Carl E. Zipper

Water Quality and Freshwater Mussel Status in Mining-Influenced Virginia-Tennessee Rivers

Collaborators and Abstract Co-authors: B. Beaty, The Nature Conservancy

J.W. Jones, US Fish and Wildlife Service C. Lott and R. Stewart, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

American Society of Mining and Reclamation 10-13 April 2017. Morgantown WV,

USA Biodiversity “Hot Spots”*

Biodiversity High

Low

6 top “hot spots” 1. Hawaii 2. San Francisco Bay 3. Southern Appalachians 4. Death Valley 5. Southern California 6. Florida Panhandle

Source: Chaplin et

al. 2000. In: “Precious Heritage.”

* Defined using a “rarity and richness”

index.

Presentation Goals: Describe status of freshwater mussel fauna in the Clinch and Powell Rivers of Virginia and Tennessee. Review what is known about threats to the fauna in these mining-influenced rivers. Review ongoing research that is intended to identify ecosystem stressors that are causing faunal decline in some river sections.

Freshwater Mussels - Basic Biology 300 species in North America (highest diversity worldwide) > 70

federally listed.

45 species, 20 federally listed, are extant in Clinch & Powell Rivers.

Free-living adults, larvae parasitic on fish gills.

Limited mobility, can move along substrate with muscular foot, stay anchored in the sediment by staying partially buried.

Filter feeders, remove food particles and bacteria from water column.

Long lived, usually 15 to 100+ years depending upon species.

Sensitive to water and sediment contaminants, esp. metals, ammonia.

Major Threats (Global) to Freshwater Mussels (Williams et al. 1993, Bogan 1997, Bogan 2001)

• Siltation, from erosion, runoff, unstable streambanks

• Pollution: they are particularly sensitive to some substances

• Dams, channelization

• Decline of host fishes

• Invasive species

VA

TN

Clinch and Powell Rivers Of Southwestern Virginia and Northeastern Tennessee

Appalachian coalfield

Ridge & Valley

VA

TN

Mined (detected 1984-2011) Mined pre-1984 (most) Other

Virginia coalfield surface mining, as detected by Landsat satellites (Li et al. Env. Monit. Assess.)

VA

TN

Mussel Status* Excellent Good Fair Poor

* Mussel status evaluated based in density & age structure / reproduction. Johnson et al. 2012. Walkerana 15: 83-98

Jones et al. 2014. JAWRA 50: 820-836

Ahlstedt et al. J. Mollusk Biol. Cons. (in press)

Questions: • Why are mussels doing so poorly in some

areas, when they are doing well in others that are close by?

• Are specific stressors responsible for mussels’ poor status in some areas?

Following slides summarize completed and ongoing research intended to answer those questions.

1. Mussels have experienced declines in sections of both rivers over decades.

1979 1987 1994 1999 2004 2009

Dens

ity (p

er m

2 )

1975 1982 1989 1996 2003 2010

Clinch, Pendleton Island Jones et al. 2014

Powell, four sites near VA-TN border

1. Mussels have experienced declines in sections of both rivers over decades. In contrast, mussels are doing well in other areas.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Den

sity

(per

m2)

Clinch River Swan Island TN

Data from Jones et al. 2009, 2014.

2. Watershed influence by mining, as evidenced by water conductivity and total dissolved solids, has been increasing in both rivers over periods of mussel decline.

3. Total Dissolved Solids concentrations – indicator of mining influence in these watersheds -- are negatively correlated, both spatially and temporally, with freshwater mussel status in both rivers.

Cum

ulat

ive

Area

Min

ed (k

m2 )

1984

2011

Cumulative mining, VA coalfield as detected by Landsat, 1984-2011

(Li. et al. 2015)

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

0 1 2 3 4 5 6River Section

Dis

solv

ed S

olid

s (m

g/L)

.

cb

bab

a

bab ab

Mean Values

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

No

Tren

d at

α =

0.0

5

0

12

3 45 6

Dissolved Solids, Clinch River: Mean values and temporal trends: 1960s – 2010, by river section.

River sections designated by numbers: 0 (Tennessee) to 6 (furthest upstream)

Price et al. 2014

0

1 2 3 4

5 6

Dissolved Solids, Clinch River: (1960s-2010)

Rising trends throughout, but few differences among overall mean values.

0

100

200

300

400

Apr-68 Jun-89 Aug-10D

isso

lved

Sol

ids

(mg/

L)

Section 1

0

100

200

300

400

Apr-68 Jun-89 Aug-10

Dis

solv

ed S

olid

s (m

g/L)

Section 2

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

0 1 2 3 4 5 6River Section

Dis

solv

ed S

olid

s (m

g/L)

.

cb

bab

a

bab ab

Mean Values

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

No

Tren

d at

α =

0.0

5

Price et al. 2014

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

0 1 2 3 4 5 6River Section

Dis

solv

ed S

olid

s (m

g/L)

.

cb

bab

a

bab ab

Mean Values

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

Incr

easin

g Tr

end

No

Tren

d at

α =

0.0

5

0

12

3 45 6

Dissolved Solids, Clinch River: Mean values and temporal trends: 1960s – 2010.

Mussel Status Good Mediocre Poor

Johnson et al. (2014)

measured continuous SC in Sections 0 and 2; found SC in Sec. 2 > SC in Sec. 0 (p<0.05). **************** Later, Sec. 2 is described as “impacted reach”

0 1

2 3 4

5 6

Price et al. 2014

km

TENNESSEE

VIRGINIA

KENTUCKY

Big Stone Gap water monitoring station (Virginia DEQ)

Mined areas, as defined by Li et al. 2015

02468

1012141618

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

New

Min

ed L

ands

(km

^2)

Estimate annual surface coal production, Powell River watershed -- assuming (a) equivalent proportions of Wise Co. totals for both mined land disturbance and coal production; (b) estimates for missing years.

-

1

2

3

4

5

6

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

10^6

Tonn

es C

oal /

Yea

r

Land disturbance by mining, Powell River Watershed above Big Stone Gap, by year of detection (Landsat).

Zipper et al. 2016

Total Dissolved Solids DEQ monitoring data, 1967 – 2014: Highly significant increasing trend at Big Stone Gap (through 6/10). Increasing trends also present further downstream.

Big Stone Gap – RKM 288.4

0

200

400

600

800

1000

Jun-67 Mar-79 Dec-90 Oct-02 Jul-14

Diss

olve

d S

olid

s (m

g/L)

Spatial correlations of river km with mussel metrics in Powell River

River km is proxy for mining influence / TDS, since major mining influence is in the headwaters. Mussel data from Johnson et al. (2012) based on 2008-2009 sampling. (chart from Zipper et al. 2016)

Year

RKM 288

Coal

RKM 224 Decay-wt. Disturb.

RKM 288 TDS

mean RKM

223-231 TDS 5-yr

mean RKM

105-194 TDS 5-yr

mean

Mussel density

0.97 ****

0.98 ****

0.99 ****

0.83 ****

0.87 ****

0.87 ****

0.92 ****

0.97 ****

0.97 ****

0.92 ****

0.75 ****

0.86 ****

0.83 ****

0.72 ****

0.87 ****

-0.81 *

-0.71 †

-0.75 †

-0.72 †

-0.68 †

-0.65

RKM 288 = Big Stone Gap

RKM 223-231 = Jonesville

RKM105-194 = Lower Virginia to Tennessee

Mussel density near VA-TN state line (4 locations; data from Alstedt et al. 2017).

Temporal Correlations: Environmental Indicators vs. Mussel Status

† = 0.05<p<0.10 (chart from Zipper et al. 2016)

4. Bioassays to test influence of environmentally relevant concentrations of major ions (TDS) on juvenile mussel survival and growth have revealed no significant toxicity or growth impairments.

Ciparis et al. 2015

Ciparis et al. 2015

Hypothesis: Major ions / TDS / Specific Conductance are exerting toxic influence in the Clinch and/or Powell Rivers?

Investigate Hypothesis: 56 day exposure of juvenile Villosa Iris, a native mussel, to major ion mixtures equivalent to “worst case” measured conditions both rivers.

Ca2+, 50

K+, 3Mg+,

21Na+, 33

SO42-, 118

Cl-, 15

HCO3-, 184

Ca2+, 86 K+, 6Mg+, 49

Na+, 114

SO42-, 452

Cl-, 19

HCO3-, 229

Clinch: 424 mg/L Below Guest R.

Powell: 942 mg/L Big Stone Gap

Methods (con’d): Experiment was fully replicated (6 groups for each of 4 treatments: Clinch, Powell, full pond control, ½ control); 1200 mussels total. Results:

No statistically significant difference between either Powell or Clinch treatment with control (α = 0.05).

Powell growth was nominally depressed, relative to Clinch and control. Conclusion: Results do not support the “major ion toxicity” hypothesis – at least for V. iris at that life stage.

Ciparis et al. 2015

5. Mussels are known to be sensitive to metals. Both water-column and tissue concentrations of potentially toxic metals are elevated in mining-influenced sections of the Clinch River where mussel declines have been noted.

VA DEQ – TN DEC Cooperative Water Monitoring

VA

TN

LEGENDWatershed boundary

Clinch River Major tributaries

Proposed Sampling Locations

TN Ref Impacted Upstream Ref

Tributary (Guest River)

Physiography within the watershed:

Appalachian plateaus

Ridge and valley

X

X

Coordinated baseflow monitoring of Clinch River by state agencies, for the purpose of enabling interstate water quality comparisons

Sampling Sites by Reach: TN Reference Impacted Upstream Reference Tributary (Guest R)

VA DEQ – TN DEC Cooperative Water Monitoring Mean values of TN-Reference and Upstream-Reference parameters

that are both significantly different from Impacted Reach means (Yr 1)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

% o

f Im

pact

ed R

each

Mea

n TN Ref Up Ref

Dissolved - - - - - -Total - - - - - -

US Geological Survey Study: Clinch River Compare tissue concentrations of caged (V. iris) and resident (A.

pectorosa) mussels in Impacted Reach vs. Horton Ford (TN Reference)

Johnson et al. 2014

0%

50%

100%

Al Cd Co Cu Fe Pb Li Mg Ni K Th V% In

crea

se vs

. TN

Ref

Caged- Dungannon Caged- Ft. Blackmore Resident - Dungannon

N.C. State University Study (Archambault et al. 2017)

Trap suspended sediments at multiple locations. Expose juvenile E. brevidens to sediments in laboratory biossays. Assess relationships of mussel survival and biomass to sediments’ extractable constituents .

Mea

n Su

rviv

al (%

)

Mea

n Bi

omas

s Cha

nge

(%)

Mn Concentration (µg/g) sediment Mn Concentration (µg/g) sediment

Results Survival was negatively correlated with: Mn, Co, NH4

Biomass was negatively correlated with: Mn, Co, Total Organic C

6. Recent data show that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) concentrations are elevated in Clinch River sections where mussel declines have been noted, relative to other sections.

Trap suspended sediments at multiple locations …. Assess relationships of mussel status to sediments’ extractable constituents .

Results: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are elevated in river sections of poor mussel status.

Total PAH PAH Chronic Toxicity Units

Mussel decline zone Mussel decline zone

Petrogenic PAH (i.e. derived from unburned fossil fuel -- including coal, oils, etc.) are 65-85% of total PAH at most locations.

N.C. State University Study (Archambault et al. 2017)

Conclusions Freshwater mussel populations in the Clinch and Powell Rivers are

a unique and valued biodiversity resource.

Freshwater mussels have declined relative to historic levels in most sections of the Clinch River and throughout the Powell River.

Mussel declines appear as correlated with coal-mining influence, but specific stressors responsible for declines are not known.

Candidate responsible stressors include: • TDS/major ions (perhaps working through subtle mechanisms

such as effects on reproduction). • Metals: Via bioaccumulative mechanisms and/or physiological

interactions with fine-particulate forms. • PAHs derived from unburned fossil fuels.

Observed effects may be caused by synergistic interactions of multiple contaminants.

References

Ahlstedt SA et al. Quantitative monitoring of freshwater mussel populations from 1979–2004 in the Clinch and Powell Rivers of Tennessee and Virginia, with miscellaneous notes on the fauna. J. Mollusk Biol. Cons. (In press)

Archambault JM et al. 2017. Assessing toxicity of contaminants in riverine suspended sediments to freshwater mussels. Environ. Tox. Chem. 36: 395-407.

Ciparis S et al. 2015. Effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of major ions on a freshwater mussel. Environ. Pollut. 207: 280-287.

Johnson GC.et al. 2014. Influences of water and sediment quality and hydrologic processes on mussels in the Clinch River. JAWRA 50: 878-897.

Johnson MS et all 2012. Freshwater mussels of the Powell River, Virginia and Tennessee: abundance and distribution in a biodiversity hotspot. Walkerana, 15: 83-98.

Jones JW et al. 2009. Status and trends of freshwater mussel populations, Clinch and Powell Rivers, Virginia and Tennesee. Prepeard for Clinch-Powell Clean Rivers Inititiative (unpublished).

Jones JW et al. 2014. Clinch River freshwater mussels upstream of Norris Reservoir, Tennessee and Virginia: a quantitative assessment from 2004 to 2009. 50(4), pp.820-836.

Li J et al. 2015. Reconstructing disturbance history for an intensively mined region by time-series analysis of Landsat imagery. Environ. Mon. Assess. 187(9),:557.

Price JE et al. 2014. Water and sediment quality in the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, USA, over nearly five decades. JAWRA 50: 837-858.

Zipper CE et al. 2014. Freshwater mussel population status and habitat quality in the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, USA: A featured collection. JAWRA 50: 807-819.

Zipper CE et al. 2016. Spatial and temporal relationships among watershed mining, water quality, and freshwater mussel status in an eastern USA river. Sci Tot Environ 541: 603-615.

Thanks to many contributors and collaborators for the research reported.

Thanks to US Office of Surface Mining, Virginia DMME, and The Nature Conservancy for funding the VA DEQ – TN DEC Cooperative Water Monitoring Study. Thanks to Clinch Powell Clean Rivers Initiative for providing mechanism for collaboration and funding. Thanks for cooperative efforts by parties representing the The Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, US Geological Survey, NC State University, and other entities.