2007 SHORELINE SURVEY
OF THE
BIRCHBAY
SHELLFISH GROWING AREA
Prepared by:
Scott Berbells, R.S.
Health Services Consultant
-October 2007-
Summary
During 2007, the Washington State Department of Health identified and evaluated 19 drainage/discharge points and the wastewater collection system located along approximately 5 shoreline miles of the BirchBay shellfish growing area. This information, in association with data relating to the surrounding agricultural practices, has been used to prepare this shoreline survey report.
Shoreline sampling events resulted in elevated fecal coliform levels at numerous discharges around BirchBay. Sampling data provided by other stakeholders, combined with data collected by the Department during this survey show, sporadically elevated fecal coliform levels in Terrell Creek. Because of the elevated fecal coliform levels and the flow rate in Terrell Creek this report recommends closing the area around the mouth of the Creek to commercial shellfish harvesting. The actual size of the closure zone should be related to the estimated discharge of the Creek, documented fecal coliform levels, and the water movement of BirchBay.
The 1994 Birch Bay Shoreline Survey recommended a closure zone around a 36-inch concrete culvert that discharges to the shoreline of BirchBay (Site 4, Figure 2, page 5). During this survey there was no end of pipe discharge from this culvert; however, three samples were taken from seepage at the bell-end of the culvert sections near Birch Bay Road. Sampling results ranged from <1.8 to >2,400 FC/100 ml. The lack of flow through the end of the culvert resulted in gathering of insufficient information. The existing closure zone should remain in place.
Introduction
From October 2006 through August 2007, the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Shellfish and Water Protection (the Department) conducted an evaluation of the shoreline and upland conditions along approximately 5 marine shoreline miles of the BirchBay shellfish growing area. The evaluation was completed as part of a routine re-evaluation of the commercial shellfish growing area. The shoreline of the survey area, including the growing area boundaries and classification, is shown in Figure 1 on page 3.
According to the Soil Survey of Whatcom County Area, Washington published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, there are many pockets of different soil types located within this watershed. The primary soils located near the marine shoreline include: Bellingham silty clay loam, Neptune very gravelly sandy loam, Skipopa-Blainegate complex, Labounty silt loam, and Whatcom-Labounty silt loam. Characteristics related to these soil types are as follows:
- Bellingham silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes –slow permeability with a seasonal high water table located at or near the surface between November and April.
- Neptune very gravelly sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes –this soil type is located along the eastern shoreline of the growing area. The permeability of the soil is very rapid and it has a rooting depth of 60 inches. Runoff is slow.
- Skipopa-Blainegate complex, 0 to 8 percent slopes –permeability through this soil is very slow with a seasonal high water table at 12 inches between November and June.
- Labounty silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes – much of this soil has been artificially drained. The soil is moderately permeable with a seasonal high water table at one to three feet between November and May.
- Whatcom-Labounty silt loam, 0 to 8 percent slopes –moderate permeability in the upper portion and slow permeability in the lower part. The soil has a seasonal high water table at 1.5 to 3.0 feet from December through April.
Susie Leland-Paul and Scott Berbells of the Department evaluated the shoreline and upland areas around the growing area. Staff surveyed actual and potential sources of pollution affecting the sanitation of adjacent marine waters and shellfish resources. The Department evaluated drainages, wastewater collection systems, agricultural activities, and other practices that could potentially have an adverse effect on the classification of the area. Each of the actual and potential sources was defined according to the following categories:
Direct Impact – a pollution source that is defined by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) as any waste discharge that has an immediate adverse effect on the growing area.
Indirect Impact – a pollution source that is defined by the NSSP as any waste discharge that reaches the growing area in a roundabout way.
Potential Source – a pollution source that may influence water quality in the area. Inadequate setbacks, neglect or abuse of sewage disposal systems, overgrazed pastures, or a large number of wildlife are examples that could cause a site to be identified as a potential source of contamination.
No Impact – the potential source is managed via proper on-site practices or treatment methods so that there is no negative impact on water quality.
Results
Drainages & Shoreline Discharges
Nineteen drainageways consisting of creeks, stormwater catch basins, and stormwater discharges were identified and evaluated by the Department during this survey. The location of each site is shown on Figure 2 on page 5. Detailed information regarding each site is listed in Appendix A.
The largest drainage entering the growing area is Terrell Creek (Site 03, Figure 2). According to A Catalog of Washington Streams and Salmon Utilization, Volume 1, Puget Sound published by the Washington Department of Fisheries, the Creek is approximately 8.7 miles long with 7 tributaries consisting of drainage ditches, creeks, and TerrellLake. The Creek originates at TerrellLake and meanders approximately 7 miles before turning and paralleling the shoreline for nearly 2 miles. Based on upland wildlife, agricultural conditions, and water quality the 1994 Birch Bay Shoreline Survey recommended that shellfish harvesting should not occur at the mouth of Terrell Creek.
The 1994 Birch Bay Shoreline Survey recommended a small closure zone around Site 4 (Figure 2), a 36-inch concrete culvert that discharges to the shoreline of BirchBay. This recommendation was based on elevated fecal coliform results obtained during sampling activities within the survey period. A dye study and further assessment by the Department indicated that there was no direct sewage discharge to this stormwater culvert.
Eight catch basins were identified along Birch Bay Drive upland from the shoreline developed parcels (Sites 10 – 17, Figure 2). These catch basins collect stormwater runoff from the road. A shoreline resident stated that there are no outfall pipes from the majority of these catch basins; stormwater infiltrates into the surrounding soils. Eight-inch outfall pipes were identified in two of the eight catch basins (Sites 10 and 16); however the discharge location on the shoreline was not located.
During this survey, water samples and flow measurements were periodically taken from seven of the drainages/discharge identified along the shoreline of the growing area.
Table 1 lists those results. Only two of the seven drainages (Sites 01 & 03) discharge directly to the Approved portion of the shellfish growing area.
Table 1BirchBay
Discharge Evaluation
Site # / Date / Flow (gpm) /FC/100 ml
/ Approx. FC/Day01 / 10/17/06 / 7 (estimated) / 540 / 2.06 x 108
4/19/07 / 7 (estimated) / 13 / 4.96 x 106
5/8/07 / 6.8
03 / 10/17/06 / 220
11/8/06 / 130
4/19/07 / 140
5/8/07 / <1.8
7/27/07 / 1,702 / 11 / 1.02 x 109
7/27/07 (intertidal area) / 1,702 / 23 / 2.13 x 109
04 / 10/17/06 / <5 / <1.8 / -
4/19/07 / <5 / >2,400 / 5.45 x 108
5/8/07 / No discharge
7/27/07 / 23
09 / 10/17/06 / 10 (estimated) / 130 / 7.08 x 107
11/8/06 / 240
4/19/07 / <5 / <1.8
5/8/07 / 13
7/27/07 / 17
19 / 4/19/07 / <5 / 130 / 2.83 x 107
5/8/07 / 540
20 / 4/19/07 / 70
5/8/07 / 49
22 / 7/27/07 / 350
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association conducts routine analysis of the water quality in Terrell Creek at seven different locations. Between late-2004 and 2007, 26 samples were collected and analyzed for fecal coliform bacteria from a site located on the bridge at Birch Bay Drive and Jackson Road. Sixteen samples have been collected and analyzed from the mouth of the Creek. Results from these sampling events are shown in Table 2.
Table 2Terrell Creek Sampling
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association
Date / Birch Bay Drive / JacksonRoadBridge
(FC/100 ml) / Mouth of Creek
(FC/100 ml)
11/17/04 / 12
12/8/04 / 110
1/19/05 / 350
2/9/05 / 14
3/17/05 / 16
4/28/05 / 210
6/21/05 / 120
7/19/05 / 30
8/24/05 / 74
9/21/05 / 23 / 9
10/19/05 / 22 / 3
11/16/05 / 28 / 4
12/14/05 / 29 / 15
1/10/06 / 270 / 310
3/13/06 / 36 / 23
4/6/06 / 50 / 38
5/8/06 / 28 / 33
5/31/06 / 200 / 72
6/29/06 / 56 / 38
7/26/06 / 7 / 300
8/25/06 / 11 / 15
9/20/06 / 180 / 520
11/13/06 / 180 / 120
12/13/06 / 140 / 420
1/9/07 / 56 / 20
7/2/07 / 48 / 20
Wastewater Collection & Disposal
The Birch Bay Water and Sewer District operates the waste collection, treatment, and disposal components and facility that serves the developed shoreline around the growing area. According to the NPDES Fact Sheet for the Birch Bay Water and Sewer District, the collection system is described as follows:
The collection system is composed of approximately 52 miles of gravity and pressure sewers, including eleven lift stations. The District operates a total of eleven pump stations, seven of which follow the outline of the beach. The sewer system is comprised of over 40 miles of 6- to 27-inch gravity sewers, 22,385 lineal feet of force main, and 7,670 lineal feet of 24-inch outfall piping. Nearly 41,000 lineal feet of pipe ranging from 14 inches in diameter to 18 inches makes up the majority of the collection system piping. The lift stations along Birch Bay Drive provide the backbone of the present collection system.
The outfall from the treatment facility discharges into the south end of GeorgiaStraits near Point Whitehorn. Treated effluent is discharged at a depth of 48.5 feet below mean lower low water, outside of the commercial growing area boundaries.
The waste stream generated at BirchBayState Park is collected and discharged to the system managed by the Water and Sewer District. The majority of the Park gravity feeds a lift station located near the marine shoreline via sewer lines running under Terrell Creek. According to representatives at the Park, the Birch Bay Water and Sewer District does not allow the Park to discharge to the lift station when there is a high water table in the area. The Park has received a Cleanwater Grant and intends to replace the pumps and lift station in late-2007.
Agricultural Activities
There are approximately 51 animal keeping sites in the BirchBay watershed, according to information gathered by the Whatcom Conservation District during a livestock windshield survey. The majority of these sites pasture only one type of animal. The number of sites identified, according to the majority of animals in the pasture area, is shown in Table 3. The locations of these sites are shown on the map attached as Appendix B.
Table 3BirchBay Watershed Animal Keeping Sites
Animal Type / No. of Sites / Animal Type / No. of Sites
Horse / 23 / Llama / Alpaca / 3
Cattle / 20 / Goat / 2
Sheep / 3
Conclusions
Shoreline sampling events resulted in elevated fecal coliform levels at numerous discharges around BirchBay. Sampling data provided by the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, combined with data collected by the Department during this survey, show sporadically elevated fecal coliform levels in Terrell Creek. Calculated geometric mean values and range from sampling sites at the mouth of Terrell Creek and at the Birch Bay Drive and Jackson Road bridge are shown in Table 4.
Table 4Terrell Creek Sampling Results Summary
(FC/100 ml)
Statistic / Mouth / Birch Bay DriveJackson Road bridge
n / 22 / 26
Minimum / <1.8 / 7
Maximum / 520 / 350
Geometric Mean / 40 / 52
Potential sources of fecal coliform bacteria along the lower reaches of Terrell Creek may include the Birch Bay Water & Sewer Districtcollection system, side sewer connections from individual households, and the connection to the sewer system at BirchBayState Park. However, the Department estimates that approximately 78% of the agricultural sites identified in the Whatcom Conservation Districts survey are located within the Terrell Creek watershed. In addition, upland wildlife activities may impact the Creek. Wildlife quantity and locations were not documented during this survey.
Because of the sporadically elevated fecal coliform levels and the flow rate in Terrell Creek (measured at 1,702 gallons per minute during low flow periods) the Department should close the area at the mouth of the Creek. The actual size of the closure zone should be related to the estimated discharge of the Creek, documented fecal coliform levels, and the water movement of BirchBay. The Department shouldevaluate the hydrographic characteristics of BirchBay and its impact to the flow of Terrell Creek. There are currently no approved harvest sites near the mouth of Terrell Creek.
The 1994 Birch Bay Shoreline Survey recommended a closure zone around Site 4 (Figure 2, page 5), a 36-inch concrete culvert that discharges to the shoreline of BirchBay. During this survey there was no end of pipe discharge from this culvert. Three samples were taken from seepage at the bell-end of the culvert sections near Birch Bay Road. Sampling results ranged from <1.8 to >2,400 FC/100 ml. The lack of flow through the end of the culvert resulted in an inadequate evaluation of this site by the Department. The lack of flow, coupled with the individual sampling result of >2,400 FC/100 ml, should result in the area remaining in Prohibited status.
Recommendations
The Department should:
- Evaluate the hydrographic impact from BirchBay on Terrell Creek and the impact from Terrell Creek to the BirchBay shellfish growing area. Create a Prohibited area around the mouth of the Creek that reflects the bacteria load and hydrographic characteristics.
- Not approve any additional harvest sites near the mouth of Terrell Creek until a Prohibited area has been created.
1
2007 BIRCHBAY
SHORELINE SURVEY REPORT
Appendix ABirchBay
Waypoint Evaluation
Site # / Location / Comments
01 / Lat. N 48.89449°
Long. W 122.78534° / 18” black plastic culvert, discharging during evaluation.
02 / Lat. N 48.90131°
Long. W 122.77367° / Wastewater collection system pump station.
03 / Lat. N 48.92014°
Long. W 122.74462° / Terrell Creek at mouth.
04 / Lat. N 48.9287°
Long. W 122.74622° / 36” concrete culvert onto beach. No observed discharge during evaluation.
05 / Lat. N 48.92898°
Long. W 122.74587° / 6” concrete culvert onto beach. No observed discharge during evaluation. End of culvert is near end of Site 04.
06 / Lat. N 48.92776°
Long. W 122.74535° / Culvert under road, unknown discharge point.
07 / Lat. N 48.92671°
Long. W 122.74522° / Culvert under road from catch basin, unknown discharge point.
08 / Lat. N 48.92602°
Long. W 122.74549° / 12” green culvert through bulkhead, under building. 4” plastic pipe below. No discharge during evaluation.
09 / Lat. N 48.93233°
Long. W 122.74754° / 24” concrete culvert discharging approximately 10 gpm during evaluation.
10 / Lat. N 48.91729°
Long. W 122.74630° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. 8” pipe in from north, 8” pipe out to shoreline (not observed on shoreline).
11 / Lat. N 48.91703°
Long. W 122.74647° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. Inflow/outflow pipe to north.
12 / Lat. N 48.91206°
Long. W 122.74971° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. Inflow/outflow pipe to north.
13 / Lat. N 48.90975°
Long. W 122.75269° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. Unknown outfall location.
14 / Lat. N 48.90972°
Long. W 122.75293° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. Unknown outfall location. Shoreline resident stated that there are no outfall pipes from the majority of the catch basins. Stormwater infiltrates into the ground.
15 / Lat. N 48.90967°
Long. W 122.75304° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. No outfall pipe observed.
16 / Lat. N 48.90930°
Long. W 122.75376° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. 8” plastic outfall pipe to shoreline.
17 / Lat. N 48.90909°
Long. W 122.75412° / Catch basin on west side of Birch Bay Drive. Unknown outfall location.
18 / Lat. N 48.93944°
Long. W 122.75749° / Wastewater collection system pump station.
19 / Lat. N 48.93785°
Long. W 122.75408° / 24” concrete culvert extended out a significant distance from shoreline.
20 / Lat. N 48.92125°
Long. W 122.74464° / Large culvert under road to tidegate. Discharges at mouth of Terrell Creek.
21 / Lat. N 48.92435°
Long. W 122.74529° / 12” black stormwater culvert to shoreline.
22 / Lat. N 48.93687°
Long. W 122.75238° / 24” concrete culvert on shoreline.