A single wire marking an E-W transect across the sand pile will be deployed with 

 four stations at 25, 30, 40, and 60 meters on each side of the center. Two other stations at 

 distances of 100 m from the disposal point will be sampled with spot dives. Three cores and 

 all other observations made at the mud-capped pile will be made for each station at this site 

 as well. Remote sampling will also be obtained for comparisons and background data. 



Additional physical and chemical monitoring will be continued on a semiannual basis 

 as part of the ongoing DAMOS program. Detailed bathymetric surveys will be continued to 

 assess long term changes in spoil distribution and diver obtained samples will be repeated at 

 a reduced number of stations depending on the effectiveness of capping obtained. Any future 

 changes in the monitoring program would also be a function of the results of this study. 



BIOLOGICAL MONITORING 



The major thrust of the biological monitoring program will be the study of body 

 burdens of species colonizing the spoil mounds and the surrounding sea floor. During the 

 first year following disposal of the dredge spoil, samples will be taken monthly from April 

 through October to obtain sufficient numbers of animals to obtain heavy metal body burdens 

 from both spoil mounds and the surrounding bottom. It is anticipated that the baseline data 

 obtained in March 1979 will consist primarily of stable, deep burrowing, long-lived species 

 with few opportunistic group 1 individuals. An epibenthic sled will be used to attempt to 

 obtain sufficient samples of these species for analysis. This device cannot be used, however, 

 on the spoil mounds. 



Smith-Mclntyre grab samples will be taken after disposal to obtain organisms from 

 the spoil mounds. There will be periods where group 1 or group 3 species may be rare on 

 the disposal mounds and, consequently, insufficient biomass may be available for analysis. 

 This is a natural function of the repopulation process and cannot be avoided. Samples will 

 be sieved on board in order to insure sufficient biomass whenever possible. 



The organisms obtained from the disposal mounds and surrounding bottom will be 

 categorized into group 1, 2, or 3 species and body burden analysis will be done on a species 

 by species basis or, if insufficient numbers are available, within similar groups. Comparison 

 of body burdens between the occupants of the deposits and natural bottom, between species 

 groups, and relative background levels will be made. Box cores of both spoils mounds and 

 the bottom will be made in August to determine the extent of burrowing and to measure the 

 flux of pollutants into the water column. Problems may occur in determining the net flux of 

 the mud-capped mound if sample to sample variability is high. Additional cores to evaluate 

 flux of heavy metals will also be made at the completion of the disposal operation in 

 October. 



The second year of monitoring will repeat the sampling procedures of the first year 

 on a bimonthly basis, stressing the body burden of group 3 species and evaluating the effect 

 of bioturbation of the effective protection of the capping material. Studies of contaminant 

 uptake of higher trophic forms feeding on the infauna of the disposal mounds will be 

 preformed if required, depending on the results of the body burden measurements. 



