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Integrated study on the impact of metallic trace element pollution in the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane Rivers-Lake drainage system. Project completion report, OWR (Title II project C-4145) Item Info

Comprehensive limnological, water quality, productivity and substrata investigations have been made of the Coeur d'Alene drainage, Coeur d'Alene Lake and the Spokane River. These investigations were made in an attempt to answer questions as to the passage of metallic elements through the aquatic food chain in the study area as well as to determine the critical factors involved in the poor recovery of the South Fork and main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River. Additional work was carried out to determine the water quality of these areas and the Spokane River. Extensive studies were also made upon the substrata and limiting factors for macroinvertebrates of the Upper Spokane River. Artificial substrates (baskets) placed in the unpolluted portions of the Coeur d'Alene River developed abundant and diverse macroinvertebrate fauna comparable to that collected from natural substrata by Surber Sampler. Flooding of Coeur d'Alene River during the spring highwater period transports heavy metals, especially Zn, into the lateral lakes bordering the river. Zinc concentrations in the lake water were highest near the lake inlets. Metal concentrations in fishes from the lakes were higher than those tested from a control lake in the St. Joe drainage. There appeared to be greater Zn concentrations in the muscle tissues of omnivorous fish such as the bullhead than in the same tissue of piscivorous fish such as the large mouth bass. The fishes seem to be exerting some homeostatic control over the metal level in their tissues. The overall water quality of Coeur d'Alene Lake appeared to be relatively the same as the found in our earlier study (Funk, Rabe, and Filby et al., 1973) based upon routine water sampling during coring operations and on data gathered from a water quality station maintained at the lake outlet. Nineteen sediment cores were obtained along the lengthwise axis of the lake and from selected bays. A layer of heavy metals 80-30 cm in thickness occurred in the Coeur d'Alene delta region and lake proper. This layer decreased in thickness as one traversed the lake from off the delta region toward the outlet where the layer is reduced to 5 cm. Coring operations from the delta region of the lake toward the southern end revealed the same phenomenon occurred to a lesser extent to a point between the area of Conkling Park and Chatcolet Lake. This layer of heavy metals could constitute a hazard to aquatic life if Coeur d'Alene Lake eutrophies to the point of anaerobic conditions in the hypolimnion. The biological productivity of the Spokane River is largely controlled by the water quality of Coeur d'Alene Lake as well as by the substrate, temperature and flow of the river. Nutrient additions to the river as it flows toward the city of Spokane increases the productivity of the lower four stations, especially at the Plantes Ferry station. Heavy metals, such as Zn, Cu, and Pb, appear to be concentrated to relatively high amounts in algae, aquatic macrophytes and other vegetation growing along the river. Algae and detritus-consuming macroinvertebrates such as mayfiles and stoneflies pass these metals along to the fishes, expecially trout because of the trout's predilection for these organisms. However, there appears to be a reduction of concentration of metals in tissues at each trophic level as one moves up the food chain. The organisms appear to be actively excreting the metals. In the fishes, the filter bodies such as the kidneys and liver concentrated the metals several-fold over that of other tissues and therefore tend to confirm this assumption. Nonetheless, the level of Zn, for example, in the muscle tissue of Spokane River fishes may be two to three times that in muscle tissue of the same species taken from undisturbed streams high in Coeur d'Alene drainage. For these reasons it has been concluded by the investigators that additional efforts should be made to curtail and control seepage from tailings ponds as well as reduction and eventual control of wastes and nutrient runoff in the Coeur d'Alene and Spokane river drainage basins. The area encompassed by this study includes extremely valuable recreation, wildlife, and fisheries recources as well as sources of food and water for human consumption.

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Title:
Integrated study on the impact of metallic trace element pollution in the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane Rivers-Lake drainage system. Project completion report, OWR (Title II project C-4145)
Authors:
Funk, William H.; Rabe, Fred W.; Filby, Royston; Bailey, Gary; Bennet, Paul; Shah, Kishor; Sheppard, John C.; Savage, Nancy; Bauer, Stephen B.; Bourge, Alain; Bannon, Gerald; Edwards, George; Anderson, Dale; Syms, Pat; Rothert, Jane; Seamster, Alan
Date Created (ISO Standard):
1975-08
Description:
Comprehensive limnological, water quality, productivity and substrata investigations have been made of the Coeur d'Alene drainage, Coeur d'Alene Lake and the Spokane River. These investigations were made in an attempt to answer questions as to the passage of metallic elements through the aquatic food chain in the study area as well as to determine the critical factors involved in the poor recovery of the South Fork and main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River. Additional work was carried out to determine the water quality of these areas and the Spokane River. Extensive studies were also made upon the substrata and limiting factors for macroinvertebrates of the Upper Spokane River. Artificial substrates (baskets) placed in the unpolluted portions of the Coeur d'Alene River developed abundant and diverse macroinvertebrate fauna comparable to that collected from natural substrata by Surber Sampler. Flooding of Coeur d'Alene River during the spring highwater period transports heavy metals, especially Zn, into the lateral lakes bordering the river. Zinc concentrations in the lake water were highest near the lake inlets. Metal concentrations in fishes from the lakes were higher than those tested from a control lake in the St. Joe drainage. There appeared to be greater Zn concentrations in the muscle tissues of omnivorous fish such as the bullhead than in the same tissue of piscivorous fish such as the large mouth bass. The fishes seem to be exerting some homeostatic control over the metal level in their tissues. The overall water quality of Coeur d'Alene Lake appeared to be relatively the same as the found in our earlier study (Funk, Rabe, and Filby et al., 1973) based upon routine water sampling during coring operations and on data gathered from a water quality station maintained at the lake outlet. Nineteen sediment cores were obtained along the lengthwise axis of the lake and from selected bays. A layer of heavy metals 80-30 cm in thickness occurred in the Coeur d'Alene delta region and lake proper. This layer decreased in thickness as one traversed the lake from off the delta region toward the outlet where the layer is reduced to 5 cm. Coring operations from the delta region of the lake toward the southern end revealed the same phenomenon occurred to a lesser extent to a point between the area of Conkling Park and Chatcolet Lake. This layer of heavy metals could constitute a hazard to aquatic life if Coeur d'Alene Lake eutrophies to the point of anaerobic conditions in the hypolimnion. The biological productivity of the Spokane River is largely controlled by the water quality of Coeur d'Alene Lake as well as by the substrate, temperature and flow of the river. Nutrient additions to the river as it flows toward the city of Spokane increases the productivity of the lower four stations, especially at the Plantes Ferry station. Heavy metals, such as Zn, Cu, and Pb, appear to be concentrated to relatively high amounts in algae, aquatic macrophytes and other vegetation growing along the river. Algae and detritus-consuming macroinvertebrates such as mayfiles and stoneflies pass these metals along to the fishes, expecially trout because of the trout's predilection for these organisms. However, there appears to be a reduction of concentration of metals in tissues at each trophic level as one moves up the food chain. The organisms appear to be actively excreting the metals. In the fishes, the filter bodies such as the kidneys and liver concentrated the metals several-fold over that of other tissues and therefore tend to confirm this assumption. Nonetheless, the level of Zn, for example, in the muscle tissue of Spokane River fishes may be two to three times that in muscle tissue of the same species taken from undisturbed streams high in Coeur d'Alene drainage. For these reasons it has been concluded by the investigators that additional efforts should be made to curtail and control seepage from tailings ponds as well as reduction and eventual control of wastes and nutrient runoff in the Coeur d'Alene and Spokane river drainage basins. The area encompassed by this study includes extremely valuable recreation, wildlife, and fisheries recources as well as sources of food and water for human consumption.
Subjects:
water quality trace metals food chains neutron activation analysis heavy metals sediment concentration benthos
Location:
Spokane River; Lake Coeur d'Alene
Latitude:
47.69
Longitude:
-116.81
Collection:
Coeur d'Alene Basin
Series:
Water for Idaho
IWRRI number:
197512
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
Publisher:
University of Idaho
Contributing Institution:
University of Idaho
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf
Cataloger:
wbv
Date Digitized:
2012

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Source
Preferred Citation:
"Integrated study on the impact of metallic trace element pollution in the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane Rivers-Lake drainage system. Project completion report, OWR (Title II project C-4145)", Idaho Waters Digital Library, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/iwdl/items/iwdl-cda_funk_1975.html
Rights
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
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