REGFORM Water SeminarColumbia, Missouri

September 4th, 2014

What’s in the Smelter?Metals Criteria in the 304 (a) List and

Assumptions Driving the Numbers

Chris Zell, PHWQSenior Hydrologist, Geosyntec Consultants

National Recommended Criteria

Recommended to protect designated uses (40 CFR 131.11(b))

Triennial Review emphasizes toxics 126 priority pollutants (303(c)(2)(B))

Some criteria (NP) are flexible... Conventionals: nutrients, solids... Metals: chronic aluminum, manganese, iron

Focus Today Metals Criteria

Time Horizons (1) On the books - Aluminum - Copper (2) On the horizon - sediment quality guidelines (for how long ?)

Related Policies and Guidance

3-year Schedule of Compliance for new metals limits

Copper Final Effluent Limits:Maximum Daily Limit: 22.9 µg/L

Average Monthly Limit: 8.5 µg/L

Aluminum (ăl"(y)o/ omĭn'yəm)

National Criteria Issued in 1988

Accepted Concerns with National Criteria

Derivation deviated from 1985 Aquatic Life Guideline Procedure

Chronic criterion is 750 μg/L if Striped Bass and Brook Trout

are absent using existing 1988 assumptions Chronic criterion often exceeded in many streams and rivers

pH and hardness influence aluminum toxicity, WERs >> 1.

US EPA Missouri DNR Form

Acute Criterion 750 μg/L 750 μg/L Total Recoverable

Chronic Criterion 87 μg/L ----- Total Recoverable

Aluminum Alternatives

New Mexico (& Colorado) Criteria

Updated National Toxicity Database Followed 1985 National Guidelines Procedure Quantified toxicity – hardness relationship for pH > 6.5 SU Criteria are expressed as total recoverable after filtration Approved by US EPA in 2012 (pH > 6.5)

*Mean Hardness (mg/L CaCO3)

100 200 220

Acute (μg/L) 3,421 8,838 10,071

Chronic (μg/L) 1,370 3,541 4,035

Aluminum – The West Virginia Letters

State of West Virginia pursued NM and CO dissolved aluminum criteria in 2013

EPA disapproved based on new information set forth by US Fish and Wildlife Service

EPA is evaluating studies for inclusion into NTDB

USFWS recommended

CCC = 250 μg/L ; > current 304(a) CCC

Taxa Threshold (soluble) Response

Anodonta cygnea 250 μg/L 50% reduction in shell opening rate

Anodonta anatinaUnio pictorum

~300 μg/L Increased bioaccumulation

Villosa iris 337 μg/L Reduced growth rate of juveniles

Copper

Common Limit of Concern

(corrosion of drinking water lines)

Revised EPA Criteria - 2007 Transition from hardness-based

to Biotic Ligand-based Criteria Models complexation of ionic form of copper with

organic matter More inputs (~10, including DOC) Typically less than or equivalent to hardness-based

at representative pH and DOC levels.

Copper

BLM bottom line more conservative than

WER conservative coding more accurate than

hardness-based criteria

Metals in Sediments

Contaminated sediment TMDLs on the rise nationally (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg)

Metals Consensus Based Guidelines

(from McDonald et al (2000), MDNR LMD)

Several Missouri streams 303d listed for CS-Ms 2004 National Survey (43% of 19,000 sites affected)

Numerical Models, Hysteresis, and Remediation Limited # taxa, No SSC methods

McDonald et al. (2000) & Missouri LMD

Criterion Unit As Cd Cr Cu Ni Pb Zn

Probable Effect

Concentration mg / kg 33 4.98 111 149 48.6 128 459

Policies of Interest

Sufficiently Sensitive Testing Rule Finalized September 2014 Must be sensitive enough

to quantify compliance WQS and limits can be low

(Ex. Lead AML~ 4 μg/L)

Recommended Revisions to

1985 Criteria Guidelines See new selenium criteria Documented BC of Pb and Cd (+ others)

EPA Method 200.8 - Copper MDL ~ 2.0 ug/L - Zinc MDL ~ 1.0 ug/L - Lead MDL ~ 1.0 ug/L - Cadmium MDL ~ 1.0 ug/L

Summary (+)

1 It’s OK to be a Prudent Skeptic...of 304(a) Criteria

2 National Criteria are Often Conservative (intent)

3 Implement Thoughtfully (i.e., aluminum CCC)

4 Listen to your Instincts...when reviewing your permit

Other Changes to Look for: nutrients, Cadmium (2001), Human Health – 40 + revisions (2014), Carbaryl (2013), Selenium (2014), Chloride (in review), Turbidity (ELG 280 NTU, litigation 2009), AQL Benchmarks for Pesticides.

Thank You For This Opportunity!

Chris Zell, PHWQ Water Quality Hydrologist Geosyntec Consultants

573-489-1683 czell@geosyntec.com