Post-Katrina Water Quality Assessment: Lake Pontchartrain and Surrounding Water BodiesLouisiana Department of Environmental QualityWater Quality Assessment Division

September 20, 2005

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

A partnership for water quality assessment:

o Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

o U.S. Geological Surveyo Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundationo Louisiana Department of Agriculture

and Forestryo U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency

Historic Ambient Water Sites and 5 Post-Katrina Sites

Approach to Lake Pontchartrain Damage Assessment

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Parameters being analyzedo Conventionals,

Field Dissolved

Oxygen* Temperature* pH* Salinity Conductivity Oil Sheen

(presence or absence)*

o Metals#

Arsenic* Cadmium* Chromium* Copper* Lead* Mercury* Nickel* Zinc*

*Has Louisiana water quality standards#All sites analyzed for dissolved metals; two canal sites analyzed for total metals

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Parameters being analyzedo Conventionals,

Laboratory Fecal Coliform* Turbidity* Chloride* Sulfate* Total Suspended

Solids Total Solids Total Dissolved

Solids* Biological

Oxygen Demand

Alkalinity Nitrate-Nitrite Total Kjeldahl

Nitrogen Ammonia

Nitrogen Total Phosphorus Hardness Chemical Oxygen

Demand Total Organic

Carbon Color*

* Has Louisiana water quality standards

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Organic parameters being analyzed (66 compounds)

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane

1,1,1-Trichloroethane*

1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane*

1,1,2-Trichloroethane*

1,1-Dichloroethane

1,1-Dichloroethene

1,1-Dichloropropene

1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene

1,2,3-Trichloropropane

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane

1,2-Dibromethane

1,2-Dichlorobenzene

1,2-Dichlorethane*

1,2-Dichloropropane

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene

1,3-Dichlorobenzene

1,3-Dichloropropane

1,4-Dichlorobenzene

1,4-Dichlorobenzene-d4

1-Chloro-2-bromopropane

2,2-Dichloropropane

2-Chlorotoluene

4-Chlorotoluene

a,a,a-Trifluorotoluene

Benzene*

Bromobenzene

Bromochloromethane

Bromodichloromethane*

Bromoform*

Bromomethane

Carbon tetrachloride*

Chloride, Ion Chromatograph

Chlorobenzene

Chlorobenzene-d5

Chloroethane

Chloroform*

Chloromethane*

cis-1,2-Dichloroethane

cis-1,3-Dichloropropene*

Dibromochloromethane*

Dibromomethane

Dichlorodifluoromethane

Fluorobenzene

Hexachlorobutadiene*

Isopropylbenzene

Methyl tert-Butyl Ether

Methylene Chloride*

Naphthalene

n-Butylbenzene

Ethylbenzene*

O-Xylene

p & m-Xylenes

p-Isopropyltoluene

Propylbenzene

sec-Buytlbenzene

Styrene

t-1,2-Dichloroethene*

t-1,3-Dichloropropene*

Tertbutylbenzene

Tetrachlorethene*

Toluene*

Trichloroethene*

Trichlorofluoromethane

Vinyl Chloride*

* Has Louisiana water quality standards

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Pesticides analysis by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry

Alachlor (Lasso) Aldrin* Atrazine Bifenthrin Imidacloprid Carbaryl (Sevin) Chlordane* Chlorpyrifos

(Dursban) Cypermethrin Diazinon Permethrin

Dieldrin* Endosulfin* Endrin* Fipronil (and

metabolites) Heptachlor* Lindane* Malathion Metolachlor (Dual) + about 60 other

pesticides…

* Has Louisiana water quality standards

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Additional sampling capabilities provided by USGS

USGS is providing boats and crews specifically for bacterial sampling in the entire region

USGS also brought in a mobile analytical lab to provide quicker access and turnaround of bacterial samples

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Magnitude of LDEQ Laboratory Analyses: Water only as of September 18, 2005

o Organic compounds – 144 samples (7,521 analyses)

o Conventional parameters – 333 samples (1,313 analyses)

o Metals – 47 samples (104 analyses)

o Total samples – 524 samples (8,938 analyses)

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

What we expectedo Hurricane damage

Increases in organic loading Decreases in dissolved oxygen Fish kills Increases in fecal coliform

o Impact of floodwater discharges into lake Decreases in dissolved oxygen Fish kills Increases in fecal coliform and other urban

nonpoint source pollutants (metals, pesticides, oil and grease)

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

VOLUME OF WATER PUMPED FROM THE NEW ORLEANS AREA AS A PERCENT OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN

(total estimated volume of Lake Pontchartrain - 4,500,000 acre-feet)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

DATE

CU

MU

LATI

VE

PER

CEN

T O

F LA

KE

PON

TCH

AR

TRA

IN (%

)

VOLUME OF WATERPUMPED AS APERCENTAGE OF LAKEPONTCHARTRAIN10 PERCENT OF LAKEPONTCHARTRAIN

Volume of floodwaters into Lake Pontchartrain is minimal compared to the volume of the lake

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Northshore Water Quality Assessment

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations at Northshore Sites

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Dis

so

lve

d O

xy

ge

n (

mg

/L)

Pre

Post

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Fecal Coliform Density for Northshore Sites

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

BayouBonfouca

BayouLacombe

BayouLiberty

CaneBayou

TangipahoaRiver

TchefuncteRiver

Fec

al C

oli

form

s

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Summation of water quality assessments for Pontchartrain region: Northshore

o Except Tangipahoa River, Northshore streams impacted by low dissolved oxygen Woody debris Resuspended sediments This situation will resolve as the

debris decays or is removedo Reported fish kills in the Northshore

area are the result of low DOo Slightly elevated levels of fecal coliforms

were detected but are not unusual for the area

o No detectable concentrations of organic compounds

Western Region Water Quality Assessment

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

o Incidences of low dissolved oxygen levels may occur as tributaries to Lake Maurepas carry organic loading (due to decaying vegetation) into the lake

Summation of water quality assessments for Pontchartrain region: Western Region

Lake Pontchartrain CausewayWater Quality Assessment

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Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations at Causeway Sites

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Crossover 7 Crossover 4 Crossover 1

Dis

so

lve

d O

xy

ge

n (

mg

/L)

Pre

Post

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Fecal Coliform Density at Causeway Sites

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Crossover 1 Crossover 4 Crossover 7

Fec

al C

oli

form

co

lon

ies/

100

mL

Swimming standard is 400 colonies/100 mL. Maximum observation was 5 colonies/100 mL.

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Average Turbidity at Causeway Sites

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Crossover 7 Crossover 4 Crossover 1

Tu

rbid

ity

(N

TU

)

Pre

Post

Turbidity standard is 50 NTU. Maximum value observed was <11.

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

o Dissolved oxygen, fecal coliforms, and turbidity meet water quality standards

o Water quality parameters across the causeway have remained at or near values expected for this time of year

o There have been no detectable concentrations of organic compounds along the causeway

o There have been no reports of oil sheen on the water

Summation of water quality assessments for Pontchartrain region: Causeway

½ mile Off Southshore Water Quality Assessment

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Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations 1/2 Mile off Southshore

012345678

Duncan Canal SuburbanCanal

17th St. Canal Inner HarborNavigation

Canal

N of I-510Dis

so

lve

d O

xy

ge

n (

mg

/L)

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Fecal Coliform Density 1/2 Mile off Southshore

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500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Offshorefrom 17th

StreetCanal

Offshorefrom

DuncanCanal

Offshorefrom IHNG

Offshorefrom Little

Woods

Offshorefrom

SuburbanCanal

PumpagePlume near17th street

Fe

ca

l C

oli

form

s

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

o Water quality parameters are at or near expected values for this time of year

o There have been no reports of oil sheen on the water

Summation of water quality assessments for Lake Pontchartrain region: Near- Southshore

Southshore Canal Water Quality Assessment

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations at Southshore Canals

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

BayouLaBranche

Inner HarborNavigation

Canal

Duncan Canal Suburban Canal

Dis

so

lve

d O

xy

ge

n (

mg

/L)

Pre

Post

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Fecal Coliform Density at Southshore Canal Sites

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

BayouLaBranche

Duncan Canal Inner HarborNavigation Canal

Suburban Canal

Fe

ca

l C

oli

form

s

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

o Dissolved oxygen levels have been slightly depressed due to high organic loading

o There have been no reports of oil sheen on the water

o Fecal coliform results have been somewhat elevated

Summation of water quality assessments for Lake Pontchartrain region: Southshore Canals

Eastern Region Water QualityUSGS has been able to sample this region for bacteria samples only once due to accessibility and sample time issues. Water bodies will continue to be sampled as accessibility improves.

Eastern RegionWater Quality Assessment

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Fecal Coliform Density at Eastern Sites

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Chef Menteur The Rigolets

Fe

ca

l C

oli

form

s

Swimming standard is 400 colonies/100 mL. Maximum observation was 6 colonies/100 mL.

Organic Compound Analysis

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Organic Compound Analysis in the Lake and tributaries

o Of the approximately 6,000 analytical results (144 samples) for organic compounds in ambient water, nearly all have been below detection levels

o When detected, none have exceeded water quality standards

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Biotoxicity test resultso Toxicity tests were completed on canal

water pump stations and lake siteso Of these only Suburban Canal showed

toxicity for one test species Other test species showed no toxic effects

at 100% canal pump water Chemical data will be assessed to

determine possible causes of this toxicityo All other sites showed no toxic effects

even at 100% canal pump watero Biotoxicity testing will continue

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Field observations

o As of September 19, 2005 there were no algae blooms observed

o Numerous bait fish and mullet observed

o Live crabs found in traps along the Southshore

o Good visibility in water column

LouisianaLouisiana

Department ofDepartment of

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

QualityQuality

Conclusions o Northshore Lake Pontchartrain –

most impact Low dissolved oxygen High bacteria counts (i.e., fecal

coliform)o Organic and toxic compounds

Ambient results mostly non-detect, no exceedences of water quality standards

o Most impacts seen thus far were a result of the hurricane and not a result of the pump down of floodwaters