1. Beaver River Watershed PCB Investigation
Technical Committee Meeting
October 20-21, 2009

2. PCB TMDL Background Completed Ohio River PCB TMDL in 2002
Entire WV border (277 river miles)
Mainstem TMDL only
Basin is too large and data is too limited to address issue with a single TMDL for entire watershed
Assigned allowable loadings to major tributaries
Follow-up tributary TMDLs/source reductions necessary to meet WQS in the Ohio River

3. Current Challenge The contamination is wide-spread
TMDL required for the entire Ohio River
Identifying specific sources has been difficult
Sampling indicates POTWs and numerous types of industrial facilities may discharge PCBs
Thousands of potential sources spread over basin
Need to focus on a smaller scale
Select tributary sub-basin to focus efforts

4. Tributaries of Concern
Identified tributaries of concern based on high-volume sample results
Ranked according to yield and load
Allegheny
Monongahela
Beaver
Muskingum
Kanawha
Guyandotte
Scioto
Great Miami
Green
Wabash

5. Why the Beaver River Watershed?
Needed smaller area to focus source identification effort
3,130 square miles (Ranks 14th of Ohio R. tribs)
Beaver River has elevated PCB levels
Highest single sample concentration (19,300 pg/L)
Highest average concentration (11,700 pg/L)
Fourth highest load
Highest PCB yield
Interstate tributary

8. Beaver Basin Impairments
Beaver River (Main stem)
Entire miles listed as impaired by PCBs
TMDL completed 2001 for lower 3.8 miles
Mahoning
Lower 82 miles listed as impaired by PCBs
Shenango
Lower 33.1 miles listed as impaired by PCBs
TMDL completed in 2001
Connoquenessing
Not listed as impaired by PCBs

9. Inventory of Potential Sources
National Priority List (Superfund)
6 NPL sites
Toxics Release Inventory
2 facilities
267 potential sources based on SIC
These are facility types which were found by DRBC to discharge significant levels of PCBs
Met with Ohio EPA and PA DEP personnel to discuss sources and sampling approach

10. Proposed Sampling Approach
Phased sampling approach
Conduct initial round of sampling
Subsequent rounds based on previous results
Focus in on hot-spots
First round of sampling
Sample each tributary near mouth
Beaver, Mahoning, Shenango, Connoquenessing
Add additional sites based on sources and impaired segments
Following rounds would allow for bracketing of potential sources

11. Sampling (continued) Use high-volume water sampling Sampling Schedule
May only need to filter 250 to 500 liters
Would allow for 2 samples to be collected each day
Sampling Schedule
Begin sampling in November 2009
Takes 4 weeks for preliminary results
Select round 2 sites based on results
Round 2 in early 2010
Repeat as budget allows
Must be completed by June 30, 2010

13. Questions or Comments?