APPENDIX C Water Quality/Total Suspended Solids Survey Methods and Results

105 Pages·2012·27.24 MB·English

APPENDIX C
Water Quality/Total Suspended Solids Survey Methods and Results

ACRONYMS
ADCP – Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
ANOVA - Analysis of Variance
BMP - Best Management Practice
CY – Cubic Yards
DGPS – Differential Global Positioning System
ERDC – Engineer Research and Development Center
FLEAS - Fish Larval Exposure Assessment System
ft/s – Feet per Second
FTU – Formazin Turbidity Units
g – g force
HARS – Historic Area Remediation Site
HDP – NY and NJ Harbor Deepening Project
m/s – Meters per Second
MLW – Mean Low Water
NBSA – Newark Bay Study Area
NFT/TSS – Near Field Turbidity/Total Suspended Solids
NJDEP – New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NTU – Nephelometric Turbidity Units
OBS – Optical Back Scatter
SEC – South Elizabeth Channel
TSS – Total Suspended Solid
USACE – United States Army Corps of Engineers
WQC – Water Quality Certificate
Contents 
1.0  Methods .............................................................................................................................................................. 12 
1.1  Technical Approach ...................................................................................................................................... 12 
1.2  Mobile ADCP Surveys .................................................................................................................................. 13 
1.3  Fixed Buoy Turbidity Stations ...................................................................................................................... 14 
1.4  Discrete Water Sample Collection ................................................................................................................ 14 
1.5  Sediment Sampling ....................................................................................................................................... 15 
1.6  ADCP Calibration ......................................................................................................................................... 15 
1.7  OBS Calibration ............................................................................................................................................ 16 
2.0  Results ................................................................................................................................................................ 17 
2.1  Sediment Analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 17 
2.1.1  In Situ Sediment Samples ....................................................................................... 17 
2.1.2  Dredge Barge .......................................................................................................... 17 
2.2  WATER SAMPLING AND ADCP CALIBRATION .................................................................................. 18 
2.2.1  Ambient Water Samples ......................................................................................... 18 
2.2.2  Dredge Plume Samples ........................................................................................... 18 
2.2.3  ADCP Calibration ................................................................................................... 19 
2.3  Survey #1: Ambient Conditions Prior to Silt Curtain Installation ................................................................. 19 
2.3.1  Turbidity ................................................................................................................. 19 
2.3.2  Acoustic estimates of TSS concentration during an ebbing tide ............................ 20 
2.3.3  Acoustic estimates of TSS concentration during a flooding tide ............................ 21 
2.4  Survey #2: Dredging Plume Characterization Prior to Silt Curtain Installation ............................................ 23 
2.4.1  Turbidity ................................................................................................................. 23 
2.4.2  ADCP Plume Characterization, Ebb Tide Surveys................................................. 25 
2.4.3  ADCP Plume Characterization, Flood Tide Survey ............................................... 27 
2.5  Survey #3: Silt Curtain Installation ............................................................................................................... 28 
2.5.1  Turbidity ................................................................................................................. 28 
2.5.2  ADCP Sediment Re-suspension Survey ................................................................. 28 
2.6  Survey #4: Dredge Plume Characterization with Silt Curtain Deployed ...................................................... 29 
2.6.1  Turbidity ................................................................................................................. 29 
2.6.2  ADCP Plume Characterization Surveys ................................................................. 34 
2.7  Survey #5: Silt Curtain Removal ................................................................................................................... 49 
2.7.1  Turbidity ................................................................................................................. 49 
2.7.2  ADCP Plume Characterization Survey ................................................................... 50 
2.8  Silt Curtain Observations .............................................................................................................................. 51 
3.0  Literature Cited .................................................................................................................................................. 52 
4.0  Tables ................................................................................................................................................................. 54 
5.0  Figures................................................................................................................................................................ 83
List of Tables
Table 1. Summary of ambient and ADCP plume characterization surveys.

Table 2. Summary of sediment analysis results from the South Elizabeth Silt Curtain
Study.

Table 3. NTU values for deployment of OBS units during the Silt Curtain Study.

Table 4. Acoustic TSS data and velocity summary.

Table 4. Acoustic data summary for ambient survey SCAA1-20 completed on 12 June
2011 during an ebbing tide.

Table 5. Acoustic data summary for ambient survey SCAB1-20 completed on12 June 2011
during a flooding tide.

Table 6. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCPA1-15 completed on 14
June 2011 during an ebbing tide, prior to silt curtain deployment.

Table 7. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCPF1-10 completed on 15 June
2011 during an ebbing tide, prior to silt curtain deployment.

Table 8. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCPB1-8 completed on 14 June
2011 during a flooding tide, prior to silt curtain deployment.

Table 9. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCPL36-41 completed on 16
June 2011 during an ebbing tide, to assess sediment resuspension during silt
curtain deployment.

Table 10. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXB1-23 completed on 19
June 2011 during an ebbing tide.

Table 11. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXD1-17 completed on 20
June 2011 during an ebbing tide, after silt curtain deployment.

Table 12. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXF1-18 completed on 21
June 2011 during an ebbing tide, after silt curtain deployment.

Table 13. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXG1-20 completed on 21
June 2011 during an ebbing tide, after silt curtain deployment.

Table 14. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXH1-23 completed on 22
June 2011 during a flooding tide, after silt curtain deployment.
Table 15. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXI1-19 completed on 22 June
2011 during an ebbing tide, after silt curtain deployment.

Table 16. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCXJ1-19 completed on 22 June
2011 during an ebbing tide, after silt curtain deployment.

Table 17. Acoustic data summary for ADCP plume survey SCCR1-12 completed on 24
June 2011 during an ebbing tide during silt curtain removal.
List of Figures
Figure 1. Comparison of acoustic and gravimetric measurements of suspended sediment
concentration in linked time order. (Note: Black = acoustic concentration, Blue =
gravimetric concentration)

Figure 2. Comparison of acoustic and gravimetric measurements of suspended sediment
concentrations in rank order. (Note: Black = acoustic concentration, Blue =
gravimetric concentration)

Figure 3. Relationship between turbidity (In situ) and total suspended solids concentration
for 336 water samples.

Figure 4. Mobile ADCP plume transects and OBS deployment locations for ambient survey
SCAA completed during an ebbing tide on 12 June 2011.

Figure 5. Turbidities (NTU) measured on12 June to assess ambient conditions prior to silt
curtain deployment. (See Figure 4 for OBS deployment locations and Table 3 for
turbidity summary.)

Figure 6. Mobile ADCP plume transects and OBS deployment locations for ambient survey
SCAB completed during a flooding tide on 12 June 2011.

Figure 7. Turbidities (NTU) measured on13 June to assess ambient conditions prior to silt
curtain deployment. (See Figure 6 for OBS deployment locations and Table 3 for
turbidity summary.)

Figure 8. Example vertical profiles (Survey SCAA) of ambient TSS and navigation tracks
with depth-averaged current vectors during an ebbing tide.

Figure 9. Example vertical profiles (Survey SCAB) of ambient TSS and navigation tracks
with depth-averaged current vectors during a flooding tide.

Figure 10. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCPB
completed prior to silt curtain deployment during a flooding tide on 14 June 2011.

Figure 11. Turbidities (NTU) measured on14 June during ADCP plume surveys completed
during a flooding tide prior to silt curtain deployment.

Figure 12. Turbidities (NTU) measured on14 June during ADCP plume surveys completed
during a flooding tide prior to silt curtain deployment.

Figure 13. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCPA
completed prior to silt curtain deployment during an ebbing tide on 14 June 2011.
Figure 14. Turbidities (NTU) measured on 15 June during ADCP plume surveys completed
prior to silt curtain deployment.

Figure 15. Near- and far-field turbidities (NTU) measured on 15 June during ADCP plume
surveys completed during an ebbing tide prior to silt curtain deployment.

Figure 16. Vertical profiles of TSS plumes and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for a plume survey (SCPA) during an ebbing tide prior to silt
curtain deployment.

Figure 17. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCPF
completed prior to silt curtain deployment during an ebbing tide on 15 June 2011.

Figure 18. Vertical profiles of TSS plumes and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for a plume survey (SCPF) during an ebbing tide, prior to silt
curtain deployment.

Figure 19. Vertical profiles of TSS and navigation tracks for a plume survey (SCPB)
completed during a flooding tide prior to silt curtain deployment, 14 June 2011.

Figure 20. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCPL
completed on 15 June during an ebbing tide to assess the potential of sediment
resuspension during the installation of the silt curtain.

Figure 21. Turbidities (NTU) measured on 16 June during ADCP plume surveys completed
during silt curtain placement.

Figure 22. Vertical profiles of TSS plumes and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for a plume survey (SCPL) completed during an ebbing during silt
curtain deployment.

Figure 23. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXB
completed on 15 June during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 24. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the outer paired array on19 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 25. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the middle paired array on 19 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 26. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the inner paired array on 19 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 27. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXD
completed on 20 June during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.
Figure 28. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the outer paired array on 20 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 29. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the middle paired array on 20 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 30. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the inner paired array on 20 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 31. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXF
completed on 21 June during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 32. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXG
completed on 21 June during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 33. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the outer paired array on 21 June during ADCP
plume surveys completed during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 34. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the middle paired array on 21 June during ADCP
plume surveys completed during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 35. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the inner paired array on 21 June during ADCP
plume surveys completed during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 36. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXH
completed on 22 June during a flooding tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 37. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXI
completed on 22 June during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 38. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCXJ
completed on 22 June during an ebbing tide after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 39. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the outer paired array on 22 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 40. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the middle paired on 22 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 41. Turbidities (NTU) measured by the inner paired array on 22 June during ADCP
plume surveys after silt curtain deployment.

Figure 42. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXB completed during an ebbing tide after silt
curtain deployment.
Figure 43. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXD completed during an ebbing tide after silt
curtain deployment.

Figure 44. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXF completed during an ebbing tide after silt curtain
deployment.

Figure 45. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXG completed during an ebbing tide after silt
curtain deployment.

Figure 46. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXH completed during a flooding tide after silt
curtain deployment.

Figure 47. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXI completed during an ebbing tide after silt curtain
deployment.

Figure 48. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current vectors for Survey SCXJ completed during an ebbing tide after silt curtain
deployment.

Figure 49. Mobile ADCP transects and OBS deployment locations for plume survey SCCR
completed on 24 June during an ebbing tide to assess the potential of sediment
resuspension during silt curtain removal.

Figure 50. Turbidities (NTU) measured on 24 June during ADCP plume surveys completed
during silt curtain removal.

Figure 51. Vertical profiles of TSS concentrations and navigation tracks with depth-averaged
current velocities for Survey SCCR completed during an ebbing tide during silt
curtain removal.

Figure 52. A section of the silt curtain with anchor buoys. The curtain boom is anchored in
place but the curtain is not unfurled.

Figure 53. The company “Clean Venture” is in the process of unfurling the silt curtain on 17
June. Tidal forces are beginning to push the curtain to the surface.

Figure 54. An example of silt curtain flaring due to current.

Figure 55. The inner most section of the silt curtain deployed at the NW end of the SEC
where current velocities are lowest. Although initially deployed in a straight line,
the curtain is deformed by current flow.