Janna Rinderneck

Staff Environmental Scientist

Inland Pollution Scientific Response

Support

Spill Response Support

• Why biologists participate in response

• The role of the biologist in response

• Examples of a few deleterious substances DFG commonly encounters in 5650 cases

• Describe how habitat can benefit by DFG’s assessments of pollution impacts

The Mission of the Department of Fish and Game is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.

FISH AND GAME CODE SECTION 5650 (a)

Except as provided in subdivision (b), it is unlawful to deposit in, permit to pass into, or place where it can pass into the waters of this state any of the following: (1-5) covers specific substances, or

(6) Any substance or material deleterious to fish, plant life, or bird life.

(b) This section does not apply to a discharge or a release that is expressly authorized pursuant to, and in compliance with, the terms and conditions of a waste discharge requirement… or a waiver issued pursuant to …the Water Code issued by the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional water quality control board…

Utilize Staff Resources forSpill Responses

• DFG-OSPR Liaisoning– Field Response Team Members– Regional Biologists (often Fishery Biologists)– Oil Spill Prevention Specialists– GIS Support Staff– Toxicologists– Chemists

• One person can’t know everything

What is an FRT?(Field Response Team)

• Multi-disciplined approach.• Operates within Incident Command to fill

multiple positions in ICS.• Ultimately to support enforcement and

remediation.• Primarily a warden-scientific team calling

on other resources as necessary.• Currently gaps in our utopia (but the vision

endures).

Role of the Biologist

• SCAT-type assessments

• Assist enforcement with sampling if needed

• Oversee the Natural Resource Damage Assessment

• Prepare Biological Significance Report– Interprets laboratory analysis

• Act as expert witness in court

What is “deleterious”

• Hurtful; causing injury.

• To a fish, plant or bird, a substance which impairs it’s ability to breathe, feed, rid its body of waste products, avoid being eaten, or reproduce.

Common Pollutants

• Petroleum

• Cement

• Animal Waste

• Sediment

Why are they “deleterious”?

• Effects on fish and water quality

• Limitations to cleanup options

• Chemical impact– Extremely caustic solution

• Physical impact– Cementing and smothering of

streambed/benthos

• Biological impact– Damages integrity of habitat

for aquatic life

1. Extreme respiratory dysfunction from chemical erosion of sensitive gill tissue

2. Irreversible chemical burns of optic and olfactory tissues

3. Loss of equilibrium due to respiratory distress and evacuation of the gas bladder

4.Death

The Effect of pHThe Effect of pH on Fishon Fish

• Lime is soluble to 1700 mg/L

• Dissolves rapidly in solution with resulting pH 12 (caustic)

• Cannot be mitigated by dilution– 1 lb lime will saturate 58.1 gal water – To reduce pH from 12 to pH 8.5 would require

290,441.9 gal diluent (3,200:1 dilution)

Limitations to Cleanup Options

Pollution fromAnimal Wastes

Characteristics of Animal Wastes

• Constituents– Decomposing bacteria– Parasitic and pathogenic

organisms – Carbohydrates, protein, fats– Nitrogenous and other metabolic

wastes

– Water containing:• Salts, metals, detergents• Urea and ammonia• Hormones, medicinals

• A common constituent of animal wastes

• Byproduct of bacterial decomposition of such wastes.

• Not normally found in measurable quantities in water bodies that support fish and aquatic life.

Ammonia

Deleterious Effect of Ammonia

• Acute ammonia exposure causes:

– increase in gill ventilation

– hyperexcitability

– convulsions

– ultimately, death.

How much ammonia is Too Much?

• local biologist can prepare a “biological significance” report.– This report will say if samples are deleterious.– Attach to arrest/investigation report.

Sediment Pollution

Deleterious Impacts ofSediment Discharges

• Settleable solids = smothering

• Suspended solids = choking

• Turbidity = Compromises ability to feed and shelter; organisms seek refugia

• Particle size = filling in spawning gravels

Cleanup can also have impacts

• Containment

• Removal

• Flush and Recover Rinse Water

• Monitor Downstream

- Consider stream resources and downstream impacts with altered flow– Bypass flows are often necessary

*** work with other agencies as needed such asWater Bd, EPA, NMFS…

Cleanup Strategies

Evidence Collection

• Often the best tool is a camera, but also collect measurable data.

• Pollution Action Kits (PAKs)• Toxicity is based on dosage

– How much manure, ice cream, oil (olive or petroleum), concrete, or other pollutant will create a toxic environment for the aquatic life present?

– Also collect location (GPS) to help determine reach impacted.

• Request assistance from DFG Region or OSPR staff.

• Basic fish count– Loss to scavengers– Standard

underestimation

• Compare downstream (impacted) to upstream resources

• Doesn’t account for sublethal effects

Fish Kills

Sampling for Bioassays

Aquatic Toxicology LaboratoryElk Grove

You Pollute It…We’ll Sample It!

Natural Resource Damage Assessment

or Bucks for Bugs

Temporary Loss of Services After Release or Spill

Time

Level ofResource Services

Baseline Level of Services

Incident or Release

Post-Incident Services

Full Recovery

A

Lost Resource Services

Compensation for lost resources