Project Report PR-96-04
Benthic Sampling Adjacent to the Waianae Ocean Outfall, Oahu, Hawaii, May 1995
Anthony R. Russo, E. Alison Kay, Julie H. Bailey – Brock, and William J. Cooke
November 1995
ABSTRACT
In May 1995, bottom samples were collected by scuba divers near the Waianae Ocean Outfall at a depth of approximately 33 m. The Waianae outfall is located on the leeward side of the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The six sampling stations chosen were (1) Station Z, located in the zone of initial dilution (ZID) at the diffuser; (2) Station ZE, located on the southeast boundary of the ZID, about 30 m from the diffuser; (3) Station ZW, located about 60 m southwest of the diffuser; (4) Station W1, located about 2.5 km southeast of the diffuser; (5) Station W2, located about 1.0 km southeast of the diffuser; and (6) Station W9, located about 2.5 km northwest of the diffuser. The bottom at all stations was comprised of more than 90% fine to coarse sand. Station W2 had the coarsest sediments with a relatively high percentage of coral rubble. Oxidation-reduction potential and total volatile solid measurements indicated a nonreducing benthic environment at all stations. A total of 5,424 nonmollusk individuals representing 150 taxa and 10,142 mollusk individuals representing 125 species were recorded. The sediments around the outfall were rich in nematode, oligochaete, polychaete, crustacean, and molluscan fauna. Polychaetes represented 38.6% (94 species) and crustaceans 12.6% (45 taxa) of total nonmollusk abundance. Gastropods comprised more than 90% of total molluscan fauna. The highest mean abundance of nonmollusks was recorded at non-ZID Station W2 and the lowest at Station Z. Mean nonmollusk taxa richness was greatest at Station W2, followed by Station Z, and least at Station W9. Mean species richness for the mollusk component was highest at Station W9 and lowest at Station W2. Highest mean mollusk abundance was recorded at far-field station W1 and lowest at Station W2. The nonmollusk taxa composition was generally similar at all stations. Stations Z, ZE, and ZW were most similar in nonmollusk taxa composition and Stations W1 and W2 were similar. Station W9 was most dissimilar to the other stations in nonmollusk taxa composition. For mollusks, Stations W2 and Z were similar but, as a group, were distinctly different in species composition from the other stations. From 1994 to 1995, there was an increase in nonmollusk taxa richness at Stations Z and ZW and a decrease at the remaining stations. From 1989 to 1993 the ZID and non-ZID station groups showed parallel shifts in nonmollusk taxa richness, whereas in 1994 non-ZID station group values increased and ZID station group values decreased, such that the values for the two groups converged. The two values remained essentially the same in 1995 as in 1994. Mean nonmollusk abundance shifted similarly for ZID and non-ZID station groups among the years of survey, except in 1993 when there was a decrease for the non-ZID station group relative to the ZID station group. In 1994 and 1995 nonmollusk abundance values for the two groups converged. In 1995 total volatile solids and total organic carbon concentrations in the sediments near the outfall discharge were low and comparable to background levels at the reference stations. At all stations the sediment was oxygen-rich, as indicated by positive oxidation-reduction potential readings. Mean species richness between ZID and non-ZID station groups was not statistically different. Cluster analysis indicated there was no pattern or grouping of stations, according to species composition, which showed an interaction with the sewage discharge. Near the outfall discharge, no large increase in abundance was found among some species relative to others; the equitability of relative abundances was high at all stations. There was no large decrease in species diversity at stations near the diffuser, as predicted by the Pearson – Rosenberg pollution model. Thus all of the results of the 1995 Waianae benthic study, along with results from previous years, suggest that no deleterious effects occur on the biologically indigenous populations near the outfall from sewage discharge.