Disposal Site, dissolved nutrients, chlorophyll, and coliform 

 bacteria values reflect the values observed throughout much of the 

 Bay. This pattern reflects the well-mixed nature of the water 

 column. 



Gilbert et al . (1973) also measured trace metal 

 concentrations (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cr) in Buzzards Bay surface 

 and bottom waters (Table 2); these values further illustrate the 

 homogeneous nature of the water column. Elevated levels of trace 

 metals, particularly Cu, Zn, and Cd, were evident only over the 

 Fairhaven -Disposal Area. Typical values for the Bay were evident 

 at the two stations located nearest to the Buzzards Bay Disposal 

 Site. The effects of disposal operations at the site on water 

 column chemistry since 1973 are not known. However, the 

 highly-mixed nature of the embayment precludes the establishment 

 of any persistent steep chemical gradients in the water column. 



4.2 Sediments 



Hough (1940) and Moore (1963) have characterized the 

 mineralogical composition of bottom sediments throughout Buzzards 

 Bay. In large part, deposits reflect the composition of the 

 regional terrigenous material from which the sedimentary materials 

 are derived. Gilbert et al . (1973) measured sediment trace metal 

 concentrations at 14 stations (Figure 8, Table 3) approximately 

 corresponding to the stations sampled by Moore (1963) . In general, 

 values did not vary widely between the two studies. Station 2, 

 located within the Buzzards Bay Disposal Site, and station 3, 

 located just west of the site, showed metal concentrations that are 

 comparable to the rest of the Bay. 



Several studies have documented the levels of organics 

 (e.g. hydrocarbons and PCB's) in bottom sediments of the Bay 

 (Gilbert et. al. . 1973; Sanders, 1974; Summerhayes et al. , 1977; 

 Teal et al . , 1978; Sanders et al. . 1980; Genest and Hatch, 1981; 

 Boehm, 1983). Oil and grease concentrations measured by Gilbert 

 et al . (1973) ranged from 80.1 to 377.5 ppm (Table 4). Hydrocarbon 

 concentrations were generally higher in the southern and western 

 portions of the Bay. This likely reflects the influence of New 

 Bedford Harbor. Interestingly, station 2, which was located in the 

 Buzzards Bay Disposal Site and just south of the site of the 1969 

 West Falmouth oil spill (see Sanders et al. , 1980) , showed the 

 lowest total oil and grease content. It is known, however, that 

 the oil from that spill drifted northeast toward Wild Harbor 

 (Sanders, 1974; Deslauriers and Seeyle, 1977; Schrier and Eidan, 

 1979; Sanders et al. . 1980). PCB levels showed increased values 

 near the entrance of New Bedford Harbor. Overall, PCB levels 

 ranged from 0.032 to 0.543 ppm. There was no evidence of PCB 

 enrichment at the stations in or near the Buzzards Bay Disposal 

 Site (Table 4) . 



The organic content of the fine-grained Buzzards Bay 



