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Bureau of Water Quality reports lab award, mussel propagation and expanded testing plans
Summary
Director Chuck Jones told the board the bureau completed more than 24,000 laboratory analyses last year, earned an IWEA Laboratory Excellence Award, is expanding testing to include oil and grease once hexane supply is available, and is growing 1,800 mussels at its propagation facility.
Chuck Jones, director of the Bureau of Water Quality, presented an annual recap to the board on Feb. 5 that highlighted laboratory capacity, river monitoring, a new mussel propagation facility and public education work.
Jones said the lab operated 365 days last year, completed more than 24,000 analyses, hired a full-time lab analyst and a weekend intern, and earned the Indiana Water Environment Association Laboratory Excellence Award. The bureau added total nitrogen testing to its in-house portfolio and plans to add oil-and-grease testing once a hexane supply becomes available.
The surveillance program sampled the river extensively: staff collected more than 900 river samples and conducted roughly 1,200 industry-related analyses. The bureau’s biology team completed a six-year Delaware County West Fork White River mussel survey covering 31 miles and documenting 53,765 mussels; fish crews sampled 60 sites and recorded 55 species totaling 12,470 fish. Jones noted that 47% of sampled fish on the White River were pollution-intolerant and 20% were pollution-tolerant.
Jones said the district’s mussel propagation facility currently houses more than 1,800 mussels, including wavy-rayed lampmussel, a state species of special concern, and that many of the propagated animals should be ready for reintroduction to the river within about a year. The bureau’s education facility opened in June and has hosted 492 people from school groups and other community organizations.
Commissioners praised the bureau’s staff and work, and asked technical questions about the FOG (fats, oils, grease) program, which Jones said monitors grease interceptors at more than 300 permitted food establishments and other food producers such as churches and schools to reduce sewer blockages and discharges to the river.
Jones said the lab is also prepared to add oil-and-grease analysis when hexane becomes available and that the mussel propagation and education programs will continue to expand.
