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DRAFT PHILADELPHIA'S FOR P"!-- -A i"l I y I) AF4" RIVER RESOURCES REVIEW TD 225 T52 T64 1982 82 -5 PHILADELPHIA'S RIVER RESOURCES PHILADELPHIA CITY PLANNING COMMISSION William L. Rafsky, Chairman William W. Batoff Louis J. Cissone G. Edward DeSeve Richard A. Doran W. Wilson Goode Margy Ellin Meyerson Walter E. Sucharski G. Craig Schelter, Acting Executive Director Barbara J. Kaplan, Deputy Director Project Manager: Elba Cenal Pellecchia Report: William E. Toffey Graphics: Cartographic Division Typing: Devorha M. Moultrie January, 1982 This plan was financed in part through a Coastal Zone Management grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources with funds provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 87 MAP NOTES 3 SUMMARY 89 LAND RESOURCES 10 OVERVIEW 89 ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES 89 Lower Schuylkill Riverfront 10 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 91 South and Central Delaware Riverfronts 93 North Delaware Riverfront 15 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 97 Upper Schuylkill Riverfront 17 REFERENCES 100 LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 18 MAP NOTES 104 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT 104 Floodplains 19 WATER RESOURCES 108 Air Pollution III Odors 19 WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY 113 Noise 19 Water Quantity and Use 114 Environmental Hazards 19 Flow Characteristics 21 Water Usage 117 REFERENCES 28 Water Quality in the Delaware 30 Dissolved Oxygen 119 MAP NOTES 36 Fecal Coliform 36 Chloride 120 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 40 Metals 41 Other Water Quality Standards 120 MANAGEMENT AND STUDY OF WATER QUALITY 42 Water Quality in the Schuylkill 120 Dissolved Oxygen Research 44 Projections of Future Water Quality 121 Fish Population Surveys 122 Fish Flesh and Bioassay Studies 49 FISHERIES AND AQUATIC HABITATS 49 Fish Population Characteristics 122 FISHERY MANAGEMENT 54 Shallow Water Habitats 122 Fish Stocking in the Delaware 58 Projection of Future Fisheries 122 Fish Ladder at Flat Rock Dam 122 Schuylkill Fisheries Management 60 WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 60 Pollution Abatement 123 MANAGEMENT OF SHALLOWS 64 River Flow Management 123 Protection of Existing Shallows 65 Fishery Enhancement 123 Shallows Creation 67 Shallows Management 83 REFERENCES 126 PUBLIC ACCESS DEVELOPMENT 126 Access to the Delaware 126 Access to the Schuylkill River 126 WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT 126 Habitat Preservation 127 Riverfront Restoration 127 MITIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCES 127 Hazardous Materials Controls 128 Odor Control 128 Floodplain Controls 129 Separation of Land Uses TABLES MAPS 2 (1) Riverfront Plan 11 Historical Conditions 20 (2) Flow Characteristics of Philadelphia 22 Water Withdrawers Rivers 24 Wastewater Dischargers 27 (3) Delaware River Recreational Use 26 Recreational Facilities Survey 29 DRBC Zones and River Mile Index 31 (4) Dissolved Oxygen Profile of Delaware 32 Dissolved Oxygen Violations, 1970-1974 Estuary 33 Dissolved oxygen Violations, 1980 35 (5) Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations by 46 Projected Dissolved Oxygen Violations Zone, 1970-1980 53 Areas of Recreational Fishing 36 (6) Fecal Coliform Concentrations by 56 Shallow Water Areas Season and Zone 59 Future Recreational Fishing Areas 37 (7) Fecal Coliform Profile of Delaware Lower Schuylkill Riverfront Estuary South and Central Riverfronts 39 (8) Delaware River Flow/Water Quality Lower North Delaware Riverfront Thru 4/15/81 Upper North Delaware Riverfront 45 (9) Projected Dissolved Oxygen Profile Upper Schuylkill Riverfront 69 (10) Summary of Drinking Water Quality 101 Riverfront Wildlife Areas 70 (11) Comparison of Delaware Estuary 105 Floodplains Standards to Water Quality 109 Environmental Nuisances Conditions 124 Recommendations 74 (12) Comparison of Schuylkill River Standards to Water Quality Conditions 77 (13) Characteristics of Fish in the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers 80 (14) Summary of Delaware Fish Survey, 1973 81 (15) Comparison of Fish Surveys at Two Different Sampling Areas INTRODUCTION This technical report is a survey of the established to assist in this riverfront environmental conditions of Philadelphia's planning: two principal rivers, the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, and of the riverfront 1. Promote port development. lands bordering them. The report is 2. Evaluate development opportunities intended to answer the following questions: for non-port related uses. 3. Foster residential and recreational 1. What is the water quality of the access. Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, and 4. Enhance the aesthetic and environ- how will it change in the future? mental qualities of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. 2. What kinds of fish live in Philadel- phia's rivers and how will future The planning process now underway for the reductions in pollution improve the riverfront has been proceeding on three fisheries? levels. On the first of these levels, studies and functional plans are being 3. Are there significant wildlife developed to look At individual facets of habitats and plant communities on the riverfront along the entire length of riverfront lands? the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers in Phila- delphia. This report on river resources is 4. In what ways do flooding, air the second functional plan to be completed pollution, noise, odor and other (the first was the Port Facilities Study). environmental problems affect Other functional pfans include Riverfront riverfront areas? Industry Analysis, Legal Implications for Development and Port Residential Zoning This report concludes with recommendations District. The second level of planning is for the improved management of the rivers detailed development plans for each of five and riverfront lands. riverfront districts, making recommendations on land use, zoning, urban design, transpor- This report on Philadelphia's river resources tation and other physical improvements. The I.Ls part of a larger planning effort. The third level of planning is directed at key Philadelphia City Planning Commission, with sites or opportunity areas, including Penn's the assistance of other agencies, groups Landing, the foot of Washington Avenue, Fort and individuals, has been preparing a Mifflin-Airport Area and 30th Street Station comprehensive plan for the Philadelphia Area. For these sites detailed development Riverfront. The focus of this work is to alternatives will be evaluated in order to balance the demand for the many uses make specific recommendations on reuse and competing for riverfront land. These development. include port facilities, industry, utili- ties, recreation, housing, retailing and In Table 1, the functional plans and the transportation. Several goals have been district plans comprising the riverfront planning effort are listed along with Engineers and the Delaware River Basin their scheduled completion dates. Upon Commission, and others are products of water completion of the functional and district quality planning efforts in the Philadel- plans, a comprehensive plan encompassing phia metropolitan region sponsored by the the entire riverfront will be prepared. Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commis- sion, the Pennsylvania Department of Environ- TABLE 1: RIVERFRONT PLAN mental Resources and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. By far the most important studies and Functional Plans data source was the over two dozen water resources experts and biologists who were Port Facilities Study 1978 interviewed and who have made a significant River Resources 1981 contribution to the content of this report. Riverfront Industry Analysis 1981 in particular, the staff of the Planning and Legal Implications' for Development 1981 Technical Services Division of the Philadel- Port Residential Zoning District 1981 phia Water Department provided a wealth of useful water quality data and valuable District Plans professional insight into the water resource management issues in the Delaware River Basin. South Delaware Waterfront 1981 For an understanding of fish population Central Riverfront 1981 characteristics, the Pennsylvania Fish Commis- North Delaware Waterfront 1982 sion was contacted numerous times for many Lower Schuylkill Waterfront 1982 helpful discussions. In addition to these two Upper Schuylkill Waterfront 1982 groups, staff of the Delaware River Basin commission, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Development Plans and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and many individual experts on fish and wildlife gave Foot of Washington Avenue 1981 freely of their time and knowledge during Penn's Landing 1981 telephone conversations. This technical North Bridge 1981 report, therefore, can be considered a product Riverwalk 1982 of many individuals, although the author is Cramp Shipyard - Port Richmond Area 1982 responsible for data interpretation and for Ft. Mifflin - Airport Area 1982 the management recommendations. Finally, 30th Street Station Area 1982 appreciation is given to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and the Comprehensive Riverfront Plan 1982 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion for the grant which contributed to the preparation of this report. A variety of sources were used in the preparation of this report on Philadel- phia's river resources. Several important published documents, identified in the references for each chapter, have been prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of 13 SUMMARY Pollution of the Delaware River by Philadel- phia's sewage treatment plants is the most The Philadelphia's River Resources report, serious river resource issue. Sewage effluent part of a larger, comprehensive planning is food for aquatic microorganisms which ' in effort for Philadelphia's riverfront, is a the process of breaking down the waste into survey of environmental conditions of the gases and nutrients, rob the river of its Delaware and Schuylkill rivers and of adjacent gaseous dissolved oxygen. Without oxygen, riverfront lands. It summarizes water quality fish cannot survive. The three sewage plants thereby create what is known as a "dissolved data for the rivers and describes how water oxygen sa if quality affects fish populations. It then 9. When concentrations of dissolved makes projections of improvements to water oxygen are measured in summer both below and quality and fisheries which will result from above Philadelphia, oxygen exceeds 6.0 milli- pollution abatement efforts in the estuary. grams per liter (mg/1); but in the central Riverfront lands are surveyed for significant Philadelphia area the concentration plummets plant and wildlife communities and for envi- to near zero. When oxygen concentrations fall ronmental conditions such as flooding, air below 3.5 mg/l, few fish can survive. Partic- pollution and noise affecting riverfront ularly vulnerable to low oxygen are those game areas. The report concludes with recommenda- fish attractive to fishermen. tions for improved management of the rivers In 1961, an interstate compact created the and riverfront lands. Delaware River Basin Commission to provide a The Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers provide basin-wide stategy for pollution control. important resources for Philadelphians. They Following a thorough study of the estuary, the are throughfares for marine commerce, they DRBC assigned to each waste discharger an yield drinking water and food, and they carry allocation of allowable waste loads substan- away wastes. But industrialization in the tially lower than loads which were already nineteenth century completely and irreversibly being released. Significant steps by munici- altered the river's original ecosystems; pal dischargers toward achieving allowable productive wetlands and shallows were filled waste loads were not-taken until after the or dredged, and until relatively recently raw federal government passed in 1972 legislation sewage was discharged to the Delaware from which appropriated federal money to cover 75% over a half million homes and from thousands of the cost of upgrading treatment levels. of industries, creating a foul-smelling, Although nearly a decade has gone by since lifeless river. Construction of three sewage the legislation was adopted, the City of treatment plants in the 1950s eliminated the Philadelphia has still only half completed its worst of the odor and pollution nuisances in pollution abatement program. But by 1987 the the Delaware. And an even brighter future can $900 millIon pollut Ion abatement program will be foreseen for the rivers as fish populations be completed, and the quantity of organic respond to a second round of water pollution matter discharged to the Delaware River by the reduction and to new fishery management City will be reduced by over 75%. efforts. Philadelphia's pollution abatement program standard for fecal coliform which is violated will greatly improve the Delaware's water frequently in the Delaware River below the quality. The DRBC goal is for dissolved mouth of Pennypack Creek. A more restrictive oxygen through Philadelphia to not fall below public health standard pertaining to body 3.5 mg/l, a standard which is currently contact sports is only achieved in the vicin- violated for the 15 mile stretch from the ity of the City boundary at Poquessing Creek. City's southern boundary to approximately the The highest fecal coliform concentrations, Betsy Ross Bridge. In the future, violations about 100 times higher than the standard, occur of the standard are likely to be reduced to a near Penn's Landing in central Philadelphia. 6 mile stretch from Penn Treaty Park to the bend in the river at the Philadephia Naval Metals and other exotic substances occur only Base. The recently completed Southwest Sewage in trace quantities in the Delaware River and Treatment Plant., which discharges near the are thought to not pose problems for water Cityls southern boundary, has already greatly users or to aquatic life. Ammonia and improved oxygen levels in the Delaware down- nitrate, two nitrogen compounds, meet environ- river of the City, particularly benefitting mental and health standards, and phenol, an riverfront communities in Delaware County, organic substance which affects the taste of Pennsylvania. fish, is only rarely in violation of stand- ards. Chromium and manganese levels achieve The Northeast Sewage Treatment Plant, when it standards, and concentrations of lead, copper is fully operational in 1984, will create the and iron only occasionally exceed standards. most significant river quality improvements for Philadelphia residents. Located near the The most serious issue regarding metals and Betsy Ross Bridge, this facility discharges other substances is the lack of scientific wastes which are carried upriver by tidal studies. There have been no studies to action, disrupting aquatic habitats in the establish unambiguous standards for aluminum, vicinity of the several yacht clubs and zinc, lead and nickel.. Although measured fishing access points. The upgrading of the levels of these metals are getterally regarded Northeast plant will improve the summer levels acceptable, this is not conclusively known. of dissolved oxygen by a milligram per liter For two other toxic substances, arsenic and and should allow populations of game fish to cyanide, there are no recent analyses to increase significantly in@phvorthern half of the determine whether established standards are Delaware Riverfront. being achieved. There are water quality parameters in addition In contast to the Delaware River, the Schuyl- to dissolved oxygen which affect the use of kill River, or at least that portion upstream the Delaware River. Fecal coliform is a of Fairmount Dam, has exceptionally good water parameter which indicates contamination by quality. Dissolved oxygen standards are human wastes, as fecal coliform bacteria are consistently met. Fecal coliform standards common inhabitants of the human intestine are apparently achieved, although not much and may be carrier5of disease viruses. Both verifying data is available. Because the the DRBC and the Pennsylvania Department Schuylkill River is industrialized upriver of of Environmental Resources have adopted a the City and its headwaters are situated in a coal mining area, the Schuylkill is subject principal game fish which can be caught by to industrial effluent contamination. A fisherman in the Delaware are white perch, soon-to-be released study by the U.S. Geologic several species of catfish and sunfish, white Survey will give data on the occcurence of sucker and, during migration, shad and river pesticides and organic compounds in the herring. A larger variety of game fish may be river's ecosystem, and some research indicates caught in the Schuylkill, including small heavy metal contamination in the Reading area. and largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and a But by the time the Schuylkill River reaches large number of sunfish species, in addition the Philadephia area, the river has largely to most of the game fish available in the cleansed itself. Water quality data collected Delaware River. by the Philadelphia Water Department at its two raw water intakes indicates that all Between the Tioga Marine Terminal and Tacony- established water quality standards are Palmyra Brige, the recreational fisherycan achieved, with the occasional exception of only be classified acceptable. Dissolved phenol compounds. oxygen levels, while generally achieving DRBC standards in summer, are suitable only for The tidal Schuylkill River, unfortunately, is pollution tolerant fish. Catfish, white seriously polluted. Below Fairmount Dam there perch, carp,. sunfish and eel may be caught in are industrial wastewater discharges and this section of the river in summer. frequent discharges of raw sewage from malfunc- tioning sewer overflow chambers. During A major portion of the Delaware and Schuylkill summer, flow over the Fairmount Dam is Rivers cannot sustain recreational fishing. very low, and the action of the tides traps In the Delaware River from Fort Mifflin to pollutants in the upper portion of the Schuyl- Tioga Marine Terminal and in most of the tidal kill Estuary. The net effect is to create Schuylkill, dissolved oxygen concentrations a zone of water which, during summer, is fall to such a low level that no game fish can virtually lifeless. The concentration of be sustained. Highly pollution tolerant, dissolved oxygen was only 1.0 mg/l in an minnow-size fish, such as the mummichog and August 1981 survey, grossly insufficient to banded killifish, are two dominant fish sustain fish life. Apparently the water in polluted waters. quality is not as poor during springtime. River flow is ample during spring, and Spring fish migration offers a unique fishing migrating fish are able to reach the opportunity along Philadelphia's riverfront. fishway at Fairmount Dam from the Delaware In the February to April period, dissolved River. oxygen concentrations are generally high enough to allow the upriver migration of shad Good populations of fish live in the Delaware and river herring. These fish may be caught River north of the Tacony-Palymyra Bridge and in the Delaware River along those riverfront in the Schuylkill River above Fairmount Dam. areas which, come summer, do not sustain a In these portions iof the rivers, dissolved resident fish population. For example, the oxygen concentrations are sufficiently high river near Penn's Landing in summer is too year round to support a resident population of grossly polluted to sustain game fish, but in game fish and to permit fish breeding. The spring shad and herring may be caught. fish, but in spring shad and herring may be No riverfront lands in Phiadelaphia retain caught. their pre-colonial characteristics. Virtually all original wetlands and tidal flatlands were The City's pollution abatement program, when filled, and all native tree cover cut down. completed in 1987, will greatly improve fish As a result of heavy industrialization and populations in-the Delaware River. Good port development, three-quarters of the fishing should be available in the river from Delaware Riverfront is in piers, wharves and the Frankford Arsenal northwards. The only bulkheads, and most of the remainder has a section of the river which is not expected to rubble edge. The Schuylkill River has a more provide even acceptable fishing opportunities natural appearance. The Schuylkill riverfront is the central portion, from Penn Treaty Park for 4 miles above the Fairmount Dam is in south to the Philadelphia Naval Base. The landscaped parklands, and the west bank of the tidal Schuylkill River will also not signifi- tidal Schuylkill for about one mile supports a cantly improve over the foreseeable future. growth of shrubs and trees. Water quality is not the only factor influenc- Riverfront lands with sign ificant concentra- ing fish populations. The physical conditions tions of wildlife are scarce. East and West of the river affects the productivity of the Parks along a three-mile stretch of the river and its suitability for fish. Shallow Schuylkill River are a major habitat for water areas, as described in a special report upland birds and mammals, as well as the by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are winter residence for Canada geese and several critical habitats. Shallows, defined as kinds of hawks. Riverfront lands in Upper submerged lands shallower than 10 feet, Roxborough are also significant habitats and provide shelter, food and breeding places for have potential for future river-oriented fish. Disturbance of shallows by fill or recreation development. On the Delaware, dredging activity is strictly controlled by there are two areas with significant wildlife the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through concentrations. Near the Delaware's conflu- regulations issued pursuant to the federal ence with the Schuylkill, dredge disposal Clean Water Act. Because there has been basinssewage lagoons, the airport and vacant extensive loss of shallows in the past lands provide wetland and upland habitats. (scarcely 10 percent of Philadelphia's Twenty miles upriver, in the Torresdale original extent of shallows remain today), section of the City, extensive areas of public federal policy is to forbid further loss lands and well vegetated privRte Lands provide unless proposed fill or dredging activity wildlife habitat. One particularly signifi- supports water-dependent uses of wide public cant area is the former ash residue disposal benefit. The negative impact of disturbing area at the mouth of Pennypack Creek which has shallows could be offset, however, by the reverted back to fields supporting rabbit, creation of artificial shallows in other pheasant and deer. areas, an option being considered by federal regulatory and environmental agencies. Flooding of riverfront lands during major storms is a significant environmental concern. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has prepared floodplain maps for rivers and streams in Philadelphia. These maps show the extent of and departures occUr along paths over the flooding during an event with a probability of river, away from residential areas of South occurring once in a hundred years. For the and Southwest Philadelphia. most part, flooding along the Schuylkill is confined to within 500 feet of the river bank The concentration of industries along the and along the Delaware to within 2000 feet of river suggests that there may have been, or the bank. The floodplain along the Schuylkill may continue to be, storage or disposal of River consists of a floodway, which passes at chemicals which could be hazardous to workers high velocity the majority of flooding waters, and residents or which may pollute streams and the floodway fringe, which is a backwater and rivers. it is extraordinarily difficult area where flooding waters are relatively to detect buried materials. One hazardous shallow. Because it is subject to tidal waste site in the vicinity of the Delaware flooding, the Delaware River has no floodway; River was inadvertently uncovered during riverfront lands along the Delaware prone to construcion of facilities for the southwest flooding are classifed floodway fringe. sewage treatment plant. Recently adopted federal, state and City regulations, however, City codes were amended in 1979 to conform will help control the storage and disposal of with federal floodplain management guide- hazardous materials in the future. lines in order to make Philadelphia properties eligible for federal flood insurance. These This survey of water quality, fisheries and codes prohibit new obstructions within flood- riverfront conditions has led to a set of ways. In the floodway fringe, however, new recommendations. One of the most important is structures are allowed as long as commercial for new scientific studies of water quality structures are adequately floodproofed and and fish in both rivers. A major study is. habitable space in homes is built above recommended to fully document the response of flooding waters. dissolved oxygen to reduced waste loads. The billion dollar pollution abatement program in There are several environmental nuisances the upper Delaware Estuary will greatly reduce along the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. the extent of the "dissolved oxygen sag". But Because industrial development has concen- until the benefits of higher oxygen levels can trated along the rivers, sources of odors and be fully documented and weighed against the air pollutants are also concentrated there. costs of sewage treatment, no steps should be Eighty-four percent of all industrial air taken by the DRBC to CQtWce. pollutant emissions occur within riverfront waste load allocations or to revise upwardly census tracts. The principal centers of water quality standards. Fish population odors are along the riverfront; one is the oil studies are also needed to establish baseline refinery area on the east bank of the Lower data against which improvements to the Schuylkill, and the other is in the Bridesburg fishery resulting from pollution abatement may section of the North Delaware Riverfront. be measured. Such studies would also explain The Philadelphia International Airport, the relationship between fish populations and straddling the Philadelphia and Delaware DRBC's water quality standards. Study is also County boundary in Southwest Philadelphia, is needed to determine the edibility of fish a major noise source, but fortunately arrivals caught in the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers because fish flesh can be rendered inedible by As the promise of improved water quality in water pollution. As fishing activities expand the Delaware River is realized, other manage- in response to improved fisheries in the ment actions attain greater importance. Philadelphia area, the potential for the river Federal environmental laws and regulations to be harvested may depend on studies estab- have established a policy of protection of lishing the healthfulness of eating the fish. shallow water habitat areas. This policy should be supported by the City in recognition A second very important recommendation is for of the shallows' role in sustaining good the development of public access to the populations of game fish. But if disturbance rivers. The recreation potential of the of shallows is una - idable, artifical shal- lUo Delaware River is improving along with the lows should be created. There are stretches water quality. Quality improvements will be of riverfront in portions of the upper estuary costly for Philadelphia residents, perhaps as where water is relatively unpolluted and where much as a $250 premium in water and sewer there is a deficiency of good habitats. These bills for each residential customer for the areas should be considered priority areas for improvements to sewage treatment. The enjoy- habitat creation. ment of the river for fishing, boating or pleasure walking along the river's edge is Fishery management, which has not been widely the principal benefit to residents of this practiced in Philadelphia's rivers, should be improvement. But public access to the Dela- accorded higher priority in the future. The ware is extremely limited, consisting of a most important need is for the construction of single public boat launch on the Delaware and a fish ladder at Flat Rock Dam. The Fairmount a small fishing area at the foot of Princeton Fishway, built at a cost of over one-half Street; four other boating facilities are million dollars, has been very successful, private clubs. This deficiency in public with at least a thousand herring and shad access will be remedied by future construction ascending the ladder annually. But the full of boat laahes by the Pennsylvania Fish potential of the Fairmount Fishway cannot be Commission at Hog Island, Frankford Arsenal realized, and the reestablishment of spawning and Princeton Avenue and by the City at the areas for the American shad cannot be achieved, mouth of Pennypack Creek. Additional public until a second dam is built at Flat Rock Dam. access points could be sought on underutilized The stocking of such game fish as walleye, lands in the vicinity of the Betsy Ross Bridge muskellunge and striped bass in the Delaware and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Development of River is a second important fish management boating facilities for low-power motor boats need, and the introduction of new fish species and for canoes and rowboats should also be with potential for commercial harvesting pursuedfor the Schuylkill River. Two possible should be encouraged. boating areas are in the upper reach of the pool behind Fairmount Dam, perhaps near Venice Delaware riverfront lands with a natural cover Island in Manayunk, and in the pool behind of grasses, trees and shrubs are so scarce Flat Rock Dam near the Shawmont Station in that priority should be accorded to preserving Upper Roxborough. remaining areas. One area recommended for preservation is the filled dredge spoil basins at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Fort Mifflin Reservation, which together with Air Management Code provides for the separa- the historic fort and proposed boat launch, tion of land uses as a control strategy. could one day be part of an attractive recrea- Although this control has not been used in Lion area. The other area recommended for the past, it may become an appropriate tool in preservation is the former ash residue disposal the future. area at the mouth of Pennypack Creek which has reverted to a naturally productive field condition. Some riverfront lands should be restored with landscape plantings. There are significant stretches of river frontage on the tidal Schuylkill River and north of the Betsy Ross Bridge on the Delaware River which are not actively used. As recreational boating increases on the rivers, the appearance of the riverfront takes on greater importance. The public relations benefit of landscaping to improve the river edge appearance may appeal to the owners of riverfront lands, many of whom are owners of large industries in the City. Landscape plantings would also increase populations of birds and small mammals. For the most part, environmental laws provide adequate authority for control of floodplain development, air pollution and hazardous materials. Three environmental problems need to be addressed along the riverfront. Odors are a serious nuisance in Bridesburg and in the Lower Schuylkill, but analytical tools being developed by Air Management Services should help reduce the problem in the future. It is likely that riverfront sites will be proposed for hazardous waste disposal in the future. The competitive advantage to the City of having waste disposal facilities will have to be carefully balanced against potential pollution of water supplies and aquatic ecosystems. Third, redevelopment of indus- trial riverfront lands near central Philadel- phia to residences increase the potential-Por conflicts with active industries nearby. The 10 OVERVIEW HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE major changes in the soils and vegetation of colonial Philadelphia. Below the When the Swedish, Dutch and English first escarpment the ground was wet, subject to reached Philadelphia, they encountered a tidal flooding or periodic storm flooding riverfrout far different from today's. The and covered by reeds and marshland shrub- mouth of the Schuylkill River was hidden by bery. Above the escarpment, the soil was seven marshy, reed-covered islands separated well-drained, fertile and covered with an by small streams with wide tidal flats. immense forest. The forest had a tall, Firm ground along the Schuylkill was one dense canopy and relatively open floor and a half miles upriver of the mouth. unencumbered by understory vines and This firm ground was marked by a bluff brush. rising about 15 feet above the river's surface upon which grew cedars, sycamores This escarpment, which runs east to west and willows of great girth. The Swedes, across South and Southwest Philadelphia, who preferred high, firm ground to marshy makes a very significant northward turn at land for their settlements, had estab- the river's edge. The escarpment runs lished at least five forts or stockades on parallel to the Delaware River from the this high ground and had created planta- Wicaco settlement for four and one-half tions along the Schuylkill by the time miles upriver. At the edge of this escarp- William Penn established Philadelphia. ment the Delaware River is deep, and there Other Swedes, seeking suitable high ground is only a narrow tidal flat area. The further north on the Delaware River, combination of high, dry gound and deep established a settlement two and one-half water were two significant, physical miles upriver of the mouth of the Schuyl- features compelling William Penn to estab- kill at a site known as Wicaco, near the lish his city at this location on the present day Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') river. Church. At this location, the extensive marshlands of South Philadelpia gave A third physical feature contributed to way to drier, wooded land. The Historical Penn's site selection of Philadelphia. The Conditions map is a hypothetical illustra- Schuylkill River bends eastward six miles tion of the original conditions of Phila- upstream, mirroring a westward bend in the delphia's riverfront. Delaware River. At this point there is scarcely two miles of land between rivers. Both Swedish communities settled on an Penn envisioned rapid commercial and escarpment, a significant physiological residential development along both rivers feature of Philadelphia. This escarpment which would ultimately join at Center is a sharply defined rise in ground eleva- Square where City Hall now stands. tion of about fifteen feet. It marked HISTORICAL RIVERFRONT CONDITIONS M RIVER TIDAL FLAT M MARSHLAND UPLAND I I r 114:-J Z 71@,:;; 'N Source: 4,* Philadelphia Historical commission 11 -- 71's .@731zz @11 W., Tj- Nkl 37 I N 7 71, 7.Z . 31, jr -77 77'. 76;' M M .A n.X 12,000 ?4,000 FT f. -2, W, North of the original City site, the river Schuylkill Fishing Company of the State of edge generally consisted of a narrow tidal Schuylkill was a fishing society with a club flatland, perhaps a hundred feet wide, rising house at the falls near Fairmount. It was slightly to marshy land and then giving way forced, however, to move to a point down- gradually to woodlands. Two major tributaries stream opposite Bartram's Garden when the to the Delaware River, Frankford and Pennypack dam at Fairmount blocked fish migration, Creek@ provided access to interior lands. and it close*d permanently when pollution Inland along these creeks the communities destroyed fish in the tidal Schuylkill. of Frankford and Holmesburg, respectively, were established in the early 1700s. The Delaware River has always had a deep channel which served well as a navigable Many local names in Philadelphia are old waterway. Throughout the Philadelphia Indian names which reflect original environ- area the channel was at least 25 feet deep, mental conditions of the area. Penn's site sufficient to accommodate the draft of virtually for Philadelphia City was called Coaquannock any ship through the nineteenth century. The by the Indians, which means a grove of tall Delaware River, which varies in width from pine trees. The marshy fields of South 1500 to 5000 feet, is typically about 4000 Philadelphia provided two names, Passyunk, feet wide. The narrowest stretch is along the meaning a level place below hills, and waterfront near central Philadelphia, the Moyamensing, a place where pigeons roost. site of Penn's original settlement. Similarly, marshy lands of Southwest Phila- delphia provided the Indian name Kingsess- The physiography of Philadelphia and the ing, meaning a place where there is a bog. configuration of the Delaware River both Cohocksink means pinelands, and Shackamaxon contribute to creating a river channel translates to a place of eels. Wissahickon which has a maximum depth closer to Phila- is an Indian name for catfish, a fish once delphia than to the New Jersey riverfront. plentiful in Wissahickon Creek. Similarly, the river bottom grades steeply toward the land such that the original Early settlers encountered rivers with a extent of shallow water habitats, tidal tremendous abundance of fish. one of the flats and wetlands was less extensive on Indian names for the Delaware River, Lamase- the Philadelphia side of the river than on pose, meant "fish river." Migratory fish, the New Jersey side. Maps of river depths notably shad and herring but also salmon and from the mid 1800s suggest that shallow Sturgeon, were a very significant food source water areas, productive aquatic habitats at for the early settlers. The Delaware's the river margin submerged under less than abundant fisheries also supported bass, 10 feet of water, typically extended only catfish, eels, oysters, mussels, crabs and 250 feet from the edge of the river. The many other shell and fin fish which were shallows probably reached a maximum width important food sources for Philadelphia of about 750 to 1000 feet in areas down- residents. The Schuylkill River was also a stream of where the river bows outward, cultural resource, serving as a center for for example south of the Richmond area recreational activity. For ninety years and at the League Island area of South after its establishment in 1732, the Philadelphia. Modifications to the riverfront took place to the public. Grays Ferry at the time was early in Philadelphia's history. Vast a major entrance to the City; George Washing- expanses of woodlands were cleared to ton was greeted ceremoniously at Grays Ferry provide open lands for farms and wood for Park when he arrived in Philadelphia for his housing, fuel and furniture. Within 50 first inauguration. years of Penn's arrival, virtually all original trees were removed from the The lands on both sides of the Schuylkill Philadelphia County limits. Benjamin River south of central Philadelphia were Franklin in his later years is reported to devoted in the 1700s and early 1800s to have lamented the loss of woodlands at the agriculture and recreation. A half edge of the Schuylkill to industrial dozen hotels and inns were close to the development supporting the coal market. river, serving visitors who sought reprieve During the first 100 years, the wetlands of from city life through fishing, attending South Philadelphia had been tremendously horse races at Point Breeze Park (where altered. Dikes to hold back flood and tide refineries now stand) or any number of waters, ditches to drain fields and grading other recreational pursuits. This area was of knolls to rilse the elevation of bottom also a key agricultural area, supporting lands, successfully brought thousands of large herds of beef cattle and truck farms acres of former wetlands into agricultural which supplied meat and fresh vegetables to production. By the beginning of the nine- City residents. teenth century, five islands on the west side of the Schuylkill had been joined to Critical changes to the Delaware and the mainland, and League Island had been Schuylkill Rivers occurred in the second greatly enlarged. in all, about 550 acres and third decade of the 1800s. The early of tidal flatlands and 3500 acres of wet- stages of the industrial revolution bombar- lands were filled in or drained, eliminat- ded the City. Railroad networks were built ing virtually all which originally existed. at a rapid pace, with numerous terminals in addition, roughly 1400 acres of sub- extending to the riverfront. The Port merged lands were filled to create dry Richmond terminal and its coal pier land. Although there may have been are key landmarks still standing today of originally 7000 acres of shallow water the industrialization of Philadelphia and habitats along Philadelphia's riverfront its riverfront. More significant for the when William Penn arrived, today there rivers, extensive canal systems were remains only about 500 acres. completed. This was especially important to the Schuylkill River, which due to its In the 1700s, lands along the lower stretch rapid waters and shallowness prior to canal of the Schuylkill River below Fairmount construction had not been a convenient Dam, on both east and west banks, were navigation waterway. With carials, the cultivated and manicured. Here were built Schuylkill River became an important the estates of wealthy Philadelphians. The thoroughfare for coal and wood deliveries first park outside of the original four to Philadelphia and for export of manufac- city squares was developed at Grays Ferry. tured goods to inland markets. The This park consisted of formal gardens open construction of a dam across the Schuylkill River at Fairmount for municipal water health problems, large drains were installed supply interrupted the migration of anadro- during the last half of the century to mous fish. This dam and similar dams drain sewage to the rivers. There was no upstream converted the rapidly flowing sewage treatment. The City's extensive river into a series of large, quiet pools. network of streams were buried in large While the Fairmount Dam interrupted fish brick culverts, serving both as waste migration and the original character of conduits and stormwater channels. Of the river, its significant role in Phila- the approximately 250 miles of streams delphia's water supply required the City to originally in Philadelphia, only 100 miles prevent upstream industrialization along remain open today. It was not until the the river for the seven mile stretch up 1820s, when pollution threatened to contam- to Manayunk. This portion of the river inate drinking water supplies drawn from was thereby avail-able later for park the Delaware, that the City instituted some development. At Manayunk, a set of locks centralized sewage treatment for the permitted passage of boats over the Flat northeast section of Philadelphia. Because Rock Dam, and the water falling through the the Schuylkill River below Fairmount Dam canal served to provide at one time some was not a potable water source, sewage one dozen paper and fabric mills with collection and treatment from the Schuyl- a source of power. kill basin was not as high a priority as in the upper Delaware estuary. The waste from Industrialization in the mid 1800s had a as many as a half million people were tremendous impact on Philadelphia's river- discharged directly to the tidal Schuylkill front. Neighborhoods near the Delaware through the first part of the twentieth River, such as Fishtown, Kensington and century. Richmond, which had been small fishing and farming communities, were transformed in Coal mining in the upper reaches of the several decades into densely settled Schuylkill River basin seriously affected neighborhoods serving manufacturing and the river. Mining activities sent millions of transportation industries which had congre- tons of culm, composed of coal and clay gated at or near the riverfront. Along particles, into the river. This culm destroyed the 2 to 3 mile stretch of Schuylkill fish habitats, filled in behind dams, damaged RIverfront below the Fairmount Dam, a dense public water supplies and reduced the capacity development of industries, utilities and of the river to carry stormwater. By the turn rail facilities were built, causing the of the twentieth century, the Schuylkill River removal of the many estates along the river had been made virtually lifeless. This and the loss of the gardens at Grays situation was largely corrected between 1947 Ferry. and 1951 when 26 million cubic yards of sediment were removed by the Schuylkill River Explosive population and industrial growth Desilting Project and several dams were caused deterioration of water quality in installed to control further movement of culm the rivers. Before the mid 1800s, residen- downstream. tial sewage was discharged generally in backyard privies, but because of public 15' While the water in both rivers was being ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS poisoned by coal mining and by discharge of effluent from industries and residents, lands Philadelphia is situated on two major physio- along the riverfront during the second half graphic provinces, the ten thousand year old of the 1800s. were being vastly altered. Atlantic Coastal. Plain and the billion year Millions of tons of refuse were dumped in 161d Piedmont Province. The divide between marshy lands as a convenient disposal place these two is known as the fall line. The and to create dry, buildable lands in anti- fall line, which corresponds roughly to the cipation of future growth. Along the Schuyl- 120 foot contour, is marked by a falls on kill, the first oil refinery was established the Delaware River at Trenton, denoting the in the 1860s, and in the early part of the limit of tidal influence, and on the Schuyl- twentieth century oil companies began buying kill River by the Fairmount Dam, which before vast land areas along the east bank of the 1824 was also a natural falls and is still the lower Schuylkill, turning farmlands and limit of tidal influence. The falls on both estates into what has become part of the rivers were generally considered the natural largest refinery complex on the East Coast. limit to commercial-size ships. In the process, archeological evidence of the first settlements of white men in Philadelphia Philadelphia's climate is classified sub- was lost. Many manufacturing companies were tropical, with mild winters and a regular also established along both the rivers, rainfall pattern. The mean annual tempera- especially metal working and chemical indus- ture is 540 Farenheit, with average monthly tries. A large number of piers were built for temperatures varying from 32 0 F in January wood coal and general cargo. to 760 F in July. Philadelphia has ample rainfall. Average annual precipitation is 41 Conditions along the river and riverfront inches, and it is fairly evenly distributed reached a nadir in the early 1950s, when over the year. Approximately 22 inches of population and industry were at their peak this rainfall evaporates or transpires through and before pollution controls were institu- plants back to the atmosphere. The remaining ted. At this time, the Delaware River 19 inches of rainfall reaches streams either around Philadelphia was widely known as as direct storm runoff (25%) or as base flow the "black waters," which were reported to (75%). Because there is greater evaporation give off such bad odor as to be a health and transpiration losses during summer than threat to shipmen and dock workers. While winter, a far smaller proportion of rain- environmental conditions along the river fall reaches streams during summer. For have improved somewhat, due to improved example, while the average monthly flow in sewage treatment and reduced industrial the Schuylkill River is 3,050 million gallons discharges, the river is still recovering per day (MGD) in March, flow in summer is from the tremendous assault which began in frequently less than 1,000 MGD. the first half of the nineteenth century. Philadelphia is contained wholly within the Delaware River Basin, a 12,765 square mile watershed which is 330 miles long from the Bay to its headwaters in New York State. The occur on those several isolated riverfront. Schuylkill River, a major tributary to parcels with field or forest cover. Several the Delaware River, has its origins 110 miles riverfront lands are well known by bird- upstream in Schuylkill County, within anthra- watchers for their perching and ground bird cite coal fiels. The Poquessing, Pennypack, populations, and nearby marshlands and tidal Frankford/ Tacony and Darby/Cobbs Creeks are flats are resting areas for migrating water- the principal streams draining Philadelphia fowl. and emptying into the Delaware River. The Wissahickon Creek is a major tributary to the Schuylkill River, with its origins in central Montgomery County. The quality of water in rivers and streams within Philadelphia has been significantly affected by urbanization. The Delaware River water quality is very poor, with the level of oxygen in the water falling far below that necessary to sustain fish life. Other heavily polluted streams in Philadelphia are Cobbs Creek and Tacony Creek, which receive on occasion the overflow of sewage from combined sewers within their watersheds. The Wissahickon, Pennypack and Poquessing Creeks have, in general, acceptable water quality. Although these three streams tend to be polluted by upstream communities, they appar- ently improve in quality as they flow through the City. Philadelphia's riverfront lands at one time where very productive. Soils formed from coastal sediments vary in texture from loam to clay and are situated on gently rolling to nearly level land. Before grading, filling and development altered these soils, they supported a magnificent forest of princi_ pally oak, hickory and chestnut trees, and later they supported vigorous agricultural production which contributed to the growth of Philadelphia. Although wildlife populations have been vastly reduced through the centu- ries, such mammals as the deer, fox, rabbit, racoon, skunk, muskrat, rats and mice still 17 REFERENCES (Chapter I) Historical Perspective Environmental Conditions Baist, G. W. 1895. Baist's Property Atlas of Chester-Betz Engineers. 1975. "Chapter IV, the City and County of Philadelphia. Environment Characteristics of the Study Area," and "Chapter VI, Existing Water Use Lewis, John F. 1924. The Redemption of the and Quality," Comprehensive Water Quality Lower Schuylkill. Philadelphia: The City Management Plan (Preliminary Draft). Parks Association. Kummel, Henry B. and Smith, George 0. 1909. Melish, John. 1819. Map of Philadelphia. Geologic Atlas of New Jersey, Philadelphia Philadelphia: Tanner, Vallance, Kearney Folio. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Geological and Co. Survey. Scharf, J. Thomas and Westmacott, Thompson. Tompkins, Edward A. 1975. Soil Survely of 1884. History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884. Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, Pennsyl- Philadelphia: L. H. Evert and Company. vania. Washingrton, D. C.: U. S. Soil Conservation Service. Smedley, Samuel L. 1862. Smedley's Atlas of the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott and Co. Snyder, Frank E. and Guss, Brian H. 1974. The District: A History of the Philadel- phia District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1866-1971. Philadelphia: U. S. Army Engineers District Philadelphia. Taylor, Frank H. 1895. Handbook of the Lower Delaware River. Philadelphia: Geo. S. Harris and Sons. Tyler, David B. 1955. The Bay and River Philadelphia: A Pictorial History. Cambridge, Maryland: Cornell Maritime Press. 14AP NOTES (CHAPTER III) Historical Riverfront Conditions This is a hypothetical illustration of the original environment of Philadelphia's riverfront abstracted from early maps and atlases and the Scharf and Westmacott history of Philadelphia SOURCES: Melish, John. 1819. Map of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Tanner, Vallance, Kearney and Co. Smedley, Samuel L. 1862. Smedley's Atlas of the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott and Co. Scharf, J. Thomas and Westmacott, Thompson. 1884. History of Phila- delphia, 1609-18847 Philadelphia: L. H. Evert and Company. WATER RESOURCES WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY FLOW CHARACTERISTICS The quantity of water flowing in the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers is enormous. WATER QUANTITY AND UTILIZATION The annual average water flow in the Delaware River is 7'400 mIIlion gallons per The Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers have day (MGD) measured at the falls at Trenton. been vital to the growth of the Philadel- Because of the tidal nature of the River phia metropolitan area. The Delaware River below Trenton, measures of flow are not is sufficiently wide and deep to have meaningful below the falls. At the Fair- sustained the growth of one of the largest mount Dam, the flow of the Schuylkill ports in the world. Water flow in the River is 1,830 MGD on an annual basis. Delaware and Schuylkill is relatively This quantity of flow in the two rivers stable in comparison to flow in rivers in represents a daily discharge of about western and southwestern U.S. The abundant 640,000 gallons of water for each square supply of fresh water in the Delaware River mile of drainage area in the watershed. estuary virtually guarantees Philadelphia residents and business adequate water There is considerable variability in the supply. Because the Delaware is not prone volume of water flowing in the rivers from to flash floods, riverfront properties do season to season because flow is influenced not have a high risk of damage during by seasonal variations in rainfall patterns floods. Although the Delaware River and evaporation (see Table 2). When is able to support a wide mix of different examined in terms of average monthly flows, uses, occasionally there are conflicts there is approximately a seven-fold differ- among them. For example, although the ence in the Delaware River's flow between river is able to assimilate several hundreds March and April, the months of peak flow, of thousand pounds of organic material and September and October, the months daily, Philadelphia's waste load discharges of low flow. In the spri-ng, average flows overtax this capacity. This causes low are about 17,000 MCD, while in fall flows water quality which is damaging to aquatic are about 2,600 MGD. The Schuylkill River life and which interferes with recreational exhibits less seasonal variation, a four- enjoyment of the river. With proper fold difference between spring and fall. management of the Delaware River's many The average monthly flow of the Schuylkill resource uses, utilization of the river can in spring is about 3,050 MGD, while in fall be expanded in the future. it is 750 MGD. 20 TABLE 2: FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILADELPHIA RIVERS Schuylkill River Delaware River Flow Condition at Fairmount at Trenton (in million gallons per day) Flow of Record 86,000 208,000 High 4 Day Average 16,000 74,000 Average High Month 3,050 17,000 Average Annual Flow 1,830 7,400 Average Low Month 750 2,600 Low 4 Day Average 460 1,800 Low Flow of Record 15 840 Flow Objective 1,950 D.R.B.C. SOURCE: C.O.W.A.M.P.-208 Study. Chester-Betz Engineers, 1975 (Chapter IV, draft) During rainy periods or extended dry weather, WATER USAGE flows exhibit wider variations than do average monthly flows. During four days of the year, The Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers in the or roughly 1% of the time, flows in the Philadelphia area accommodate a wide variety Delaware River during wet weather will be 10 of uses, for example, drinking water, cooling times the average annual flow. On the other water, industrial processing, waterborne hand, flows will fall to one quarter of the commerce and recreation. average annual flow during extended periods of dry weather. A 40-fold difference in extremes The rivers are the drinking water supply of river flow commonly occurs during the for approximately 2.2 million people. The year. Philadelphia Water Department, the largest- municipal user, withdraws approximately 410 Even more extreme flow variation can occur. million gallons per day (MGD) from the two During extreme drought conditions, flows rivers, roughly 60% from the Delaware River may fall to very low levels. On the average, and 40% from the Schuylkill River. Four every ten years there is a seven day period other municipal water authorities, three in when flows in the river fall to nearly 10% of Bucks County and one in Trenton, withdraw the average annual flow. At this unusually about 50 MGD of water from the Delaware. low flow level, there can be serious conse- As raw water sources, both rivers generally quences. Drinking water supplies may become have provided dependable supplies and have tainted with high chloride levels, waste acceptable quality. After processing assimilation and dilution is poor, and through the City's water filtration plants, aquatic life suffers from low dissolved oxygen the drinking water is in compliance with concentrations. At the other extreme is all federal drinking water standards. severe flooding. The largest flow ever Table 10 at the end of this chapter summar- recorded for the Schuylkill River, an event izes the quality of the City's filtered having a return frequency of about 100 drinking water supply. years, was the flood of October 4, 1869. On this day, the flow in the Schuylkill reached The Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers are a 86,000 MGD, about 50 times the average flow. source of cooling water for the Philadel- The greatest recorded flow on the Delaware phia Electric Company's Electric generating River, with about a 150 year recurrence stations (see the Water Withdrawers map). frequency, occurred on August 1955, when a There are three PECO stations on the flow of 208,000 MGD passed the falls at Delaware River, the Southwark, Richmond and Trenton. This is about 28 times the average Delaware plants, which utilize a combined flow. In comparing the 10 year drought flows volume of 530 MGD. This water is used for with the 100 year frequency flood flows, there once through cooling, a process by which is a 300 to a 400-fold difference in extreme the water is discharged back to the river high and low flow conditions on the Delaware soon after it has been withdrawn to cool and Schuylkill Rivers. the oil fired boilers that power electric generators. PECO's Schuylkill station on the tidal portion of the Schuylkill utilizes 100 MGD for cooling. Two Public Service P.W.D. - QUEEN LANEINTAKE 2 P.W.D. - BELMONT INTAKE PECO - SCHUYLKILL WATER WITHDRAWERS 4 CELOTEX Pw"mLp"w-- 5 ARCO 6 U.S. GYPSUM I GULF 8 PUBLICKER INDUSTRIES 9 PECO - SOUTHWARK 10 AMSTAR 11 NATIONAL SUGAR 12 PECO - DELAWARE, 13 PECO - RICHMOND, 14 ROHM & HAAS, 15 P.W.D. TORRESDALE INTAKE 3 2 13 14 0 12,000 00 FT. Electric and Gas generating facilities on biochemical oxygen demand, which is the the New Jersey side of the Delaware with- amount of oxygen consumed during the draw 730 MGD for cooling. biological and chemical processes that break down organic matter. The Delaware The Schuylkill and Delaware River are Estuary from the Bay to the falls at significant sources of water for industries, Trenton receives about one million pounds for both process water and cooling water of BOD daily, of which about 425,000 pounds (refer to the Water Withdrawers map). is discharged in the vicinity of Philadel- There are 55 industries in the zone from phia's riverfront. Approximately 300,000 the falls at Trenton to the State of Dela- of this waste load is discharged by ware which withdraw a total of 700 MCD the City's three sewage treatment plants, from the rivers. Fourteen of these firms and roughly 30,000 pounds is discharged by are within Philadelphia, ten withdrawing 25 Philadelphia industries. Municipal from the Delaware River and 4 from the sewage treatment facilities other than tidal portion of the Schuylkill River. Philadelphia's discharge to the Delaware Some of the larger industrial water with- Es'tuary about 190,000 pounds of BOD daily. drawers along the riverfront are Amstar Industries discharge roughly 270,000 pounds (23 MGD), National Sugar Refining Company to the estuary. Tributary streams, (18 MGD), Publicker Industries (52 MGD), which are the receiving surface waters for Gulf Oil Refinery (41 MGD), Rohm and Haas inland municipal and industrial discharges, (10 MGD), Atlantic Richfield Company (9 deliver approximately 250,000 pounds of BOD MGD) and Philadelpia Coke (5 MGD). The daily to the estuary. Philadelphia Water Department supplies 99% of all industries in the City with munici- The water quality of the Delaware River pal water; these industrial customers is significantly altered and stressed by utilize about 20% of the 360 MGD delivered the concentrated disposal of BOD in the to Philadelphia customers by the Water Philadelphia area. Bacteria consume Department. virtually all of the dissolved oxygen in a 15 mile stretch of the Delaware south of Although not commonly recognized as a water Frankford Creek during its breakdown of use, the waste assimilation capacity of the organic material. However, by the time the Delaware and Schuylkill River is a very river has flowed about 30 miles downstream significant resource for the Philadelphia of Philadelphia, assimilation of the BOD region. There are 125 wastewater dischargers load has been substantially accomplished, in the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware and the water quality has recovered. Estuary (see Wastewater Dischargers map). Biological activity in river degrades The Delaware Estuary has one of the world's organic wastes either into substances which largest ports for marine commerce. Known may be recycled in the aquatic ecosystem or collectively as "Ameriport," the ports in into gases which are released to the atmo- the Delaware Estuary constitute the largest sphere. Waste loads delivered to surface freshwater port in the world and, with waters are commonly expressed as pounds of 29.5% of the share of waterborne commerce, "BOD" per day. BOD is an abbreviation for are the second largest of North Atlantic t CM"fm WASTEWATER NAWA' 0 SOAP 3PECO - SCMYLKILL 4MOM K DISCHARGERS MERADA MESS ROYAL U.S. GYPS= EXXON PHRADELPMA QU WORKS 10 ARCO 11 atxr : auLp TAi#K FARm 31 90UT"wnT nwAas TwATum ftAm of 14 UA NAVY 15 BOUT"EAST UwAat rwATum PL"r 16 PUBUCKIN SCLMAMS 2 17 PWO- SOUNWARK 16 ASMAR It mAnoKAL SUQM 11 PECO - DELAWARE PHLADEU"A QAS WOWS tfORTMEAST UWA" T"EATUCWT PLAM PECO - MCHMOM 24 UMM CORPORATM " MftAMLMM COKE 26 ROM A MAN 27 ALLMD C"nWft 06 5 3 09 120 20 25 014 7 7 15 16 0 -26 12.000 L4400 FT. @1/77 porLs. The 67.5 million tons of cargo The Delaware River is a major recreational imported and exported from the Philadelphia resource. The Riverfront Recreation map ports in 1980 largely consisted of bulk identifies 34 different facilities which petroleum, ore and sugar. Nine thousand support cultural or recreational activities manufacturing firms and at least 100,000 close to the Schuylkill and Delaware River jobs in the Delaware Valley are estimated within Philadelphia. But recreation planners to be dependent on port activities. The consider the Delaware River poorly developed two major facilities in the estuary for the to recreation, especially in terms of munici- shipping of containerized cargo are located pally owned river access points and boating in Philadelphia; they are Packer Avenue facilities. Although there ar *e 60 boating Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia facilities, including yacht clubs, boat and Tioga Marine Terminal in the Richmond launches and marinas, in the Delaware Estuary section of Northeast Philadelphia. from the falls at Trenton through to the Delaware State line, only 7 are in Philadel- Port activities have had a major physical phia. There are only five facilities in effect on the Delaware River. One effect the estuary which are publicly-owned -- 4 has been dredging activities. Prior to municipal boat launches and a Pennsylvania- the initiation of dredging in 1885, the owned marina and boat launch. The Linden Delaware River in the Philadelphia vicinity Street boat access ramp is one of these public typically had a maximum channel depth of facilities, and the only one in Philadelphia. about 25 feet, but only an average depth of Twenty-eight of the 60 facilities are private 17 feet. In 1885, the U.S. Congress boat and yacht clubs. authorized channel dredging to 26 feet, and a series of subsequent amendments to the Boating facilities provide launching points original authorization now have the U.S. for power and non-power boats. The Pennsyl- Army Corps of Engineers dredging to a depth vania Fish Commission conducted a boating and of 40 feet in the Delaware River south of angling use survey for two stretches of the Allegheny Avenue. The spoil from dredging Delaware Estuary, from the Tacony-Palmyra activities was typically discharged, prior Bridge to the mouth of the Neshaminy Creek to recent environmental controls, in tidal and from the Neshaminy Creek north to the wetlands. The Fort Mifflin site at the falls at Trenton. For the first segment mouth of the Schuylkill River was one of above the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, a boating the first diked dredge spoil disposal fleet of about 410 boats, 320 power boats sites in the nation. In addition to and 90 non-power boats, could be typically dredging, the river's edge was drastically encountered in this segment of the river on altered along the majority of Philadelpia's a weekend day with favorable weather. On riverfront by bulkheading, dredging and weekdays, there are typically 65 boaters filling for development of wharves, piers when the weather is favorable. There were and berths for shipping activities. in commonly 40 fishermen angling on the New other cases, rubble and dirt were dumped at Jersey and Pennsylvania shores, according the river's edge in order to fill in tidal to the Fish Commission Survey (see Table flatlands to create buildable lands. 3). VALLEY FORGE SKI TAJUL IHfWMONT TRAIL AND FISHING ACCESS 3; MAKAYUNK CANAL TOWPATH TRAIL 4CANOE LAUNCH 5PIMADELPMA CANOE CLUB IWEST PARK AND TRAX IEAST PARK AND TRAIL IBOAT HOUSE ROW FISH LAUEFR FAIRMOUNT WATERWORKS SCHUYLKILL R!.JEq PARK VERFRONT RECREATION it 12 BARTItW9 QARDENS 13 TIMICUM NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER 14 FORT MIFFLIN 15 PIER 30 TENNIS 11 REMADE SHIP QUILD 11 RAINBOW RIVER TOUAS is PIM'9 LANDOIG 11 NVERFRONT 09NNER THEATER iF- 20 PENN TREATY PARK 21 PULASKI PIER PARK 2 PROPOSED FRANKFORD ARSENAL BOAT LAUNCH 4 WISSNOMING YACHT CLUB --a*-- 3 24 PEKORA'S MkRINA 25 PROPOSED PAW-ETON AVENUE BOAT LAUNCH 2S QUAKER CITY YAcKr CLUB 27 PROPOSED M()UTH OF PENHYPACK CREEK PARK nPENHYPACK STREET FISHING ACCESS nUNDER STREET BOAT ACCESS 30 coLuma#A vAcmT CLUB 31 PLEASANT HILL PARK 32 PRIVATE NECREATON AREA - DELAJRE AND BAKER'S SAV 33 muwma Frnm YACHT CLUB 6 U FOERD cowmmce CE?mFl 7 9 13 10 19 20 8 7Q 16 21 15 22 26 27 17 L 25 0 12,000 24,000 FT, -i,@Ao 1 1 28 L------- ---1 33 27 TABLE 3: DELAWARE RIVER RECREATIONAL USE SURVEY TACONY PALYMRA BRIDGE TO NESHAMINY CREEK (8 Miles) APRIL AND MAY JUNE TO LABOR DAY POST LABOR DAY Avg. of Avg. of Avg. of Avg. of First Avg. of First Avg. of First Daily Quartile of Daily Quartile of Daily Quartile of High Count High Counts High Counts High Counts High Counts High Counts Weekday Angling - Shore 10 23 12 26 4 7 - Boat 3 8 0 0 Boating - Power 24 47 20 31 - Non-Power 7 17 3 5 Weekend and Holiday Angling - Shore 22 38 24 42 10 14 - Boat 4 12 3 5 Boating - Power 174 321 31 43 - Non-Power 40 88 25 54 SOURCE: Pennsylvania Fish Commission raw counts; Philadelphia City Planning Commission analysis The upper Delaware Estuary is not a commercial coliform bacteria discharged to the whole fishery, but this was not always the case. In Delaware Estuary. This pollution load, 1896, the shad fishery captured close to 4 however, will be significantly reduced by the million shad, a commercial venture which late 1980s when the $900 million pollution employed over 2,000 men and which in current abatement program is completed by the City. dollars would yield a catch valued at about to Organic waste loads will be halved, and $10 million. Pollution in the estuary had, chlorination of the effluent will greatly until recently, virtually eliminated shad from reduce coliform bacteria contamination. the upper estuary. Over the last several years, however, about 200,000 have migrated The basis for pollution abatement in the upriver each spring. The Delaware Estuary was estuary was established when the Delaware once also one of the principal sturgeon River Basin Commission (DRBC) was created by fisheries in the United States, a fishery a four state compact in 1961. This commission which was particularly active during the has broad water resource management responsi- height of sturgeon popularity in the second bilities, setting the parameters within which half of the nineteenth century. Over-fishing the City's pollution abatement program is caused the sturgeon population in the late designed. DRBC has established water quality nineteenth century to decline dramatically. objectives for the Delaware River. The When pollution abatement programs are success- estuary is divided into four separate zones fully completed in the estuary, commercial for which different sets of objectives have fisheries for shad and other fish will greatly been established. Philadelphia is situated benefit. within three zones--Zones 2, 3 and 4 (see DRBC Zones and River Mile Index map). Zone 2 covers the northern stretch of riverfront, and Zone 3 covers most of the southern portion. WATER QUALITY IN THE DELAWARE ESTUARY The boundary between the Zones 2 and 3 is at river mile 108.4, which is approximately at The Delaware Estuary between Philadelphia and the southern end of Northern Shipping down- Wilmington is highly polluted. The concentra- stream of Pennypack Creek. The boundary tion of dissolved oxygen is extremely low between Zones 3 and 4 is at river mile 95.0, during summer and early fall, and the level which is at the bend in the Delaware River at of fecal coliform bacteria is very high year the Navy Yard. round. As a result, this portion of the estuary cannot support a healthy aquatic The water quality objectives for Philadel- ecosystem, nor is it safe for swimming. phia's three zones are different. When DRBC set their objectives for the three zones, they The City's three sewage treatment plants are first established future water uses which the the principal cause of this pollution. water quality on the river would be expected Approximately two-thirds of the organic load to sustain following pollution abatement. The discharged to the river in the Philadelphia most significant decisions DRBC had to make area is from the three sewage treatment regarded the extent to which aquatic habitats plants. During dry weather conditions, these treatment plants release 90% of the fecal DRBC ZONES AND t RIVER MILE INDEX Source: U.S. Army Corps- of Shallows of the Delaware River, 1979 92- 09 ZONE 4 - ZONE 3 - --- ZONE 2 12,000 00 Fr. V17 01 should be improved in the estuary. The river Although a large number of parameters have was recognized as providing three kinds of been set for the Delaware and Schuylkill uses for fish--the passage of anadromous Rivers, not all are of equal importance. (migratory) fish, the maintenance of resident The most important parameter is dissolved fish and the propagation of fish. The DRBC oxygen because fish life is dependent on decided that all zones would be expected in oxygen levels and because dissolved oxygen the future to permit passage of anadromous is directly affected by waste dischargers. fish and the maintenance of a resident fish Some of the other standards reflect princi- population but that only Zone 2, in the pally geologic or climatic conditions, northern stretch, should in the future have rather than pollution discharge. This is sufficiently high water quality to permit true of the turbidity and total dissolved propagation of fish. These water use objec- solids standards. Other standards are tives require considerable changes to existing seldom violated, even in thoroughly poll-u- habitat conditions because poor water quality ted waters; this includes nitrates, pH presently blocks passage of shad in spring, and phosphorus. Other standards have been and even the most hardy fish can barely set in a way which makes the determination survive the deoxygenated waters which occur in of violations almost impossible. Zinc and the Delaware during summer. copper standards, for example, are estab- lished proportionate to toxicity levels On the basis of these water use goals, the as determined by complicated bioassay DRBC established water quality objectives. techniques. Bioassays have not been These objectives are physical parameters of performed for estuary ecosystems, so in the water which are considered by water effect standards for these elements have quality experts to be necessary conditions not been established. The several water to support designated uses. There are a quality parameters in addition to dissolved large number of water quality parameters oxygen which are of importance to the for which standards have been set by regula- estuary are fecal coliform, chlorides and tory agencies. The DRBC sets standards for metals and other substances occuring in 13 physical and chemical parameters in the trace amounts. estuary. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources adds to these stand- ards additional ones. The DER has standards DISSOLVED OXYGEN for 23 parameters for the Schuylkill River and 28 for the Delaware Estuary. All the The most critical water quality objective tributary streams to the Delaware and Schuyl- is the concentration of dissolved oxygen. kill also have water quality standards applied Scientists established a general relation- to them. The water quality standards for ship between the survival of adult fish in the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers are river systems and the concentration of presented in Tables 11 and 12 at the end of oxygen gas in the water. Based on this this chapter. relationship, the DRBC determined that dissolved oxygen concentrations should not be less than 3.5 milligrams per liter of water (mg/1), measured 31 DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILE OF DELAWARE ESTUARY W I-- :3 cc W a- DELAWARE BUCKS COUNTY PHILADELPHIA COUNTY cc 7.0 Southwest Southeast Northeast .a. :3 Sewage Sewage Sewage . ........... 6.0. - Treatment Treatment Treatment z z 5.o - 'Plant Plant Plant D. R. B. C. OBJECTIVE uj 0 x 0 4.0 z Lu 0 3.0 CO) 2.0 1.0 W 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 116 118 RIVER MILES FROM BAY Cn 1980 AVERAGE D. 0. 1975-1980 AVERAGE D. 0. Source: Philadelphia Water Department 1970-1974 AVERAGE D.O. DISSOLVED OXYGEN VIOLATIONS 1 970-1974 M AREAS VIOLATING STANDARDS 1970 TO 1974 Source: Philadelphia Water Department 12,000 00 FT. 71 V 14 DISSOLVED OXYGEN VIOLATIONS 1980 M AREAS VIOLATING STANDARDS, 1980- Source: Philadelphia Water Department 0 12, 000 24.000 FT as a minimum daily average. This standard zero. Table 5 summarizes dissolved oxygen was applied to both Zones 3 and 4. Because conditions in a different way, giving juvenile fish are more sensitive than adult ten-year average dissolved oxygen concen- fish to low oxygen, a more restrictive trations by season for Philadelphia's standard of 5.0 mg/l minimum average daily portion of Zones 2, 3 and 4. The graph, concentration was established for Zone 2 to table and maps indicate that the Delaware sustain the fish propagation objective for River violates the DRBC dissolved oxygen this zone. In all zones, an additional standard in summer in both Zones 3 and 4, dissolved oxygen objective was established but that Zone 2 generally meets standards. for spring and fall seasons in order to The river north of the Tacony-Palmyra allow passage of migratory fish. Migrating Bridge generally is good quality. fish have higher oxygen needs than resident fish because of their greater exertion during Water quality in the upper portion of migration. Consequently, the dissolved Philadelphia's riverfront improved during oxygen objective is a minimum dissolved the 1970s. Data collected by the Philadel- oxygen concentration of 6.5 mg/1 expressed phia Water Department indicates that above on a seasonal average basis from April 1 to the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge there has been a June 15 and from September 16 to December 1.0 to 2.0 mg/l increase in dissolved 31. oxygen concentrations. The summer season average dissolved oxygen in the Torresdale In the Philadelphia area, the Del.aware area during the 1970 to 1974 period was 4.6 River frequently violates dissolved oxygen mg/l. Water Department data suggest that standards. The graph in Table 4 illus- during normal summer weather conditions trates the dissolved oxygen "profile" the summer season average presenLly will be during summer seasons in the Delaware for about 6.5 mg/l. This improvement is due to 1980 and for the five-year period 1970 to pollution abatement by upstream industrial 1974 and the six-year period 1975 to 1980. and municipal waste dischargers. Violations of dissolved oxygen standards are shown on two accompanying maps, one for The passage of anadromous fish in fall and the 1970 to 1974 period and one for the spring requires that thCTe be higher 1980 summer season. In Philadelphia there dissolved oxygen in the river than allowed is a dissolved oxygen "sag" in a stretch of by the minimum daily average standard. The river in which the concentration of dis- DRBC has set a 6.5 mg/l seasonal average solved oxygen plummets from nearly 9.0 mg/1 objective for spring and fall to reflect near Trenton to below 2.0 mg/l near Center this higher oxygen need. Water Department City Philadelphia. The lowest dissolved data over the 1970 to 1980 period, summar- oxygen levels occurs in the vicinity of the ized in Table 5, indicates that this Walt Whitman Bridge, a section of river standard is not met in Zone 4, but is met which is influenced by waste discharges in Zones 2 and 3. In Zone 4 the seasonal from all three sewage treatment plants. At average dissolved oxygen in spring is this location the average concentration of 5.2 mg/l and in fall 5.1 mg/l. dissolved oxygen was 0.6 mg/l in' the summer of 1980 and on occasion it fell to near J-15@ TABLE 5: DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONCENTRATIONS BY ZONE 1970-1980 Season Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Spring 8.8 0.9) 7.5 (2.7) 5.2 (3.0)* (4/15 to 6/15 6.5 standard 6.5 standard 6.5 standard Summer (6/15 to 9/15) 5.2 0.4) 3.1 (2.1)* 1.2 (1.0)* 5.0 standard 3.5 standard 3.5 standard Fall (9/16 to 12/31) 9.2 (2.5) 7.5 (3.5) 5.1 (3.7)* 6.5 standard 6.5 standard 6.5 standard NOTE: The first number is the average dissolved oxygen in milligrams per liter of all sample from within each zone for the eleven year period. 1970 to 1980, inclusive. The number in parentheses is the standard deviation of the average. Below these numbers is the dissolved oxygen objective established by the Delaware River Basin Commission. The asterisks indicate violations of standards on a seasonal basis. SOURCE: Philadelphia Water Department, Planning and Technical Services Division, 1981. The block to fish passage, however, is not the Torresdale section of the river where complete, even if water quality fails to the mean falls below 200 colonies most of meet the seasonal objective. This is the time. At this level, the water may be because there is sufficient variability suitable for contact sports. in dissolved oxygen from day to day to provide "windows" in the block. For example, a heavy period of rain can charge TABLE 6: FECAL COLIFORM CONCENTRATIONS BY the Delaware with high water flows contain- SEASON AND ZONE ing dissolved oxygen in excess of 10 mg/l. As long as these windows last for several days, shad and other river herring may Season Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 make their way through the 20 mile long block in the Philadelphia area and swim to Spring 231 2619 5485 spawning areas near Easton, Pennsylvania, 4/1 to 6/15 another 80 miles upriver. Summer 168 3619 8524 FECAL COLIFORM 8/16 to 9/15 Fecal coliform is a bacteria common to the Fall 197 4123 6321 human intestinal tract. The presence of 9/16 to 12/31 fecal coliform in water indicates contamin- ation by human waste. These bacteria are not in and of themselves hazardous to human health, but they may be carriers of NOTE: These values are the geometric mean disease. Coliform bacteria can carry, for number of bacterial colonies per 100 instance, polio and hepatitis viruses. milliliters of river water for all Standards for fecal coliform are expressed samples within each zone for the in terms of the number of bacteria colonies eleven year period 1970 to 1980, which can be grown in a laboratory medium inclusive. The DRBC standard is from 100 milliliters (ml) of sampled water. 770 bacterial colonies per 100 The standard for the Delaware River is 770 milliliters. colonies per 100 ml expressed as a geometric average of five samples. The graph in SOURCE: Philadelphia Water Department, Table 7 shows the profile of fecal coliform Planning and Technical Services in the summer of 1980, and Table 6 summar- Division. izes fecal coliform concentrations by zones for the 1970 to 1980 period. The estuary below Philadelphia's sewage treatment CHLORIDE plants has between 3500 and 8500 colonies per 100 ml. These concentrations suggest Chlorides have a special importance in that direct body contact with the Delaware the Delaware River as an indicator of sea River may be a health hazard. The coliform salts mixing with fresh water. Because . levels are considerably lower, however, in Philadelphia and other communities in the 37 v- FECAL COLIFORM PROFILE OF DELAWARE ESTUARY 0 -W DELAWARE PHILADELPHIA BUCKS v- COUNTY COUNTY ca 18000 LU j 16000 - 14000 - v- Southwest Southeast Northeast 1U 12000 - Sewage Sewage Sewage (A UJI 2 10000 _ Treatment Treatment Treatment 0 Plant Pla Plant '0 8000 0 !@: 6000 -j 0 j 4000 U- -200-0 D. R. B. C. STANDARD 770 1000 1 1 1 1 -71 1 Cr. tu > .88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 116 118 RIVER MILES FROM BAY 0 Source: Philadelphia Water Department 39 upper estuary depend on the Delaware for the northern boundary of Zone 3. Zone 2, fresh water supplies, it is important that which includes the raw water intake the river not become tainted with sea salts of the City's Torresdale Filtration Plant, above the Schuylkill River. The natural is not to exceed 50 mg/l. More recent level of chlorides in the water entering studies by staffs of the DRBC have recom- the estuary is '10 milligrams per liter, mended relaxing these chloride standards. but close to the Delaware Bay chloride The recommendation is for chlorides not to levels are a hundred times higher. Hydrol- exceed 121 mg/l upriver of river mile 98. ogist have defined the "salt line" in the estuary, indicating significant sea salt Chloride standards are not so much critical concentrations, as that location in the to protecting Philadelphia's water supply river where the concentration of chlorides as that of southern New Jersey. Water is 250 milligrams per liter. This "salt from Delaware River seeps into underlying line" fluctuates considerably during the coastal sediments which serve as aquifers year, moving from a point 5 miles below from which such communities as Camden and Wilmington, Delaware, in winter to its Cherry Hill withdraw public water supplies. normal summer location at Marcus Hook, If the river were to contain high chloride Pennsylvania. This fluctation is the and sodium concentrations in the area result of changes in the flow of freshwater between the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and entering the estuary at Trenton. Because Schuylkill River, groundwater supplies river flows are lower in summer than in for New Jersey communities could become winter, the flushing of sea salts from the polluted. The chloride standard recently estuary is less in summer, thereby permitt- recommended by DRBC staff is consistent ing salts to move upriver. This relation- with protecting New Jersey aquiLers. ship between river flow and the movement of chlorides in the estuary is illustrated in To achieve existing and proposed chloride the graph of Table 8. standards in the estuary, DRBC determined that flow in the Delaware River at Trenton The chloride concentration is not as should not be less than about 3000 cubic significant, however, as the concentration feet per second (cfs), which is equivalent of dissolved sodium which accompanies to 1950 million gallons per day (MGD). chlorides in salt water. When chloride During normal seasons, flow in the river levels reach 250 mg/l, the corresponding typically falls below this level about 10% sodium level is 140 mg/l, a concentration to 15% of the time. But with a program of of health concern when water is consumed by 11conservation" releases from reservoirs in persons with heart disease and high blood the upper Delaware River Basin, the flow pressure. 'The DRBC established in the objective can be achieved during a year 1960s an objective of maintaining chloride with normal precipitation. When drought levels below 250 mg/1 in the Delaware River depletes normal base flows, the diminished at its confluence with the Schuylkill and flushing action permits salty ocean water of keeping the concentration below 200 mg/1 to push up the estuary and enter the within the stretch of river between the Philadelphia area. DRBC is not able to Navy Yard and Northern Shipping Company, maintain their flow objectives, in part 3Y DELAWARE RIVER FLOW WATER QUALITY--THRU 4/15/81 100 WALT WHITMAN BRIDGE w 95 MOUTH OF SCHUYLKILL a: cL Ij 90 - cl TINCIUM ISLAND cm as LL U, 0 > z Lu so Cc) -J P: UA 75 - 0 0 3: 70 - 651 .60 35 0 0 10- 0 z 9- Lu CA > W a- rc Lu Z 7- it 0 ui 6 UJ 5 a 4- 0 -i IL 3 - 0 DEC 1980 JAN 1981 FEB MAR APR 1981 10 because water is diverted from the basin can be killed by concentrations of metals for use by New York City and northern in the 10 to 100 parts per billion levels. New Jersey in quantities which prevent The loss of this segment of the ecosystem, adequate conservation releases. During in turn, can interrupt other aquaLic life, such periods of drought, violations of especially the larger, commercial and game the chloride standard occur, and the "salt fish which feed on young fish and minnows. line" migrates in the Delaware above the Schuylkill River confluence. Metals for which DER has set water quality standards include nickel, zinc, iron, The most severe drought of record occurred cadmium, chromium, maganese, lead, aluminum during the first several years of 1960 and and mercury. The status of metals in the was worst in 1965. During this drought the estuary is difficult to assess for several salt line moved further up the Delaware reasons. Because chemical analyses are Estuary than on any previous occasion. The expensive and the presence of small chloride concentration rose to 50 mg/l quantities of metals difficult to detect, within one mile of the water intake for data on heavy metals in the estuary is Torresdale, and it reached 250 mg/l at the scarce. For example, data on arsenic and Benjamin Franklin Bridge. mercury are rarely gathered. The standards set by DER are phrased in an awkward This drought revealed an important aspect way. The standard for zinc, for example, about the Delaware Estuary as a water is expressed as a concentration that must source for Philadelphia. The existing not exceed one-hundredth the zinc concen- chloride standards are virtually impossible tration at which 50% of a population of an to achieve during drought. But under even "important representative" fish species die the most severe conditions, the water within 96 hours of exposure to it. This quality at Philadelphia's Torresdale intake same kind of standard is used for aluminum, is acceptable. At no point was the City's zinc and nickel. But these analyses, raw water intake threatened with serious called bioassays, have not been performed tainting from sea salts which would for estuarine waters, so that there is no have made it impotable. direct way to determine whether concentra- tions measured by chemical analysis do or do not violate standards. METALS The metal concentrations in the Delaware Metals are a significant water pollution Estuary are generally thought to not pose concern in the basin because their presence constraints on the aquatic ecosystem, nor in small concentrations may disrupt aquatic are they likely to in the future. Table ecosystem and because there are industries 11 at the end of this chapter summarizes along the riverfront which use metals. data on metals in each of Philadelphia's A portion of those industrial metals may three zones. Several metals, such as reach the estuary. Juvenile fish and chromium and m4ganese, meet established minnows, and their food sources consisting water quality standards. Concentrations of small insects and other invertebrates, of lead, copper and iron may occasionally exceed standards in certain portions of the cyanide standard has been occasiona Ily river, typically close to the river's edge exceeded. Phenol is an organic compound and near industrial areas. For exampleout which, even at concentrations in the part of 3100 samples analyzed by the Water per billion range, can taint the flavor Department for lead, the average concentra- of fish caught for consumption in the tion was about 0.007 mg/l and only 18 Delaware. The phenol standard is thought exceeded the 0.05 mg/l standard. Although to be only occasionally violated in the standards for aluminum, zinc and nickel the estuary. Nitrogen compounds consist of are ambiguously worded, these metals are principally ammonia nitrogen and nitrate generally regarded as safe for aquatic nitrogen. Nitrate in concentrations of 10 habitats and human consumption. Unfortu- milligrams per liter in drinking water nately, there is virtually no data available can be a health hazard when consumed by for arsenic, although a standard has been infants. Nitrate levels in the estuary do set for this element. not exceed the 10 mg/l standard. Ammonia nitrogen, which is released by sewage Occasional elevated levels of metals are treatment plants, is only toxic to fish at not likely to interfere with aquatic concentrations many times higher than ecosystems. With the severe stress placed occurring in the estuary. But even at the on the estuary ecosystem by low dissolved I part per million concentration, ammonia oxygen, the effects of metal concentrations can cause depletion of oxygen from the are inconsequential. But even after the water. Bacteria use dissolved oxygen to pollution abatement program is completed in convert ammonia to nitrate and in the the estuary, the impacts of occasional process deplete oxygen that is needed by violations of metal concentrations on fish and other aquatic organisms. aquatic organisms are likely to be masked by remaining organic loading stresses on In the first half of the century, odors the Delaware Estuary ecosystem in the were the most significant water quality Philadelphia area. issue in the City. The rotten egg odor associated with hydrogen sulfide gases emanating from the Delaware River was so OTHER WATER QUALITY STANDARDS overpowering as to make workers along the riverfront physically ill. Breezes from There are other substances occurring in the east during summer would bring the foul trace quantities for which standards have odors as far east as City Hall. Stench was been set by DER. These include cyanide, a principal reason why citizens petitioned phenols and nitrogen compounds. The federal, state and city governments to concentrations of these compounds are initiate actions to reduce pollution in the presented in Table 11 at the end of this river. The resulting construction of three chapter. Cyanide is a compound formed of sewage treatment plants in the 1950s and carbon and nitrogen which is very toxic. early 1960s eliminated the most objectional The standard for cyanide is 5 parts odors. per billion. No recent analyses for cyanide are available, but historically the DER has established water quality standards by dredging activity necessary to maintain for odors. This is a scale with units channel depths for navigation. The Penn- ranging from I to 256, with 24 established sylvania Fish Commission has recommended as the threshold of unacceptable odors. that maintenance dredging be avoided during The units on the scale are the denominator periods of fish migration because there is of the fraction by which the sampled water evidence that high turbidity intereferes must be diluted with filtered water in with migration. order for odor not to be detectable. For example, the river would not meet the In summary, dissolved oxygen and fecal standard if odor was detected when 5 ounces coliform are the two water quality para- of the river water still smelled when meters of greatest significance to the diluted to 1 gallon. The Delaware River is existing and future use of the Delaware generally regarded as violating this River. The severe dissolved oxygen "sag" standard during the summer season in Zones below the Northeast Sewage Treatment Plants 3 and 4. Although the odors in the river serves as a serious block to the migration once were so bad as to seriously interfere of shad, herring and other migratory fish with non-contact recreation as sailing and and also causes a serious depletion of boating, odors in the river, even while resident fish populations. Fecal coliform in violation of this standard, do not levels are a public health hazard which seriously interfere with recreational makes the river unsuitable for swimming activity. or accidental body contact. Metals and other exotic substances occurring in trace Turbidity is a water quality parameter estab- quantities are not a serious problem for lished by DER and DRBC which is not related ecosystems and are not considered a signifi.- directly to wastewater discharge. Turbidity cant threat to Philadelphia's water supply. is caused by suspension of solid particles Odors and turbidity are water parameters which can interfere with fish respiration. which do not generally interfere with the Turbidity standards are measured in units recreational use of the river or with which are based on the distance at which a aquatic ecosystems. white disk submerged into the water can no longer be discerned. Violations of the turbidity standard occur during high river WATER QUALITY IN THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER flows when stormwater laden with silt and clay is discharged to the river. Silt and In contrast to the Delaware River, the clay are washed off of farmlands, suburban Schuylkill River in Philadelphia has mostly lawns and city streets and then discharged good water quality. The Schuylkill River to tributaries feeding the river. Another Basin as a whole is a heavily industrial-- source of suspended particles is the ized basin, sustaining mining activities scouring of riverbottom sediments by high in the head waters and receiving waste velocity river flows, resuspending parti- discharges from such significant urban cles which had settled out of suspension areas as Reading, Norristown and Consho- when previous stormflows subsided. Turbid- hocken. But there is subsantial recovery ity in the Delaware Estuary is also caused of water quality as the river reaches 4-3 Philadelphia, and it is within Philadelphia There may be violation in the Schuylkill that the Schuylkill is its cleanest. The River of DER's water quality criteria for condition of the Schuylkill River in metal and phenols, but probably not within comparison to water quality standards Philadelphia's stretch of the Schuylkill. is given in Table 12 at the end of the Studies indicate elevated levels of heavy chapter. metals and organic chemicals such as pesti- cides and polychlorinated biphenys (PCBs) Dissolved oxygen standards are generally within fish flesh. Water samples and sedi- met in the Schuylkill River above Fair- ment samples in Philadelphia's section of the motint Dam. The DRBC has set a standard of Schuylkill have not found such substances in 5.0 mg/l minimum daily average, with no high concentrations. It is thought that fish value less than 4.0 mg/l permitted. A growing in the Reading section of the River, continuous water quality monitoring station which is prone to industrial chemical contam- is operated by the U.S. Geologic Survey ination, might ingest metals and organic at Columbia Avenue. During low flow substances which taint them for consumption conditions in late July 1979, on only one when they migrate to the Philadelphia area. day was 4.0 mg/l dissolved oxygen recorded, A study sponsored by the Harrisburg office of but in 1979 there was no day with an the U.S. Geologic Survey has been studying average dissolved oxygen level 5.0 mg/l this issue in the Schuylkill River and will or less. For the most part, water upstream soon be issuing a report. of the Fairmount Dam has 7.0 to 12.0 mg/l oxygen, considerably higher than the oxygen The water quality in the tidal Schuylkill is content of even those zones of the Delaware much poorer than the non-ti-dal portion. Below Estuary which are unpolluted. This is the Fairmount Dam, the Schuylkill River is attributable to the turbulent flow in the affected by tidal action, which brings polluted Schuylkill River which oxygenates the water from the Delaware River upstream. The water. tidal portion of the Schuylkill also received about .64 million gallons of wastewater There is no reliable set of data on fecal discharge daily from 5 industries, as well as coliform. The fecal coliform standard for cooling water discharge from a PECO generating the Schuylkill River is 200 colonies per station. The tidal Schuylkill is also subject 100 milliliters (based on a geometric mean to sewage discharge from malfunctioning storm of five samples). It is generally thought overflow chambers. The Pennsylvania Fish that the non-tidal Schuylkill River achieves Commission surveyed fish populations and fecal coliform standards. If there are measured dissolved oxygen concentrations in violations, these would occur during times August 1981. They encountered exceptionally of summer low flows. The Schuylkill River low concentrations of dissolved oxygen down is probably suitable for body contact recrea- river of the Market Street Bridge. The tion, in accord with this designated use for Fishery Manager believes that there is not the river. sufficient flow over the Fairmount Dam to flush pollutants out to the Delaware Estuary, and as a consequence pollutants accumulate within the tidal Schuylkill. There were very 144 few fish during the August survey downstream meet DRBC's dissolved oxygen objectives. of Market Street Bridge. Treatment levels very much higher than those to which the City's sewage treatment plants Appar'ently water quality is not so poor in the have been designed would be necessary to tidal Schuylkill as to be a serious block to achieve a minimum of 3.5 mg/l of dissolved migrating fish in spring and fall. The fish oxygen through zones 3 and 4. One study ladder at Fairmount Dam permits several tens sponsored by the U. S. Environmental Protec- of thousands of fish to pass annually from the tion Agency in 1973 indicated a 99.5% removal tidal to the non-tidal Schuylkill River, rate for organic material would have to be demonstrating that the water quality is high achieved by sewage treatment plants in order enough to permit migration. Some researchers to meet DRBC objectives. The results of this believe that the abundance of sludge worms in study are illustrated in the profile of organic laden, silty riverbottom sediments is projected dissolved oxygen given in Table 9. a good food source and that dissolved oxygen The plants are currently being designed and is generally satisfactory to support fish in built for about 91% removal. In addition, spring when flows are high. reductions in other substances which exert an oxygen demand might be necessary. In particular, ammonia nitrogen and nitrogen PROJECTION OF FUTURE WATER QUALITY bound in organic substances, when converted by bacteria to nitrate nitrogen, can cause Projecting future water quality of the Dela- oxygen depletion. Treatment plants are being ware Estuary is a difficult exercise. Between upgraded to remove only about 20% of this 1976 and 1978, the Delaware River Basin 11nitrogenous oxygen demand." Facilities Commission constructed a water quality model considerably more expensive than the $900 for the Delaware Estuary, a more sophisticated million ones now under construction would version of a model built during the 1960s. be necessary to reduce this source of oxygen This earlier model had been used to assign demand. waste loads to dischargers in the basin based on the model's prediction of the capacity of While there are questions about the adequacy the estuary to assimilate wastes. The updated of current waste load allocations, vast model was thought necessary as a tool to improvements to water quality nevertheless refine waste load allocations. In spite of will be registered by pollution abatement the great application of computer power and projects recently completed or currently scientific knowledge to the sophicated model, underway. The Projected Dissolved Oxygen it has not been fully validated and is not yet Violations map, when compared to the maps capable of reliably predicting future water of current and past conditions, shows that quality. The DRBC hopes to have this new the area of river violating standards will model fully operational in 1982. be reduced significantly. Those investigators who have worked closely on The pollution abatement program for Phila- modeling efforts in the estuary generally delphia continues to advance. The City's concur that the current waste load allocations Southwest Treatment Plant, near the airport assigned to waste dischargers are too high to below the Schuylkill River confluence, is PROJECTED DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILE Uj CC. DELAWARE &IA BUCKS 'COUNTY WIT PHILADELPHIA COUNTY Southwest Southeast Northeast M 7.0 Sewage Sewage Sewage Treatment Treatment Treatment z wo@ 7- z 5.0 Plant Plant Plant .01 D. R. B. C. OBJECTIVE. ul X, 0 4.0 100, J 3.0 0 .0e 2.0 1.0 LLI W 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 1.6 118 RIVER MILES FROM BAY PROJECTED DISSOLVED OXYGEN 1975-1980 AVERAGE D. 0. Source: Environmental Protection Agency, 1973 q6 PROJECTED DISSOLVED OXYGEN VIOLATIONS M AREAS VIOLATING STANDARDS-, FUTURE Source: Environmental Protection Agency, 1973 . . ...... 0 12,000 24,000 FT. 7 q7 close to achieving effluent criteria set Tacony-Palymyra Bridge. At the mouth of for it, eliminating about 75,000 pounds of Pennypack Creek, dissolved oxygen may the over 100,000 pounds of biochemical increase from 6.0 mg/l to 6.5 mg/l. When oxygen demand that had previously been pollution from the City of Trenton 20 miles discharged to the river. The City is on an upriver is reduced in compliance with DRBC active construction schedule for completion allocations, dissolved oxygen in the Torres- of the Northeast sewage treatment plants in dale area may possibly increase to a 1984 and the Southeast plant in 1986. When summer average of 7.0 mg/l. these two plants are in full operation in 1987, the BOD loads will be reduced from The other major sewage treatment facility 198,000 pounds to about 40,000 pounds. The along Philadelphia's riverfront, the main overall reduction in BOD discharged plant of the Camden County Municipal Utilities by Philadelphia plants eventually will be Authority, is not on a definite abatement 77%, from the 330,000 pounds discharged per schedule, although components are currently day in 1978 to about 72,000 pounds daily in being upgraded. This plant discharges about 1987. 40,000 of BOD per day. Should this plant not be upgraded, it will become the largest single The upgraded Southwest Sewage Treatment point source discharge in the estuary, and Plant was put in operation June 30, 1979, it will significantly interfere with the and it created immediate and significant potential improvement of water quality in improvements to downstream water quality. Zones 3 and 4. In the 1970s, mean dissolved oxygen during summer was 1.5 mg/l in the vicinity of Assuming all major municipal dischargers Little Tinicum Island, but in 1980 the mean are finally upgraded, the dissolved oxygen was 3.0 mg/l, a full doubling of oxygen in concentration in the Delaware River is still this section of the river. Water Department likely to fall short of the dissolved oxygen data suggests that the improvement further criteria by one-half to one milligram per downstream, in the Marcus Hook and Wilming- liter in Zone 3. The objectives for this zone ton area, is even more substantial than 1.5 is a minimum daily average of 3.5 mg/l. The mg/l, and that the oxygen concentration may 1973 EPA study concluded that it is likely be as high as 4.5 mg/l. that the minimum daily average dissolved oxygen during the summer season may be only Upgrading the Northeast Sewage Treatment 2.3 mg/l at the low point in the oxygen sag Plant should improve water quality in Zone (see Table 9). The study also suggests 2 in the upper reach of Philadelphia's that during critical low flow periods riverfront. Because of tidal action, waste dissolved oxygen may fall to as low as 0.5 discharge from the Northeast plant can mg/l. Delaware River Basin Commission's contribute to the degradation of water as updated model should be able to reevaluate far as 10 miles north of the plant. The in 1982 this earlier conclusion. abatement program may increase the dissolved oxygen concentration by as much as 1.0 Throughout the estuary, the standard for mg/l on a minimum daily average basis dissolved oxygen in spring and fall is 6.5 during summer in the vicinity of the mg/l in order to provide for passage of I I migratory fish. While this standard is Under federal regulations, the City has frequently violated under current condi- been implementing a program for restricting tions in the lower part of Zone 3 and discharge of heavy metals and exotic throughout Philadelphia's portion of organic substances into City sewers. This Zone 4, compliance with the standard program, requiring industrial pretreatment apparently will be achieved when the of wastewater effluent prior to discharge City's pollution abatement program is to sewer, is necessary for two reasons. completed. Currently the seasonal average Industrial chemicals may disrupt the dissolved oxygen is about 5.0 mg/l for biological and physical processes which are spring and fall in zone 4 and 7.5 mg/l in responsible for treating wastewater plants, zone 3. The expected concentrations in thereby risking non-compliance with efflu- spring and fall after the abatement program ent criteria. Undesirable industrial are roughly 7.0 mg/l in Zone 4 and 8.0 mg/l substances may be removed during treatment in Zone 3, which are concentrations in within the sludge residue of the treatment compliance with the standards. process. Because of the ban of ocean disposal, sludge is being given away or Achievement of dissolved oxygen objectives marketed as a soil amendment and conditioner may also be adversely affected by DRBC's for homeowners, golf course operators and inability to maintain the flow objective at other landowners. Therefore, it must meet Trenton. Waste load allocations were based high standards of quality and safety. It on the assumptions that a minimum discharge is imperative for the successful disposal of 1,950 MGD (or 3000 cfs) would be main- of sludge that it not become contaminated tained. When river flow falls below this by metals and organic chemicals. As the level, there is less water to dilute and result of the City's enforcement of pretreat- assimilate wastewater effluent. During ment regulations, the amount of metals and drought conditions, the average water organic substance being discharged to the temperature in the Delaware also tends to estuary by Philadelphia industries has be higher than normal. Because warm declined substantially over the last three water is less'able to hold dissolved oxygen decades, although no specific estimates are than cool water, the combined effect of available. In part this reduction has low flows and high temperatures may signifi- occurred because of the'national decline cantly lower dissolved oxygen levels over in manufacturing sector jobs in north- those which occur during normal summer eastern U.S. cities like Philadelphia. seasons. FLow maintenance through conser- vation releases from reservoirs in'the Fecal coliform levels in the estuary will upper reaches of the Delaware River Basin be dramatically improved by the City's would help achieve water quality objectives. pollution abatement program. The City is But whether the failure to maintain flows the predominant source of coliform in the significantly affects dissolved oxygen in estuary. The new treatment process includes the estuary has not been conclusively chlorination of the effluent to destroy demonstrated. bacteria. Fecal coliform levels, even so, are likely to remain above the standard in the lower stretch of the river downstream of the three plants because of bacteria largely disappeared, and only in the last discharge in stormwater and residual bacterial decade has shad returned in significant contamination of wastewater effluent. However, numbers. Three quarters of Philadelphia's the likelihood of periodic bacterial contamina- stretch of the Delaware River is grossly tion of Zone 2 above the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge polluted in summer, with the concentration will be nearly eliminated and standards for of dissolved oxygen so low that most body contact recreation may be achieved year game fish cannot survive. The Areas of round. This may open up the possibility of Recreational Fishing map shows those areas body contact recreation in the Torresdale where a good population of game fish can be section of the river. sustained and those areas which because of pollution have stressful environments for game fish. FISHERIES AND AQUATIC HABITATS FISH POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS The Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers were once The condition of the fisheries and aquatic major fisheries. William Penn complained habitats has not been well documented for in the late seventeenth century that small Philadelphia's stretch of the Delaware skiffs on the Delaware were endangered by River. Aquatic ecosystems are such enor- sturgeon leaping out of the water during mously complex organizations of plant and their spring migration. Fishing was a animal organisms that in-depth scientific major commercial enterprise in early Phila- investigations are generally confined to delphia, providing an important food source only small geographical areas or to just a for Philadelphians and a significant export few components of the whole system. Some commodity. Nearly 20 million pounds of researchers merely count the kinds of organ- shad were caught in the Delaware Bay and isms in a habitat area, but do not proceed to River in 1896, the peak year for shad describe relationships among species nor how harvesting when each net took in on the one habitat area compares to others. Research average 8 tons of shad. The fisheries projects tend also to be "one-shot" efforts were a cultural and social resource; for occurring over a brief time span. Such example, the State of Schuylkill for 150 studies cannot demonstrate changes to fish years was a fraternal organization devoted populations over a period of several years nor to fishing, having their headquarters above changes to populations when condition of the falls on the Schuylkill River. But by temperature, water quality or water quantity the middle of the twentieth century, the are altered. As a consequence, the condition fisheries had been decimated. The combina- of aquatic habitats and fisheries in the tion of overfishing, dam construction and Delaware Estuary involve many generalizations water pollution reduced to less than 10% and informed judgments. Much of the informa- the abundance of fish in the Delaware tion available on the kind of fish in Phila- Estuary, and many species once common in delphia's rivers and their characteristics is the estuary are only seldom encountered summarized in Table 13 at the end of this today. Sturgeon and striped bass have chapter. :@O A useful way of examining habitats and survey data consists of lists of the number fisheries is with the concept of the "bio- of specimens of each species collected logical health" of a river. A biologically during a series of collections. These healthy river supports an abundant, diverse collections generally were conducted as and productive population of fish, whereas an part of environmental assessments required unhealthy river sustains few numbers of fish by federal regulations prior to permit and few different fish species. Population issuance to electric utilities for discharg- characteristics of fish are significant ing cooling water. The several fish surveys because they integrate a host of physical, which have been performed for the Delaware chemical and biological characteristics of the Estuary cannot be readily compared with each river; borrowing business terms, this is the other because of the variability in collection "bottom line" of ecosystem processes. Aquatic techniques by which samples were taken, in the ecosystems may become degraded by the depres- section of the river sampled and in the year sion of oxygen levels due to excessive waste- and season of sampling. loads, the destruction of vegetative shelter for juvenile fish through riverfront filling, Fish abundance is generally higher where the loss of suitable nesting areas for fish river water is good quality than where breeding and any number of similar actions water is polluted. Fish survey data which affect the livability of the river for compiled in 1973 by the U.S. Fish and fish. The net result is loss in total Wildlife Service shows a pattern of increas- number of fish which the river can sustain ing fish abundance at five stations along and in the kinds of fish which find the the Delaware River at which water quality remaining habitats suitable. progressively improves (see Table 14 at the end of the chapter). Philadelphia and Fish populations can be described by three Chester trawling samples yielded on average characteristics -- abundance, diversity and 2 and 4 specimen fish, respectively. At production., Abundance is the number of fish Trenton and Bristol, where the water is occurring in a given area of river; fish clean, 25 and 50 specimens per collection abundance is typically greater in clean water were gathered. Summary data for the than polluted water. Diversity in the number following year, 1974, indicates the same of different species is a significant indicator kind of relationships, about 10 times more of biological health. In polluted rivers, fish per collection from Trenton and pollution sensitive species, which comprise Bristol stations than from Philadelphia and most game and commercial fish, are rare, Chester stations. This clear pattern and only the several kinds of pollution cannot be discerned " however, in sampling tolerant fish are common. The third factor is studies performed for electric utilities. biomass production, or the weight of fish A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study which is produced in the aquatic ecosystem. summarized fish surveys pcrformed in the early 1970s. In 1974, an average of 67 There are no surveys of fish in Philadelphia's specimens per seine were collected in the riverfront which satisfactorily provide Philadelphia to Chester area, although a measures of abundance, diversity and biomass different study in 1972 collected only 44 production. The preponderance of fish specimens per seine from the cleaner 5-1 Croyden and Bristol stretch of the river. than 15% of the catch in clean water. In No information provided in the Corp's unpolluted waters, river herring, including report accounts for the observed differences alewife, shad, blueback and other herring between these studies. species, may account for 10% to 55% of the catch, depending on the success of migra- Species diversity is low in polluted water. tion through the oxygen block downriver. Because few kinds of fish are able to Herring are typically a pound in weight survive low oxygen levels in polluted and are of recreational and commercial water, the several pollution-tolerant fish importance. Unpolluted waters also support species constitute the largest proportion white perch and channel catfish, two other of fish caught during surveys. In non- game fish which are rare in polluted water. polluted waters, by contrast, a large There is a greater variety of small fish number of different species may be caught species in clean water than in polluted in significant numbers. Data for the water. In addition to the mummichog, Philadelphia's portion of the Delaware silvery minnow and banded killifish, Estuary indicates that the diversity of which are also common in degraded waters, fish declines steadily from Torresdale unpolluted waters have the spottail downriver to the Hog Island area, a reflec- shiner and satinfish shiner in significant tion of increasing water pollution. numbers. Fish surveys summarized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicate that 3 to 4 As many as 50% of fish species originally species account for over 90% of all fish occurring in Philadelphia's portion of the specimens collected from polluted waters Delaware Estuary may no longer exist here. downstream of the Southeast Sewage Treat- A study prepared by the Academy of Natural ment Plant. These species are, in order Sciences compared surveys from the early of abundance, mummichog, banded killifish, 1900s with collections in 1972, finding 21 silvery minnow and pumpkinseed (a sunfish). species which had disappeared from collec- Except for the pumpkinseed, these dominant tion sites from Wilmington, Delaware, fish species are not gamefish, as they upriver to Florence, New Jersey. Several are typically smaller than 3 inches and of the notable species absen 't in 1972 are weigh only several ounces. sturgeon, smelt, redfin pickerel, small- mouth bass and several species of sunfish. In relatively unpolluted waters near Torresdale, species diversity is signifi- The researches observed that, while exist- cantly higher. Eight or 9 species consti- ing water quality conditions cannot tuted 90% of all fish caught during surveys support these species, there is a species conducted in the 1970s (see Table 15 at the pool in tributaries and in cleaner waters end of this chapter). In the surveys near which could one day serve to "re-seed" the Torresdale, mummichog is a smaller propor- Delaware Estuary when pollution is reduced. tion of all fish caught than in surveys near Hog Island. Instead of constituting Surveys of fish can provide an indication of 40 to 60 percent of the catch as in pollu- fish production in the Delaware Estuary. In ted waters, mummichogs are typically less polluted waters, the predominant species are small fish of minnow size; but in clean water average dissolved oxygen. But even at this a high proportion of surveyed fish are large. oxygen level, only those fish species which For example, the mummichog typically weighs two are moderately to highly pollution tolerant ounces, whereas the alewife and herring each are able to survive. Catfish, white perch, weigh one half pound and the shad about 2 carp, eel and sunfish are the pollution pounds. Extrapolating from the surveys tolera,@nt game fish which can be caught in summarized by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, a this stretch of the riverfront during summer. hypothetical seine collection of fish from In spring and fall, when dissolved oxygen polluted waters near Hog Island would yield 3 concentrations are typically higher than in to 5 pounds of fish, whereas a seine collec- summer and when herring, shad and other ' tion from unpolluted water near Bristol would anadromous fish are migrating, the recrea- yield 10 to 20 pounds of fish. Surveys may tional value of this stretch of the river is yield considerably greater fish weights if very good. schools of herring are netted, in which case many hundred pounds of fish may be caught A major portion of the Delaware and Schuylkill per collection. Rivers is too thoroughly polluted to sustain a recreational fishery. In the Delaware from in spite of serious pollution in the Delaware the City boundary. at Fort Mifflin north to the Estuary, there is a significant fishing Tioga Marine Tern@lal and in the Schuylkill from potential north of the Tacony-Palymra Bridge its mouth upriver to Market Street, dissolved (see Table 13 at the end of this chapter). oxygen concentration in summer violate stand- This is the only area in Philadelphia, aside ards, and frequently concentrations fall below from the Schuylkill River, in which a natural 1.0 mg/l. At this level, virtually no game recreational fishery is available to residents. fish can be expected to survive. Fish life in The principal sport fish are carp, catfish, this zone consists primarily of highly sunfish, white sucker and white perch. pollution tolerant, minnow-size fish such as Surveys by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission mummichog and killifish. indicate that white perch is a prized sport fish which apparently could sustain signifi- Although pollution currently restricts shad cantly increased fishing in the northern migration, the one or two hundred thousand stretch of Philadelphia's riverfront. While shad which manage to migrate upstream support there are some sunfish and smallmouth bass in an active sport fishery group in the Trenton the upper estuary at present, their popula- area. In the next decade, fish managers in tions are limited by the lack of shallow water the Delaware hope to see shad runs approach areas with high oxygen levels, their preferred one-half million fish; this could support a habitat. much more active sport fishery. Even those stretches of the Delaware which because of low In the stretch of Philadelphia's riverfront oxygen cannot support resident fish may offer between Tioga Marine Terminal and the Tacony- fishing opportunities during the migratory Palmyra Bridge, the fisheries are stressed by season. summer low dissolved oxygen conditions. This po rtion of the river generally achieves the Surveys by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission D.R.B.C. standard of 3.5 mg/l minimum daily indicate that fish abundance, diversity and AREAS OF RECREATIONAL 1w @W'w "WWI FISHING M GOOD FISHING E771 ACCEPTABLE FISHING Philadelphia city Planning Commission Pennsylvania Fish commission staff A k-1 0 12,000 24,000 FT. rL1 -77 production are very good in the Schuylkill its waters....In my opinion the River. The excellent fish populations in the water below Flat Rock Dam is a piscine .Schuylkill are consistent with the reported treasure trove.... (and) the water high oxygen levels. In the Fish Commission's halfway between Flat Rock Dam and recent management report, thirty-three fish Green Lane Bridge .... I call the.... species were identified, a higher number than "the golden mile" because of its is usually encountered in the Delaware River. beauty and superb fishing. Thank God (Stream sampling procedures may account for the Schuylkill makes glad the City of some of the difference in species collected; Philadelphia. seines and trawling techniques are used in the Delaware, and electrofishing is used in the Schuylkill River.) The Fish Commission's SHALLOW WATER HABITATS catch on the @chuylkill was dominated by redbreast sunfish and smallmouth bass, two While pollution levels are presently the most favorite game fish. Other game species significant limitation on fish populations, as commonly caught were pumpkinseed, green the water becomes cleaner the physical condi- sunfish, bluegill, catfish, crappie and tion of the river edge and bottom becomes perch. Walleye, a highly valued game fish, increasingly important as a factor in fish have been caught during Fish Commission populations. The river edge and bottom surveys, and local fishermen have reported condition of most importance to fish is prize walleye longer than 2 feet and weighing shallow water habitat areas, the most produc- more than 40 pounds. The Fish Commission has tive zone in the river ecosystem. Shallow measured annual fish growth for several common water habitat areas are submerged lands fish. Typical growth of bass and sunfish covered by less than 10 feet of water. The during their second year is about 2 inches and riverbottom in these areas receives enough during the third year about I inch. This is sunlight to support "primary food production," considered by the Fish Commission to be rapid meaning the growth of algae, submerged rooted growth rates, indicative of good habitat plants and other green plants. These plants conditions. are grazed by crustacea, snails, worms and other invertebrates. Grazers are, in turn, The reputation of Philadelphia's Schuylkill food for minnows, shiners, mummichogs, killi- River has been enhanced by newspaper reports fish and other small fish which spend their of its high quality fishing opportunities. lives in shallows. These small fish are prey Articles have appeared in the City's leading for game fish which are normally deep water newspapers and the Philadelphia Magazine. residents but which enter shallow areas to A recent article (11/8/81) in the Philadelphia feed. Shallows are also important for game Inquirer's Today Magazine contained the fish because plants in the shallows provide following faudatory and eloquent description. young game fish shelter against predators. I Plants in shallow areas also give off oxygen Since I began fishing the Schuylkill which, combined with the turbulence and wave four years ago, I've been amazed action of shorelline areas, produce water time and time again at the abundance which is more highly oxygenated in shallow and diversity of the life teeming in areas than in deep water areas. Fish are 55 attracted to highly oxygenated water. High at the mouth of Pennypack and Frankford oxygen levels are especially important to Creeks, at the bend in the river at the Navy juvenile fish and migrating fish which have Yard and below the mouth of the Schuylkill higher oxygen requirements than other fish. River. Shallows have also become established Shallows are significant also for waterfowl between inactive piers, for example between because worms, clams and rooted plants on the Piers 56 and 76 South, along the South Phila- riverbottom are accessible to diving ducks. delphia rIverfront, and between Piers 69 to 96 North. The Philadelphia's portion of the Delaware River does not have extensive shallow water There have not been detailed studies of the habitats. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers ecology of Philadelphia's shallows. The only prepared the Shallows of the Delaware River, specific study was a survey of shallows and a study which mapped shallow areas and which tidal flatlands prepared in connection with an provided a technical basis for regulations application by the Port Corporation for a restricting future disturbance of shallow water Section 10/404 permit from the U.S. Army habitats. The maps in the Corps' study show Corps of Engineers to fill in 17 acres of approximately 500 acres of shallow water areas submerged land as an extension of Tioga Marine along the Philadelphia riverfront (see Shallow Terminal. Even though this site is downstream Water Areas map). The survey identified in of the Northeast Treatment Plant and is all about 4500 acres of shallows in the 54 polluted, an aquatic biologist, Tom Lloyd, mile stretch of estuary from the Delaware noted a high density of clams and worms, State line north to the falls at Trenton, on important food for many fish species, and a both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of good population of killifish, a minnow-like, the river, and about 7500 acres in the lower vegetarian fish which is a key species in the estuary extending 20 miles downriver of the cycling of food in aquatic ecosystems. Many Delaware State line. On both sides of the ducks were observed feeding on the dense worm river there has been a substantial loss of population in this shallow area. Although the shallows over the last two centuries from game fish populations were depressed in the bulkheading, dredging and pier construction. Tioga Terminal area by low dissolved oxygen, In Philadelphia alone there may have been improved water quality in the future will between 5000 and 7000 acres of shallows allow for a much greater fish population in at the time the settlers first arrived, but this portion of the river. only about 10 percent of the original extent of shallows exists today. Philadelphia's remaining shallow water habitat area will become increasingly important as Shallows in the Philadelphia area are princip- water quality in the Delaware River improves. ally in the stretch of riverfront north of At present, low dissolved oxygen concentration the Betsy Ross Bridge. In this area, there is is by far the principal reason for poor fish not extensive shipping activity churning up population characteristics along Philadelphia's river bottom sediments, and there has never riverfront. Projected improvements in dissolved been extensive pier construction character- oxygen during summer, from the current seasonal Istic of the river closer to Central Philadel- phia. The most extensive shallows today are 56 SHALLOW WATER AREAS LAMUnM SHALLOW WATER HABITAT Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Shallows of the Delaware River, 1979 PM 12,000 00 FT. L 37 average of 1.0 mg/l at the lowest point in the 11sag" in significant areas of the river to a projected 2.3 mg/l, will permit the population of many game fish to rebound. By the late 1980s, the availability of suitable shallow water habitats may become the limiting factor in game fish populations in the Philadelphia area north of Penn Treaty Park. While several important species are migratory, like herring, shad and striped bass, and are not dependent on shallows areas, other game fish such as white and yellow perch, sunfish, largemouth bass and catfish, are dependent on shallows. These fish grow and breed. close to where they hatch. In the future, when oxygen levels remain above critical concentrations year round, shallow water areas will become far better recreational fisheries than they are now through much of Philadelphia. 3_9 PROJECTIONS OF FUTURE FISHERY IMPROVEMENTS In the area between the Penn Treaty Park and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, fish populations The City's pollution abatement program have should greatly improve (compare the map of important effects on the Delaware Estuary Areas of Recreational Fishing to thr-_Tpp Of fisheries. Although the federal Clean Water Future Recreational FishiQj? While Act established in 1972 a national goal for this area is polluted today, in t uture fishable and swimmable waters for all water- water quality objectives for dissolved oxygen ways, swimming is not a viable goal for all of will be achieved during much of the year. The the Delaware Estuary. The principal objective summer average dissolved oxygen will average set forth by regional and state agencies for between 3.5 mg/1 and 6.0 mg/l, and only the Philadelphia portion of the Delaware is to rarely will dissolved oxygen levels sink to foster a healty resident fish population and 1.0 mg/l. Even though there will be periods to eliminate the block to the migration of of low oxygen stress during summer, resident anadromous fish. For Philadelphia residents, fish population should increase several fold. a greatly improved recreational fishery will Sunfish, catfish and white perch should occur be the primary benefit of the City's pollution in sufficient numbers to permit recreational abatement program. But commercial fisheries, fishing. over the long run, might also substantially improve, with the harvesting potential of North of Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, recreational shad, herring, spot, Atlantic menhaden, eel fishing will be exceptionally good. Summer and blue crab being enhanced in the Delaware average dissolved oxygen concentrations will Bay and Estuary as a result of Philadelphia's exceed 6.0 mg/l and at no time during the year pollution abatement. will dissolved oxygen concentrations fall to levels which are stressful to game fish. Projections of future fish production and Fishing pressure by anglers far greater than fishing opportunities can be made in very now experienced in this portion of the river- general terms for several sections of Phila- front can be sustained. delphia's Delaware River in part based on projections of future dissolved oxygen The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service antici- concentrations. pates a several, fold increase in the shad run in the Delaware River during spring. At The water quality in the stretch between the present, a shad run during a season with Navy Yard and Penn Treaty Park may never reach favorable water quality conditions is 200,000 DRBC's water quality objectives, and will not shad. The run, however, is shortened by the support a viable resident fish population. onset of low dissolved oxygen. A vigorous Even after pollution abatement projects have shad run is also impeded by high mortality of been completed, summer dissolved oxygen levels young shad during their migration to the ocean occasionally may fall close to zero, and the in fall. By the early 1990s, a shad run of seasonal average may be below 2.5. These are one-half million is projected. This is the not suitable oxygen levels for resident game combined effect of improved water quality, and fish. As a rule of thumb, the summer season a concomitant breakdown of the oxygen block., dissolved oxygen concentrations should remain and the establishment of vigorous shad spawn- above 3.5mg/1 to support resident fish ing in the upstream reaches of the river. An populations. FUTURE RECREATIONAL %"v.v** FISHING AREAS MM GOOD FISHING 1= ACCEPTABLE FISHING Source: Philadelphia City Planning Commission -- N@4@@ 4@O 12,000@@224,0@00 FT improved shad fishery can be of economic WATER RESOURCE. MANAGEMENT importance by the turn of the century, as commercial catches could be sustained at Water resource managment of the Delaware and levels a hundred times higher than present. Schuylkill River consists of principally Recreational fishing for shad could also be pollution control and fishery enhancement. promoted in the Philadelphia area, even in The network of agencies and organizations those stretches of the river in which summer involved with pollution abatement is complex oxygen levels do not sustain game fish. and extensive because the responsibility for pollution control and water quality regulation Several other game fish species may return to is divided among many groups at local, regional, the Delaware Estuary when the pollution state and federal levels. Fishery management abatement program is completed. One popular is principally a state responsibility, with fish is the walleye, a fish which averages the federal interest in the nation's fisheries about 2 pounds. This fish requires, as do represented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife shad, waters with high oxygen concentrations. Service. These two areas of management concern, The Pennsylvania Fish Commission recently pollution abatement and fishery enhancement, recognized that water quality in the upper are interconnected because the major driving estuary had improved sufficiently to justify force for improved recreational and commercial the stocking of walleye. The Commission has fisheries in the Delaware Estury is the also stocked tiger muskellunge as a trophy basin's pollution abatement efforts. fish; this species reaches 20 pounds when mature. The ultimate goal of fishery managers is the return of striped bass, a prime game fish averaging 20 pounds in weight in the POLLUTION ABATEMENT Chesapeake and Lower Delaware Estuaries. These fish are rare in the Philadelphia Reduction of organic waste loads from munici- portion of the estuary due to pollution, pally owned treatment plants is the single although they were once caught in the Phila- most important means of improving water delphia area. The attractiveness of the upper quality in metropolitan areas. For the estuary as a game fishery will expand several Delaware River near Philadelphia, four agen- fold when striped bass return. Finally, cies are involved in pollution control: the Atlantic sturgeon is a game and commercial federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fish which is the largest of fresh water the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), fishes, averaging 5 to 10 feet in length and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental 100 to 300 pounds in weight when mature. Resources (DER) and the Philadelphia Water Improved water conditions and low fishing Department (PWD). In general terms, the pressure may lead to a return of the Delaware DRBC established in the 1960s the amount of sturgeon fishery which was so. prosperous.in waste load reductions which the PWD had to the 1880s and early 1890s. achieve at the City's three sewage treatment plants through upgrading and expansion. The EPA, using funds appropriated by Congress in the federal Clean Water Act, awards construc- tion grants to the DER, which in turn awards 61 grants to PWD and other municipalities to There is at present no expectation that the cover 75% of the cost of treatment plant Cityls pollution abatement program will be construction. Both PWD and DRBC monitor water terminated short of its completion nor that quality through regular sampling of the the City will be expected to bear a larger Delaware Estuary, PWD confining their samples share of total project costs than the 25% for mostly to the Philadelphia vicinity, while which it is currently responsible. DRBC samples throughout the estuary. The pollution abatement program is expensive The PWD is progressing with the upgrad- and will continue to cause major water and ing and expansion of sewage treatment facili- sewer rate increases for Philadelphia families. ties. The Southwest Sewage Treatment Plant, By the end of fiscal year 1981, $540 million located near the Philadelphia international in funds for pollution control will have been Airport, was largely completed in June 1979 spent or obligated by the Water Department, and is close to achieving mandated reductions and by 1987 an additional $300 to $400 million in organic waste discharges. Site preparation will be committed(75% of these funds are is still underway at Southeast and Northeast federal grants). The capital improvement Sewage Treatment Plants, with major portions program at the sewage treatment plants has of the Northeast facility under construction been a major factor in water and sewer rate in 1981. The expected completion date for the increases. In 1978, residential customers Northeast facility is 1984. The Southeast's paid about $90 per year for water and sewer completion date is likely to be 1986. Full service. In 1980, this service cost.$145 per reductions in organic loads at Southeast will year, and rates proposed for fiscal year 1982 probably not be achieved until 1987 or 1988, would cause typical residential rates to as there is a year or longer lag between increase to $210. It is possible that, by the construction completion and optimum perform- conclusion of the $900 million pollution ance of waste treatment systems. Improvements abatement program, residential customers will to water quality are immediately observed be paying $400 annually, a more than four-fold when waste load reductions are accomplished. increase over rates prior to the pollution abatement program. The extraordinary increase in this utility bill could meet serious Federal budget constraints are not likely to customer resistance and might constitute a seriously disrupt the City's pollution abate- significant burden on poor families and ment program. Federal priorities for pollution persons on fixed incomes. Unfortunately, abatement are being directed to those water these rate increases are not readily linked to bodies in urban centers such as the Delaware noticeable improvements in water and sewer River which are grossly polluted and to service, as the palatability of drinking water providing grants to those jurisdictions under will not change perceptibly and river water which EPA is legally obligated to provide quality improvements at present remotely funds. It is likely that the 1979 consent benefit most water customers. decree signed by EPA and PWD will be modified to allow construction of the treatment facili- Despite the expensive pollution abatement ties to proceed on a schedule compatible with program, water quality objectives are not the availability of EPA construction funds. likely to be achieved throughout Philadelphia's Delaware Estuary. Dissolved oxygen levels in City Philadelphia which is likely to continue a six mile stretch of the Delaware River violating standards after pollution abatement from the Navy Yard to Penn Treaty Park is completed. are likely to violate the DRBC's 3.5 mg/l minimum daily average standard during summer DRBC's waste load reallocation process raises even after the City's pollution abatement two serious questions for Philadelphia. program has been completed. Both north and First is whether Philadelphia can afford to south of the zone, the objective should be inet upgrade the three sewage treatment plants consistently. The Schuylkill River from South to an even greater extent than is now planned. Street to its confluence with the Delaware Although the City is committed to the current will probably continue to violate dissolved abatement program, public officials are likely oxygen standards even if sewer overflow to resist more restrictive effluent criteria chambers are properly maintained. requiring still further upgrading of sewage treatment plants. One of the major objectiolls In response to the inadequacy of earlier waste is that higher water and sewer rates would be load allocations to achieve water quality burdensome to customers and, as service costs objectives, the Delaware River Basin Commis- increase, they may make Philadelphia less sion has refined a water quality model of economically competitive with other cities. the Delaware Estuary which will permit them Another reason is that the pollution abatement to assign new waste load allocations to program has drawn needed capital away from dischargers in the estuary. This model will improvements to drinking water filtration be validated in 198Lto produce profiles of plants and the water supply distribution dissolved oxygen which accurately reflect system. Many Water Department officials current conditions and then to generate consider the drinking water supply component predictions of future dissolved oxygen assum- of the City's infrastructure to be in greater ing compliance with existing waste load need of improvements to sustain acceptable allocations. Upon the recommendations of service levels than water pollution control advisory groups, DRBC staff have been directed facilities. to then study three alternatives: 1) reallo- cation to dischargers of waste loads necessary The second question is whether the water to meet existing dissolved oxygen standards, chemistry and biology of the Delaware River is 2) reduction of waste loads necessary to sufficiently well understood to justify achieve a higher objective of 4.0 mg/l minimum pollution abatement beyond the current waste daily average dissolved oxygen in Zones 3 and load allocations. DRBC's water quality models 4, and 3) even further reduction in waste contain a significant amount of subjectivity. loads which would achieve the objective of Because there are major gaps in scientific never having dissolved oxygen concentrations understanding of estuarine systems, profess- fall below 4.0 mg/l, which is approximately ional judgments have had to be relied upon. equivalent to a minimum daily average concen- one poorly understood aspect of water chemistry tration of 6.0 mg/l. The DRBC will not be involves the conversion of ammonia nitrogen considering the alternative of reducing and organically-bound nitrogen to nitrate the dissolved oxygen objective for that nitrogen in oxygenated waters. Water resource section of the Delaware River near Center engineers have made some estimates of the ways in which these nitrogen compounds create a to a "better" 4.0 mg/l or a "worse" 3.0 mg/l demand for dissolved oxygen downstream of is not known for the estuary, yet the cost of effluent discharges. Their expectation is achieving these standards may differ by that there will be quick chemical reactions hundreds of millions of dollars. On one hand, which will create a serious sag in dissolved significant improvements to fish populations oxygen in the Philadelphia vicinity when may prove to be accomplishable only by a microbes convert the several nitrogen com- degree of waste treatment which cannot be pounds to nitrate. To reduce these nitrogen practicably applied to Philadelphia for reactions and the oxygen sag that ensues, the technological and financial reasons. But City's pollution control plants would have to instead it might be the case that a fish be outfitted with nitrification facilities for population can be maintained satisfactorily transforming ammonia to nitrate. While the for much of the year even in those sections of cost of such facilities cannot be estimated Philadelphia's Central and South Delaware precisely, they would probably cost several riverfront areas which are not expected to hundred million dollars. Water Department meet DRBC objectives after pollution abatement. engineers argue that serious discussions about A study of fishery response to the current sewage treatment levels higher than those for pollution abatement program would be prudent which the facilities are currently designed before further abatement efforts are prescribed should not occur until after the reaction of by regulatory agencies. nitrogen in the Delaware Estuary can be studied with the current pollution abatement Besides conventional organic wasteloads from program complete. The DRBC, on the other municipal facilities, other materials affect- hand, is already several years behind in ing water quality may be discharged to the refinements to waste load allocations mandated rivers. The Pennsylvania DER and federal by federal regulations. The DRBC is expected EPA have worked to control discharge of to continue proceeding with their reallocation industrial wastewater to rivers and streams. studies utilizing their best estimates of All Philadelphia industries and utilities are nitrogen chemistry. apparently in compliance with applicable regulations. There has been some public The other scientific area not well understood concern that existing regulations do not is the projected response of the fisheries to adequately control discharge of organic improvements in water quality. There have not chemicals and heavy metals. Although EPA is been sufficient surveys of the Delaware River considering measures to improve industrial fisheries in the vicinity of Philadelphia to effluent regulations, the current climate of establish fish population characteristics in federal regulatory reform does not make the river. There are wide variations in additional controls likely in the near future. dissolved oxygen from season to season, from day to day and even during the day. The DRBC There is, however, an elaborated and effective models cannot yet predict these fluctuations system for responding to accidential chemical with accuracy, nor can aquatic biologists spills at the riverfront. Within Philadelphia's predict how fish populations might react to port, oil, gas and chemical stocks arrive for these fluctuations. How fish respond to a processing and leave as export commodities, minimum daily average of 3.5 mg/l in contrast and it is the handling of these substances near the riverfront which gives rise to the residents of Philadelphia help pay for this greatest potential for spills. For the relatively clean and attractive resource, Delaware and Schuylkill Estuaries, the U.S. recreational and residential access to the Coast Guard has responsibility for coordinating river should be developed to the maximum emergency response efforts to clean up chemical practicable extent and in a way which serves spills. All coastal oil and chemical firms to expand the tax ratables affordable by Alo are associated in a cooperative effort to pool riverfront properties.Alhe northern stretch resources to respond with qualified personnel of riverfront, where there has already been and proper equipment when spills occur in the significant improvements in water quality rivers. The Coast Guard hag a Chemical Hazard and where water quality objectives will be Response Information System (CHRIS) which consistently met, recreational opportunities provides information on proper techniques for are particularly strong. safely handling and removing spilled chemicals. As water quality in the Delaware River improves, a variety of new opportunities will RIVER FLOW MANAGEMENT be open to Philadelphians. Each of the Water Department's residential customers will be Another important water resource management paying approximately a $250 premium annually program in the Delaware River is the manage- for a cleaner Delaware River. There are, ment of river flows as a way of achieving however, very few points along the river that chloride standards. The Delaware River Basin residents may go to fish, boat or simply walk Commission (DRBC) is responsible for managing along the river. For much of the riverfront, the water resources of the Delaware River the existing land use and ownership patterns basin in a way which controls the salt line reflect historic environmental conditions -- in the estuary. The principal reason for a foul smelling, unappealing place to live and controlling the salt line is to prevent play, suitable only for water-dependent contamination of municipal and industrial utilities, maritime trade facilities and water supplies by sea salts. In the 1960s, noxious industries. Pollution abatement in the DRBC determined that the chloride level the early 1950s, however, eliminated the worst should not exceed 250 milligrams per liter of the environmental problems, thereby contrib- in the river above the Navy Yard. Thev uting to opportunities for public urban further determined that this cotild be accom- renewal and private reinvestment in Society plished by ensuring a flow of 3000 cubic feet Hill, Old City and Queen Village. per second (or 1950 million gallovis per day) at Trenton. Achieving the standard The current round of pollution abatement- prevents contamination of groundwater aquifers signals fundamentally new opportunities for and surface waters which serve Camden and utilization of the riverfront. Opportunities several industries in this stretch of river- to develop boat launches and fishing piers and front, and it also keeps chloride levels from to convert commercial piers to residential exceeding 50 mg/l further upstream at Torres- uses are widened dramatically by improvements dale. A system of reservoirs in the Delaware to recreational fisheries, water quality and Basin releases water during low flows in order the river's aesthetic appeal. Because all to supplement normal flows. Unfortunately, these reservoirs do not have sufficient the negotiations. The Level B study also capacity to release water at a rate leaves open several other issues, most notably necessary to achieve at all times the flow the construction of the controversial Tocks objective at Trenton. During drought periods, Island Dam after the turn of the next century reservoirs must be heavily tapped to supply and the modification of water quality standards drinking water to New York City and northern to "maximize the fishery potential." New Jersey, and there is insufficient additional storage to help maintain flows. FISHERY ENHANCEMENT A major finding of the DRBC "Level B" study is that the current chloride standard is more In the Delaware Estuary, fishery management restrictive than need be to protect New Jersey programs have been very limited, even though water supplies. Relaxing the chloride stand- Pennsylvania, New Jersey, DRBC and the federal ard would reduce the need to provide additional government each have had a role to play. storage in the upper basin to supplement There are currently no restrictions on the water flows. But the study further demon- quantity of fish which can be harvested nor strated that achieving the current chloride are there any fish stocking programs. The standard would require the maintenance of a Pennsylvania Fish Commission has been the most flow much higher than the existing 3000 cfs active agency in the estuary. The estuary and objective. These two findings in effect the Schuylkill River are under the jurisdic- cancel each other; even a relaxed chloride tion of the Area 6 Fishery Manager of the standard could only be achieved by a flow at Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Although the or slightly exceeding the existing flow Fish Commission has not performed current objective. The recommendations in the Level B assessments of estuarine fisheries, there have study are that 5 dams with over 220,000 been recent planning efforts, funded in part acre-feet of storage and a yield of about 750 by Pennsylvania's Coastal Zone Mangement cfs be built in the upper basin, enabling a Program, recommending that three species be minimum flow of 3,100 cfs be achieved at stocked in the estuary between the Tacony- Trenton, and that the chloride standard be Palmyra Bridge and Trenton Falls. These fish relaxed to 121 mg/l at river mile 98 (this is are the tiger muskellunge, walleye and striped about 70% more chlorides than the current bass. Recent improvements in water quality in standard). These recommendations have not yet this zone of the Delaware Estuary make the been adopted by the DRBC, in part because of establishment of these game fish a good ongoing, complex interstate discussions known possibility. The Fish Commission has also as the "Good Faith" negotiations. The negotia- been designing and programming for future tions will one day lead to new, formal under- construction boat launching facilities in standings among the parties concerned with the Philadelphia and vicinity to permit greater management of the basin's water supply as to access to the Delaware River for boaters and maximum allowable diversions of water to New fishermen. York City and to Northern New Jersey under different weather conditions -- normal, drought The other two fish management agencies, New warning and drought. Chloride standards and Jersey's Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries and flow objectives are an integral component of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are involved in a joint Anadromous Fish Project. The most significant fishery management This project is principally the tagging and project on Philadelphia's Schuylkill River to recapturing of shad during their spring date is the Fairmount Fishway. The Pennsyl- migration up the Delaware River; this provides vania Fish Commission conducted a 4-1/2 year an annual shad count. Several research feasibility study, completed in 1976, which efforts are underway in conjunction with the concluded that shad, herring and and alewife shad count to determine the environmental could be successfully restored to the Schuyl- requirements for successful shad restoration kill River if fishways were built at three in the estuary. Also, the Bureau of Fresh- dams along the Schuylkill River and if two water Fisheries will soon begin a study of the unnecessary dams were removed. In November feasibility of introducing into the estuary 1977, under the auspices of the City's Fair- the steelhead rainbow trout, a Pacific mount Park Commission, the $565,000 construc- Coast anadromous fish, with an eye toward the tion project for the Fairmount Fishway was development of a commercial fishery. At begun. Dedicated in the spring of 1979, this present, the only commercial fishery in the fishway passed about 10 fish per hour during upper estuary is a small channel catfish spring migration in 1.979 and 1980. The operation in Riverside, New Jersey. (Several fishway in 1981 apparently passed fish at thousand shad are also taken in Lambertville, even greater rates. Electrofishing surveys New Jersey, in the non-tidal portion of the conducted by the Fish Commission in the fall Delaware.) If these trout were to become well of 1979 indicated a noticeably more diverse established, they would offer an attractive population of fish in the pool behind the recreational fishery as well as a commercial Fairmount Dam than had been previously fishery. encountered, attributable to the success of this fishway. Fisheries management on the Schuylkill River is more active than on the Delaware River. The most significant fish management project The Pennsylvania Fish Commission's Area 6 Fish planned for the Schuylkill will be a fish Manager has prepared a management plan for ladder at Flat Rock Dam. The Fish Commission Section 15, the stretch of river between Flat has been urging strongly for DER to program Rock Dam in Upper Roxborough and Fairmount Dam funds for a fishway at the state-owned dairt in in Center City. The Commission has also begun Upper Roxborough. The proposed $800,000 work on a plan for Section 16, from Fairmount fishway apparently has not been given high Dam downstream to the Delaware River. The priority by DER in their capital program. But most important recommendations in the plan for the value of the existing Fairmount Fishway Section 15 are for: 1) the construction of a cannot be fully realized until after the Flat fish ladder at Flat Rock Dam, 2) the continued Rock project is completed and modifications stocking of tiger muskellunge and walleye on a are made to the several other upstream dams. biannual basis, 3) periodic surveys of fish populations and tissue analyses to check for The Fish Commission is currently working on unacceptable levels of toxic substances, and a plan for the Schuylkill River downstream 4) a prohibition on harvesting of shad, of Fairmount Dam. In August 1981, fish herring and alewife until their populations surveys were conducted in this stretch of the are better established.. river. Serious pollution and low dissolved @7 oxygen were encountered which severely restrict SHALLOW AREA PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT fish populations downstream of Market Street Bridge. The correction of malfunctioning Protection of shallow water habitats from sewer overflow chambers and their regular unwarranted disturbance is a major objective maintenance would be an important contribu- of federal environmental laws and regulations. tion to reducing pollution. This source of The Federal Clean Water Act established contamination was highly visible to the shallows protection as a means of preserving Fishery Manager during his survey work. important aquatic habitats. This law estab- lished the Section 404 permit program, admin- The value of Philadelphia's fishery as a food istered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, source for the families of fishermen has not to regulate fill activities and the discharge been assessed because of a lack of information of dredge material in navigable waters. "The on the edibility of the fish. Because the protection of shallows is presumed to be in Delaware and Schuylkill rivers are widely the nation's interest and to take priority regarded as industrialized rivers, there is a over most filling and dredging activity. The widespread presumption that fish in these kinds of activities for which fill in shallows waters are tainted by heavy metals and is acceptable are those which serve a broad organic compounds. There have been, however, public interest and which support water- no regular analyses of fish flesh for concen- dependent uses requiring a riverfront loca- trations of exotic substances in excess of tion. Most marine commerce activities fit standards set by EPA and the Food and Drug these criteria; residential development would Administration. A study has been recently not generally be acceptable if it were to completed by the U.S. Geologic Survey of the require fill within shallow 'areas. Reuse or presence of pesticides and other organic reconstruction of piers, as long as a substan- substances in Schuylkill River fish, but the tial modification of the river bottom is not results of this study were not yet available proposed, is not considered to be a fill as of fall 1981. Water quality standards for activity requiring a Section 404.permit. aluminum, nickel, zinc and copper have not been set by the state DER because elaborate Not all shallows along Philadelphia's river- bioassay studies have not been performed to front are of equal importance as aquatic determine Lhe toxicity of these metals to habitats. Currently, those shallows downriver fish. The acceptability of fish for human of the Tacony-Palymra Bridge probably do not consumption as well as the viability of the function to their full potential as aquatic fishery may prove dependent on compliance with habitats because during much of the summer these standards. For these reasons, bioassay dissolved oxgen concentrations are too low to studies and fish flesh analyses are necessary support a viable resident fish population. to evaluate the potential of the Delaware and The City's pollution abatement program at the Schuylkill Rivers to be "harvested" as a food three sewage treatment plants will alleviate source. the dissolved oxygen "sag" to a great degree. But seriously low oxygen concentrations will exist even after the sewage treatment plants are upgraded for that stretch of the Delaware between Penn Treaty Park at river mile 101 d1ownriver to the Navy Yard at river mile 95. good water quality are substituted for shal- Disturbance of shallows in this portion of the lows in polluted waters, the value of the river would not have as serious an environ- artificially created shallows may prove to mental impact as would disturbance in less be substantially greater than that of the polluted sections of the river which do original shallows. If this policy were sustain resident fish. For this reason, adopted by the regulatory and review agencies, protection of shallows along stretches of shallows creation could become an important riverfronL projected to remain polluted in management technique by which Section 404 the future should not be accorded as high permit applicants can successfully obtain priority as protection of shallows where the permits for fill activities. water will sustain viable fisheries. Crea tion of artifical shallows could benefit fisheries in the Philadelphia area. There are several long stretches of riverfront north of Tacony-Palymra Bridge in which there are no .substantial shallows areas. These areas could benefit from the creation of shallow water habitats which would serve as nursery and feeding area for many kinds of fish. Creation of shallows, as- explained later in the recom- mendations chapter, does not entail unusual or expensive kinds of engineering work. A submerged bulkhead could be installed several hundred feet off shore, backfilled with material dredged from the river bottom and planted with native aquatic vegetation. Corps of Engineers staff are available to assist in the design and implementation of projects to create artifical shallows. Shallow creation may be of importance to applicants for Section 404 permits. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, along with the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Pennsylvania Fish Commission, have begun to reach a concensus that an unavoidable loss of shallows at one location could be mitigated through replace- ment with artificially created shallows elsewhere, perhaps with a 1.5 acre replacement shallows for each acre of original shallows lost. If replacement shallows in zones of TABLE 10: SUMMARY OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY, 1979 (1) Belmont Queen Lane Torresdale Plant Plant Plant Parameter Standard (2) Effluent Effluent Effluent Arsenic 0.05 0.003 0.001 0.002 Barium 1.0 0.06 0.08 0.06 Cadmium 0.010 0.001 0.001 0.001 Chromium 0.05 0.001 0.003 0.002 Lead 0.05 0.001 0.001 0.001 Mercury 0.002 0.0002 0.0001 0.0005 Nitrate (as N) 10.00 1.94 2.20 0.75 Selenium 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.001 Silver 0.05 0.001 0.001 0.001 Fluoride 1.8 0.95 0.85 1.05 Pesticides Endrin 0.0002 0.00001 0.00001 0.00001 Lindane 0.004 0.00001 0.00001 0.00001 Metboxychlor 0.1 0.00001 0.00001 0.00001 Toxaphene 0.005 0.001 0.001 0.001 2, 4-D 0.1 0.00006 0.00068 0.00002 2, 4, 5-TP 0.01 0.00003 0.00011 0.000005 Turbidity Units 1.000 T.U. 0.34 0.24 0.31 (Formazin) Coliform Colonies 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 Bacterial/100 ml Gross Beta Activity Pico Curies/Liter 50 pC/l 8.4 9.4 9.9 Strontium 90 8 pC/l 2.7 1.6 1.4 Tritium 20,000 pCl 880.0 880.0 563.0 NOTES: (1) USEPA, Safe Drinking Water Act, Public Law 93-523. (2) All units are in milligrams per liter (mg/1) unless otherwise specified. SOURCE: Philadelphia Water Department, in Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds, Sixth Series, April 1980. TABLE 11: COMPARISON OF DELAWARE ESTUARY STANDARDS TO WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS (1) -to Average Concentration (Standard Deviation) STANDARD CRITERION (2) Minimum Maximum Values ZONE 2 ZONE 3 ZONE 4 Aluminum Not to exceed 0.1 mg/1 of the 96-hour .36 (.20) .32(.18) No Data LC50 for representative important .14-.90 .07-.90 species as determined through sub- stantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. Alkalinity Equal to or greater than 20 mg/1 as 32(10) 3300) 31(8) CaCO except where natural conditions 72-52 T-1-58 T4@-51 are lelss. Where discharges are to waters with 20 mg/l or less alkalinity, the discharge should not further reduce the alkalinity of the receiving waters. Arsenic Not exceed 0.05 mg/l. No Data No Data No Data Bacteria (3) During the swimming season (may 1 238 4619 10,809 through September 30), the fecal 6-10,000 20-200,000 800-900,000 coliform level shall not exceed a geometric mean of 200 per 100 milliters (ml) based on five consecutive samples, each sample collected on different days; for the remainder of the year, the fecal coliform level shall not exceed a geometric mean of 2000 per 100 ml based on five consecutive samples collected on different days. Chloride Zone 2 - Maximum 15 day mean 5Cmg/i 13(4) 15(6) 2304) Zone 3 - Not more than 200 mg/l 4-23 4:762 T1-124 Zone 4 - Not more than 250 mg/1 Chromium Not to exceed 0.05 mg/l as hexavalent .004(.002) .003(.002) .012(.006) chromium. .000-.013 .000-.012 5-.016 TABLE 11 (Continued) -71 Average Concentration (Standard Deviation) STANDARD CRITERION Minimum Maximum Values ZONE 2 ZONE 3 ZONE 4 Copper Not to exceed 0.1 mg/l. .014(.007) .017(.015) .037(.027) .003-.039 .002-.175 .011-.065 Cyanide Not to exceed 0.005 mg/1 as free No Data No Data No Data cyanide (HCN+CN-) Dissolved Zone 2 - Minimum daily average 6.1 (1.2) 3.3(2.2) 1.2(.6) Oxygen not less than 5,0 mg/l; Zones 3 3.7-8.5 .1-8.1 .3-2.7 4 - minimum daily average not less than 3.5 mg/l. During periods 4/1-6/15 and 9.3 7.9 5.4 9/16-12/31 not less than 6.5 mg/l 4.5-13.5 .2-ff.9 .2-11.8 as a seasonal average. Fluoride (4) Not to exceed 2.0 mg/l. No Data No Data .14 .6-5-.24 Iron Not to exceed 1.5 mg/1 as total iron; .63(.65) .63(.55) No Data not to exceed 0.3 mg/l as dissolved iron. [email protected] .12-4.39 Lead Not to exceed the lesser of 0.05 .007(.005) .008(.009) .005(.002) mg/l or 0.01 of the 96-hour LC50 .001-.037 .000-.117 .004-.008 for representative important species as determined through substantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. Manganese Not to exceed 1.0 mg/l. .09(.07) .09(.05) No Data .02-.44 .02-.41 Nickel Not to exceed 0.01 of the 96-hour .01(.00) .01(.00) No Data LC50 for representative important .00-.02 .00-.05 species as determined through substan- tial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. 7z TABLE 11 (Continued) Average Concentration (Standard Deviation) STANDARD CRITERION Minimum Maximum Values ZONE 2 ZONE 3 ZONE 4 Nitrite Not to exceed 10 mg/l as nitrogen. 1.11(.38) 1.11(.36) 1.19(.37) Plus .03-2.5-7 *02-2.40 .02-2.31' Nitrate pH Not less than 6.5 and not more than 7.1 6.9 6.6 8.5. 6.0-7.8 5.i--7.8 6.2-7.2 Phenolics Zone 2 & 3 - Not to exceed 0.005 mg/l .001(.002) .003(.004) .002(.002) Zone 4 - Maximum 0.02 mg/l. .000-M-5 -.000--.050 .000-.015 Sulfates (4) Not to exceed 250 mg/l. No Data No Data 20 Threshold Not more than 24 at 60 0C. No Data No Data 18 Odor Number (4) 14-25 Total Zone 2 & 3 - Not to exceed 133% No Data No Data ill Dissolved of ambient stream concentrations 54-179 Solids (4) or 500 mg/l, whichever is less. Zone 4 - Not to exceed 133% of ambient stream concentrations. Turbidity Maximum monthly mean of 40 NTU, 906) 802) 31(8) maximum value not more than 2-205 1-220 14@51 150 NTU. Zinc Not to exceed 0.01 of the 96-hour .04(.04) .04(.02) .05(.02) LC50 for representative important .00-.30 .00-.17 .03-.07 species as determined through substantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. 73 TABLE 11 (Continued) NOTES I Data is from Philadelphia Water Depart- ment boat runs January 1, 1976 to December 31, 1980; only those sampling sites from within Philadelphia are included in the statistics. All concentrations. except for pH, turbidity, threshold odor number and fecal coliform are in milligrams per liter, which is the same as parts per million. 2 SOURCE: Pennsylvania Department of Envioronmental Resources. "Rules and Regulations - Title 25; Sub-part C - Protection of Natural Resources: Article II - Water Reso"rces; Chapter 93 - Water Quality Criteria," revised, March 4, 1978, Harrisburg, PA. 3 Fecal Coliform values in this table are for the period 6-16 to 9-15, rather than the 5-1 to 9-30 period specified in the regulations. 4 Data for fluoride, sulfate and total dissolved solids was obtained from the Philadelphia Water Department j Torres- dale Quality Control Laboratory's raw water quality report for fiscal 1980. Threshold Odor Number was supplied by the plant engineer at Torresdale filter plant c"is the annual average of monthly averages for calendar year 1980 and the average of monthy maximum and minimum values. 71/ TABLE 12: COMPARISON OF SCHUYLKILL RIVER STANDARDS TO WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS STANDARD CRITERION (1) AVERAGE (Range) (2) (milligrams/liter) Aluminum Not to exceed 0.1 mg/l of the 96-hour 0.15 (.06-.25) LC50 for representative important (filterable aluminum) species as determined through sub- stantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. Alkalinity Equal to or greater than 20 mg/1 as CaCO 3) 81 (41-125) except where natural conditions are less. Where discharges are to waters with 20 mg/1 or less alkalinity, the discharge should not further reduce the alkalinity of the"receiving waters. Arsenic Not exceed 0.05 mg/l. No Data Bacteria During the swimming season (may I No Data through September 30), the fecal coli- form level shall not exceed a geometric mean of 200 per 100 milliters (ml) based on five consecutive samples, each sample collected on different days; for the remainder of the year, the fecal coliform level shall not exceed a geometric mean of 2000 per 100 ml based on five consecu- tive samples collected on different days. Chromium Not to exceed 0.05 mg/l as hexavalent .003 (.001.-.006) chromium. Copper Not to exceed 0.1 mg/l. .015 (.000-.040) Cyanide Not to exceed 0.005 mg/1 as free cyanide .0005 (.000-.0010) (HCN+CN-) 75- TABLE 12 (Continued) STANDARD CRITERION AVERAGE (Range)(,2) Dissolved Oxygen Minimum daily average 5.0 mg/l; no value 10.2 (5.5-15.5) less than 4.0 mg/l. For the epilimnion of lakes, ponds and impoundments, minimum daily average of 5.0 mg/l., no value less than 4.0 mg/l. Fluoride Not to exceed 2.0 mg/l. .25 (.16-.38) Iron Not to exceed 1.5 mg/1 as tota iron; not .36 (.06-1.46) total to exceed 0.3 mg/1 as dissolved iron. .10 (.00-.14) filterable Lead Not to exceed the lesser of 0.05 mg/l .01 (.003-.029) or 0.01 of the 96-hour LC50 for repre- sentative important species as deter- mined through substantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. Manganese Not to exceed 1.0 mg/l. .08 (.00-.19) filterable Nickel Not to exceed 0.01 of the 96-hour No Data LC50 for representative important species as determined through substantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. Nitrite Plus Not to exceed 10 mg/1 as nitrogen. 3.1 (1.53-4.41) Nitrate pH Not less than 6.0 and not more than 9.0 7.7 (7.0-8.4) Phenolics Not to exceed 0.005 mg/l. .002 (.000-.008) 76 TABLE 12 (Continued) STANDARD CRITERION AVERAGE (Range)(2) Total Dissolved Not more than 500 mg/l as a monthly 300 (164-434) Solids average value; not more than 750 mg/l at any time. Zinc Not to exceed 0.01 of the 96-hour LC50 .09 (.00-.30) for representative important species as determined through substantial available literature data or bioassay tests tailored to the ambient quality of the receiving waters. Temperature No rise when ambient temperature is No Data 870For above; not more than a 5 0F above ambient temperature until stream temperature reaches 87 0F; not to be changed by more than 2 0F during any one-hour period. NOTES: (1) Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. "Rules and Regulations-Title 25; Sub-part C-Protection of Natural Resources; Article II-Water Resources; Chapter 93-Water Quality Criteria," September 2, 1974, Harrisburg, PA. (2) Philadelphia Water Department, Treatment Section, Quality Control and Research Division, Samples for July 1980 to March 1981, Belmont and Queen Lane Treat- ment Plants. The average given above are the mean of monthly average concentrations in milligrams per liter; the range is the minimum and maximum values of all samples reported for this 9 month period. 77 TABLE 13: CHARACTERISTICS OF FISH IN THE DELAWARE AND SCHUYLKILL RIVERS ABUNDANCE Pollution Game Shallows Dela;@7a-re-zone Fish Classification -Size Anadromous Tolerance Fish Dependency Schuylkill 2 3 4 Family-Freshwater Catfish White Catfish 2 No H Yes* H C C C U Yellow Bullhead I No H Yes H U U R R Brown Bullhead 1 No H Yes H A A C C Channel. Catfish 2 No H Yes* H C C C U Family-Killifish Banded Killifish .2 No H No H U A A A Mummichog .2 No H No H U A A A Family-Silverside Tidewater Silverside .2 No L No H R U U U Family-Stickleback Threespine Stickleback .5 No L No H R R R R Fourspine Stickleback .5 No L No H R R R R Family-Temperate Bass White Perch 1 Semi- M Yes* M A A C C Striped Bass 2 Yes L Yes* M R U R R Family-Sunfish Redbreast Sunfish .5 No M Yes H A U U U Green Sunfish .5 No M Yes H C U U U Pumpkinseed .5 No M Yes* H A C C C Bluegill .5 No M Yes H A C C C Smallmouth Bass 1 No L Yes* H A U R R 79 TABLE 13 (Continued) ABUNDANCE Pollution Game Shallows Delaware-Zone Fish Classification Size Anadromous Tolerance Fish Dependency Schuylkill 2 3 4 Family-Sunfish (cont.) Largemouth Bass I No L Yes H A C U U White Crappie .5 No L Yes* M U U U R Black Crappie .5 No L Yes* M C U U R Family-Freshwater Eel American Eel 2 No M No M U C C C Family-Herring Blueback Herring 1 Yes L Yes/No L C A C C (tidal) Alewife I Yes L Yes/No L C A C C American Shad 2 Yes L Yes* L U C U U Gizzard Shad I Yes L Yes L C C U U Family-Pike Muskellunge 3 No L Yes* L U R R R Chain Pickerel 3 No L Yes L R U R R Family-Minnow Goldfish 1 No N No N A C U U Carp I No M Yes/No M A C C C Silvery Minnow .3 No H No H U A A A Golden Shiner .3 No L No H A C U U Comely Shiner .3 No L No H U U U U Satinfin Shiner .3 No L No H C C C C Common Shiner .3 No L No H R U U U Spottail Shiner .3 No M No H A A C C Swallowtail Shiner .3 No L No H U U U II Spotfin Shiner .3 No M No H C U U U Fathead Minnow .3 No L No H R U U 11 7Y TABLE 13 (Continued) ABUNDANCE Pollution Came Shallows Delaware-Zone Fish Classification Size Anadromous Tolerance Fish Dependency Schuylkill 2 3 4 Family-Sucker White Sucker 2 No H Yes/No M A C U U Family-Perch Yellow Perch I No L Yes M C U R R Walleye 2 No L Yes* M U R R R Tessellated Darter 1 No L Yes M U C R R KEY: Size - size, in feet, of adult fish Andromous - Yes, means fish migrate from salt to freshwater to spawn. The American eel is catadromous in that it migrates to the ocean to spawn. Pollution Tolerance - H - High Tolerance; M - Moderate Tolerance L - Low Pollution Tolerance Game Fish - Yes, fish species is commonly sought for sport. Yes* indicates a particularly desirable sport fish. No, fish is not a sport fish. Shallows Dependency - High - fish spends most of life in shallows; Moderate - a portion of the fish's life is spent in shallows or fish feeds frequently in shallows; Low - Fish is seldom encountered in shallows area. Abundance - Based on fish surveys, a comparison of relative proportion of total fish population represented by each species. A - Abundant; C - Common; U - Uncommon; R - Rare. SOURCES: John Tyrawski, Shallows of the Delaware River, March 1979. Paul Harmon, "Abundance and Distribution of fish in the Schuylkill River," Proceedings of the Schuylkill River Symposium, September 24 and 25, 1980, pp. 90-91. Interview with Michael Kaufman, Area 6 Fishery Managager,- Pennsylvania Fish Commission. So TABLE 14: SUMMARY OF DELAWARE RIVER FISH SURVEY, 1973 Total Percentage Trenton Bristol Bridesburg Philadelphia Chester All each Species Location River Mile RM 127-131 RM 114-118 RM 104-108 RM 88-97 RM 81-86 Stations of Total Catch Rank. No. Species 13 16 13 10 14 21 No. Specimens 3899 7920 2217 365 642 15043 No. Collections 156 159 180 180 171 843 Species Blueback Herring 678 3670 1425 158 427 6358 42.3 1 White Perch 1533 2578 367 43 71 4592 30.5 2 Spottail Shiner 1032 132 27 4 1 1196 8.0 3 Channel Catfish 53 862 40 0 0 955 6.3 4 White Catfish 420 275 82 1 2 780 5.2 5 Alewife 66 241 85 57 2 451 3.0 6 Silvery Minnow 19 34 6 85 110 254 1.9 7 American Eeel 8 14 176 8 5 211 1.4 8 Brown Bullhead 73 13 1 1 12 100 0.7 9 Bluegill 0 74 0 0 4 78 0.5 10 Johnny Darter 11 10 1 0 0 22 0.1 11 American Shad 4 9 0 2 0 15 12 Striped Bass 0 1 3 0 4 8 13 Mummichog 0 0 0 6 1 7 14 White Sucker 0 5 0 0 0 5 15 Gizzard Shad 1 0 2 0 1 4 16 Banded Killifish 0 0 2 0 1 3 17 Largemouth Bass 0 1 0 0 0 1 18 Fallfish 1 0 0 0 0 1 18 Carp 0 0 0 0 1 1 18 Golden Shiner 0 1 0 0 0 1 18 Less than one-tenth percent SOURCE: From U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anadromous Fish Project, "Progress Report: 1973, (Mimeo)." TABLE 15: COMPARISON OF FISH SURVEYS AT TWO DIFFERENT SAMPLING AREAS Poor Water Quality Good Water Quality River Mile 82.0-87.5 River Mile 115-120 Chester-Little-Tinicum Island Croydon-Bristol Area Rank % Total Total Rank Total Catch Catch No. Species 36 36 No. Specimens 7484 17,686 No. Collections 181 - - 901 - Blueback Herring 72 6 1.0 3,782 1 21.38 White Perch 33 10 0.4 3,349 2 18.93 Spottail Shiner 35 10 0.4 3,182 3 17.98 Mummichog 3220 1 43.0 2,186 4 12.35 Silvery Minnow 1527 3 20.4 1,569 5 8.87 Banded Killifish 1597 2 21.3 1,277 6 7.21 River Herrings - 0 597 7 3.37 Alewife 41 10 0.5 597 8 3.37 Satinfin Shiner 104 5 1.4 283 9 1.59 Channel Catfish 0 0 240 10 1.35 White Catfish 20 1 0.3 92 11 .50 White Sucker 1 14 + 90 12 .50 Golder Shiner 10 13 0.1 7q 13 .40 American Eel 33 10 0.4 76 14 .40 Bluegill 36 10 0.4 67 15 .30 Brown Bullhead 59 7 0.1 48 16 .27 Tassellated Darter 0 0 44 17 .20 Swallowtail Shiner 31 10 0.4 26 18 .10 Carp 37 9 0.5 17 19 .10 Pumpkinseed 493 4 6.6 16 20 .09 American Shad 0 0 13 21 .07 Spotfin Shiner 11 13 0.1 11 22 .06 Striped Bass 0 0 10 23 .05 Gizzard Shad 1 14 + 8 24 .04 Largemouth Bass 42 8 o.6 7 25 .03 Goldfish 14 12 0.2 4 26 .02 Black Crappie 10 13 0.1 4 26 A-P TABLE 15: (Continued) Poor Water Quality Good Water Quality River Mile 82.0-87.5 River Mile 115-120 Rank % Total Total Rnnk Total Catch Catch White Crappie 2 14 + 3 27 0.01 Comely Shiner 0 0 2 28 0.01 Redbreast Sunfish 3 14 + 2 28 0.01 Sea Lamprey 0 - 0 1 29 Chain Pickerel 0 - 0 1 29 Fallfish 1 14 + 1 29 Creek Chubsucker 1 14 + 1 29 Tidewater Silverside 15 12 0.2 1 29 Fourspine Stickleback 2 14 + 1 29 Green Sunfish 14 12 0.2 1 29 Smallmouth Bass 1 12 + 0 - Spotfin Shiner 11 13 0.1 0 Fathead Minnow 6 13 0.1 0 * Less than 0.005% SOURCE: Army Corps of Engineers, "Shallows of the Delaware River," March, 1979; River Mile 82.0-87.5 is from Potter, et. al. 1974, Jan.-Dec. 1973 sampling; River Mile 115 -120 is from Chase, 1974, collection from 1972. 93 REFERENCES (Chapter II) Water Quantity and Quality Blair, Dennis. 1980, 1981. Planning and Gross, Seymour, 5/4/81. Delaware River Basin Technical Services, Philadelphia Water Commission staff. Personal communication Department. Personal communication on on Delaware Estuary water quality. aspects of water quantity and quality of Delaware Estuary. Johnson, Fred. 2/23/81. Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Personal communication Chester-Betz Engineers. 1975. "Chapter VI, on angling and boating use survey data. Existing Water Usage and Quality," Compre- hensive Water Quality Management Plant Kiry, Paul R. 1974. An Historical Look at the (Preliminary Draft). Water Quality of the Delaware River Estuary to 1973. Philadelphia: Department Clark, Leo J. and Ambrose, Robert B. 1980. of Limnology, Academy of Natural Sciences. A Water Quality Modeling Study of the DelawaErLe Estuar . Anapolis, Maryland: Koch, Henry. 2/26/81. Pennsylvania Boating y Environmental Protection Agency, Region Association. Personal communication and III. memo "List of boating facilities on the Delaware River and its tributaries." Delaware River Basin Commission. 1970. Final Progress Report, Delaware Estuary and Bay Lenyo. 3/12/81. Dam and Waterways Division, Water Quality Sampling and Mathematical Department of Environmental Resources. Modeling Project. West Trenton, New Personal communication on state's permit Jersey: Delaware River Basin Commission. system. Delaware River Basin Commission. 1978. Longmaid, David L. (Project Manager) et al. IlWater Quality of the Delaware River, 1980. The Delaware River Basin Comprehen- 1977, a Status Report, 35(b) Report." West sive (Level B) Study. West Trenton, New Trenton, New Jersey: Delaware River Basin Jersey: Delaware River Basin Commission. Commission. Pence, Michael. 4/29/81, 9/25/81 and others. Delaware River Basin Commission. 1981. Planning and Technical Services, Philadel- "Water Quality of the Delaware River, 1980 phia Water Departmtnt. Personal communi- (mimeo)." West Trenton, New Jersey: cation for preparation of summaries of Delaware River Basin Commission. water quality data. Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Miudowney, John. 5/l/81. Belmont quality 1978. COWAMP/208 Water Quality Management control lab, Philadelphia Water Department. Plan, Southeastern Pennsylvania. Phila- Personal communication on water quality in delphia: Delaware Valley Regional Planning the Schuylkill River. Commission. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. 1978. "Recommended Revisions to Water Quality Criteria," Pennsylvania Bulletin (8:9). Harrisburg: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Tortoriello, Dick. 9/30/81. Delaware River Basin Commission staff. Personal communi- cation on dissolved oxygen projections. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1979. Delaware River Dredge Disposal Study, Stage 1: Reconnaisance Report. Philadelphia: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Staff: Roy Denmark (3/12/81, 8/6/81), George Stei-arock (2/26/81) Ray Sawyer (3/12/80), Robert Spies (3/16/81), Mark Wolfe (8/6/81), Frank Cianfrani (2/28/81). Personal comunication on permit requirements, federal regulations and dredging programs. U. S. Geological Survey. 1980. Water Resources of Pennsylvania, 1979 Data Book (for October 1978 to September 1979). Washington, D. C.: U. S. Geological Survey. Woodford, Charles. 2/26/81. Engineer, 'Philadelphia Port Corporation, Personal communication on nature of sedimentation and on shallows restoration. Fisheries and Aquatic Habitats Ettinger, William S. 1980. "The Macroinver- Miller, Joe. 2/23/81. Anadromous Fish tebrate Community of the Tidal Schuylkill Project, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. River at Philadelphia," Proceedings of Personal communication on importance of the Schuylkill River Symposium, September shallows and on ecological requirements at 24 and 25, 1980, pp. 80-84. Philadelphia: shad. Academy of Natural Sciences. Mulfinger, Richard M. and Kaufman, Michael. Harmon, Paul L. 1980. "Abundance and Distri- 1980. "Fish Passage at the Fairmount bution of Fishes in the Schuylkill River," Fishway in 1979 and 1980 with Implications Proceeding of the Schuylkill River Symposium, for the Schuylkill River Fisheries Through September 24 and 25, 1980, pp. 85-100. Future Fishway Construction." Proceedings Philadelphia: Academy of Natural Sciences. of the Schuylkill River Symposium, September 24-25, 1980. pp. 101-124. Philadelphia: Hoopes, Rickalon L. 1980. "Fishery Program Academy of Natural Sciences. for Pennsylvania's Coastal Zone, Delaware Estuary and Lake Erie, (Mimeo)." Pennsylvania Mulfinger, Richard. 2/20/81. Pennsylvania Fish Commission for the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Personal communicati-on Department of Environmental Resources. on status of plans for Philadelphia boat access development. Hoopes, Richalon L. 2/23/81. Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Personal Communication Reisinger,James L. 1980. "Trace Metals on a on fishery program for Delaware Estuary. Conceptralized Schuylkill River Food Chain," Proceedings of the Schuylkill Kaufman, Michael. 1980. "River Narrative: River Symposium, September 24 and 25, Schuylkill River, SSB 3F, Section 15" 1980, pp.55-68. Philadelphia: Academy of (Mimeo). Pennsylvania Fish Commission, Natural Sciences. Division of Fisheries. Spies, Robert. 1981. Chief of Survey, U. S. Kaufman, Michael. 2/18/80. Area Fishery Army Corps of Engineers. Personal communi- Manager, Pennsylvania Fish Commission. cation on status of shallows data. Personal communication on shallows and fish stocking. Tyrawski, John M. 1979. Shallows of the Delaware River, Trenton,"iew Jersey to Lloyd, Tom. 12/12/80. Aquatic biologist, Reedy Point, Delaware. Philadelphia: consultant on Tioga Marine Terminal Philadelphia District, U. S. Army Corps development. Personal communication on of Engineers. ecological importance of shallows. Water Resource Management Blair, Dennis. 1980, 1981. Planning and Technical Services, Philadelpha Water Department. Personal communication on managment issues for water quality. Chezik, Michael. 2/23/81. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State College, Pennsyl- vania. Personal communication on federal policy for management of shallows. Denmark, Roy. 3/12/81. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, Permit Issuance Section. Personal communication on procedures for Section 10/404 permit reviews. Kasper, Susan. 2/24/81. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Operations Division. Personal communication on techniques for shallows restoration. Koch, Henry. 2/2681. Pennsylvania Boating Association. Personal communication on shallow's restoration compatibility with boaters. Hoopes, Rickalon L. 1980. "Fishery Program for Pennsylvania's Coastal Zone, Delaware Estuary and Lake Erie, (mimeo)." Pennsyl- vania Fish Commission for Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. Kaufman, Michael. 1980. "River Narrative: Schuylkill River, SSB 3F, Section 15, (Mimeo)." Pennsylvania Fish Commission, Division of Fisheries. Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 1981. 1981-1987 Capital Program. Philadelphia: Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 17 MAP NOTES (CHAPTER IV) Water Withdrawers Dissolved Oxygen Violations, 1980 SOURCE: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. SOURCE: Pence, Michael. 1981. Computer- 1978. Pennsylvania Coastal Zone generated summaries of Philadelphia Management Program Technical Water Department's water quality Record. Harrisburg: Office of data base. Resources Management, Department of Environmental Resources. Projected Dissolved Oxygen Violations (Updated 1981 through phone interview with Norristown regional SOURCE: Philadelphia City Planning Commis- office of Department of Environ- sion interpretation of Environ- mental Resources.) mental Protection Agency's 1973 study of dissolved oxygen in the Wastewater-Dischargers Delaware Estuary. SOURCE: Delaware Valley Regional Planning Areas of Recreational Fishing Commission. 1978. COWAMP/208 Water Quality Management Plant "Good Fishing" areas are those Southeastern Pennsylvania. water bodies in which summer Philadelphia: Delaware Valley average dissolved oxygen concen- Regional Planning Commission. trations exceed 6.0 milligrams per liter. Riverfront Recreation "Acceptable Fishing" areas have SOURCE: Philadelphia City Planning summer average disolved oxygen Commission survey, 1981. concentrations between 3.5 to 6.0 milligrams per liter. The best fishing would be in spring and fall; DRBC Zones and River Mile Index low dissolved oxygen may interfere with fishing in summer. SOURCE: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1979. Shallows of the Delaware SOURCE: These areas are Planning Commission River. interpretations of water quality data provided by the Philadelphia Dissolved Oxygen Violations, 1970-1974 Water Department. SOURCE: Pence, Michael. 1981. Computer- generated summaries of Philadelphia Water Department's water quality data base. 414 Shallow Water Areas SOURCE: Tyrawski, John M. 1979. Shallows of the Delaware River. Trenton, New Jersey to Reedy Point, Delaware. Philadelphia: Philadelphia District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Future Recreational L!@ _jLihiTjg Area (See Notes and SOURCE on back of Areas of Recreational Fishing map.) LAND RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND AMENITIES and productive habitats for small mammals and a wide variety of birds. Yet there are many The tidal Delaware and Schuylkill riverfronts activities serving essential regional functions have few areas with natural, vegetative cover, such as the International Airport, auto while in contrast the non-tidal Schuylkill junkyards, a landfill, dredge spoil disposal riverfront is predominantly devoted to park- areas, refineries, petroleum storage area's. land. The Delaware and lower Schuylkill have industrial parks and a sewage treatment plant. been subject to three centuries of bulkheading, Some of these uses have the'potential for filling, pier construction and other kinds of causing serious environmental impacts. shoreline modifications. There are no lands along the rivers which retain shoreline The lower Schuylkill area provides several characteristics which originally existed in unique habitats for birds. Some are well pre-Colonial times. The character of today's known, like Tinicum Marsh, while others are riverfront lands is reviewed below, working not usually regarded as bird habitats, such northward along the Delaware Estuary to as dredge spoil disposal areas and sludge Poquessing Creek and then along the Schuylkill lagoons. One of the most significant habitats River from Upper Roxborough downriver to is Tinicum Marsh, one of the two areas in- Fairmount Dam. the lower estuary listed in the recently published book Birding in the Delaware Valley. Virtually every bird identified in the Dela- ware Valley at one time or another has been LOWER SCHUYLKILL RIVERFRONT spotted at Tinicum, and the bird list for this site contains 271 species. The Tinicum The Lower Schuylkill riverfront consists of National Environmental Center is a wildlife lands in the vicinity of the tidal Schuylkill habitat of special importance to the north- River and along the Delaware River south of eastern United States. There has been exten- the Walt Whitman Bridge. This area includes sive loss of freshwater wetlands throughout Tinicum Marsh, the Eastwick Neighborhood this corner of the United States. This loss Improvement Area, Philadelphia International has depressed the populations of waterfowl. Airport, the U.S. Navy Yard and the future favoring freshwater wetlands. At one time, Schuylkill River Park. most of the EasLwick area was habitat for these birds. But over the years, landfilling There are vast contrasts in land conditions in with garbage and construction debris has the lower estuary area. This stretch of decimated freshwater wetlands. Tinicum riverfront contains some of the most environ- remains as one of the critical freshwater mentally significant areas of Philadelphia's wetlands in this section of the country. riverfront. There are hundreds of acres of open fields and wetlands which provide diverse 70 IJ The second most important bird habitat, also rabbits and muskrat are probably the most listed in Birding in the Delaware Valley, is abundant mammals, but opossum, skunk and the Philadelphia International Airport area. raccoon are also probably numerous. Snapper The airport, because of its wet grassland turtles are known to inhabit the dredge spoil condition and its security from unauthorized basins. A field between the dredge basins and human intrusion, attracts a variety of unusual the City's sludge disposal area is an birds which are rarely seen in the Delaware apiary for commercial honey production. Valley. These rare birds, which are regular winter residents of the airport, are the The lower Schuylkill River has a variety of short-eared owl, snowy owl, upland plover, social resources. The Tinicum National snowy bunting and lapland longspur. Environmental Center is a wetland managed by the federal Department of Interior as an Near the airport are the sludge lagoons of the education center and wildlife reserve. City's Southwest Sewage Treatment Plant and Bartram's Garden Park on the Schuylkill River the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's spoil is a national historic landmark consisting of disposal basins. Both of these facilities are the homestead of naturalist John Bartram, with unintentional but important bird habitats. an herb and flower garden and an arboretum With the permission of the City's Water surrounding the several colonial buildings. Department, a birdwatcher has been regularly The John Bartram Association sponsors an surveying bird species utilizing the lagoons. environmental education program for neighbor- Although a bird list has not yet been compiled ing communities. Fort Mifflin. the fort which for the lagoons, birds uncommon to the Dela- protected the port of Philadelphia during ware Valley have been spotted, including the Colonial times, is an historical landmark open European little gull and the Hudsonian godwit. to the public and offering a beautiful view of Although the Corps' spoil disposal basin is a the Delaware River. Commercial honey produc- freshwater basin, the cycles of inundation and tion and intensively-cultivated community desiccation in the basin arising from the gardens are two unusual uses of natural periodic nature of dredging activities make resources in the waterfront area. A private the basin an unstable habitat subject to wide boat launch along Hog Island Road, although fluctuations in waterfowl populations. just outside of Center City, is one of the very few access points to the Delaware River There are major land areas which provide south of Center City. Near Center City, the upland bird habitats. Many areas of former City has completed a six acre park at a cost marshland have been filled and have become $850,000, which will be the southern terminus covered with weeds, shrubs and trees which are of the multi-million dollar Schuylkill River habitats for upland ground and song birds. Park, a linear park which will one day These kinds of habitats are common to parklands extend from Lombard Street one mile northward in Philadelphia and suburban areas of the to the Art Museum. Delaware Valley and are not as unique as those wetland habitats attracting waterfowl. The visual appearance of the lower Schuylkill River area has tremendous variability. Auto The expansive areas of fields and wetlands junkyards along the Schuylkill River and the also support a variety of wildlife. Mice, Police Department's abandoned car impoundment yard under the Penrose Avenue Bridge provide at the Navy Yard. From a point beneath the the bleakest visual appearance. Passyunk George C. Platt Bridge, the arching bridge Avenue and 61st Street, in the midst of the superstructure seems to soar over the oil auto junkyard areas, are two streets among the refinery. At the Delaware River's edge near most bleak in appearance in the City. Open Fort Mifflin or behind the airport, large oil fields between the dredge disposal fields and tankers may be viewed at berth in the Delaware the airport, however, offer some of the most River; oil is siphoned from these tankers secluded natural vistas in the City. Inter- through pipes under the Delaware River to national Airport provides exciting visual on-shore storage tanks. experiences, especially in the vicinity of Fort Mifflin along the path of incoming flights. There has been considerable recent CENTRAL RIVERFRONT AND SOUTH DELAWARE WATERFRONT commercial, industrial and residential develop- ment in the Eastwick area which, when combined The Central Riverfront and South Delaware with highway and airport terminal improvements, Waterfront constitute one of the most heavily give the impression of a new and vital hub of urbanized stretches of shoreline in the activity. There are large areas of vacant, Delaware Estuary. There are virtually no land cleared land in the Eastwick Industrial Park areas sustaining productive animal and plant which seem incongruent with the wide roadways communities. The waterfront edge in this area and dense development in surrounding areas, is completely bulkheaded, although abandonment but which give a sense of impending develop- of some piers has resulted in invasion by ment. The Gulf and Arco refineries along the plants and siltation between piers. This has Schuylkill River create odors and a generally restored, to a small degree, natural aquatic unappealing appearance which detracts from and terrestrial ecological processes. Indus- the attractiveness of the Eastwick area in trial processing and port activities dominate, general, as the flaming vents, large storage but there has been recent land use changes tanks and processing facilities are visible north of Washington Avenue, such as redevelop- for many miles, even from new residential ment of some land to residential uses at areas. Tinicum Marsh, despite its proximity Christian Street and recreation development at .to the airport and oil storage facilities, is Penn's Landing. This suggests that landscaped a refuge from urban scenery. plantings will one day be more dominant than is now the case along the waterfront north of There are several unique vantage points which Washington Avenue. provide interesting perpectives on the urban environment. A particularly powerful view of There is no vegetative cover in this area the Arco refineries on the east side of the which contains quality, productive plant Schuylkill River can be seen at the end of communities. Vacant, open fields consist 67th Street on the west side of the river. typically of the more drought resistant weeds The Girard Point Bridge, which carries 1-95 such as bristlegrass, prickly lettuce, goose- across the Schuylkill River, is another foot, wormwood and sweet clover. Several dramatic, man-made structure along the lower sites support the weed-like Ailanthus (Tree- estuary offering a view of the aircraft of-Heaven). Several railyards have been . carrier Saratoga which is being rehabilitated unutilized over the last couple of years and have been invaded by weeds, as has a pier 1-95 Expressway connections with Walt Whitman at the Kerr-McGee property, an abandoned Bridge. Because these grassed areas are so fertilizer factory. scarce, they are significant for their enhance- ment of the waterfront's appearance, affording Because of the severe lack of vegetative relief from the visual bleakness of industrial cover, wildlife habitats are extremely scarce. buildings and roadways. A unique example of In one field trip, only two kinds of birds landscape plantings used to relieve a stark were noted, a catbird and a flock of mourning urban appearance is the planting of trees, doves. The catbird, a bird well adapted to shrubs and lawns at the entrance to the the urban environment, is notable for its Philadelphia Electric Company's Southwark exceptionally fine singing which can penetrate Generating Station. Most other industries the noise of an industrial area. The Kerr- have made no effort to provide landscaping. McGee site's weedy pier area was found to be a resting area for mourning doves, a federally The visual appearance of this area is also protected bird. On an earlier visit, a duck affected by the poor condition of many of the nest was observed at this location. The buildings and vacant lots. While several attractiveness of this site to birds is major structures have been renovated, many attributable to its isolation in contrast to buildings are deteriorated and some are vacant. many other weedy sites. The other kinds of There are many vacant lots in the area south birds which would be likely found on vacant of Washington Avenue. Illegal dumping of lots in this zone are the hardy urban birds, trash and debris, especially along Weccacoe namely the starling, pigeon, robin and house Street, has been a problem. The roads in this sparrow. area, both the collectors and Delaware Avenue, are not well paved. All of these various The river's edge in this stretch of river- factors combine to create a negative visual front is completely bulkheaded. There are appearance. no natural shore edges, nor are there rocky, rubble edges, as can be observed along much Visual access to the Delaware River along of the riverfront both north and south on the the Central Riverfront and South Delaware river. Of the approximately 17,000 feet of Waterfront is good between the Fairmount riverfront in this area, about 3,500 feet Avenue and Washington Avenue but poor south of contains piers and structures which appear Washington Avenue. North of Washington blighted from the river and are in a deteri- Avenue, Delaware Avenue is close to the river, orated or abandoned condition. and water can be seen between the piers and their warehouse structures. Penn's Landing is This heavily industrialized zone has a land- a major cultural facility which draws visitors scape mostly unrelieved by trees, shrubs, to the riverfront, and there are also several grass and similar plant cover. Grass cover is informal places where drivers may stop and unusually sparse; grass in the landscaped view the Delaware. There are no parks or lawns of Penn's Landing and along one section landscaped sitting areas south of Washington of the Delaware Expressway are the principal Avenue to serve workers in this industrialized grass areas. Just outside the study area, a area, nor can the river be viewed from public good grass cover has been established at the streets. While there are several lunch stops along Delaware Avenue which serve truckers NORTH DELAWARE RIVERFRONT and workers, no outdoor eating or resting was observed during a site visit on a pleasant The North Delaware Riverfront, for the purpose spring day. of this environmental study, is divided into two parts. Although the upper portion near There are several facilities in this stretch Mayfair and Torresdale neighborhoods has of riverfront which are cultural resources. significant industries, there are still The most significant is Penn's Landing important environmental resources. The lower which, besides the promenade along the river, portion of the North Delaware Riverfront, from attracts visitors to historical ships, the Fairmount Avenue north to Frankford Arsenal, Moshulu restaurant and a sculpture garden. is heavily urbanized. In the discussion Major industrial, residential, commercial and below, the lower section of the North Delaware hotel development is expected over the next is discussed first. decade. At the south end of Penn's Landing, Rainbow Tours departs for tours of the Dela- Like its counterpart to the south, the lower ware River. A private tennis club has been North Delaware Riverfront is heavily urbanized. developed at Pier 30, and along the north side Over three-quarters of the 6 mile stretch of of this pier the Heritage Ship Guild is shoreline is bulkheaded, although abandonment headquartered. The Ralph Rizzo Ice Rink and of some piers has permitted recent invasion recreation center is a neighborhood recreation by weeds, shrubs and shrubby trees. The Tioga facility situated under 1-95 Expressway at Marine Terminal is the major marine commerce Washington Avenue. As part of 1-95 Expressway facility in the northern half of Philadelphia's construction, the Pennsylvania Department of riverfront, and most of the other piers are no Transportation installed covers over depressed longer actively utilized for shipping activi- sections of highway a half block wide at ties. The underutilization of vast areas of Chestnut Street and a full block wide between riverfront land, along with accessibility to Lombard and Spruce Streets. These covers are Center City and major transportation systems, urban parks linking Penn's Landing with suggests that there are significant redevelop- Society Hill. The Old Swedes' Church at ment opportunities in the north riverfront Washington Avenue, managed by the National area. Park Service, is a very distinctive historical landmark. This church is an oasis amidst the There is no vegetative cover in the north hard, urban scenery and is also the southern riverfront area which consists of high quality end of the area in which there is a diverse plant communities. The only mature trees are mixture of land uses. To the south, land uses at Penn Treaty Park, a small park at the foot are almost solely industrial and commercial. of Columbia Avenue on the Delaware River. This park commemorates the establishment of Philadelphia by William Penn. There are, however, several areas with signi- ficant ground cover. Piers C and D at Port Richmond have lain idle long enough to have developed a cover of young trees, shrubs, 7 herbs and grasses which attract doves, pigeons, The visual appearance of most of the proper- sparrows and catbirds. ties in the lower North Delaware Riverfront is bleak and unappealing. In part this is Another significant area consists of lands attributable to the preponderance of utilities bordering the mouth of Frankford Creek and and large industries. The Northeast Trash beneath Betsy Ross Bridge. These have become Transfer Station, PECO'S Delaware and Richmond areas of green amidst predominantly heavy Stations, the PGW Richmond Plant and the industry. The Delaware River Port Authority Northeast Sewage Treatment Plant are facili- maintains grassy fields underneath the Betsy ties which Lend to emit air pollutants and Ross Bridge which are apparently used by odors and to have imposing, stark appearances. nearby communities for recreational activi- Several large land areas are rubbly and ties. Under the bridge, trails leading to barren, notably the Cramp Shipyards and filled the river's edge have been well worn amidst land adjacent to Penn Treaty Park. Some other head-high grasses and shrubs and twenty-foot riverfront properties are storage areas for tall trees. The small promontory at the mouth bulk material, such as the coal piles at Port of Frankford Creek affords a spectacular view Richmond and paving material piles just north of the Delaware which is enhanced by the of the Betsy Ross Bridge. Several other soaring superstructure of the Betsy Ross properties, such as Metal Bank of America, Bridge. At low tide, sandy deposits along the Serve as storage yards for scrap materials. creek and river give the appearance of a beach. Access to this area is not well Public access to the River is exceptionally defined, as gaps in cyclone security fences limited in the lower North Delaware Riverfront and an abandoned railroad bridge are the area. There are only two park facilities in principal means of entrance. this six mile stretch of riverfront, Penn Treaty Park and Pulaski Pier Park. Both are Three quarters of the lower North Delaware small, less than an acre of fast land. They Riverfront have bulkheading and piers. The both serve low to middle income, row home second half of the 1800s saw major growth in neighborhoods. Pulaski Pier is close to marine commerce which caused the initial the Richmond community, and Penn Treaty serves development of the river edge. The configura- Fishtown. Land has been recently acquired to tion of the river edge has changed consider- provide for expansion of Penn Treaty Park so ably over the past hundred years, as piers that it may better serve as a site for the were extended and deepened to accommodate City's Century Four celebration in 1982. The larger vessels. One-third of the edge has City also has applied for $210,000 from the been modified over just the last fifteen Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program years. The 3,000 foot long Tioga Marine for improvements to Pulaski Pier Park. The Terminal was created by new bulkheading and only other cultural resource in this river- fill, and about 7,000 feet of old, unutilized front area is the privately owned Riverfront pier areas have been filled in with rubble and Dinner Theater, near the foot of Poplar Street dirt in order to create developable lands. about 150 feet north of the Benjamin Franklin The configuration of the river edge may Bridge. This theater is situated at the end continue to change over the next decades as of a pier at the concave bend in the Delaware, redevelopment of available land takes place. affording a magnificent view of the river. While not typically considered appealing the site. There are several dozen pheasant in vistas, several facilities in the lower North the grassy areas, and the heavy thistle and Delaware Riverfront are of such a scale as to sunflower vegetation attracts goldfinch. The be attractive. Port Richmond contains enor- tidal flat at the mouth of the Pennypack is an mously large relics of its heyday as a terminus attractive resting area for both migrating and for the export of coal, grain and other resident waterfowl and is probably home also commodities. The scale of this facility and for muskrats. Plans have been prepared for its current desolateness are striking. The park development at this site, including a Tioga Marine Terminal provides a sharp contrast boat launch, marina, ballfields and play to Port Richmond. Here the immense scale of areas. the cranes, cargo vessels and staging areas and the hustle and bustle of truck traffic Another area with a significant vegative cover produce an atmosphere of great energy and is the Foerd Estate overlooking the mouth of vitality. Within these two facilities lies a the Poquessing Creek. This estate is an complex and interesting history of Philadelphia arboretum of specimen exotic trees and shrubs, as one of the major industrial and port cities and the grounds and flower beds have been well in the world. maintained. The estate's mansion is used as a conference center by the Lutheran Church. In strong contrast to the lower North Delaware Riverfront to the south, lands along the upper There are public lands in the upper North portion of Philadelphia's estuary have a Delaware Riverfront which afford good wildlife residential and institutional character. Here habitat and diverse ground cover. These also is the preponderance of public and include Pleasant Hill Park, Linden Street boat private river access points, corresponding to launch and nearby fish ponds and the Water the relatively clean and appealing condition Department's Torresdale Filtration Plant of the water. The upper North Delaware facilities. Together they constitute a major Riverfront is about 5-1/2 miles long, extend- riverfront open space resource. Pleasant Hill ing from the original mouth of the Frankford Park, a narrow, tree covered park along the Creek at the Frankford Arsenal, north to the River, is programmed for improvements by the City boundary at Poquessing Creek. City. The Linden Street boat launch is a heavily used access point with a five acre There are several areas of significant vegeta- parking lot which fills to capacity on summer tive cover along the upper North Delaware weekends. Adjacent ponds, which were once a Riverfront. Most notable is the approximately state owned fishery, have been refurbished 200 acres of land at the mouth of the Pennypack with landscaping and walkways and are open to Creek. This area until several years ago was fishing by children. The W@ter Department's used by the Sanitation Division of the City's 100 acres of concrete clear water basin are Streets Department as an emergency dump and covered by six feet of earth supporting field ash residue disposal area. The dump has vegetation which is home for rodents, rabbits, been closed, and the land has rapidly returned pheasant, and perhaps woodcock and fox. The to a field condition suitable for a wide adjacent raw water basin attracts migrating variety of birds and mammals. Rabbits and waterfowl, and muskrats are suspected of mice are abundant, attracting several fox to inhabiting the Water Department's sludge basin 7b on the north bank of the mouth of Pennypack will have under construction soon a boat Creek. launch facility at the foot of Princeton Avenue on surplus federal lands adjacent to There are several private lands which provide the Quaker City Yacht Club. This facility, green open space or tree cover. Saint Vincent's projected to cost $300,000, will have spaces orphanage is on about eight acres of landscaped for 76 cars and trailers and for nine or ten grounds with an expansive lawn area. The Baker single cars. This is considered by the Fish Bay condominium complex has retained wooded Commission to be a small-scale access area. A areas along the Delaware River, providing a much larger facility is under design for the park-like setting for their residents. The 22 acres assigned to the Fish Commission for a grounds at the approaches to the Tacony-Palmyra boat launch at Frankford Arsenal. Projected Bridge are well landscaped and maintained. to cost over a million dollars and to be built in three phases from 1982 through 1985, this Recreational access to the Delaware River in facility will be able to serve over 300 cars the riverfront north of Frankford Arsenal is and trailers. In addition, the City plans to better than in any other section of Philadel- incorporate a boat launch and marina in phia's Delaware Riverfront. The City's only designs for the park at the mouth of Pennypack public boat launch is located in the upper Creek. estuary at Linden Street. There are also four yacht clubs with launches and docks in the The development of these boat launches and Delaware. associated recreational activities serves to capitalize on the significant improvements in 1) Wissinoming Yacht Club, at Devereaux water quality that have occurred in the last Street, decade. In the early 1970s, dissolved oxygen levels averaged 4.5 milligrams per liter 2) Quaker City Yacht Club, at Princeton (mg/1) during the summer, while in 1980 the Avenue, average was in excess of 6.0 mg/l. This increased concentration of dissolved oxygen 3) Columbia Yacht Club, adjacent to the should substantially improve fish populations, Linden Street access ramp, and providing suitable conditions for such game fish as walleye, bass, white perch and sunfish. 4) Delaware River Yacht Club, at the This water quality improvement is attributable foot of Grant Avenue. to the completion of pollution abatement facil- ities by upstream municipal and industrial In addition, Pekora's Marina near the Tacony- waste dischargers. When the Northeast Sewage Palmyra Bridge services and stores recreational Treatment Plant is in full operation in 1985, boats, although their marina has been closed. good sports fisheries should be encountered There is also an active boat club in this down to the Frankford Creek. area, the Bridesburg Boat Club. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission has determined that there is a tremendous demand for additional boating access to the Delaware River. They UPPER SCHUYLKILL RIVERFRONT valley. Closest to the river is the Reading Norristown railline, and further uphill there The Upper Schuylkill River is a major recrea- is an abandoned Penn Central right-of-way. tional resource for Philadelphians. For the The Penn Central line has been developed to a four and a half miles above the Fairmount bicycle path from Port Royal Avenue to Spring Dam, parklands border the Schuylkill River. Mill near Conshohocken. The Penn Central line Although access to the four miles above the and bike path is set against the wooded river's confluence with the Wissahickon Creek Schuylkill Valley Nature Center property and is somewhat limited, further upstream the provides an overlook to the Schuylkill River. river sustains significant recreational usage The third right-of-way further uphill is for and holds the promise for greatly increased Philadelphia Electric Company's overhead recreation. electric transmission lines. In this right- of-way, the land is maintained as fields and The Upper Schuylkill Riverfront can be divided is heavily traversed with paths for trail into three segments. The upper segment is a bikes. mile and a half long from the City boundary in Upper Roxborough downstream to the Flat Rock The Schuylkill Valley is fairly steeply Dam. Development in this stretch is low sloped, rising about 100 feet in elevation density residential, consisting of small within 150 to 250 feet inland of the railroad houses and mobile homes within the river's rights-of-way. Throughout this valley, the floodplain. Some of these homes are summer sound of the Schuylkill Expressway can be cottages which have been converted to perman- distinctly heard as a constant drone, even ent homes. These homes occur on both the where trees along the highway hide it from Montgomery County and Philadelphia sides of view. the river, and typically include docks and motorboats set within a well-treed landscape. The woods and fields in this upper stretch of There is a park in Merion Township with public the Schuylkill River contain some of the most access to the river for their township's important wildlife habitats remaining in the residents. Although the hiking and biking City, as well as some of the City's most trail in Manayunk extends upstream to the beautiful and appealing landscapes. There Shawmont Station, there is no access point in are several herds of deer within the forested the pool above Flat Rock Dam from which stream corridors which drain to the Schuylkill Philadelphia residents may launch motorboats River. Birdwatchers encounter bird species or sailboats. which are not commonly encountered elsewhere within City limits, such as the phoebe and the Within this-upper Schuylkill area, there are warbling vireo. Waterfowl, particularly substantial woodlands and fields close to Canada geese and mallards, are permanent the river. The Schuylkill Valley Nature residents along this stretch of the river. Center and some other private lands managed by the Center stretch for about three quarters The second portion of the Upper Schuylkill of a mile from the City boundary to Port Royal Riverfront is between the Flat Rock Dam and Avenue. Three tree-lined rights-of-way the Schuylkill's confluence with the Wissa- contribute to the natural apearance of the hickon Creek. The dominant feature along this section of the River is the Manayunk Canal. There is open land at the downstream end of This canal was built in the 1830s to serve as Venice Island near the lower lock which could an industrial power supply and as a lock provide riverfront recreation opportunities. system permitting river-borne commerce. The only unobstructed view of the Schuylkill Although at one time there were.over a dozen River within the Manayunk area is at this paper and fabric mills on the canal, there are lower lock parcel. Because this site is also now two paper processers and a food processing the southern terminus of the Manayunk towpath, plant. These firms no longer utilize the there is apparently a demand for parking for canal, the lock system of which has been long park visitors. The attractive setting at the in disrepair. river edge is appropriate for picknicking and sitting areas. Because this land is within The Manayunk Canal was recently refurbished the floodway of the Schuylkill River, City at a cost of $2.2 million. A towpath has ordinances forbid the reuse of this property, been built along the canal, in parts canti- which was formerly a warehouse and later a levered over the water. The path extends restaurant, for new commercial or residential for nearly two miles from Lock Street in struct tr s. For these several reasons, recrea- Manayunk upstream to the Shawmont train tion development is an appropriate use for station. This serves,as a major link in a this area. bicycle trail system proposed to one day extend from the Art Museum in Center City Between the mouth of Wissahickon Creek and the Philadelphia to the Valley Forge National lower lock of the canal, the Schuylkill River Park. The canal has also served to focus has a distinctly urban appearance, with attention on the revitalization of the Main retaining walls at its edge supporting indus- Street commercial corridor. trial buildings, most notably Container Corporation of America. Because there are Despite the Manayunk Canal project, access to only two small industrial wastewater discharg- the Schuylkill River is not good in this ers, the water in the Schuylkill is not stretch of the river. Below Flat Rock Dam, significantly impacted by this industrial the Schuylki-11 River has a white water rapids zone. It is also within this industrial zone attractive to canoeists. The industries on that the bicycle trail from Conshohocken Venice Island, however, have largely blocked to Center City must share with cars and trucks the river from boating access, although about 1-1/2 miles of Main Street. Main Street Connelly Container Corporation has permitted, at this point becomes narrow between rock on an informal basis, canoe launchings from outcrops on the northeast side of the street their property. A recreation center on Venice and industrial property to the southwest. The Island is headquarters for a canoe club, but bicycle trail is picked up at the mouth of the this club does not have good access to the Wissahickon Creek, where trails from Forbidden river from the island, as there is an approxi- Drive along the Wissahickon Creek connect with mately 20 foot drop to the river at this trails along the Schuylkill River in Fairmount point. Park. It is also at the mouth of the Wissa- hickon Creek that the Philadelphia Canoe Club is situated. The third segment of the Upper Schuylkill Greek revival type structure has served as a Riverfront is from Wissahickon Creek down- major public garden area from the 1800s to the stream to the Fairmount Dam. Fairmount Park present. borders both sides of the Schuylkill River. In this section, the Schuylkill River forms a The good water quality of the Schuylkill River pool behind the dam. The pool supports contributes significantly to the recreational sculling by the Schuylkill Navy rowing clubs value of Fairmount Park. The good appearance and also boating, sailing and fishing by the and odor of the river is compatible with general public. The landscaped parklands and boating activities. High dissolved oxygen in convenient pathways attract bikers, joggers the water sustains an abundant fish population and picknickers who enjoy the river scenery. attractive to fishermen. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission and Fairmount Park Commission A major element in this section of the Schuyl- jointly sponsor annual fishing contests on kill River is its rich historical and cultural the Schuylkill to promote the river's good character. Thirteen historic mansions are recreational fishery. Fecal coliform levels within East and West sections of Fairmount are low enough to allow contact recreation Park in close proximity to the Schuylkill activities. To help foster the image of the River. These were estates of prominent, Schuylkill as a safe and clean river, the Park eighteenth and nineteenth century Philadel- Commission in 1980 sponsored a river float phians who were attracted to the scenic, race in which thousands of participants rolling landscape overlooking the Schuylkill created rafts, boats and other devices on which River. Many of these mansions were acquired to float down the river. in the second half of the 1800s when Fairmount Park was assembled. The Laurel Hill Cemetery The lower stretch of the Upper Schuylkill overlooks the Schuylkill. Established in 1836 River is impacted by transportation arterials and designed by noted architect John Notman, near its banks. Two major arterials, East this cemetery was once a favorite public and West River Drives, wind along the river. promenade and picnic area. Fairmount's West These drives carry motorists to and from Park was the site of the nation's Centennial Center City, but also provide access to the Exposition of 1876. Memorial Hall, the main riverside park areas. The Schuylkill Express- pavillion of the Exposition, now serving as way is on the west side of the river, and its administrative offices for the Fairmount Park heavy volume, high speed traffic creates a Commission, is one of the only structures in constant drone which is noticeable along the West Park. which remains from the Centennial full length of Philadelphia's Schuylkill Exposition. The Philadelphia Zoological riverfront. Long freight trains, consisting Gardens, situated on a plateau overlooking principally of coal hoppers, move occasionally the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was along trackage paralleling the expressway on established in 1875 as the first zoo in the west side of the river. America. The Fairmount Waterworks at the east end of Fairmount Dam is significant both as a The quality of the wildlife habitat in this symbol of major engineering advances in public section of the Schuylkill River is mixed. water supply systems in the early 1800s and as Grassy areas immediately adjacent to the river an architectural feature. The Waterwork's do not attract foraging mammals or their predators. But beyond the river, the land requirements for that species. Along an rises steeply and is wooded, and still further undeveloped riverfront, environmental condi- uphill there are open fields. These woodland tions vary greatly over a short distance@ such and fields are some of the most productive that the niche requirements for a large number wildlife habitats in the City. Squirrels, of different animals are met within the rabbits, raccoon, opossum, skunk and mice are confines of a small area. In from the river, probably plentiful, but because of the area's land may grade from wetlands, to lowlands and closeness to dense development, deer are then to uplands, just as out from the river's absent. edge the water may deepen from tidal flatlands, to shallow water areas and then to deep water. The Upper Schuylkill kiverfront has important On land, open fields may give way to shrubby habitats for waterfowl and other birds. The thickets and to woodlands. This diversity in most abundant waterfowl are the Canada geese vegetative cover, land wetness and water depth which are permanent residents in the Fairmount creates an enormous potential for diverse Park portion of the Schuylkill River. Mallard wildlife populations. ducks are also permanent residents. Several kinds of gulls, notably the herring and ring- Wildlife habitats are not abundant along necked gull and less commonly the glaucous Philadelphia's riverfront (see Riverfront and Iceland gull, are occasional visitors Wildlife Areas map). only abou'L7-T.5--i@@fi-es of along the Schuylkill. Herons and egrets the 22 mile portion of Philadelphia's Delaware wander up the Schuylkill River during late Estuary has significant concenLrations of summer before the fall migration to the south birds and mammals. The Schuylkill River begins. There are also a variety of summer offers a considerably larger proportion resident birds which favor river edge habitats. of habitats, with 6.0 miles of the 15 mile These include several species of swallows, riverfront bordering parklands, fields or flycatcher, orioles and sandpipers, the yellow wooded areas. warbler, the warbling vireo and belted king- fisher. During winter several hawks inhabit-the Wildlife enhancement and protection can be woodlands in Fairmount Park near the river. pursued along the Delaware and Schuylkill These hawks include the red-tailed, rough- Rivers through a number of different manage- legged, Cooper's and kestrel hawks. ment techniques. The major strategy should be to encourage growth of a natural vegetative cover along as much of the riverfront as practicable. This strategy does not preclude ENHANCEMENT AND PROTECTION OF RIVERFRONT LAND urban uses, because even intensive development RESOURCES of riverfront properties may include a planted riverfront buffer of shrubbery and trees. On Highly productive wildlife habitats can exist lands where new development will disrupt along the river because natural river edges existing habitats, a natural cover could be provide diverse "ecological niches." Each retained as a buffer along the river. Where animal has a set of requirements for food, barren, vacant lands devoid of ground cover cover, climate and other environmental condi- are redeveloped, plans could call for a tions which together characterize the niche landscaped edge designed to enhance wildlife /0/ RIVERFRONT WILDLIFE REAS MI AREAS OF SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE CONCENTRATIONS Source: Philadelphia City Planning Commission Interviews with Ornithologists a. Philadelphia Game Protector '2,Cp 24,000 FT. / 6PZ habitats. Existing firms with unutilized succession of plant communities on idle land river frontage could make plantings at the has already permitted the natural restoration river's edge, not only benefitting wildlife of wildlife. The only useful improvement but also enhancing the riverfront's appearance would be low-cost plantings of evergreens and from the water. fruit-bearing trees to help improve the habitat for songbirds and the visual attrac- The major, long-range opportunity for wildlife tiveness of the open fields. protection is in the Corps' Fort Mifflin Reservation. The 300 acre Fort Mifflin Existing vegetated river edges can be retained disposal area has habitats consisting of both as a wildlife protection measure. Along the upland fields, which have become established west bank of the tidal Schuylkill River there on completed spoil basins, and freshwater are about 4,500 feet of shrubby and tree-covered wetlands within active spoil basins. Fort lands which provide wildlife habitat. These Mifflin will be filled by 1998 and is likely are portions of unutilized industrial lands, to become surplus federal property. Although apparently associated with oil storage and it could be developed to industrial or other refining operations. About 4,000 feet of this urban uses, it could instead be developed as river frontage is within the Schuylkill 's parkland and as a wildlife refuge. Its use as floodway. Because City ordinances restrict open space would complement the public uses at construction of new structures within the the nearby historic Fort Mifflin and the Fish floodway, permanent open space may prove to be Commission's proposed boat launch to be the highest use to which lands immediately developed within the clear zone of Inter- along the river could be put. national Airport. A substantial number of parcels in the upper A second opportunity for wildlife protection Delaware Estuary and tidal Schuylkill River is at the mouth of Pennypack Creek. About 100 are rubbly, underutilized industrial lands acres of former garbage dump and ash piles which could be treated in a way beneficial to have returned to field conditions which are wildlife. There are about 2.5 miles of rich in pheasant, rabbits and goldfinch and industrial riverfrontage on the Delaware other animals common to meadow habitats. which existing firms do not utilize. These Tidal flats at the mouth of the Pennypack, in edges could be planted with a 50 foot wide addition, are attractive to waterfowl. vegetated buffer. This buffer might consist Although preliminary plans for park develop- of medium height grasses with plantings of ment at this location call for extensive such fruit and nut bearing shrubs and trees as playfields, less intensive recreational oak, hawthorn, roses, blackberries and apples, development of this site would accommodate to grasses such as fescue, bristle grass and a 50 or 75 acre wildlife reguge with nature brome and to such evergreens as scotch pine and trails, while also allowing development of cedar. several ballfields. Many riverfront lands may not provide satis- For both the mouth of Pennypack Creek and factory soil for plantings. Rubble has been Fort Mifflin, very little intervention by used as fill in many riverfront areas, and man is necessary to encourage wildlife. A an infertile dirt has been applied to the 105 rubble. A good ground cover can be best to view. Almost any landscape planting established where the soil is fertile and provides refuge for songbirds, a positive sufficiently deep as to provide a good root environmental feature in a development. zone. Therefore, a clean soil fill may have to be applied to riverfront lands planted as a Tree plantings provide advantages which extend buffer. The Water Department's composted beyond wildlife habitats and visual effects. sewage sludge, combined with dredged river Trees serve as windbreaks and help to sift out bottom silt, would create an excellent soil particles and dust suspended by winds. By medium for planted buffers. providing shade, they make an area appealing and comfortable to workers and residents. Restoration of the river edge would have the added benefit of improving the appearance There are opportunities for publicly sponsored of the riverfront. Pleasure boating is environmental improvements. Delaware Avenue, expected to increase several fold within which has been principally a truck and through- Philadelphia's portion of the Delaware Estuary. traffic corridor, may one day be serving a An attractive riverfront contributes to substantial residential population. The boating enjoyment. As recreational boating creation of a landscaped boulevard for a major traffic increases on the river, industrial portion of Delaware Avenue could enhance the firms may become increasingly aware that their image of the riverfront as a cultural attrac- public image is affected by the appearance of tion and as a desirable residential location. their river edge. Storage areas and scrap Such improvements need not be confined to piles can be screened with vegetation to the area north of Washington Avenue where improve their appearance and security. residential development is occurring. In the industrial corridor south of Washington A considerable number of underutilized, vacant Avenue, Delaware Avenue appears wide enough to parcels are likely to be developed over the accommodate landscape plantings. Presently, next several decades. Some of these proper- workers and truckers have no outdoor parks ties contain derelict structures, while others or sitting areas offering shade and benches at are rubbly lands which seem to attract illegal which lunch may be comfortably enjoyed. A dumping of demolition debris and trash. The City-initiated tree planting program in an Kerr-McGee property on the riverfront south area such as the South Delaware Waterfront of Center City is an example of a large parcel could help to support industrial redevelopment with many large, decrepit structures. The efforts because it would serve to improve the Cramp Shipyard, just south of Po 'rt Richmond, quality of the work place environment. is a large rubble and trash strewn parcel. Both of these properties will one day be- redeveloped to industrial or possibly resi- dential use. A significant element of redev- elopment plans should be landscape design, recognizing that the Delaware River, as a public thoroughfare, exposes the river edge Of ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCES AND CONSTRAINTS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT FLOODPLAINS without unacceptable increases in flood heights. The Federal Insurance Administra- The most significant environmental constraint tion has established, as a standard, 1.0 on riverfront development is.potential flood- feet as an acceptable increase in flood ing and the damage it can do. Floodplains are heights. Conceptually, if the floodplain flat, low lying areas adjacent to streams were compressed at the edge by structures and or rivers which are temporarily inundated fill, floodwaters could be only carried by during periods of unusually heavy stream flow. the remaining floodplain if flood heights are Floodplains have been identified for the City increased. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in a report prepared by the U.S. Army Corps has identified as the floodway fringe those of Engineers for the Federal Insurance Agency, areas of the floodplain which if completely the agency administering the Federal Flood filled would not cause floodwaters Lo increase Insurance Program. In June 1979, the City by more than one foot in elevation in the adopted amendments to the Philadelphia Code to remainder of the floodplain. regulate activities within floodplains. These regulations apply to activities within areas To implement these floodplain management which would be inundated by flood events principles, the City adopted codes which having a probability of occurring, on the permit no new obstructions or encroachment average, once in a hundred years, or expressed within the floodway. Construction is permit- in different terms, the area with a 1% proba- ted in the floodway fringe so long as livable bility of being flooded in any given year. spaces and utilities are installed at least one foot above the elevation of 100 year flood For the purpose of regulating development, waters; this is known as the regulatory flood floodplains are divided into two zones. These elevation. The regulatory flood elevation is two zones are the floodway and the floodway the maximum elevation which floodwaters will fringe. The floodway, in general terms, is reach, even should development completely the central portion of the floodway which obstruct upstream floodway fringe areas. during a flood event carries most of the flooding waters. The fringe is a backwater The concept of floodways and floodway fringe area in which floodwaters are comparatively areas cannot be applied to the Delaware River. shallow and move at low velocities. The The floodway concept applies only to "fluvial Corps, however, utilizes a more precise flooding." Flooding in the Delaware Estuary definition for the floodway. The floodway is is caused by tidal flooding, which occurs when the stream channel and the adjacent floodplain heavy flows from the upper basin collide with area which must be kept free of additional the upriver movement of water associated wiLh encroachments in order that a flood with a high tides. Regulatory flood elevations.in 100 year recurrence interval can be carried the Delaware River were determined by the t FLOODPLAINS M FLOODWAY I MTLOODWAY FRINGE Source: Federal Insurance Administration City ot Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 15,1979 ...... .. ..... wI 0 12.000 24 000 FT. 10h U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from tidal because the Schuylkill River is subject to elevation frequency curves prepared for fluvial flooding upstream of the 1-95 Girard several points along the riVer. The elevation Point Bridge. The floodway typically extends of the 100 year tidal flood event is 10.5 feet inland between 100 to 300 feet from the above mean sea level at the northern City shoreline. The floodway fringe is also limits at Poquessing Creek and 9.7 feet above generally narrow, about 100 to 500 feet beyond mean sea level at the City boundary 22 miles the floodway. But there is considerable downstream near Fort Mifflin. Elevation variability in the extent of flooding. Near measurements on City drainage and street maps Center City, the floodway fringe extends 1000 do not utilize mean sea level as a datum feet eastward toward 21st Street, between elevation. When expressed in terms of City Market and Arch Streets. A little further datum, flood elevations are 4.79 feet at downstream, in the vicinity of South Street Poquessing Creek and 3.99 feet at Fort Mifflin. Bridge, the floodway is 500 feet wide on both sides of the riverfront, and the floodway At the regulatory flood elevation, most piers fringe is an additional 500 feet wide. The and riverfront lands along the Delaware River floodway is widest near the mouth of the are submerged. This is illustrated in the river. In the vicinity of Penrose Avenue Floodplains map. These flooded areas are Bridge, the floodway extends 1500 feet west- delineated by the Corps as within the floodway ward from the shoreline, while on the eastern fringe, so there are no local prohibitions bank, bulkheads on oil refinery property keep on construction of new structures. The floodwaters confined to the edge of the floodplain of the 100 year flood is generally river. between 250 and 1000 feet wide inland from the pierhead line, and only occasionally is it as Several key areas and facilities are prone wide as 2000 feet. Areas where the floodplain to flooding along the Schuylkill River. Two is particularly wide are in the vicinity of residential areas are within the floodway the Tioga and Packer Avenue Marine Terminals fringe, homes along River Road in Upper and at the Frankford Arsenal. The area of Roxborough and the neighborhood in the vicinity most severe Delaware tidal flooding, however, of Reed Street to Arch Street, from 24th to is in the Eastwick area of Southwest Phila- 21st Streets. Industrial firms are also prone delphia, where the floodplain extends 1-1/2 to to flooding. On Venice Island in Manayunk, 2 miles inland from the river. Flooding from paper and food processing firms are within the a 100 year event would inundate Philadelphia floodway of a 100 year flood, and in the International Airport, the Southwest Sewage industrial corridor downstream of University Treatment Plant and roughly two-thirds of the Avenue Bridge approximately one dozen indus- residential portion of the Eastwick Neighbor- trial structures are also within the floodway. hood Improvement Area. Flooding hazards were Main Street in Manayunk is within the Schuyl- factored into the design of the Southwest kill floodway for 1400 feet from Levering Sewage Treatment Plant so that treatment Street to a point 250 north of Green Lane units will not be disrupted by flooding. Bridge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's Flood Insurance Study reported that during The floodplain of the Schuylkill River includes the June 1973 flood in the Schuylkill Basin both the floodway and floodway fringe areas homes and stores along Manayunk's Main Street 107 were so deeply flooded that they had to be also prohibits storage of bouyant, flammable evacuated and guarded against looting." or explosive materials below an elevati'on one foot above the regulatory flood elevation. Transportation is disrupted on the Schuylkill Title 10 requires that a permit be obtained during severe flooding. East and West River from the Department of Licenses and Inspection Drives are completely within the floodplain of prior to any construction, reconstruction, a 100 year flood. During the 1973 flood, the modifications, placement of fill, material Vine Street extension of the Schuylkill storage, land clearing, land improvement or Expressway was inundated between 30th Street any other development-related activity in and 16th Street. Trackage of Amtrak's North- floodplains. Title 10 also serves notice to east Corridor is within the Schuylkill's residents that the State has regulations on floodway in the vicinity of 30th Street activities within floodplains. Station, and B & 0 freight lines paralleling the east bank of the Schuylkill are also The State control over floodplain development within the Schuylkill's floodway in vicinity is exercised by the Pennsylvania Department of of Center City. Environmental Resources, as authorized by the Dam Safety and Encroachment Act of 1978, P. L. Development within the floodplain of the 100 1375, No. 325, as amended by Act 70. For any year flood event is controlled by the Phila- development activity, including construction delphia Code. On June 11, 1979, an ordinance and placement of fill, an application must be was signed into law amending three sections of made to DER for a permit. The principal State the Philadelphia Code: Title 4, Building concern is that the passage of floodwaters not Code; Title 10, Regulation of Individual be significantly obstructed by floodplain Conduct and Activity; and, Title 14, Zoning development and that there are no other and Planning. Zoning Code amendments estab- unacceptable impacts on social, economic or lished the floodway and floodway fringe environmental conditions in the vicinity of zones. This code prohibits new encroachments the stream. In particular, the DER attempts in floodways. In the floodway fringes, to ensure preparation of adequate soil and dwellings are permitted if the lowest floor erosion control plans and to guarantee minimal elevation is one foot above the elevation of disturbance of aquatic habitats. Although the the regulatory flood, and non-residential U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also requires structures are permitted if the structure is submission of permit applications for develop- floodproofed. Building Code amendments ment of properties adjoining the Schuylkill require all new construction and substantial and Delaware River, they largely depend on improvements be at a minimum one foot above State and City reviews for compliance with the regulatory flood elevation, or, in the floodplain controls. case of non-residential structures, flood- proofed to this elevation. The Building Code One way in which compliance with the City's also requires anchoring to prevent flotation floodplain ordinance is obtained is through or movement of structures and engineering the National Flood Insurance Program. Any evidence that the structure can withstand development project receiving federal assist- hydrodynamic loads created by floodwaters. It ance, insurance or guarantees must obtain flood insurance if situated in a floodplain. log Similarly, mor@age insurance companies require flood insuranc , for buildings within a flood- These point sources of pollution are generally plain of a 100 year flood event. The City situated in six localities: 1) Richmond/ supplies written notices to mortgage or loan Bridesburg, 2) North Bridge/Lower North insurance companies as to whether residential, Delaware, 3) South Delaware, 4) Lower Schuyl- commercial or industrial structures are kill, 5) Central Schuylkill and 6) Upper within flood prone areas, based on maps Schuylkill. The Environmental Nuisances map riv prepared for the City by the U.S. Army Corps indicates those i erfront census tracts in of Engineers. Similarly, no federal funds may which over 1,000 tons per year of air pollu- be spent on any public project, such as sewage tants are emitted annually; these census treatment plants or public housing projects, tracts correspond to the six localities. without flood insurance being purchased for The Lower Schuylkilll River area has, by far, those structures identified within flood the largest concentration of air pollutant plains. emissions. The Arco and Gulf refineries discharge 30,000 tons per year. These facili- ties are located on the east bank of the tidal AIR POLLUTION Schuylkill River, along a three mile stretch north of Penrose Avenue. Half of these Riverfront lands contain major sources of air emissions are sulfur oxides, which prevailing pollutant emissions. Approximately 91,500 winds carry in the direction of Center City tons of air pollutants are emitted from and which in the past would cause occasional industries and utilities annually, about 17 violations in air quality standards. percent of the total pollutants emitted within The area north of Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the City. About 84 percent of these industrial below Columbia Avenue contain several large and utility emissions are from firms located facilities, notably National Sugar, PECO's in the vicinity of the Schuylkill and Delaware Delaware Generating Station and the City's Rivers. These emissions can be classified East Central Incinerator. Approximately into four groups: 10,000 tons per year of polluLants are emitted 1) oil processing facilities, accounting for within this area. Pollutants are generally carried out over the Delaware River and do not 30,000 tons per year; affect residential areas. 2) electric utilities, discharging 17,000 The South Delaware Waterfront has several tons per year; industries which emit air pollutants. One 3) municipal incinerators, emitting 7,000 of the largest is the Amstar Corporation tons per year; and which is near areas being considered for redevelopment to residential uses. Publicker 4) industrial firms, discharging Z3,000 tons Industries is another major industrial point source, and two smaller ones are Inolex per year. Corporation and Crown Paper Board. PECO's Southwark Generating Station is currently operating at only 20% capacity and apparently /01 t ENVIRONMENTAL 0. il. "S, K V: UISANCES AIR POLLUTANTS M ODOR GENERATORS M NOISE IMPACT AREAS 00 HAZARDOUS WASTES Source: Air Management Services Philadelphia Water Department 12,000 00 FT. V17 110 emits over 500 tons per year, a significant violations of the particulates standards at level of emissions. several monitoring stations, but revisions to the standard under consideration by the A significant concentration of industries in federal EPA may eliminate these violations. the Richmond/Bridesburg area release about The occasional violations of nitrogen dioxide 9,000 tons of pollutants per year. Rohm and standards occur at heavily trafficked intersec- Haas, Allied Chemical, Aldan Rubber, Franklin tions where automobile-generated nitrogen Smelting and Refining Co., A. P. Green & Co., dioxide accumulates. Further controls on this and Atlantic Metals are the principal indust- pollutant through the Federal Motor Vehicle rial sources in this area. Control Program should achieve the standard consistently in the future. Beside the refinery area, there are several other pockets of industrial activity responsi- The one ambient air quality standard which is ble for air pollutant emissions along the consistently violated city-wide is the pollu-- Schuylkill River. On the upper tidal portion tant class called photochemical oxidants, of the Schuylkill, there are several signifi- principally composed of ozone. This is a cant air pollution sources which together warm-weather pollutant formed by the reaction produce over 6000 tons per year -- Celotex, U. of hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide under S. Gypsum and PECO's Schuylkill Generating intense sunlight. The principal ozone control Station. The E. I. duPont de Nemours facility strategy is the further reduction of hydr'o- on the tidal Schuylkill River, although once a carbons, which in Philadelphia are generated significant source, has closed recently. In largely by motor vehicles. Although air Manayunk and Roxborough along the upper quality specialists have considered techniques Schuylkill River, industries on Venice Island for decreasing car traffic as a way of reducing and the City's Northwest Incinerator are major hydrocarbon emissions, further controls on stationary pollution sources, responsible for automobilies emissions will be the principal about 6,000 tons of pollutants annually. mechanism by which hydrocarbons can be reduced. Traffic controls can be used to reduce Although there are many significant sources of hydrocarbon by only 5 to 10 percent, and these air pollutant emissions along the riverfront, controls can be implemented only at very high air quality is generally acceptable. Air costs. Even the complete implementation of pollution emissions from riverfront industries additional hydrocarbon controls through the and utilities are not generally responsible Federal Motor Vehicle Control Program is not for violations of air quality standards at the projected to correct all violations of photo- ground level. The possible exception to this chemical oxidant standards which now occur. is air quality violations in vicinity of the oil refinery complex. The City's Air Manage- The Air Managment Services has recently ment Services, in their 1980 report on air begun a thorough review of air-borne toxic quality, shows that the City's air quality substances. With a $437,000 grant from generally achieves the national ambient air the federal Environmental Protection Agency, quality standard for total suspended particu- AMS will be evaluating community exposure to lates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and toxic air-borne substances in the vicinity of nitrogen dioxide. AMS detected occasional two riverfront industrial areas, the Gulf and Arco refinery complex and three Bridesburg the East Central and Northwest incinerators, firms, Philadelphia Coke, Allied Chemical and will be replaced at a cost of close to $3 Rohm and Haas. This grant will equip AMS with million. In the case of the East Central the facilities and staff to implement portions Incinerator at Delaware Avenue and Spring of recent "right-to-know" legislation. This Garden Street, this will eliminate smoke legislation consists of amendments to the which has recently become a chronic problem. Philadelphia Code giving citizens the "right- Even after replacement of the precipitators, to-know" the nature of toxic materials handled however, the East Central plant will emit by local industries and giving the City the 1,000 pounds daily of particulates, and there legal and institutional means to protect will be occasional discharges of flyash. public health and safety with regard to such Those emissions may cause some nuisances materials. Although unacceptable levels of should nearby land be developed to residential air-borne substances are not expected to be uses. encountered in either of these areas, the technical capabilities being developed by AMS will allow them to adequately handle pollution incidences which may occcur in the future. ODORS One of the important analytical tools that AMS has developed is a diffusion model. This is Odor is not a widespread problem on the a computer-assisted analysis of the way air riverfront. Odors are confined to principally pollutants are carred within plumes away from two localities, the Richmond/Bridesburg area exhaust stacks and become dispersed downwind. and the oil refinery area. These two areas An analysis was performed by an AMS meteor- are identified on the Environmental Nuisances ologist of the Amstar Corporation sugar map. refinery to predict sulfur dioxide concentra- tions at proposed residential areas in the Gulf and Arco Refineries are sources of vicinity of the refinery. This analysis persistent and continual odors. The process- showed that for high-rise apartment buildings ing facilities at these refineries are complex, in the vicinity of Amstar, air pollutant and the chemicals they handle are highly plumes are generally carried over such odiferous. Even with a high level of pollu- structures. Should the air be so unstable as tion control, odors may be rele'ased. In to cause plumes to blow down onto an apartment addition, these companies, along with Phila- building, there would be sufficient dilution delphia Gas Works, handle odorants, such as and dispersion of sulfur dioxide such that mercaptan, which give natural gas and propane, concentrations would be barely 10% higher than which are otherwise odorless, their identify- ambient conditions and not in violation of air ing smell. The odors released from the quality standards. refinery area affect South Philadelphia and occasionally Southwest and West Philadelphia. Two City facilities at the riverfront will receive improvements to air pollution controls The riverfront industrial area of Richmond and over the next several years. The electrostatic Bridesburg, once known as the stink belt, has precipitators at the City's two incinerators, a number of industries and utilities which generate odors. The facilities which are AMS, the department may choose to have the principally responsible for odor problems, City's Law Department seek a court order in according to Air Managmeent Services, are: Municipal Court for an injunction against the Unitank Terminal Services, Franklin Smelting firm to cease and desist discharging odors and and Refining Company, the City's Northeast for issuance of a fine. This procedure Sewage Treatment Plant, Keystone Mutual/Shoe- typically results in compliance agreements maker and Sons, Co., Philadelphia Coke, Allied between the City and industries. (;hemicai and Rohm and Haas. During fieldwoi:1K by Planning Commission staff, a variety of Odor problems are occasionally very difficult smaller firms were also identified as sources to solve. Corrective measures might require of odors. extensive capital equipment investments. Compliance with the Air Management Code '- Under the Air Management Code, Title 3 of the however, may be linked usefully with achiev- Philadelphia Code, odors are an air pollution ing occupational exposure standards for nuisance. An air pollution nuisance is workers, standards which are also promulgated defined as any substance discharged to the air by the City's Health Department. which is "offensive, or objectionable, or both, to persons because of inherent chemical The Air Management Code has provisions for or physical properties (3-102)(5)(b)(.6Y'or keeping residential areas separated from which "causes severe annoyance and disturbance industrial uses as a way of avoiding odor and (3-102)(5)(b)(.2)." When the Health air pollution nuisances. AMS rarely receives Department's Air Management Services receives odor complaints from neighboring businesses; an odor complaint, an inspector responds by the vast majority of complaints are made by visiting the complainant, and if the odor is residents in close proximity to industries. not just fleeting, he tracks the odor to its The Air Management Code gives the Department source and issues a violation notice to a of Public Health the authority to prohibit responsible party. if on a return inspection residential construction in areas prone to air an odor is still detected, a second violation pollution nuisances. Conversely, it may is served. Although AMS does not have author- prohibit industries from entering residential ity to impose administrative penalties for areas if air pollution nuisances have a violations of the Air Management Code, several reasonable probability of occurring. The code procedures may be initiated to compel correc- also gives the department the authority to tion of the odor problem. Frequently, AMS limit the density of emissions of contaminants staff will meet with a violating industry to in an area which is already in violation of advise them on techniques to correct chronic air quality standards. odor problems. A compliance schedule may be agreed upon by AMS and the industry under Redevelopment of riverfront properties may which the industry will correct their odor create situations where odor complaints might problems without further violations being arise. The riverfront in vicinity of Central issued. A fine, a schedule for which is set Philadelphia is experiencing redevelopment forth in the Air Management Code, may be pressures as former industrial and commercial incorporated into the compliance agreement. properties are converted to residential Should a firm not enter into negotiations with uses. Although the Amstar and National Sugar refineries are not significant odor generators, riverfront, straddling Delaware and Philadel- they do give off occasional odors, particularly phia counties, is a major source of noise. in during the delivery of raw sugar. Historic- a report prepared by the Federal Department ally, industries south of Washington Avenue of Transportation and the Environmental have been sources of noxious odors, notably Protection Agency, the effect of airport noise Kerr-McGee and Publicker Industries, although on residential communities was evaluated and neither facility is a current odor source. recommendations for future noise control were Should odor-causing industrial processes resume made. This study reveals that, with the at these or other nearby locations, the presence exception of a few households in the Eastwick of new, high cost dwellings in proximity to area, Philadelphia residents are not greatly Washington and Delaware Avenues may give rise affected by airport noise. Residents of to complaints that would not have been filed Essington, Delaware County, and Gloucester when the area was solely industrial. County, New Jersey, are more directly impacted than Philadelphians because the principal The City's pollution abatement program will landing and take off patterns are in an help reduce a serious odor problem for Rich- east-west direction. mond area residents. The Northeast Sewage Treatment Plant is overloaded, and a strong This study also shows that in many areas of sewage odor emanates from the facility, South and Southwest Philadelphia "indigenous" particularly in summer. The $350 million noise levels in industrial areas are suffi- construction program for this facility will ciently high as to mask airport noise. Noise enlarge and upgrade treatment units, which levels are measured in terms of Ldn, a scale should largely end odor emissions. which ranges from 45, representing farmland noise levels, to 90, the noise level at the edge of a highway. The 65 Ldn is generally considered to be the delineation between NOISE acceptable and unacceptable noise levels for residential areas. In maps presented in the Noise is not a very significant environmental study, noise levels in South Philadelphia were nuisance within riverfront areas. This is due estimated at 71 to 75 Ldn and in Southwest to three conditions. First, there are only Philadelphia at 66 to 70 Ldn. Because noise two major noise generators in the riverfront, levels attributable to airport operations over 1-95 expressway and Philadelphia International lands outside the airport limits are generally Airport. Secondly, background noise levels less than 75 Ldn, indigenous noise masks are generally high enough to mask the noise airport noise. The Environmental Nuisances contribution of most riverfront industrial and map illustrates the zone where airport noise commercial activities. Finally, because there exceeds 65 Ldn. are so few residential areas in proximity to the riverfront, the population exposed to Another noise source is the 1-95 expressway. noise generators is very small. High speed car and truck traffic can generate high noise levels in the 80 to 90 Ldn range. The Philadelphia International Airport, These levels are generally unacceptable located in the southwestern section of the for residential communities adjacent to expressways. The particular impact is depen- The City does not have strong regUlaLory dent, however, on the elevation of the express- controls over noise. In Title 10, Regulation way in relation to nearby homes. The most of Individual Conduct and Activity, Chapter disruptive noise occurs in situations where 10-400 deals with noise. Provisions in-the the road level is at the same elevation as code deal with noise from garbage collection, second floor bedrooms in homes situated within street vendors, construction activity and 100 feet of the highway. Where the road level motor vehicles. There is also a general is either depressed below groundfloor eleva- provision for "all uLher 1OUd alld UKILLUCeub-ary tions or above roof level, the noise impact is noises upon or near to the streets and other greatly lessened. public places." Air Management Services has drafted noise regulations which were reviewed 1-95 impacts residential communities in in a public hearing in April 1981. These generally two locations, in Central City and hearings prompted AMS to consider more restric- in Bridesburg. Most of 1-95 is near industrial tive noise regulations if they can get the areas or is raised above the roof line of Police Department to assume greater enforcement residential areas. Through Center City, responsibility than has been the case to date. houses in Society Hill, Queen Village and Old These new regulations are not expected to City are close enough to be impacted by noise. greatly affect riverfront areas because most To mitigate this noise, the Pennsylvania of the regulations would deal with activities Department of Transportation has depressed within residential areas. roadway levels and has erected sound barrier walls. In Bridesburg, there are several residential blocks for which no sound barriers ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS ALONG THE RIVERFRONT have been built and in which neighbors appar- ently find expressway noise a nuisance. The concentration of petroleum, chemical and metal processing activities along the river- Noise along Delaware Avenue may become a front is an indication that potential environ- greater nuisance than it is now as more homes mental hazards exist, such as from fire, are built along it. Delaware Avenue does not explosion and release of toxic substances. have a smooth paved surface, and within the While the risk of major fires, explosions and roadway are several rail tracks. Delaware spills are not great, elaborate precautions Avenue also serves as a major truck route. have been designed to prevent accidents, and These factors cause noise associated with equally elaborate institutional arrangements Delaware Avenue to be higher than would be the have been set up to deal with accidents that case for normal arterial roadways. New homes might occur. have been built adjacent to Delaware Avenue, and although they probably include ample sound The City's Fire Department is the principal proofing, indigenous noise levels in the agency responding to land-based chemical external environment are likely to be intrU7 accidents. Each of the Fire Department's sive. This situation may improve when companies prepare "pre-plans" for responding Delaware Avenue is reconstructed. to emergencies at industrial and commercial sites within their jurisdiction. When a fire or an emergency spill occurs which involves hazardous materials, one of the City's three, provisions in the code. All industrial or specially-trained hazardous material/chemical commercial firms must obtain permits from L & units responds. All fire companies and the I if they generate, store, handle, transport three special units have access, through the or use hazardous chemicals. With these Fire Communications System, to the Coast amendments, the Philadelphia Code provides Guard's CHRIS for supplementary information. greater authority for control of hazardous CHRIS is an acronym for Chemical Hazard materials than is available to any other Response Information System, a system which municipal government in the nation. provides information on proper techniques for safely handling and removing spilled The movement and disposal of hazardous waste chemicals. Firemen can also receive informa- materials is subject to federal and state tion through a national, 24 hour, toll-free laws. The federal Resource Conservation and telephone line to Chemtrec, the Chemical Recovery Act and Pennsylvania's new Solid Transportation Emergency Center, established Waste Management Act have established a set of by the Chemical Manufacturers Association in procedures for issuing permits for hazardous Washington, D.C. Chemtrec can provide guid- waste facilities and for monitoring the ance for proper response techniques for movement of hazardous wastes from their origin chemical spills. Where the emergency involves to their final disposal places. Permit a chemical freight train or a truck, Chemtrec applications made to the State's Department of also automatically contacts the shipper whose Environmental Resources for waste facilities material is involved in accident, as the in the City are reviewed by a host of City shipper is ultimately responsible for emergency agencies, including the Departments of Water control. Shippers may also be able to supply and Licenses and Inspections and the Planning additional emergency material handling infor- Commission, with the Health Department coordi- mation. Providing a third source of emergency nating the City's review for the State. information, the federal Department of Trans- portation has published an updated Hazardous The hazardous waste management system is still Material Emergency Response Handbook. This new to the State and City. Only several document is used by the Fire Department as permit applications have been reviewed for a primary source of emergency response new disposal facilities in the City. One information. important proposed disposal facility was reviewed and rejected by the City. Near. Recent amendments to the Philadelphia Fire Allegheny Avenue at the Delaware River, the Code gives the Departments of Fire and Licenses Unitank Company proposed storing toxic organic and Inspections additional responsibilities substances for transfer to the Vulcanis, an for industrial hazardous substances control. incinerator ship that would burn the wastes The amendments require these departments to over the ocean. The City objected to this establish siting and storage requirements for project because an accidental spill could hazardous materials and to collect reports affect the quality of drinking water supplies from industries on the nature of chemical at the Torresdale Filtration Plant. In substances with which they work. Reports on November 1981, the City received 18 applica- chemicals used by industries are available for tions from existing industrial facilities inspection by the public through "right-to-know" within Philadelphia that are required, under state law, to-apply for permits, even though sue the other firms who have chosen not to there may be no change to the nature of their contribute to the clean up effort. Clean-up operations. Of the 18, half are facilities in will begin in 1982. the vicinity of the riverfront. It is likely that in the future additional existing firms There are probably industrial waste sites will apply for state hazardous waste disposal along the riverfront which remain unidenti- permits. fied. There has been long history of metal, chemical and petroleum handling along the There is one site in the vicinity of the riverfront. Outdoor areas typically have riverfront 'at which industrial wastes were served as storage areas for raw material illegally dumped and which is a serious stockpiles and chemical drums. Wastes may environmental hazard (see Environmental have been buried by industries on their Nuisances map). At a closed City dump property as a convenient disposal method. along Enterprise Avenue, near the airport in There may have been, and may continue to be, Southwest Philadelphia, about 10,000 drums of undetected leaks in chemical and fuel storage industrial liquid chemicals were illegally tanks which contaminate the soil and groundwater dumped. The leakage from these drums could in vicinity of such industries. Contamination contaminate the Delaware River and aquifers of groundwater may affect the Schuylkill and which supply water to New Jersey communties. Delaware River or their tributary streams when These drums are largely waste organic solvents, groundwater discharges to surface waters. mostly from Delaware Valley industries. Many drums have corroded and are leaking, contamin- The detection of buried industrial hazards is ating surrounding soil. extraordinarily difficult. Unless contamina- tion appears in a sewer or in well water, it Because the dump is under the jurisdiction of is likely to remain undetected. A study of the City's Water Department (as the site was Philadelphia's groundwater resources prepared to be used for a sludge compost facility) and by the U.S. Geological Survey for the Water because they have the technical capability to Department indicates widespread contamination handle the situation, the Water Department has of the groundwater. Where these substances taken responsibility for clean-up operations are oily, decontamination of the site might be at the site. The Water Department hired Roy necessary before land can be reused. Where F. Weston, Inc. to survey the dump and to gasoline or other highly volatile liquids offer sevqral reclamation strategies. Follow- contaminate the ground, an explosion poLetiLial ing review by Federal and State environmental exists and the ground must be pumped to siphon agencies, a strategy was selected which will off the organic liquids. This situation has involve the removal and containerization of arisen at several City fuel tanks along the all drums and surrounding soil for permanent riverfront where groundwater has hastened the disposal at a permitted landfill in New York corrosion of underground metal tanks. State. The estimated cost for this clean-up procedure is $8 million. The City has exacted contributions of $2 million from some of the industries whose drums were discovered at the dump. The Law Department is preparing to REFERENCES (Chapter III) (Land Resources) Air Management Services. 1981. "Emission Federal Insurance Administration. 6/15/79. Data Report for 1980 (Tons/Year), Census "Floodway Flood Boundary and Floodway Map, Tract Summary (printout)." Philadelphia: City of Philadelphia, Community-Panel Department of Public Health, Air Manage- Numbers 420757-005, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, ment Services. 40 and 45." Washington, D.C.: Federal Emergency Management Agency. Air Management Services. 1980. "Emission Inventory Data Report to the Air Pollution Federal Insurance Administration. 1976. Control Board." Philadelphia: Department "Flood Insurance Study, City of Philadel- of Public Health, Air Management Services. phia, Pennsylvania." Washington, D.C. for F.I.A. by U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Blair, Dennis. 9/29/81. Planning and Technical Philadelphia District. Services, Philadelphia Water Department. Personnel communication on Enterprise land- Green, William. 4/29/81, 5/29/81. Noise fill reclamation. specialist, Air Management Servics. Personal communication on riverfront City of Philadelphia. "Title 3-Air Management noise. Code." Linehan, John. 5/29/81. Deputy Director, City of Philadelphia. 2/5/81. "Bill No. 270, Philadelphia Office of Emergency Prepared- An ordinance amending Chapters 3-100, ness. Personal communication on hazardous 3-200 and 3-300,.et cetera," (regarding materials management. toxic air contaminants). McCloskey, George. 3/2/81 and 5/26/81. City of Philadelphia. 2/5/81. "Bill No. 475, Meterologist, Philadelphia Air Management An ordinance amending Chapters 5-500, Services. Personal communication on air 5-1600 and 5-4100 of the Fire Code, et pollution computer simulation in the cetera," (regarding storage and hancFl-ing vicinity of Amstar. of toxic materials and the public's foright-to-know"). Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. 9/27/80. "Dam Safety and City of Philadelphia. 6/11/79. "Bill No. 1991, Waterway Management and Water Obstruction An ordinance amending Titles 4, 10 and 14... and Encroachment Regulations," Pennsylvania by amending and adding new provisions for Bulletin (10:39). Harrisburg: Common- controls and alterations in flood plain wealth of Pennsylvania. areas. Cutler, David. 7/17.81. Ornithologist. Personal communication on bird habitats in the Lower Schuylkill area. Reilly, William and Lazenka, Clement. 5/28/81. Assistant Commissioner and Director of Air Quality, respectively, Philadelphia Air Management Services. Personal communica- tion on odors in riverfront areas. Rieman, Edward. 7/17/81. Ornithologist. Personal communication concerning bird and wildlife habitats in North Riverfront. U. S. Coast Guard. 3/6/81. Personal communi- cation with Coast Guard staff on the chemical hazard response system for the Delaware Estuary. Wonderly, Charles. 7/17/81. Ornithologist. Personal communication on bird habitats in Upper Schuylkill Riverfront. MAP NOTES (CHAPTER V) Riverfront Wildlife Odor Generators. The generalized circles show the areas which are This is a generalized map of those regarded by Air Management Services fields and woodlands which are as having major odor sources. likely to have significant concen- trations of mammals and birds. Noise Impact Areas. This is the land area in which noise from SOURCE: Interpretation of 1980 aerial Philadelphia International Airport photographs and field surveys. exceeds 65 Ldn, a level above which is generally regarded Floodplains unacceptable for residents. This map does not show floodplains Hazardous Wastes. This map unit of tributary streams. Because the is the Enterprise landfill at Delaware River is subject to tidal which many thousands of drums of flooding, there is no floodway on industrial liquid wastes were the river. Maps of City flood- dumped illegally. plains do not depict flooding along the New Jersey riverfront. SOURCE: Interviews with Air Managment For this reason, the City boundary Services and Philadelphia Water in the middle of the river is the Department. limit of flooding shown on this map. SOURCE: Federal Insurance Administration. 6/15/79. "Floodway Flood Boundary and Floodway Map, City of Philadel- phia, Community-Panel Numbers 420757-005, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45." Washington, D.C.: Federal Emergency Management Agency. Environmental Nuisances Air Pollutants. This category refers to census tracts within which air pollutant emissions from point sources exceed 1000 tons per year. @_o RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT OF RIVER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND STUDY OF WATER QUALITY Reduced waste loads consistent with achieving the oxygen standard may then be allocated to Philadelphia. The current allocations, DISSOLVED OXYGEN RESEARCH however, have been the basis for the design of Philadelphia's sewage treatment facilities A critical need in management of the water which will cost $900 million, and reduced resources of the Delaware River is basic waste load allocations could significantly research into the river's water chemistry. increase the cost of new treatment facilities. The chemistry of dissolved oxygen and If there is indeed risk that the model is other substances is enormously complex, and predicting waste load reductions in excess although substantial amounts of data have been of that needed to achieve dissolved oxygen collected in the estuary, even basic reactions standards, then any increased costs for which govern dissolved oxygen concentrations pollution abatement at this time is unwarran- are not well understood. What is known about ted. The City should not be allocated lower dissolved oxygen has been incorporated into waste loads over those presently assigned to computer models by the Delaware River Basin the City until after improvements to dissolved Commission. DRBC is using these models to oxygen arising from the current pollution forecast dissolved oxygen for that future date abatement program can be full evaluated. when the estuary's billion dollar investment in pollution control equipment is completed. Poorly understood water chemistry also affects There are, however, significant questions the credibility of DRBC's dissolved oxygen about the reliability of the forecasts. The standards. The DRBC dissolved oxygen stand- response of dissolved oxyen to reduced waste- ards for Zone 3 and 4 is for not less than 3.5 loads and to high levels of nitrogen compounds mg/l during summer, expressed as a "minimum is difficult to predict and may prove quite daily average." Because dissolved oxygen different from that which is forecast by DRBC concentrations fluctuate considerably during models. the day, water with a daily average concentra- tion of 3.5 mg/1 actually has a much lower The questionable reliability of DRBC's computer concentration, referred to as the "instantan- models is very significant for Philadelphia. eous low," at some point during the day. In The models will be utilized to reallocate addition, because the Delaware is sampled only permissible organic waste loads to wastewater infrequently, generally on a weekly basis, dischargers in the estuary. The model may water quality data compiled by DRBC and the indicate that existing waste load allocations Philadelphia Water Department cannot provide are too high to meet DRBC's objective for a direct indication of compliance with the minimum daily average dissolved oxygen concen- dissolved oxygen standard. This data, instead, trations in the vicinity of Philadelphia. provides seasonal average concentrations, not daily averages. As a consequence, water assurance that additional waste treatment quality experts have derived "rule-of-thumb" would have measurable improvements for fish comparisons between their measured seasonal populations. Because the fundamental obj*ec- average and the daily average on which the tive of the dissolved oxygen standard for standard is based. This "rule-of-thumb" is summer is to maintain a resident fish popula- that when the seasonal average concentration tion, it is important that'the relationship is 4.0 ing/l, the minimum. da-.I,y averal@,-_ 4--a 3.-9 between fish and dissolved oxygen be estab- mg/l, and the instantaneous low concentration lished in order to avoid unnecessary pollu- is 1.5 mg/l. But 10 samples from near the tion control expenditures. mouth of 17rankford Creek in 1980, which A major fish population study is recommended averaged 4.2 mg/l over the summer, had a minimum value of 0.4 mg/l, substantially below for the Upper Delaware Estuary. A variety of the estimated "instantaneous low derived from sampling methods, such as trawling, gill the "rule-of-thumb". Considerable effort netting, seine collection and electrofishing, therefore, should be devoted to better estab- is necessary to eliminate the tendency of lishing the nature of daily and seasonal different techniques to catch different kinds dissolved oxygen fluctuations so that the of fish. The sampling sites should be through- significance of the standard may be better out the upper estuary and be in the vicinity understood. of Water Department sampling stations so that water quality conditions may be correlated to fish populations. Some sampling should be in FISH POPULATION SURVEYS deep water, while other sampling sites should be in shallow water habitat areas to establish Although DRBC's dissolved oxygen standard was the importance of shallows. Dissolved oxygen established for the maintenance of a resident measurements should be made at the time of fish population, whether the adopted standards sampling. Sampling should be made at several are high enough to sustain a fishery is a times during the day and for each season of debate which remain unresolved. There are no the year, and the survey should be conducted on-going*fish survey programs in the Delaware for three years to allow for the effect of River near Philadelphia which can correlate varying rainfall and runoff conditions on fish population characteristics with dissolved water quality and fish populations. oxygen concentrations. There are no data by which the failure to meet dissolved oxygen DRBC has a charter-mandated responsibility, standards can be linked to effects on fish in but probably not the funds, to carry out this the river. During DRBC's waste load realloca- fish survey. The DRBC should not reallocate tion process, there is apt to be debate over waste loads to the estuary's wastewater the adequacy of current waste load allocations dischargers until after such a survey of fish to meet the 3.5 mg/l standard in the Philadel- is completed so that it can be utilized to phia area. This debate cannot be meaningful assess the adequacy of existing water quality unless the relative affects on the fishery of objectives. achieving this standard or meeting alternative standards, either lower or higher, can be described. At present there cannot even be an FISH FLESH AND BIOASSAY STUDIES of a steel-head rainbow trout stocking program and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's In conjunction with the fish survey, there Anadromous Fish Project are two programs which should be two additional studies to establish may help foster new commercial fishery enter- the influence on fish of metals and other prises in the Delaware River. Other commer- substances in trace amounts. One study cially oriented management projects should be should consist of bioassay texts establishing identified. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission the water quality standards for aluminum, should also continue their annual boating and lead, nickel and zinc. The current standards angling use survey. This survey can provide for these four metals are expressed in state measures of the increased utilization of the regulations as a proportion of the concentra- Delaware River arising from improved water tion at which 50 percent of specimens of a quality. representative fish species die after 96 hours of exposure. Because these bioassay tests have not been done, these four water quality FISH LADDER AT FLAT ROCK DAM standards do not have any meaning. The second test which should be performed is an analysis For the Schuylkill River, the construction of of fish flesh from fish caught in the Delaware a fish ladder at the state-owned Flat Rock Dam and Schuylkill Rivers to determine whether the should be accorded high priority. The State fish are acceptable for human consumption. has delayed funds for a fish ladder at this Together these two tests could establish dam, even though the full value of the City's whether Philadelphia's rivers can be safely Fairmount Fishway will not be realized until harvested for food. this second ladder is built. Local environ- mental groups and political representatives should work together to urge the inclusion of FISHERY MANAGEMENT this project in the Department of Environ- mental Resources' capital program. FISH STOCKING IN THE DELAWARE SCHUYLKILL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT The Delaware Estuary's billion dollar pollu- tion abatement effort should greatly improve The Pennsylvania Fish Commission has recommen- recreational and commercial fishing opportuni- ded several fishery management programs for ties. When sewage treatment plants are fully the Schuylkill River between Flat Rock and operational' in 1987, agencies responsible for Fairmount Dams. The Fish Commission plans fishery management should be ready to promote to continue its stocking-program for walleye the optimal utilization of the river. The and tiger muskellunge on a biannual basis. Pennsylvania Fish Commission has proposed They have also recommended regulations prohib- stocking the estuary upstream of the Tacony- iting the harvesting of shad, herring and Palmyra Bridge with tiger muskellunge, walleye alewife from the Schuylkill until after the and striped bass, three favorite game fish. population of these migratory fish have been This proposal should be carried out in reestablished. The Fish Commission has also order to hasten the improvement of the river been encouraging the City's Fairmount Park as a recreational resource. New Jersey's program for assessing the potential viability Commission to develop a maintenance program for the national objective of shallow waters the upkeep of the Fairmount Fishway, a facility protection. Federal and State agencies, which is under City ownership. The most moreover, are recommending that shallow areas important step is to keep the fishway clear of be restored in areas like Philaldelphia where debris, but repairing vandalism and cutting the historical use of the shoreline has weeds are also needed. These recommendations largely eliminated the original shallows. should be implemented. A very significant fishery management project SHALLOWS CREATION for the tidal Schuylkill River is the control of pollution discharge. A large proportion N*-w shallows should be created along Philadel- of sewer overflow chambers are apparently phia's riverfront to compensate for future regularly malfunctioning, causing raw sewage loss of shallows and to improve recreational to be discharged in the Schuylkill River below fisheries. Shallows creation@ although not an Fairmount Dam during dry weather. This sewage activity which has been undertaken elsewhere discharge has caused dissolved oxygen to in the estuary, is apparently not a difficult decline to levels incapable of sustaining fish task. The Operations Division of the Army life or the passage of migrating fish. During Corps of Engineers has undertaken shallows the spring migrating season in particular, it area creation as a means of dredge spoil is essential that all overflow chambers be disposal within the Delaware Bay. For the functioning properly to avoid an oxygen block estuary in the vicinity of Philadelphia, the which would interfere with the full use of the most appropriate method would consist of the fishway at Fairmount Dam. The City's Water placement of pre-cast concrete blocks to serve Department is responsible for' the maintenance as a bulkhead about 500 to 1000 feet off of these chambers. Their maintenance crews shore, backfilled with dredge spoil pumped should be directed to daily inspect each from the channel. While a City agency or the overflow point during the March through June Port Corporation would have to take responsi- migrating season so that they may make timely bility for testing the river bottom, designing repairs. the structure and placing the bulkhead, the Corps of Engineers could probably supply the backfill. To avoid creating hazards for MANAGEMENT OF SHALLOWS boaters, the shallow would have to slope gradually from 8 feet below mean sea level to PROTECTION OF EXISTING SHALLOWS about 4 feet deep at the shore. There are several horticultural firms which are able to Although the City's $900 million pollution supply seed and root stocks for vegetation abatement program will create major improve- native to shallow areas. This vegetation ments to the water quality in the Delaware could be planted to aid rapid habitat restor- Estuary, the future of Philadelphia's game ation. The Corps staff says that shallows fishery is in part dependent on the condition restoration does not require unusual or of the shallow water habitats. Federal difficult engineering or construction tech- regulations on dredge and filling activity are niques, and they are available to give being strongly enforced in order to achieve technical information on shallow restoration techniques and general cost estimates. RECOMMENDATIONS PUBLIC ACCESS SHALLOWS RESTORATION M3 WILDLIFE PROTECTION M3 RIVER EDGE RESTORATION Source., Philadelphia City Planning Commission 12,000 24,000 FT A program for shallows protection and enhance- one-half mile upstream, extending from the ment should be based on the following objec- shore to approximately 750 feet offshore. tives and guidelines: This stretch of riverfront has no shallows. Within a mile of this portion of the river 1. Shallows which are in areas of high water there are two private yacht clubs, and two quality are relatively more important than new public boat launch facilities are those in areas of poor water quality. proposed. Major improvements to water quality will occur after the Northeast 2. Shallows in close proximity to areas of Sewage Treatment Plant has been upgraded. public access for boating and fishing A feasibility study is needed to determine are more important than those without whether the artificially created shallows good access. would be stable within this stretch of the estuary. 3. Protection and enhancement measures should not interfere with development of marine Pulaski Pier. Although there is a tidal commerce facilities and with the use of flat at this small park facility, the the river for pleasure boating. submerged area closest to Pulaski Pier is generally deeper than 10 feet. Because 4. Shallows should not be disturbed as a this park will be rehabilitated and made result of development activity which is more suitable for fishing, and because not in support water dependent uses. water quality should signi'ficantly improve in this portion of the river, creation of a 5. Shallows lost to development should be shallow water habitat could substantially replaced by artifically created shallows. increase the attractiveness of the park for fishing. Shallow habitat restoration is recommended for the following locations (see Recommendations Penn Treaty Park. Penn Treaty Park will map): be expanded over the next several years for the City's tercentenary celebration. Torresdale area. There are no extensive It will also be one of the only public shallow habitats in the Torresdale Area access points to the river for Fishtown between Linden Street Access Ramp and the residents. When water quality improves, City boundary at Poquessing Creek. This there will be a concomitant improvement to portion of the Delaware River has the the fisheries. Shallows restoration could cleanest water within City boundaries, and aid this fishery improvement and, by there is good public access for boating providing a good fishing opportunity, and fishing. Shallows restoration could serve to make Penn Treaty Park a more significantly benefit the fisheries in interesting recreation facility. this area. Tacony-Palmyra Bridge area. Shallows should be restored in the area of river from the Tacony-Palymra Bridge to a point PUBLIC ACCESS DEVELOPMENT Fishermen are presently limited to river- bank fishing beause of the lack of suitable ACCESS TO THE DELAWARE launches for low powered motor boats in the Fairmount pool. The Fish Commission in 1980 Access to the Delaware River for Philadelphia proposed to assist in the construction of a residents should be a high priority in river- launch in Fairmount Park upriver of Girard front planning. The enormous capital and Avenue bridge, and they have also proposed a operating costs for pollution abatement will set of boating regulations to ensure minimal have created by 1987 a premium of about $250 conflict with the scullers of the Schuylkill annually for each of the Water Department's Navy. Although not supported then by the residential customers. The primary benefit City, this project should be reconsidered. derived from this premium is cleaner water and 91Because much.of the Schuylkill River banks in improved fisheries. Boating and fishing the Manayunk area is owned by industries, access to the river should be developed to there is presently limited public access to meet the maximum demand which can be expected the scenic and productive stretch of the river for water-based recreation, The Pennsyl- above the mouth of Wissahickon Creek. Park vania Fish Commission has budgeted several and launch development might be practicable million dollars over the next five year *s to for example, at the southern end of Venice build three public boat launches which will Island. serve primarily Philadelphia residents at the foot of Princeton Avenue, at the Frankford One of the best opportunities 'for enhanced Arsenal and at Hog Island. The City has river-oriented recreation for City residents supported the Fish Commission ' but should also is in the pool above Flat Rock Dam. The City continue developing boating and fishing access has completed a trail from Manayunk to the on its own at the mouth of Pennypack Creek, Shawmont Station on the Norristown raillines. Penn Treaty Park and other publicly-owned This parkland, however, is not equipped for riverfront locations. the launching of power and non-power boats for fishermen and boaters. Because this pool is Because water quality will be particularly underutilized and the river is rich in scenic good upstream of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, qualities and fish, the opportunity for the City should consider acquiring access to additional recreational development is great properties with substantial unused lands at on existing, City-owned parkland. the river's edge for future park development in this northeastern section of Philadelphia. WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT ACCESS TO THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER HABITAT PRESERVATION On the Schuylkill River, new river-oriented There are only a few opportunities for recreation could be developed. The Schuyl- protecting wildlife habitats along the river- kill is not fished nor enjoyed by boaters to front. The two principal areas which are its full potential, and in the pool above recommended for wildlife protection are the Fairmount Dam two projects are proposed. mouth of Pennypack Creek and the Fort Mifflin /,Z7 spoil disposal areas. These areas provide exist on the west bank. In one case, the most of the only significant wildlife habitats creation of a buffer would require the removal along Philadelphia's portion of the Delaware of junked automobiles which now fall at the Estuary. Minimal efforts would be necessary edge of the river. to maintain these areas as wildlife preserves. In addition, several areas along the tidal Sch"ylkill have shrubby or tree covered riverfronts which could be developed in a way MITIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCES which maintains a vegetated buffer. These potential buffers extend along 4500 feet of For the most part, public controls over flood the west bank of the Schuylkill River. plains, air quality, noise, odors and hazar- dous materials are adequate to protect the safety and well-being of City residents and RIVERFRONT RESTORATION workers. There are only several issues which are not well covered by laws, regulations or There are major opportunities to restore a administrative procedures. vegetated buffer at the riverfront to enhance both the wildlife habitats and the visual appearance of the riverfront (see Recommenda- tions map). The principal zone in which a HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CONTROL planted buffer could be created is from the Betsy Ross Bridge to a point three miles The State in 1981 began implementing regula- upstream at Northern Shipping. In this zone, tions governing the transport, storage and the river edge is mostly rubble, rather disposal of hazardous waste materials; and than bulkheaded, and riverfront industries recent amendments to City codes have resulted generally do not utilize their river frontage in new efforts by City agencies to protect for marine dependent activities. This is also the community and workers from exposure to the zone within which the greatest increase in toxic s*ubstances. There are several issues recreational boating will occur. facing the City with regard to hazardous materials and wastes which will be addressed Another important riverfront area for restora- over the next several years. tion is the west bank of the Schuylkill River from Bartram's Gardens south to the river's The City is charged in the amended codes with confluence with the Delaware River. With the establishing siting regulations for industrial exception of U.S. Gypsum and one oil storage firms handling hazardous materials. But there facility, the west bank consists of lands are only a few particularly toxic substances which can be planted to an attractive and for which siting criteria have been promul-@ productive vegetative buffer. Because this gated nationwide. The City is concerned that area is largely within the Schuylkill's local regulations may not be technically floodway, a buffer would not be creating justifiable and that they may injure the restrictions on future development. A planted economic competitiveness of Philadelphia buffer would serve also to visually link industries. Residential communities in the the several tree-covered parcels which already City are quite concerned that standards be set /;Z which specify acceptable distances from which waste plant because of the potential for homes must be separated from industries spills to the river. This was the basis handling hazardous materials. But if this for rejecting the proposed Vulcanic incinera- were applied to existing firms, there could be to rEhip. The balance of economic benefits dislocation of industry from the City. The against environmental risks is likely to be City has not yet adopted siting criteria exceptionally difficult in the siting of because of these dilemmas. hazardous waste disposal facilities. The City is still formulating procedures to guarantee its own conformance with the State's ODOR CONTROL hazardous waste handling and disposal regula- tions. The City's laboratories have small Although there are City ordinances regulating quantities of substances that must be disposed odors, many odor problem are not amenable to of in a controlled manner, and occasionally easy solutions. Air Management Services is the Fire Department's emergency treatment of conducting a study in the two areas where chemical spills leaves it with large amounts odors are particularly bad in order to evalu- of contaminated absorbents with which it must ate community exposure to air-borne hazardous deal. A number of departments may have old substances. As part of this study, five transformers containing polychlorinated industrial firms will be surveyed, and all biphenyls (PCBs), the disposal of which is present and potential emission points will be controlled by the Environmental Protecti-on examined. These in-depth surveys may serve to Agency. identify control measures which could be applied to odors as well as to hazardous Although the City would like to assist substances. A diffusion model recently Philadelphia industries with hazardous waste developed by AMS meterologists to predict the disposal problems, it is not clear how it can movement of air-borne substances can be used do so. There are no sites within the City for odors as well as conventional pollutants. for the treatment or permanent disposal of The analytical equipment being purchased by hazardous industrial wastes, and some firms AMS under EPA grants will give 'the City the must export wastes considerable distances at technical capacity to identify and measure high cost. Some businessmen have urged the odor-causing substances. The net result of City to accommodate such facilities within these steps should be to equip the City to the City because it could possibly give better control odors in these two riverfront Philadelphia a competitive edge for attracting areas in the future. Industries needing such treatment and disposal services. On the other hand, City codes and regulations are sufficiently cautious and FLOODPLAIN CONTROLS restrictive as to make the development of such a facility enormously difficult to achieve. There are a substantial number of industrial The riverfront, which contains many of the building within the floodway of the Schuylkill sites most remote from residential communities River, both in the tidal portion of the river and closest to existing industries, is not a and on Venice Island in Manayunk. Should clearly desirable location for an industrial they make substantial improvements, these 12-f industries are required by City codes to industry and utilities from Spring Carden floodproof up to at least the regulatory Street south to Washington Avenue, in the near (k flood elevation. City codes also permit no term conflicts may arise from noise, odors, new structures to be built in the floodway air pollution and traffic impact from existing without the creation of additional flood uses on new residents. These conflicts could carrying capability in the floodplain. Technic- be lessened by not encouraging residential ally. outdoor storage of material or accessory development in advance of the closing of buildings in floodplains are required to have industries or utilities or, conversely, by L & I permits. These several constraints on encouraging relocation of undesirable activi- floodway development may cause, over the long ties to new industrial locations. The East term, the displacement of industries from Central Incinerator is one example of an within the floodway. if this were to happen, air-polluting utility which may be eventually these lands could be reutilized for open closed but which is likely to create occasional space, perhaps the most appropriate use for nuisances if new homeowners are built nearby floodway areas. This process has already in the near future. occurred on the southern end of Venice Land, where a fire damaged building was demolished and cannot be replaced with a new structure because of floodplain restrictions. This land could be acquired for parkland and become a significant access point to the Schuylkill River from Manayunk. SEPARATION OF LAND USES One technique for mitigating environmental nuisances is separation of land uses, but this control measure has generally not been used. Complaints received by AMS regarding noise, odors and air pollution are most typically from residents objecting to nearby industrial activities, utilities or heavy traffic. The Air Management Code provides the Public Health Department with the authority to compel separation of uses where a nuisance may be created by inappropriately clustered land uses. Redevelopment of the Central Riverfront District, an area which at one time was devoted solely to-industrial and commercial enterprises, will create an increasingly mixed land use pattern. While over the long-term residential land uses may fully replace US Department of Commerce NOAA Coastal Services Center Library 2234 South Hoboon Avenue Charleston, SC 29405-2413 3 6668 14101 9986