DlVlSlON of WATER POLLUTION CONTROL Thomas C. McMahon, Director . Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering S. Russell Sylva. Commissioner Executive Office of Environmental Affairs James S. Hoyte. Secretary BUZZARDS BAY 1985-1986 SEDIMENT DATA REPORT Prepared By Lawrence W. Gil Environmental Analyst and Therese M. Beaudoin Graduate Intern DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENGINEERING DIVISION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNICAL SERVICES BRANCH WESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS December 1987 PUBLICATION: # 15117-85-75-11-87-C.R. APPROVED BY: Ric Murphy, State Purchasing Agent FOREWORD The Massachusetts Division of Water Pollution Control was established by the Massachusetts Clean Water Act, Chapter 21 of the General Laws as amended by Chapter 685 of the Acts of 1966. Included in the duties and responsibili- ties of the Division is the periodic examination of the water quality of various coastal waters, rivers, streams and ponds of the Commonwealth, as stated in section 27, paragraph 5 of the Acts. This section further directs the Division to publish the results of such examinations together with the standards of water quality established for the various waters. The Technical Services Branch of the Division of Water Pollution Control has, among its responsibilities, the execution of this directive. This report is published under the Authority of the Acts and is among a con- tinuing series of reports issued by the Division presenting water quality data and analyses, water quality management plans, baseline and intensive limnological studies and other special studies. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The successful cornplation of an undertaking such as this one requires the coordinated efforts of 3 great many talented professionals. The Division of Water Pollution Control would like to extend its appreciation to: The staff of the Technical Services Branch (TSB) at Westborough for their assistance in samplo collection; notably Steven G. Halterman, Christine herring, Robert Kubit and Patricia Austin. Leigh Bridges, Captain Shirley Mitchell and Mate Louis Emerald of the Massachusetts Division of Narine Fisheries who provided and captained the research vessel "F.W. Wilbour" used in collecting the outer bay samples. Burt Limeburner, George Souza, Robert Sheehy, John Freitas and David Roach, shellfish officers for the respective towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Wareham, Dartmouth and Westport. The Inorganic and Organic Chemistry Sections at the Lawrence Experiment Station, notably: Alba Flaherty, Ken Hulme, Robert Serabian, Tom Pappalardo and Ken Atkinson. Ken Dominick, Senior Civil Engineer Draftsman, who prepared the graphics contained in this report; the secretarial staff at TSB, notably Aline Charest; and last but not least Terry Beaudoin. Terry who was hired during the fall of 1986 was largely responsible for con- ducting all of the grain size analysis, as well as the data entry and computer graphics. Without her efforts this project would not have been completed. TABLE OF CONTENTS -ITEM -PAGE FOREWORD i i i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v ABSTRACT ix LIST OF TABLES xi LIST OF FIGURES xi i i INTRODUCTION 1 DESCRIPTION OF BASIN 3 BASIN CLASSIFICATION 6 MATE RIALS AND METHODS 19 SEDIMENT DATA TABLES 24 REFERENCES 74 vii .. .-- -- . ~ .- - . ABSTRACT ?fassachusetts Division of Water Pollution Control l986-1986 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey Pages 75, Tables 15, Figures 37 Levels of selzcted priority pollutants are reported from 22 sediment sta- tions in the major estuaries, inner embayments and outer bay of Buzzards Bay. The study represents the Division of Water Pollution Control's first extensive survey 3f rnarine sediments. Sediments were analyzed for total metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury and nickel), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB'S), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons &AH'S) and grain size. Materials and methods, analytical pro- cedures, limits of detection and water quality classifications are also reported. LIST OF TABLES TABLE NUMBER TITLE 1 Basin Classification, Area I 2 Basin Classification, Area I1 3 Basin Classification, Area I11 4 Basin Ciassification, Area IV-V 5 Station Locations, Area 1-111 6 Station Locations, Area IV-V 7 Comparison of Parameters Measured vs. Area 8 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Heavy Metals (mg/kg dry wgt.) 9 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, PCB roclo lor) and PAB (ug/g dry wgt. ) 10 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine Fraction 11 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger Error in Coarse Fraction 12 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer 13 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger 14 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Parameters and Collection Methods Employed at Sediment Stations 15 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986, Sampling and Analytical Methods LIST OF FIGURES NUMBER TITLE -PAGE Buzzards Bay Drainage Basin (95) 5 Buzzards 3ay Area I - Basin Classification Map 9 Buzzards Bay Area I1 - Basin Classification Map 13 Buzzards Bay Area I11 - Basin Classification Map 15 Buzzards Bay Area IV and V - Basin Classification Map 15 Buzzards Bay Sediment Survey 1985-1986 with Coastal Drainage 24 Areas and Station Locations Area I - Coastal Drainage Basins Station Locations 26 Area I1 - Coastal Drainage Basin Station Locations 27 Area I11 - Coastal Drainage Basin Station Locations 28 Areas IV & V - Elizabeth Islands and Outer Bay Station Locations 30 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 38 Fraction - Area I - Westport River Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 3 9 Fraction - Area I - Apponagansett Bay/Slocums River Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 40 Fraction - Area I1 - Mattapoisett HarborIWareham River Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 41 Fraction - Area I1 - Onset Bay/~edBrook Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 42 Fraction - Area I11 - Red Brook HarborIQuissett Harbor Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 4 3 Fraction - Area IV - Elizabeth Islands Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 44 Fraction - Area V - Outer Bay Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine 4 5 Fraction - Area V - Outer Bay xiii - LIST OF FIGURES (CONTINUED) NUMBER TITLE 17C Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Coarse and Fine Fraction - Area V - Outer Bay 18 Buzzards say ParticLe Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area I - Westport River 19 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area I - Apponagansett Ray/Slocurns River 20 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area I1 - Mattapoisett Harbor/Wareharn River 21 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area I1 - Onset Bay/Red Brook 22 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area I11 - Red Brook Harbor/Quisset Harbor 23 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area IV - Elizabeth Islands 24A Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area V - Outer Bay 24B Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area V - Outer Bay 24C Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Finer - Area V - Outer Bay 25 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area I - Wes tpor t River 26 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area I - Apponagansett Bay/Slocum River 27 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area I1 - Mattapoisett Harbor/Wareham River 28 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area I1 - Onset Bay/~edBrook 29 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area 111 - Red Brook ~arbor/QuissettHarbor 30 Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area IV - Elizabeth Islands LIST OF FIGURES (CONTINUED) NUMBER -TITLE -PAGE 31A Buzzards 3ay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area V - 6 8 Outer Say 31B Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area V - 69 Outer Bay 31C Buzzards Bay Particle Size Analysis Percent Larger - Area V - 70 Outer Bay xvii INTRODUCTION The Buzzards 3ay 1985-1986 sediment survey report represents the Division ' s first extensive survey of selected pollutant levels in marine sediinents. While the Division of Water Pollution Control's mandated concerns are with the ~ommonwealth's surface waters, it has long recognized that a better assessment of pollutant Loadings could be gained through evaluation of other available data sources including sediments and biota tissue. This data report is the third in a series of studies conducted by the Technical Services Branch of the Division of Water Pollution Control to update the Commonwealth's knowledge on water quality conditions within the Buzzards Bay Drainage Sasin. The study is also part of a national estuarine manage- ment program developed by the Office of Marine and Estuarine Protection and Region I of the Environmental Protection Agency. The program was initiated to promote and develop coordinated efforts between federal, state, local authorities, research institutions and the public to identify and correct the environmental problems effecting this nation's estuaries. The Division through its Technical Services Branch proposed and received funding during FY85 and FY86 to conduct a broad scale assessment of the levels of selected priority pollutants (PAH's, PCB's and heavy metals) at stations located throughout the tidal portions of Buzzards Bay, excepting the waters of the Acushnet River and New Bedford Harbor.