The Jamaica Bay Task Force meeting on November 17, 2022, discussed water quality improvements through tidal wetland and ribbed mussel research, emphasizing the significance of ribbed mussels in pathogen reduction. Sampling plans include extensive water column and sediment sample collections aimed at monitoring various parameters, which will inform the project's phased experimental approach to evaluate the effectiveness of ribbed mussels in mitigating pathogens from combined sewer overflow. The findings from the mesocosm experiments indicate the ribbed mussels' capability to effectively filter bacteria, supporting their use for enhancing water quality.

1. Jamaica Bay Task Force Meeting
November 17, 2022
John McLaughlin
Managing Director, Office of Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and
Research
Water Quality Improvements Update:
Tidal Wetland and Ribbed Mussel Research

2. 2
Natural Systems

3. 3
Tidal Channel Comparison

4. 4
Monitoring Parameters

5. 5
Monitoring Configuration
• The total minimum number of FIB water column
samples collected and analyzed in will be as follows
(8 sample points, 1 ebb and 1 flood sample in
duplicate, 4 control samples):
1,296 E. coli and total coliform samples
1,296 Enterococcus samples
• The maximum total number of FIB
sediment samples to be collected and
analyzed will be:
648 E. coli and total coliform samples
648 Enterococcus samples
• Sampling frequency for TSS and nutrients will be
season (May through September). Samples will be
collected in triplicate for each parameter for a total of:
676 TSS samples
676 Turbidity samples
676 Ammonia samples
676 Nitrate+nitrite samples
676 Total Kjehdahl Nitrogen samples
676 Reactive phosphorus (orthophosphate) samples
676 Chlorophyll-a samples
676 dissolved organic nitrogen samples
676 dissolved organic carbon samples

6. 6
Ribbed Mussels and Pathogen Reduction
❖ DEP in coordination with the New York State Department Environmental Conservation (DEC),
Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and Stony Brook University has
evaluated the potential for using Guekensia demissa (Ribbed Mussel) for water quality
improvements.
❖ Ribbed mussels are possibly unique among bivalves in also possessing the ability to filter and
digest free bacteria, potentially helping to exert top-down control of harmful pathogens
(Kreeger and Newell 1996, 2000).
❖ Existing research confirms that ribbed mussels have removal efficiencies of greater
than 10% for particle sizes between 0.2 - 2 µm (within fecal coliform range of sizes):

7. 7
Phased Experiments
❖ Under the Jamaica Bay Long Term Control Plan (LTCP), in addition to the cost sharing ($75M) of
the restoration of five marsh islands and two perimeter wetland sites within Jamaica Bay, the
New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) also proposes to mitigate the
influence of pathogens derived from combined sewer overflow (CSO) events by installing a
community of ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa) in two Jamaica Bay tributaries.
❖ DEP conducted a literature review and an array of experiments with ribbed mussels to determine
the feasibility of the project goal. The project has been broken-up into several phases beginning
with a literature review (Phase I), followed by laboratory-based trials (Phase II) and mesocosm
simulations (Phase III) and then a final phase of field trials (Phase IV). (Figure 1-1):
❖ • Phase I – Literature Review and Preliminary Microcosm Experiments
❖ • Phase II – Microcosm Experiments (laboratory bench-top experiments)
❖ • Phase III – Mesocosm Experiment (scaled physical model of Bergen Basin)
❖ • Phase IV – In-situ Pilot Study (deployment in Bergen Basin)

8. 8
Phase III- Mesocosm Study

9. 9
Experimental Levels Tested
A total of 6 levels were tested: 720 Density, 1440 Density, Bacteria Pulse, Bacteria Step with Freshwater, Bacteria Step with Freshwater and Spatial Variation,
and Unfiltered Bacteria Step with Freshwater.
720 Density: This level had a uniform distribution of 105 mesh bags, alternating in rows of 4 and 3 bags, each containing 6 to 7 RM for a total of 720 RM.
Bacteria was continuously fed into the system at a concentration of 10,000 E. faecalis cells per mL.
1440 Density: This level had a uniform distribution of 105 mesh bags, alternating in rows of 4 and 3 bags, each containing 13 to 14 RM for a total of 1440 RM.
Bacteria was continuously fed into the system at a concentration of 10,000 E. faecalis cells per mL.
Bacteria Pulse: This level had a uniform distribution of 105 mesh bags, alternating in rows of 4 and 3 bags, each containing 6 to 7 RM for a total of 720 RM.
Bacteria was continuously fed into the system at a concentration of 1,000 E. faecalis cells per mL for 60 mins before an additional dose was added increasing
the concentration to 10,000 E. faecalis cells per mL.
Bacteria Step with Freshwater: This level had a uniform distribution of 105 mesh bags, alternating in rows of 4 and 3 bags, each containing 6 to 7 RM for a total
of 720 RM. A slug of freshwater (100L) was added into the experimental system at the influent portion of the tank (Fig. 18) at 60 min and this took approximately
22 mins. A salinity probe was placed about 12” from the in- and effluent locations with the sensor about 6” from the bottom of the tank to record how the salinity
changed.
Bacteria Step with Freshwater and Spatial Variation: This level did not have a uniform distribution of mesh bags however the total number of RM remained
720.The first third of the tank had alternating rows of 4 and 3 bags and the middle third of the tank contained alternating rows of 3 and 2 with each bag
containing 6 to 7 RM. The final third of the tank had alternating rows of 4 and 3 bags but each contained 8 to 9 RM (Fig. 19). Bacteria and freshwater were
added as described above for the Bacteria Step with Freshwater level.

10. 10
Discussion
❖ This series of experiments built upon previous work to test a more realistic setting using
a significantly larger quantity of Ribbed Mussel (RM) that was exposed to a larger body
of water and increased flow rate. The results from these mesocosm experiments further
demonstrates the suitability of the RM for pathogen removal.
❖ The experimental system operated very well and by analyzing the data from the control
tanks, the quantity of bacteria increased as expected throughout each level. This
demonstrates that minimal bacteria were “lost” in the system as this was expected due
to the volume of surface area and therefore the large reduction of bacteria in the
experimental tanks was due to the filtration by the RM.
❖ The clearance rate for each of these experiments was similar to the results obtained in
previous experiments conducted in the earlier phases.