Why I Pick up Litter

Some months ago in a blog post I mentioned that I try and take a plastic bag with me while river sampling and spend a few minutes before leaving picking up any litter. Link  A few people have commented about this and asked precisely why.  So here is why:

So all that litter on the road finds its way into ditches and streams eventually ending up in estuaries and  the sea.  So picking up litter really is a positive action, and next time you walk on the beach, take home some  of that rubbish that has been washed up.  Sir David Attenborough agrees:




For more information vist http://www.plasticoceans.net/

Nick Gray

Continuing Rainfall Impacting on Wildlife

I remember quite vividly in May of this year the gentleman from the Environment Agency in the UK stating that it would have to rain every day this summer for water resources to return to normal. Well records apart it has rained every day this summer and yes indeed water resources are looking fairly good. In fact there is water coming from springs I never knew existed where I live. But the rainfall has led to quite extraordinary conditions for wildlife from butterflies to badgers.

Ground nesting birds and wildfowl have been particularly hard hit, especially in and along the River Shannon, Ireland’s largest river, with many of the numerous small islands now under water. Kathryn Finney from Birdwatch Ireland has a fascinating blog and has been recording the problems due to this exceptionally wet summer and has some excellent images of the problems being caused by the high water levels.

Red List highlights six Irish freshwater species at risk of extinction

Pollan
Copyright www.loughallenbasin.com/pollan.html

Six of Ireland’s 15 native fish species and one of its three amphibians have been included in the revised Red Data List of Irish Amphibians, Reptiles and Freshwater Fish published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service Link. The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is listed as Critically Endangered and five more fish species (pollan, Artic char, twaite shad, Killarney shad and Atlantic salmon) were found to be Vulnerable. The Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita), is classified as Endangered.

For the first time, the status of naturalised non-native fish is discussed. Two of these, dace and chub, have been identified as invasive requiring management. The report sets out management polices and actions for the preservation of Irish Amphibians, Reptiles and Freshwater Fish.

Weirs on the River Dodder

 There are some spectacular weirs on the River Dodder in Dublin but some of them as shown below are in urgent need of repair

TCD Avoca Mines/River Publications

Several people have asked for a list of the Internal Reports that we have published on the Avova Mines and its impact on the Avoca River.  These were done mainly in the 1990's with more recent research published in journals.  There is also significant work availble in thesis format.  Below is a list of the internal reports that are available.  There are two reports which were Governmnet Reports that are confidential and so are not included both dealing with plans to rehabilitate the mines.

• Sullivan, M. and Gray, N.F. (1992) An evaluation of the fisheries potential of the Avoca catchment. Technical Report 9, Water Technology Research, Dublin, 47pp.
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Flow calculation in the River Avoca: flow calculation and flow data. Technical Report: 10, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-11-8) Revised July, 1995.
• Gray, N.F. and Doyle, T.M. (1995) Characterisation of acid mine drainage generating sites. Technical Report: 11, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-12-6)
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Water quality of the surface waters at Avoca Mines and the Avoca River: Intensive sampling period May to October, 1994 (Interim report). Technical Report: 12, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-13-4)
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Main adit flow and metal discharge rates. Technical Report: 13, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-14-2)
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Field assessment of acid mine drainage contamination in surface waters. Technical Report: 14, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-15-0)
• Kilroy, A. and Gray, N.F. (1994) A review of treatability, toxicity and biodegradability test methods. Technical Report: 15, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-16-9)
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Influence of secondary sulphate mineral formation on the impact of acid mine drainage to surface waters. Technical Report: 16, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-17-7)
• Byrne, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995 ) Environmental impact of acid mine drainage on the Avoca River: Effects of habitat types on biological monitoring of the macro invertebrate fauna. Technical Report: 17, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-18-5
• Byrne, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Environmental impact of acid mine drainage on the Avoca River: Acute toxicity experiments in the field using macro invertebrates. Technical Report: 18, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-19-3)
• Herr, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Environmental impact of acid mine drainage on the Avoca River: Metal fluxes in water and sediment. Part I Introduction to metal accumulation in riverine sediments. Technical Report: 19, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-20-7).
• Herr, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Environmental impact of acid mine drainage on the Avoca River: Metal fluxes in water and sediment. Part II Metal contamination of riverine sediments. Technical Report: 20, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-21-5).
• Herr, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Environmental impact of acid mine drainage on the Avoca River: Metal fluxes in water and sediment. Part III Metals in water and suspended particulate matter.Technical Report: 21, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-22-3).
• Gray, N.F. (1995) An objective index for the assessment of the contamination of surface and ground waters by acid mine drainage. Technical Report: 22, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-23-1)
• Gray, N.F. (1995) A substrate classification index for the visual assessment of the impact of acid mine drainage in lotic systems. Technical Report: 24, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-25-8)
• Doyle, T.M. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Protocol for monitoring and predicting the impact of acid mine drainage: Designing and setting up a geographical information system (GIS). Technical Report: 25, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-26-6
• Sullivan, M., Gray, N.F. and O'Neill, C. (1995) Synoptic overview of the Avoca-Avonmore catchment and the Avoca Mines. Technical Report: 26, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-27-4)
• Gray, N.F. and Sullivan, M. (1995) The environmental Impact of acid mine drainage. Technical Report: 27, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-28-2)
• Herr, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Protocol for monitoring and predicting the impact of acid mine drainage: sediment sampling. Technical Report: 28, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-29-0) 
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Procedure for the estimation of the impact of acid mine drainage to surface waters. Technical Report: 29, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-30-4)
• O'Neill, C., Herr C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) A survey of soil and vegetation in the area surrounding the East Avoca Mine, Co. Wicklow. Technical Report: 31, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-32-0)
• Gray, N.F. (1995) Biorehabilitation of the acid mine drainage phenomenon by accelerated bioleaching of mine waste: Executive summary of the work done at Trinity College, Dublin. Technical Report: 33, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-34-7).
• Herr, C. and Gray, N.F. (1995) Seasonal variation of metal contamination in riverine sediments of the Avoca River with regard to seasonal differences. Technical Report: 34, Water Technology Research, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin. (ISBN 1-872220-35-5).

American Mink in the River Dodder

Yesterday students from my undergraduate freshwater biology course and myself were out surveying the River Dodder in the heart of suburban Dublin. To our surprise we were able to observe mature American Mink patrolling the opposite bank completely at home and oblivious to all the activity going on. I have very rarely seen mink in the wild and was surprised to see it so well adapted to its urban environment. This voracious predator has had devastating impact on river wildlife, especially water voles, which are now classed as endangered, as well as wildfowl (e.g. moorhens, coots, widgeon and teal) and of course fish. It is perhaps our most problematic invasive species. This sighting comes at a time when the University of Aberdeen is leading a major eradication scheme in a number of Scottish rivers. So far 10,000 sq km of land in north-east Scotland has been cleared of mink. Below is an excellent video from the BBC of biologist Jamie Urquhart (River Don Trust) showing science reporter Rebecca Morelle how the mink are caught.

Weil’s Disease (Leptospirosis)

Olympic rowing champion Andy Holmes died last week after contracting Weil’s disease (leptospirosis).  This tragic news highlights the risk to all those working with water and sewage, and of course those who use inland water for recreation, from this waterborne bacterial disease.  Globally up to 10 million people contract the disease each year, although the number of reported cases of the disease in the British Isles is around 100-150 people annually, with farmers, sewage workers, freshwater ecologists and water sport participants (i.e. canoeists, wind surfers and rowers) all in the high risk category.  Advice on safe working practices for those engaged in freshwater monitoring and research can be found in sections 9.2.3 and 13.6 in Water Technology.  The primary infection route for leptospirosis is through damaged skin. So no matter how minor the damage may be (e.g. scratches, rashes etc.) ensure that the area is covered by an effective waterproof barrier if there is a possibility that the skin will come into contact with water potentially contaminated with rat urine (i.e. almost all surface waters). For more information Link.

River Danube at Risk

A number of people have emailed me asking about the chemical nature of the sludge and its potential impact.  Little has been posted about the exact composition of the sludge except that it is very alkaline ( up to pH 13) and contains heavy metals including cadmium and chromium although in low concentrations.  These wastes are also generally rich in fluoride, sulphate and of course aluminate, but other metals such as nickel, manganese, lead arsenic etc. are also present.  Of course it is also rich in ferric oxide which gives the sludge its distinctive red colouration. The sludge now has entered the Danube which is 2,850 kilometers long and so provides a huge potential dilution for the pollution.  Croatia, Serbia and Romania have all begun testing the river every few hours with high pH values initially reported (pH 9-10) making ammonia a critical problem as it shifts into its unionized form.  Key impacts are suspected to be sedimentation of the solids, ammonia and aluminum toxicity (until pH neutralizes) and possible metal interactions.