Restore Saugus River Turning Basin and Dock - Marsh Characterization

CH2M HILL

Brief Description: Scanned report concerning the contamination/restoration of the Saugus River Turning Basin and Dock after an upstream dam broke out. Full Description: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site (NHS) in Saugus, Massachusetts is the site of the first integrated iron works in North America, which operated from 1646 to 1668. In 1957, a dam breach upstream of the park caused extensive sedimentation in the turning basin that served as an important historical element of the Saugus Iron Works NHS. Consequently, today, approximately four acres of the river are choked with invasive plant species and are impacted by industrial contaminants derived from the urbanized Saugus River watershed, as well as from waste material produced by the historic iron works (i.e., the slag pile). This purpose of this report is to characterize the nature and extent of contaminated sediments within the potential restoration areas (Figure 1), characterize the likely depth below ground surface (bgs) of the pre-1957 sediments, identify the range of typical summer tidal fluctuations within the study area, and characterize the vegetative and benthic invertebrate communities within the study area. To characterize the nature and extent of contamination in the marsh, sediment samples were collected and analyzed for priority pollutant metals (PPMs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total organic carbon (TOC). Historical studies have shown PPM and PAH contamination in the marsh sediments. PPMs are a group of 13 metals identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), including antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, silver, thallium, and zinc. PAHs are chemicals that are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or other organic substances. PAHs are probable carcinogens and are therefore potentially hazardous to humans and wildlife. Organic matter content in sediments is typically measured as TOC. Organic matter plays a major role in aquatic systems, affecting biogeochemical processes, chemical transport and bioavailability, and nutrient cycling.

Restore Saugus River Turning Basin and Dock - Marsh Characterization

Collections