Abstract
The project goal was to determine if stormwater runoff and the legacy effects of leaking underground storage tanks (UST) posed an environmental health threat along an urban stream, Town Creek (TC). Baseflow and stormflow samples were collected from TC between March and October 2016 for physical and chemical characterization and E. coli analyses. Groundwater seeps and wells near the banks of TC were also sampled for E. coli and benzene analyses. Stormflow concentrations of E. coli were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated relative to preceding baseflow and groundwater concentrations. Overall, 80% of stormflow samples and 45% of baseflow samples exceeded the US EPA recommended standards for E. coli in recreational waters. Benzene was detected in all water samples analyzed and 50% of samples collected from a seep on the western bank of TC exceeded the maximum contaminant level. Concentrations of benzene emitted to air from contaminated soil exceeded short term exposure standards 75% of times sampled. Results suggest the drainage from TC may be a threat to environmental health. Implementation of stormwater control measures is suggested to reduce the delivery of runoff and E. coli to TC. Remediation of groundwater contaminated by leaking underground storage tanks is also suggested.
Highlights
1.1 Town Creek and Urban RunoffTown Creek (TC) drains a ~1 km2 urbanized section of the City of Greenville in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina (NC), and is a tributary to the Tar River (Figure 1)
Baseflow is sustained by groundwater discharge, and groundwater E. coli concentrations may influence E. coli concentrations of streams especially between rain events (Humphrey et al, 2015; Iverson et al, 2017)
These findings suggest that urban runoff is a major mechanism for E. coli transport and delivery to TC during rain events and concentrations of E. coli in TC during storms are more related to runoff rather than groundwater discharge
Summary
Town Creek (TC) drains a ~1 km urbanized section of the City of Greenville in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina (NC), and is a tributary to the Tar River (Figure 1). Temperatures are typically coldest during the winter months when mean daily temperatures range between 2.4 °C and 9 °C. Average rainfall in the summer ranges between 10.9 cm to 15.6 cm per month. Pollutants including pathogens from animal waste that collect on hard surfaces may be transported via runoff to storm sewers and eventually receiving waters (Smith & Perdek, 2004). Considering the typical rainfall patterns, IS and storm sewer networks in the TC watershed, urban runoff may transport microbial pathogens to recreational waters near Town Commons, endangering public and environmental health
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