Northeast Fisheries Center Reference Document 89-06 

Report of Water Masses Receiving 

Wastes from Ocean Dumping Act 

at the 106-Mile Dumpsite 

1 October 1987 through 

30 September 1988 

with Additional Summary 

for Calendar Year 1988 

by 

Margaret A. Sano, LTJG 

Environmental Processes Division 

Narragansett, RI 02882 

NOAA 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Northeast Fisheries Center 

Environmental Processes Division 

Woods Hole, MA 02543 

July 1989 
Northeast Fisheries Center Reference Document 89-06 

Report of Water Masses 

Receiving Wastes from Ocean Dumping 

at the 106-Mile Dumpsite 

1 October 1987 through 30 September 1988 

with Additional Summary 

for Calendar Year 1988 

by 

Margaret H. Sano, LTJG 

NOAA 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Northeast Fisheries Center 

Woods Hole, MA 02543 

July 1989 
Table of Contents 

Abstract ...................................................................................................................... 1 

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 

Ocean Dumping at the 106-Mile Site ........................................................................ 1 

Methods ...................................................................................................................... 2 

Results and Discussion .................... ...................... .................................................... 2 

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 3 

References .................................................................................................................. 3 

Addendum .................................................................................................................. 9 

List of Figures 

Figure 1. Chart showing the 12- and 106-mile dumpsites in relation to 

the average locations of water masses in the New York Bight region ................ 4 

Figure 2. Modified Oceanographic Analysis chart showing sea surface condition 

and location of 106-mile dumpsite. Prepared by National Weather Service 

on 25 April 1988 and modified by NOAA/NMFS Marine Climatology 

Investigation on 26 April 1988 ................................................................................ 5 

List of Tables 

Table 1. Volume and range of dates of sewage sludge discharged into 

each water mass from 1 October 1987 to 30 September 1988 .. ................ ............ 6 

Table 2. Number and volume (gallons) of dumps made into each water 

mass from 1 October 1987 through 30 September 1988 ........................................ 7 

Table A 1. Volume and range of dates of sewage sludge discharged into each 

water mass from 1 January to 31 December, 1988 .............................................. 10 

Table A2. Number and volume (gallons) of dumps made into each water 

mass from 1 January 1988 through 31 December 1988 ....... ...... .... .......... ........... 11 

Page iii 
Page 1 

Abstract 

The 106-mile dumpsite, a deep ocean site located 106 miles southeast of New York, receives 

sewag~ treatmen~ sludge from several municipalities in New York and New Jersey. The site is 

occupled ~re~omlnantly ~y s~ope water, however, incursions of shelf water and warm core rings 

occur p:'lOdlcally. Satelltte lnfrared data are used to determine which water masses are present 

at the tlme of each dump. Records of sewage sludge dumping at the site are obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

This report, the thirteenth in a series of annual summaries, correlates data regarding volumes 

and dates of dumps at the site with information on the water masses present at each dunlp. A 

summary of the amounts of wastes received by each of the three principal water masses for fiscal 

¥ear 1~88 (1 October 1987 to 30 September 1988) is presented. An additional summary, 

Includlng data for calendar year 1988, is attached. Future reports will be based on the calendar 

year to coincide with the EPA's reporting period . 

. Fo: fiscal year 1988, a total of 1,840 X 106 gallons of sewage sludge was dumped at the 106-

.... mIle szte and 1,954 ~ 106 gallons in calendar year 1988. About two-thirds (by volume) of the 

sludge was dumped In slope water for both periods, with the remainder received by warm core 

rings and shelf water. 

Introduction 

The 106-mile dumpsite is a deep ocean 

dumpsite located between 38°40'N to 39<>00'N 

and 72°00'W to 72°30'W. As a result of regulations imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, the 106-mile site has been 

designated to receive all municipal sewage 

treatment sludge originally scheduled to be 

dumped at the 12-Mile site (located in the 

New York Bight area, see Fig. 1). EPA regulations provide for two areas within the original106-mile dump site for disposal of sludge 

and industrial waste. The municipal sludge 

site is an area bounded by coordinates 3S045'N 

to 39°00'N and 72°00'W to 72°05'W (76.83 

square nautical miles). Westward of that is 

the industrial waste site, a circular area six 

miles in diameter, with center coordinates 

38°45'N and 72°20'W (28.3 square nautical 

miles) (see Fig. 1). 

Oceanographic conditions in the area of 

the 106-Mile site are discussed by Ingham et 

al. (1977) in regard to shelf, slope, and Gulf 

Stream waters. The site is occupied predominantly by slope water, however, incursions 

of other water masses occur periodically. Shelf 

water incursions into the region occur predominantly in the spring when fresh water 

runoff and increased wind forcing causes 

offshore movement of the shelf/slope front 

(Hilland and Armstrong 1980). Northward 

meandering of the Gulf Stream causes Gulf 

Stream water to move into the dumpsite region, 

although this phenomenon is rare. More 

commonly, warm core Gulf Stream rings may 

traverse the region from northeast to southwest, bringing strong currents and Gulf Stream 

or Sargasso Sea water to the site. Figure 1 is 

a schematic drawing of the dumpsite in relation to the" average" locations of the water 

masses in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Figure 

2 is a chart of the actual conditions that existed at a particular time (25 April 1988), 

illustrating that conditions in this region are 

complex and dynamiC in contrast to " average 

conditions" illustrated in Figure 1. 

Ocean Dumping 

at the l06-Mile Site 

No industrial waste was dumped at the 

106-Mile site in 1988. DuPont has withdrawn 

its application for permit renewal, therefore, 

no more industrial waste dumping is expected in the near future. Municipal sludge 
Page 2 

dumping at the 106-Mile site began in March 

1986 and increased throughout 1987, with the 

12-mile dumpsite phased out completely in 

December 1987. The New Jersey and New 

York municipalities, previously authorized 

to dump at the 12-mile site, are routing all 

waste to the 106-mile site. 

This report concerns all ocean dumping 

that took place at the 106-mile site from 1 

October 1987 to 30 September 1988, the thirteenth in a series of annual summary reports. 

An addendum is included which documents 

dumping from 1 January to 31 December 

1988. Future reports will be compiled for 

calendar years, to coincide with EPA reporting periods. The purpose of this report is to 

correlate the water masses present, i.e. shelf, 

warm core ring, and Gulf Stream waters, 

with the time and location of the disposals, to 

identify which masses received the dumped 

material. 

Methods 

Two methods were used to delineate locations of water masses with respect to dates 

of dumping at the 106-mile site. The first 

method was based on high resolution (1 km) 

digital data collected by the Advanced Very 

High Resolution Radiometer (A VHRR) sensor aboard the NOAA-series of polar-orbiting satellites. As described by Barton (1987), 

the data are received by telecommunication 

links at the University of Rhode Island's 

Oceanographic Remote Sensing Laboratory 

and are atmospherically and geographically 

corrected and enhanced to identify thermal 

features. Every image was inspected visually to determine water masses present at the 

dump site for each day of the year. On approximately 70 percent of the days, the digital imagery was clear enough to make a determination. 

Whenever periods of cloudy weather 

obscured the satellite image of the sea surface, a second method was used to determine 

the water masses present at the dumpsite. 

This method, used in previous reports, (Bisagni 1985) was based on the weekly Modified 

Oceanographic Analysis Charts from the 

Marine Climatology Investigation (Fig. 2, for 

example). While these charts were at a much 

lower resolution than the digital imagery, 

they provided acceptable approximations of 

water mass locations during cloudy periods. 

The dump site location was drawn on a transparent overlay and placed on each chart so 

the water mass present at the site could be 

noted. This method provided observations 

for about 30 percent of the days in the study 

period. In both methods, a correlation was 

made between the date of a dump and the 

water mass that covered the area at the time 

of a dump. 

Sludge dumping records were obtained 

from the Environmental Protection Agency, 

Region II, New York City. As in past years, 

Coast Guard logs of dumping activity were 

used through April 1988. In May 1988 the 

reporting method was changed to accommodate the new automatic navigation systems 

installed on many of the vessels. After that 

time, dumping data were collected from the 

monthly reports to EPA and Ocean Dumping 

Notification forms submitted by the dumpers. 

There was some question as to the accuracy and completeness of the Ocean Dumping Notification forms as compared to the 

Coast Guard logs. To check the data received 

from the dumpers, volume summaries submitted by the generators were also obtained. 

The yearly totals reported by generators were 

compared with those calculated from the data 

from the dumpers. These totals agreed with 

each other to within 5 percent. Therefore, it is 

assumed, that any discrepancy between 

methods of gathering the dumping data is 

minor and does not affect significantly results reported here. 

Results and Discussion 

A total of 1,840 X 106 gallons (7.86 X 106 

tons) of sewage sludge was dumped in the 
site from 1 October 1987 to 30 September 

1988. Approximately 66 percent of the sludge 

(by volume) was received by slope water, 16 

percent by warm core ring / Gulf Stream water, 

and 18 percent by shelf water. 

Amounts of sludge and receiving water 

masses are listed in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1 

lists the dates of sludge disposals, the receiving water mass, and the approximate volumes of sludge material that each water mass 

received. Table 2 includes the total amounts 

and percentages by volume of sludge and by 

number of dumps that each water mass received. The values calculated for 1988 are 

close to the long term percentages of water 

masses present at the dumpsite as reported 

by Bisagni (1985). 

Acknowledgements 

I would like to thank Frank Csulak and 

Douglas Pabst of the Marine Wetlands and 

Protection Branch, U. S. EPA Region II, for 

their help in acquiring sludge dumping data 

and providing other pertinent information 

necessary for the preparation of this report. 

Page 3 

References 

Barton, K. W., 1987. Report of water masses 

receiving wastes from ocean dumping at 

the 106-Mile Dumpsite: October 1, 1985 

through September 20, 1986. NOAA Data 

Analysis Product No. 23, NOAA/NMFS/ 

NEFC. 14 pp. 

Bisagni, J. J., 1985, Long-term correlation of 

industrial waste disposal at the 106-mile 

Dumpsite with the receiving water masses, 

October 1976 through September 1985, A pplied Sciences Associates Contractors Report. 18 pp. 

Hilland, J. E. and R. S. Armstrong, 1980. 

Variation in the shelf water front position 

from Georges Bank to Cape Romain in 1978. 

AnnIs. BioI. Copenh. 35: 46-50. 

Ingham, M. C., J. J. Bisagni, and D. Mizenko, 

1977. The General Physical Oceanography 

of Deepwater Dumpsite 106 in: Baseline 

Report of environmental conditions in 

Deepwater Dumpsite 106. NOAA Dumpsite Evaluation Report 77-1, U. S. Dept of 

Commerce Pub. 29-54. 
Page 4 

• ~ sd 12 Ml. SITE 

.,.------.... _-

/ ...... -.... . 00 (i\ _ ••• 

'], ... / . '""- . ~ ••••• DEEPWATER 

/ . / ••• ~ DUMPSITE 

,,/ •• - . ~l06 

WATEH /.. • //.... 1 ." MUNICIPAL 

SHELF 

1\/ •• INDUSTRIAL SLUDGE 

1 ••• WASTE 

J •• 

r -: •• 

/ .. / .. SLOPE 

/ . 1 : WATER ••••• 

,J •• .-. ( .- ... , .- .. . '" . ... . ( _. .. . •• • •• 

, . ..... I : • r1 • • 

J : .····hre" ...... . ••• • .. 1 r ••• 

I : ••• 'I" • ••• 

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I ••• • •• . . ........ / .. . .. • • /.. . I.·· .•. 

APPROXIMATE 

FRONTAL 

LOCATION 

72° 

Figure 1. Chart showing the 12- and 106-mile dumpsites in relation to the average locations 

of water masses in the N ew York Bight region. 
OCEANOGRAPHIC AHAlYSIS I NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE:/ NATIONAL EARTH SATELLITE SERVICE 

Prepared by NESS Analyst Jen1fer Clark 

Modified by Marine Climatology Investigation (MCI), NHFS, Narragansett, R.I. 02882 

Page 5 

DATE: t.'=> I\P R \~ 6S 

DATE:'2..~ArK Il\tCi 

TEMPERATURE 

CONVERSIONS 

SUBMARINE 

CANYONS 

-e ·F 17 80.6 26 n.8 25 n.o 24 75.2 U 7l.4 ZZ 11.6 Z1 11.8 ZO 61.0 11 66.2 18 M.4 17 62.6 II 60.8 15 59.0 14 57.% 13 55.4 11 53.6 11 51.8 10 50.0 , 41.2 • 46.4 7 4 •• 1 , 42.8 5' 41.0 • ' •• 2 

C COIlSAlI L LYOOHlA 

Ny N 'f1lIU)GIt.VtO 

A ATlMTlS 11 ILoa: H IUISOIl II III unllliTOl w. WASHllIiiIIII 

• 

• . 

. ! \~ 2JJ . 

. \~ . .v . -'~ ~ . ,., _9C'1U'I\ 

.~ 

G5 GULl' ~tREAH . 

SYHBOL WE WAR/1 RING (EOOY) 

LEGEND CE COLD RING (EDDT) 

ShW SHELF WATER .::,j, , 

SlW SLOPE WATER '! ' 

SAR SARGASSO WATER 

XXX ICE EDGE - FRONrAL LOCATION' 19 SEA SURFACE TE~IP (-C) (0-3 day~ old) 

_ DIRECTION OF FLo\~ --- FRONTAL LOCATION ••• I«lOIF'ICATlON BY Mel (3-7 days old) 

: OF WARM CORE RING, -' - ESTIMATEO.FROHTAl ANALYSIS LOCATION 

Figure 2. Modified Oceanographic Analysis chart showing sea surface conditions and 

location of 106-mile dumpsite. Prepared by National Weather Service on 25 A pril1988 and 

modified by NOAA/NMFS Marine Climatology Investigation on 26 April 1988. 
Page 6 

Table 1. Volume and range of dates of sewage sludge discharged into each water mass from 1 October 1987 

to 30 September 1988 

Range of Dates 

Month/Day/Year 

10/01/87 -11/21/87 

12/04/87 - 12/22/87 

12/26/87 - 01/30/88 

02/08/88 - 02/21/88 

03/17/88 - 03/28/88 

04/05/88 - 05/12/88 

05/15/88 - 05/16/88 

05/18/88 - OS/26/88 

OS/28/88 

06/03/88 

06/09/88 - 06/20/88 

06/22/88 - 07/14/88 

08/31/88 - 09/30/88 

Total 

11/22/87 - 12/03/87 

12/23/87 - 12/25/87 

01/31/88 - 02/07/88 

02/22/88 

02/24/88 - 02/29/88 

03/01/88 - 03/16/88 

03/29/88 - 04/04/88 

05/13/88 - 05/14/88 

05/17/88 

OS/27/88 

OS/29/88 - 06/02/88 

06/04/88 - 06/08/88 

06/21/88 

07/15/88 - 08/30/88 

Total 

Volume Discharged 

1()6 gallons (wet tons) 

248.546 

80.613 

168.297 

70.951 

53.983 

166238 

3.510 

47.762 

7.050 

6.356 

79.909 

130.980 

160.510 

1,224.705 

51.426 

10.575 

45.444 

4.095 

37.866 

84.135 

29.091 

3.627 

4.812 

7.018 

21.571 

26.089 

2.878 

Total = 328.627 

286.685 

286.685 

(1,062,162) 

(344,500) 

(719,218) 

(303,209) 

(230,697) 

(710,419) 

(15,000) 

(204,111) 

(30,128) 

(27,162) 

(341,491) 

(559,744) 

(685,940) 

(5,233,782) 

(219,769) 

(45,192) 

(194,205) 

(17,500) 

(161,821) 

(359,551) 

(124,321) 

(15,500) 

(20,564) 

(29,991) 

(92,184) 

(111,491) 

(12,299) 

(1,404,389) 

(1,225,150) 

(1,225,150) 

Receiving 

Water Mass 

Slope water 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

/I 

Shelf water 

/I 

/I 

" 

" 

/I 

/I 

/I 

/I 

Warm core rings 
Page 7 

Table 2. Number and volume (gallons) of dumps made into each water mass from 1 October 1987 through 30 September 1988 

Water mass type Volume (%) No. of dumps (%) 

(gal) 

Slope water 1,224.7 x ICY' 66.5 380 65.5 

Shelf water 328.6 x ICY' 17.9 115 19.8 

Warm core ring 286.7 x ICY' 15.6 85 14.7 

Total 1,840.0 x ICY' 580 
Page 9 

ADDENDUM 

This addendum summarizes all ocean dumping that took place at the 106-Mile Dumpsite 

from 1 January 1988 to 31 December 1988. All future reports will cover the calendar year rather 

than fiscal year, the reporting period for prior years. This change is being incorporated to 

coincide with EPA reporting period. Data in this addendum were collected and compiled 

following the methods described in the attached, fiscal year report. 

A total of 1,954 X 106 gallons (8.35 X 106 wet tons) of sewage sludge was dumped in the site 

in 1988. Approximately 60 percent of the sludge (by volume) was received by slope water, 24 

percent by warm core rings and 16 percent by shelf water. 

Disposal amounts and receiving water masses are listed in Tables Aland A2. Table A 1 lists 

the dates of sludge disposals, the receiving water mass and the approximate volumes of 

sludge material that each water mass received. Table A2 includes the totals and percentages 

by volume and by number of dumps that each water mass received. 
Page 10 

Table AI. Volume and range of dates of sewage sludge discharged into each water mass from 

1 January to 31 December 1988 

Range of Dates Volume Discharged Receiving 

Month/Day/Year 106 Gallons (wet tons) Water Mass 

01/01/88-01/30/88 148.206 (633,359) Slope water 

02/08/88-02/21/88 70.951 (303,209) " 

03/17/88-03/28/88 53.983 (203,697) " 

04/05/88-05/12/88 166.238 (710,419) " 

05/15/88-05/16/88 3.510 (15,000) " 

05/18/88-05/26/88 47.762 (204,111) " 

OS/28/88 7.050 (30,128) " 

06/03/88 6.356 (27,162) " 

06/09/88-06/20/88 79.909 (341,491) " 

06/22/88-07/14/88 130.980 (559,744) " 

08/31/88-10/29/88 347.457 (1,484,859) " 

10/31/88-11/20/88 108.474 (463,564) " 

Total 1,170.876 (5,003,744) 

01/31/88-02/07/88 45.444 (194,205) Shelf water 

02/22/88 4.095 (17,500) " 

02/24/88-02/29/88 37.866 (161,821) " 

03/01 /88-03/16/88 84.135 (359,551) " 

03/29/88-04/04/88 29.091 (124,321) " 

05/13/88-05/14/88 3.627 (15,500) " 

05/17/88 4.812 (20,564) " 

OS/27/88 7.018 (29,991) " 

OS/29/88-06/02/88 21.571 (92,184) " 

06/04/88-06/08/88 26.089 (111,491 ) " 

6/21/88 2.878 (12,299) " 

10/30/88 5.154 (22,026) " 

11 /21 /88-11 /22/88 11.112 (47,487) " 

12/25/88-12/30/88 29.142 (124,538) " 

Total 312.034 (1,333,479) 

07/15/88-08/30/88 286.685 (1,225,150) Warm core rings 

11/23/88-12/24/88 184.075 (786,645) " 

Total 470.760 (2,011,795) 
Page 11 

Table A2. Number and volume (galons) of dumps made into each water mass from 1 January 

1988 to 31 December 1988 

Water Mass Type Volume (%) No. of Dumps (%) 

(gal) 

Slope water 1,170.9 x 1()6 (59.9) 364 (59.1) 

Shelf water 312.0 X 1()6 (16.0) 110 (17.9) 

Warm core ring 470.8 x 1()6 (24.1) 142 (23.0) 

Total 1,953.7 x 1()6 616