Effects of sediment toxicity from coal mining on endangered mussel populations in the Upper Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages
Dates
Start Date
2003-10
End Date
2006-09
Citation
Johnson, G.C, Ahlstedt, S.A., Orem, W.H., Ruppert, L.F., Alexander, S.R. and Bakaletz, S, 2008, Evaluation of Sediment, Surface Water and Pore Water Chemistry and Mussel Populations in the Clinch, Powell, and South Fork Cumberland River Basins in TN, VA and KY.:USGS SIR-08-XXX 9999p.
Summary
A draft report and supporting information was produced by this SSP project. A scoping and reconnaissance study was conducted by the US Geological Survey in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service. Sediment, surface water and pore water samples were collected at 21 sites in the Clinch, Powell and South Fork Cumberland River basins in 2004-05. Three coal ponds (one yard sump and two drying cells) were also sampled in 2005. Surficial streambed sediment ranged from 0 to 47.7 percent coal and was composed predominantly of sand and gravel. Sediment quality guidelines were periodically exceeded at several sites for arsenic, chromium, lead and 22 of 31 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analyzed. Aluminum, [...]
Summary
A draft report and supporting information was produced by this SSP project.
A scoping and reconnaissance study was conducted by the US Geological Survey in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service. Sediment, surface water and pore water samples were collected at 21 sites in the Clinch, Powell and South Fork Cumberland River basins in 2004-05. Three coal ponds (one yard sump and two drying cells) were also sampled in 2005. Surficial streambed sediment ranged from 0 to 47.7 percent coal and was composed predominantly of sand and gravel. Sediment quality guidelines were periodically exceeded at several sites for arsenic, chromium, lead and 22 of 31 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analyzed. Aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, and copper in pore water samples periodically exceeded acute and chronic aquatic health guidelines at a few sites. Ammonia and chloride were elevated in pore water samples from Indian Creek and a coal sedimentation pond.
A freshwater mussel population index (MPI) was developed and applied to mussel survey data to quantify the overall health of mussel communities and facilitate the comparison of mussel populations at different sites. The 'response variable' MPI is based on historic data ranging from 1990 to 2007, whereas the 'driver variables' of chemical and physical composition of surficial streambed sediment, pore water, and water-column water are based on sampling in 2004-05. A negative correlation was found between the MPI and a number of inorganic and organic compound concentrations, as well as a positive correlation between MPI and the percent sand composition of stream bed material. Potential threshold concentrations are extrapolated based on MPI scores. Concentration of metals in surficial stream bed sediment samples did not correlate to the coal content of the sediments. Clasts of coal and organic rich black shale were collected at a number of sites. These coal and black shale samples generally had higher metal concentrations than coal or sediment samples from the area, which may partially explain the elevated metal concentrations found in the surficial streambed sediments at many sites. All surficial streambed sediment samples had PAH distributions with a predominance of lower molecular weight (lower ring number) PAHs, and abundant alkylated PAHs which are consistent with non-pyrogenic sources. There was not sufficient information to discern between coal, oil or gas as potential sources. The carbon-nitrogen (C:N) ratio roughly correlated with the edimentary organic carbon content and with the percent coal in the surficial streambed sediment, indicating some sites may have sedimentary organic matter dominated by coal fines. The total PAHs in the surficial streambed sediment correlated with the organic carbon, total sulfur, and coal content of the sediment, which suggests that coal is the primary source of PAHs. The 2004 pore water samples were analyzed as whole water samples but the constituent concentrations correlated to sample turbidity and were considered biased. Cl and nitrate were present in Indian Creek at levels exceeding water quality guidelines in the 2004 samples. In 2005, pore water at twelve sites and water column samples from two coal ponds were analyzed for the dissolved fraction of metals and PAHs. For six constituents, concentrations in pore water correlated to the MPI values. Pore water concentrations of metals in 2005 samples exceeded aquatic health guidelines at several sites, including Cd at four sites and in the coal pond samples, as well as As at Indian Creek, Cu at Indian and Callahan Creeks and the Scott County coal pond, Al at Coal Creek, and Se at the two coal ponds. Ammonia was also present in Indian Creek at levels that may be harmful to freshwater mussels. The elevated levels of constituents in the pore water at Indian Creek are of particular concern due to the presence of one of the last remaining populations in the Tennessee River system for Epioblasma walkeri.
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USGS TN WRD SSP_2005_WQ-Sed Data.zip
13.32 MB
application/zip
Purpose
This SSP project examined sediment, surface water and porewater chemistry and mussel populations in the Clinch, Powell, and South Fork Cumberland River Basins in TN, VA, and KY.
