Technical Report No. 07-02 Aquatic Biomonitoring at Greens Creek Mine, 2006 by James D. Durst Laura L. Jacobs May 2007 Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of Habitat Management and Permitting Cover: Benthic macroinvertebrate sampling at Upper Greens Creek Site 48, 2006. ADNR/OHMP photo. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources administers all programs and activities free from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. The department administers all programs and activities in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire further information please write to DNR, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 300 Webb, Arlington, VA 22203; or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington DC 20240. For information on alternative formats for this and other department publications, please contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) 907-269-8549 or (TDD) 907-269-8411. Aquatic Biomonitoring at Greens Creek Mine, 2006 Technical Report No. 07-02 by James D. Durst Laura L. Jacobs May 2007 Kerry Howard, Executive Director Office of Habitat Management and Permitting Alaska Department of Natural Resources Juneau, AK Suggested Citation: Durst, James D., and Laura L. Jacobs. 2007. Aquatic biomonitoring at Greens Creek Mine, 2006. Technical Report No. 07-02. Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Office of Habitat Management and Permitting, Juneau, Alaska. 85 pp. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures................................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................vii Executive Summary......................................................................................................................viii Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose...................................................................................................................................... 2 Location and Schedule of Monitoring....................................................................................... 2 Methods ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Sample Sites .............................................................................................................................. 4 Periphyton Biomass................................................................................................................... 7 Benthic Macroinvertebrates ......................................................................................................8 Juvenile Fish Populations.......................................................................................................... 9 Metals Concentrations in Juvenile Fish................................................................................... 10 Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................. 12 Upper Greens Creek Site 48.................................................................................................... 13 Middle Greens Creek Site 6 .................................................................................................... 23 Greens Creek Below Pond D Site 54 ...................................................................................... 31 Tributary Creek Site 9 ............................................................................................................. 42 Comparisons Among Sites ...................................................................................................... 54 Conclusions.................................................................................................................................... 64 References...................................................................................................................................... 66 Appendix 1. USFS Channel Type Descriptions............................................................................ 69 Appendix 2. Periphyton Biomass Data......................................................................................... 70 Appendix 3. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Data .............................................................................. 72 Appendix 4. Juvenile Fish Capture Data ...................................................................................... 79 Appendix 5. Metals in Juvenile Fish Data .................................................................................... 80 iii LIST OF TABLES 1. Mean daily discharge in Greens Creek during biomonitoring sampling periods. ................... 12 2. Summary of benthic macroinvertebrate samples at Upper Greens Creek Site 48 in 2001 through 2006................................................................................................................... 15 3. Common taxa (>5.0% of benthic macroinvertebrates) found in Upper Greens Creek Site 48 samples in 2001 through 2006. ................................................................................... 18 4. Juvenile fish population estimates for Upper Greens Creek Site 48 based on minnow trapping in 2001 through 2006. ............................................................................................... 18 5. Summary of benthic macroinvertebrate samples at Middle Greens Creek Site 6 in 2001 and 2006. ........................................................................................................................ 25 6. Common taxa (>5.0% of benthic macroinvertebrates) found in Middle Greens Creek Site 6 samples in 2001 and 2006. ............................................................................................ 26 7. Juvenile fish population estimates for Middle Greens Creek Site 6 based on minnow trapping in 2001 and 2006....................................................................................................... 27 8. Summary of benthic macroinvertebrate samples at Greens Creek Below Pond D Site 54 in 2001 through 2006. ........................................................................................................ 33 9. Common taxa (>5.0% of benthic macroinvertebrates) found in Greens Creek Below Pond D Site 54 samples in 2001 through 2006. ...................................................................... 34 10. Juvenile fish population estimates for Greens Creek Below Pond D Site 54 based on minnow trapping in 2001 through 2006. ................................................................................. 36 11. Summary of benthic macroinvertebrate samples at Tributary Creek Site 9 in 2001 through 2006............................................................................................................................ 44 12. Common taxa (>5.0% of benthic macroinvertebrates) found in Tributary Creek Site 9 samples in 2001 through 2006................................................................................................. 46 13. Juvenile fish population estimates for Tributary Creek Site 9 based on minnow trapping in 2001 through 2006. ............................................................................................... 48 14. Common taxa (>5.0% of benthic macroinvertebrates) found in Greens Creek Mine biomonitoring sites in 2006..................................................................................................... 58 15. Fish captures, population estimates, and densities in Greens Creek Mine biomonitoring sampling reaches during 2001 through 2006................................................... 62 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of the Greens Creek Mine operation and biomonitoring sampling sites on Admiralty Island in southeast Alaska, southwest of Juneau. .................................................... 3 2. Upper Greens Creek Site 48, 20 July 2006. ............................................................................ 13 3. Estimated periphyton biomass densities at Upper Greens Creek Site 48 in 2001 through 2006............................................................................................................................ 14 4. Proportions of mean chlorophyll a, b, and c concentrations in Upper Greens Creek Site 48 samples in 2001 through 2006. ................................................................................... 15 iv 5. Density of benthic macroinvertebrates (n = 5 samples each year) at Upper Greens Creek Site 48 in 2001 through 2006........................................................................................ 16 6. Proportions of EPT taxa and Chironomidae in Upper Greens Creek Site 48 samples in 2001 through 2006. ............................................................................................................