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Home My WebLink AboutNC0021601_Report_19970122NPDES DOCUMENT ! CANNINO COVER :SHEET NC0021601 Tryon WWTP NPDES Permit: Document Type: Permit Issuance Wasteload Allocation Authorization to Construct (AtC) Permit Modification Complete File - Historical Engineering Alternatives (EAA) Correspondence Owner Name Change i pn� e / F Instream Assessment (67b) Speculative Limits Environmental Assessment (EA) Document Date: January 22, 1997 This document is printed on reuse paper - ignore any content on the reYerse side orff4-e /' Division of Water Quality Biological Assessment Group January 22, 1997 MEMORANDUM To: Forrest Westall WQ Supervisor, ARO Through: Jimmie Overto Trish MacPherso From: Mark Hale ,lf Subject: /kraxci)177 J oh 4t)(002-160 I JAI 1 1997 ro(fr_.6flAiiiii WATER QUALITY SECTION Results of DWQ Fish Tissue Mercury Assessment North Pacolet River, Polk Co. (Subbasin 030806), December 1996 The following are results of the DWQ Environmental Sciences Branch assessment of mercury levels in fish collected from the North Pacolet River during December 11 and 12, 1996. DWQ personnel conducted the study at the request of the Asheville Regional Office staff who expressed concerns over recent mercury violations from the Tryon WWTP. Asheville staff members requested fish tissue data to determine the level and extent of any health threats associated with the town's mercury discharges. Forty fish samples were collected from 3 stations along the North Pacolet River drainage near Tryon, NC (see attached map). 1) North Pacolet River at Rt 108 - approximately 1.6 miles upstream from the mouth of Vaughn Creek 2) Vaughn Creek near mouth - from the mouth upstream to the Tryon WWTP discharge 3) North Pacolet River at SR 1516 - approximately 1.4 miles downstream mouth of Vaughn Creek Fish were collected via backpack electrofishing units. Piscivores, insectivores, and omnivores totaling six species were collected, identified, sorted, and packaged according to DWQ SOP guidelines (January 1995). All samples were transported on wet ice back to the ESB laboratory for processing. Field identifications of all fish were confirmed in the laboratory. Samples were processed at the ESB laboratory and delivered to the DWQ chemistry lab for analysis of total mercury. DWQ results show all fish from all stations contained total mercury levels well below the EPA and FDA limits of 0.6 ppm and 1.0 ppm respectively (see attached statistical summaries). Mercury concentrations ranged from 0.03 ppm to 0.2 ppm. Largemouth bass samples collected in Vaughn Creek near the Tryon WWTP discharge contained a maximum of only 0.13 ppm mercury. Bass are expected to contain higher levels of mercury due to their longevity and trophic level however levels observed in this study remained low. All mercury results were comparable to "background" levels expected for fish across North Carolina and locations not subject to excessive impacts. cc: Steve Tedder Luanne Williams, Envir. Epidemiology Section Fish Tissue Sampling Locations - North Pacolet River, December 1996 t� L ,ieN. Pacolet R. at SR 16 Mercury in Fish Tissue North Pacolet River NCDWQ, December 1996 Results are expressed as ppm Station and Species Mean Count Minimum Maximum Total, All Species and Stations 0.091 40 0.03 0.2 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108, Bullhead 0.05 1 0.05 0.05 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108, Redbreast SF 0.102 4 0.06 0.15 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108, Sucker 0.094 5 0.05 0.17 Vaughn Creek near mouth, Bluegill SF 0.065 4 0.03 0.12 Vaughn Creek near mouth, Bullhead 0.093 3 0.06 0.13 Vaughn Creek near mouth, Largemouth Bass 0.1 4 0.07 0.13 Vaughn Creek near mouth, Redbreast SF 0.133 3 0.08 0.18 Vaughn Creek near mouth, Warmouth 0.1 1 0.1 0.1 Vaughn Creek near mouth, Sucker 0.102 4 0.05 0.2 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516, Bluegill SF 0.067 3 0.05 0.08 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516, Bullhead 0.075 2 0.07 0.08 N. Pacolet River at SR 1516, Redbreast SF 0.1 2 0.04 0.16 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516, Sucker 0.075 4 0.07 0.09 Mercury in Fish Tissue - Raw Data North Pacolet River, December 1996 • Location Species Weight (g) Sample Type t Hg (mg/kg) N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Sucker 724 F 0.12 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Sucker 608 F 0.17 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Sucker 298 FC2 0.05 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Sucker 252 FC3 0.06 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Sucker 205 FC3 0.07 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Redbreast 120 F 0.15 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Redbreast 93 F 0.11 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Redbreast 54 FC3 0.09 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Redbreast 16 WC2 0.06 N. Pacolet R. at NC-108 Bullhead 90 F 0.05 Vaughn Creek near mouth Sucker 358 F 0.08 Vaughn Creek near mouth Sucker 236 F 0.08 Vaughn Creek near mouth . Sucker 220 F 0.05 Vaughn Creek near mouth Sucker 426 F 0.2 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bass 380 F 0.13 _ Vaughn Creek near mouth Bass 324 F 0.12 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bass 64.5 WC2 0.07 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bass 30.6 WC3 0.08 Vaughn Creek near mouth Redbreast 111 F 0.18 Vaughn Creek near mouth Redbreast 70.3 FC3 0.14 Vaughn Creek near mouth Redbreast 41.3 WC3 0.08 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bluegill 189 F 0.04 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bluegill 105 F 0.07 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bluegill 56.6 FC3 0.12 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bluegill 29 WC5 0.03 Vaughn Creek near mouth Warmouth 39 W 0.1 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bullhead 154 F 0.13 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bullhead 99.5 FC2 0.09 Vaughn Creek near mouth Bullhead 48 FC3 0.06 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Sucker 572 F 0.09 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Sucker 485 F 0.07 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Sucker 463 F 0.07 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Sucker 352 F . 0.07 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Redbreast 46.2 FC4 0.16 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Redbreast 28.2 WC4 0.04 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Bluegill 106 F 0.05 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Bluegill 43.5 FC2 0.08 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Bluegill 25.3 WC3 0.07 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Bullhead 69.5 FC2 0.07 N. Pacolet River at SR-1516 Bullhead 60.6 FC3 0.08 t C = Composite, F= Fillet, W= Whole Glimmommo...q State of North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor Jonathan B. Howes, Secretary A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director Asheville Regional Office MEMORANDUM To: Through: From: Through: Re: November 14, 1996 Patricia MacPherson Steve Tedder Wanda Frazierlipa Forrest Westal Fish Tissue Sampling DEEHNJF The Asheville Regional Office would like to request that the Environmental Sciences Branch - Biological Assessment Group perform fish tissue sampling and analysis for mercury in and around Vaughn Creek at the Town of Tryon in Polk County. The town has been experiencing mercury violations and is questioning their analytical data. We would like to determine if a health hazard exists and the extent of harm, if any. Please feel free to contact this office to set up a schedule and inform us of any assistance needed. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Attached are DMR data and a topographical map. Interchange Building, 59 Woodfin Place Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Voice 704-251-6208 Ruiticz Reuc Cok CFAX 704-251-6452 An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer c,c 50% recycles/10% post -consumer paper