State of the Niagara River

Brad HillEnvironment CanadaBurlington, Ontario

CANADA

L. Erie

L. Ontario

Niagara Falls

F.E.

N.O.T.L

Background

• Approximately 56 km (35 mi) long

• Elevation drop is approx. 100m (53m over Niagara Falls)

• Empties approx. 2/5ths of the fresh water in North America

• Significant loading source for Lake Ontario

• Currently divert 50% - 75% of flow for power generation

Historical Context• 1950s: IJC reports on pollution problems

• 1973: IJC designates Niagara River as “Problem Area”

• Late 1970s: Love Canal

• 1980 & 1981: Canada/Ontario Review Board Baseline Reports summarize environmental conditions in the Niagara River

• 1981: IJC Special Report on Pollution of the Niagara River

• 1981 – 1983: Niagara River Toxics Committee report

• 1987: Niagara River “Declaration of Intent” - NRTMP

• 1996: “Letter of Support”

Source Reduction• Point Sources• Non-point Sources

Ambient Monitoring• Upstream/Downstream Program• Biomonitoring – caged mussels, Y-o-Y fish

Public Information• Annual Reports• Public Meetings every 3 years

NRTMP Work Plan

Monitoring Programs• 3 main components:

– Upstream/Downstream• Water and suspended sediment

– Biomonitoring• Mussels and fish

– Tributary screening & trackdown• Sediment investigations in tributaries

• Additional components:– Point & Non-point Sources

• Landfills, STPs, HWS

Caged Mussel Biomonitoring• Mussels deployed for 21-day

exposures

• Routine monitoring at 36 stations (total PCB, OC pesticides, chlorinated benzenes)– PCB congeners at 14 stations– Dioxins & furans at 10 stations– PAHs at 8 stations– Dechlorane plus at 4 stations

• New stations for 2009 include:– Bakers Creek– Lyons Creek– Welland River– Scajaquada Creek– Rattle Snake Creek

Young-of-the-Year (YOY) Fish Sampling

• Most recently collected in fall 2009

• Used to analyse local conditions

• Samples submitted for routine parameters (Hg, total PCBs, pesticides)

• Data pending

Site Emerald Shiner

Spottail Shiner

102nd Street, NY 6

Cayuga Creek, NY 6

Fort Erie 6 6

Frenchman’s Creek 6 1

Lewiston, NY 6

Niagara-on-the-Lake 6

Queenston 6

Wheatfield, NY 6

Youngstown, NY 6

Summary of sampling sites and number of YOY fish composite samples collected in Niagara

River during 2009

Tributary Screening • Sediment samples from Niagara tributaries

• Site specific sampling and analysis

• No “hot spots” found that trigger immediate action

• Certain areas may deserve further attention – Guideline exceedences of PCBs, Mercury, Lindane and

Zinc – Low levels and non-detects validate effectiveness of

remediation

• On going monitoring by MOE and assessment by RAP show some tributaries may no longer be sources of contaminants

L. Erie

L. Ontario

F.E.

N.O.T.L

1,3-Dichlorobenzene 1,4-Dichlorobenzene 1,2-Dichlorobenzene1,3,5-Trichlorobenzene 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene Pentachlorobenzene HexachlorobenzeneHexachlorobutadiene Hexachlorocyclopetadiene HeptachlorAldrin Octachlorosytrene p,p’-DDEp,p’-DDD o,p’-DDT p,p’-DDTDDT Total Photomirex Mirexα-BHC γ-BHC Heptachlor EpoxideTotal Chlordane α-Endosulfan -EndosulfanDieldrin Endrin Endrin AldehydeMethoxychlor TCPCB 2-Methyl Naphthalene1-Methyl Naphthalene Naphthalene AcenaphthyleneFluorene Phenanthrene AnthraceneBeta-Chloronaphthalene Atrazine MetolachlorFluoranthene Pyrene Benz(a)anthraceneChrysene/Triphenylene Benzo(b+k)fluoranthene Benzo(a)pyreneIndeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene Benzo(g,h,i)peryleneAluminum Antimony ArsenicBarium Boron BerylliumCadmium Cobalt ChromiumCopper Gallium LanthanumIron Lithium ManganeseMolybdenum Nickel LeadRubidium Selenium SilverStrontium Tellurium UraniumVanadium Zinc Mercury

Hexachlorobenzene

p,p’-DDEp,p’-DDT

DDT Total Mirex

Total ChlordaneDieldrin

TCPCB

Benz(a)anthraceneChrysene/Triphenylene Benzo(b+k)fluoranthene Benzo(a)pyreneIndeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene

Benzo(g,h,i)peryleneAluminum

Iron

Mercury

Hexachlorobenzene

Mirex

Chrysene/Triphenylene Benzo(a)pyrene

Iron

60% 77%

110% 85%

75% 73%

Long-term Summary: NOTL ConcentrationsNo Longer Exceed Criteria

(in 04/05)

[1,2-dichlorobenzene]

[1,3-dichlorobenzene]

[1,4-dichlorobenzene]

[1,2,3-trichlorobenzene]

[1,2,4-trichlorobenzene]

[1,3,5-trichlorobenzene]

[1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene]

[Pentachlorobenzene]

[a-BHC], [g-BHC]

[a-chlordane]

[g-chlordane]

{1-MethylNaphthalene}

{2-MethylNaphthalene}

[Acenaphthalene]

[Anthracene]

[p,p-DDD]*, [o,p-DDT ]*

{Atrazine}

[Arsenic], [Mercury]

[Octachlorostyrene]

[Fluorene]

[Heptachor Epoxide]

[Alpha Endosulfan]

[Beta Endosulfan]

[Antimony], [Cadmium], [Chromium], [Lithium]

[Manganese], [Nickel]

[Zinc]

{Aldrin}

{Endrin}

{Endrin Aldehyde}

{Heptachlor}

{Methoxychlor}

{Photomirex}

Betachloronaphthalene

[Benz(a)anthracene]

[Dibenzo(ah)anthracene]

[Hexachlorocyclopentadiene]

[Hexachlorobutadiene]

[Lead], [Barium], [Beryllium]

[Copper], [Selenium]*

[Silver], {Strontium}

[Vanadium], [Cobalt]

[Metolachlor]

[Molybdenum]

[Fluoranthene]

[Pyrene]

[Indeno(123cd)pyrene]

[Napthalene]

[Phenanthrene]

Exceed Criteria at NOTL

(in 04/05)

[Mirex], [Iron]

[Hexachlorobenzene]

[Chrysene/Triphenylene] [Benzo(a)pyrene]

Exceed Criteria at NOTL & FE

(in 04/05)

[p,p-DDT]*, [p,p-DDE ]*

{Dieldrin}, [PCBs (86-98)**]

[Aluminum]

[Benzo(b/k)Fluoranthene] [Benzo(ghi)perylene]

[ ] - NR source

[ ]* - Upstream source

{ } - Suspected Basin Source

** - Method change

Downward Trend

(86/87-04/05)

No Trend

(86/87-04/05)

Upward Trend

(86/87-04/05)

Monitoring Summary

• Significant decreases in concentrations for most compounds between 1986 and 2005

• Some compounds still exceed strictest agency criteria

• Local sources continue to contribute contaminants to the Niagara River

• Upstream and/or basin-wide sources may be more significant for certain chemicals

Thank you

Brad Hill, Environment Canadabrad.hill@ec.gc.ca(905) 319-7209