SANITARY SURVEY REPORT FOR THE BELLAMY RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE December 2018 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Water Division Watershed Management Bureau i R-WD-19-14 SANITARY SURVEY REPORT FOR THE BELLAMY RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE Prepared by Chris Nash, NHDES Shellfish Program Manager Katherine Allman, Shellfish Program Specialist NH Department of Environmental Services 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, New Hampshire 03301 (603) 271-3503 | https://www.des.nh.gov Robert R. Scott, Commissioner Clark Freise, Assistant Commissioner December 2018 ii Table of Contents List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vii I. Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 1 II. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2 III. Description of Growing Area ...................................................................................................... 3 IV. Pollution Source Survey ............................................................................................................. 7 A. Survey Area and Methodology ............................................................................................... 7 B. Summary of Sources and Locations ...................................................................................... 10 C. Identification of Pollution Sources ........................................................................................ 13 Permitted NPDES Wastewater Discharges ........................................................................... 13 Wastewater Treatment Facility Infrastructure ..................................................................... 22 Other Domestic Waste Discharges ........................................................................................... 23 Stormwater Discharges ......................................................................................................... 23 Road Culverts ........................................................................................................................ 23 Tidal Creeks, Rivers and Intermittent Streams ..................................................................... 23 Marinas and Mooring Fields ................................................................................................. 24 Agricultural Sources .............................................................................................................. 28 Wildlife Areas ........................................................................................................................ 28 Industrial Wastes .................................................................................................................. 28 Dredging................................................................................................................................ 29 D. Evaluation of Pollution Sources ............................................................................................ 29 Durham Wastewater Treatment Facility .............................................................................. 29 Dover Wastewater Treatment Facility.................................................................................. 34 Portsmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility ........................................................................ 34 Marinas and Mooring Fields ................................................................................................. 35 Shoreline Pollution Sources .................................................................................................. 35 V. Hydrographic and Meteorological Characteristics .................................................................... 39 A. Tides ...................................................................................................................................... 39 B. Rainfall .................................................................................................................................. 39 C. Winds .................................................................................................................................... 43 D. River Discharges .................................................................................................................... 43 E. Stratification ......................................................................................................................... 44 F. Summary Discussion Concerning Actual or Potential Transport Effects on Pollution to the Harvest Area .............................................................................................................................. 44 VI. Water Quality Studies .............................................................................................................. 45 A. Sampling Stations .................................................................................................................. 45 B. Sampling Plan and Justification ............................................................................................. 46 C. Sample Data Analysis and Presentation................................................................................ 46 Seasonal Effects on Fecal Coliform Concentrations ............................................................. 48 Rainfall Effects on Fecal Coliform Concentrations................................................................ 51 Tidal Effects on Fecal Coliform Concentrations .................................................................... 52 VII. Interpretation of Data in Determining Area Classification ..................................................... 54 VIII. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 55 A. Legal Description ................................................................................................................... 55 iii B. Recommendations for Sanitary Survey Improvement.......................................................... 58 IX. References ............................................................................................................................... 60 Appendix I: Shoreline Survey Pollution Source Sampling Plan ...................................................... 61 Appendix II: Shoreline Pollution Source Sampling Data ................................................................ 72 Appendix III: Relationship of Fecal Coliform to Tide Stage, 2008-2017, All Bellamy River Sites ... 95 Appendix IV: Conditional Area Management Plan for the Bellamy River (2017-2018) ................ 97 Description of Conditionally Approved Area ............................................................................ 97 Factors Indicating Suitability of a Portion of the Bellamy River as Conditionally Approved .... 97 Pollution Events that may Trigger Conditional Area Closure .................................................... 97 Meteorological or Hydrological Events ..................................................................................... 99 Seasonal Events ......................................................................................................................... 99 Other Events.............................................................................................................................. 99 Implementation of a Conditionally Approved Area Closure ................................................... 100 Notification of Management Plan Violation ....................................................................... 100 Implementation of Closure ................................................................................................. 100 Enforcement of Closure ...................................................................................................... 101 Reopening a Conditionally Approved Area After Closure .................................................. 101 Management Plan Evaluation ................................................................................................. 102 Appendix V: Conditional Area Management Plan for the Bellamy River (Oct. 2018-2019) ........ 104 Description of Conditionally Approved Area .......................................................................... 104 Factors Indicating Suitability of a Portion of the Bellamy River as Conditionally Approved .. 104 Pollution Events that may Trigger Conditional Area Closure .................................................. 104 Meteorological or Hydrological Events ................................................................................... 106 Seasonal Events ....................................................................................................................... 106 Other Events............................................................................................................................ 107 Implementation of a Conditionally Approved Area Closure ..................................................