Orange County Sanitation District Ocean Monitoring Report Year 2014-2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15 MARINE MONITORING Orange County Sanitation District 10844 Ellis Avenue Fountain Valley, CA 92728-8127 (714) 962-2411 This page intentionally left blank. CONTENTS page CONTENTS v LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES xii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES.1 WATER QUALITY ES.1 SEDIMENT QUALITY ES.1 BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES ES.2 Infaunal Invertebrate Communities ES.2 Demersal Fishes and Macroinvertebrates ES.2 Contaminants in Fish Tissue ES.2 Fish Health ES.2 CONCLUSIONS ES.2 Chapter 1 THE OCEAN MONITORING PROGRAM 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT’S OPERATIONS 1.1 REGULATORY SETTING FOR THE OCEAN MONITORING PROGRAM 1.6 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 1.7 REFERENCES 1.10 Chapter 2 COMPLIANCE DETERMINATIONS 2.1 INTRODUCTION 2.1 WATER QUALITY 2.1 Offshore bacteria 2.1 Floating Particulates and Oil and Grease 2.6 Ocean Discoloration and Transparency 2.6 Dissolved Oxygen 2.6 Acidity (pH) 2.8 Nutrients (Ammonium) 2.8 Organics in the Water Column 2.8 Radioactivity 2.8 SEDIMENT GEOCHEMISTRY 2.9 BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES 2.9 Infaunal Communities 2.9 Epibenthic Macroinvertebrate Communities 2.9 Fish Communities 2.16 FISH BIOACCUMULATION AND HEALTH 2.24 Demersal Fish Tissue Chemistry 2.24 Sport Fish Muscle Chemistry 2.24 Fish Health 2.24 CONCLUSIONS 2.24 REFERENCES 2.29 v CONTENTS page Chapter 3 STRATEGIC PROCESS STUDIES AND REGIONAL MONITORING 3.1 INTRODUCTION 3.1 REGIONAL MONITORING 3.2 Regional Nearshore (Surfzone) Bacterial Sampling 3.2 Bight’13 Regional Monitoring 3.3 Regional Kelp Survey Consortium – Central Region 3.3 Ocean Acidification Mooring 3.4 SPECIAL STUDIES 3.5 Cessation of Disinfection 3.5 REFERENCES 3.8 Appendix A METHODS A.1 INTRODUCTION A.1 WATER QUALITY MONITORING A.1 Field Methods A.1 Laboratory Methods A.7 Data Analyses A.7 Compliance Determinations A.9 SEDIMENT GEOCHEMISTRY MONITORING A.11 Field Methods A.11 Laboratory Methods A.12 Data Analyses A.13 BENTHIC INFAUNA MONITORING A.15 Field Methods A.15 Laboratory Methods A.15 Data Analyses A.16 TRAWL COMMUNITIES MONITORING A.17 Field Methods A.17 Laboratory Methods A.17 Data Analyses A.18 FISH TISSUE CONTAMINANTS MONITORING A.18 Field Methods A.18 Laboratory Methods A.19 Data Analyses A.19 FISH HEALTH MONITORING A.21 Field Methods A.21 Data Analyses A.21 REFERENCES A.22 vi CONTENTS page Appendix B SUPPORTING DATA B.1 Appendix C QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL C.1 INTRODUCTION C.1 WATER QUALITY NARRATIVE C.3 Ammonium C.3 Bacteria C.3 SEDIMENT GEOCHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY NARRATIVE C.9 First Quarter Semi-annual Collection (July 2014) C.9 Third Quarter Semi-annual Collection (January 2015) C.28 FISH TISSUE CHEMISTRY NARRATIVE C.28 Third Quarter (January 2015) C.28 BENTHIC INFAUNA NARRATIVE C.37 Sorting and Taxonomy QA/QC C.37 OTTER TRAWL NARRATIVE C.38 REFERENCES C.44 vii LIST OF TABLES page Chapter 2 COMPLIANCE DETERMINATIONS Table 2–1. Listing of compliance criteria from NPDES ocean discharge permit (Order No. R8-2012-0035, Permit # CA0110604) and compliance status for each criterion in 2014-15. 2.2 Table 2–2. Summary of offshore water quality compliance testing results for dissolved oxygen, pH, and transmissivity for 2014-15. 2.6 Table 2–3. Physical properties and organic contaminant concentrations of sediment samples collected at each semi-annual and annual station (*) in Summer 2014 compared to Effects Range-Median (ERM) values and regional measurements. 2.10 Table 2–4. Metal concentrations (mg/kg) in sediment samples collected at each semi-annual and annual (*) station in Summer 2014 compared to Effects Range-Median (ERM) values and regional measurements. 2.12 Table 2–5. Physical properties and organic contaminant concentrations of sediment samples collected at each semi-annual station in Winter 2015 compared to Effects Range- Median (ERM) values and regional measurements. 2.14 Table 2–6. Metal concentrations (mg/kg) in sediment samples collected at each semi-annual station in Winter 2015 compared to Effects Range-Median (ERM) values and regional measurements. 2.15 Table 2–7. Whole-sediment Eohaustorius estuarius (amphipod) toxicity test results for 2014-15. 2.16 Table 2–8. Summary of infaunal community measures for each semi-annual & annual (*) station sampled during the Summer 2014 benthic survey, including regional and District historical values. 2.17 Table 2–9. Summary of infaunal community measures for each semi-annual station sampled during the Winter 2015 benthic survey, including regional and District historical values. 2.19 Table 2–10. Summary of epibenthic macroinvertebrate community measures for each semi- annual and annual (*) station sampled during the Summer 2014 and Winter 2015 trawl surveys, as well as District historical values. 2.21 Table 2–11. Summary of demersal fish community measures for each semi-annual and annual (*) station sampled during the Summer 2014 and Winter 2015 trawl surveys, as well as the District historical values. 2.23 Table 2–12. Summary statistics of tissue contaminant analyses of trawl fishes collected in January 2015 at outfall and non-outfall stations. 2.26 Table 2–13. Summary statistics of muscle tissue contaminant analyses of rig-caught fishes collected in January 2015 at Zone 1 (outfall) and Zone 3 (non-outfall). 2.27 Appendix A METHODS Table A–1. The District’s ocean monitoring program station positions and nominal depths. A.3 Table A–2. Sampling dates during 2014-15. A.6 viii LIST OF TABLES page Table A–3. Water quality sample collection and analysis methods by parameter during 2014-15. A.8 Table A–4. Sediment geochemistry and infaunal sampling summary for 2014-15. A.12 Table A–5. Sediment collection and analysis summary during 2014-15. A.13 Table A–6. Parameters measured in sediment samples during 2014-15. A.14 Table A–7. Benthic infauna sample distribution for 2014-15. A.15 Table A–8. Fish tissue handling and analysis summary during 2014-15. A.19 Table A–9. Parameters measured in fish tissue samples during 2014-15. A.20 Appendix B SUPPORTING DATA Table B–1. Depth-averaged total coliform bacteria counts (MPN/100 mL) collected in offshore waters and used for comparison with California Ocean Plan Water- Contact (REC-1) compliance criteria, July 2014 through June 2015. B.1 Table B–2. Depth-averaged fecal coliform bacteria counts (MPN/100 mL) collected in offshore waters and used for comparison with California Ocean Plan Water- Contact (REC-1) compliance criteria, July 2014 through June 2015. B.2 Table B–3. Depth-averaged enterococci bacteria counts (MPN/100 mL) collected in offshore waters and used for comparison with California Ocean Plan Water-Contact (REC-1) compliance criteria and EPA Primary Recreation Criteria in Federal Waters, July 2014 through June 2015. B.3 Table B–4. Summary of floatable material by station group observed during the 28-station grid water quality surveys, July 2014 through June 2015. B.4 Table B–5. Summary of floatable material by station group observed during the REC-1 water quality surveys, July 2014 through June 2015. B.4 Table B–6. Summary statistics of quarterly water quality parameters by depth strata and season during 2014-15. B.5 Table B–7. Abundance of epibenthic macroinvertebrates by station and species for the Summer 2014 and Winter 2015 trawl surveys. B.8 Table B–8. Biomass (kg) of epibenthic macroinvertebrates by station and species for the Summer 2014 and Winter 2015 trawl surveys. B.10 Table B–9. Abundance of demersal fishes by station and species for the Summer 2014 and Winter 2015 trawl surveys. B.12 Table B–10. Biomass (kg) of demersal fishes by station and species for the Summer 2014 and Winter 2015 trawl surveys. B.14 Table B–11. Summary statistics of historic District Core nearshore stations for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and enterococci bacteria (CFU/100 mL) by station and season during 2014-2015. B.16 ix LIST OF TABLES page Table B–12. Summary statistics of OCHCA nearshore stations for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and enterococci bacteria (CFU/100 mL) by station and season during 2014-2015. B.19 Appendix C QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL Table C–1. Ocean monitoring program sample collection requirements and percent completion for water quality, July 2014–June 2015. C.2 Table C–2. Ocean monitoring program sample collection requirements and percent completion for sediment geochemistry, infauna, sediment toxicity, trawl community, trawl fish tissue, and sport fish tissue, July 2014-June 2015. C.2 Table C–3. Method detection limits (MDLs) for ammonium and bacteria in receiving water, July 2014–June 2015. C.3 Table C–4. Water quality ammonium QA/QC summary, July 2014–June 2015. C.4 Table C–5. Method detection limits (MDLs) for PAHs, LABs, pesticides, and PCBs in sediments, July 2014–June 2015. C.10 Table C–6. Acceptance criteria for standard reference materials of PAH in sediments, July 2014–June 2015. C.12 Table C–7. Sediment PAH/LAB QA/QC summary, July 2014–June 2015. C.14 Table C–8. Acceptance criteria for standard reference materials of PCB/pesticides in sediments, July 2014–June 2015. C.16 Table C–9. Sediment PCB/pesticides QA/QC summary, June 2014–June 2015. C.18 Table C–10. Method detection limits (MDLs) for trace metals in sediments, July 2014–June 2015. C.20 Table C–11. Acceptance criteria for standard reference materials of metals in sediments, July 2014–June 2015. C.21 Table C–12. Sediment metals QA/QC summary, July 2014–June 2015. C.22 Table C–13. Method detection limits (MDLs) for dissolved sulfides, total organic carbon, grain size, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus in sediments, July 2014–June 2015.