Susquehanna River Water Quality Monitoring:

Transcription

1 Susquehanna River Water Quality Monitoring: Monitoring the water quality and fecal coliform bacteria in the upper Susquehanna River, summer 1 Liam Heiland 2 INTRODUCTION The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeast United States. It is the longest river on the American East Coast (about 444 miles long) and is divided into two branches: The North Branch (originating at Otsego Lake) and the shorter West Branch (originating in Pennsylvania). Together, the branches drain a watershed of approximately 27,500 sq. miles. The branches join near Northumberland and empty in the Chesapeake Bay, providing half of the fresh water of Chesapeake Bay (Susquehanna River Basin Commission 2006). For the summer of, the Upper Susquehanna was monitored for physical water characteristics, nutrient levels, and fecal coliform concentrations as part of an ongoing study. Cooperstown lies directly at the start of the North Branch and depends on the river for discharge of waste water. Therefore, it is important to gather information on the quality of the river. Weekly samples and measurements were taken at nine sites between the river s source on Otsego Lake and its confluence with Oak Creek (Figure 1) from July to 19 August. The nature of this study allows for conclusions to be drawn regarding the effectiveness of the Cooperstown Sewage Treatment Plant (which hosts approximately 3,000 permanent residents, Bassett Hospital, and a significant tourist population through the summer) and for conclusions regarding the river s ecosystem. Excess nutrient loading endangers an ecosystem s pristine state, and thus impact the diversity of aquatic life present in the system. For example, inadequate wastewater treatment can lead to an overall increase in fecal coliform bacteria and can cause a decrease in the water s dissolved oxygen concentration. Such an event can make life for certain aquatic life forms difficult or impossible, and is directly tied in with excess nutrient loading that contributes to increase algal populations. Continued loading would put the quality of game fishing as well as the recreational value of the Susquehanna in jeopardy. Fecal coliforms are a group of bacteria found in human and animal feces (APHA 1992). Coliforms aid in the digestive processes of all warm blooded animals. They are elevated in ecosystems where such waste discharge or agricultural runoff goes untreated and enters a waterway. Although most tend to have no effect on the health of a human being, they can reveal 1 Funding provided by the OCCA and the Village of Cooperstown. 2 F.H.V. Mecklenburg Conservation Fellow, summer. Present affiliation: Hartwick College.

2 instances of nutrient loading as well as possible pathogenic contamination (APHA 1992). Therefore, data comparison from year to year can yield important information regarding the safety and condition of the water. METHODS The Upper Susquehanna was monitored weekly at nine sites between its outlet at Otsego Lake and its confluence with Oak Creek. The sites are shown in Figure 1 and described in Table 1. Historically, two sites above these have been monitored by boat, but in, boat unavailability at the south end of the lake precluded monitoring there. Figure 1. The Upper Susquehanna and the nine sampling sites for summer.

3 Table 1. Locations and descriptions of sampling sites located along the Upper Susquehanna River. Susquehanna River 3: 144 m from source. Under the Main Street Bridge; accessed via slope beside the bridge. Susquehanna River 6a: 1012 m from source. Below the dam at Bassett Hospital; accessed from the north corner of the lower parking lot of Bassett Hospital. Susquehanna River 7: 1533 m from source. Below the dam at Bassett Hospital; accessed from the southern corner of the lower parking lot of Bassett Hospital. Susquehanna River : 1724 m from source. Under the Susquehanna Ave. bridge west of the Clark Sports Center; accessed via the slope beside the bridge. Susquehanna River 12: 4119m from source. Just above the sewage discharge of the Cooperstown Wastewater Treatment Plant, nearby Cooperstown High School. Accessed by an opening in the fence. Susquehanna River 16: 5460 m from source. Small bridge perpendicular to the road on Clark Property. Accessed by crossing a gated bovine grazing area (cow field). Susquehanna River 16a: 5939 m from source. Distinct bend in river alongside road on Clark property, in field directly across from large house with hayrolls in front. Accessed by long path found on the right side of the field. Susquehanna River 17: 143 m from source. Abandoned bridge on Phoenix Mill Rd. Susquehanna River 1: 967 m from source. Railroad trestle about 200 m north of the railroad crossing on Rt. 11 going out of Hyde Park, accessed by walking on the railroad tracks. Trains occasionally come through, so caution is necessary. All sites were accessed by car by a team of two or three people. A Hydrolab Scout 2 or Eureka multiprobe digital microprocessor was used to measure temperature, ph, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductivity. Before use, the device was calibrated, as per its manufacturer s instructions, to ensure accuracy (Hydrolab Corp 1993, Eureka Environmental 2004).

4 A 125 ml sample of the site water, contained in acid-washed nalgene bottles, was collected for nutrient analyses and a 500 ml sample was collected for fecal coliform analysis. Samples were iced until return to lab. After collection and return to the Field Station, the samples for nutrient anlaysis were preserved with sulfuric acid to prevent any changes to the sample. Samples were tested for nitrate+nitrite, ammonia, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus levels using a Lachat QwikChem FIA+ Water Analyzer. Bacteria levels were tested using the membrane filter technique (APHA 1992). Predetermined volumes of sample (20 ml and 100 ml) were measured in sterile graduated cylinders, and were then passed through a pre-sterilized filter using a low pressure vacuum. The filters were then placed on a pre-sterilized Millipore dish containing nutrient broth. Each volume was run in triplicate to increase accuracy. A control of 100 ml dilution water was run before each sample to check for background contamination. Between sample sites, filtration equipment was dipped in 70% ethanol and washed in hot tap water, then rinsed in dilution water. Between each filtration, forceps used to transport filter pads to dishes were dipped in Ethanol and then passed through a flame to ensure sterility. After all samples were filtered, all plates were incubated for 24 hours at 44.5 degrees Celsius in a circulatory water bath. Coliform colonies, which appear as a bright blue dot on the filter, were counted and reported as colonies/100 ml. Fecal coliform processing on 30 July was incomplete due to a lack of materials. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS When considering nutrient inputs from point sources of pollution, as is the municipal wastewater input, results have to be considered with all other factors in the system. For example, high measurements of a nutrient can mean two very different things depending on the level of water. Lower water levels would mean higher concentrations of the nutrient, while higher levels equal diluted concentrations. For much of the sample period, higher than normal rain (Blechman, ) led to elevated flows, often paralleled by lower nutrient concentrations. Temperature Temperature of any aquatic body is very important to what lives in the water. From microbes to fish, each species has a temperature where it can thrive. Higher temperatures from a discharge can have significant impact on species that prefer cooler water. Temperature also plays a role in the way all the other data can be interpreted. Water of lower temperature will have more dissolved oxygen, other things being equal. Figure 2 summarizes the dissolved oxygen concentrations over the summer of. This year s temperature readings were fairly steady, but a little low for the Susquehanna, with a high of C at site 6A on 1 August, and a low of 1.62 C at site 1 on 15 July. Considering the wet and cool summer the area experienced, these lower temperatures can be regarded as normal for this year. Figure 3 compares the mean concentration at each site over the summers of

5 Temperature (Degrees C) Figure 2. A profile of water temperature along the Susquehanna with standard error, Summer Temperature (Degrees C) Figure 3. A profile of mean tmperature along the Susquehanna, summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and. ph ph is a measure of a solution s relative acidity or alkalinity. If ph is low (acidic), it can affect biological processes, and influence reaction rates. ph also plays an important role, as sudden changes in ph can indicate nutrient or chemical runoff. ph this year was a little on the higher side of recent years, but still fell close to a neutral ph. Figure 4 summarizes ph over the summer of. Figure 5 summarizes mean ph at each site over the summers of

6 ph Figure 4. Mean ph distribution along the Susquehanna with standard error bars, Summer. ph Figure 5. Mean ph along the Susquehanna, summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and. Conductivity Conductivity is a measure of how well water conducts electricity. This is indicative of ion concentrations, often dissolved salts. This year saw very steady conductivity levels, much more so than in previous years, likely due to high flows. Figure 6 summarizes conductivity over the summer of. Figure 7 summarizes mean conductivity at each site over the summers of

7 0.4 Conductivity (mmho/cm) Figure 6. Summer s mean conductivity, with standard error bars Conductivity (mmho/cm) Figure 7. The mean conductivities for summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and. Dissolved Oxygen The amount of dissolved oxygen depends on the temperature, how the water moves, what s living in the water, and what s being introduced into the environment. Organic inputs into a waterway will, upon decomposition, deplete oxygen levels. This year, we saw steady, higher than average oxygen content across the sites at a level sufficient to sustain a healthy aerobic population within the river system. This would imply adequate treatment by the wastewater

8 treatment plant. Figure summarizes dissolved oxygen concentrations over the summer of. Figure 9 summarizes mean dissolved oxygen at each site over the summers of Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) Figure. Mean dissolved oxygen content along the Susquehanna with standard error,for summer Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) Figure 9. Mean dissolved oxygen for summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and.

9 Total Phosphorus Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient to algae. High levels of phosphorus can facilitate blooms and growth in general. This leads to an overall decrease in dissolved oxygen, as the algae are decomposed after death by aerobic bacteria. Phosphorus introduction can come from agricultural and urban runoff, as well as sewage outfalls. This year s phosphorus was on the lower side of the yearly readings, increasing at SR 16 as was expected since this is the first site downstream from the wastewater treatment plant (which currently is not required to remove phosphorus). Figure 10 summarizes total phosphorus concentrations over the summer of. Figure 11 summarizes mean total phosphorus at each site over the summers of Total Phosphorus (ug/l) Figure 10. Mean Phosphorus levels for Summer with standard error bars.

10 Total Phosphorus (ug/l) Figure 11. Mean Phosphorus levels for 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and. Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia Nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia are all inorganic sources of nitrogen, another nutrient that algae thrive on. Sources of these inorganic compounds are often similar to the phosphorus sources. Nitrates and nitrites are grouped together, and ammonia is measured separately. Total nitrogen includes the abovementioned compounds as well as nitrogen contained in organic compounds. As with the other readings, this year s nitrite+nitrate and total nitrogen levels were spatially consistent and somewhat lower than most previous years readings. Ammonia readings also appear to be on the lower side of previous years. However, ammonia sampling has only gone on for three years now, so it is unclear what the normal trend should be at this time. Figure 12 summarizes nitrite+nitrate concentrations over the summer of. Figure 13 summarizes mean nitrite+nitrate at each site over the summers of Figure 14 summarizes ammonia concentrations over the summer of. Figure 15 summarizes mean ammonia at each site over the summers of Figure 16 summarizes total nitrogen concentrations over the summer of. Figure 17 summarizes mean total nitrogen at each site over the summers of

11 1 0. Nitrite+Nitrate (mg/l) Figure 12. Mean Nitrite and Nitrate levels for Summer, with standard error bars Nitrite+Nitrate (mg/l) Figure 13. Mean Nitrite and Nitrate levels for summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and.

12 Ammonia (mg/l) Figure 14. Mean ammonia readings for summer with standard error bars. No error bars are present on points 144 and 1724 due to ammonia readings below detection levels (<.04 mg/l) on all sampling dates save one Ammonia (mg/l) Figure 15. Mean ammonia readings for summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and.

13 2.00 Total Nitrogen (mg/l) Figure 16. Mean total nitrogen levels for summer, with standard error bars Total Nitrogen (mg/l) Figure 17. Mean total nitrogen readings for summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and. Fecal Coliform Aforementioned, fecal coliforms are a type of bacteria found in human and animal feces. Coliforms aid in the digestive processes of all mammals. They are present in ecosystems where such waste discharge goes untreated and enters a waterway. Although they tend to have no effect on the health of a human being, they can reveal instances of nutrient loading as well as possible pathogenic contamination (APHA 1992).

14 Figure 1 summarizes total nitrogen concentrations over the summer of. Figure 19 summarizes mean total nitrogen at each site over the summers of Fecal coliform concentrations over 2010 were among the lowest of any summer since Fecal Coiform (col./100 ml) Figure 1. Mean fecal coliform colonies per 100 ml for the summer season, with standard error bars. Scale of the y axis is different than the following graph in order to show the standard error bars Fecal Coliform (col./100 ml) Figure 19. Mean colony counts for summers 2004 (Hill 2005), 2005 (Bauer 2006), 2006 (Zurmuhlen 2007), 2007 (Coyle 200), 200 (Matus ), and.

15 REFERENCES APHA, AWWA, WPCF Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. 17 th Ed. American Public Health Association, Washington D.C. Bauer, E Monitoring the water quality and fecal coliform in the upper Susquehanna River, summer In 3 th Ann. Rept. (2005). SUNY Oneonta Biol. Fld. Sta., SUNY Oneonta. Blechman, A.. National weather observer. Cooperstown, NY. Coyle, O.L Monitoring water quality and fecal coliform bacteria in the Upper Susquehanna River, summer In 40 th Annual Report (2007), SUNY Oneonta Bio. Fld Sta., SUNY College at Oneonta. Ebina, J.T. Tsutsui, and T. Shirai Simultaneous determination of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in water using peroxodisulfate oxidation. Water Res. 17(12): Eureka Environmental Engineering Manta water quality probe startup guide. Austin, TX. Hill, J Monitoring the water quality and fecal coliform in the upper Susquehanna River, summer In 37 th Ann. Rept. (2004). SUNY Oneonta Bio. Fld Sta., SUNY College at Oneonta. Hydrolab Corporation, Scout 2 operating manual. Hydrolab Corp. Austin, TX. Liao, N Determination of ammonia by flow injection analysis. QwikChem Method F. Lachat Instruments. Loveland, Colorado. Liao, N. and S. Marten Determination of total phosphorus by flow injection analysis chloriometry (acid persulfate digestion method). QwikChem Method F. Lachat Instruments. Loveland, Colorado. Matus, J.E.. Monitoring water quality and fecal coliform bacteria in the upper Susquehanna River, summer 200. In 41 st Ann. Rept. (200). SUNY Oneonta Biol. Fld. Sta., SUNY Oneonta/ Pritzlaff, D Determination of nitrate+nitrite in surface and wastewaters by flow injection analysis. QwikChem Method F. Lachat Instruments. Loveland, Colorado. Susquehanna River Basin Commision.. Zurmuhlen, S. J Monitoring water quality and fecal coliform bacteria in the upper Susquehanna River, summer In 39 th Annual Report (2006), SUNY Oneonta Bio. Fld. Sta., SUNY College at Oneonta.