Marine Sediment and Benthic Studies Waterford Harbour Dredging and Disposal Operations Produced by AQUAFACT International Services Ltd On behalf of Port of Waterford Company November 2017 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. AQUAFACT INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LTD., 12 KILKERRIN PARK, LIOSBAUN, TUAM RD., GALWAY. www.aquafact.ie [email protected] tel +353 (0) 91 756812 EPA Export 20-12-2017:03:47:54 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 2. Faunal Benthic Survey .................................................................................... 4 2.1. Materials & Methods ........................................................................................... 4 2.1.1. Sampling Procedure ..................................................................................................... 4 2.1.2. Sample Processing ....................................................................................................... 6 2.1.3. Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 7 2.2. Results ................................................................................................................ 10 2.2.1. Community Analysis .................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1.1. Univariate Analysis ..................................................................................... 10 2.2.1.2. Multivariate Analysis .................................................................................. 11 2.2.2. Community Sediment Characteristics ........................................................................ 18 2.2.3. Discussion .................................................................................................................. 21 3. Dredge Material Characterisation Survey ....................................................... 22 3.1. Materials & Methods ......................................................................................... 22 3.1.1. Sampling Procedure & Processing ............................................................................. 22 3.2. Physical / Chemical Results ............................................................................... 25 3.2.1. Parameter Code 1 ...................................................................................................... 25 3.2.2. Parameter Code 2 ...................................................................................................... 26 3.2.3. Parameter Code 3 ...................................................................................................... 27 3.2.4. Parameter Code 4 ...................................................................................................... 27 3.2.4.1. Code 4a ....................................................................................................... 27 For inspection purposes only. 3.2.4.2. Code 4c ................................Consent of copyright................................ owner required for any other use......................................... 28 3.2.4.3. Code 4d ....................................................................................................... 29 3.2.4.4. Code 4e ........................................................................................................ 32 3.2.4.5. Code 4f ........................................................................................................ 33 3.2.4.6. Code 4g ....................................................................................................... 34 3.3. Radiological Results ........................................................................................... 36 4. Impact Assessment ........................................................................................ 37 4.1. Impacts from Dredging ...................................................................................... 37 4.1.1. Water Quality ............................................................................................................ 39 4.1.2. Benthic Communities ................................................................................................. 40 4.1.3. Conservation Sites ..................................................................................................... 40 4.2. Impacts from Disposal ....................................................................................... 40 4.2.1. Water Quality ............................................................................................................ 41 4.2.2. Benthic Communities ................................................................................................. 41 EPA Export 20-12-2017:03:47:54 4.2.3. Conservation Sites ..................................................................................................... 41 5. Discussion/Conclusion ................................................................................... 41 6. References .................................................................................................... 42 List of Figures Figure 1.1: Location of Waterford Port’s dredge sites in the Inner Harbour. ...................................... 2 Figure 1.2: Location of Waterford Port’s dredge site in the Outer Harbour and the spoil disposal site. .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Figure 2.1: Location of faunal stations sampled on the 10th April 2013. ............................................. 5 Figure 2.2: Dendrogram produced from Cluster analysis. ................................................................. 14 Figure 2.3: MDS plot. ....................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 2.4: Location of faunal groupings in the Waterford Harbour area. ........................................ 17 Figure 2.5: A breakdown of sediment type at each faunal station with the label indicating Folk (1954) classification. ................................................................................................................ 20 Figure 2.6: Snapshot of the sedimentary environment in the spoil ground. ..................................... 21 Figure 3.1: Location of chemistry and radiological sampling sites .................................................... 24 List of Tables Table 2.1: Station coordinates and depths ......................................................................................... 6 For inspection purposes only. Table 2.2: The classification of sedimentConsent of copyrightparticle owner size required ranges for into any other size use. classes (adapted from Buchanan, 1984) ........................................................................................................................ 7 Table 2.3: Univariate measures of community structure. ................................................................. 11 Table 2.4: SIMPER Results ................................................................................................................ 16 Table 2.5: Sediment characteristics of the faunal stations. .............................................................. 19 Table 3.1: Coordinates of stations sampled for physical, chemical and radiological analysis............ 25 Table 3.2: Visual Inspection ............................................................................................................. 25 Table 3.3: Moisture content and density .......................................................................................... 26 Table 3.4: Granulometry results ....................................................................................................... 27 Table 3.5: Total organic carbon results............................................................................................. 27 Table 3.7: Metal results. .................................................................................................................. 28 Table 3.8: Proposed metal guidance values for sediment quality guidelines (Cronin et al., 2006). ... 29 Table 3.9: Organochlorine results. ................................................................................................... 31 Table 3.10: PCB Results. ................................................................................................................... 32 EPA Export 20-12-2017:03:47:54 Table 3.11: Proposed organochlorine and PCB guidance values for sediment quality guidelines (Cronin et al., 2006). ................................................................................................................ 32 Table 3.12: Total extractable hydrocarbon results. .......................................................................... 33 Table 3.13: Dibutyl and tributyl tin results. ...................................................................................... 33 Table 3.14: PAH results. ................................................................................................................... 35 Table 3.15: Radiological results. ....................................................................................................... 36 List of Appendices Appendix 1 Photographic Log Appendix 2 Sediment Analysis Methodologies Appendix 3 Faunal