EPA+Report+on+FabCo+2013

March 25, 2013
====The process by which fabrics are made involves a significant amount of water and use of chemicals such as carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide. It is estimated that FABCO will need to use water from the river (about 10% of the river flow) for their process and they will return the water to the river after some level of treatment and usage in the facility.====

**__Current River Conditions__**

 * ==== o pH= 7.1====
 * ==== o Temperature of River = June = 65°F Winter = 35°F====
 * ==== o Dissolved Oxygen in River à 7 mg/L or higher year around====
 * ==== o Nitrates and Phosphates very low====

**__River Conditions After FABCO starts manufacturing__**

 * ==== o The temperature of the water that is used by the plant (and returned to the River) will be about 10-12 °F warmer than it was when it went into the fabrication plant.====
 * ==== o The pH of the effluent is expected to be around 8====
 * ==== o The dissolved oxygen (DO) of the factory water will be reduced by 2 mg/L during the process====
 * ==== o The amount of nitrates / phosphates in the outflow will be about twice as much as currently in the river====

Of all the members of the char family, brook trout adapt most easily to their environment and will tolerate the widest range of conditions, including extremes in temperature and pH level.
==== They grow and survive best in temperatures between 13° and 18°C (55° and 65°F). Brook trout, which like other char and trout are a cold water species, can survive a wide range of temperatures, from near 0°C (32°F) to around 22°C (72°F). However, they have been known to tolerate temperatures above 25.6°C (78°F) for up to a few hours. ==== ==== Brook trout tolerate acidic conditions particularly well, compared with other species. They have been known to survive at pH 3.5, though only in unusual circumstances. Realistically, the lower limits are around pH 4.8. The presence of aluminum ions or other heavy metals may raise the lowest pH level at which brook trout can survive. Where pH levels are low, brook trout may be the only game fish that can survive. But even this species has suffered because of acid rain, particularly in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. ====

High alkalinity is not a critical factor under natural conditions, and survival has been recorded at pH levels of 9.8!
==== CDPHE-WQCD regulations state that waters classified as "Class 1 Cold Water Aquatic Life" should not have DO concentrations below 6 mg/l, and not below 7 mg/l during spawning. Waters classified as "Class 1 Warm Water Aquatic Life" should not have DO concentrations below 5 mg/l. (These are 1-day minima) ==== ==== Very high DO concentrations can also be harmful to aquatic life. Fish in waters containing excessive dissolved gases may suffer a condition in which bubbles of oxygen block the flow of blood through blood vessels, causing death. Abrupt changes in dissolved oxygen induce stress and subsequently make fish more susceptible to disease. ==== ==== The ideal dissolved oxygen concentration for many fish is between 7 and 9 mg/l; the optimal DO for adult brown trout is 9-12 mg/l. Most fish cannot survive at concentrations below 3 mg/l of dissolved oxygen. ====