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Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Michael F. Solecki, OSC Michael F. Solecki, OSC USEPA Region II Removal ProgramUSEPA Region II Removal Program
Edison, New JerseyEdison, New Jersey
andand
Royal J. Nadeau, PhDRoyal J. Nadeau, PhD
The The --Strategies GroupStrategies Group
Allamuchy, New JerseyAllamuchy, New Jersey
Fifth Biennial Freshwater Spills Symposium 2004Fifth Biennial Freshwater Spills Symposium 2004
EcoEco
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
The wilderness core of the NJ Highlands, and its largest unprotected forest tract, holds enormous biological value and is home to hundreds of bear, native trout, bobcat and rare interior forest bird species.
Much of the watershed has been held by the City of Newark since the early 20th century to safeguard its water supply.
Highlands forests supply and protect clean drinking water for over 15 million people, including over half of New Jersey's population, and protect major water supply watersheds for New York City.
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Relict Pumping Station at Relict Pumping Station at Unionville, New York Unionville, New York Newfoundland Pumping StationNewfoundland Pumping Station
+ Eleven + Eleven apart, over a 315 mile distance apart, over a 315 mile distance with with pipelinespipelines
+ Maximum capacity of + Maximum capacity of barrels a day barrels a day gallons).gallons).
+ Operation period: 1881+ Operation period: 1881--1920.1920.
similar to similar to
stations, 28 miles stations, 28 miles
six inch diameter 4 six inch diameter 4
50K 50K (2.1 million (2.1 million
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
February February ResponseInitial 1996 Response Initial 1996
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Interceptor Trench installed before soil removalInterceptor Trench installed before soil removal
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
28 July 1998 ated Before Oil Contamin Removal. Soil
July 1998July 1998
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Autumn Autumn 19981998
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
PSS1 PSS1 Palustrine Palustrine Scrub Scrub leaved Deciduous e.g. leaved Deciduous e.g. Red Maple swamp Red Maple swamp
= = Broad Shrub Broad Shrub
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
April April Oil Spill SiteOil Spill Site
at Green Pond Earth Day 1999 at Green Pond Earth Day 1999
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
• Species Number Live Differential • 1999 2002 • V. dentatum 21 12 -9 • Aronia 55 -34 • Alnus 59 52 -7 • Cornus sericea 15 46 +31 • Cornus amomum 69 93 +24 • Sambucus 26 18 -8 • Ilex 18 21 -3 • Salix discolor 52 37 -15 • Salix nigra 19 17 -2 • Total Net
21
311 334 -23
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
TABLE Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) levels in Wetland Soils at Green Pond Oil Spill Site in mg/Kg (dry weight)
Location Apr-99 Location May-00 Location Jun-01 Jun-02 Conc Conc. Conc. MDL Conc..MDL Conc. MDL
RW1-A Near Rock 44 150 RW1-C Close to RW1-C 40 100
Near "Spooge“ 120 39 2100 2100 Near "Spooge" Near "Spooge" 520 520
RW2-B Close to RW2Close to RW2--B B Between RW2&3 2300 Between RW2&3 60 220 490 Close to Above Close to Above 280
RW3-B B 4400 Close to RW3-B 49 RW5-A 550 RW5-A 960 Close to RW5-A 200 62 RW6-C 540 lose to RW6-C 1300 550 Close to RW6-C 40 580 210 RW7-B 580 Close to RW7-B 300 66 470
Across River –A 430 Across River –B 420 Acoss River –C 380
J = estimated value below the detection limit MDL = Method Detection Limit
1.
May-03 MDL MDL
530 630 220 41 370 60 400 ND 110 46 97 42
630630 18001800 5408600 510 7700 540 8600 510 7700
490 83J 55270 490 1900 520 2100 55 270 490 1900 520 2100 510 5 730 520 1300 550 1300 460 480 1700 510 1500
Close to RW3-490 1500 630 110 61 210 500 1400 870 Close to 550 85 410 540 1900
210J C 230 52 200 300J 61 220 59
440 260J 180J
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Wetland Plant Species Indicator Categories*Wetland Plant Species Indicator Categories* OBL = Obligate WetlandOBL = Obligate Wetland
Occur almost always (>99% Probability) under natural conditions Occur almost always (>99% Probability) under natural conditions in wetlands.in wetlands.
FACW = Facultative WetlandFACW = Facultative Wetland
Usually occur in wetlands (67Usually occur in wetlands (67––99% Probability), but occasionally 99% Probability), but occasionally found in nonfound in non--wetlands.wetlands.
FAC = FacultativeFAC = Facultative
Equally likely to occur in wetlands or nonEqually likely to occur in wetlands or non--wetlands (34wetlands (34--66% 66% Probability).Probability).
FACU = Facultative Upland FACU = Facultative Upland
Usually occurs in nonUsually occurs in non--wetland (67wetland (67--99% Probability). But 99% Probability). But occasionally found in wetlands (1occasionally found in wetlands (1--33% Probability).33% Probability).
**National list of Plant Species that occur in Wetlands: NortheastNational list of Plant Species that occur in Wetlands: Northeast Region (Region 1)Region (Region 1) USF&W Biological Report 88(26.1) MAY 1988USF&W Biological Report 88(26.1) MAY 1988
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
CHANGE IN GREEN POND WETLAND CHARACTER
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 YEAR
NU
MB
ER O
F SP
ECIE
S
FACUpland FACultative FACWetland OBLigate Wetland
Not Lis ted
• Explanation of Habitat Symbols – P=perennial (comes back every year) – I=introduced (not native, would include invasives) – N=native (indiginous to Northeast US) – G=grass(like those found along roads and lawns) – Gl=grasslike(rushes, sedges) – F=forb( flowering non-woody like goldenrods,etc) – B=biennial(two year growing cycle) – S=shrub(woody plants usually < 20 ft in height) – A=annual(one growing season, that’s it) – E=emergent (grows out of water e.g. cattails)
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Change in Wetland Plant Community
0 5
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
1999 20 0 0 20 0 1 20 0 2 20 0 3 Year
Num
ber o
f Spe
cies
Perennial Native Forb Perennial Native Grass/Grasslike Perennial Native Em ergent Forb Perennial Introduced Forb Annuals
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
28 July 1998 Removal.
Notice Invasive Purple Loosestrife in left center of
Soil Before Oil Contaminated
picture
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Invasive Invasive Management Management Loosestrife Loosestrife
Species Species Purple for Purple for
20002000
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Invasive Invasive Management Management Loosestrife Loosestrife 20032003
Biological Control with Galerucella beetlesBiological Control with Galerucella beetles
Species Species Purple for Purple for
2001, 2002 & 2001, 2002 &
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandInvasive Invasive for for & 2003& 2003 Galerucella Galerucella (calmariensis and pusilla)(calmariensis and pusilla)
Life Stages: Eggs laid in May, Life Stages: Eggs laid in May, June , August and hatch in ten June , August and hatch in ten days. days. buds, leaves and stems up to 14 buds, leaves and stems up to 14 days. Pupation occurs in soil days. Pupation occurs in soil lasting about seven days.lasting about seven days.
Adults over winter and emerge in Adults over winter and emerge in May and June. First generation May and June. First generation adults emerge in July and August adults emerge in July and August and relocate to new areas and relocate to new areas (hopefully).(hopefully).
Species Management Species Management 2001, 2002 Purple Loosestrife 2001, 2002 Purple Loosestrife
spp. spp.
Larvae feed on young Larvae feed on young
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Invasive Invasive & 2003 also included :& 2003 also included :
-- End of season whole Plant extrication End of season whole Plant extrication
-- Seed head clipping in Spring.Seed head clipping in Spring.
-- Clipping Flowering structures in late summer before Clipping Flowering structures in late summer before seed maturationseed maturation
A single Loosestrife seed head A single Loosestrife seed head with tiny seeds in lower left with tiny seeds in lower left hand corner. hand corner. produce 2 million or more produce 2 million or more seeds.seeds.
2002 Purple Loosestrife for Species Management 2002 Purple Loosestrife for Species Management
One plant can One plant can
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland Herbivory Issues Winter 2002 Herbivory Issues Winter 2002 -- ShrubsShrubs
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00
10.00 12.00 14.00
Uncro
pped
-S. di
scolo
r
Crop
ped-
S. disc
olor
Crop
ped-
Salix n
igra
Uncro
pped
-Sali
x nigr
a
Crop
ped-
Alnu
s ser
rulat
a
Uncro
pped
-Alnu
s serr
ulata
Mea
n
± Standard error
Cropped vs Uncropped Stem Count Means
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Spring 2002Spring 2002
Fall 2002Fall 2002
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
0.00
50.00
100.00
150.00
200.00
250.00
300.00
Salix
disco
lor-19
99
Salix
disco
lor-20
00
Salix
disco
lor-20
02
Cornu
s sp-1
999
Cornu
s sp-2
000
Cornu
s sp-2
002
Salix n
igra-
1999
Salix n
igra-
2000
Salix n
igra-
2002
Aron
ia ar
butifo
lia-19
99
Aron
ia ar
butifo
lia-20
00
Aron
ia ar
butifo
lia-20
02
Samb
ucus
-2000
Samb
ucus
-2002
Alnus
serru
lata-1
999
Alnus
serru
lata-2
000
Alnus
serru
lata-2
002
Vibern
umde
ntatus
-1999
Vibern
umde
ntatus
-2000
Vibern
umde
ntatus
-2002
Ilex ve
rticilla
ta-19
99
Ilex ve
rticilla
ta-20
00
Ilex ve
rticilla
ta-20
02
Spire
a alba
-2002
Lonic
era-20
02
Mea
n
± Standard error Shrub Height (cms) Means for 1999,2000 & 2002
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Herbivory Issues Winter 2002Herbivory Issues Winter 2002
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
• What have we learned so far.. • The herbaceous plant community in a wet meadow stripped
of surface soil (4-6inches) will recover providing root systemsremain intact.
• Low level soil TPH levels do not adversely affect pottedshrub survival.
• Occasional oil “spooges” do not affect the plant communityas a whole.
• Although the number of plant species has decreased theplant community has maintained its wet meadowcharacteristics with sedges, rushes and forbs.
• Invasive species management is a “must do” activity in arevegetation/restoration project.
• WATCH OUT FOR THE BEAVERS AND BEARS, OH MY!
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland
Impact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater WetlandImpact of Oil Spill Removal on a Freshwater Wetland