NEAR-FIELD RECEIVING WATER MONITORING OF TRACE METALS AND A BENTHIC COMMUNITY NEAR THE PALO ALTO REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANT IN SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA: 2004 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE REPORT 2005-1279 Prepared in cooperation with the CITY OF PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. NEAR-FIELD RECEIVING WATER MONITORING OF TRACE METALS AND A BENTHIC COMMUNITY NEAR THE PALO ALTO REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANT IN SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA: 2004 Edward Moon, Michelle K. Shouse, Francis Parchaso, Janet K. Thompson, Samuel N. Luoma, Daniel J. Cain and Michelle I. Hornberger U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE REPORT 2005-1279 Prepared in cooperation with the CITY OF PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA Menlo Park, California i U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES GROAT, Director For Additional Information Copies of this report may be Write to: obtained from the authors or Samuel N. Luoma, MS 465 U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Information Center 345 Middlefield Road Box 25286, MS 517 Menlo Park, CA 94025 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 ii Table of contents Table of contents............................................................................................................................. 1 List of figures.................................................................................................................................. 2 List of tables.................................................................................................................................... 3 Abstract........................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 5 Environmental Monitoring.......................................................................................................... 5 Trace Metals............................................................................................................................ 5 Benthic Community Response to Trace Metals...................................................................... 5 RWQCB and NPDES ............................................................................................................. 6 Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 6 Approach..................................................................................................................................... 6 Study Site........................................................................................................................................ 7 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 8 Sampling Frequency ................................................................................................................... 8 Sediment ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Clams .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Metals Analysis........................................................................................................................... 9 Reproductive Activity............................................................................................................... 10 Community Analysis ................................................................................................................ 10 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................................. 11 Salinity ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Sediments.................................................................................................................................. 11 Metals in Clams ........................................................................................................................ 12 Reproduction of Macoma petalum............................................................................................ 13 Benthic Community.................................................................................................................. 13 Summary....................................................................................................................................... 15 Long-term Observations ........................................................................................................... 15 2004........................................................................................................................................... 16 Value of Long-Term Monitoring.............................................................................................. 16 References..................................................................................................................................... 18 Figures........................................................................................................................................... 22 Tables............................................................................................................................................ 67 Appendix A................................................................................................................................. A-1 Appendix B ................................................................................................................................. B-1 Appendix C ................................................................................................................................. C-1 Appendix D................................................................................................................................. D-1 Appendix E ..................................................................................................................................E-1 Appendix F...................................................................................................................................F-1 Appendix G................................................................................................................................. G-1 Appendix H................................................................................................................................. H-1 1 List of figures Figure 1. Location of the Palo Alto sampling station in South San Francisco Bay...................... 23 Figure 2. Precipitation................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 3. Water column salinity.................................................................................................... 25 Figure 4. Aluminum, iron and silt/clay in sediments.................................................................... 26 Figure 5. Chromium, nickel and vanadium in sediments ............................................................. 27 Figure 6. Copper in sediments ...................................................................................................... 28 Figure 7. Zinc in sediments........................................................................................................... 29 Figure 8. Silver in sediments ........................................................................................................ 30 Figure 9. Selenium and mercury in sediments.............................................................................. 31 Figure 10. Annual mean copper in Macoma petalum................................................................... 32 Figure 11. Annual mean silver in Macoma petalum..................................................................... 33 Figure 12. Copper in Macoma petalum ........................................................................................ 34 Figure 13. Silver in Macoma petalum........................................................................................... 35 Figure 14. Chromium in Macoma petalum................................................................................... 36 Figure 15. Nickel in Macoma petalum ......................................................................................... 37 Figure 16. Zinc in Macoma petalum............................................................................................. 38 Figure 17. Mercury in Macoma petalum ...................................................................................... 39 Figure 18. Selenium Macoma petalum ......................................................................................... 40 Figure 19. Condition index of Macoma petalum.......................................................................... 41 Figure 20. Reproductive activity of Macoma petalum ................................................................. 42 Figure 21. Reproductive activity of Macoma petalum 2000 thru 2004.......................................