Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0074-0374
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-12-24T05:00Z

National
Sediment
Quality
Survey
(
12/
2001)

The
National
Sediment
Quality
Survey
(
NSQS)
is
a
biennial
report
to
Congress
which
is
based
on
the
information
contained
in
the
database,
National
Sediment
Inventory
(
NSI).
The
first
report
was
released
in
1997
and
the
first
update
was
released
in
draft
form
in
December
2001.
The
following
summarizes
the
12/
2001
draft
report.

Purpose:
The
Water
Resources
Development
Act
of
1992
directed
EPA,
in
consultation
with
NOAA
and
the
U.
S.
Army
Corps
of
Engineers,
to
conduct
a
comprehensive
national
survey
of
available
data
on
the
quality
of
aquatic
sediments
in
the
U.
S.
The
NSI
is
designed
to
compile
sediment
quality
information
from
available
electronic
databases
into
one
centralized,
easily
accessible
location.
In
addition
the
report
provides
a
screening
level
assessment
of
the
severity
of
sediment
contamination
based
on
the
probability
of
adverse
effects
to
human
health
and
the
environment.
It
identifies
locations
where
the
available
data
indicate
direct
or
indirect
exposure
to
the
sediment
may
be
associated
with
adverse
effects.

Chemicals:
169
measured
in
the
sediment
and/
or
in
fish
tissue.
(
See
Attachment
I)

Sample
Locations:
The
NSI
includes
approximately
4.6
million
records
of
sediment
chemistry,
tissue
residue,
and
toxicity
data,
for
more
than
50,000
monitoring
stations
across
the
country.
The
report
evaluates
19,470
sampling
stations
(
See
Attachments
II,
III,
&
IV).
The
NSI
sampling
stations
were
located
in
5,695
individual
river
reaches
across
the
contiguous
U.
S.,
or
approximately
8.8%
of
all
river
reaches
(
based
on
EPA's
River
Reach
File
1).
Thus,
there
were
no
data
for
approximately
91%
of
all
river
reaches.

Sample
Design:
No
sample
design.
Survey
summarizes
and
evaluates
available
data
from
multiple,
diverse
sources.
The
data
are
not
random
and
do
not
cover
the
entire
country.
Information
should
not
be
extrapolated
to
areas
that
were
not
sampled.
In
order
for
data
to
be
included,
at
a
minimum,
EPA
required
that
the
data
be
electronically
available,
and
include
data
source,
sampling
date,
latitude
and
longitude
coordinates,
and
measured
units.
The
NSI
includes
data
from
the
following
data
storage
systems
and
monitoring
programs:
°
Selected
data
sets
from
EPA's
Storage
and
Retrieval
System
(
STORET)
(
35%
of
sampling
stations)
°
NOAA's
Query
Manager
Data
System
(
18.5%)
°
State
of
Washington
Department
of
Ecology's
Sediment
Quality
Information
System
(
SEDQUAL)
(
16.5%)
°
Selected
data
sets
from
USGS's
WATSTORE
(
13.5%)
°
EPA's
Environmental
Monitoring
and
Assessment
Program
(
EMAP)
(
6.5%)
°
Data
compiled
for
the
previous
report
to
Congress
(
4.8%)
°
Chesapeake
Bay
Program
(
2.4%)
°
Upper
Mississippi
River
System
data
compilation
prepared
by
the
USGS
(
1.1%)
°
Other
sampling
programs
(
1.7%):

Indiana
Department
of
Environmental
Management
Sediment
Sampling
Program

Oklahoma
Reservoir
Fish
Tissue
Monitoring
Program,
1990­
1998

Houston
Ship
Channel
Toxicity
Study
Time
Period
Covered:
The
12/
2001
draft
report
evaluates
data
collected
since
1990
(
i.
e.,
1990­
1999).
Data
before
1990
are
maintained
in
the
NSI
database
for
comparison
purposes.

Evaluation
Method:
The
report
associates
each
sampling
station
with
its
"
probability
of
adverse
effects
on
aquatic
life
or
human
health."
Each
is
assigned
to
one
of
three
categories
(
or
tiers)
depending
on
whether
estimated
associated
adverse
effects
are
probable
(
Tier
1),
possible
(
Tier
2),
or
not
indicated
(
Tier
3).
The
analysis
then
looks
at
the
information
on
a
watershed
basis
using
USGS
8­
digit
hydrologic
unit
codes
(
HUCs).
These
areas
are
roughly
the
size
of
a
county.
It
classifies
watersheds
as
areas
of
probable
concern
(
APCs)
if
they
contain
10
or
more
Tier1
stations
and
at
least
75%
of
all
sampling
stations
in
the
watershed
are
categorized
as
either
Tier
1
or
Tier
2.

The
following
measurement
parameters
and
techniques
were
used
alone
or
in
combination
to
evaluate
the
probability
of
adverse
effects:

Aquatic
Life:
(
1)
Comparison
of
sediment
chemistry
measurements
to
draft
equilibrium
partitioning
sediment
guidelines
(
ESGs)
derived
from
final
or
secondary
acute
values
and
final
or
secondary
chronic
values.
(
2)
Comparison
of
the
molar
concentration
of
acid
volatile
sulfides
([
AVS])
in
sediment
to
the
molar
concentration
of
simultaneously
extracted
metals
([
SEM])
in
sediment
(
under
equilibrium
conditions,
sediment
with
[
AVS]
greater
than
{
SEM]
will
not
demonstrate
toxicity
from
metals).
(
3)
Estimation
of
the
predicted
proportion
toxic
from
sediment
chemistry
observations
using
a
logistic
regression
model.
(
4)
Comparison
of
the
total
ESG
toxic
unit
for
PAHs
to
final
chronic
or
acute
values.
(
5)
Toxicity
based
on
acute
or
chronic
solid­
phase
sediment
toxicity
data.
Human
Health:
(
6)
&
(
7)
Comparison
of
theoretical
bioaccumulation
potential
(
TBP)
values
derived
from
sediment
chemistry
and
fish
tissue
contaminant
levels
to
EPA
cancer
or
noncancer
risk
levels
or
Food
and
Drug
Administration
(
FDA)
tolerance,
action,
or
guidance
values
in
the
absence
of,
or
if
more
stringent
than,
EPA
levels.

(
See
Attachment
V.)

The
report
analyzed
the
data
by
evaluating
each
benchmark
in
Table
2­
2
on
a
measurement­
bymeasurement
and
sampling
station­
by­
sampling
station
basis.
Each
individual
measurement
was
considered
independently
except
for
divalent
metals,
polychlorinated
biphenyls
(
PCBs),
and
DDT,
whose
concentrations
were
summed,
and
polycyclic
aromatic
hydrocarbons
(
PAHs),
whose
effect
was
analyzed
as
a
mixture.
Each
sampling
station
was
assigned
to
the
Tier
which
was
the
highest
Tier
assigned
on
any
assessment
measure
at
that
station.

The
values
used
to
conduct
the
screening
level
hazard
assessment
are
given
in
Attachment
VI.
They
include
sediment
values,
fish
tissue
concentrations,
and
Biota­
Sediment
Accumulation
Factors.
The
derivation
of
these
values
is
discussed
in
detail
in
Appendix
B
of
the
draft
report.
Results:
°
Of
the
19,470
sampling
stations
evaluated:

7,600
(
39%)
were
classified
as
Tier
1

6,281
(
32%)
were
classified
as
Tier
2

5,589
(
29%)
were
classified
as
Tier
3
°
88
watersheds
were
identified
as
containing
APCs.
(
See
Attachments
VII.
&
VIII.)
°
The
study
identifies
5
major
types
of
pollutants
found
in
sediments:

Nutrients,
including
phosphorous
and
nitrogen
compounds
such
as
ammonia.

Bulk
Organics,
a
class
of
hydrocarbons
that
includes
oil
and
grease.

Halogenated
hydrocarbons
or
Persistent
Organics
including
DDT
and
PCBs.

Polycyclic
Aromatic
Hydrocarbons
(
PAHs),
a
group
of
organic
chemicals
that
includes
several
petroleum
products
and
by­
products.

Metals,
including
iron,
manganese,
lead,
cadmium,
zinc,
and
mercury,
and
metalloids
such
as
arsenic
and
selenium.
°
Attachment
I
shows
the
frequency
of
detection
of
each
chemical
in
sediment
and
in
tissue
residue.

Contact:
Scott
Ireland;
OST
(
202)
566­
0402
Short­
term
Followup:

Long­
term
Followup:

The
National
Sediment
Contaminant
Point
Source
Inventory:
Analysis
of
Facility
Release
Data
(
9/
1997)

The
National
Sediment
Quality
Survey
(
NSQS)
is
a
biennial
report
to
Congress
which
is
based
on
the
information
contained
in
the
database,
National
Sediment
Inventory
(
NSI).
The
first
report
was
released
in
1997.
A
part
of
that
report
(
Volume
3)
presents
a
screening
analysis
which
identifies
probable
point
source
contributors
of
sediment
pollutants.
The
following
is
a
summary
of
the
point
source
contributors
analysis
only­­
not
the
entire
1997
report.
A
point
source
contributors
analysis
was
not
done
for
the
12/
2001
report.

Purpose:
To
identify
those
industrial
categories
which
have
a
high
potential
for
contributing
to
sediment
contamination.
While
it
is
not
possible
to
determine
that
point
sources
caused
the
inplace
contamination,
the
assessment
identifies
specific
watersheds
where
active
point
sources
might
play
an
important
role.
The
major
objectives
are
to:
(
1)
generate
a
relative
ranking
of
chemicals
and
industrial
categories
based
on
Toxic
Release
Inventory
(
TRI)
and
Permit
Compliance
System
(
PCS)
chemical
release
data
and
(
2)
prioritize
watersheds
for
collection
of
additional
information
that
might
lead
to
the
identification
of
additional
monitoring
needs
or
pollution
prevention
opportunities.

Chemicals:
The
only
chemicals
analyzed
were
those
with
available
sediment
chemistry
screening
values
(
used
in
the
NSQS
report);
an
available
biota­
sediment
accumulation
factor
(
BSAF)
 
available
for
nonionic
organic
compounds
only;
and
information
to
evaluate
the
chemical
fate
or
air/
sediment/
water
partitioning
upon
discharge
to
surface
water.
This
limited
the
analysis
to
111
of
the
original
230
chemicals
in
the
1997
NSQS
report.
(
See
Attachment
I)

Sample
Locations:
The
report
includes
more
than
25,500
individual
TRI
and
PCS
records
of
point
source
pollutant
releases.
The
data
include
reports
in
PCS
for
4,869
facilities
(
direct
releases)
and
in
TRI
for
3,432
facilities
(
direct
releases
and
transfers
to
POTWs).
Approximately
1,020
individual
watersheds
and
31
distinct
industrial
categories
are
represented.

Sample
Design:
No
sample
design.
The
report
uses
available
data
from
TRI
and
PCS.
These
data
are
examined
separately
because
facilities
covered
by
both
TRI
and
PCS
cannot
be
readily
identified.
The
analysis
examines
releases
in
terms
of
chemicals,
industrial
categories,
and
watersheds
(
defined
by
8­
digit
USGS
Hydrologic
Unit
Codes).

Time
Period
Covered:
The
TRI
data
are
from
1993
and
the
PCS
data
are
from
1994.

Evaluation
Method:
Loadings:
For
the
TRI
data,
where
ranges
of
releases
are
reported,
the
mid­
point
of
the
range
is
used.
It
is
assumed
that
POTWs
have
removal
rates
of
75%
for
all
chemicals.
For
the
PCS
data,
loads
are
calculated
as
Load=
Flow*
Conc*
Conversion
Factors.
Where
load
=
the
specific
pollutant
load
from
a
facility
per
unit
time;
flow
=
facility
effluent
flow
per
unit
time;
conc
=
concentration
of
a
pollutant;
and
conversion
factors
=
appropriate
factors
to
convert
reported
units
to
standard
units.
Concentration
measurements
are
selected
from
PCS
in
the
following
order
of
preference:
average;
maximum;
or
minimum
concentration.
Values
below
the
detection
limit
are
set
to
zero.
Geographic
location:
Determined
by
assigning
stream
reach
numbers
(
from
EPA
River
Reach
File
1)
to
each
facility.
Because
the
reach
number
is
frequently
missing
in
both
PCS
and
TRI,
reach
numbers
were
added
by
linking
PCS
and
TRI
facility
identification
codes
to
the
EPA
Industrial
Facilities
Discharge
File
(
IFD).
If
the
reach
number
is
not
available
in
IFD,
a
computerized
routine
that
starts
with
the
facility
latitude/
longitude
and
searches
the
EPA
reach
file
for
the
nearest
reach,
up
to
a
maximum
distance
of
10
miles
is
employed.
If
the
facility
latitude
and
longitude
coordinates
are
missing,
the
centroid
of
the
county
is
used
as
the
discharge
location.
For
TRI
data,
POTW
receiving
streams
could
not
be
identified.
In
these
cases
chemical
loadings
derived
from
POTW
transfers
are
assigned
to
the
stream
reach
associated
with
the
reporting
facility.

Industry
Classification:
For
both
TRI
and
PCS
data,
a
single
SIC
code
is
assigned
to
each
facility
based
on
the
reported
primary
SIC
code.

Hazard
Analysis
of
Chemical
Releases:
The
annual
chemical
load
from
each
facility
for
each
chemical
is
multiplied
by
a
sediment
hazard
score
to
convert
the
pounds
of
chemical
released
to
a
hazard­
weighted
release
(
HAZRELs).
The
methods
used
to
develop
the
hazard
score
are
presented
in
detail
in
Chapter
3
of
the
report.

Results:
PCS
data
show
direct
releases
of
sediment
contaminants
totaled
nearly
19
million
lb/
yr
in
1994.
TRI
data
showed
direct
releases
and
transfers
to
POTWs
(
multiplied
by
0.25
to
account
for
removal
during
treatment)
totaled
7.3
million
lb/
yr.

Analysis
by
Chemical:
Attachments
II
and
III
show
the
data,
sorted
by
chemical,
for
TRI
and
PCS
respectively.

Analysis
by
SIC
Code:
Attachments
IV
and
V
show
the
data,
sorted
by
industrial
category
for
TRI
an
PCS
respectively.
Based
on
TRI
data,
metal
products
and
finishing,
primary
metal
industries,
petroleum
refining
and
industrial
organic
chemicals
account
for
67%
of
the
HAZREL
score.
For
PCS
data,
POTWs
,
other
public
utilities,
metal
products
and
finishing,
and
industrial
organic
chemicals
account
for
80
percent
of
the
HAZREL
score.
POTWs
alone
account
for
62%
of
the
HAZREL
score.
For
PCS,
the
dominant
industrial
categories
are
also
the
ones
required
to
perform
the
most
monitoring.

Analysis
by
SIC
Code
and
Chemical:
Appendix
C
of
the
report
contains
a
detailed
analysis
showing,
for
both
TRI
and
PCS
data,
the
specific
chemicals
released
by
each
industrial
category,
the
number
of
facilities
which
reported
releasing
them,
and
the
estimated
hazard
score.

Analysis
by
Watershed:
To
analyze
watersheds
HAZREL
scores
are
grouped
by
USGS
8­
digit
hydrologic
unit
codes.
Based
on
data
from
TRI
and
PCS,
a
total
HAZREL
score
is
computed
for
733
and
861
watersheds,
respectively.
For
watersheds
represented
by
both
TRI
and
PCS
the
higher
of
the
two
scores
is
used.
The
watersheds
were
divided
into
5
priority
groups.
Attachment
VI
shows
priority
group
1,
2,
and
3
watersheds
together
with
the
dominant
chemical
class
and
SIC
code
for
the
watershed.
Contact:
Scott
Ireland;
OST
(
202)
566­
0402
Short­
term
Followup:

Long­
term
Followup: