WMA water withdrawal Summary (APPENDIX E, TABLE E5)

NPDES wastewater discharge summary

Use Assessment

Aquatic Life

Ellisville Harbor is primarily a tidal salt marsh system with a tidal inlet that is susceptible to occlusion and migration resulting from coastal sediment transport processes (Howes and Samimy 2005). Due to dynamic coastal processes, the entrance channel to the harbor had migrated to the south, and had restricted the tidal exchange. The depth of the entrance channel had decreased significantly over the past several years and the barrier beach had caused elevation difference of several feet between the bay and the harbor. This difference resulted in restricting incoming tidal water to the last two hours of flood tide. This restricted exchange was considered to be one of the major reasons for poor water quality within the harbor (Churchill 1994). As recently as 2003, the historic inlet was reopened which has already resulted in restoration of salt marsh grass habitat in the upper wetland (Howes and Samimy 2005).

One small productive shellfish area (approximately 85 feet by 100 feet in size) supports a small population of soft shelled clam, Mya arenaria (Churchill 1994).

Chemistry – water

According to the sampling and analysis plan for the South Coastal Basin Estuaries Monitoring Project, four stations in Ellisville Harbor were proposed for sampling: near the head of the Harbor (Station EVH3), upper middle harbor (Station EVH4), lower middle harbor (Station EVH5) and near the mouth of the Harbor (Station EVH6) (Appendix F, Project 03-04/604; and Howes and Samimy 2004). In-situ measurements of DO and temperature, as well as nutrient samples (inorganic and organic nitrogen), at these locations were to be taken six times between June and September 2003 and 2004. Samples were to be collected at approximately two-week intervals during the falling tide (2 hours before and after mid-ebb tide) during the morning hours (0600 to 0900 hours). Water quality samples and in-situ measurements were taken from the four sites on five occasions between July and September 2003 and again in 2004 (Howes and Samimy 2005). Although the actual quality assurance data has not been released to MassDEP, data validation is required as part of this Estuaries Monitoring Project and was conducted prior to the release of the data, which are summarized below.
Water quality samples have also been collected from a freshwater creek (Station EVH1) draining into Ellisville Harbor on a weekly basis since July 2003 (sampling is still being conducted) for use in determining nitrogen loading to the bay from the Jones River as part of the South Coastal Basin Estuaries Monitoring Project (Howes and Samimy 2005). Between July 2003 and April 2005, samples (n=83) were analyzed for nutrients (total nitrogen and phosphorus) and these data are summarized below.
Dissolved oxygen

The surface and bottom DOs ranged from 4.5 to 11.0 mg/L at the four sampling locations. All but two of the measurements taken during the summer of 2004 were > 6.0 mg/L, whereas in 2003 many of the measurements were <6.0 mg/L, particularly at the farthest upstream sampling locations.

Temperature

The maximum temperature was 22 ºC.

Total nitrogen

The concentrations of total nitrogen ranged from 0.148 to 0.553 mg/L at the four sampling locations. The average concentration in 2003 was 0.386 mg/L and in 2004 was 0.293 mg/L. The average concentration of total nitrogen in the freshwater creek draining into Ellisville Harbor (Station EVH1) was 0.504 mg/L (n=83 measurements between July 2003 and April 2005).

Total phosphorus

The average concentration of total phosphorus in the freshwater creek draining into Ellisville Harbor (Station EVH1) was 0.050 mg/L (n=83 measurements between July 2003 and April 2005).

While water quality conditions in Ellisville Harbor appear to be improving as a result of changes in tidal flushing, too limited data are currently available to evaluate these changes so the Aquatic Life Use is not assessed.

Shellfish Harvesting

The DMF Shellfish Status Report of July 2000 indicates that Area CCB40.0 (which contain this entire segment) is prohibited (MA DFG 2000 and Appendix G, Table G3).
Based on the DMF shellfish growing area status, the Shellfish Harvesting Use is assessed as impaired because of elevated fecal coliform bacteria levels, but the source(s) of the bacteria are currently unknown.

Primary and Secondary Contact RECREATION and aesthetics

Four stations within Ellisville Harbor were proposed for sampling as part of the South Coastal Basin Estuaries Monitoring Project (Appendix F, Project 03-04/604; and Howes and Samimy 2004). These sites included: near the head of the Harbor (Station EVH3), upper middle harbor (Station EVH4), lower middle harbor (Station EVH5) and near the mouth of the Harbor (Station EVH6) (Howes and Samimy 2004). Secchi disk depth at these locations were to be taken six times between June and September 2003 and 2004. Samples were to be collected at approximately two-week intervals during the falling tide (2 hours before and after mid-ebb tide) during the morning hours (0600 to 0900 hours).
Fecal coliform bacteria samples were collected from the four sites on five occasions between July and September 2003 and again in 2004. The fecal coliform bacteria data ranged from <10 to 530 cfu/100 ml (n=40). Ninety percent of the samples were <200 cfu/100 ml. It should be noted that elevated counts were only found at one sampling location (Station EVH4) and only in the summer of 2003 (counts ranged from 160 to 530 cfu/100 ml; Howes and Samimy 2005).
With the exception of the most upstream sampling site (Station EVH3), the Secchi depth data were all reported as being “visible on the bottom”, however the depth at the sampling sites was often less than 1.2 m (recommended transparency). Secchi depths at Station EVH3 were less than 1.2 m during most of the summer of 2003. Very limited Secchi depth data are available for the four sampling locations in the harbor in 2004, however. It is noteworthy that chlorophyll a concentrations were elevated at the two most upstream sampling locations in the harbor during the summer of 2003 (corresponding to some degree with the low transparency measurements) but were low at all four stations during the summer of 2004 (Howes and Samimy 2005).
The Primary and Secondary Contact Recreational uses are assessed as support in Ellisville Harbor based primarily on the low fecal coliform bacteria counts. The Aesthetics Use is not assessed for Ellisville Harbor because of the limited Secchi depth dataset and the lack of any other observational data.
Ellisville Harbor (MA94-34) Use Summary Table

Designated Uses		Status
Aquatic Life		NOT ASSESSED
Fish Consumption		NOT ASSESSED
Shellfish Harvesting		IMPAIRED Cause: Elevated fecal coliform bacteria Source: Unknown (Suspected sources: Septic systems, wet weather discharges, waterfowl, and poor tidal flushing)
Primary Contact		SUPPORT
Secondary Contact		SUPPORT
Aesthetics		NOT ASSESSED

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