Document ev6vzBX82ag16rXEVo8v4V154

uni\_c.o_ou rru i u < oo nucn rrm nu. i oo^ c ii 1 . Uv) ADEMAfews*1 Alabama Department ; of Environmental Management ... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE! For more information. contact Catherine Lamar, Qavid Granger or Clark Bruner at (334) 271-7709/7712 ; ADEM RELEASES 1995 FISH SAMPLING DATA j ! APRIL 1, 1996 j Concentrations of PCBs and mercury in fish exceed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines (the level at which certain precautions should be considered in regard to fish consumption) at eight of the approximately 25 sites sampled in 1995, according to data released by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Approximately 300 fish were collected from 20 waterbodies in the state (see 1995 Fish Tissue Monitoring Sites) last fall as part of an expanded fish tissue testing program initiated by ADEM in 1991. The program was designed to check fish from major rivers and lakes in the state for pollutants with the potential to bioaccumulate. Concentrations of pollutants in fish collected in 1995 were below FDA guidance levels at ail but eight sites. i PCB concentrations in composites (usually five to six fish) and two individual samples of edible portions (fillets) of fish at four sites on the Logan Martin Reservoir and at a site on Weiss Reservoir and on Choccoiocco Creek exceeded the FDA guideline level of 2.0 parts per million (ppm) (See map attached). Sampling in Blackwater River in Escambia County and in Fish River in Baldwin County showed concentrations of mercury above the FDA guidance level of 1.0 ppm . A Big Escambia Creek site yielded a sample which approached the FDA levei for mercury (See map attached). ; The Alabama Department of Public Health has had a "limited consumption" advisory for catfish on the Coosa River (between Logan Martin Dam and the Alabama/Georgia state line) in place since 1989. A "no consumption" advisory for all species on Snow Creek (from Oxford to the confluence with Choccoiocco Creek) and Choccoiocco Creek (from Snow Creek to the confluence with Logan Martin Lake) was established by the Health Department in 1993 based on ADEM fish sampling data indicating elevated PCB levels in fish. Additionally, "no consumption" advisories have been in effect since 1993 for ail species in Cold Creek Swamp (adjacent to the Mobile River and approximately 10 miles south of the confluence of the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers) in Mobile Counity and on largemouth bass and channel catfish on the Olin Basin in Washington County. ' According to ADEM Acting Director Jim Wait. "These most recent data have been provided to epidemiologists with the Alabama Department of Public Health , and they have requested that ADEM analyze individual fish in those composites that exceeded FDA guidance levels. This process should be completed within the next few weeks and provide Health Department personnel with the additional information they need to make a decision regarding consumption guidance." The 1995 ADEM fish tissue monitoring program also included an evaluation of the physical condition of important sport and/or commercial fish species using Relative Weights, an index of well-being or condition used by fishery biologists. A ranking of 80 to 100 is considered good to excellent; a score of 79 or below is considered fair to poor. A total of 192 fish were evaluated with 100% of the black crappie and chamiel catfish, 94% of the largemouth bass and 90% of the spotted bass falling into the good to excellent range. (Continued) DSW 133190 STLCOPCB4033148 Iiniv C3 OU I'HI IU 4U nvui rnA nu, i uuh c i i i t>uu I i UH ADEM initiated the expanded fish tissue testing program in cooperation with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Tennessee Valley authority to check fish from the 28 major lakes in the state, 28 smaller J lake and stream locations and 29 state fishing lakes maintained by DCNR. Priorities for sampling locations were developed by ADEM with input by cooperating agencies based 6n the degree of fishing activity. Samples are collected in the fall, the j period during which pollutants, if present, would most! likely be stored in fatty tissues in the highest concentrations. Fish are I analyzed for PCBs, mercury, chlordane, toxaphenc; mirex, DDT, DDD. DDE, dieldrin, dursban, endrin, heptachlor. heptachior-epoxide and certain heavy metals. t i AOS/1 IMS FISH TISSUE SAMPLING SITES RIVER BASIN APPALACHICOLA RIVER WATER BODY BIG CREEK CHOCTAWHATCHee RIVER COWARTS CREEK PEA RIVER COOSA RIVER CHOCCOLQCCO CREEK LOGAN MARTIN LAKE LOGAN MARTIN LAKE LOGAN MARTIN LAKE LOGAN MARTIN LAKE WEISS RE5ERVOIR WEISS RESERVOIR ESCATAWPA RIVER WEISS RESERVOIR BIG CREEK RESERVOIR ESCATAWPA RIVER MOBILE BAY FISH RIVER PEROIOCVESCAMBIA RIVER BIG ESCAMBIA CREEK BIACKWATER RIVER CONECUH RIVER GANTT LAKE UTTL6 ESCAMBIA CREEK PERDIDO RIVER STYX RIVER WARRIOR RIVER YELLOW RIVER INLAND RESERVOIR LAKE LURLEEN LAKE NtGHOL COUNTY HOUSTON 1 HOUSTON1 geneva! CALHOUN 7ALLADEGA/5T. CLAIR TALLAOEftA/ST CLAIR TALIADEGA/ST. CLAIR TALLADEGA/ST. CLAIR CHEROKEE CHEROKEE CHEROKEE M08ILE MOBILE ' BALDWIN ESCAMBIA ESCAMBIA ESCAMBIA covingt6n ESCAMBIA BALDWIN , BALDWIN COVINGTON BLOUNT TUSCALOOSA TUSCALOOSA Location Dateription BIG CREEK. HOUSTON CO AT ST HW 55 BRIDGE CROSSING APPROX. 2 MILES UPSTREAM OF AL/FL STATE LINE COWARTS CREEK AT AL HWY 53 BRIDGE CROSSING PEA RIVER NEAR ITS CONFLUENCE WITH CHAWCTAWHaTCMEE RIVER IN VICINITY OF AL HWY 27 BRIDGE CROSSING CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK UNNUMBERED CO RO CROSSING APPROX 2.5 MILES E.6E OP OXFORD. 1/2 MILE EITHER SIDE OF BRIDGE 2.4 MILES DOWNSTREAM OF HILLABEE CK 4CHOCCOIOCCO CK CONFLUENCE. COOSA RIVER. LOGAN MARTIN LAKE ALABAMA POWER RESERVOIR MILE 2.0 VICINITY OF RABBIT BRANCH CONFLUENCE APPROX. 1* MILES DOWNSTREAM OF CHOCCOLOCCO CK CONFLUENCE. COOSA RIVER.LOCAN MARTIN LAKE ALABAMA POWER RESERVOIR MILE 7.5 VICINITY OF CROPWELL CK CONFLUENCE. APPROX. 9 MILES DOWNSTREAM OP CHOCCOLOCCO CK CONFLUENCE IN GRIFFTT BEND COOSA RIVER. LOGAN MARTIN LAKE ALABAMA POWER RESERVOIR MILE 12.$ VICINITY OF ST HWY 34 BRIDGE CROSSING (STEMLEY BRIDGE) APPROX. 2.5 MILES DOWNSTREAM OF CHCCCOLGCCO CK CONFLUENCE. LOGAN MARTIN AT RIVERSIDE NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF BLUE EYE CREEK. ALABAMA POWER RESERVOIR MILE 20.0 (VICINITY OF INTERSTATE 20 BRIDGE) 94 MILES UPSTREAM OF CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK POWER PLANT FOREBAY (LOWER DAM) APPROX. 4 MILES DOWNSTREAM OF MW All LEESBURG BRIDGE WEIS8 RESERVOIR AT CEDAR BLUFF; ALABAMA POWER RESERVOIR MILE 10.0-11.0 WEISS RESERVOIR AT THE ALABAMA/GEORGIA STATE UNE; ALABAMA POWER RESERVOIR MILE 29.0 BIG CREEK RESERVOIR.BIG CREEK,LAKE WIDE SAMPLE ESCATAWPA RIVER.MOBILE CO. AT US HW 98 BRIDGE CROSSING . APPROX 1/10 MILE UPSTREAM OF AUMS STATE UNE FISH RIVER IN VICINITY OF CONFLUENCE WITH POLECAT CREEK. APPROX ONE MILE UPSTREAM OF CO. RO. 3? BRIDGE CROSSING. BIG ESCAMBIA CREEK AT LOUISVILLESNASHVIUJE RR BRIDGE CROSSING APPROX. 1/2 MILE UPSTREAM OF AL/FL STATE LINE BLACKWATER RIVER. ESCAMBIA COUNTY BETWEEN CO. RO. 4 BRIDGE AND AUFL STATE LINE CONECUH RIVER AT POUARD LANDING CONECUH RIVER, GANTT LAKE. LAKE WIDE SAMPLE LITTLE ESCAMBIA CREEK. ESCAMBIA CO. AT US HW 31/28 BRIDGE CROSSING 2.8 MILES UPSTREAM OF AUFL STATE UNE PERDIDO RIVER NEARlTS CONFLUENCE WITH STYX RIVER IN VICINITY OF US HWY BO BRIDGE CROSSING STYX RIVER NEAR ITS CONFLUENCE WITH PERDIDO RIVER IN VICINITY OF US HWY 90 BRIDGE CROSSING YELLOW RIVER.COVINGTON CO. AT COUNTY ROAD * BRIDGE CROSSING APPROX. 1 1/2 MILES UPSTREAM OF AUFL STATE UNE INLAND LAKE AT REMLAP. LAKE WIDE SAMPLE LAKE LURIEEN LAKE LURLEEN STATE PARK. LAKE WIDE SAMPLE YELLOW CREEK. LAKE NICHOL. LAKE WIDE SAMPLE i ii . j DSW 133191 STLCOPCB4033149 HAR-29-96 FRI 15:40 ADEN FAX NO. 1 334 271 7950 P. 05 LOGAN MARTIN RESERVOIR/WEISS RESERVOIR/CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK SAMPLING SITES & RESULTS (all data Is parts-per-million PCBs) 1. Logan Martin/Rabbit Branch confluence Sponed bass composite - 4.88 Flathead catfish composite - 8.49 Individual Blue Catfish - 2.53 j i ] \ I 2. Logan Martin/Cropwell Creek confluence Spotted bass composite - 6.66 Channel catfish composite - 4.49 Blue catfish composite - 5.82 j | : 3. Logan Martin/State Hwy. 34 Bridge Largcmouth bass composite - 2.73 Channel catfish composite - 6.59 Blue catfish composite - 2.04 ; /y : \ /*'r - * ** "" ' __ _.V^_ V > Vi \ Qri >--"t '' 'f-c .~^rrr<i ' l! 4. Logan iMartin/Blue Eye Creek confluence Channel catfish composite - 4.23 Blue catfish composite 4.47 Individual channel catfish - 4.56 5. Weiss Reservoir lower dam (approx, four miles downstream of Hwy. 411 Leesburg Bridge.) Channel catfish composite 4.43* 6. Choccolocco Creek (2.4 milts downstream of Hillabee Creek confluence) 6 single largemouth bass 0.96 to 41.91 6 single channel catfish - 0.47 to 9.26 "All other species at three Weiss sites were below FDA guidelines. (Continued) DSW 133192 STLCOPCB4033150 i BLACKWATER RIVER/BIG ESCAMBIA CREEK/FISH RIVER SAMPLING SITES AND RESULTS (all data is parts-pcr-million mercury) 1. Blackwater River (between Escambia County Road 4 Bridge and Alabama-Florida state line) Individual largemouth bass -1.47 2. Big Escambia Creek (L&N Railroad crossing, approximately one-half mile upstream of Alabama-Ftorida state line) Largemouth bass composite -0.99 o Co SC U> Ui r- NO tjj STLCOPCB4033151