ril 2010 p A Biological and Water Quality Study of the Captina Creek Watershed Ted Strickland, Governor Lee Fisher, Lt. Governor Chris Korleski, Director DSW/EAS 2010-4-1 Captina Creek Watershed 2009 April 15, 2010 Biological and Water Quality Study of the Captina Creek Watershed 2009 Belmont County, Ohio April 15, 2010 OEPA Report DSW/EAS 2010-4-1 prepared by State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water Lazarus Government Center 50 West Town Street, Suite 700 P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 Southeast District Office 2195 Front Street Logan, Ohio 43138 Ecological Assessment Section 4675 Homer Ohio Lane Groveport, Ohio 43125 Ted Strickland, Governor Chris Korleski, Director State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency 1 DSW/EAS 2010-4-1 Captina Creek Watershed 2009 April 15, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................................. 10 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 13 RESULTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Water Chemistry ................................................................................................................................... 14 Recreation Use ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Effluent Dischargers ............................................................................................................................. 22 Sediment .............................................................................................................................................. 32 Stream Physical Habitat ....................................................................................................................... 33 Fish Community ................................................................................................................................... 35 Macroinvertebrate Community ............................................................................................................. 37 WATERSHED ASSESSMENT UNITS ........................................................................................................... 39 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 40 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 41 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ A1 2 DSW/EAS 2010-4-1 Captina Creek Watershed 2009 April 15, 2010 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title Page Figure 1 Captina Creek sampling locations and biological community performance. 7 Figure 2 Captina Creek watershed study area. 13 Figure 3 Flow conditions in Captina Creek during 2009. 14 Figure 4 Dissolved oxygen measurements in Captina Creek and tributaries, 2009 14 Figure 5 Conductivity measurements in Captina Creek and tributaries, 2009 14 Figure 6 Total dissolved solids measurements in Captina Creek, 2009 15 Figure 7 Discharge from Pond 13 (outfall 013). 24 Figure 8 Captina Creek water samples collected after the Ohio Valley Coal slurry release 25 on Feb. 28, 2008. 3 DSW/EAS 2010-4-1 Captina Creek Watershed 2009 April 15, 2010 LIST OF TABLES Table Title Page Table 1 Captina Creek watershed sampling locations from the Ohio EPA 2008-2009 survey. 6 Table 2 Aquatic life use attainment for sampling locations in the Captina Creek watershed. 8 Table 3 Waterbody use designation recommendations for Captina Creek and tributaries. 12 Table 4 Exceedances of Ohio Water Quality Standards criteria (OAC3745-1) for chemical/physical 16 parameters measured in the Captina Creek watershed. Table 5 Summary statistics for select mining water quality parameters sampled in the Captina 18 Creek study area, 2009. Table 6 Summary statistics for select nutrient water quality parameters sampled in the Captina 19 Creek study area, 2009. Table 7 A summary of E. coli data sampled in the Captina Creek study area, 2009 21 Table 8 Organic parameters detected in slurry sludge deposits collected from Perkins Run on 27 March 5, 2008 downstream from the location of the Ohio Valley Coal slurry release. Table 9 Metal parameters detected in slurry sludge deposits collected from Perkins Run on 27 March 5, 2008 downstream from the location of the Ohio Valley Coal slurry release. Table 10 Concentrations of monitored chemicals in effluent discharged from 5 facilities within the 28 Captina Creek study area. Table 11 Chemical parameters measured above screening levels in sediment samples collected 32 in the Captina Creek study area, 2009. Table 12 Stream habitat (QHEI) results for the Captina Creek study area, 2009. 34 Table 13 Comparison of average IBI and MIwb scores for Captina Creek with other high quality 35 EWH wading streams in Ohio. Table 14 Average IBI and MIwb scores for Captina Creek from 1983 and 2009. 35 Table 15 Fish community summaries based on pulsed D.C. electrofishing sampling conducted 36 by the Ohio EPA in the Captina Creek study area, 2008 and 2009. Table 16 Comparison of averages of ICI scores, total macroinvertebrate taxa, and pollution sensitive 37 taxa for Captina Creek with other high quality EWH wading streams in Ohio. Table 17 Summary of macroinvertebrate data collected from the Captina Creek study, 2008 and 2009. 38 Table 18 Results for the Captina Creek watershed using the HUC12 methodology. 39 4 DSW/EAS 2010-4-1 Captina Creek Watershed 2009 April 15, 2010 SUMMARY Rivers and streams in Ohio support a variety of uses such as recreation, water supply, and aquatic life. Ohio Clean Water Act EPA evaluates each stream to determine the appropriate Aquatic Life Goal use designation and to also determine if the use is meeting the goals of the federal Clean Water Act. Full Twelve streams in the Captina Creek watershed, located 6% in southern Belmont and northern Monroe counties, were Partial evaluated for aquatic life and recreation use potential in 2008 and 2009 (see Figure 1 and Table 1 for sampling locations). Of the 32 biological samples collected, 30 sites (94%) 94% were fully meeting the designated or recommended aquatic life use and two (6%) were in partial attainment. The South Fork of Captina Creek was in partial attainment due to sparse habitat predominated by bedrock but the macroinvertebrates were excellent at this location. State endangered Eastern Hellbender salamanders were also caught in the lower and mid section of the South Fork Captina Creek. Cat Run was in partial attainment due to fair fish scores but the macroinvertebrate community was very good. A natural waterfall is located below this location on Cat Run and may be creating a fish passage barrier that resulted in low IBI scores. Seven locations in the Captina Creek watershed were tested for bacteria indicators (Escherichia coli) to determine recreation use attainment status. Evaluation of E. coli results revealed that all seven locations attained the applicable geometric mean criterion, and thus were in full attainment of the designated recreation use. Six streams within the study area exhibited qualities indicative of the Coldwater Habitat (CWH) aquatic life use. Macroinvertebrate and fish communities from all six streams (Joy Fork, Jakes Run, Peavine Creek, Crabapple Creek, Piney Creek, and Casey Run) were fully meeting expectations of the CWH use. Water quality throughout the watershed has been consistently good despite historic and active coal mining. The limestone geology of the area has buffered acidic contributions and has kept the pH levels in the range acceptable for supporting aquatic life. Ohio Valley Coal Company (OVCC) and American Energy Corporation (AEC), both owned by Murray Energy, have permitted NPDES discharges located in Perkins Run and Piney Creek which discharge to the upper section of Captina Creek. Elevated levels of total dissolved solids (TDS), metals and conductivity were found during the 2008 and 2009 survey in Captina Creek, Perkins Run and Piney Creek below the two mine discharges. In some cases, levels of TDS and metals exceeded the applicable water quality standards and also exceeded current NPDES permit limits for OVCC and AEC. Coal slurry waste has been released from both the OVCC slurry impoundment as well as from an AEC pipeline which crosses Captina Creek. The slurry is typically a thick, viscous, black material that can potentially smother aquatic life and contains numerous organic and metal contaminants. Contaminated sediments were found in Perkins Run and in Captina Creek downstream from where the slurry spills have occurred. These sediments have not caused biological impairment at the time of sampling but long term chronic exposure could result in future impacts to aquatic life. Elevated nutrients were found in the North Fork Captina Creek downstream from the Barnesville WWTP. The fish and macroinvertebrate communities were meeting WWH but could potentially meet EWH