Marilyn Murphy, David Plavcan, William Shepard, Donna Suevo, Jeff Thomas, Karen Trozzo, Timothy Woods and David Yezuita West Chester University July 2002

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Marilyn Murphy, David Plavcan, William Shepard,
Donna Suevo, Jeff Thomas, Karen Trozzo, Timothy
Woods and David YezuitaWest Chester
UniversityJuly 2002
Water Quality Assessment of the Brandywine Creek
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Introduction

• Water quality assessment of the Brandywine Creek
  drainage basin.
• More emphasis on the East Branch.
• Samples collected at various points including
  tributaries and downstream of point sources.
• Impact of nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) and
  coliforms evaluated.
• Recommendations and conclusions.

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Purpose of Study

• Assess water quality in the Brandywine Creek
  drainage basin.
• Determine impacts from point and non-point
  sources of pollution.
• Provide recommendations to minimize impacts.

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Brandywine Creek Drainage Basin Study Area
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History of Water Quality in Brandywine Creek

• Agricultural use created problems with bacteria,
  nutrients and sedimentation.
• Industrial use created issues with
  synthetic/volatile organic chemicals and metals.
• Clean Water Act of 1972 enabled communities to
  improve water quality.

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Current Water Quality Issues of the Brandywine
Creek

• Increased residential and commercial growth.

• Increased storm water runoff, loss of pervious
  ground cover.
• Increased demand for clean water.

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Current Water Quality Issues of the Brandywine
Creek

• Watershed issues encompass many political
  borders.
• Cooperation and coordination is a challenge.

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Sources of Discharge

• Two types of discharge
• Point Source
• easily identifiable
• indicated by pipes, drainage ditches, channels,
  tunnels, etc.
• Non-Point Source
• less obvious than point sources
• surface run-off most common but also includes
  groundwater infiltration, erosion, and
  atmospheric deposition

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Point Sources to the East Branch

• Downingtown Area Regional Wastewater Treatment
  Authority (DARWTA)
• Taylor Run Sewage Treatment Plant (TRSTP)
• Generic example

Photo obtained from Freefoto.com, accessed
7/13/02.
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Potential Non-Point Sources to the East Branch

• Run-off from agricultural fields, construction
  and industrial sites, public parks, and golf
  course.
• Groundwater infiltration from faulty septic
  systems.
• Erosion from mineral deposits (naturally
  occurring).
• Others

Example of potential non-point source
pollution from farm in rural Chester County.
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Water Quality Concerns

• Drinking water
• Disinfection by products
• Pathogens (e.g., Giardia and Cryptosporidium)
• Terrorism
• Stream water
• Nutrients
• Industrial discharges
• Organic matter/DO level

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Methods MaterialsSample Collection

• Field observations included
• types of vegetation
• substrate
• land use
• Grab samples obtained using Horizontal Water
  Sampler.
• Samples analyzed for nitrates, phosphates and
  total coliforms.

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Methods MaterialsDissolved Oxygen
Concentrations

• Field measurements included
• DO
• pH levels
• conductivity
• DO meters measure the oxygen content in the
  water.
• Low DO concentrations negatively affects aquatic
  life.

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Methods MaterialsConductivity pH Levels

• Conductivity meters
• Salt/ion concentration
• Indicator of total dissolved solids (TDS)

• pH meters
• Availability of hydrogen ions
• Acceptable pH levels range from 5-9 with adverse
  biological effects occurring outside of this range

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Methods MaterialsNitrate Phosphate Analysis

• Laboratory analysis included estimating
  concentration of nitrates, phosphates and total
  coliforms.

• Nitrate and phosphate concentrations were
  determined by the standard curves resulting from
  serial dilutions of known concentrations.

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Methods MaterialsNitrate Phosphate Analysis

• Ultraviolet spectrometers were used to measure
  absorbance values, which reflect concentration
  levels in a sample.

• Analysis of the standards produced a linear
  equation (y mx b).
• Analysis of the water samples produced absorbance
  values that were converted to nitrate or
  phosphate concentrations by linear equation.

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Methods MaterialsTotal Coliform Analysis

• Analysis of total coliforms used a membrane
  filtration technique.
• Water samples were passed through 45-micron
  filters to collect possible bacteria.
• Filters were placed in sterile petri dishes and
  incubated for 24 hours at 35C at which time
  bacterial colonies were counted.

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Dissolved Oxygen Results

Current water quality standard concentration
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Dissolved Oxygen Resultsby Sampling Location
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Specific Conductance Results
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Specific Conductance Resultsby Sampling Location
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pH Results
Acceptable range of pH 5-9
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pH Results by Sampling Location
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Nitrate (NO3-2-N) Results
Water quality criteria value (10 mg/L)




Downstream of WWTP effluent
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Nitrate (NO3-2-N) Resultsby Sampling Location
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Nitrate Historical Trends
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Nitrate Discussion

• Downstream of point sources (WWTPs) typically
  have greater levels of NO3-2-N.
• No samples exceed water quality criteria value
  (10 mg/L).
• Current sample results fairly similar to
  historical median concentrations.
• WWTPs are main entry point for nitrate in the
  drainage basin.
• Decreased as distance from source increased.

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Phosphate (PO4-3-P) Results

EPA recommended value (0.1 mg/L)




Downstream of WWTP effluent
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Phosphate (PO4-3-P) Resultsby Sampling Location
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Phosphate Historical Trends
EPA recommended value (0.1 mg/L)
ND
ND
ND not detected
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Phosphate Discussion

• Downstream of point sources (WWTPs) have detected
  levels of PO4-3-P.
• One sample result exceeds EPAs recommended
  phosphate value (0.1 mg/L).
• Sample results slightly less than historical
  median concentrations.
• WWTPs are main entry point for phosphate in the
  drainage basin.
• Monitoring of effluent and more effective
  treatment methods needed.

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Total Coliform Results (colonies/100 ml)
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Total Coliform Discussion

• Unhealthy bacteria levels prior to 1972 CWA.
• Bacteria concentrations decreased from
• 1973 1999 due to improved treatment and
  decreased point source discharges.
• Fecal coliform bacteria limits (PADEP)
• 200 colonies/100 mL from May-September
• 2000 colonies/100 mL for rest of year
• Chlorination of water prior to discharge
  eliminates much of the coliforms.

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Conclusions

• Nitrate concentrations increased with addition of
  points sources but remained within the acceptable
  range.
• Coliforms effectively removed during treatment
  process.
• Phosphate concentrations increased with addition
  of points sources.
• pH and DO values were within acceptable ranges.

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Recommendations

• Measures to reduce pollution
• Riparian corridors
• Stream bank fencing
• Proper fertilizer application
• Farming practices
• Phosphate removal
• More effective or better applied treatment of
  phosphate
• Addition of aluminum sulfate
• Monitoring

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Acknowledgements

• Gary Kreamer (Delaware Aquatic Resource Education
  Center)
• Francis Menton (City of Wilmington Water
  Department)