Water Quality Summary for the Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network

Sheeder, Scott; Evans, Barry; Corradini, Kenneth

This report was prepared to meet the policy and regulatory portion of the water resource information and assessment needs of the Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network (ERMN). Water quality standards of the four network states—Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York and New Jersey—were reviewed and summarized. Other materials reviewed include park “Baseline Water Quality Data Inventory and Analysis” reports (a.k.a Horizon Reports), current state lists of impaired water bodies (303(d) lists), current data retrieved from STORET, etc. As part of these reports, information pertaining to site characteristics, past and current water quality problems, existing water quality monitoring stations and stream gages, and past and current water quality monitoring studies were summarized.A Brief synopsis of each of the reports is provided below and in Table 1 with the full report for each Park presented in Appendix G.The primary conclusions of assessment are:􀂾 Surface waters within the West Virginia and Delaware River National Parks have been impaired by fecal coliform bacteria. Short-circuiting and/or absent sewage treatment systems are the likely cause of this impairment􀂾 Acid mine drainage has impaired waters within the West Virginia National Parks, JOFL, and FRHI􀂾 The Delaware River National Parks have a human health fish consumption advisory, and are listed on the PA 303d list for mercury and PCB contamination. These constituents been identified in fish tissue, and do not imply elevated concentrations in the water column􀂾 Very limited water quality information is available for ALPO, FONE, JOFL, and FRHI. A phase one assessment of ALPO and JOFL is currently being conducted for the NPS by Penn State Universityii

Water Quality Summary for the Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network

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