EPA Region 5 Records Ctr.

T . _ . ...... . 257284Tetra Tech EM Inc.200 E. Randolph Drive, Suite 4700 * Chicago, IL 60601 * (312) 856-8700 * FAX (312) 938-0118

September 20, 2004

Mr. Thomas AlcamoWork Assignment Manager (SR-6J)Remedial Response Unit No. 1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 577 West Jackson BoulevardChicago, IL 60604

Subject: Summary of Field Activities on June 18,2004Neal's Landfill Site, Monroe County, IndianaContract No. 68-W6-0037, Work Assignment No. 944-ANLA-05ZZ

Dear Mr. Alcamo:

As requested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Tetra Tech EM Inc. (Tetra Tech) hasprepared the enclosed summary of fish sampling activities conducted in Richland Creek near the StateRoad 43 bridge about 3 miles downstream of the Neal's Landfill site on June 18, 2004. Tetra Techassisted with electrofishing and fish sampling conducted jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service andthe Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Appendix A of the summary contains TetraTech's photographic log of field activities, and Appendix B contains a copy of Tetra Tech's field notes.

If you have any questions about the enclosed summary, please call me at (312) 946-6491.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey LifkaSite Manager

Enclosure

Henry Thompson, EPA Project Officer (letter only)Cora Stanley, EPA Contracting Officer (letter only)Cheryl Hill, EPA Contract Specialist (letter only)Milt Clark, EPA Region 5 Human Health Risk AssessorLou Barinka, Tetra Tech Program Manager (letter only)File

contains recycled fiber and is recyclable

ENCLOSURE

SUMMARY OF FIELD ACTIVITIESON JUNE 18,2004

NEAL'S LANDFILL SITEMONROE COUNTY, INDIANA

(Five Pages)

SUMMARY OF FIELD ACTIVITIESNEAL'S LANDFILL SITE

MONROE COUNTY, INDIANA

Tetra Tech Field Personnel: Regina R. BergnerReporting Period: June 18, 2004

INTRODUCTION

As requested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Tetra Tech EM Inc. (Tetra Tech)

assisted with investigation activities conducted in Richland Creek downstream of the Neal's Landfill site

in Monroe County, Indiana. Tetra Tech performed this work for EPA under Contract No. 68-W6-0037,

Work Assignment No. 944-ANLA-05ZZ. On June 18, 2004, Tetra Tech assisted with electrofishing and

fish sampling conducted jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Indiana

Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). The sampling activities were performed to support

(1) EPA's ongoing assessment of site-related impacts on fish populations in Richland Creek and (2)

USFWS's assessment of natural resource damages associated with the site. Electrofishing was conducted

in Richland Creek upstream and downstream of the State Road 43 bridge. The sampling reach is located

about 3 miles downstream of the Neal's Landfill site.

This report summarizes Tetra Tech's field observations and activities on June 18, 2004, and provides

details on fish specimens observed, collected, and sampled. Tetra Tech's photographic log of field

activities is provided in Appendix A. A copy of Tetra Tech's field notes is included in Appendix B.

Tetra Tech arrived at the USFWS office in Bloomington, Indiana, at 8:05 a.m. and met with Mr. Dan

Sparks of USFWS and Mr. Jim Smith of IDEM. At about 8:30 a.m., Tetra Tech, USFWS, and IDEM

arrived at Richland Creek near the bridge at State Road 43. Richland Creek at this location consists of

gently meandering erosional habitat with numerous pools, riffles, and gravel bars. The streambed

primarily consists of gravel and cobbles. Downstream of the bridge, streamside vegetation is dominated

by grassy and herbaceous species; upstream of the bridge, a mature tree canopy is dominated by sycamore

and elm trees. As a result of recent rainfall in the area, water levels in Richland Creek were above bank-

full conditions; side channels, riffle areas, debris dams, and shorelines were inundated. The diverse

habitat would be expected to support a wide variety of fish species.

USFWS and IDEM began electrofishing in the creek at about 8:40 a.m. IDEM used a backpack

electrofishing unit to stun the fish while USFWS collected the specimens (see Photograph No. 1).

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USFWS and IDEM began electrofishing at the bridge and proceeded about 150 yards downstream (see

Photographs No. 2 and 3). Tetra Tech used a global positioning system (GPS) unit to estimate the length

of the reach sampled downstream of the bridge and informed USFWS and IDEM when they were about

150 yards from the bridge. Numerous large specimens were collected downstream of the bridge,

including redhorse, suckers, smallmouth bass, rock bass, sunfish, and creek chub. Table 1 lists the fish

species observed; crayfish were also observed. Not all the species listed in Table 1 were collected or

sampled.

TABLE 1

FISH SPECIES OBSERVED IN RICHLAND CREEK AT STATE ROAD 43

Common Name

Northern hog sucker

White sucker

Golden redhorse

Smallmouth bass

Rock bass

Longear sunfish

Green sunfish

Creek chub

Central stoneroller

Mottled sculpin

Orangethroat darter

Rainbow darter

Johnny darter

Greenside darter

Bluntnose minnow

Scientific Name

Hypentelium nigricans

Catostoma commersoni

Moxostoma erythrurum

Micropterus dolomieu

Ambloplites rupestris

Lepomis megalotis

Lepomis cyanellus

Semotilus atromaculatus

Campostoma anomalum

Cottus bairdi

Etheostoma spectabile

Etheostoma caeruleum

Etheostoma nigrum

Etheostoma blennioides

Pimephalus notatus

At 9:15 a.m., Mr. Mike McCann of Viacom, Inc. (Viacom), arrived at the State Road 43 bridge. Viacom

is the responsible party for the Neal's Landfill site. To assist USFWS and IDEM, Tetra Tech took the

bucket of specimens collected downstream of the bridge to the staging area near the IDEM vehicle.

USFWS and IDEM resumed electrofishing upstream of the bridge at about 9:30 a.m. (see Photograph

No. 4). Viacom inspected the specimens collected downstream of the bridge before leaving the area at

9:40 a.m.

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By about 1:00 p.m., sample preparation was completed. USFWS indicated that it would arrange for PCB

analysis of samples obtained from one female and three male creek chubs. Tetra Tech, USFWS, and

IDEM left the USFWS laboratory for lunch.

At 2:30 p.m., Tetra Tech confirmed sample analysis requirements with Jeff Lifka, the Tetra Tech project

manager, by telephone. Samples Tt-NL3-001, -003, -004, -005, -007, -009, and -010 were submitted to

Severn Trent Laboratories, Inc., in Sacramento, California, for analysis for PCB Aroclors and lipids.

Samples Tt-NL3-002, -006, and -008 were submitted to Axys Analytical Services, Ltd., in Sidney, British

Columbia, Canada, for analysis for PCB congeners and lipids.

At 3:50 p.m., Tetra Tech finished packaging and labeling the samples and left the USFWS office to

obtain ice for the two sample coolers. At 4:40 p.m., Tetra Tech completed sample chain-of-custody

paperwork and prepared the two coolers for shipment. Tetra Tech arrived at the Federal Express office at

about 5:00 p.m. to ship the samples to the respective laboratories. Tetra Tech called Mr. Lifka to obtain

U.S. Customs information for the shipment to Canada. After obtaining the required information, Tetra

Tech completed the shipping forms and left Bloomington at about 6:00 p.m.

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APPENDIX A

TETRA TECH EM INC.PHOTOGRAPHIC LOG

(10 Pages)

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Photograph No. 1 Location: Richland Creek at State Road (SR) 43 (NL3)Orientation: Downstream Date: June 18, 2004Description: Dan Sparks (left) of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) nets fish while Jim Smith(right) of Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) electrofishes with a backpack unit

Photograph No. 2 Location: Richland Creek at SR43 (NL3)Orientation: Downstream Date: June 18, 2004Description: USFWS and IDEM electrofish in riffle and run areas downstream of the bridge at SR43

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Photograph No. 3 Location: Richland Creek at SR43 (NL3)Orientation: Downstream Date: June 18, 2004Description: USFWS and IDEM electrofish in deep runs and shaded pools downstream of thebridge at SR43

Photograph No. 4 Location: Richland Creek at SR43 (NL3)Orientation: Upstream Date: June 18, 2004Description: USFWS and IDEM resume electrofishing in shallow runs upstream of the bridge at SR43

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Photograph No. 5 Location: Richland Creek at SR43 (NL3)Orientation: Upstream Date: June 18, 2004Description: USFWS and IDEM electrofish among piles of woody debris upstream of the bridge at SR43

Photograph No. 6 Location: Richland Creek at SR43 (NL3)Orientation: East Date: June 18, 2004Description: USFWS and IDEM electrofish in a side channel upstream of the bridge at SR43

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Photograph No. 7 Location: Richland Creek at SR43 (NL3)Orientation: West Date: June 18, 2004Description: USFWS and IDEM electrofish in a deep run full of woody debris upstream of the bridge atSR43

Photograph No. 8 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Specimens for potential sampling culled from those collected in Richland Creek at SR43

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Photograph No. 9 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Benthic (left), omnivorous (middle), and pelagic (right) species initially selected forsampling

Photograph No. 10 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Extra creek chubs (left and center) and white suckers (right) that were not sampled

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Photograph No. 11 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: IDEM fillets a northern hog sucker from head to tail for sample Tt-NL3-001

Photograph No. 12Orientation: Overview

Location: USFWS LaboratoryDate: June 18, 2004

Description: IDEM removes fillet for sample Tt-NL3-001

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Photograph No. 13 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: White sucker used for sample Tt-NL3-003 weighed 163 grams and was 246 millimeters long

Photograph No. 14Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: OverviewDate: June 18,2004Description: IDEM removes the scales from agolden redhorse used for sample Tt-NL3-004

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Photograph No. 15 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Sample Tt-NL3-004 was from a 391-gram golden redhorse that was 319 millimeters long

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Photograph No. 16 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Smallmouth bass used for sample Tt-NL3-005 weighed 335 grams and was 289 millimeters lon§

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Photograph No. 17 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Rock bass used for sample Tt-NL3-006 with the scales removed prior to filleting

Photograph No. 18 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: From top to bottom, two longear sunfish, one rock bass, one white sucker, and two northernhogsuckers not used for sampling

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Photograph No. 19 Location: USFWS LaboratoryOrientation: Overview Date: June 18, 2004Description: Creek chubs used for samples Tt-NL3-009 and -010

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APPENDIX B

TETRA TECH EM INC.FIELD NOTES

(Six Sheets)

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