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Bottom Sediments and Nutrients in the Tidal Potomac System, Maryland and Virginia

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Bottom Sediments and Nutrients in the Tidal Potomac System, Maryland and Virginia |epij_ pup Chapter F Bottqpi Sediments and Nutrients in the TidaPPotomac System, Maryland and Virginia By JERgY L. GLENN U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 2234 A WATER-QUALITY STUDY OF THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER AND ESTUARY DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L Peck, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1988 For sale by the Books and Open-File Reports Section U.S. Geological Survey Federal Center, Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225 Any use of trade names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Clenn, Jerry L. Bottom sediments and nutrients in the tidal Potomac system, Maryland and Virginia. (U.S. Ceoological Survey Water-Supply Paper; 2234-F) Bibliography: p. Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.13:2234-F 1. Water Pollution Potomac River Watershed. 2. Marine sediments Potomac River Watershed. 3. Eutrophication Potomac River Watershed. 4. Water chemistry. I. Title. 11. Series: U.S. Geological Survey water-supply paper; 2234F. TD225.P74G58 1987 363.7'3942'0916347 86-600339 This interdisciplinary effort emphasized studies FOREWORD of the transport of the major nutrient species and of suspended sediment. The movement of these sub­ Tidal rivers and estuaries are very important stances through five major reaches or control volumes features of the Coastal Zone because of their immense of the tidal Potomac River and Estuary was determined biological productiv ity and their proximity to centers of during 1980 and 1981. This effort provided a commerce and population. Most of the shellfish and framework on which to assemble a variety of investiga­ much of the local finfish consumed by man are harvest­ tions: ed from estuaries and tidal rivers. Many of the world's (1) The generation and deposition of sediments, largest shipping ports are located within estuaries. nutrients, and trace metals from the Holocenc to the Many cstuari'^r'originatc as river valleys drowned by present was determined by sampling surficial bottom rising sea level and are geologically ephemeral features, sediments and analyzing their characteristics and distri­ destined eventually to fill with sediments. Nutrients, butions. heavy metals, and organic chemicals are often associat­ (2) Bottom-sediment geochemistry was studied ed with the sediments trapped in estuaries. Part of the and the effects of benthic exchange processes on wa­ trapped nutrients may be recycled to the water column, ter-column nutrient concentrations ascertained. exacerbating nutrient-enrichment problems caused by (3) Current-velocity and water-surface-elevation local sewage treatment plants, and promoting undesira­ data were collected to calibrate and verify a series of ble algae growth. The metals and organics may be one- and two-dimensional hydrodynamie flow and concentrated in the food chain, further upsetting the transport models. ecology and threatening the shell and finfish harvests. (4) Measurements from typical urban and rural Our knowledge of the processes governing these watersheds were extrapolated to provide estimates of phenomena is limited and the measurements needed to the nonpoint sources of sediments, nutrients, and bio­ improve our understanding are scarce. chemical oxygen demand during 1980 and 1981. In response to an increasing awareness of the (5) Intensive summertime studies were conduct­ importance and delicate ecological balance of tidal ed to determine the effects of local sewage-treatment- rivers and estuaries, the U.S. Geological Survey began plant effluents on dissolved-oxygen levels in the tidal a 5-year interdisciplinary study of the tidal Potomac Potomac River. River and Estuary in October of 1977. The study (6) Species, numbers, and net productivity of encompassed elements of both the Water Resources phytoplankton were determined to evaluate their effect Division's ongoing Research and River Quality Assess­ on nutrients and dissolved oxygen. ment Programs. The Division has been conducting (7) Wetland studies were conducted to determine research on various elements of the hydrologic cycle the present-day distribution and abundance of sub­ since 1894 and began intense investigation of estuarine mersed aquatic vegetation, and to ascertain the impor­ processes in San Francisco Bay in 1968. The River tant water-quality and sediment parameters influencing Quality Assessment program began in 1973 at the this distribution. suggestion of the Advisory Committee on Water Data (8) Repetitive samples were collected to docu­ for Public Use which saw a special need to develop ment the distribution and abundance of the mac- suitable information for river-basin planning and wa­ robenthic infaunal species of the tidal river and estuary ter-quality management. The Potomac assessment was and to determine the effects of changes in environmen­ the first to focus on a tidal river and estuary. In tal conditions on this distribution and abundance. addition to conducting research into the processes The reports in this Water-Supply Paper series governing water-quality conditions in tidal rivers and document the technical aspects of the above investiga­ estuaries, the ultimate goals of the Potomac Estuary tions. The series also contains an overall introduction Study were to aid water-quality management decision- to the study, an integrated technical summary of the making for the Potomac, and to provide other groups results, and an executive summary which links the with a rational and well-documented general approach results with aspects of concern to water-quality manag­ for the studv of tidal rivers and estuaries. ers. Philip Cohen Chief Hydrologist James P. Bennett Potomac Study Coordinator in CONTENTS Abstract Fl Introduction F2 Purpose and scope F2 The tidal Potomac system F3 Hydrologic divisions F3 Geomorphic units F5 Field methods F6 Laboratory methods F7 Sedimentation and eutrophication F8 Sediment sources F8 Sedimentation processes F10 Nutrient sources Fll Nutrient processes F13 Nutrients in bottom sediments F13 Presentation of data F15 Particle size F15 Nutrients F37 Relations between particle size and nutrients F58 Discussion F67 Summary F69 References cited F71 PLATES [Plates are in pocket] 1. Map showing geomorphic units and sample locations in the river hydrologic division of the tidal Potomac system 2. Map showing geomorphic units and sample locations in the transition hydrologic division of the tidal Potomac system 3. Map showing geomorphic units and sample locations in the estuary hydrologic division of the tidal Potomac system FIGURES 1. Index map of the tidal Potomac system F4 2. Plots showing variations in median particle size with nautical mile and geomorphic unit for samples from the A, Potomac mainstem; and B, tributaries of the estuary division F17 3. Diagram showing sand-silt-clay relations and Shepard's (1954) texture size classes for tidal Potomac sediments F26 4. Plots of sorting versus median particle size for samples from the A, Tidal Potomac system; B, Potomac mainstem identified by hydrologic division; C, Potomac estuary division identified by geomorphic unit; £>, Potomac river division identified by geomorphic unit; E, Channel of the Potomac estuary division; and F, Channel of the Potomac river division F28 Contents 5. Plots showing variations in median particle size in longitudinal divisions, A, Mean and standard deviation for samples from the channel unit in each hydrologic division; and B, Mean for samples from each geomorphic unit in each nautical mile division F31 6. Plot showing variations in median particle size with water depth for sedi­ ment samples from nautical mile 13 in the estuary division F32 7. Plots showing variations in mean of the median particle size with A, Geomorphic unit and hydrologic division; and B, Depth unit and nautical- mile division F36 8. Plots showing nutrient concentrations and distributions in Potomac mainstem sediments: A, Total carbon; B, Inorganic carbon; C, Organic car­ bon; D, Total nitrogen; E, Ammonia nitrogen; F, Nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen; and G, Total phosphorus F42 9. Plots showing variations in mean concentrations of selected nutrients in all samples from each geomorphic unit in each nautical-mile division: A, Total carbon; and B, Total phosphorus F48 10. Plots showing variations in mean total carbon concentrations with water depth or depth units for samples from the A, Cross section near nautical- mile 13 in the estuary division; and B, Potomac mainstem hydrologic divi­ sions F50 11. Plots showing variations in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus ratios for samples from the mainstem: A, Carbon:Phosphorus; B, Nitrogen:Phosphorus; and C, Carbon:Nitrogen F51 12. Plots showing relations between nutrient concentrations and median particle size in Potomac mainstem samples: A, Total carbon; and B, Total phosphorus F61 13. Plots showing relations between nutrient concentrations and median size for samples from Potomac mainstem hydrologic divisions: A, Total carbon in the river division; B, Total phosphorus in the river division; C, Total car­ bon in the transition division; D, Total phosphorus in the transition divi­ sion; E, Total carbon in the estuary division; and F, Total phosphorus in the estuary division F62 14. Plots showing trends in nutrient concentration with nautical mile from the Potomac mouth for samples whose median particle size is less than 2 /iin: A, Total carbon; B, Total nitrogen; and C, Total phosphorus F66 TABLES 1. Distribution of samples and
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