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Bacterial Assessment Horn Pond Brook June 25, 2008 Report Date: October 1, 2008 Technical Report # 1008-013

Summary: This report documents wet weather bacteria counts at levels that fail to meet the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection State Water Quality Standards for primary contact / swimming at centerline sites along Horn Pond Brook in Woburn and Winchester, MA.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

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CITATION This report was prepared by: Mystic River Watershed Association 20 Academy St. Suite 203 Arlington, MA 02476 781-316-3438 www.mysticriver.org Principal Investigators: Mary Beth Dechant Water Quality Monitor: Mary Beth Dechant Lab Analysts: EPA Region 1 Laboratory, Chelmsford MA This report describes hotspot monitoring data collected on a monthly basis by MyRWA under its MassDEP-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan with funding support from the EOEA, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and the EPA. This report should be cited in the literature in the following manner: Bacterial Assessment: Horn Pond Brook, June 25 2008 —Technical Report 1008-013. Mystic River Watershed Association, Arlington, MA.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

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Table of Contents 1. Cover Sheet 2. Citation information 3. Table of Contents 4. Executive Summary a. Conclusions and Action Items 5. Introduction 6. Methods 7. Results a. Tables and Figures b. Maps 8. Appendix A: Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Data Validation 9. Appendix B: Site Information

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

4 Executive Summary Bacterial Monitoring Results: June 25, 2008 MyRWA conducted a wet weather monitoring event along Horn Pond Brook in Winchester and Woburn on June 25, 2008, following 1.92” rain in the previous 48 hours. Overall, water quality was poor in Horn Pond Brook during this event, with all 12 samples failing to meet water quality standards for primary contact / swimming. One sample, WIN037, also failed to meet secondary contact / boating standards (1954 MPN / 100 mL). This sample was collected at the outfall where Russell Brook (a culverted stream that originates in Woburn) empties into Horn Pond Brook in Winchester. At the opening of the culvert, a strong smell of sewage was detected. Other than the Russell Brook culvert, bacteria levels were fairly consistent from the origin of Horn Pond Brook at Horn Pond to the outlet to Wedge Pond, ranging from 291 MPN at HOB103 to 576 MPN at HOB083. These numbers are an improvement over results from previous monitoring events, in which bacteria levels were elevated near the Canal St. and Sylvester Ave. bridges. During a stream walk through Horn Pond Brook in June 2008 to document overall stream condition, heavy algal growth was noticed in the brook, particularly downstream of Sylvester Ave. It was also noted that yard waste was being dumped along the brook, particularly at the north end of Sylvester Ave as well as along Horn Pond Brook Road. Conclusions and Action Items: 1. 2.

Woburn: MyRWA suggests conducting an investigation into the source of elevated bacteria levels in Russell Brook. Winchester: Continued monitoring of the Russell Brook outfall, as well as in Horn Pond Brook at Canal St. and Sylvester Ave, is recommended. In addition, MyRWA staff recommends that signs be posted along the Brook to discourage yard waste dumping.

Introduction Background. The Mystic Monitoring Network (MMN) was created in 2000 by the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) to collect valuable water quality data along the Mystic River and its tributaries. The MMN is a volunteer-based project that is made up of trained citizen volunteers, student interns, and scientific advisors throughout the region. The goals of the MMN are to establish a high quality baseline of data for the Mystic River Watershed, identify and address water pollution problems, raise public, municipal and state agency awareness of water quality in the Mystic, and create a network of informed and active citizen advocates. MMN’s Hot Spot monitoring program at MyRWA allows the organization to test water quality in locations not regularly sampled in our baseline program or that are suspected of having problems with bacteria loading.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

5 Methods Water quality samples are always collected by trained MyRWA staff and volunteers following the protocol written in MyRWA’s Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). For centerline locations, bacteria samples are collected directly from the river and for end-of-pipe samples, water is collected directly from the outfall. In fresh water, samples are analyzed for the bacteria E. coli and in saltwater, samples are analyzed for the presence of Enterococcus. The bacteria samples are collected in sterile containers containing a sodium thiosulfate tablet and kept on ice until delivery to either the EPA lab in Chelmsford, or MyRWA’s lab at Tufts University. Samples are analyzed using the Colilert method for enumerating colony forming units (cfu) of bacteria. Physical habitat parameters are measured according to the QAPP. A YSI meter is used to collect measurements for water temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, and salinity. The coordinates of each sample location are recorded with a Garmin 76Cx GPS unit. Air temperature is recorded with an alcohol thermometer at the beginning and end of the sampling period. Data on precipitation during the past 48 hours are obtained from the USGS website (real-time data for stream gage located at Muddy River in Brookline: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01104683). Results Below, tables and graphs summarize the results of bacteria sampling in each community. ND = bacteria not detected in sample. Each water body we tested is a Class B water body, and any bacteria level above 235 cfu/100 ml E. coli or 61 cfu/100 ml Enterococcus is a violation of the state water quality standard for bacteria. For reference purposes, we also compare our results to the bacteria water quality standard for boating established for a Class C water body (1260 cfu/100 ml E. coli or 350 cfu/100 ml Enterococcus). Table 1. Results of MMN bacteria sampling on 6/25/08 in Horn Pond Brook. Please refer to the maps and Appendix B for precise locations of sample sites.

Date 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008 6/25/2008

Sample # 1656 1657 1658 1659 1660 1661 1662 1663 1664 1665 1666 1667

Site ID HOBHOP HOB103 WIN037 HOB083 HOB063 HOB064 HOB004 HOB003 HOBDPW HOB001 HOB002 HOBWEP

E. coli cfu/100ml 337 291 1954 576 527 354 498 406 353 420 533 533

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

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Horn Pond Brook Bacterial Results 2500

2000

E. coli cfu / 100 mL

Secondary Contact water quality standard: 1260 cfu / 100 mL

1500

1000 Primary Contact water quality standard: 235 cfu / 100 mL

500

0 HOBHOP

HOB103

WIN037

HOB083

HOB063

HOB064

HOB004

HOB003

HOBDPW

HOB001

HOB002

HOBWEP

Figure 1. Bacteria counts from samples collected by MyRWA on 6/25/08. All samples failed to meet the state water quality bacteria standard for primary contact / swimming in a Class B water body (235 cfu / 100 ml), and one sample also exceeded the bacteria limit for secondary contact / boating in a Class C water body (1260 cfu E. coli). See maps and site descriptions for information on sampling locations.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

7 Maps In the maps below, green labels indicate satisfactory water quality; yellow labels indicate failure of primary contact / swimming standards for a Class B water body (235 cfu / 100 ml); red labels indicate failure of secondary contact / boating standards for a Class C water body (1260 cfu / 100 ml).

Map 1. Horn Pond Brook overview, showing all sites sampled on June 25, 2008.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

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Map 2. Sample locations in upper Horn Pond Brook, Woburn and Winchester, MA.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

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Map 3. Sample locations in lower Horn Pond Brook, Winchester, MA.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

10 Appendix A Quality Assurance Quality control procedures have been documented for each parameter tested by MyRWA, and can be reviewed in Table B5-1 of the QAPP (approved December 2006). Quality control of data is ensured in several ways. YSI meters are subjected to pre- and postcalibration for each sampling event. Thermometers are calibrated on an annual basis. GIS coordinates are marked at an accuracy of ≤ 20’. As discussed in the QAPP, field duplicates are not collected due to the heterogeneous nature of bacteria in an aquatic medium. EPA Region 1 Laboratory has submitted a copy of their quality assurance plan and standard operating procedures. They do not submit results of their quality control measures, such as relative percent difference, but QC protocol are followed according to their standard operating procedures (available on request). During this sample event, no violations of QC occurred. All samples were delivered to the EPA lab within the designated holding time, and the EPA lab did not report any violations of their standards. Data received from the EPA lab and collected from the field were entered into MyRWA’s Excel database by the Project Manager and were checked for error by another staff person. No changes to the data entry were made. Following the QAPP, these data, as reported here, are sent to the Department of Public Works and the Board of Health of the relevant municipalities. After 30 days, the data will be sent to MassDEP, the EPA, conservation commissions of the relevant communities, and any other stakeholders that have expressed interest in receiving water quality data from MyRWA. A full list of these recipients is available upon request.

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013

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Appendix B: Site Information Site

Town

HOBHOP

Woburn

HOB103

Winchester

WIN037

Winchester

HOB083

Winchester

HOB063

Winchester

HOB064

Winchester

HOB004

Winchester

HOB003

Winchester

HOBDPW

Winchester

HOB001

Winchester

HOB002

Winchester

HOBWEP

Winchester

Water Body Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook Horn Pond Brook

Latitude

Longitude

Directions

N42.4654

W71.1517

Horn Pond Brook at Horn Pond outlet

N42.46500

W71.15136

Horn Pond Brook downstream of Pond Street

N42.46315

W71.14957

Horn Pond Brook at Russell Brook outfall

N42.46149

W71.14949

Horn Pond Brook at Lynch Elementary School

N42.46054

W71.14713

Horn Pond Brook at Sylvester Ave bridge

N42.46057

W71.14606

Horn Pond Brook at Canal St. bridge

N42.45940

W71.14506

HPB at end of Horn Pond Brook Road

N42.45923

W71.14419

Horn Pond Brook at red pedestrian bridge, off bike path

N42.45839

W71.14212

Horn Pond Brook across from DPW yard

N42.45804

W71.14132

Horn Pond Brook downstream of DPW yard

N42.45683

W71.13895

Horn Pond Brook downstream of Palmer St. bridge

N42.45666

W71.13924

Horn Pond Brook at outlet to Wedge Pond

October 1, 2008 ▪ MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION ▪ Technical Report #: 1008-013