Scope of Work
Wheeler Reservoir Main Channel Sediment Collection and Analysis
Jim Stoeckel, Dennis DeVries
School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences
Auburn University (jimstoeckel@auburn.edu)
Statement of Problem
Wheeler Reservoir is an impounded section of the Tennessee River downstream of
Guntersville Dam and upstream of Wheeler dam. Following impoundment in the 1930s, the
mussel community has changed drastically, but still supported an important commercial mussel
fishery through the 1990s. In the 1950s the commercial catch was dominated by the Ohio
Pigtoe, Pink Wartyback, White Wartyback, Threehorn Wartyback, Three Ridge, Elephantear,
and Butterfly (Scruggs 1960). By the 1990s the Washboard had replaced the Ohio Pigtoe as the
dominant commercial species followed by Ohio Pigtoe and Butterfly (Ahlstedt and McDonough
1992, Bowen et al. 1994). In the upper portion of the reservoir, a mussel community, dominated
by Elephantear and similar to the pre-impoundment fauna, could still be found in the old river
channel downstream of Guntersville Dam but reproduction was low to absent. In the middle
reservoir, proximal to Decatur, few to no mussels remained and the area was considered a dead
zone by commercial musselers. Downstream of Decatur, mussels remained absent from the old
river channel, but a “new” mussel community, dominated by Washboards and including many
non-commercial or low value species adapted to lentic habitats and soft substrate, was found in
the overbank habitat (TVA. 1990; Ahlstedt and McDonough 1992).
Much of the shift in species dominance (i.e. Ohio Pigtoe to Washboards) was attributed
to habitat change associated with impoundment, such as silting in of the old river channel,
predominance of soft substrate, and a shift from lotic to lentic conditions. However, there have
also been concerns that industrial pollution, particularly in the Decatur “dead zone” area, has had
a negative impact on mussel populations. Wade (1992) concluded that the lack of mussels in the
Decatur area was primarily a localized problem due to high ammonia levels in the sediments.
However, concerns about industrial pollution and its impacts on the mussel community of
Wheeler Reservoir remain. Because the larval stage of freshwater mussels is parasitic and
requires a fish host to complete its life-cycle, impacts of pollutants on the fish community are
also important to consider.
Decatur, Alabama hosts a high concentration of major industries. As of 2015, (NPDES
Permit Statistics & Status http://echo.epa.gov/facilities/facility-search/results), Decatur had 134
facilities with Clean Water Act Permits, 56 facilities with Clean Air Act Sources, and 26
facilities with Toxic Release Inventory Releases. Of these, 44 facilities had violations within the
last three years, 13 facilities had current violations, and 13 facilities had formal enforcement
actions in the last five years. In 2015 ADEM/ADPH listed Fish Consumption Advisories of 1
meal/month for all fish species in the Baker’s Creek embayment and for Largemouth Bass in
river miles 303 - 296 due to high perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) loads. Advisories of 2
1
meals/month of largemouth bass at the confluences of Flint and Round Island creeks with
Wheeler were also listed due to high mercury loads. PFOS has been shown to have negative
effects on mussel glochidia following exposure during brooding, release, and encapsulation on
fish (Hazelton et al. 2012, Hazelton and Bringolf 2014). Mercury has caused local extirpation of
mussel populations in other river systems. As an interesting side note, mussel shells can be used
to document and assess past mercury contamination events (Carter 1977, Seivard et al. 1993,
Brown et al. 2005). Thus there is potential for chemical pollutants to be negatively affecting
mussel survivorship and recruitment in Wheeler Reservoir as well as for mussel shells to be used
to document history of exposure to specific contaminants such as mercury.
In a previous study, we collected sediment and water samples from nearshore areas along
the south bank (left descending bank). In this study, we will collect sediment samples from the
main channel and screen them for the same potential toxicants as the nearshore samples. This
will add important baseline information for upcoming studies to examine sediment and water
toxicity among a range of mussel species and life-history stages.
Methods
We will collect sediment samples from 10 sites in the main channel of Wheeler
Reservoir. Sampling sites will be proximal to the nearshore sites sampled for our previous
toxicity assessement of Wheeler Lake sediments (Table 1, Fig. 1), and be near the main-channel
discharge pipes of several Decatur industries.
At each sampling site we will collect surface (≤ 10 cm) sediments using a ponar dredge.
For this sampling a standard ponar dredge, rather than the petite ponar used previously, and
winch is required as the main channel waters will be deeper and the sediments frequently
characterized by hardpan clay rather than soft (nearshore) sediments. Between sites, the ponar
will be washed with soap and water, followed by distilled water, followed by acetone or ethanol,
followed by site water according to USEPA recommendations to minimize cross-contamination
between sites of unknown contaminant composition (USEPA 2001). Sediment samples from all
sites will be analyzed for PFC’s as well as screened for non-target organic pollutants by the
laboratory of Mark Strynar (USEPA). PFC sediment samples will be stored in 250 ml HDPE
Nalgene bottles (one per site) at ambient temperatures. Non-target sediment samples will be
stored in separate 250 ml HDPE Nalgene bottles (one per site). Extra sample bottles filled with
DI water and a spiked sample will serve as quality control for background PFOS concentrations
and PFC recovery efficiency. All samples will be shipped overnight to the Strynar lab within 24
hrs of collection.
All sites will also be analyzed for PCBs, PAHs, TCE, and metals by Eurofins Lancaster
Laboratories. In addition, Sites 9 and 10 will be analyzed for DDT and Site 2 analyzed for
dioxins. Sediment and water samples for these analyses will be stored in appropriate sample
bottles supplied by Eurofins. All samples will be stored on ice and overnighted to Eurofins
within 24 hrs of collection.
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Deliverables
A report will be delivered to Warriors for Clean Water (WCW) within two months of us
receiving all results from the analytical labs. The report will contain a description of the
sampling procedures, sample sites, any known problems or caveats related to sampling
methodology and/or analysis, and the complete set of raw data. The report will not contain any
interpretation as to the toxicity of the sediment samples with regard to aquatic life or human
health, although we can include relevant USEPA aquatic health benchmarks if desired.
Interpretation of data will be left to the discretion of WCW.
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Table 1: Proposed Main Channel Sampling Site Descriptions
Site
Proximal South Nearshore Location
5
1
RM 295 Downstream mussel beds begin along
overbanks
RM 207
2
RM 298.6 LDB (Mouth of Small Embayment)
Not toxic
3
RM 301.1 LDB (South End of Barge Canal;
near 3M and other industries)
Toxic to U. imbecillis (Paper
Pondshell) juveniles
4
RM 301.5
NA
6
RM 303.4 (Dry Branch embayment)
Toxic to U. imbecillis (Paper
Pondshell) juveniles
7
~RM 304.7; 34.62 -86.984; Decatur Industries,
Lumber Co., Downtown
NA
8
~RM 306.5; Industry Clump – Wolverine Tube
Plant, Acdent Mill, GE, etc)
NA
9
~RM 307.5; Point Mallard Park (Flint Creek)
NA
10
~RM 310; ~ 15 km downstream of WWTPs
associated with Madison/Huntsville
NA
4
Previous results from Wade (1990,
1992)
NA
NA
RM 294-300
Largemouth Bass PFOS advisory; 1
meal/month (mid channel at RM
296 and South Bank RM 296- 303)
5
2 meals/month
LMB Mercury
Round Island
Creek
1
2
RM 302-307
3
1
meal/mont
h all fish
PFOS
Bakers
Creek
Embaymen
t
14meal/month 6
LMB PFOS RM
303 - 296
7
8
RM 308-313
9
10
2 meals/month
LMB Mercury
Flint Creek
Figure 1.Proposed sampling site and fish advisory locations
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Budget
Project Title:
Wheeler Reservoir Main Channel Sediment Collection and Analysis
Equipment Item
$12,669
6
Y E AR
References
Ahlsteadt, SA and TA McDonough 1992. Quantitative evaluation of commercial mussel
populations in the Tennessee River portion of Wheeler Reservoir, Alabama. Tennessee Valley
Authority
Bowen, ZH, SP Malvestuto, WD Davies, and JH Crance. 1994. Evaluation of the mussel fishery
in Wheeler Reservoir, Tennessee River. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 9(4):313-320
Carter, L. J. Chemical plants leave unexpected legacy for two Virginia rivers. Science 1977, 198,
1015-1020.
Hazelton, PD, WG Cope, TJ Pandolfo, S Mosher, M.J. Strayner, MC Barnhart, and RB Bringolf.
2012. Partial life-cycle and acute toxicity of perfluoroalkyl acids to freshwater mussels.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 31(7):1611-20.
Hazelton PD, and RB Bringolf. 2014. Are early stage unionids susceptible to contaminants in
their fish hosts? Ellipsaria 16(2):19-21
Sruggs, GD Jr. 1960. Status of freshwater mussel stocks in the Tennessee River. USFWS.
Special Scientific Report – Fisheries No. 370
Seivard, L. D.; Stillwell, D. A.; Rice, S. O.; Seeley, K. R. Geographic distribution of mercury in
Asiatic clams, Corbicula fulminea, from the North Fork Holston River, Virginia. U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Environmental Contaminants Division, Virginia Field Office, White, March,
VA, 1993; 23 pp.
Tennessee Valley Authority. 1990. Status of Wheeler Reservoir: An Overview of Reservoir
Conditions. Resource Development, River Basin Operations, Water Resources Division.
TVA/WR/WQ—90/20
U.S. EPA 2001. Methods for Collection, Storage and Manipulation of Sediments for Chemical
and Toxicological Anaylyses: Technical Manual. EPA 823-B-01-002. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington D.C.
Wade, D.D. 1990. Screening Toxicity Evaluation of Wheeler Reservoir Sediments Using
Juvenile Freshwater Mussels (Anodonta imbecillis SAY) Exposed to Sediment Interstitial Water.
TVA/WR/AB—90/13.
Wade, D.C. 1992. Definitive Evaluation of Wheeler Reservoir Sediments Toxicity Using
Juvenile Freshwater Mussels (Anadonta imbecillis SAY). TVA/WR—92/25
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