Jackfish Bay area of concern remedial action plan stage 1: environmental conditions and problem definition

260 Pages·1991·16.7 MB·English

NORTH
SHOEIE
OF LAKE SUPERIOR
REMEDIAL CTION
if^LANS
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2015
in
https://archive.org/details/jackfishbayareao26016
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PUBLICADVISORYCOMMITTEE
COMTTE CONSULTATIFPUBLIC
SeptemBer 12, 1991 '
.
Wfiom It 9^ay Concern:
Afttr two years of studying the present and past conditions ofJacf^fish 'Bay and the
associated 9A.oberty 'Bay and 'Blackffird Creek^system, zve as a^PuBCic Sldvisory Committee
((P^C)feeCthat we havefuCCy outlinedour assessment ofthe conditions inJac^ish 'Bay and
informedthe Ceadagencies in the ^KJ¥Pprogram ofour concerns.
'We feeC that the Jackfish 'Bay Stage One document addresses the impaired uses as
summarizedin our 'Water Use Qoah andthat it is a summation ofthe accumulateddetails
ofthe conditions eTQSting in theJacffish 'Bay^Area OfConcern.
The JJac(<fish (Bay Stage One document gives the (P!A.C a sense of accomplishment and
encourages us to continue towards the completion andimplementation ofStage Two.
'fours sincerely.
3on 'Ferguson
Chair
Jackfish 'Bay
'PuBlic advisory Committee
Remedial Action Plan
Plan (fAssaMssement
Canada ^Ontario

Jackfish Bay Area of Concern
Environmental Conditions
and
Problem
Definition
Remedial Action Plan
Stage
1
Jackfish Bay RAP Team
September 1991
Ontario Ministryofthe Environment, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry
of Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Oceans
North Shore of Lake Superior Remedial Action Plans, 435James Street S.,
Box 5000, Thunder Bay, Ontarto, P7C 5G6
RemedialAction Plan
PlancTAssainissement
CanadaOntario!
ISBN:0-7729-9034-4

FORWAFID
This documentprovides a summaryof the environmental conditions in the Jackfish BayArea of Concern in
Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada, and identifies specific environmental problems. The report contains a
technical summaryfor use in the public consultation process vMch was initiated in 1988. This report
represents the Stage 1 submission of the Jackfish BayRemedial Action Plan, in accordance with the Canada-
Ui». Great Lakes Water QualityAgreement and the Canada-Ontario Agreement respecting Great Lakes
Water Quality.
Several impairments to beneficial uses are identified and described inTables E and 5.1 ofthis document
based on water, sediment and biota surveys v^ch were carried-out primarilybetween 1%9 and 1988. In
October of 1989, the Kimberl^rQark Canada Inc. pulp mill, vAAch is the onlypoint source discharger to the
Jackfish BayArea of Concern, added a secondaryefflueiit treatmentsystem. This resulted in significant
reductions in BOD5, phenolics, and resin and fattyadds. Although some ambient water and biota data as
well as effluent datafor the period following start-up of secondarytreatment are discussed in this Stage 1
document, potential improvements in the ambient environmental qualitysince 1988 have not been fully
assessed.
In order to further assess and iqxlate Jackfish Bayenvironmental quality, the following activities are
scheduled for 1990/91:
an assessment of rehabilitation options for the Blackbird Creeksystem;
fish contaminant surveyin Jackfish Bay»
fish reproduction and mixed-function oxidase activitystudy,
sediment sampling and analysis; and
water qualitystudy.
The results oithese investigations will be^reported in an iqpdate to Stage 1, vMch will be included upon
submission of the Stage 2 document
It is expected that byi^ril 1992 a description ofremedial options forJackfish Baywill be complete.
Selection ofpreferred options will have been completed byJuly 1992, after extensive reviewbythe public
through openhouses, mailouts, etc. A draft Stage Two document should be available bySeptember 1992.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Stage 1 Reportfor the Jackfish BayRemedial Action Plan was prepared bythe Jackfish BayRAP
Writing Team:
Jim Murphy Environment Ontario, Co-ordinator, Jackfish Bay RAP
John Kelso Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Ken Flood Environment Ontario
Ken Cullis Ontario MinistryofNatural Resources
Linda Meln^-Ferguscm Ontario MinistryofNatural Resources
Keith Sherman Environment Ontario, Water Resources Branch
Ian Smith Environment Ontario, Water Resources Branch
This report was prepared under the guidance of the Provincial-Federal Remedial Action Plan Steering
Committee.
Past members ofthe Jackfish BayWriting Team, and individuals vtiio contributed to sdentilic investigations
and reporting for this document, are acknovkdedged as follows:
QndyJardine Environment Ontario, Water Resources Branch
Nellie de Geus Environment Canada
Laurie Sarazin Environment Canada
Hehnut Pfeiffer RAP Biologist
Ljubica Pelletier RAP Facilitator
MarySean Burgham RAP Assistant
Ruth Berzel RAP Technical Writer
RayBoivin RAP Technical Assistant
Jim Schmidt Wastewater TechnologyCentre
Darjd Cowell Geomatics International Inc.
The RAP Team also acknowledges comments and suggestions received from the Public AdvisoryCommittee
during the course of the RAP Stage 1 development The PAC members and their affiliations are:
Chris Joubert Past Chair, Township ofTerrace Bay
Bob Baxter Kimberly^Qaiic Canada Inc.
AudreyFerguson Jackfish Lake Cottagers
Jon Ferguson Chair Public
Gerald Landriault Ducks Unlimited
Ryan LeBlanc Save Ontario's Shipwrecks
Jim Bryson Charter Boat Services
Dave Daniels UP.I.U. Local 665
Bob Langford Public
Jack Moore Public
Rod Mercure PubUc
Ron Martel Minnova Mines
Lance Stewart Public
The Writing Team also wishes to acknowledge the large group ofscientists, environmentalofficers and
concerned individuals whose contributions and assistance have been invaluable.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORWARD
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ii
LIST OF TABLES vi
LIST OF FIGURES ix
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
xi
INTRODUCriON
1 xiii
2 THE RAP PROCESS xiv
3 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA xv
4 LAND USE xvu
;
5 WATER RESOURCE USE xvu
6 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS xviii
6.1 Water Quality xviii
62 Bottom Sediment Quality xix
63 Biota Quality xxiii
7 SOURCES xxvu
8 ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS/USE IMPAIRMENTS xxix
8.1a Restrictions on Fish Consumption xxix
8.1b Restrictions on >^^dlife Consumption xxix
8.2 Tainting ofFish and Wildlife Flavour xxix
83a Dynamics of Fish populations xxix
83b BodyBurdens of Fish xxxiii
8.3c Dynamics ofWildlife Populations xxxiii
83d BodyBurdens of^dlife xxxiii
8.4 Fish Tumours or OtherDeformities xxxiii
8.5 Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproduction Problems xxxiii
8.6a Dynamics ofBenthic Populations xxxiv
8.6b BodyBurdens ofBenthic Organisms xxxiv
8.7 Restrictions on Dredging Activities xxxiv
8.8 Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae xxxiv
8.9 Consumption, Taste and OdourProblems xxxiv
8.10 Beach Qosings xxxv
8.11 Degradation ofAesthetics xxxv
8.12 Added Cost to Agriculture or Industry xxxv
8.13 Degradation ofPhytoplankton and Zooplankton Populations xxxv
8.14 Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat xxxv
INTRODUCriON
1.0 1
2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA 7
LOCATION AND EXTENT
2.1 9
22 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 9
,
23 PHYSIOGRAPHY, GEOMORPHOLOGY and GEOLOGY 10
2.4 SOILS 10
25 TERRESTRIAL VEGETATION
11
LAND USE
2.6 11
RECREATION
2.7 11
WILDLIFE
2.8 12
AGRICULTURE
2.9 12
2.10 WATER USES 12
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2.10 WATER USES 12
2.10.1 Water Supply 12
2.102 WastewaterDischarges 13
2.103 Fish Habitat 13
2.10.4 Commercial Fishing 13
2.10J Sport Fishing 19
2.10.6 Recreation 19
3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 21
•
3.1 WATER QUALITY .. 23
3.1.1 Currents and Plume Characteristics • • 23
3.1.2 Conventional Water QualityParameters 27
3.12.1 Water Colour and Aesthetics 27
3.122 Turbidity 31
3.123 Dissolved Oxygen, BOD5 andTemperature 33
3.12.4 Major Ions, pH and Alkalinity 36
3.12.5 Nutrients 40
3.12.6 Bacteria 42
3.13 Metals . .. 45
3.U Organic Contaminants 47
;
3.15.1 PhenoUcs 47
3.1.52 Resin and FattyAdds 50
3.133 Volatile Organohalides 50
3.13.4 Other Organic Chemicals 53
3.1.6 Water QualitySummary 53
;
32 SEDIMENT QUALITY 53
32.1 Physical Description 58
322 Oil and Grease Contamination 58
323 Nutrients 58
32.4 Metals 63
323 Organics 76
323.1 Phenolics and Aromatics 76
3.232 Resin and FattyAdds 78
3233 Dioxins and Furans 78
323.4 Other Organics 81
32.6 Historical Changes in Sediment Quality 81
32.7 Sediment QualitySummary 90
33 BIOTA .... 90
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33.1 Benthic Macroinvertebrates 90
33.1.1 Spedes Densityand Diversity 91
33.12 Benthic Community Impairment 91
33.13 Benthic Contaminant BodyBurdens 94
332 Fish 98
332.1 Fish Communities 98
' 3322 Toxidtyand Mutagenidty 98
3323 Sport Fish Contaminant BodyBurdens 100
3323 Juvenile Fish Contaminant BodyBurdens 101
333 Biota Summary 101
3.4 BLACKBIRD CREEK 105
3.4.1 Upstream - Downstream Water Quality 106
3.42 Sediment Quality 115
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