The 411 on sewage and effluent.

[Acristickid]

It seems to me that these things are not always bad for a trout stream. I understand AMD is inherently bad as is discharge of really hot water.

For example; maybe some really cold water that is effected by AMD is discharged into a stream. Seems to me maybe this might help- where otherwise the water would be too warm for trout throughout the summer.

On the flip side; where you have really cold stream where there is briney discharge into a stream and while looking and smelling a bit unsightly may actually add some nutrients.

Also, some streams that have a warm water discharge may make for some decent winter fishing- assuming again that it is cold enough in the summer to handle the heated discharge.

Blanket statements do not seem to cover this or do they?

 

[pcray1231]

I think you are correct on most of them, except maybe AMD.

AMD is very bad for a stream. I suppose if a very cold stream came in that was only slightly affected, it could still be a good thing. But I think thats missing the point. If the water is solely from the mine, its very, very bad, if you have enough water to cool it down you almost certainly have enough acid to kill just about everything. And if its just a cold water stream with a slight AMD influence, then the AMD is the problem and not the cold water.

I've seen cases where the sewage effluent actually increases the trout population by adding nutrients. On a grand scale its not good. On a local scale it may or may not be good.

I suppose the heated discharge could help too, however, the vast majority of our streams have more temperature issues in the summer than the winter, so I think its bad. Maybe if you had wintertime heated discharges, and no discharge in the summer, it could be a good thing. I don't know what industry would do that, but I suppose its possible. Bottom release dams certainly have unnaturally low temperature discharges and they are quite obviously good for a trout fishery.

 

[bushwacker]

It seems to me that there should be a way to cool the water from warm water releases before releasing it;hence, creating a cold water release and a sort of tailwater trout fishery.....right! :-D If this post makes no sense, please disregard. I've had a few drinks. int:

 

[cdogedoger]

Client
University Area Joint Authority
Location
State College, PA
Contract Value
$34,600,000
Completion
August, 2005
Project Details

The overall process also reduces the temperature of the treated water before it re-enters the system. This important step counters the warming effects of urban stormwater on the Spring Creek watershed — a high-quality, coldwater fishery.


This is info. from the company I used to work for.

 

[Maurice]

Any discharge into a CWF has to meet temperature criteria for the particular classification. I believe it cannot be more than a few degrees higher than the recieving stream. I wouldn't go so far as to saw you could make a Tailwater out of it but largely, treated sewage is better than untreated, so sewage treatment is better where it doesn't exist already.

 

[afishinado]

How do you like the wastewater discharge in our back yard? I'm working on some glow-in-the-dark patterns to imitate the macros and forage fish......


News in Brief
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA); 554 words
Published: 2009-02-21
Section: LOCAL NEWS PHILADELPHIA & THE REGION | Page B02 | Edition: CITY-D
DEP: Low-level radiation in Montco is no danger

Low-level radiation has accumulated in sediment and aquatic life near a wastewater discharge point in Royersford, Montgomery County, but officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection said yesterday that recreation in that portion of the river and eating the fish from it present no danger to the public.
Officials also have extended their investigation to the nearest downstream public water intake, in Phoenixville. No radioactive materials have been detected above DEP or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards, they said.

The low levels of cobalt-60 and cesium-137 are near the outfall from UniTech Services Group Inc., which decontaminates laundry and small equipment for customers in the United States and Canada. Operating since the 1980s, it formerly sent its wastewater to the Royersford municipal plant. In 2004, UniTech built its own plant and received a permit to discharge directly into the river. The plant has not exceeded its discharge limits, according to the DEP.

- Sandy Bauers

 

[dryflyguy]

I remember reading a few years ago about a deep mine discharge somewhere in the state. The water came out cold yearround, but it was acidic
They started treating the water to get the PH back to normal, then were actually raising trout there.

 

[afishinado]

Ironically, water from the Lackawanna River flowing into the long abandoned deep mines which cools the water, has transformed the Lacky into the fantastic wild brown fishery it is today.

 

[Acristickid]

So there can be benefits it seems in some cases.

I know of a couple places where effluent is supposed to be a reason the fishery is getting better. Where water is near brown and does'nt smell like roses but the fish are there.

 

[Maurice]

Paul, I am going to put this here too.....

I don't know that I follow your point....but let me say that the EB Clarion is an HQ-cwf and the WB is a CWF and the Clarion is unlisted. So, discharge requirements may be relaxed to not exceed summertime highs year round. This could bring migrant fish to the warmer water in the winter months. I am sure the locals know if this is a truth. That dude is probably one of them.

Same with the Potomac. Probably not stocked trout fisheries in the Trout season in those areas.

The Susky has Brunner Island which is a tepid 90 degrees in dead of winter. Attracts smallies and catfish and walleyes and musky. But no trout...no trout stocked in the winter. Also mayflies hatch daily in January. What appears to be many varieties of sulfers and other small mayflies.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that a "pollution" condition (whether thermal or nutrient rich) is a good thing. But rather that it creates an attractive diversion for fish during a time of year when they are typically dorment. During the other three seasons it probably is creating algae blooms and nutrient rich soups that destroy oxygen content and cause disease. Case in Point...the Susquehanna.

 

[wetnet]

There are strict restrictions as to the temperature that wastewater treatment plant effluent can be discharged. They actually base it on 2 things. The quality of the stream (example: High quality cold water fisheries) and the seasonal stream conditions. Depending on the quality of the existing waters the plants have to have little or no impact. Our plant has cooling towers and the temperatures aren't allowed to fluctuate more than 5 degrees and this temp setpoint is modified based on the change of temperature due to seasonal conditions. The temperatures that are suitable are listed on the EPA website.