Geology topics

K.J. Buhl

Publications and source records attributed to K.J. Buhl.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2014

Trace elements in seep waters along Whitewood Creek, South Dakota, and their toxicity to fathead minnows

Whitewood Creek, located in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, has a long history of contamination from mining activity. Gold exploration began in the 1870s, and has continued since that time. Whitewood Creek received direct releases of tailings from 1870 to 1977 from Gold Run Creek in Lead, SD. It has been estimated that approximately 100 million to 1 billion tons of mining, milling, and ore processing wastes have been released by mining activity in the last century in to Whitewood Creek, the Belle Fourche river, and the Cheyenne River (Fox Consultants, Inc. 1984). Tailings deposition has altered the geomorphology of Whitewood Creek, and deposits up to 4.6 m. deep, have become stabilized by vegetation. Several other streams in the Black Hills also have been adversely affected by mining operations (Rahn 1996). As water leaches through rock strata that are disturbed by surface and subsurface mining, it dissolves inorganic elements and carries them to the groundwater. Groundwater movement through the extensive tailings deposits in the Whitewood Creek valley enter the creek at various seeps along its downstream course to the Belle Fourche river, and the Belle Fourche River itself, which empties into the Cheyenne River and eventually into Lake Oahe.

South Dakota↗

USGS2005

Selenium in the Blackfoot, Salt, and Bear River Watersheds

Nine stream sites in the Blackfoot River, Salt River, and Bear River watersheds in southeast Idaho, USA were sampled in May 2001 for water, surficial sediment, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, and fish. Selenium was measured in these aquatic ecosystem components, and a hazard assessment was performed on the data. Water quality characteristics such as pH, hardness, and specific conductance were relatively uniform among the nine sites. Of the aquatic components assessed, water was the least contaminated with selenium because measured concentrations were below the national water quality criterion of 5 μ g/L at eight of the nine sites. In contrast, selenium was elevated in sediment, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, and fish from several sites, suggesting deposition in sediments and food web cycling through plants and invertebrates. Selenium was elevated to concentrations of concern in fish at eight sites (> 4 μ g/g in whole body). A hazard assessment of selenium in the aquatic environment suggested a moderate hazard at upper Angus Creek (UAC) and Smoky Creek (SC), and high hazard at Little Blackfoot River (LiB), Blackfoot River gaging station (BGS), State Land Creek (SLC), upper (UGC) and lower Georgetown Creek (LGC), Deer Creek (DC), and Crow Creek (CC). The results of this study indicate that selenium concentrations from the phosphate mining area of southeast Idaho were sufficiently elevated in several ecosystem components to cause adverse effects to aquatic resources in southeastern Idaho.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment↗

USGS2005

Selenium impacts on razorback sucker, Colorado River, Colorado: I. Adults

Adult razorback sucker ( Xyrauchen texanus ) were exposed to various selenium concentrations in ponds and isolated river channels of the Colorado River near Grand Junction, CO, to determine effects on their growth and residue accumulation over an 11-month period. Adults at Horsethief ponds were fed a commercial diet, whereas fish at Adobe Creek channel and North Pond foraged on natural food items. Selenium concentrations at Horsethief were 2.2 μg/L in water, 0.1–1.4 μg/g in sediment, and 2.3–3.1 μg/g in food organisms (1.1 μg/g in commercial fish food), at Adobe Creek were 3.8 μg/L in water, 0.5–2.1 μg/g in sediment, and 4–56 μg/g in food organisms, and at North Pond were 9.5 μg/L in water, 7–55 μg/g in sediment, and 20–81 μg/g in food organisms. The selenium concentrations in muscle plugs from adults at Adobe Creek (11.7 μg/g, SD=0.4, n=6 ) and North Pond (16.6 μg/g, SD=1.0, n=6 ) were greater than at Horsethief (4.5 μg/g, SD=0.2, n=6 ). During a depuration period adults from Adobe Creek and North Pond lost 1–2% of their selenium burden in 32 days and 14–19% in 66 days. Selenium accumulated in razorback sucker above toxic thresholds reported in other studies, yet those residues were less than those reported in muscle plugs of 40% of wild razorback sucker caught in the Green River, Utah.

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety↗

USGS2005

Selenium impacts on razorback sucker, Colorado River, Colorado: II. Eggs

Effects on hatching and development of fertilized eggs in adult razorback sucker ( Xyrauchen texanus ) exposed to selenium in flooded bottomland sites near Grand Junction, Colorado, were determined. After 9 months exposure, fish were collected and induced to spawn and eggs collected for inorganic element analyses. A 9-day egg study was conducted with five spawns from Horsethief ponds, six spawns from Adobe Creek channel, and four spawns from North Pond using a reference water and site waters. Selenium concentrations in eggs were 6.5 μg/g from Horsethief, 46 μg/g from Adobe Creek, 38 μg/g from North Pond, and 6.0 μg/g from brood stock. Eggs from young adults had a smaller diameter and higher moisture content than brood stock. There were no differences among the four sources in viability, survival, hatch, hatchability, or mortality of deformed embryos or larvae. Adobe Creek larvae had more deformed embryos in eggs held in site water than held in reference water. There were significant negative correlations between selenium concentrations in adult muscle plugs and percent hatch, egg diameter, and deformities in embryos. Results from this study suggest that selenium contamination in parts of the upper basin of the Colorado River should be a major concern to recovery efforts for endangered fish.

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety↗

USGS2004

Evaluation of flushing of a high-selenium backwater channel in the Colorado River

Concern has been raised that selenium contamination may be adversely affecting endangered fish in the upper Colorado River basin. The objective of the study was to determine if operation of a water control structure (opened in December 1996) that allowed the Colorado River to flow through a channel area at Walter Walker State Wildlife Area (WWSWA) would reduce selenium and other inorganic elements in water, sediment, aquatic invertebrates, and forage fish. Endangered Colorado pikeminnow were collected and muscle plug samples taken for selenium analysis. Selenium concentrations in filtered water were 21.0 ??g/L in 1995, 23.5 ??g/L in 1996, 2.1 ??g/L in 1997, and 2.1 ??g/L in 1998. Selenium concentrations in sediment cores and sediment traps were 8.5 ??/g in 1995, 8.2 ??g/g in 1996, 4.8 ??g/g in 1997, and 1.1 ??g/g in 1998. Selenium concentrations in aquatic invertebrates were 27.4 ??g/g in 1996, 15.5 ??g/g in 1997, and 4.9 ??g/g in 1998. Selenium concentrations in forage fish were 27.2 ??g/g in 1996, 20.2 ??g/g in 1997, and 8.6 ??g/g in 1998. Selenium concentrations in muscle plugs of Colorado pikeminnow were 9.8 ??g/g in 1995, 9.5 ??g/g in 1996, 9.0 ??g/g in 1997, and 10.3 ??g/g in 1998. Although selenium concentrations in water, sediment, aquatic invertebrates, and forage fish decreased substantially after operation of the water control structure, a corresponding change in Colorado pikeminnow did not seem to occur. Selenium concentrations in muscle plugs decreased with increasing fish total length and weight, did not change between repeat sampling in the same year or recapture in subsequent years, and seemed to be most closely associated with the mean monthly river flow for the March-July period. ?? 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Environmental Toxicology↗

USGS2004

Selenium in water, sediment, plants, invertebrates, and fish in the Blackfoot River drainage

Nine stream sites in the Blackfoot River watershed in southeastern Idaho were sampled in September 2000 for water, surficial sediment, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, and fish. Selenium was measured in these aquatic ecosystem components, and a hazard assessment was performed on the data. Water quality characteristics such as pH, hardness, and specific conductance were relatively uniform among the nine sites examined. Selenium was elevated in water, sediment, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, and fish from several sites suggesting deposition in sediments and food web cycling through plants and invertebrates. Selenium was elevated to concentrations of concern in water at eight sites (>5 ??g/L), sediment at three sites (>2 ??g/g), aquatic plants at four sites (>4 ??g/g), aquatic invertebrates at five sites (>3 ??g/g), and fish at seven sites (>4 ??g/g in whole body). The hazard assessment of selenium in the aquatic environment suggested low hazard at Sheep Creek, moderate hazard at Trail Creek, upper Slug Creek, lower Slug Creek, and lower Blackfoot River, and high hazard at Angus Creek, upper East Mill Creek, lower East Mill Creek, and Dry Valley Creek. The results of this study are consistent with results of a previous investigation and indicate that selenium concentrations from the phosphate mining area of southeastern Idaho were sufficiently elevated in several ecosystem components to cause adverse effects to aquatic resources in the Blackfoot River watershed. ?? 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution↗

USGS2002

Hazard assessment of selenium to endangered razorback suckers (Xyrauchen texanus)

A hazard assessment was conducted based on information derived from two reproduction studies conducted with endangered razorback suckers ( Xyrauchen texanus ) at three sites near Grand Junction, CO, USA. Selenium contamination of the upper and lower Colorado River basin has been documented in water, sediment, and biota in studies by US Department of the Interior agencies and academia. Concern has been raised that this selenium contamination may be adversely affecting endangered fish in the upper Colorado River basin. The reproduction studies with razorback suckers revealed that adults readily accumulated selenium in various tissues including eggs, and that 4.6 μg/g of selenium in food organisms caused increased mortality of larvae. The selenium hazard assessment protocol resulted in a moderate hazard at the Horsethief site and high hazards at the Adobe Creek and North Pond sites. The selenium hazard assessment was considered conservative because an on-site toxicity test with razorback sucker larvae using 4.6 μg/g selenium in zooplankton caused nearly complete mortality, in spite of the moderate hazard at Horsethief. Using the margin of uncertainty ratio also suggested a high hazard for effects on razorback suckers from selenium exposure. Both assessment approaches suggested that selenium in the upper Colorado River basin adversely affects the reproductive success of razorback suckers.

Science of the Total Environment↗

USGS1997

Hazard evaluation of inorganics, singly and in mixtures, to Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus latipinnis in the San Juan River, New Mexico

Larval flannelmouth sucker ( Catostomus latipinnis ) were exposed to arsenate, boron, copper, molybdenum, selenate, selenite, uranium, vanadium, and zinc singly, and to five mixtures of five to nine inorganics. The exposures were conducted in reconstituted water representative of the San Juan River near Shiprock, New Mexico. The mixtures simulated environmental ratios reported for sites along the San Juan River (San Juan River backwater, Fruitland marsh, Hogback East Drain, Mancos River, and McElmo Creek). The rank order of the individual inorganics, from most to least toxic, was: copper > zinc > vanadium > selenite > selenate > arsenate > uranium > boron > molybdenum. All five mixtures exhibited additive toxicity to flannelmouth sucker. In a limited number of tests, 44-day-old and 13-day-old larvae exhibited no difference in sensitivity to three mixtures. Copper was the major toxic component in four mixtures (San Juan backwater, Hogback East Drain, Mancos River, and McElmo Creek), whereas zinc was the major toxic component in the Fruitland marsh mixture, which did not contain copper. The Hogback East Drain was the most toxic mixture tested. Comparison of 96-h LC 50 values with reported environmental water concentrations from the San Juan River revealed low hazard ratios for arsenic, boron, molybdenum, selenate, selenite, uranium, and vanadium, moderate hazard ratios for zinc and the Fruitland marsh mixture, and high hazard ratios for copper at three sites and four environmental mixtures representing a San Juan backwater, Hogback East Drain, Mancos River, and McElmo Creek. The high hazard ratios suggest that inorganic contaminants could adversely affect larval flannelmouth sucker in the San Juan River at four sites receiving elevated inorganics.

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety↗

USGS1994

Acute toxicity and hazard assessment of Rodeo®, X-77 Spreader®, and Chem-Trol® to aquatic invertebrates

The herbicide Rodeo ® provides waterfowl managers with an effective chemical tool for creating open water habitats in wetlands if its use does not adversely affect native invertebrate communities. The survival of caged Chironomus spp. (midge), Hyalella azteca (amphipod), Stagnicola elodes (pond snail), and Nephelopsis obscura (leech) was assessed in prairie pothole wetlands treated by air with a tank mixture of Rodeo ® , the surfactant X-77 Spreader ® , and the drift retardant Chem-Trol ® at a rate recommended for controlling cattails. Laboratory studies were then conducted to determine the acute toxicities of Rodeo ® , X-77 Spreader ® , and Chem-Trol ® , individually and in simulated tank mixtures, to the same invertebrates and to Daphnia magna in reconstituted water representative of these wetlands. There was no difference in the survival of caged invertebrates between treated and reference wetlands after 21 days. Based on nominal concentrations of the formulations, X-77 Spreader ® (LC50s=2.0–14.1 mg/L) was about 83–136 times more toxic than Rodeo ® (LC50s=218–1216 mg/L) to aquatic invertebrates. Chem-Trol ® killed ≤10% of the animals at 10,000 mg/L and ≤50% of the animals at 28,000 mg/L. Daphnia magna were more sensitive than the other species to X-77 Spreader ® , Rodeo ® , and the simulated Rodeo ® tank mixture (RTM). The joint toxic action of the RTM was additive for amphipods and midges, greater than additive for leeches, and was less than additive for daphnids. X-77 Spreader ® was the major toxic component in the RTM. Binary mixtures of X-77 Spreader ® , Rodeo ® , and Chem-Trol ® at tank mixture and equitoxic ratios also showed additive toxicity to amphipods. The use of Rodeo ® (applied as a tank mixture with X-77 Spreader ® and Chem-Trol ® ) as a management tool in wetlands does not pose an acute hazard to native aquatic invertebrates because the concentrations of Rodeo ® , X-77 Spreader ® , and Chem-Trol ® found to be acutely toxic to these invertebrates were much higher than their expected or measured concentrations in water from wetlands treated with the RTM.

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗