Restoring Harlem River’s water quality to swimmable and fishable

Gemma (Jingyu Wang), Ph.D.City University of New York (CUNY)

BCEQ Annual Water ConferenceManhattan College, 3/18/2015

Waterfront accessibility

• Harlem River has limited waterfront accessibility: railway-Metro-North; Industrial infrastructure

• Has been experienced decades of industrial abuse and remains gritty and industrial

• The Harlem River has always a major resource for water recreation throughout its history.

• Water quality concerns

Harlem River

• The Harlem River is located on the western boarder of the Bronx, separating it from Manhattan

• 9.3 miles, a natural straight

• The Harlem is connected to the Hudson and the East River

• Historically used for swimming and fishing

Zoom in

Discharge sewage into the river• Stormwater and sewage share the same pipe: combined

sewer, when it rains, it overflow.• CSOs discharge untreated sewage into the river, during

rainstorms. • There are more CSO’s in the Harlem River (>50) than any

other water source in NYC• Point pollution: CSOs • Nonpoint pollution: stormwater runoff, adjacent

waterway activities• Increased nutrient and pathogen (bacteria) levels during

storm. • PCBs11 (Polychlorinated biphenyls): indicator of raw

sewer, stormwater runoff and wastewater effluents

Restoring ecosystem

• Improve water quality• Connect community with their natural

resource• Reconnecting the waterfront with the people• Reinvigorating in-the-water recreational and

commercial activities• Restore the river’s water quality to become

swimmable/fishable• Monitor and publicize water quality data

4/30/14 CSOs

7/2/14 DO: 4mg/L, 49%

7/2/14 CSO: 2.9mg/L, 35%

7/2/14 CSO

6/5/14 CSO

10/7/2013 CSO

Fish consumption safetyFish Men over 15 and

women over 50Women under 50 & children under 15

Chemicals of concern

Blue crab meat Up to 4 meals/month (6 crabs per meal)

Don’t eat PCBs, Cadmium

Crab or lobster tomalley (hepatopancreas, mustard) and cooking liquid

Don’t eat Don’t eat PCBs, Cadmium, Dioxin

Channel catfish, Gizzard shad, White catfish

Don’t eat Don’t eat PCBs

Atlantic needlefish, Bluefish, Carp, Goldfish, Rainbow smelt, Striped bass, White perch

Up to 1 meal/month

Don’t eat PCBs

All other fish Up to 4 meals/month

Don’t eat PCBs

Methodology• Water sampling: CSO discharge sites • Ammonia: Nessler reagent method for

ammonia (NH3-N)• Phosphate: automated ascorbic acid method • Turbidity: HACH 4000 spectrophotometer • Fecal coliform, E.Coli., enterococcus: selective

agar plates, 37°C/24h incubation, MPN/100ml• PCBs: EPA 8082A, GC/MS

Fecal coliform: 800*2=1,600 Enterococcus: 600*2=1,200 Enterococcus: 150*2=300

November 17, 2014 raining MPN/100ml

July 29, 2014 Sunny (dry day)

Fecal coliform: 80-100 E.Coli.: 44 Enterococcus: 160

Fecal coliform: 1 million*5=5 million MPN/100ml

E.Coli.: 1,000*5=5,000 Enterococcus: 2,000*5=10,000

July 2, 2014 bacteria

April 30, 2014 bacteria

Enterococcus: 2000*5=10,000 Fecal coliform: 1million*5=5 million E.Coli.: 100*5=500

March 11, 2011 sunny (all units: MPN/100ml)

Enterococcus >2Fecal coliform: >1,000 E.Coli.: >100

Enterococcus >500Fecal coliform: >millions E.Coli.: >5,000

May 8, 2013 heavy rainstorm

EPA STANDARD: fecal coliform <200 E.Coli. <126 enterococcus <104USGS fecal coliform surface in 5-year increments: 1970-1974>10,000, 2010-2012<200average data from 1973-2009 1973 >2,500, 2009 <200 UNDERESTIMATION?

Bacteria levels increased dramatically during heavy rainstorm

Enterococcus > 1,000*5=5,000

Fecal coliform: millions E.Coli.: 100*5=500

November 1, 2013 rainstorm (units: MPN/100ml)

October 7, 2013 heavy rains

Enterococcus: 120*5=600Fecal coliform: 1,500*5=7,500E.Coli.: 44*5=220Compared to Riverkeeper’s data (maximum)Willis Ave. Bridge-Harlem River: 5,635North River Waste Water Treatment Plant: 2987; Superfund toxic sites: Gowanus Canal: >24,196; Newtown Creek-Metropolitan Ave. Bridge>24,196

Enterococcus: an indicator of raw sewer in a higher level than most of Riverkeeper’s data, and the maximum was similar

4/22/2014 5/2/2014 5/12/2014 5/22/2014 6/1/2014 6/11/2014 6/21/2014 7/1/20140

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

0.127

0.839

2.273

0.058

2.725

date

Am

mon

ia m

g/L

2014 ammonia

4/22 4/30 6/5 6/19 7/2

4/22: afternoon shower4/30 CSO: heavy afternoon rainstorm6/5 CSO: morning rain6/19/14: light morning rain7/3/14 CSO: tropical storm Arthur

0.23

3/30/2013 4/30/2013 5/30/2013 6/30/2013 7/30/2013 8/30/2013 9/30/2013 10/30/20130

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

0.452

2.293

2.725

0.253 0.198 0.169*0.170

2.5552.536

1.848

date

2013

am

mon

ia m

g/L

NH

3-N

5/1 5/8 5/23 11/13/30 5/9 7/8* 7/12 10/4 10/7

0.23

Randall’s Island

Ammonia level in 2013

2013 weather condition3/30/13: cloudy, storm5/1/13: sunny5/8-9/13: Rain storm5/23/13: thunderstorm7/8: sunny7/12: shower10/4: drizzle10/7: heavy rains11/1: rain

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.81.586

1.704

0.5160.6530000000000

020.665000000000002

Date

2012

Am

mon

ia m

g/L

NH3

-N

7/18 9/18 10/24 11/1 11/8

0.23

after

San

dy

Befo

re S

andy

after

Nor

’eas

ter

Ammonia level in 2012: Superstorm Sandy

3/10/2011 4/10/2011 5/10/2011 6/10/2011 7/10/2011 8/10/2011 9/10/20110

0.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

11.11.21.31.41.51.61.71.81.9

22.12.22.3

0.629000000000002

1.138

0.5340.467

0.215

1.449

0.13 0.136

1.259

0.226

2.205

1.214

1.326

0.627000000000002

0.125

date

2011

am

mon

ia (N

H3-

N) m

g/L

3/17 7/25site3a

site3

site3a

Hudson

3/10 3/24 4/7 4/28 5/5 7/13 9/28

site1

site2

site1site2

site3b

site3a

site4

site3a

site3c

site3a

0.23

2011 weather condition:3/10: rainy windy3/17: sunny3/24: The day after rain and snow, high tide, sunny, 38⁰F4/7: raining in the morning, cloudy and sunny in late afternoon, 50⁰F, the day after raining on Wed4/28: heavy thunderstorms, high 72⁰F5/5: sun, mixing with clouds, windy, high 64⁰F7/25: drizzle

Ammonia level in 2011

5/1/2013 6/1/2013 7/1/2013 8/1/2013 9/1/2013 10/1/2013 11/1/20130.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.1

0.11

0.12

0.13

0.14

0.15

0.16

0.17

0.18

0.19

0.152

0.173

0.148

0.153

0.075* 0.073

0.1760.181

0.172

date

2013

pho

spha

te m

g/L

5/15/85/9 5/23 7/8* 7/12 10/4 10/7 11/10.033

Radall’s Island

Phosphate concentration in 2013

2013 weather condition3/30/13: cloudy, storm5/1/13: sunny5/8-9/13: Rain storm5/23/13: thunderstorm7/8: sunny7/12: shower10/4: drizzle10/7: heavy rains11/1: rain

3/10/2011 3/20/2011 3/30/2011 4/9/2011 4/19/2011 4/29/2011 5/9/20110

0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.08

0.09000000000000010.1

0.110.120.130.140.150.160.170.180.19

0.2

0.047

0.075

0.032

0.182

0.196 0.197

0.071

0.095

0.055

0.0590000000000001

0.04

0.169

date

2011

pho

spha

te m

g/L

3/10 3/17 3/24 4/7 4/28 5/5 5/12

site1

site2

site1

site2

site3a

site3

site3b

site3a site4site3a

site4

site3a0.033

Phosphate concentration in 2011

2011 weather condition:3/10: rainy windy3/17: sunny3/24: The day after rain and snow, high tide, sunny, 38⁰F4/7: raining in the morning, cloudy and sunny in late afternoon, 50⁰F, the day after raining on Wed4/28: heavy thunderstorms, high 72⁰F5/5: sun, mixing with clouds, windy, high 64⁰F7/25: drizzle

4/22/2014 5/2/2014 5/12/2014 5/22/2014 6/1/2014 6/11/2014 6/21/2014 7/1/20140

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

36

112

37 48

882

89

2014 turbidity

date

turb

idit

y FA

U

4/22: afternoon shower4/30 CSO: heavy afternoon rainstorm6/5 CSO: morning rain6/19/14: light morning rain7/3/14 CSO: tropical storm Arthur

4/22 4/30 6/5 6/19 7/2

5.25

3/30/2013 4/30/2013 5/30/2013 6/30/2013 7/30/2013 8/30/2013 9/30/2013 10/30/20130

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

59

36

38

53

14.3333333333333 21*

106.666666666667

9

30.3333333333332

4.66666666666667

date

2013

turb

idity

FAU

3/30 5/1 5/9 5/23 7/8* 7/12 10/4 10/7 11/1Randall’s Island

5.25

2013 weather condition3/30/13: cloudy, storm5/1/13: sunny5/8-9/13: Rain storm5/23/13: thunderstorm7/8: sunny7/12: shower10/4: drizzle10/7: heavy rains11/1: rain

Turbidity in 2013

7/18/2

012

7/23/2

012

7/28/2

012

8/2/2

012

8/7/2

012

8/12/2

012

8/17/2

012

8/22/2

012

8/27/2

012

9/1/2

012

9/6/2

012

9/11/2

012

9/16/2

012

9/21/2

012

9/26/2

012

10/1/2

012

10/6/2

012

10/11/2

012

10/16/2

012

10/21/2

012

10/26/2

012

10/31/2

012

11/5/2

012

11/10/2

0120

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10090 96

4

48

2

2012

tur

bidi

ty F

AU

7/18 9/18 10/24 11/1 11/8

5.25

after

San

dy

Befo

re S

andy

after

Nor

’eas

ter

Turbidity in 2012: Hurricane Sandy

3/24/2011 4/24/2011 5/24/2011 6/24/2011 7/24/2011 8/24/2011 9/24/20110

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

79

66

59

245

42

2342

232

64

128

1521

9

71

date

2011

tur

bidi

ty F

AU

4/28 5/5 5/12 7/25 9/28

site3

site3a

site3b

site4

site3a

site4

site3a

site3csite3a

Hudson

site3a

3/24 4/7

site1

site2

site3a

5.25

Turbidity in 2011

2011 weather condition:3/10: rainy windy3/17: sunny3/24: The day after rain and snow, high tide, sunny, 38⁰F4/7: raining in the morning, cloudy and sunny in late afternoon, 50⁰F, the day after raining on Wed4/28: heavy thunderstorms, high 72⁰F5/5: sun, mixing with clouds, windy, high 64⁰F7/25: drizzle

Future perspective

• Continuous water quality monitoring along the river and share data to the community

• More sampling sites along the river, for a spatial variation analysis

• Wetland, green roof/wall build along the river to capture stormwater and reduce CSOs

• vimeo.com. 2013. • https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHAKNTd4RbE&feature=share

• http://vimeo.com/groups/focusforwardfilms/videos/51886928

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFGbjcWW8og

Conclusion• Nutrients, pathogens and turbidity increased

dramatically during rainstorms, including Hurricane Sandy

• Not in accordance EPA regulated level and higher than USGS and Riverkeeper’s published data

• It’s not safe for swimming/fishing• Waterfront access is limited• Capture stormwater and reduce CSOs is the goal,

make the river swimmable/fishable in near future