITROGEN, NITRATE 57 NITROGEN AND TOTAL PHOSPHORUS - STATION 1 14 HYPOLIMNION CONCENTRATIONS OF AMMONIA- NITROGEN 58 NITRATE NITROGEN AND TOTAL PHOSPHORUS - STATION 1 15 TOTAL LIVE PHYTOPLANKTON - STATIONS 1 AND 2 68 16 SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN PHYTOPLANKTON - STATION 1 69 17 CHLOROPHYLL a. DATA - STATIONS 1 AND 2 70 18 DISTRIBUTION OF AQUATIC VEGETATION - JULY-AUGUST 1980 72 19 STORM DRAIN SYSTEM . " 78 A EUTROPHICATION - THE PROCESS OF AGING BY ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION , • B DIAGRAMMATIC SKETCH SHOWING THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS OF 113 TEMPERATE LAKES C PREDICTED AND ACTUAL YIELDS OF SELENASTRUM CAPRICORNUTUM 122 GROWN IN SPY POND FOREWORD The following report is a presentation and discussion of the water quality in Spy Pond. This report does not present or discuss any data pertaining to the nutrient budget, hydrologic budget, retention time or flushing rate. These areas will be covered in the feasibility portion of the study done by Environmental Design and Planning, Inc. This report, under a separate cover, is entitled "Feasibility Study of Lake Restoration in Spy Pond, Arlington." The diagnostic portion of the study as set forth here is basically comprised of background information and a current limnological description of the lake. "A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature; it is earth?s eye on looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature." Henry David Thoreau "Walden" 1854 INTRODUCTION Purpose of Study This report summarizes the information obtained during a diagnostic study of Spy Pond in Arlington, Massachusetts, conducted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Quality Engineering, Division of Water Pollution Control from March 1980 to April 1981. The purpose of the diagnostic study was to estimate and characterize the pond's current limnological condition by examining both the lake and its watershed. The survey provided data for the state's lake classification and restoration/ preservation program and fulfilled the requirements of Section 314 of the 1977 Amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (PL95-217). A report of the feasibility study of Spy Pond, conducted under contract with the Division of Water Pollution Control by Environmental Design and Planning, Inc., of Allston, Massachusetts from October 1981 to September 1982, is pre- sented under a separate cover.* This report presents and discusses data pertaining to stormwater runoff, and nutrient and hydrologic budgets that were closely examined as a result of the diagnostic study. It also discusses cost- effective solutions for permanently improving and enhancing water quality in Spy Pond. Background and History Spy Pond (42° 24' 30"N, 71° 9* 19" W) is a 41.3 hectare (102 acres) lake located in the southern end of the town of Arlington, about 12.9 kilometers (8 miles) northwest of Boston. The 350 hectare (864 acres) watershed is divided between the towns of Arlington and Belmont, which contain 73% and 27% of the area, respectively. State Route 2 borders the southwest shore of Spy Pond and forms the division between Arlington and Belmont. There are a total of forty-three known drains which empty into Spy Pond. All but two or possibly three of these deliver urban storm water to the lake whenever it rains. Such urban storm water carries a rich supply of pollutants derived from urban litter. The nature of this material has been described by Lazaro (1979) as follows: "Litter includes remnants resulting from careless public and private waste collection operations, animal and bird droppings, soil washed or eroded from land surfaces, con- struction debris, road surfacing materials ravelled by travel, impact, frost action or other causes, air pollution dust falls, windblown dirt from open areas and a host of subsidiary materials." * Final Report: Environmental Design and Planning, Inc. December 1982. Feasibility Study of Lake Restoration in Spy Pond, Arlington. Stonnwater problems develop and expand with the urbanization of an area. Thus the slow degradation of Spy Pond's water quality no doubt paralleled the slow but steady development of the Arlington and Belmont communities. For this reason, a brief historical sketch of the area surrounding Spy Pond is included in this report.* Originally part of Cambridge, the area comprising Arlington was first set off as a distinct precinct in 1732. In 1762 this second parish of Cambridge was incorporated into a district known as Menotomy, because it was located on the western side of the Menotomy River (now known as Alewife Brook). In 1807 an act was passed by the state legislature to divide the town of Cambridge and incorporate the westerly parish (Menotomy) as West Cambridge. The name was again changed in 1867 to Arlington by the State Legislature. In the 1870's, the chief industry in Arlington was apparently gardening. The north and east shores of Spy Pond and many acres along Pleasant Street were used extensively for vegetable gardens. By 1907 it is said that Arlington was the number one market garden town in the country. All of this land used for gardening adjacent to the lake was apparently heavily fertilized because the original soil was not suitable for farming (Common- wealth of Massachusetts, 1953). Any impact of this agricultural activity on the water quality of Spy Pond was not reported in the available literature. All descriptions of Spy Pond compliment the beauty of the waterbody. It is likely that during the long period of intensive garden fanning (a span of about 100-150 years) sediment and nutrients were steadily increasing in Spy Pond and that only beginning in the late 1800's and early 1900's'did weed growth become noticeable. The photographs from this period in Spy Pond Stories (Balazs, 1973) show thick weed growth around Elizabeth Island. Another major activity which occurred on Spy Pond in the mid 1800's was ice harvesting. It was this business as well as the demand for Arlington's garden produce that brought the railroad up from Fresh Pond to Spy Pond and then on to Lexington. Both the produce farms and ice business declined around the late 1800's. Extensive development of Spy Pond's watershed began during this period. The larger farms surrounding the pond were broken up into building lots and access roads were constructed.

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