Disposal area monitoring system annual data report - 1978: supplement A site report - Rockland

DAWMOS Supe, A - MAY 1999
DAMOS

DISPOSAL AREA MONITORING SYSTEM

ANNUAL DATA REPORT - 1978

SUPPLEMENT A
ROCKLAND DISPOSAL SITE

Naval Underwater Systems Center
Newport, Rhode Island

WHO!

DOCUMENT
COLLECTION

New England Division

Corps of Engineers

Waltham, Massachusetts

he May 1979

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DAMOS

DISPOSAL ARFA MONITORING SYSTEM
ANNUAL DATA REPORT - 19728

SUPPLEMENT A
SITE REPORT - ROCKLAND

Naval Underwater Systems Center
Newport, Phode Island

New England Division
Corps of Enaineers
Waltham, Massachusetts

miei OS) Visi

PISPOSAE AREA
MONITORING SYSTEM
SHU, LOVEE UGINES:

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Baston Lightehip

Western New
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42°

41°

DISPOSAL AREA MONITORING SYSTEM

This is one of a series of site specific data reports resulting from the
DAMOS program, now two years in progress. DAMOS is the culmination of
nearly a decade of prior study efforts, actually preceding NEPA, which
have been directed towards the understanding of the effects of and the
responsible management of the ocean disposal of dredged materials in
New England waters as they fall under the authority ot the New England
Division of the Corps of Engineers. The individual site reports hence—
forth will be updated approxirately on an annual bases as additional
knowledge is gained, at least with respect to those sites where signifi-

cant disposal activities will have occurred.

ROCKLAND

Background

The Rockland disposal site is located in the center of West Penobscot
Bay three and one-half miles from the Rockland breakwater and three miles

from North Haven Island (Fig. A=l)e

The site was first used in October 1973-February 1974 for disposal
of 68,850 cubic meters of material from Rockland Harbor. Disposal was at
a buoy at 440 07.5N and 69° 00.4W. Kyte (1974) studied the area before
and immediately after its use. He found that the natural bo”tom was co-
hesive clay and silt and that the spoil was mostly clay with less organic
matter and more chromium than the natural sediments. Some "odori ferous
black organic silt" from the inner harbor was also sampled. Kyte con-
cluded that "point dumping" had been successful since spoil formed a pile
on the floor and sides of the deep hole running through the site and

extended less than 450 meters north - south.

Bathymetry

Two bathymetric surveys of the Rockland disposal site have been made.
Navigation contro! for these surveys was provided by trisponder stations
located at Deadmans Point and Qwis Head Light. The first survey on 11
December, 1977 (Figures A-2 (a-f) covered a half mile square designated on
the chart as the disposal site. The second survey on 12 May, 1978 (Figures
A-3 (a-g) was expanded 400 meters north and 200 meters east to provide

better definition of the depression through the site.

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Although these surveys show the depression described by Kyte there
is no indication of a spoil pile present in the trough. The location of
the disposal buoy would mean deposition of spoils east of the trough, and
although there is no indication of a spoil mound in that area, sediment
samples from that location have contained spoils, building materials,
pipes etc. Another location where samples have indicated spoil disposal
was found by Kyte south of the disposal site (Figure A-5). Further work
to define the distribution of spoils in this site will continue since
there is no obvious pile present at this time.

A large outcrop of bedrock, as verified by side scan sonar occurs
in the southwest corner of the disposal site. This and the north-south
trending trough are the only topographic features of significance in the

disposal site.

Currents

No current measurements have been made in the vicinity of the

Rockland disposal site.
Sediment

Sediments in the Rockland site are almost entirely composed of soft
dtack mud overlying a basement of glacial material. Heavy metal analysis
of samples taken from the Rockland area are presented in Table A-1. All
five surface sediment samples taken from the dump site, reference location

and harbor were metal enriched compared to cleaner areas such as Isle of

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Shoals or Brenton Reef, Rhode Island. The Rockland dump site has been
inactive for several years, yet surface sediments are not greatly different
from the two reference samples. The single harbor sample shows very low
iron content and about the same metal composition as the dump and reference
samples. A third reference sample taken near the dump site in Penobscot

Bay resembles the harbor sample's composition.

Biochemical Studies

Table A-2 summarizes the heavy metal concentration of M. modiolus samples
placed on the Rockland disposal site at 44° 07' 18.2" N, 69° 00! 05.1" W
and from reference samples taken at Drunkards Ledge approximately 3 NM south-
east of the disposal site. These data are presented for analysis in Fig-
ure A-4, The data indicate there are no significant differences between
the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu or Hg either between the reference and
disposal site stations or with time. Howéver, the concentration of Pb in
M. modiolus samples from Drunkards Ledge on May 12 and August 7, 1978 js
significantly less than that of the baseline data. A similar significant
reduction in the SR UReCiOn Oe Fe is aucenvae in the mussels sampled on

August 7 from the reference site.
Benthic Macrofauna

As indicated by Table A-3 only two species comprise 95% of the species
present at the Rockland site. Obviously more data are required before
more extensive interpretations of the benthic population dynamics can be

accomplished.

TABLE A-2, HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS (PPM) IN MopioLUS MoDIOLUS FROM DRUNKARD’ s
LEDGE DEPLOYED AT RocKLAND Disposal Site (NORTHERN New ENGLAND),

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IN THE
AND DISPOSAL SITE

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FISHERIE
ROCKL

Fisheries

A chart of the distribution of fisheries in the vicinity of the Rock-
land disposal site is presented in Figure A-5. There are four major
fisheries in this area as discussed below:

1. Shrimp. Before the recent decline in catches (1973-1977) and
subsequent closure of the fishery, shrimp were caught by at least one
vessel towing at 55-75 meters on a Course skirting the western edge of the
dump site. This vessel fished throughout the period in which spoil from
Rockland was dumped. No decrease in catch was detected, although sediments
identifiable as spoil were brought up on the net on several occasions.

An unusual aspect of the catch in West Penobscot Bay is that in addi-
tion to the egg bearing females caught in January-March a population remained
in the deeper holes through the summer. This population was mainly northern
shrimp (Pondalus borealis), but also included a smaller competing species
(P. montagui) (G. Stevenson; Rockport, Maine).

If the shrimp fishery is reopened there will be renewed interest in
the muddy bottoms of this area. Larger lobster boats from all the surround-
ing ports are potential winter shrimp draggers.

2. Lobsters and Crabs. The important summer lobster fishery is carried
out in shallow water, often less than 20 meters. The nearest shallow water
ts several miles northeast of the dump site.

In the fall and spring lobsters are found in deeper water. There is

less fishery effort at these times because of the need for special rigging.

The strong currents and wind exposure in the dump site area limits the
effort further. A lobsterman who fishes at these times estimated that he
did not get closer than two miles to the disposal site. One other lobster-
man probably also gets this close.

Lobsters are not caught in this part of Penobscot Bay between December
and April. They either bury or move out. In 1977 the catch ended in
November. When lobstering falls off, crabs (Cancer borealis) can be caught
at 40-55 meters on muddy bottoms. Although crabs are caught in lobster
pots, catches are improved by use of special traps and fresh bait. Most of
the crabbing near the dump site is done by two vessels.

In the fall pots are dense on a shoal just north of the entrance channel
to Rockport. During the dredging a tow boat left the channel and destroyed
some of this gear. It has been reported that the dredging company paid for
the damage. Gear destruction may be the greatest potential threat from
dredcing in this area, but also easily avoided.

3. Sea scallops. Scallops (Argopecten gibbas) were dragged in
Penobscot Bay as Jate as the 1940's and 1950's. They are now rare through-
out Maine. Patches of scallops are not limited to any bottom type and
could occur in the dump site area. Scallop dragging gear is heavy and
would displace soft spoil.

4, Finfish. There is virtually no commercial finfishing in this
portion of the Bay. Productive fishing grounds are found outside the Bay.

Recreational bottom fishing is probably rare in this deep and exposed area.

In conclusion it can be stated that the Rockland disposal site is
well placed to reduce potential effects on fisheries. One fisherman
stated that cables recently placed in the area will cause more difficulty

to the shrimp and scallop fishery than spoil will.

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