Biological and Water Quality Study of the Lower Mahoning River Watershed, 2011 and 2013 Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, Ohio and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Mahoning River RM 12.42, Lowellville, dst. First St. Bridge Ohio EPA Technical Report AMS/2013-LMAHO-2 Division of Surface Water Assessment and Modeling Section December 2018 TMDL DEVELOPMENT | AMS/2013-LMAHO-2 Biological and Water Quality Study of the Lower Mahoning River Watershed December 2018 Biological and Water Quality Study of the Lower Mahoning River Watershed, 2011 and 2013 Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, Ohio Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, Ohio December 2018 Ohio EPA Report AMS/2013-LMAHO-2 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 Division of Surface Water Northeast District Office 2110 East Aurora Road Twinsburg, Ohio 44087 Ecological Assessment Section Groveport Field Office 4675 Homer Ohio Lane Groveport, Ohio 43125 John R. Kasich, Governor State of Ohio Craig W. Butler, Director Ohio Environmental Protection Agency AMS/2013-LMAHO-2 Biological and Water Quality Study of the Lower Mahoning River Watershed December 2018 Table of Contents Report Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Lower Mahoning River Mainstem ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Lower Mahoning River Tributaries ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Beneficial Uses ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Improvements to Water Quality ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Study Area Description ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 26 NPDES-Regulated Facilities .................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Historical Point Source Loadings ................................................................................................................................................................. 26 NPDES Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Water Chemistry ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Water Quality Grab Results ............................................................................................................................................................................ 32 Water Quality Sonde Results.......................................................................................................................................................................... 49 Trophic Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 57 Recreation Use ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 64 Sediment Chemistry ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 71 Mahoning River .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 76 Mahoning River Tributaries ........................................................................................................................................................................... 80 Stream Physical Habitat ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 82 Trends Assessment .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 91 Fish Community ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 93 Macroinvertebrate Community ........................................................................................................................................................................ 105 Lower Mahoning River Mainstem ............................................................................................................................................................. 105 Lower Mahoning River Tributaries: Upstream City of Niles.......................................................................................................... 115 Mosquito Creek Watershed .......................................................................................................................................................................... 116 Meander Creek Watershed ........................................................................................................................................................................... 117 Mill Creek Watershed ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 118 Lower Mahoning River Tributaries ................................................................................................................................................................ 120 Downstream City of Niles .............................................................................................................................................................................. 120 Fish Tissue Contamination ................................................................................................................................................................................. 122 Fish Advisories ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 123 Fish Tissue/Human Health Use Attainment ......................................................................................................................................... 124 Fish Contaminant Trends .............................................................................................................................................................................. 124 Inland Lakes Monitoring...................................................................................................................................................................................... 126 Water Quality Standards for the Protection of Aquatic Life in Lakes ........................................................................................ 127 Mosquito Creek Lake ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 127 Lake Watershed ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 127 Lake Monitoring................................................................................................................................................................................................. 130 Lake