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Post-Katrina Water Quality Assessment: Lake Pontchartrain and Surrounding Water BodiesLouisiana Department of Environmental QualityWater Quality Assessment Division
September 20, 2005
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
A partnership for water quality assessment:
o Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
o U.S. Geological Surveyo Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundationo Louisiana Department of Agriculture
and Forestryo U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Historic Ambient Water Sites and 5 Post-Katrina Sites
Approach to Lake Pontchartrain Damage Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Parameters being analyzedo Conventionals,
Field Dissolved
Oxygen* Temperature* pH* Salinity Conductivity Oil Sheen
(presence or absence)*
o Metals#
Arsenic* Cadmium* Chromium* Copper* Lead* Mercury* Nickel* Zinc*
*Has Louisiana water quality standards#All sites analyzed for dissolved metals; two canal sites analyzed for total metals
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Parameters being analyzedo Conventionals,
Laboratory Fecal Coliform* Turbidity* Chloride* Sulfate* Total Suspended
Solids Total Solids Total Dissolved
Solids* Biological
Oxygen Demand
Alkalinity Nitrate-Nitrite Total Kjeldahl
Nitrogen Ammonia
Nitrogen Total Phosphorus Hardness Chemical Oxygen
Demand Total Organic
Carbon Color*
* Has Louisiana water quality standards
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Organic parameters being analyzed (66 compounds)
1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane
1,1,1-Trichloroethane*
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane*
1,1,2-Trichloroethane*
1,1-Dichloroethane
1,1-Dichloroethene
1,1-Dichloropropene
1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene
1,2,3-Trichloropropane
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane
1,2-Dibromethane
1,2-Dichlorobenzene
1,2-Dichlorethane*
1,2-Dichloropropane
1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene
1,3-Dichlorobenzene
1,3-Dichloropropane
1,4-Dichlorobenzene
1,4-Dichlorobenzene-d4
1-Chloro-2-bromopropane
2,2-Dichloropropane
2-Chlorotoluene
4-Chlorotoluene
a,a,a-Trifluorotoluene
Benzene*
Bromobenzene
Bromochloromethane
Bromodichloromethane*
Bromoform*
Bromomethane
Carbon tetrachloride*
Chloride, Ion Chromatograph
Chlorobenzene
Chlorobenzene-d5
Chloroethane
Chloroform*
Chloromethane*
cis-1,2-Dichloroethane
cis-1,3-Dichloropropene*
Dibromochloromethane*
Dibromomethane
Dichlorodifluoromethane
Fluorobenzene
Hexachlorobutadiene*
Isopropylbenzene
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether
Methylene Chloride*
Naphthalene
n-Butylbenzene
Ethylbenzene*
O-Xylene
p & m-Xylenes
p-Isopropyltoluene
Propylbenzene
sec-Buytlbenzene
Styrene
t-1,2-Dichloroethene*
t-1,3-Dichloropropene*
Tertbutylbenzene
Tetrachlorethene*
Toluene*
Trichloroethene*
Trichlorofluoromethane
Vinyl Chloride*
* Has Louisiana water quality standards
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Pesticides analysis by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
Alachlor (Lasso) Aldrin* Atrazine Bifenthrin Imidacloprid Carbaryl (Sevin) Chlordane* Chlorpyrifos
(Dursban) Cypermethrin Diazinon Permethrin
Dieldrin* Endosulfin* Endrin* Fipronil (and
metabolites) Heptachlor* Lindane* Malathion Metolachlor (Dual) + about 60 other
pesticides…
* Has Louisiana water quality standards
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Additional sampling capabilities provided by USGS
USGS is providing boats and crews specifically for bacterial sampling in the entire region
USGS also brought in a mobile analytical lab to provide quicker access and turnaround of bacterial samples
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Magnitude of LDEQ Laboratory Analyses: Water only as of September 18, 2005
o Organic compounds – 144 samples (7,521 analyses)
o Conventional parameters – 333 samples (1,313 analyses)
o Metals – 47 samples (104 analyses)
o Total samples – 524 samples (8,938 analyses)
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
What we expectedo Hurricane damage
Increases in organic loading Decreases in dissolved oxygen Fish kills Increases in fecal coliform
o Impact of floodwater discharges into lake Decreases in dissolved oxygen Fish kills Increases in fecal coliform and other urban
nonpoint source pollutants (metals, pesticides, oil and grease)
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
VOLUME OF WATER PUMPED FROM THE NEW ORLEANS AREA AS A PERCENT OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
(total estimated volume of Lake Pontchartrain - 4,500,000 acre-feet)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
DATE
CU
MU
LATI
VE
PER
CEN
T O
F LA
KE
PON
TCH
AR
TRA
IN (%
)
VOLUME OF WATERPUMPED AS APERCENTAGE OF LAKEPONTCHARTRAIN10 PERCENT OF LAKEPONTCHARTRAIN
Volume of floodwaters into Lake Pontchartrain is minimal compared to the volume of the lake
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Northshore Water Quality Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations at Northshore Sites
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Dis
so
lve
d O
xy
ge
n (
mg
/L)
Pre
Post
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Fecal Coliform Density for Northshore Sites
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
BayouBonfouca
BayouLacombe
BayouLiberty
CaneBayou
TangipahoaRiver
TchefuncteRiver
Fec
al C
oli
form
s
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Summation of water quality assessments for Pontchartrain region: Northshore
o Except Tangipahoa River, Northshore streams impacted by low dissolved oxygen Woody debris Resuspended sediments This situation will resolve as the
debris decays or is removedo Reported fish kills in the Northshore
area are the result of low DOo Slightly elevated levels of fecal coliforms
were detected but are not unusual for the area
o No detectable concentrations of organic compounds
Western Region Water Quality Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
o Incidences of low dissolved oxygen levels may occur as tributaries to Lake Maurepas carry organic loading (due to decaying vegetation) into the lake
Summation of water quality assessments for Pontchartrain region: Western Region
Lake Pontchartrain CausewayWater Quality Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations at Causeway Sites
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Crossover 7 Crossover 4 Crossover 1
Dis
so
lve
d O
xy
ge
n (
mg
/L)
Pre
Post
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Fecal Coliform Density at Causeway Sites
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Crossover 1 Crossover 4 Crossover 7
Fec
al C
oli
form
co
lon
ies/
100
mL
Swimming standard is 400 colonies/100 mL. Maximum observation was 5 colonies/100 mL.
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Average Turbidity at Causeway Sites
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Crossover 7 Crossover 4 Crossover 1
Tu
rbid
ity
(N
TU
)
Pre
Post
Turbidity standard is 50 NTU. Maximum value observed was <11.
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
o Dissolved oxygen, fecal coliforms, and turbidity meet water quality standards
o Water quality parameters across the causeway have remained at or near values expected for this time of year
o There have been no detectable concentrations of organic compounds along the causeway
o There have been no reports of oil sheen on the water
Summation of water quality assessments for Pontchartrain region: Causeway
½ mile Off Southshore Water Quality Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations 1/2 Mile off Southshore
012345678
Duncan Canal SuburbanCanal
17th St. Canal Inner HarborNavigation
Canal
N of I-510Dis
so
lve
d O
xy
ge
n (
mg
/L)
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Fecal Coliform Density 1/2 Mile off Southshore
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Offshorefrom 17th
StreetCanal
Offshorefrom
DuncanCanal
Offshorefrom IHNG
Offshorefrom Little
Woods
Offshorefrom
SuburbanCanal
PumpagePlume near17th street
Fe
ca
l C
oli
form
s
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
o Water quality parameters are at or near expected values for this time of year
o There have been no reports of oil sheen on the water
Summation of water quality assessments for Lake Pontchartrain region: Near- Southshore
Southshore Canal Water Quality Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Average Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations at Southshore Canals
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
BayouLaBranche
Inner HarborNavigation
Canal
Duncan Canal Suburban Canal
Dis
so
lve
d O
xy
ge
n (
mg
/L)
Pre
Post
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Fecal Coliform Density at Southshore Canal Sites
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
BayouLaBranche
Duncan Canal Inner HarborNavigation Canal
Suburban Canal
Fe
ca
l C
oli
form
s
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
o Dissolved oxygen levels have been slightly depressed due to high organic loading
o There have been no reports of oil sheen on the water
o Fecal coliform results have been somewhat elevated
Summation of water quality assessments for Lake Pontchartrain region: Southshore Canals
Eastern Region Water QualityUSGS has been able to sample this region for bacteria samples only once due to accessibility and sample time issues. Water bodies will continue to be sampled as accessibility improves.
Eastern RegionWater Quality Assessment
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Fecal Coliform Density at Eastern Sites
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Chef Menteur The Rigolets
Fe
ca
l C
oli
form
s
Swimming standard is 400 colonies/100 mL. Maximum observation was 6 colonies/100 mL.
Organic Compound Analysis
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Organic Compound Analysis in the Lake and tributaries
o Of the approximately 6,000 analytical results (144 samples) for organic compounds in ambient water, nearly all have been below detection levels
o When detected, none have exceeded water quality standards
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Biotoxicity test resultso Toxicity tests were completed on canal
water pump stations and lake siteso Of these only Suburban Canal showed
toxicity for one test species Other test species showed no toxic effects
at 100% canal pump water Chemical data will be assessed to
determine possible causes of this toxicityo All other sites showed no toxic effects
even at 100% canal pump watero Biotoxicity testing will continue
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Field observations
o As of September 19, 2005 there were no algae blooms observed
o Numerous bait fish and mullet observed
o Live crabs found in traps along the Southshore
o Good visibility in water column
LouisianaLouisiana
Department ofDepartment of
EnvironmentalEnvironmental
QualityQuality
Conclusions o Northshore Lake Pontchartrain –
most impact Low dissolved oxygen High bacteria counts (i.e., fecal
coliform)o Organic and toxic compounds
Ambient results mostly non-detect, no exceedences of water quality standards
o Most impacts seen thus far were a result of the hurricane and not a result of the pump down of floodwaters