Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department Environmental Health Division Nisqually Reach Pollution Source Identification Final Project Report Grant No. G0200281 December 2004 Table of Contents Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Study Area and Background------------------------------------------------------- 2 Beneficial Uses ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 Project Summary by Task---------------------------------------------------------- 4 Task 1 – Project Administration/Management ----------------------------------- 4 Task 2 – Monitoring Plan QAPP--------------------------------------------------- 4 Task 3 – Map McAllister Creek Drainages--------------------------------------- 4 Task 4 – Sampling for Problem Identification ----------------------------------- 6 Task 5 – DNA typing Analysis----------------------------------------------------- 10 Task 6 – Septic System Evaluations----------------------------------------------- 12 Appendix A----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 Appendix B----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16 Introduction In November 2000, the Washington State Department of Health downgraded 74 acres of commercial shellfish beds in the Nisqually Reach from conditionally approved to restricted, because fecal coliform bacteria levels in that area failed to meet water quality standards for commercial shellfish harvesting. That official action, taken as a direct result of degrading water quality, triggered three key water quality improvement efforts. The initial effort was preparation of a closure response strategy by a multi-agency /stakeholder committee. The document, called “Response Strategy for Shellfish Growing Area Downgrades in Henderson Inlet and Nisqually Reach”, was completed in February 2001. The strategy outlines the problems contributing to poor water quality and assigns various tasks and responsibilities to participating agencies. Parallel to the closure response strategy effort was the creation of a shellfish protection district. In accordance with RCW 90.72.045, Thurston County was required to form a Shellfish Protection District when part of the Nisqually Reach commercial shellfish growing area was downgraded. Through an intensive public process, an ordinance creating the Nisqually Reach Shellfish Protection District was adopted on December 17, 2001. Thirdly, the Nisqually Reach, Nisqually River and McAllister Creek are included on the 1998 303(d) list of impaired water bodies for fecal coliform bacteria contamination. Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) is required by the Federal Clean Water Act to conduct a total maximum daily load (TMDL) study for waterbodies on the 303(d) list. The purpose of the TMDL study is to determine how much of a pollutant a waterbody can assimilate, and allocate pollutant load limits to specific pollution sources or geographic segments of the waterbody. This grant-funded project was designed to accomplish some of the Thurston County identified activities in the closure response strategy as well as activities in shellfish protection district work plan. It also provided funds to assist WDOE staff with the TMDL study. The grant project period was April 2002 through December 2004. The primary project goal was to identify sources of fecal coliform bacteria entering the Nisqually Reach from McAllister Creek and the lower marine shoreline area. The specific tasks in the grant contract are as follows: Task 1 – Project Administration/Management Task 2 – Monitoring Plan QAPP Task 3 – Map McAllister Creek Drainages Task 4 – Sampling for Problem Identification Task 5 – DNA Typing Analysis Task 6 - Septic System Evaluations 1 This report is an accounting and summary of the work accomplished through this grant project. One stand-alone report was published for Task 5. The report is titled “Nisqually Reach Pollution Source Identification, Task 5: DNA Typing Analysis”, May 2004. Study Area and Background The Nisqually Reach is the marine water along the northeast portion of Thurston County. The Nisqually Reach and Nisqually River form the boundary between Thurston and Pierce Counties. The river empties into the Nisqually Reach area of southern Puget Sound forming an extensive river delta. The river's large watershed extends from Mount Rainier to Puget Sound. McAllister Creek lies due west of the Nisqually River. McAllister Creek significantly influences the water quality along the Reach as documented in a drogue study completed by the Washington State Department of Health (Meriwether, 1999) and a water quality study done by the Nisqually tribe (1996). McAllister Springs, a municipal water supply for the City of Olympia, is the origin of the creek. The amount of withdrawal by the city influences the stream flow volume. The creek is subject to tidal influence for nearly its entire length of approximately 5.5 miles. Extensive drainage systems exist in the valley between McAllister Creek and the Nisqually River. These drainage systems were installed decades ago to drain the land sufficiently for agricultural uses. These drains discharge into McAllister Creek through tide gates, several of which no longer function to prevent water from flooding back onto the land during high tides. The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is 2846 acres of preserved open space located at the mouths of the Nisqually River and McAllister Creek. Along the marine shoreline of Nisqually Reach, the density of homes, and corresponding septic systems, is approximately 24 houses per mile. There is a small commercial area at the Nisqually Valley interchange of Interstate Highway 5 that includes a restaurant, tavern, service station, RV park, and several other businesses. Most of the land use along the creek is in agriculture use and is zoned "long-term agriculture". However, there is a small residential subdivision adjacent to the creek off Steilacoom Road. There are two county road crossings, and Interstate Highway 5 crosses the creek. Stormwater drainages, associated with road runoff, discharge to the creek at each crossing. The eastern boundary of the urban growth management area for the City of Lacey is within the McAllister Creek watershed, and is located along the top of the Nisqually Bluff to the west of the creek. Since soils along the top of the bluff are generally very permeable sand and gravel, stormwater runoff from this area has not had a major influence on the water quality of the creek. However, increasing development along the bluff has the potential to do so. 2 The types of land uses in the watershed which could be contributing to the fecal contamination include agricultural activities, on-site septic systems serving residences and businesses, stormwater runoff from roads, and wildlife. Beneficial Uses Along the Nisqually Reach there are several million pounds of geoduck resources owned by the State of Washington and managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources. At the southeastern edge of the Reach are approximately 350 acres of shellfish beds, harvested by two commercial shellfish companies. There are over 100 acres of tribal interest in tideland on the Reach. The National Fish and Oyster Company operates a shucking and packing plant on the lower reach shoreline that employs approximately 25 people. There is considerable public use of the Nisqually Reach. Tolmie State Park is a day-use marine waterfront park on Nisqually Reach. The park has thousands of visitors each year, many of whom harvest shellfish. A public boat launch and the Nisqually Nature Center are located at Luhr Beach at the mouth of McAllister Creek. This public tideland is closed to recreational shellfish harvesting due to the fecal coliform contamination. The 2846-acre Nisqually Wildlife Refuge is located between and along the Nisqually River and McAllister Creek and provides important habitat for many wildlife species. Washington Department of Fisheries’ Catalog of Washington Streams and Salmon Utilization, 1975, lists Coho and chum as salmon species using the McAllister Creek system. McAllister Creek is designated a Class AA (extraordinary) water body as defined in the Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters of the State of Washington (WAC 173- 201A). The beneficial uses Class AA standards are designed to protect the following: Water supplies, including domestic, industrial, and agricultural; Stock watering; Fish and shellfish, including rearing, spawning, and harvesting; Wildlife habitat; Recreation, including primary contact, fishing, boating, and aesthetic; Commerce and navigation. The fecal coliform standard established for Class AA freshwater bodies is a geometric mean value of 50 colonies/100 milliliters (ml) and not more than 10 percent of all samples obtained for calculating the geometric mean value exceeding 100 colonies/100 ml. The marine water standard is a geometric mean value of 14 colonies/100 ml with not more than 10 percent of the samples exceeding 43 colonies/100 ml. The fecal coliform sample results obtained in this study were compared to the Class AA water quality standards described above. 3 Project Summary by Task Task 1 – Project Administration/Management The project duration was April 2002 through December 2004. Progress reports and budget summaries were submitted every six months throughout the project, as required. Task 2 – Monitoring Plan QAPP A draft QAPP was prepared and submitted to WDOE