Water Clarity of Delawares Watersheds

By Earl Lofland August 28, 2013

Recently the National Resource Defense Counsel published an article that stated Delaware was listed as having the cleanest water in the nation. We believe this report is inacurate, and at best inconclusive due to the extent of testing that was conducted by the organization. To find out more about their testing you can find their mapping and study locations for Delaware here http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/de.asp The study conducted by the NRDC included 23 sites in Sussex County 1Fenwick Island State Line Beach 2Fenwick Island State Park Beach 3South Bethany Beach 4Bethany Beach 5South Indian River Inlet (2 sites) 6North Indian River Inlet Beach 7 Delaware Seashore State Park, Tower Road Ocean Site 8Conquest Road (Delaware Seashore State Park) 9Key Box (Delaware Seashore State Park) 10Dewey Beach (Dagsworty) 11Dewey Beach 12Rehoboth Beach (Queen St) 13Rehoboth Beach (Rehoboth Ave) 14Rehoboth Beach (Virginia Ave) 15Deauville Beach 16Atlantic Beach (near Gordon Pond) 17Cape Henlopen State Park (Herring Point) 18 Cape Henlopen Beach 19Lewes Beach South 12Lewes Beach North 21Broadkill Beach 22Prime Hook 23Slaughters Beach The Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has a long-standing commitment, informing the public about the water quality in Delaware. We also believe it is vital to educate the public on facts of water quality that extend beyond the area studied by NRDC. Public awareness is vital for solving the problems we face with pollution, whether it is air, soil or water quality throughout the entire State of Delaware. The Inland Bays and Atlantic Ocean Basin makes up less than one third of the States watersheds. The Inland Bay covers 313 square miles of eastern Sussex County, Delaware. Starting at Lewes and Cape Henlopen State Park at the southern edge of the entrance to Delaware Bay, the area extends southward approximately 24 miles along the Atlantic shoreline to the Maryland State Line. Cedar Creek and Broadkill Creek covers 159 square acres inside the Delaware Estuary Basins 793 square miles of territory in Sussex Kent and New Castle County. The Piedmont Basin covers

about 121 square miles in Delaware leaving out nearly 1,300 square miles and 36 watersheds in Delaware not included in the study maps. There are five major drainage basins within Delaware. 1 The Piedmont 2 Chesapeake Bay 3 Delaware Bay 4 Delaware Estuary 5 Inland Bays/Atlantic Ocean Each has smaller- manageable units called sub-basins or watersheds, representing a particular area that is drained by a river, stream or creek. Delaware has a total of forty-five watersheds (See fig 1 for Map, Figure 2 for the list of watersheds)

In the Piedmont Basin, there are six watersheds or sub-basins we will report water samples on In the Brandywine Creek Watershed, samples have indicated that PCBs and dioxins are present in the environment at levels requiring further attention under the Clean Water Act (1972). The Brandywine Creek Watershed is on the 303d list of impaired waters as well as having State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for PCBs and, dioxins.

Shellpot Creek Watershed, samples indicate PCBs and chlordane are present in the environment at levels that require further attention under the Clean Water Act (1972). The Shellpot Creek Watershed is also listed on the Clean Water Act section 303d list of impaired waters. It is also listed on the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories Chart for PCBs and dieldrin. Christina River Watershed, samples indicate PCBs, dieldrin and chlordane are present in the environment requiring further attention under the Clean Water Act (1972). This watershed is also on the 303d list of impaired waters and listed on the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories Chart for PCBs, dieldrin and chlordane. White Clay Creek Watershed samples indicate that PCBs, and zinc are present at levels that require further attention under the Clean Water Act (1972). It also is on the 303d list of impaired waters and listed warnings inside the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for PCBs. Red Clay Creek Watershed, samples also indicate that PCBs, as well as zinc, chlorinated pesticides and dioxin are present at levels that require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Red Clay Creek Watershed is also on the 303d list of impaired waters and State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for PCBs, dioxin and chlorinated pesticides.

The Delaware Estuary has sixteen sub-basins or watersheds This section will include the water samples of these watersheds requiring further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972) and/or are listed in the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories list Delaware River Watershed, samples indicate levels of PCBs, arsenic, mercury, chlorinated pesticides and dioxin are present at levels that require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Delaware River Watershed is also on the 303d list for impaired waters and listed in the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for PCBs, mercury, chlorinated pesticides and dioxin. Army Creek Watershed, samples indicate the presence of dieldrin and toxaphene, PCBs and dioxins/furans in the environment and require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Army Creek Watershed is also on the 303d impaired waters list and the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for PCBs, dioxin/furans, dieldrin and toxaphene.

Red Lion Creek Watershed, samples indicate there are levels of PCBs, chlorinated benzenes and dioxin present in the environment requiring further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Red Lion Creek Watershed is also listed on the 303d list of impaired waters as well as being listed in the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for PCBs and dioxin. Chesapeake and Delaware Canal East Watershed, samples show levels of PCBs, dioxins, dieldrin, DDT and chlordane are present in the environment that require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal East Watershed is also on the 303d list of impaired waters and State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories Chart for PCBs, DDT, dieldrin and chlordane. Fish consumption from Delaware State Line to the C&D Canal is advised as No Consumption with the exception of Army Creek and Pond and Red Lion Creek: No more than two meals per year Appoquinimink River Watershed, samples indicate the presence of DDT and dieldrin, PCBs and dioxins are present at levels requiring further attention under the Clean Water Act (1972). The Appoquinimink River Watershed is listed as a 303d watershed for impaired waters as well as being listed in the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories Chart for PCBs and dioxins. Delaware Bay Watershed, samples indicate levels of PCBs, mercury and dioxin are present in the environment that require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Delaware Bay Watershed is listed as a 303d watershed for impaired waters as well on State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories chart for PCBs and mercury. Saint Jones River Watershed, samples indicate the presence of PCBs, dioxin, mercury, arsenic and DDT are in the environment at levels requiring further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Saint Jones River Watershed is on the 303d list of impaired waters, and the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Avisories Chart PCBs, dioxin and mercury

Cedar Creek Watershed, samples indicate levels of mercury are present in the environment, at levels that require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Cedar Creek Watershed is listed on the Acts 303d list for impaired waters, and the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories for mercury. Broadkill River Watershed, samples show mercury is present in the environment at levels that require further attention in accordance to the Clean Water Act (1972). The Broadkill River Watershed is also a 303d watershed for impaired waters. It is also on State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories Chart for mercury.

The following watersheds are not on the Clean Water Act Section 303d list of impaired waters . However some portions of the watersheds (below) may be listed on the State of Delaware Fish Consumption Advisories chart. Smyrna River Watershed Leipsic River Watershed Little Creek Watershed Murderkill River Watershed Mispillion River Watershed

The Inland Bay Watersheds include Lewes/Rehoboth Canal Rehoboth Bay Indian River Iron Branch Indian River Bay Buntings Branch Assawoman Bay and Little Assawoman Bay

None of these watersheds are on the 303D list for impaired waters. They are listed in the State of Delaware Fish Consumption advisories for the territory from Coastal Delaware from Mouth of the Delaware Bay Southward to MD/DE Line for concerns of levels of PCBs and Mercury Figure 1

Figure 2 Piedmont Drainage

Chesapeake Bay

1. Naamans Creek 2. Shellpot Creek 3. Brandywine Creek 4. Red Clay Creek 5. White Clay Creek 6. Christina River Delaware Bay Drainage 7. Delaware River 8. Army Creek 9. Red Lion Creek 10. Dragon Run Creek 11. C & D Canal East 12. Appoquinimink River 13. Blackbird Creek 14. Delaware Bay 15. Smyrna River 16. Leipsic River 17. Little Creek 18. St. Jones River 19. Murderkill River 20. Mispillion River 21. Cedar Creek 22. Broadkill River

Drainage 23. Elk Creek 24. Perch Creek 25. C & D Canal West 26. Bohemia Creek 27. Sassafras River 28. Chester River 29. Choptank River 30. Marshyhope Creek 31. Nanticoke River 32. Gum Branch 33. Gravelly Branch 34. Deep Creek 35. Broad Creek 36. Wicomico 37. Pokomoke River Inland Bays/Atlantic Ocean 38. Lewes/Rehoboth Canal 39. Rehoboth Bay 40. Indian River 41. Iron Branch 42. Indian River Bay 43. Buntings Branch 44. Assawoman Bay 45. Little Assawoman

The Chesapeake Bay Estuary watershed in Delaware consist of 15 sub-basins or watersheds that we will report on. They are; Elk Creek, Perch Creek, C&D Canal West, Bohemia Creek, Sassafras River, Chester River, Choptank River, Marshyhope Creek, Nanticoke River, Gum Branch, Gravely Branch, Deep Creek, Wicomico, and Pocomoke River EPA established a Total Maximum Daily Load for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment for the entire Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This TMDL requires reductions of approximately 24% for nitrogen and 20% for phosphorus between 2009 and 2025 from all of the Chesapeake watersheds within Delaware. Fishing advisories in the Chesapeak Bay Estuary are listed by Marylands Natural Resources For a complete list of fish and amount limitations advised for individuals go to Marylands Fish Consumption Advisories

http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Marylander/CitizensInfoCenterHome/Documents/Fish%2 0Consumption%20Docs/Maryland_Fish_Advisories_2013_Web.pdf