State of Ohio Ecological Assessment Unit Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water Biological and Water Quality Study of the Upper Killbuck Creek Watershed Medina, Wayne, Holmes and Coshocton Counties, Ohio J Mayfly (Stenonema) Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui) January 31, 1996 P.O. Box 1049, 1800 WaterMark Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43216-0149 MAS/1994-12 -13 1994 Killbuck Watershed TSD January 31, 1996 Biological and Water Quality Study of the Upper Killbuck Creek Watershed Medina, Wayne, Holmes, and Coshocton Counties, Ohio January 31, 1996 OEPA Technical Report MAS/1994-12-13 prepared by State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water Monitoring and Assessment Section 1685 Westbelt Drive Columbus, Ohio 43228-3809 Nonpoint Source Management Section P.0. Box 163669 1800 WaterMark Drive Columbus, Ohio 43216-3669 Surface Water Section Northeast District Office 2110 East Aurora Road Twinsburg, Ohio 44087 MAS/1994-12 -13 1994 Killbuck Watershed TSD January 31, 1996 TABLE OF CONTENTS NOTICE TO USERS . i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . ii INTRODUCTION . 1 SUMMARY . 1 Aquatic Life Use Attainment Status . 1 Killbuck Creek Mainstem . 1 Other Tributaries . 3 Major Sources of Pollution and Impacts . 4 Wooster WWTP . 4 CONCLUSIONS . 4 Killbuck Creek . 4 Apple Creek . 6 Doughty Creek . 6 Other Tributaries . 6 RECOMMENDATIONS . 6 Status of Aquatic Life Uses . 6 Status of Non-Aquatic Life Uses . 8 Future Monitoring Needs . 8 STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION . 12 METHODS . 17 Determining Use Attainment Status . 17 Habitat Assessment . 17 Macroinvertebrate Community Assessment . 18 Fish Community Assessment . 18 Area of Degradation Value (ADV) . 18 Causal Associations . 18 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION . 23 Pollutant Loadings: 1983- 1993 . 23 Wooster WWTP . 23 Shreve WWTP . 23 Guggisberg Cheese . 23 Creston WWTP . 24 Westfield Center WWTP . 24 Timken Steel . 24 City of Wooster: Contaminated Groundwater Discharges . 24 Chemical/Physical Water Quality . 33 Killbuck Creek . 33 Other Tributaries . 38 Comparisons to Ecoregional Reference Sites . 38 Doughty Creek Continuous Monitor Results . 39 Sediment Chemistry . 41 Fish Tissue . 46 Physical Habitat for Aquatic Life . 48 Killbuck Creek . 48 Doughty Creek . 48 Apple Creek . 48 Other Tributaries . 49 Biological Assessment: Macroinvertebrate Community . 52 Killbuck Creek . 52 MAS/1994-12 -13 1994 Killbuck Watershed TSD January 31, 1996 Apple Creek . 54 Doughty Creek . 54 Other Tributaries . 56 Biological Assessment: Fish Community . 63 Killbuck Creek . 63 Apple Creek . 63 Doughty Creek . 65 Other Tributaries . 66 TREND ASSESSMENT . 69 Chemical/Physical Water Quality Changes; 1983-93 . 69 Killbuck Creek . 69 Apple Creek . 69 Doughty Creek . 69 Changes in Biological Community Performance; 1981-93 . 71 Macroinvertebrate Community Trends . 71 Killbuck Creek . 71 Apple Creek . 71 Doughty Creek . 71 Fish Community Trends . 71 Killbuck Creek . 71 Apple Creek . 73 Doughty Creek . ..