Contents
1.1 Background
1.2 Reporting Period
1.3 Details of Sampling and Laboratory Testing Activities
1.4 Details of Outstanding Sampling and/or Analysis
1.5 Brief Discussion of the Monitoring Results for ESC CMP V
1.6 Activities Scheduled for the Next Month
1.7 Study Programme
Annexes
Annex A Sampling Schedule
Annex B Water Quality Monitoring Results
Annex C Graphical Presentations
Annex D Study Programme
1.1
Background
1.1.1
The Civil Engineering and
Development Department (CEDD) is managing a number of marine disposal
facilities in Hong Kong waters, including the Contaminated Mud Pits (CMPs) to
the South of The Brothers (SB) and to the East of Sha Chau (ESC) for the
disposal of contaminated sediment, and open-sea disposal grounds located to the
South of Cheung Chau (SCC), East of Tung Lung Chau (ETLC) and East of Ninepins
(ENP) for the disposal of uncontaminated sediment. Two Environmental
Permits (EPs), EP-312/2008/A and EP-427/2011/A, were issued by the
Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to the CEDD, the Permit Holder, on 28
November 2008 and 23 December 2011 for the Dredging, Management and Capping of
Contaminated Sediment Disposal Facilities at ESC CMP V and SB CMPs,
respectively.
1.1.2
Under the requirements of the two
EPs for ESC CMP V and
SB CMPs, EM&A programmes which encompass water and sediment chemistry,
fisheries assessment, tissue and whole body analysis, sediment toxicity and
benthic recolonisation studies as set out in the EM&A Manuals are required
to be implemented. EM&A programmes have
been continuously carried out during the operation of the CMPs at ESC and
SB. A review of the collection and analysis of such environmental
data from the monitoring programme demonstrated that there had not been any
adverse environmental impacts resulting from disposal activities ([1])
([2]). The current programme will assess the impacts resulting
from dredging, disposal and capping operations of CMP V as well as capping
operations of SB CMPs.
1.1.3
The present EM&A programme under
Agreement No. CE 63/2016 (EP) covers the dredging, disposal and capping operations of the
ESC CMP V as well as the capping operations of the SB CMPs (see Annex A for the EM&A
programme). The
scheduled EM&A programme for SB CMPs was completed in December 2018.
Detailed works schedule for ESC CMP V is shown in Figure
1.1. In July 2020, the following
works were undertaken:
· Disposal of contaminated mud at ESC CMP Vb; and
· Capping operations at ESC CMP Vd.
Figure 1.1 Works Schedule for ESC CMP V
1.2
Reporting Period
1.2.1
This Monthly
EM&A Report for
July 2020 covers the EM&A activities for
the reporting month of July 2020.
1.3
Details of Sampling and
Laboratory Testing Activities
1.3.1
The following monitoring activities
were undertaken for ESC CMP V in July 2020:
· Water Column Profiling of ESC CMP Vb;
· Routine Water Quality Monitoring of ESC CMPs;
· Pit Specific Sediment Chemistry of ESC CMP Vb; and
· Demersal Trawling for ESC CMPs.
1.4
Details of Outstanding
Sampling and/or Analysis
1.4.1
No outstanding sampling remained
for July 2020.
1.4.2
The following analyses are in
progress and will be presented in the corresponding quarterly report:
· Species identification of the biota samples collected from Demersal Trawling for ESC CMPs in July 2020.
1.5
Brief Discussion of the
Monitoring Results for ESC CMP V
1.5.1
Brief discussion of the monitoring results of the following
activities for ESC CMP V is presented in this Monthly
EM&A Report for July 2020:
· Water Column Profiling of ESC CMP Vb;
· Routine Water Quality Monitoring of ESC CMPs; and
· Pit Specific Sediment Chemistry of ESC CMP Vd.
1.5.2
Water Column Profiling of ESC CMP Vb – July 2020
1.5.3
Water Column Profiling was undertaken at a total of two sampling stations
(Upstream and Downstream stations) on 8 July 2020. The monitoring results have been assessed for compliance
with the Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) set
by Environmental Protection Department (EPD). This consists of a review
of the EPD routine water quality monitoring data for the wet season period
(April to October) of 2009 - 2018 from stations in the Northwestern Water
Control Zone (WCZ), where the ESC CMPs are located ([3]).
For Salinity, the averaged value obtained from the Reference (Upstream) station
was used for the basis as the WQO. Levels of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and
Turbidity were also assessed for compliance with the Action and Limit Levels
(see Table B1 of Annex B for details).
In-situ Measurements
1.5.4
Analyses of results for July 2020
indicated that levels of Salinity, pH and DO complied with the WQOs at both
Downstream and Upstream stations (Table B2 of Annex B). Levels of
DO and Turbidity at all stations complied with the Action and Limit Levels (Tables B1 and B2 of Annex B).
Laboratory
Measurements for Suspended Solids (SS)
1.5.5
Analyses of results July 2020
indicated that the SS levels at both Downstream and Upstream stations complied
with the WQO and the Action and Limit Levels (Tables
B1 and B2 of Annex B).
1.5.6
Overall, the monitoring results
indicated that the mud disposal operation at ESC CMP Vb did not appear to cause
any deterioration in water quality during this reporting period.
1.5.7
Routine Water Quality Monitoring of ESC CMPs – July 2020
1.5.8
Routine Water Quality Monitoring of ESC CMPs was undertaken on 10 July 2020. The monitoring results have been assessed for
compliance with the WQOs (see Section 1.5.3 for
details). The monitoring results are shown in Tables B3 and B4 of Annex B and Figures
1 - 10 of Annex C. A total of ten (10) monitoring stations were sampled
in July 2020 as shown in Figure 1.2.
In-situ Measurements
1.5.9
Graphical presentation of the
monitoring results (Temperature, DO, pH, Salinity and Turbidity) is shown in Figures 1 - 6 of Annex C. Analyses of results for July 2020 indicated that the
levels of pH, Salinity and DO complied with the WQOs at most stations in July
2020, except higher levels of salinity were recorded in Ma Wan station. The
higher Salinities recorded at Ma Wan station are likely to be caused by the
larger separation distance to Pearl River mouth, which release a large amount
of freshwater runoff in the area during flooding, when compared to the
Reference stations.
1.5.10
The levels of DO and Turbidity
complied with the Action and Limit Levels at all stations (Table B3 of Annex B; Figures 3 and 6 of Annex C).
1.5.11
Overall, in-situ measurement results of the Routine
Water Quality Monitoring indicated that the
disposal operation at ESC CMP Vb did not appear to cause any unacceptable
impacts in water quality in July 2020.
Laboratory Measurements
1.5.12
Laboratory analysis of July 2020 results
indicated that concentrations of Arsenic, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Nickel and
Zinc were detected in July 2020 samples at most stations and the concentrations
of most metals and metalloids were similar amongst the stations, except the
concentrations of Copper were higher at Impact and Intermediate stations, and
the concentrations of Lead and Zinc were higher at Ma Wan Station when compared
to other stations (Table B4 of Annex B; Figure 7 of Annex C).
1.5.13
For nutrients, concentrations of
Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN) at all stations were higher than the WQO (0.5
mg/L) (Table B4 of Annex B; Figure 8 of Annex C). It should
be noted that due to the effect of the Pearl River, the North Western WCZ has
historically experienced higher levels of TIN ([4]).
Therefore, the exceedances of TIN WQO at these stations are unlikely to be caused
by the disposal operation at ESC CMPs. The concentrations of Ammonia
Nitrogen (NH3-N) and 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)
were higher at Ma Wan station in July 2020 (Table
B4 of Annex B; Figure 8 and 9 of Annex C).
1.5.14
Analyses of results for July 2020
indicated that the SS levels at all stations complied with the WQO, and the SS
levels at all stations complied with the Action and Limit Levels (Tables B1 and B4 of Annex B; Figure 10 of Annex C). There is no
evidence indicating any unacceptable environmental impacts to nearby water
sensitive receivers as a result of the mud disposal operations at ESC CMPs in July 2020.
1.5.15
Overall, results of the Routine
Water Quality Monitoring indicated that the disposal operation at ESC CMPs did
not appear to cause any unacceptable deterioration in water quality in July
2020. Detailed statistical analysis will be presented in the Quarterly
Report to investigate any spatial and temporal trends of potential concern.
1.5.16
Pit Specific Sediment Chemistry of ESC CMP Vb – July
2020
1.5.17
Monitoring locations for Pit Specific Sediment Chemistry for ESC CMP Vb are shown in Figure 1.3. A total of six (6) monitoring stations were
sampled on 7 July 2020.
1.5.18
The concentrations of most inorganic
contaminants were lower than the Lower Chemical Exceedance Levels (LCELs) at
most stations, except for Arsenic (Figures 11 and 12 of Annex C). The concentrations of Arsenic were higher than the
LCEL at Pit-Edge station ESC-NECA and
Active-Pit station ESC-NPCB.
1.5.19
Whilst the average concentration of
Arsenic in the Earth’s crust is generally ~2mg/kg, significantly higher Arsenic
concentrations (median = 14 mg/kg) have been recorded in Hong Kong’s onshore
sediments ([5]). It is presumed that the natural
concentrations of Arsenic are similar in onshore and offshore sediments ([6]),
and relatively high Arsenic levels may thus occur throughout Hong Kong.
Therefore, the LECL exceedances of Arsenic are unlikely to be caused by the
disposal operations at ESC CMP Vb but rather as a result of naturally occurring
deposits.
1.5.20
For organic contaminants, the concentrations
of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) were higher at Active-Pit stations ESC-NPCA and
ESC-NPCB in July
2020 (Figure 13
of Annex C). The concentrations of Low Molecular Weight and High
Molecular Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were lower than the
LCELs at all stations (Figure
14 of Annex C). The
concentrations of Tributyltin (TBT) ,
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Total dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane
(DDT) and 4,4’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) were below the limit of
reporting at all stations in July 2020.
1.5.21
Overall,
there is no evidence indicating any unacceptable environmental impacts to
sediment quality as a result of the contaminated mud disposal operations at ESC
CMP Vb in July 2020. Statistical analysis will be undertaken and
presented in the corresponding quarterly report to investigate whether there
are any unacceptable impacts in the area caused by the contaminated mud disposal.
1.6
Activities Scheduled for the
Next Month
1.6.1
The following monitoring activities will be conducted in the next
monthly period of August 2020 for ESC CMP V (see Annex A for the sampling schedule ([7])):
· Water Column Profiling of ESC CMP Vb;
· Routine Water Quality Monitoring of ESC CMPs;
· Pit Specific Sediment Chemistry of ESC CMP Vb;
· Cumulative Impact Sediment Chemistry of ESC CMP V;
· Sediment Toxicity Tests of ESC CMP V;
· Demersal Trawling for ESC CMPs; and
· Water Quality Monitoring During Capping of ESC CMPs.
1.7
Study Programme
1.7.1
A summary of the Study Programme is
presented in Annex D.
([1]) ERM (2013) Final Report. Submitted under Agreement No. CE 4/2009 (EP) Environmental Monitoring and Audit for Contaminated Mud Pit at East Sha Chau. For CEDD.
([2]) ERM (2017) Final Report. Submitted under Agreement No. CE 23/2012 (EP) Environmental Monitoring and Audit for Contaminated Mud Pits to the South of The Brothers and at East Sha Chau (2012 - 2017). For CEDD.
([5]) Sewell RJ (1999) Geochemical Atlas of Hong Kong. Geotechnical Engineering Office, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region