TRACE METALS
IN WATERS OF
THE UN/TED STATES J
JOHN F. KOPP
ROBERT C. KRONER
|||1;1I|1|P;;::'' A FIVE YEAR SUMMARY
JlillF" OF TRACE METALS
W IN RIVERS AND LAKES
OF THE UNITED STATES
(OCT. 1, 1962-SEPT. 30, 1967)
United States Department of the Interior
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
Division of Pollution Surveillance
Cincinnati, Ohio
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TRACE METALS
IN WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES
JOHN F. KOPP
ROBERT C. KRONER
A five-year summary of trace metals
in rivers and lakes of the United States
(October 1, 1962-September 30, 1967)
U. S. Department of the Interior
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
Division of Pollution Surveillance
1014 Broadway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
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RELATED PUBLICATIONS:
National Water Quality Network
Annual Compilation of Data, October 1, 1 957—September 30, 1958
Public Health Service Publication No. 663 (1958 Edition)
National Water Quality Network
Statistical Summary of Selected Data, October 1, 1957—September 30, 1958
Public Health Service Publication No. 663—Supplement I
National Water Quality Network
Annual Compilation of Data, October 1, 1958—September 30. 1959
Public Health Service Publication No. 663 (1959 Edition)
National Water Quality Network
Annual Compilation of Data, October 1, 1959—September 30, 1960
Public Health Service Publication No. 663 (1960 Edition)
National Water Quality Network
Plankton Population Dynamics, July 1, 1959—June 30, 196!
Public Health Service Publication No. 663—Supplement 2
National Water Quality Network
Annual Compilation of Data, October 1, 1960—September 30, 1961
Public Health Service Publication No. 663 (1961 Edition)
National Water Quality Network
Annual Compilation of Data, October 1, 1961—September 30, 1962
Public Health Service Publication No. 663 (1962 Edition)
Water Pollution Surveillance System
Annual Compilation of Data, October 1, 1962—September 30, 1963
Public Health Service Publication No. 663 (Revised 1963 Edition)
Storage and Retrieval of Data For Water Quality Control, Green, Richard S.
PHS Publication 1263. GPO. Washington, D.C., June 1964
Trace Elements in Six Water Systems of the United States,
Kroner, R. C. and Kopp, J. F.
A.W.W.A. 57, 150(1965)
11
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FOREWO RD
Six annual compilations of data from the Federal Water Pollution Control Administra-
tion’s water quality surveillance program have already been published. This report
summarizes the trace element data collected in the five-year period October 1, 1962 through
September 30, 1967. The total body of these data includes approximately 30,000 separate
determinations. Only one year of those data has been included in a previous publication.
The FWPCA gratefully acknowledges the assistance to its surveillance program of the
participating local, State and Federal Government agencies and private industry in
performing most of the conventional chemical analyses and in collecting samples for the
newer, more complex examinations. The success of this program depends, in large measure,
upon their continued interest and participation.
111
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CONTENTS
Page
The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration Water Quality Surveillance Program 1
Water Quality Parameters 1
The Significance of Trace Metals 3
Detection and Measurement of Trace Metals 5
Trace Elements in Waters of the U.S. 6
Zinc 18
Cadmium 18
Arsenic 18
Boron 19
Iron 19
Molybdenum 20
Manganese 20
Aluminum 21
Beryllium 22
Copper 22
Silver 23
Nickel 23
Cobalt 24
Lead 24
Chromium 25
Vanadium 25
Barium 26
Strontium 26
Summary . 27
Bibliography . 28
Appendixes 29
V
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LIST OF TABLES
Table No. Page
I Surface Water Criteria for Trace Elements in Public Water
Supplies
4
II Detection Limits 6
HI Summary of Trace Metals in Water of the U. S 8
JV Percent Frequency of Detection for Trace Metals by Basin 9
V Observed Mean Trace Metal Values by Basin 10
VI Highest Recorded Trace Metal Concentrations by Basin 11
VII Violations of the Water Quality Criteria 1 2
VIII Number of Violations by Basin 2
IX Comparison of Suspended and Dissolved Trace Metals in Surface Water . 14
X Occurrence of Iron I S
XI Occurrence of Manganese 16
XII Occurrence of Aluminum 1 7
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure No. Page
I FWPCA Water Quality Surveillance System, Sampling Stations 2
2 Major River Basins of the U. S 13
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THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMiNISTRATION
WATER QUALITY SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM
Introduction
The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration s
Water Quality Surveillance Program has as its primary
responsibility the collection, evaluation and dissemination of
both water pollution control information and water quality
data. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1956 (PL
84-660) provides the basic authority for the comprehensive
federal program to prevent and control water pollution. The
amendments of 1961 (PL 87-88), the Water Quality Act of
1965 (PL 89-234), and the Clean Water Restoration Act of
1966 (PL 89-753) gave legislative reinforcement to this data
collection and surveillance activity.
To fulfill this responsibility, the FWPCA’s Water Quality
Surveillance Program collects, interprets and disseminates:
a. Information on changes in water quality at key
points in river systems, as it relates to the implementation of
water quality standards.
b. Basic data on chemical, physical and biological water
quality which may be used to establish water quality
baselines and determine trends.
c. Data which are useful in the development and
operation of comprehensive water resource management
programs.
Adequate water quality surveillance is essential in order
to quickly identify compliance with water quality standards,
to document violations for corrective actions and to identify
new pollution trends, sources and types before problems
develop.
Once the Federal law had established the need for water
quality data, it became necessary to determine the precise
water quality measurements required. The frequency of
sampling also had to be defined as well as the location of the
sampling points. In general, these sampling points are in the
vicinity of:
a. people and/or animal concentrations;
b. industrial activity including agricultural and heat
emission sources;
c. recreational use areas;
d. state and national boundaries; and
e. potential problem areas.
Some 50 sampling stations were established when the
program started, October 1, 1957. The number has now
grown to over 130. Locations of sampling stations in
operation as of May 1967 are shown in Figure 1.
Water Quality Parameters
In the assessment of water quality, all of the legitimate
purposes for which raw waters can be used, and which may
be affected by pollution, must be considered. These uses may
range from navigation requiring the minimum in water
quality to certain industrial processing demanding the ulti-
mate in water quality. Standards differ considerably, there-
fore, according to water use. For domestic use, water must be
clear, colorless, free of taste, odor, disease-producing organ-
isms and toxic compounds, and have a relatively low
dissolved mineral content. Agricultural water is judged
1
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THEA ST
1. FWPCA WATER
SYSTEMS MAY,
TIC
FIGURE
QUALITY SURVEILLANCE
1967
2
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primarily on its mineral content, especially with respect to
the ratio of sodium to other cations, and the presence of
boron. Water for fish propagation and recreational purposes
must be substantially free from domestic and industrial
pollution and must be able to sustain an active flora of the
smaller aquatic organisms on which fish and wildlife feed.
Industrial water quality demands run the gamut from the
complete absence of minerals to a requirement of low
temperature, the critical factor in water used for cooling. The
effects of radioactive materials on these uses have not been
fully appraised.
Water quality data which compare favorably with goals
identified in the water quality standards are the ultimate
quantitative check on pollution control progress. Thus,
analytical determinations made on Surveillance Program
samples include such parameters as:
I. Radioactivity
(a) Gross alpha
(b) Gross beta
(c) Strontium 90
2. Plankton populations
3. Coliform organisms
4. Organic chemicals including pesticides
S. Biochemical, chemical and physical measurements
including trace metals.
Not all determinations are made on every sample. New
parameters which are developed and found to be significant
are included as the program continues.
The Significance of Trace Metals
The spectrographic analysis of water commonly reveals
the presence of a number of elements, in trace amounts. The
role of these minor elements in human metabolism is not
completely understood, but much progress has been made in
this direction by biochemists, physicians, and public health
scientists. For instance, cobalt, copper and zinc are believed
essential to a healthy body, whereas forms of arsenic and lead
are known to be extremely toxic.
The .1968 Water Quality Criteria 1 report discusses the
significance of a number of trace metals and attempts to set
limiting standards insofar as they affect public water supplies,
see Table I, aquatic life, agricultural uses and industry.
In many instances, however, actual limits could not be
set. For example, in determining water quality requirements
for aquatic life and wildlife, it is essential to recognize that
there are not only acute and chronic toxic levels but also
tolerable, favorable, and essential levels of dissolved ma-
terials. One must also take into consideration the fact that
different species and different developmental or life stages of
the same or different species may differ widely in their
sensitivity or tolerance to different materials. Also substances
in suspension as well as in solution may affect aquatic
organisms both directly and indirectly. The problem is
further complicated in that the sate level also depends on the
other water quality characteristics. There are many situ-
ations, for example, where as little as ten or fifteen g/l of
copper is the maximum safe level for aquatic life. In many
cases, however, the safe levels have nct as yet been accurately
determined.
3
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Metal
Permissible
Criteria, mg/i
Desirable
Criteria, mg/i
Arsenic
0.05
absent
Barium
1 .0
“
Boron
1.0
“
Cadmium
0.01
“
Chromium 6
0.05
“
Copper
1 .0
Virtually absent
Iron (filterable)
0.3
“
Lead
0.05
absent
Maganese (filterable)
0.05
“
Selenium
0.01
“
Silver
0.05
“
Zinc
5
Virtually absent
Absent —The most sensitive analytical procedure in Standard
Methods 3 (or other approved procedures) does not show
the presence of the subject constituent.
Virtually absent This terminology implies that the
substance is present in very low concentrations and is used
where the substance is not objectionable in these barely
detectable concentrations.
With regard to agriculture, variations and interactions of
soils, plants, water and climate preclude the establishment of
a single set of criteria to evaluate all water quality character-
istics. Toxic limits for trace elements which would be
generally applicable to all soils and all crops are not easily
defined. In general, trace element tolerances for irrigation
waters are much higher than for other farmstead uses.
Industrial uses present much the same problem, inas-
much as water that meets the standard for the textile
industry may not be acceptable to the food canning industry,
and so on. However, industrial requirements are not nearly as
stringent as those for public water supplies. In the majority
of instances, a water that meets the criteria for public water
supplies, as shown in Table I, will also be acceptable for fish
and aquatic life, livestock and other agricultural uses as well
as for industrial uses. In general, the criteria for public water
supplies are much the same as those ven in the 1962 revised
USPHS Drinking Water Standards.(L) This document states:
“Substances which may have a deleterious physiological
effect, or for which physiological effects are not known, shall
not be introduced into the (water) system in a manner which
would permit them to reach the consumer.”
Among the listed materials that fall into the trace metal
category and that may be measured spectrographicafly are
arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr),
copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), silver
(Ag), and zinc (Zn). Other trace metals also occur at varying
frequencies in river waters and may be of significance, even
though their roles in physiologic processes are not yet
understood. For this reason, in addition to those already
listed, boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), beryl-
lium (Be), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), vanadium (V) and
strontium (Sr) are also routinely monitored in FWPCA’s
current program.
When the Surveillance System initiated the routine
measurement of these trace elements, it was concerned
TABLE I
Surface Water Criteria for Trace Elements in Public Water
Supplies 1)
4
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primarily with elements in solution because any suspended
material would be removed before it reached the consumer.
While the philosophy of this approach is valid, it does not
measure the total trace element load in the stream. It should
be emphasized at this point, and strongly so, that very little is
known about the trace elements associated with river-borne
suspended matter. Water quality criteria selected for trace
elements in solution ignore or overlook the possibility of
trace metals in the sediment load. Current laboratory
practices are to analyze both the dissolved, as well as the
suspended, fraction.
Detection and Measurement of Trace Metals
The detection and measurement of trace metals can be
quite difficult with colorimetric analytical procedures be-
cause they are not adapted to large numbers of samples and
in some cases do not possess the required sensitivity. The
spectrographic procedure for routine monitoring of raw
waters is, however, admirably suited to the purpose, as a large
number of elements can be run simultaneously with a great
degree of accuracy. Indeed, the data presented show that
routine monitoring and reporting of trace metals yield water
quality information hitherto available only on a limited basis.
It is possible, by judicious sample collection, to pinpoint the
exact source of a particular pollution problem, and to
quickly identify violations of established water quality
standards( 4 ).
*(The dissolved solids consist for the most part of salts of sodium,
potassium, calcium and magftesium; it is these materials for which a
later Correction must be made.)
Trace elements, whether in raw or finished water, are
generally present in concentrations too low to be measured
directly with the spectrograph. A means of concentrating,
therefore, is necessary before the examination can be
completed. Concentration c’ n be accomplished in several
ways, including evaporation,( 5 ) precipitation,( 6 ) and ion
exchange( 7 ). Similarly, a correction must be made for
elements that occur in gross amounts: sodium, potassium,
calcium and magnesium.
To obtain the data presented in this report, weekly
samples received from the various stations were composited
for three-month periods. This compositing operation was
performed twice a year. On occasion, monthly composites
were also analyzed. The composited samples were passed
through a membrane filter, having a pore size of 0.45 micron,
to remove suspended matter. Total dissolved solids were then
measured and an aliquot of the composited sample, chosen to
contain 100 mg of solids, was evaporated to a final volume of
5.0 ml (20,000 mg/I of dissolved solids*). All samples,
therefore, had the same final salt concentration, but the
procedure produces varying levels of sensitivity for different
sources because of the dissimilar initial volumes. Thus, the
limit of detection for trace elements in the Columbia River is
lower than for the Missouri River because the low dissolved
solids in Columbia River water permit a larger volume of
sample to be evaporated.
This might be best explained by examining the detec-
tion limits shown in Table II. For convenience, 400 mg/I was
arbitrarily chosen as an average TDS content of surface
waters and the detection limits as shown are based on this
figure. For a water of only 200 mg/i TDS, the limit would be
halved; conversely, if the TDS is 800 mg/l, the limit s
doubled.
5
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Zinc
20
Copper
Cadmium
20
Silver
Arsenic
100
Nickel
Boron
10
Cobalt
Iron
10
Lead
Molybdenum
40
Chromium
Manganese
10
Vanadium
Aluminum
40
Barium
Beryllium
0.1
Strontium
*In a water having a TDS of 400 mg/I
The term “detection limit” is used to indicate the
lowest concentration of the material that can be distin-
guished from background noise or interference. The limits, as
shown in the table, are based on practical observations and
are not mathematically contrived figures based on signal-to-
noise ratios or other formulas.
For analysis of waters in relation to the Water Quality
Criteria(’) for drinking water and most other uses, the
evaporation method is adequate. Only a comparatively few
waters exceed 400 mg/I TDS and, of course, 500 mg/I TDS
is the acceptability limit for drinking water and irrigation
water used on sensitive crops.
When an element has not been positively identified in a
sample, the detection limit, preceded by a “less than” sign
(<), is used to report the analysis. Failure to detect a
particular element does not mean that the element is absent;
— it may be present in the original sample but at some
concentration below the stated detection limit. Only positive
10 occurrences were used to calculate the mean values shown in
2 the various tables.
Standard solutions used for the construction of ana-
lytical curves, contain measured amounts of the elements
under examination and fixed amounts of sodium, potassium,
calcium and magnesium, which elements were added in
concentrations approximating the average composition of
United States waters( 8 ). The addition of the matrix elements
2 to the standards compensates for interferences caused by the
4 same elements in the samples and leads to improved accuracy
of the data. The comElete spectrographic procedure has been
published previously( ’).
Although other procedures may be capable of better
sensitivity, this method does permit routine examination of
the large number of samples required by the surveillance
system operation, an accomplishment not possible with other
slower and more tedious methods.
Occasionally, it does become necessary to measure trace
elements accurately in highly mineralized samples. In such
instances an extraction procedure( 1 0) using a liter sample is
employed. This procedure is more involved and does not
recover all of the 19 elements programmed on the DR
spectrograph. It does, however, have the advantage of
pushing the detection limits for the extractable metals even
lower.
Trace Elements in Waters of the United States
Table III lists dissolved trace elements in waters of the
United States as determined from the analysis of over 1,500
TABLE Ii. DETECTION LIMITS*, 6 L g/1
20
20
40
10
40
6
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samples. The minimum, maximum and mean observed values
are given along with the number of positive occurrences and
the frequency of detection. These data show that boron,
barium and strontium were found in solution in over 98% of
all samples. Zinc, iron and copper were observed with a
frequency of 74 to 76%. Manganese was observed slightly less
regularly at a 51% frequency and aluminum, lead, chromium,
molybdenum and nickel were detected in 16 to 33% of the
samples. Cadmium, beryllium, silver, cobalt, vanadium and
arsenic were detected at measurable levels in less than 7% of
all samples. The percent frequency and mean values by basin
are given in Tables 1V and V. The highest recorded
concentrations are shown in Table VI. It is emphasized that
data summaries for a given basin represent conditions found
at the stations utilized within that basin and are not
necessarily representative of the entire basin. The stations
used in the collection of these data for a given basin were too
few to provide values truly representative of the entire basin.
The total body of data approximates 30,000 determin-
ations. Based on soluble trace metals, only 0.6% exceeded the
limits set by the Water Quality Criteria(U for public water
supplies. Manganese was the element that most frequently
violated the standards as shown in Table VII. Arsenic was
second with 41; lead and iron followed with 27 and 25
respectively. Cadmium and chromium complete the list with
6 and 4 violations each. Zinc, copper, silver and barium were
never observed at any station at levels which exceeded the
standard.
Table VIII lists the number of violations of the
standards by basins. The Ohio River Basin tops this list with
81 violations, 58 of these being due to manganese. Of 36
samples from the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh, 32
contained manganese in excess of the standards ranging from
150 to 2,150 pg/i. Also at Pittsburgh, but in the Allegheny
River, 16 of 37 samples contained manganese ranging from
74 to 3,230 1 ug/l. Ten other manganese violations, but at
lower levels, were recorded in the Ohio and Kanawaha Rivers.
Fifteen arsenic violations were also recorded in the Ohio
River Basin. It is somewhat surprising that iron was never
observed above 300 p g/l in the Ohio River Basin, especially
when one considers all the acid mine drainage in the area.
The Southeast and Western Gulf Basins recorded 10 and 6
iron violations respectively. Of those in the Western Gulf, 5
were located in the Sabine River near Ruliff, Texas.
The Great Basin and the California Basin did not record
a single observed violation over the stated time period. The
Alaska Basin recorded a single manganese violation of 163
pg/ 1 in the Chena River at Fairbanks.
To provide data in their most useful form, the stations
are grouped into their respective major river basins. These are
shown in Figure 2 and the data are given in the appendix. At
the beginning of each Section, summaries of trace element
data for the basis are given along with a description of the
basin and rivers therein. Following this, individual station
summaries are presented, Only positive occurrences were
used to calculate the mean values shown.
Data presented in these summaries identify concen-
trations of elements in solution at the time of filtration and
do not provide for suspended elements or those which may
have precipitated or plated out on the container walls during
storage. In those instances of positive identification, there-
fore, the listed values are the minimum concentrations, since
suspended material could increase these values considerably.
This is treated more fully in another publication(’ 1) which
attempts to classify the distribution of trace elements as to
the dissolved and suspended fractions.
7
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TABLE III SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS iN WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES*
Observed
Element
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
Of Detection,
%
Positive Values g/ I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
1207
76.5
2
1183
64
Cadmium
40
2.5
1
120
9.5
Arsenic
87
5.5
5
336
64
Boron
1546
98.0
1
5000
101
Phosphorus
747
47.4
2
5040
120
Iron
1192
75.6
1
4600
52
Molybdenum
516
32.7
2
1500
68
Manganese
810
51.4
0.3
3230
58
A1uminum
456
31.2
1
2760
74
Beryllium
85
5.4
0.01
1.22
0.19
Copper
1173
74.4
1
280
15
Silver
104
6.6
0.1
38
2.6
Nickel
256
16.2
1
130
19
Cobalt
44
2.8
1
48
17
Lead
305
19.3
2
140
23
Chromium
386
24.5
1
112
9.7
Vanadium
54
3.4
2
300
40
Barium
1568
99.4
2
340
43
Strontium
1571
99.6
3
5000
217
* 1,577 Samples (Oct. 1, 1962 — Sept. 30, 1967)
+ 1,464 Aluminum Analyses
8
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TABLE IV
Percent Frequency of Detection for Trace Metals by Basin
I I .
0 &
, .-
Zn 95.6 94.7 96.7 73.5 81.8 87.3 70.5 90.9 53.0 62.6 45. 48.9 90.1 72.4 68.4 83.3
Cd 4.4 7.6 1.1 0 2.9 8.5 1.8 3.0 0 0 1 2.1 2.5 0 5.3 0
As 5.5 7.6 8.8 1.5 8.3 4.3 7.1 4.5 2.0 1.3 2 4.3 8.6 0 5.3 16.7
B 100. 99.4 94.5 100. 99.2 100. 98.2 100. 97.3 99.4 98. 97.9 93.8 96.5 94.7 100.
P 60.4 55.6 51.6 39.7 48.8 53.2 77.7 48.5 39.5 30.3 22 23.4 52.5 62.1 26.3 55.6
Fe 87.9 78.9 98.9 83.8 68.6 66.0 80.4 78.8 66.0 80.0 59 70.2 80.2 93.1 73.7 94.4
Mo 13.2 32.7 18.7 38.2 28.1 27.7 68.8 51.5 32.0 20.0 37 10.6 38.9 37.9 57.9 27.8
Mn 50.5 48.5 72.5 57.4 58.7 61.7 61.6 56.1 40.8 34.8 39 38.3 51.2 44.8 57.9 61.1
Al 67.0 30.4 71.4 47.1 21.5 21.3 19.6 42.4 11.6 19.4 14 21.3 30.2 17.2 15.8 27.8
Be 1.1 23.4 1.1 1.5 14.1 6.4 0 1.5 2.0 0 0 0 0.6 0 0 0
Cu 97.8 92.3 95.6 91.2 72.3 50.4 80.4 97.0 49.7 63.9 33. 40.4 87.0 69.0 73.7 94.4
Ag 14.3 5.3 5.5 0 5.4 6.4 5.4 9.1 4.1 4.5 18. 4.3 8.6 0 5.3 5.6
Ni 22.0 28,1 20.9 8.8 25.2 53.2 15.2 9.1 2.0 9.7 8. 2.1 10.5 13.8 15.8 11.1
Co 2.2 1.2 1.1 0 9.9 4.3 0.9 3.0 0.7 0.7 2. 0 3.7 0 0 0
Pb 36.3 22.2 12.1 35.3 18.6 27.7 24.1 40.9 3.4 9.7 15. 2.1 22.8 6.9 21.1 38.9
Cr 56.0 21.1 40.7 47.1 23.6 23.4 17.9 28.8 4.8 20.0 17. 6.4 32.7 20.7 10.5 22.2
V 4.4 3.5 1.1 0 3.7 4.3 0.9 0 1,4 3.9 9. 2.1 6.2 6.9 0 5.6
Ba 100. 100, 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 98.0 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 94.7 100.
Sr 100. 100. 98.9 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 99.3 98.7 100. 100. 99.4 96.5 94.7 100 .
9
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TABLE V
Observed Mean Positive Trace Metal Values by Basin, 1 ug/ 1
.
- C)
. .‘
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ -— __ a __ _ __
Zn 96 49 52 28 81 205 45 24 85 51 92 40 16 44 28
Cd 5 3 5 7 50 6 5 — 2 10 5 1 —
As 34 47 35 50 66 308 69 37 123 91 53 22 68 20 34
B 32 42 29 24 67 210 105 19 154 131 179 289 30 143 84 28
P 44 48 43 42 130 153 243 31 353 81 121 173 47 83 37 40
Fe 51 19 120 37 28 35 35 22 37 69 40 173 32 46 70 25
Mo 25 33 iS 25 70 68 88 28 83 95 130 24 30 45 145 17
Mn 3.5 2.7 2.8 3.7 232 138 9.8 2.3 13.8 9.0 12 10 2.8 2.8 7.8 18
Al 28 22 117 30 141 56 18 17 213 68 50 333 30 63 15 11
Be 0.02 0.12 0.05 0.16 0.28 0.17 0.05 0.23 0.02
Cu 15 17 14 11 23 11 14 7 17 19 10 11 9 12 12 9
Ag 1.9 0.9 0.4 2.1 5.3 3.4 1.4 1.2 4.3 5.8 3.5 0.9 — 0.3 1.1
Ni 8 8 4 4 31 56 15 10 5 17 12 3 10 10 4 5
Co 14 9 1 19 33 18 11 8 36 11 8
Pb 17 14 8 17 30 39 33 14 39 37 32 4 15 4 18 12
Cr 14 6 4 6 7 12 7 6 17 16 16 25 6 15 4 9
V 9 12 10 — 22 54 20 — 171 25 105 9 13 30 — 32
Ba 21 25 26 25 43 42 39 15 63 90 60 67 27 42 41 17
Sr 76 62 26 47 130 260 105 44 342 540 697 652 68 153 152 81
39
10
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TABLE VI — Highest Recorded Trace Metal Concentrations By Basin
Metal Concentration, g/1 Basin River
Zinc 1182 Lake Erie Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, 0.
Cadmium 120 Lake Erie Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, 0.
Arsenic 336 Lake Erie Maumee River at Toledo, 0.
Boron 1800 Colorado River Colorado River at Yuma, Ariz.
Phosphorus 5040 Missouri River Big Sioux River below Sioux Falls, S. Dak.
Iron 952 Western Gulf Sabine River, Near Ruliff, Tex.
Molybdenum 1100 Southwest Lower-Mississippi Arkansas River at Coolidge, Kans.
Manganese 3230 Ohio River Allegheny River at Pittsburgh, Pa.
Aluminum 2760 Missouri River Yellowstone River near Sidney, Mont.
Beryllium 1 .22 Ohio River Monongahela River at Pittsburgh, Pa.
Copper 280 Ohio River Monongahela River at Pittsburgh, Pa.
Silver 38 Colorado River Colorado River at Loma, Cob.
Nickel 130 Lake Erie Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, 0.
Cobalt 48 Ohio River Allegheny River at Pittsburgh, Pa.
Lead 140 Ohio River Ohio River at Evansville, md.
Chromium 11 2 Northeast St. Lawrence River at Massena, N. Y.
Vanadium 300 Colorado River Colorado River at Loma, Cob.
Barium 340 Southeast Coosa River below Rome, Ga.
Strontium sooo Southwest Lower-Mississippi Arkansas River at Coolidge, Kans.
11
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TABLE VIII
TABLE VII
VIOLATIONS OF THE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Metal
Limit
p g/1 *
No. Of
Violations
Mean of those values
which exceeded the
1imits, g/1
Cadmium
Arsenic
Iron
Manganese
Lead
Chromium 6
Zinc
Copper
Silver
Barium
10
50
300
50
50
50
5000
1000
50
1000
6
41
25
74
27
4
0
0
0
0
39
91
>676
>586
71
94
—
—
—
—
*As set by the Water Quality Criteria for Public Water
Supplies.
NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS BY BASINS
Basin
Total No.
METAL
Cd
As
Fe
Mn
Pb
Cr
Northeast
6
1
1
2
0
0
2
North Atlantic
7
0
6
0
0
1
0
Southeast
12
0
2
10
0
0
0
Tennessee R.
2
0
1
I
0
0
0
Ohio River
81
2
15
0
58
6
0
Lake Erie
18
2
0
1
12
3
0
Upper Mississippi
1 1
0
3
1
1
6
0
Western Great Lakes
3
0
1
0
0
2
0
Missouri River
6
0
3
1
I
1
0
Southwest—
Lower Mississippi
10
0
1
3
1
4
1
Colorado River
5
0
1
0
0
3
1
Western Gulf
6
0
0
6
0
0
0
Pacific Northwest
9
I
7
0
0
1
0
California
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Great Basin
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Alaska
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
12
-------
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
I’
NORTHEAST
NORTH ATLANTIC
SOUTHEAST
TENNESSEE RIVER
OHIO RIVER
LAKE ERIE
UPPER MISSISSIPPI
WESTERN GREAT LAKES
MISSOURI RIVER
FIGURE 2
10 SOUTHWEST—LOWER MISS
11 COLORADO RIVER
- MAJOR RIVER BASINS
12 WESTERN GULF
13 PACIFiC NORTHWEST
14 CAUFORMA
15 GREAT lAIN
OF THE UNITED
STATES
13
-------
TABLE IX
COMPARISON OF SUSPENDED AND DISSOLVED
TRACE METALS IN SURFACE WATERS
Current laboratory practices are to analyze both the
dissolved as well as the suspended fractions. To date, this has
been done for 228 samples. The data shown in Table IX
compare the suspended concentrations observed in these 228
samples with the complete body of dissolved data. Note that
zinc, copper and barium are found in both fractions with
approximately the same frequency and at about the same
mean concentration. Strontium and boron occur predomi-
nantly in solution (as do cadmium, silver, nickel, cobalt, and
vanadium, when present). Iron, manganese and aluminum
occur with almost 100% frequency and at considerably
higher levels in the suspended fraction. Arsenic, phosphorus
and molybdenum are not measured in the suspended fraction
because of spectral interference from high levels of iron and
aluminum. Tables X, XI and XII, which compare the
dissolved and the suspended levels of iron, manganese and
aluminum, are reproduced(’ l) to give the reader a better
understanding of the “total” trace element load as deter-
mined in several selected rivers.
Suspended Metals
228 samples
Dissolved Metals
1577 samples
No. Pos.
%F
, g/1
No. Pos.
%F
X, g/1
Zn
146
64
62
1207
76.5
64
Cd
0
0
—
40
3
9.5
As
-
-
-
-
-
-
B
52
23
44*
1546
98
101
P
—
—
—
—
—
Fe
228
100
3000
1192
76
52
Mo
—
—
—
—
—
—
Mn
212
93
105
810
51
58
Al
221
97
3860
456
31
74
Be
40
18
0.34
85
5
0.19
Cu
141
62
26
1173
74
15
Ag
0
0
—
104
7
2.6
Ni
7
3
29
256
16
19
Co
0
0
—
44
3
17
Pb
5
2
120
305
19
23
Cr
18
8
30
386
25
9.7
V
0
0
—
54
3
40
Ba
216
95
38
1568
99
43
Sr
22
10
58
1571
100
217
*A single boron value of 5,500 )Lg/1 was observed in one
sample. If this value were included in the calculations, the
mean suspended boron value would be 148 ,u .g/ 1.
14
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TABLE X
OCCURRENCE OF IRON
SAMPLING
DISSOLVED
SUSPENDED
Average
of
Range of
Average
of
Range of’
POINT
Positive
Positive
Percent
Positive
Positive
Percent
Values,
pg/i
Values, pg/i
Occurrence
- Values,
pg/i
Values, pg/i
Occurrence
Delaware River
At Martins Creek, Pa.
At Trenton, N. J.
At Philadelphia, Pa.
Allegheny River
At Pittsburg, Pa.
Monongahela River
At Pittsburgh, Pa.
Ohio River
Below Addison, Ohio
Kanawha River
At Winfield Dam, W. Va.
Mean
2-55
3-13
5-144
5-60
9-68
8-70
6-26
2-144
93
67
77
73
73
54
47
70
>105
>336
>685
>293
>425
>652
>268
>395
7—> 500
78—> 750
120—> 1,030
70— > 500
18—>2,S00
1 l0 —>i,500
100—> 625
7— >2,500
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
9
7.9
27
24
30
25
11
19
15
-------
TABLE XI
OCCURRENCE OF MANGANESE
SAMPLING
DISSOLVED
SUSPENDED
Average of
Range of
Average of
Range of
POINT
Positive
Values, /Lg/ I
Positive
Values, agJ 1
Percent
Occurence
Positive
Values, j. g/ I
Positive
Values, p g/ I
Percent
Occurrence
Delaware River
At Martins Creek, Pa.
2.9
1.3—4
40
18
3-51
93
AtTrenton,N.J.
3.2
1.l—6 2
27
57
10—107
100
At Philadelphia, Pa.
4.2
3.2—5.8
31
68
29—120
100
Allegheny River
AtPittsburgh,Pa.
>1,000
74—3,230
60
205
18—1,500
100
Monongahela River
At Pittsburgh, Pa.
607
6.6—2,150
93
73
2—442
87
Ohio River
Below Addison, Ohio
57
7.8— 180
51
238
140—400
100
Kanawha River
AtWinfieldDam,W.
Va.
44
4.6—115
87
35
2.5—84
100
Mean
>330
1—3,230
56
100
2—1,500
98
16
-------
TABLE X I I
OCCURRENCE OF ALUMINUM
SAMPLING
POINT
DISSOLVED
SUSPENDED
Average of
Positive
Values, g/ 1
Range of
Positive
Values, g/ 1
Percent
Occurrence
Average of
Positive
Values, p.g/ I
Range of
Positive
Values,p.g/ 1
Percent
Occurrence
Delaware River
At Martins Creek, Pa.
At Trenton, N.J.
At Philadelphia, Pa.
14
3
29
7—22
1.1—6.2
16—41
20
27
15
83
304
690
10—285
26—800
135—1,440
53
100
100
Allegheny River
At Pittsburgh, Pa.
72
24—120
13
205
13—575
87
Monongahela River
At Pittsburgh, Pa.
170
30—1,875
67
73
3—442
67
Ohio River
Below Addison, Ohio
50
50
8
563
8—1,350
100
Kanawha River
At Winfield Dam, W.
Mean
Va.
43
85
30—56
1—1,875
20
25
293
316
17—360
3—1,440
100
86
17
-------
Following is a discussion of each of the elements in the
spectro-chemical program including the levels that may be
expected in natural waters, as well as the frequency of
detection.
Zinc — As the toxicity of zinc is believed to be quite
low, the USPHS Drinking Water Standards recommend a
limit of 5.0 mg/i. The Water Quality Criteriaft) suggest a
similar tentative limit in irrigation waters used continuously
on soils. For short-term use on fine textured soils, the
Criteria suggest a limit of 10.0 mg/I. The 5.0 mg/i limit is
seldom reached in raw surface water, however, as zinc is
absorbed to a considerable degree in hydrolyzate sediments
and in soils. In the weathering process, soluble compounds of
zinc are formed and the presence of traces of zinc in surface
water is quite common. High zinc concentrations are found
in waters having high acidity, such as in mine drainage.
However, as the pH rises, the zinc concentration decreases.
At very high pH levels, zinc may form anion complexes, but
such conditions are not likely in natural waters.
Because of the excellent sensitivity for zinc with the
direct-reading spectrometer, zg/1 concentrations in waters
are easily detected. Soluble zinc has been measured in over
76% of all samples at a mean value of 64 p.g/l. This overall
mean concentration is exceeded in five basins. Among these
the highest is in the Lake Erie Basin where the mean is 205
1 ag/1. The percent occurrence is highest in the Southeastern
Basin, where 96.7% of all samples contain this element at
measurable levels; however, the mean zinc concentration is
only 52ji g/l. The lowest mean value, l6 g/l, was observed
in the California Basin, where the frequency of detection is
72%.
Cadmium — While cadmium compounds are present in
small proportions in many of the ores, particularly zinc ore,
only minute traces are found in natural waters. If abnormally
high concentrations are found, industrial pollution is prob-
ably the cause, with the electroplating plants to be suspected.
Cadmium in drinking water is very toxic and as little as 0.01
mg/i is grounds for rejection of the raw supply. Tentative
limits suggested by the Water Quality Criteriat 1) for cad-
mium in irrigation waters are 0.005 and 0.05 mg/i for
continuous use on all soils and short-term use on fine
textured soil, respectively.
In waters of normal alkalinity, the concentration of
cadmium, when present, is quite low because of the low
solubility of the carbonate and hydroxide. Like zinc,
cadmium is largely adsorbed from solution in natural water
by the hydrolyzate and oxidate sediments or precipitates as
the carbonate. Cadmium was found in less than 3% of all
samples, with a mean of slightly under 10 p g/l.
The Lake Erie Basin contained both the greatest
frequency of detection, 8.5%, as well as the largest mean, 50
g/ 1. The largest concentration ever detected was 1 20 .tg/ I in
the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, Ohio.
Cadmium was not detected in the Tennessee River
Basin, the Missouri River Basin, Southwest—Lower Mississippi
River Basin, the California Basin or the Alaska Basin.
Arsenic — In natural waters, trace quantities of arsenic
may be fairly common. Arsenic in rock may be present as the
arsenide, as native arsenic in some mineral veins and as oxides
of arsenic. In natural waters, it is most often present as the
anion, either as arsenate (As 04- ) or arsenite (As 02).
Wastes from industry and mining activity, and residues from
certain insecticides and herbicides, may also constitute
sources of arsenic in water. Arsenates are found in certain
springs and t ineraI wells, some reported to be as high as 4
18
-------
mg/i. The PHS sets a limit of 0.01 mg/i for drinking water
with concentrations of 0.05 mg/i grounds for rejection.
Tentative limits suggested by the Water Quality Criteria 0 )
for arsenic in irrigation waters are 1 .0 and 10.0 mg/i for
Continuous use on all soils and short-term use on fine
textured soil, respectively.
Arsenic is found in <6% of all samples. While the Alaska
Basin shows the greatest percent frequency at 16.7, the mean
Concentration is 34 jzg/ 1. The Lake Erie Basin, where arsenic
occurs in 4% of the samples, has a mean concentration of 308
p..g/1. This represents only two actual values of 281 and 336
p g/ I, however, and may not be a fair comparison. The same
is true for the Alaska Basin where figures are based on only
three occurrences.
Arsenic is also found in the Southeast Basin, North
Atlantic Basin, Ohio River Basin and Pacific Northwest Basin,
with a frequency of 8-9%. Mean concentrations ranged from
35 to 68 g/1 within these basins. The most significant
Occurrence of arsenic was in the Schuylkill River at Phila-
delphia, Pennsylvania, where it was detected in 50% of the
samples at a mean concentration of 69 g/ 1. These positive
occurrences, associated with the failure of an industrial waste
system, were recorded in samples taken between Apnl 1963
and June 1965. Since that time, there were no positive
occurrences of arsenic in the Schuylkill. In general, all
spectrochemical arsenic observations are confirmed by wet
chemical analyses.
Boron — The element boron is a minor constituent of
rocks and minerals and may be carried off in solution during
the weathering process. Boron is also present in volcanic
emanations as the acid, H3B03, or as a halogenide such as
BF3. The water of some hot springs and especially water
from areas of recent volcanic activity may, therefore, be
quite high in boron. Large evaporate deposits are known to
exist in the closed basins of southern California and Nevada.
Boron may also be added to water for cleaning operations
where borates are used as detergents.
While the toxicity of boron is not completely under-
stood, agriculturalists are concerned with boron concentra-
tions in irrigation waters because of its relationship to plant
growth. It is essential in trace quantities in plant nutrition
but can be toxic to some plants at concentrations approach-
ing 1.0 mg/I. The USPHS has issued no mandatory or
recommended limits for boron in drinking water. Tentative
limits suggested by the Water Quality Criteria 0 ) for boron in
irrigation waters are 0.75 and 2.0 mg/I for continuous use on
all soils and short-term use on fine textured soil, respectively.
Soluble boron was found in 98% of all samples,
generally at levels below 200 p g/1. The mean boron
concentration in waters of the United States was found to be
101 j.tg/ 1. Mean basin levels ranged from a low of 19 p g/ 1 in
the Western Great Lakes Basin to 289 g/l in the Western
Gulf Basin. Concentrations exceeding 1 mg/i were recorded
in the Arkansas River at Collidge, Kansas, the Colorado River
above Parker Dam and at Yuma, Arizona, and in the Rio
Grande at El Paso, Texas.
Iron — Iron is one of the most abundant constituents of
rocks and soils and, therefore, is commonly found in natural
water in varying concentrations. As it is a highly objec-
tionable constituent in water supplies, a limit of 0.3 mgi 1 has
been set in drinking water, This value is not based on the
toxicity but rather on its undesirability for esthetic reasons.
It imparts brownish color to laundered materials, stains
fixtures, and affects the taste of both drinking water and
beverages. Iron is not likely to be a problem in irrigation
waters.
19
-------
In addition to corrosion products formed by the action
of metallic iron, water, and oxygen, natural waters may be
polluted by iron-bearing industrial wastes, by the leaching of
soluble iron salts from soil and rocks, and also by acid-mine
drainage.
Iron may occur in water at two levels of oxidation,
either as bivalent ferrous iron or trivalent ferric iron. The
chlorides of both forms are highly soluble in water; however,
the ferrous ions are readily oxidized in natural surface waters
to the insoluble ferric hydroxides. These precipitates tend to
agglomerate, flocculate, and settle or be absorbed on sur-
faces; hence, the concentration of soluble iron in well-aerated
waters is generally low, rarely exceeding 200 1 .tg/l in the
rivers studied. However, the pH may be such that high
concentrations of iron do occasionally remain in solution.
Such is the case with the Savannah River where concentra-
tions approaching 0.7 mg/I have been observed. High iron
concentrations have also been reported in the Arkansas River
at Coolidge, Kansas, the Ouachita River at BaLstrop,
Louisiana, the Sabine River near Ruliff, Texas and the Rio
Grande at Brownsville, Texas.
Iron occurs with the greatest frequency in the Southeast
Basin (No. 3) where it has been observed in solution at
measureable levels in over 98% of all samples. The mean for
this basin was 120 .tg/ 1. Other mean concentrations ranged
from 19p g/l in the North Atlantic Basin to l73 tg/l in the
Western Gulf Basin,
Molybdenum — Molybdenum and its salts are not
considered to be significant in water pollution at the present
time. Molybdenum does occur in some minerals; however, it
is not widely distributed in nature. Its presence was detected
in 33% of all samples at a mean level of 68p g/l. The highest
frequency of detection was in the Upper Mississippi Basin
where it was found in over 68% of the samples at a mean
concentration of 88p.g/l. Other mean values ranged from a
low of 15/.Lg/l in the Southeast Basin to a high of l45 g/l
in the Great Basin. Tentative limits suggested by the Water
Quality Criteria(U for molybdenum in irrigation waters are
0.005 and 0.05 mg/I for continuous use on all soils and
short-term use on fine textured soil, respectively. Moly-
bdenum is not included in the Standards for drinking water.
Manganese Manganese resembles iron, both in its
chemical behavior and in its occurrence in natural waters. It
is, however, much less abundant in rocks than iron and, as a
result, is found in water at lower concentrations. Like iron, it
occurs in the bivalent and trivalent forms. The chlorides,
nitrates, and sulfates are highly soluble in water, but the
oxides, carbonates, and hydroxides are only sparingly solu-
ble. In most natural waters, the concentration of manganese
is less than 20 g/1 but can be higher when mining or
industrial wastes are involved as is the case in both the
Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers. Manganese concen-
trations above 1 mg/l may also result where manganese-
bearing minerals are attacked by water under reducing
conditions or where certain types of bacteria are active.
Manganese frequently accompanies iron in ground
waters and both are commonly reported together. As with
iron, the criterion for drinking water has been established on
the basis of esthetic and economic considerations rather than
physiological hazards. The recommended limit for manganese
is 0.05 mg/l. For irrigation waters the tentative limits
suggested by the Water Quality Criteria( ) are 2.0 and 20.0
mg/I for continuous use on all soils and short-term use on
tine textured soil, respectively.
Of a total of over I ,500 samples, manganese was found
in over 800 for a frequency of 51%. The highest mean
20
-------
concentration occurred in the Ohio River Basin at 230 g/1;
however, the Southeast Basin had the highest frequency,
72%.
The presence of manganese in the Ohio River Basin
(Ohio River) is due to acid-mine drainage. This discharge of
acid from active or abandoned mines, particularly coal mines,
is a very serious problem. Where coal is mined, an associated
mineral called pyrite containing iron and sulfur is exposed to
water and air. As a result of this exposure to weathering, the
pyrite breaks down to form sulfuric acid and acid producing
compounds of iron. Through pumping or by natural drainage,
the acid wastes flow into nearby streams which are unable to
neutralize these acid wastes completely, and thus become
unfit for use by man, and no longer can support fish life.
Both the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers are
examples of acid streams. It has been estimated that the
Monongahela empties the equivalent of 200,000 tons of
sulfuric acid each year into the Ohio. However, beyond the
mouth of the Muskingum River, 170 miles downstream, the
acid load has been neutralized completely. In addition to the
acid mine drainage, oil field brines and mill wastes are
discharged into the headwaters of the Allegheny.
The highest manganese concentrations included in these
data were observed in the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers
at 3.2 and 2.2 mg/I, respectively. The mean manganese
Concentrations in the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers
were 0.5 and 0.6 mg/i, respectively.
With a mean flow of 15,870 cfs in the Allegheny and
11,21 0 cfs in the Monongahela, this means, on the average,
that 30 and 25 Ibs, respectively, of soluble manganese pass a
given point every minute in each of these rivers.
Manganese, like iron, does not remain long in solution,
however, as evidenced at the first downstream station on the
Ohio where the mean concentration was 68j.z .g/1. The highest
single value at this sampling point was 376 g/1 and the
lowest 2.7 g/l. Based on an average stream flow of 29,240
cfs, this means the soluble manganese load passing this point
has been reduced to 7.4 lbs/mm. The concentration of
manganese in the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois, ranged from
0.4 to 8.1 / hg/I with a mean of only 2.9/hg/I. With an average
stream flow of 222,330 cfs at this station, the soluble
manganese load has been further reduced to 2.5 lbs/mm.
Manganese is also frequently observed at high levels in
the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, Ohio.
Aluminum — Aluminum, which is one of the most
abundant elements on the surface of the earth, occurs in
many rocks and ores but never as the pure metal. In the
process of weathering, aluminum is highly resistant to
removal by solution and remains behind permanently to form
the clay minerals in soils, and the greater part of shale and
similar hydrolyzate sediments. In streams, the presence of
aluminum ions may result both from industrial wastes and
mine drainage. While some aluminum salts are soluble,
aluminum is not likely to remain in solution long as it
precipitates and settles or is absorbed as the hydroxide,
carbonate, etc.
Soluble aluminum has been found in waters of the
United States in concentrations ranging from I to 2 ,760 / hg/1
with a mean of 74/hg/I. The overall frequency of detection is
31%. The highest mean basin concentration of 333 )hg/l was
observed in the Western Gulf Basin where the frequency of
Stream loadings as shown were calculated by the following formula:
Cu. ft/sec x mg/i 3 0.0037 = lbs/mm.
21
-------
detection is 21%. The highest frequency of detection by
basin was 71% in the Southeast. The mean value for this
basin was 117p .g/1.
The highest observed aluminum concentration of 2,760
was a single occurrence in the Yellowstone River near
Sidney, Montana. Aluminum was also observed in the
Monongahela River at Pittsburgh with a frequency of 55% in
concentrations ranging from 13 to 1,430 ig/l, the mean
concentration being 300 p g/l.
Aluminum in public water supplies is not a health
problem, and therefore is not included in the Drinking Water
Standards. Tentative limits suggested by the Water Quality
Criteria( 1) for aluminum in irrigation waters are 1 .0 and 20.0
mg/i for continuous use on all soils and short-term use on
fine textured soil, respectively.
Beryllium — Beryllium is a comparatively rare element
found chiefly in the mineral beryl. In the weathering process,
beryllium is concentrated in hydrozates and, like aluminum,
does not go into solution to any appreciable degree.
Beryllium is not likely to be found in natural waters in
greater than trace amounts because of the relative insolubility
of the oxide and hydroxide at the normal pH range of such
waters. Indeed, it was found at measurable levels in less than
6% of the samples analyzed.
Only two basins contain significant amounts of beryl-
lium. The North Atlantic Basin mean beryllium concentra-
tion was 0.12 g/l, with a frequency of 23%. The Ohio River
Basin mean concentration was over twice this amount, 0.28
ji .g/ 1; however, the frequency was only 14%.
Three rivers are mainly responsible for these figures, the
Delaware, the Monongahela and the Allegheny. Beryllium is
most frequently found in the Delaware River at Trenton,
New Jersey and in the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania where the frequencies are 72 and 64% respec-
tively. Beryllium at measurable levels was found in 27% of
the Allegheny samples. The mean concentration of 0.16,ug/l
observed at Trenton decreases to 0.04 g/l with a frequency
of 36% by the time the Delaware reaches the Philadelphia
station.
The beryllium in the Delaware has been traced to the
Lehigh River, one of the tributaries. The presence of
beryllium at Pittsburgh is believed to be due to the mine
drainage in that area.
Beryllium concentrations in the trace range may be
important because of the high toxicity of this element;
however, while there are cases of beryllium poisoning due to
inhalation of the dust, when taken internally through the
digestive tract, beryllium does not appear harmful. Exact
tolerances seem uncertain and beryllium is not included in
the Standards for drinking water( 2 ). Criteria( 1 ) for irrigation
waters lists maximum permissible levels of 0.5 and 1.0 mg/I
for continuous use on all soils and short-term use on fine
textured soil, respectively.
Beryllium is used primarily in metallurgy to produce
special alloys, in the manufacture of X-ray diffraction tubes
and electrodes for neon signs, and in nuclear reactors.
Consequently, it could be added to waters by industrial waste
disposal, although, unless the water maintained a low pH, it
seems unlikely that much would remain in solution.
Copper — Low levels of copper are routinely observed in
natural water. It is more soluble than ferric iron, and should
remain in solution to a greater degree during the weathering
and disintegration of rocks under oxidizing conditions.
22
-------
Copper occurs in natural surface waters, in solution, generally
below 20 g/ 1. Thus, higher levels are generally the result of
pollution, attributable to water’s corrosive action on copper
and brass tubing, to industiral effluents, or to the use of
copper compounds for the control of undesirable aquatic
organisms or plants.
The chloride, nitrate, and sulfate of bivalent copper are
highly soluble in water, but the carbonate, hydroxide, oxide,
and sulfide are not. Therefore, cupric ions introduced into
natural waters at pH 7 or above will precipitate as the
hydroxide or as basic copper carbonate and be removed by
adsorption and/or sedimentation.
Soluble copper was found in over 74% of all samples at
measurable levels; the mean concentration, however, was
only 15 g/1. Some of the highest values observed were in
the Monongahela River where concentrations ranged from as
little as 3 to 280 j.tg/1, with a mean of 66 ug/l. Some of the
lowest values were observed in the Western Great Lakes Basin
where the mean concentration was 7 p g/ I with a frequency
of 97%.
Copper is an essential and beneficial element in human
metabolism. Small amounts are regarded as nontoxic but
Large doses may produce emesis and prolonged oral adminis-
tration may result in liver damage. Because copper in
concentrations high enough to be dangerous to human beings
renders water disagreeable to taste, it is not considered a
hazard in domestic supplies. The recommended limit for
copper set by the Drinking Water Standards( 2 ) is I mg/i. The
threshold concentrations for taste have been generally re-
ported in the range of 1-2 mg/I,while as much as 5-7.5 mg/i
makes the water completely undrinkable. Tentative limits
suggested by the Water Quality Criteria(D for copper in
irrigation waters are 0.2 and 5.0 mg/i for continuous use on
all soils and short-term uso.on fine textured soil, respectively.
Silver In nature, silver is found in the elemental
state and combined in several ores. From these ores, silver
ions may be leached into ground and surface waters, but
since many silver salts such as the chloride, sulfide, phos-
phate, and aresenate are insoluble, silver ions would not be
expected to occur in significant concentrations in natural
waters. Silver was found in <7% of all samples with a mean
observed value of only 2.6 p g/ 1. The greatest occurrence of
silver was in the Colorado River Basin where it was observed
in 18% of the samples at a mean concentration of 5.8 .tg/ 1.
This was also the highest mean for any basin. Silver has never
been found at measurable levels in either the Tennessee River
Basin or California Basin.
Traces of silver could also be expected to reach natural
waters from various manufacturing processes such as electro-
plating and in the processing of food and beverages.
Before 1962, silver was not included in the Drinking
Water Standards. The current mandatory limit of 0.05 mg/I
was apparently set, not because of the danger of silver in
natural sources of water supply, but rather to prevent its
intentional addition to water, in excessive amounts, for
disinfection. The limit was based on cosmetic considerations
rather than public health effects. Taken into the body in
sufficient concentration, silver produces a permanent blue-
grey discoloration of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes
which is unsightly and disturbing to observer and victim
alike. The amount of colloidal silver required to produce this
condition is not known.
Nickel — Elemental nickel is seldom observed in nature;
however, nickel compounds are found in many ores and
minerals. While the pure metal is not soluble in water, the
salts are quite soluble. In the process of weathering, nickel
goes into insoluble minerals of the hydrolyzates. Any nickel
23
-------
in surface or ground water is likely to be in small amounts
unless present as a result of industrial pollution such as metal
plating. This may explain the presence of nickel in the Lake
Erie Basin where it was observed at a frequency of 53% and a
mean concentration of 56 ig/ I. Nickel was found in United
States waters with a frequency of 16% at an overall mean
concentration of 19 p g/ 1. While it has been observed in every
basin at least once, the Missouri River and the Western Gulf
Basins were lowest in frequency at 2%. They were also among
the lowest in mean concentrations at 5 and 3 p g/l.
respectively. The highest single recorded value was 130 i,g/ I
in the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, Ohio.
The FWPCA Water Quality Criteria 0 ) do not place a
limit on nickel in drinking water, as the toxicity is believed to
be quite low. Systemic poisoning of human beings by nickel
or nickel salts is almost unknown; however, it is toxic to
certain plant life. For irrigation waters, the Criteria place a
limit of 0.5 and 2.0 mg/I for continuous use on all soils and
short-term use on fine textured soil, respectively.
Cobalt — Cobalt is very similar in chemical behavior to
nickel. It is present in igneous rocks in small amounts. In the
weathering process, cobalt is taken into solution more readily
than nickel but is adsorbed to a great extent by the
hydrolyzate or oxidate sediments. Cobalt may also be taken
into solution in small amounts through bacteriological
activity similar to that causing solution of manganese.
Cobalt salts may be bivalent or trivalent. Solutions
containing cobaltous ions (Co ) are relatively stable but
cobaltic ions (Co ) are powerful oxidizing agents and,
consequently, are unstable in natural waters.
The USPHS Drinking Water Standards set no limit for
cobalt as it is an essential trace element with relative low
toxicity to man. A maximum safe concentration of cobalt in
drinking water has not been established or estimated on the
basis of present knowledge. Tentative limits suggested by the
Water Quality Criteria( 1) for cobalt in irrigation waters are
0.2 and 10.0 mg/I for continuous use on all soils and
short-term use on fine textured soil, respectively.
Cobalt was observed in solution in <3% of all samples
ranging in concentration from 1-48 ig/l. The highest
frequency of detection, 10%, occurred in the Ohio River
Basin. Excluding the Southwest Lower Mississippi Basin,
where a single positive observation of 36 j.z.g/ I was recorded,
and also the Lake Erie Basin where two values of 20 and 46
gJl were recorded, the Ohio River Basin also had the highest
mean concentration of l9 ug/l. Again, this is believed due to
the presence of acid mine drainage which is prevalent in the
Pittsburgh area. Observed concentrations for the
Monongahela River ranged between 7-34 g/1 with a fre-
quency of 42% (15 of 36 samples), and a mean of l9 gJ1.
Concentrations in the Allegheny ranged between 3 and 48
jtg/l with a frequency of 21% (8 of 37 samples) and a mean
of l8 g/1.
Cobalt was never detected in the Tennessee River Basin,
Western Gulf Basin, California Basin, Alaska Basin or Great
Basin.
Lead — Lead occurs in rocks primarily as the sulfide and
also as the oxide. In areas where limestone and galena are
found, natural waters are known to contain lead in solution
as high as 0.4-0.8 mg/I. This is unusual, however, and lead
concentrations in surface and ground waters used for
domestic supplies range from traces to 0.04 mg/i with an
average around 0 O 1 mg/I. Lead is more likely to be
introduced into water as a constituent of various industrial
and mining effluents. Certain lead salts such as the acetate
24
-------
and chloride are readily soluble, but because the carbonate
and hydroxide are insoluble and the sulfide only slightly
soluble, lead is not likely to remain long in solution in natural
waters. The analyses of over 1 ,500 samples bear this out as
lead was observed at measurable levels with a frequency of
under 20%. The mean of these positive occurrences was 23
zg/ 1. The highest occurrence of lead was observed in the
Western Great Lakes Basin where the frequency is slightly
above 40%. The mean in this basin, however, was only 14
p.g/l. Lead was observed in the Lake Erie Basin with a
frequency of 28% (1 3 of 47 samples) ranging in concentra-
tion from 16 to 90 g/l with a mean of 39 g/l.
Because lead and its compounds are highly toxic, the
mandatory limit set by the USPHS Drinking Water Stand-
ards( 2 ) was 0.1 mg/i for many years. The 1962 Standards
lowered this limit to 0.05 mg/i. Lead poisoning usually
results from the cumulative toxic effects of lead after
continuous consumption over a long period of time, rather
than from occasional small doses. Lead is not considered
essential to the nutrition of animals or human beings.
Tentative limits suggested by the Water Quality CriteriaU)
for lead in irrigation waters are 5.0 and 20.0 mg/I for
Continuous use on all soils and short-term use on fine
textured soil, respectively.
Chromium — In nature, chromium is present in minor
amounts in igneous rocks, being more abundant in basic
types than in the more silicic types of rock. In the weathering
process, chromium in the cationic form (Cr+++) behaves
much like iron and is largely retained in the hydrolyzate.
Very little chromium goes into solution unless the pH is low.
Thus, natural waters would be expected to contain only
traces of chromium as a cation.
The greatest frequency of detection for chromium for
Waters of the United States Uas in the Northeast Basin where
it was detected in 56% (5 1 of 91) of all samples, ranging in
concentration from 1 to 112 p g/ 1 and having a mean value of
14 ig/l. The highest mean concentration observed for any
basin was 25 g/ 1 in the Western Gulf. However, as only 47
samples were analyzed, of which chromium was detected in
only 3, this may not be significant.
Under strong oxidizing conditions, chromium may be
converted to the hexavalent state and occur as the chromate
(Cr04—) anion. Natural chromates are rare, however, and
when found in water usually indicate pollution by industrial
wastes. Hexavalent chromium salts are used much more
extensively in industry than the more soluble trivalent salts.
Chromium is not known to be either an essential or
beneficial element in the body. When inhaled, chromium is a
known carcinogenic agent; however, it is not known whether
cancer will result from ingestion of chromium in any of its
valence forms. At present, the level of chromate ion that can
be tolerated by man without adverse health effects is
uncertain. The Criteria( 1 ) have set a limit of 0.05 mg/i for
hexavalent chromium in drinking water. Trivalent chromium
is not believed to be of concern in drinking water supplies.
Tolerances for chromium in irrigation waters are 5.0 and 20.0
mg/I for continuous use on all soils and short-term use on
fine textured soil, respectively.
Vanadium While metallic vanadium does not occur
free in nature, minerals containing vanadium are widespread.
In its salts, it may exist in several valence states. While the
tetra- and penta-saits are generally soluble, the trivalent salts
are insoluble. Vanadium forms the vanadyl cation (VO), the
salts of which are soluble, in addition to the anion vanadate
(V04). Any vanadium salts occurring in wastewater are likely
to remain in solution.
25
-------
Vanadium occurs in many soils and in vegetation grown
in such soils. Trace amounts of vanadium have been found in
the water of the southwestern United States. Although
vanadium has not been demonstrated to be essential in
human nutrition, there is evidence that it has certain
beneficial biological functions( 1 2)• Vanadium is not included
in the Drinking Water Standards. It is included in the
Criteria( 1 ) for irrigation water, where the tentative limit is
given as 10 mg/I for continuous use on all soils as well as for
short-term use on fine textured soil.
In the collection of data here reported, this metal was
observed with the greatest frequency in the Colorado River
Basin (9%), where the range of concentration was 7 to 300
g/l with a mean of 105 jj .g/l. It was also observed in two
samples from the Missouri River Basin at 158 and 184.tg/l.
Vanadium has never been detected at measurable concentra-
tions in the Tennessee River Basin, Western Great Lakes
Basin, or the Great Basin. It was observed in only 54 of the
more than I ,500 samples analyzed for a frequency of 3.4%.
Barium — Barium is found in nature as the sulfate and
the carbonate as well as in other ores. While the carbonate
and sulfate are insoluble, most other barium salts are soluble.
Any barium ions discharged into natural waters, however,
would be expected to be precipitated and removed by
adsorption or sedimentation. Thus, barium would not be
expected to be found in ground or surface waters above the
trace level. Actually, however, barium was found in almost
100% of all samples. Concentrations ranged from 2 to 340
/hg/l, with a mean of 43. The highest basin mean was
recorded in the Southwest—Lower Mississippi where con-
centrations ranged between 13 and 262 g/ I with a mean of
90 ,.Lg/ I. The highest individual observed value was recorded
in the Coosa River at Rome, Georgia. A total of five samples
from this station showed barium concentrations ranging from
27 to 340 g/l with a mean of l07 g/1.
Apparently no study has been made of the amounts of
barium that can be tolerated in drinking water or of the
effects from prolonged feeding of barium salts from which an
acceptable drinking water standard may be set. Because of
barium’s known toxic effects on the heart, blood vessels, and
nerves, the U.S. Public Health Service in 1962 set a maximum
allowable limit of 1 .0 mg/I. This limit was retained by the
Water Quality Criteria(D and concentrations in excess of this
figure are grounds for rejection of the water supply. No limit
has been set for barium in irrigation water.
Strontium — One of the most abundant minor consti-
tuents in igneous rock is strontium. It is not found free in
nature but occurs largely in the form of the sulfate with
calcium and barium minerals. Strontium carbonate and
sulfate are only slightly soluble, thus do not occur in high
concentrations in surface water. Except for the southwestern
part of the United States, where concentrations of 3-5 mg/i
have been observed, the mean concentrations for the soluble
fraction are generally below 0.2 mg/ 1. Strontium was
observed in the dissolved fraction in almost all samples, the
frequency of detection being over 99%. The Missouri,
Southwest Lower-Mississippi, Colorado and Western Gulf
Basin had mean strontium concentrations of 342, 540, 697
and 652 g/l, respectively.
Strontium does not find great industrial use. Toxico-
logically, no evidence has been found to show that non-
radioactive strontium salts taken orally by man or animals
produce harmful effects. Thus, strontium is not included in
the Standards for drinking water or the Criteria( 1 ) for
irrigation water.
26
-------
Summary
A nationwide surveillance program to characterize
chemical and biological trends in water quality has been in
progress since 1957. A part of this interdisciplinary approach
to water quality assessment has been the use of a direct-
reading emission spectrograph for measuring the concentra-
tions of 19 trace elements in solution in the major rivers of
the United States.
The data presented in this publication were obtained
over a five-year period, October 1, 1962—September 30,
1967 and represent over 1,500 samples collected from over
130 sampling stations. Of the nineteen elements routinely
sought, boron, barium and strontium occurred with a
frequency of over 98%. Zinc, iron and copper were found
quite frequently, being observed in about 75% of the
samples. Manganese was slightly less frequent at 51 %.
Aluminum, lead, chromium, molybdenum and nickel varied
between 16 and 33%. Cadmium, beryllium, silver, cobalt,
vanadium and arsenic were detected at measurable levels in
less than 7% of the samples.
Zinc iron, manganese, aluminum, beryllium, copper
and chromium occurred with the greatest frequency in the
Northeast, North Atlantic and Southeast Basins. Yet none of
these basins contained the highest mean values for any of
these elements. In general, those trace elements evaluated
occurred with the greatest frequency in waters east of the
Mississippi.
The data presented in these summaries include only
concentrations in solution at the time of filtration. Sus-
pended levels, either at time of collection or time of
filtration, are not included. It must be emphasized, therefore,
that for elements such as iron, manganese, aluminum and, in
particular, lead, total stream loadings would be much higher
as these elements tend to precipitate or be adsorbed by other
suspended materials quite rapidly. Thus, concentrations given
in the summaries for these elements should be interpreted as
the minimum levels present.
In conclusion, permissible levels established by the
USPHS Drinking Water Standards and the Water Quality
Criteria( 1 ) for public water supplies were exceeded in only
isolated samples by soluble concentration. In all probability
there were other cases where the safe levels for aquatic life
were also exceeded. However, at present, levels considered as
safe for aquatic life have not as yet been accurately
determined. Almost certainly, streams with any degree of
turbidity will contain some higher level of trace metals when
total stream loading is considered.
27
-------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Report of the Committee on Water Quality Criteria.
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, U. S.
Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., April
(1968)
2. U. S. Public Health Service, Drinking Water Standards,
Revised 1962, U. S. Dept. of Health, Education and
Welfare, Public Health Service Publication No. 956, U.
S. Govt.
3. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and
Wastewater, 12th Edition, APHA, Inc., N.Y., (1965)
4. Kopp, John F. and Kroner, Robert C., Tracing Water
Pollution with an Emission Spectrograph, Jour. Water
Pollution Control, 39, 1659 (1967)
5. Haffty, Joseph, Residue Method for Common Minor
Elements, USGS Water Supply Paper No. 1 540A, U.S.
Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C. (1960)
6. Silvey, W. D. and Brennan, R., Concentration Method
For Spectrochemical Determination of Seventeen Minor
Elements in Natural Water, Anal. Chem., 34, 784 (1962)
7. Skougstad, M. W. and Horr, C. A., Occurrence and
Distribution of Strontium in Natural Waters, USGS
Water Supply Paper No. 1496C, U.S. Govt. Printing
Office, Washington, D.C. (1963)
8. Clarke, F. W., The Composition of the River and Lake
Waters of the United States. USGS Paper No. 135, U.S.
Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C. (1924)
9. Kopp, John F. and Kroner, Robert C., A Direct Reading
Spectrochemical Procedure for the Measurement of
Nineteen Minor Elements in Natural Water. Journal of
the Society for Applied Spectroscopy 19, 155 (1965)
10. Kopp, John F., A C’oncentrauion Method for the
Spectrochemical Determination of Minor Elements in
Natural Water. Paper No. 135, Pittsburgh Conference,
(1967)
11. Kopp, John F. and Kroner, Robert C., A Comparison of
Trace Elements in Natural Waters, Dissolved Versus
Suspended, Developments in Applied Spectroscopy,
Plenum Press, Vol. 6 (1968)
12. Stokinger, H. E., Effects of Trace Amounts of
Vanadium, Conf. on Physical Aspects of Water Quality,
Washington, D.C., September 8-9, (1960)
28
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APPENDIXES
29
-------
APPENDIXES CONTENTS
Page
Appendix P, Basin 16, Alaska . P-i
Introduction 32
Appendix A, Basin 1, Northeast A-i
Appendix B, Basin 2, North Atlantic B-i
Appendix C, Basin 3, Southeast c-i
Appendix D, Basin 4, Tennessee River D-1
Appendix E, Basin 5, Ohio River E-1
Appendix F, Basin 6, Lake Erie F-I
Appendix G, Basin 7, Upper Mississippi G-I
Appendix H, Basin 8, Western Great Lakes H-i
Appendix I, Basin 9, Missouri River i-i
Appendix J, Basin 10, Southwest — Lower Mississippi
Appendix K, Basin 11, Colorado River K-i
Appendix L, Basin 12, Western Gulf L-l
Appendix M, Basin 13, Pacific Northwest M-1
Appendix N, Basin 14, California N-i
Appendix 0, Basin 15, Great Basin o-i
31
-------
INTRODUCTION
The Appendixes provide detailed summaries of the trace metals data used in the
Report by basin as well as by individual station. It is again emphasized that data summaries
for a given basin represent conditions found at the stations utilized within that basin and are
not necessarily representative of the entire basin. The stations used in the collection of these
data for a given basin were insufficient in number to provide values truly representative of
the entire basin.
32
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BASIN 1
NORTHEAST
RTH AMBOY
L EGEPVD
POLITICAL BOUNDARY
- - - RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY
• SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SAMPLING
POINT
5 ’ 25 0 50 00 200 300
SCALE IN MILES
Appendix A
Basin I — Northeast
The Northeast Basin is drained by many rivers. The
basin includes all of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut plus most of
New York. The region is generally mountainous to hilly with
local coastal and interior plains. Eight Water Quality
Surveillance System stations are located on six rivers.
A total of 91 samples within this basin were analyzed.
Results show boron, barium and strontium present in all
samples. Zinc and copper were also frequently observed
(>95%). Iron and aluminum were somewhat less frequent,
while manganese, lead and chromium varied between 36-56%
frequency. Some of the highest zinc and chromium concen-
trations in the surveillance system were observed in this
basin. Generally, however, basin averages were either equal to
or below national averages. All elements included in the
program were observed on at least one occasion. These data
arc stiiiimarized in the following table.
M AS S E N A
/
jON TA RIO NEW YORK
NIAGARA P
,7BUFFALO
RARITAN
CONNECT CUT
e
A-I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 1 — NORTHEAST
Zinc
Cadmium
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
87
4
5
91
55
80
12
46
61
89
13
20
2
33
51
4
91
91
95.6
4.4
5.5
100
60.4
87.9
13.2
50.5
67.0
1 .l
97.8
14.3
22.0
2.2
36.3
56.0
4.4
100
100
4
15
6
4
3
4
0.3
0.02
2
0.1
9
4
8
7
19
697
12
58
160
232
520
61
40
148
0.02
100
6.0
21
20
48
112
10
52
224
96
5
34
32
44
51
25
3.5
28
0.02
15
1.9
8
14
17
14
9
21
76
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j2g/ I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
A-2
-------
HUDSON RIVER BELOW POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK
The Hudson River heads in the Adirondack Mountains
of northern New York and flows for 300 miles to the
Atlantic Ocean. The lower 100 miles are tidal. Principal
tributary to the Hudson is the Mohawk River which flows
easterly across central New York State, converging with the
Hudson at Troy. The total Hudson drainage area is about
13,000 square miles.
This station is located 70 miles above the mouth of the
Hudson. Samples are collected at the intake of the Inter-
national Business Machines Corporation plant. Tides intlu’
ence flows and surface elevations.
While the Hudson River is considered to be highly
polluted, the trace element levels at this sampling point were
well below basin and national averages. Boron, barium and
strontium were observed in all samples. Zinc, iron and copper
were found at measurable levels in 90% of the samples. Lead,
manganese, aluminum, and chromium were detected in
30-60% of the samples. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver,
nickel, cobalt and vanadium were all either absent or below
the detection limits.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Mm.
Observed Values, g/ 1
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
90
8
93
52
Boron
10
100
21
89
Iron
9
90
4
154
46
43
Manganese
4
40
0.6
7.0
3.3
Copper
9
90
5
72
19
Barium
10
100
11
52
34
Strontium
10
100
63
155
99
Aluminum
4
40
3
54
33
Lead
3
30
5
23
14
Chromium
6
60
2
I
II
A-3
-------
LAKE ERIE AT BUFFALO, NEW YORK
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,/Lg/1
Mm
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
64
423
178
Boron
9
100
27
160
54
Iron
9
100
4
84
19
Manganese
5
55.6
0.8
8.0
2.8
Copper
9
100
10
56
24
Barium
9
100
12
35
23
Strontium
9
100
89
177
117
Cadmium
3
33.3
4
12
7
Aluminum
7
77.8
8
66
31
Chromium
4
44.4
5
10
7
The Niagara River discharges water from Lake Erie to
Lake Ontario. Its most outstanding feature is Niagara Falls
with a drop of about 160 feet. There is extensive hydro-
electric development on this river. This sampling point is at
the lower end of Lake Erie, above the beginning of the
Niagara River. Samples are taken from the Buffalo minicipal
water plant intake.
Nine samples were analyzed within the time period here
reported, with zinc, boron, iron, copper, barium and stron-
tium being found at measurable concentrations in all. Except
for iron, averages for each of these equaled or exceeded the
basin values. Measurable levels of manganese and chromium
were found less frequently.
In addition to the 10 elements shown in the table, two
positive occurrences each of cobalt (9 and 20 g/1) and
nickel (13 and 21 p g/l) were recorded. A single silver value
of 1.8 p.g/l and one for arsenic of 17 /Lg/1 were also
observed. Beryllium and vanadium were never detected.
A-4
-------
ST. LAWRENCE RIVER AT MASSENA, NEW YORK
The St. Lawrence River originates at the Lake Ontario
outflow and flows northeastward to discharge into the Gulf
of St. Lawrence. The river is tidal below Quebec.
Samples are collected at the intake of the General
Motors Corporation Aluminum Foundry a few miles up-
stream from the point where the St. Lawrence River enters
and flows exclusively through Canada. For approximately
114 miles above this point, the river forms the Canadian-
United States boundary. Hydroelectric power is a major river
use and the St. Lawrence is a series of impoundments from
Lake Ontario to the tidal zone at Quebec. Metal reduction
plants are concentrated in this area because of’ the available
electrical power.
A wide variety of trace elements were observed at this
station, lead and chromium being the most significant. While
lead was observed in 63% of all samples, the measured
concentrations never exceeded 48 g/1. Chromium, however,
was observed on one occasion at 112 gf 1; more recent
samples show this element occurring below 20 /.Lg/1. Silver
and nickel are also frequently observed.
While cadmium, beryllium and cobalt were never ob-
served, two occurrences of vanadium (8 j.ig/ 1 each) were
recorded during the period of record.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .tg/ I
—- Mm. Max. Mean
Zinc
24
88.9
4
210
41
Boron
27
100
9
58
27
Iron
17
63
5
171
22
Manganese
12
44.4
0.8
7.7
2.2
Copper
26
96.3
2
23
7
Barium
27
100
16
35
24
Strontium
27
100
80
224
118
Aluminum
22
81.5
4
148
39
Silver
8
29.6
0.8
6.0
2.6
Nickel
5
18.5
5.
10
7
Lead
17
63
4
48
22
Arsenic
4
14.8
15
58
38
Chromium
18
66.7
3
112
26
Molybdenum
7
25.9
4
-
50
-
-.
24
_
A-5
-------
MERRIMACK RIVER ABOVE LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values,j
/1
Mm.
Max.
- Mean
Zinc
8
100
28
279
140
Boron
8
100
17
148
49
Iron
8
100
26
520
165
Manganese
6
75
0.7
8.3
3.4
Copper
8
100
13
100
39
Barium
8
100
9
35
18
Strontium
8
100
22
58
33
Aluminum
7
87.5
11
68
34
Nickel
4
50
1
9
3
Chromium
8
100
1
44
9
The Merrimack River begins in the White Mountains of
New Hampshire and flows southward to Massachusetts where
it then turns eastward to discharge into the Atlantic Ocean.
The upper basin is underlain by well-weathered granites and
gneiss. The total drainage is approximately 5,000 square
miles and the river length is 110 miles.
This surveillance station is six miles downstream from
the New Hampshire-Massachusetts State line. Samples are
collected at the Lowell municipal water plant intake.
Industry in this area includes electronics, shoe manufac-
turing, textiles and printing.
A total of seven samples show the average zinc, copper
and iron concentrations exceeded the basin averages by
factors of 1.5 to 3. Chromium was detected in all samples;
the average concentration, however, is below the basin
average.
In addition to those elements listed, single positive
occurrences of beryllium (0.02 g/l), silver (0.3 g/l) and
molybdenum (4 .ig/1) were also recorded. Cadmium, cobalt,
lead, arsenic and vanadium were never detected.
A-6
-------
CONNECTICUT RIVER
The Connecticut River is west of the Merrimack River
and drains 11 ,300 square miles. It heads in the granites of the
White and Green Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont
and flows 400 miles south to the Atlantic Ocean. The upper
basin granites merge into sandstones and shale in the lower
reach. The Connecticut River forms the boundary between
Vermont and New Hampshire and subsequently flows
through Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Three surveillance system stations are located on the
Connecticut River at Wilder, Vermont, below Northfield,
Massachusetts, and at Enfield Dam, Connecticut. Thirty-
seven samples from these three stations were analyzed during
the period of record.
The mean strontium value remained remarkably
stant over the entire sampling distance. The mean
concentration started out quite low, but due to several
recorded at Northfield, the level at Enfield Dam
approximately five times as much.
CONNECTICUT RIVER AT WiLDER, VERMONT
This uppermost surveillance station on the Connecticut
River is 186 miles above the mouth. Samples were collected
at the Wilder Dam power plant.
Zinc, boron, iron, copper, barium and strontium were
detected in all samples; however, at this point of the river,
only iron and copper were found at levels exceeding the
national average. Manganese was observed in 67% of the
samples and aluminum in 44%.
In addition to the nine elements tabulated above, two
occurrences of nickel (1 and 2 g/ 1), and one each of silver
(0 4 p g/l), chromium (12 p g/l), and vanadium (10 g/1)
were observed during the time period. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium and cobalt were never detected.
con-
zinc
slugs
was
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
5
64
22
Boron
9
100
6
34
13
Iron
9
100
15
179
73
Manganese
6
66.7
0.3
2.6
1.4
Copper
9
100
12
27
17
Barium
9
100
7
22
11
Strontium
9
100
22
77
36
Aluminum
4
44.4
6
13
9
Lead
3
33_ _3
4
9
7
A-7
-------
CONNECTICUT RIVER BELOW NORTUFIELE), MASSACHUSETTS
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Cop per
Ban urn
Strontium
Aiuniiiiurn
Chromium
No. of Positive
Occurrences
11
11
11
3
I I
11
11
6
Freq lie ii cy
of Detection, %
100
100
100
27.3
100
100
100
72.7
54. ()
697
29
65
3.0
21
20
62
()
This station, 50 miles downstream from Wilder.
Vermont, is immediately below the Massachusetts State line
and monitors the effects of waste discharges from Vermont
and New Hampshire. Samples are collected from the west
bank immediately upstream from an abutment of the Central
Vermont Railroad Bridge. Several upstream comn iLiflitics in
both states have no sewage treatment and discharge raw
sewage into the Connecticut River. Agricultural activities
include dairing and potato production. There are three paper
mills four miles upstream at Hinsdale, New Hampshire.
Average iron and copper levels here were one-half those
recorded at Wilder, Vermont, while average manganese,
boron, aluminum, barium and strontiuiii Concentrations
remained nearly eonstail t. ( hromi urn increased in frequency
from I 0 to 60%; levels ranged I ’ruin I It) 6 ,ug/ I , averagitig 2
p g/ I . Lead was detected on only one occasion at I 0 i g/ I
Zinc remal tied at I 00% lrc(l uency ol deleci I( )n iu. in
average conceti tra tion hy a lactor of I 0. Since t lie corn—
positing period of July I September 30, I 964, wheti a /ine
value of 7 00 g/ I was recorded, the mean value has been 275
g/ I . Previously, the average was 40 ug/ I . This ella nyc was
not detected at the Wilder or Lu field Darn stat ions, In
addition to elements shown in the table, single occurrences of
cad miuni ( I p. g/ I ) and sil vel’ (0. I i g/ I were recorded
Beryllium, arsenic, ii ickel , cobal and vanad in tii were fiever
detected.
Observed VaR tes , g/i
Mi ii, Max. Mean
20 204
() 16
5 33
0.4 1.3
2
7 14
19 3 9
II
A-8
-------
CONNEC1ICUT RIVER AT ENFIELD DAM, CONNECTICUT
ELEMENT
No. of’ Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Va1ues g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
17
100
17
546
104
Boron
17
100
15
92
32
Iron
17
100
3
220
47
Manganese
10
58.8
0.4
40
7.2
Copper
17
100
4
19
10
Barium
17
100
13
28
21
Strontium
17
100
23
66
38
Aluminum
9
52.9
6
36
18
Nickel
7
41.2
2
20
10
Lead
6
35.3
5
13
8
Chromium
8
47.1
2
30
10
This is the terminal surveillance station on the
Connecticut River, 8 miles below the Connecticut-
Massachusetts State line and 73 miles below Northfield,
Many of’ the larger Massachusetts communities in the area
treat their sewage before discharge, hut several small cities do
not. Broad-leaf’ tobacco and truck gardening are the agricul-
tural activities in the area. Samples are collected at the dam.
Boron, iron, manganese, barium, aluminum and
chromium showed slight increases in concentration over
levels recorded at Northt eld. Strontium remained unchanged
over the sampling distance. Single occurrences of vanadium at
10 j.L .g/ I and silver at 1 .8 g/ I were recorded. Cadmium,
arsenic, berylliuni and cobalt were never detected at this
station.
A-9
-------
BASIN 2
NORTH ATLANTIC
SCALF N MILES
APPENDIX B
BASIN 2 - NORTH ATLANTIC
The North Atlantic Basin contains 1 0 Water Quality
Surveillance Stations in three major river systems. There are
three stations each on the Delaware and Potomac Rivers, two
on the Su quchanna. and one each on the Schuylkill and the
Shenandoah Rivers.
A total of I 7 1 samples from this hasin was analyzed,
October 1 , I .)(2 September 30, 1967. Barium and stron-
tium were found in all samples. while boron, zinc and copper
were observed at measurable levels in over 92%. Iron was
slightly less regular at 79%, with manganese observed in 48%
of the samples. Aluminum, lead and chromium were detected
in less than 30% of the samples.
Beryllium, while detected in only 23% of the basin
samples, was found in almost 40% of the Delaware River
samples. At Trenton. New Jersey, beryllium occurred in 72%
of the samples.
Generally, basin levels were well below national aver-
ages. All elements included in the spectrographic program
were observed at measurable levels at least once. A summary
of trace elements is shown in the following table.
JNEW
L’ _J yOR <’
—
6USQLJEHAA’N43 R
(I
• [ Mt RTINS CREEK
t LFLAWARE R
‘PENNY
‘ SCHL1VLK!L
WILL ,AM .I)RT
fl.•_ ._. --
; ,_ / i ,
BERRYVILLE
WEST VIRGINIA, 1.4
1’
VIRGINIA
‘I ’ .
‘TRENTON
// - PHILADELPHIA
N W JERSEY
- :I . )NOWINGO
‘R AT FALLS
4 . w4 i D C
AWARE
—
I E 61 (vi’
A
k ,VI I f- At BOIJ LAkY
Sti VEI1LAN ’ Y TEM SAMPLING
POIN
•)U C) U 5u uU jOO
— - - - -- -- --1
B— I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 2 — NORTH ATLANTIC
ELEMENT
No. of Positive I Frequency
Occurrences of Detection, %
P
bse ’cd Value g /l
Max. Mean
Mm.
Zinc
162
94.7
3
504
49
Cadmium
13
7.6
1
7
3
Arsenic
13
7.6
10
97
47
Boron
170
99.4
2
221
42
Phosphorus
95
55.6
4
288
48
Iron
135
78.9
1
195
19
Molybdenum
56
32.7
4
168
33
Manganese
83
48.5
0.3
17
2.7
Aluminum
52
30.4
2
136
22
Beryllium
40
23.4
0.02
0.4
0. 1
2
Copper
159
92.3
2
155
17
Silver
9
5.3
0.3
2.5
0.9
Nickel
48
28.1
1
49
8
Cobalt
2
1.2
6
13
9
Lead
38
22.2
3
72
14
Chromium
36
21.1
1
29
6
Vanadium
6
3.5
5
40
1 2
Barium
171
100
3
64
25
Strontium
171
100
4
270
62
11-2
-------
DELAWARE RIVER
The l)elaware rises in the western slope of’ the Catskill
Mountains of east central New York and flows southerly into
l)elaware Ray. ‘ftc Delaware forms the State boundary
between New York and Pennsylvania and between Pennsyl-
vania and New Jersey. The lower reach is polluted by
industrial and mu nicipal wastes.
Three surveillance stations are located on the Delaware
River. The uppermost station is at Martins Creek, Pennsyl-
vania, 197 miles above the River’s mouth. The others are at
Trenton, New Jersey, ô3 miles downstream, and Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, approximately 90 miles from where the river
empties into l)elaw are Bay.
Except for isolated instances of high zinc and iron
concentrations (1 OO—200 g/ 1), the trace element mean
concentrations in the Delaware were generally below national
averages. Some of the less frequently detected elements, such
as cadmium, silver and chromium, occurred with more
regularity in the Delaware. Also, the Delaware was one of the
few streams where beryllium was routinely observed. The
Lehigh River appeared to be the source of this element, as
beryllium levels below the Lehigh’s confluence with the
Delaware were higher than at Philadelphia.
B-3
-------
DELAWARE RIVER AT MARTINS CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA
Zinc
Boron
I ron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Beryllium
Aluminum
Nickel
Chromium
Lead
Molybdenum
Cadmium
36
35
32
19
35
36
36
2
S
26
10
10
5
5
100
97.2
88.9
52.8
97.2
100
100
5. ()
13.9
72.2
27.8
27.8
13.9
13.9
C)
1
1
0.5
4
3
4
0.03
7
1
3
Ii
119
119
195
6.3
48
S ()
68
0.04
1 )
49
8
25
1’)
5
44
18
9
2.3
25
23
30
0.04
12
9
3
10
1 6
3
This sampling point is at the intake of the Martins Creek
Steam Electric Generating Station of the Pennsylvania Power
and Light Company on the west bank approximately I 1
miles upstream from Easton, Pennsylvania.
In addition to eleiiien ts tahula ted aboVe,
values of 0.3 and 0.5 p g/ I , two arsenic val ties of
p.g/ 1 afld one cobalt value of 6 p. g/ I were
Vanadium was never detected.
two silver
I U kind 67
recorded.
‘ No. of Positive
ELEMENT Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values ,pg/l
Mean
Mm.
Max.
13-4
-------
DELAWARE RIVER AT TRENTON, NEW JERSEY
This sampling point is at the intake of the Trenton
water filtration plant, which serves a population of over
180,000. The river at this point is affected by flows from the
Lehigh River, 49 miles upstream, which receives industrial
discharges and treated municipal wastes from Allentown and
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
A wide variety of trace elements were observed at this
station as shown in the table. Vanadium and cobalt were
never detected; and only a single arsenic occurrence of 32
g/l was recorded.
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of’ Detection, %
Mm.
Observed Values, JLg/1
Max.
EL EM E NT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Co p per
Barium
Strontium
Beryllium
Aluminuni
Silver
Nickel
Chromi urn
Lead
Moty bdc nu 11 1
( ad niiuni
Mean
35
36
26
27
36
36
36
26
15
4
11
9
7
I 6
6
97.2
100
72.2
47.2
100
100
100
71 I
I 4-.
41.7
11.1
30.6
25
19.4
44.4
1 6.7
3
10
3
0.4
3
4
24
0.03
0.6
2
5
4
I
97
190
82
6.2
I
4-
47
103
0.40
32
I
4-.
l0
25
32
86
7
28
37
10
2.1
8
24
46
0.16
11
1.1
4
7
14
27
4
B-S
-------
DELAWARE RIVER AT PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manga riese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Beryllium
Aluminum
Nickel
Chromium
Molybdenum
No. of Positive
Occurrences
33
33
28
17
33
33
33
12
10
5
7
17
Frequency
of Detection, %
100
100
84.9
51.5
100
100
100
36.4
30.3
15.2
21.2
51.5
M m.
4
7
0.3
I
5
24
0.02
3
I
5
178
I 6!
144
6.0
23
42
0.09
41
14
29
5 ()
32
58
24
2.1
()
25
47
0.04
l5
5
7
23
This station is located at the northeastern city limits of
Philadelphia, approximately 90 miles from where the river
empties into Delaware Bay. Samples are taken at the intake
of the Torresdale municipal water plant. The river at this
point is the State border between Pennsylvania and New
Jersey and is subject to tidal influence.
The Delaware River in the vicinity of this station flows
through a heavily populated and industrialized area and is
used extensively for water supply and waste
Agricultural activity in upstream areas is extensive
crops, livestock and dairy farming predominating.
Elements observed at measurable levels other than those
shown were as follows: vanadium (5 and 7 p.g/ I), silver (1 .3
p gJl), arsenic (20 and 90 g/1), and cobalt (13 .gJl).
Cadmium was never detected.
V 1 Lg/l _____
Max. Mean
disposal.
with row
B-6
-------
SCHUYLKILL RIVER AT PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Va1ues, gJ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
100
22
504
118
Boron
8
100
35
221
112
Iron
6
75
6
70
22
Manganese
3
37.5
1.7
17.0
7.2
Copper
8
100
5
24
15
Barium
8
100
6
37
28
Strontium
8
100
70
167
106
Lead
3
37.5
10
72
30
Molybdenum
5
62.5
21
126
64
Arsenic
4
50
30
97
69
The Schuylkill River is a major tributary to the
Delaware. It is the source of intake for the Philadelphia Water
Department’s Schuylkill plant which is located two miles
above Fairmont Dam. This point is near Philadelphia’s
northwest city limits and approximately I 0 miles above the
Schuylkill’s confluence with the Delaware.
Above the station are a number of moderate sized cities
whose industrial and municipal effluents affect the water
characteristics. Five major upstream communities are
Reading, Pottstown, Norristown. Phoenixville and
Conshohocken. The estimated population served by sewage
treatment plants in these cities in 1962 was 243,000. The
upper reaches of this river flow through anthracite coal
mining areas.
The boron concentrations at this station increased
sevenfold over the period of record. A zinc value of 500 g/l
was observed. In addition to those elements tabulated, two
positive occurrences of nickel (8 and 41 j. g/l), one of silver
1.2 g/1), and one of chromium (11 p g/l) were recorded.
Cadmium, beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were never
detected.
B-7
-------
SESQUEHANNA RIVER
The Susquehanna River is the largest stream in the
United States discharging to the Atlantic Ocean. It heads in
the State of’ New York and flows in a southerly course across
Pennsylvania to discharge into the head of’ Chesapeake Bay.
Surveillance stations are located near the points where the
river enters and leaves Pennsylvania.
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Ban u ni
Strontium
Lead
Chromium
Aluminum
9
9
8
4
9
9
9
6
5
4
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AT
Frequency
of Detection, %
100
100
88.9
44.4
IOU
100
IOU
66.7
55. ()
44.4
Nine samples taken at each of’ these stations showed the
boron, barium and copper levels rcniaiiied constant. Beryl—
Ii urn and cobalt were never detected in the Susq uehanna
River.
SAYRE, PENNSYLVANIA
3 ()
I 6
3
0.8
4
18
29
3
18
240
I 50
122
2.6
1 6
45
I 06
35
21
6()
26
49
IS
7
34
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Mm. Max. Mean
102
25
1.7
9
upstream, and Ri iighainton, New York, population 82 ,U00,
located 5 I miles upstream.
The mean zinc concentration observed at this
was approximately four times thu t at Conowingo. Other
elemental levels remained approximately equal. in additmo
to those elements shown above, single cudiiiiumn (2 g/l),
arsenic (1 0 p.g/ I ), nickel (7 /Lg/ I ) and vanadium (1 3 g/ 1)
values were observed. Beryllium, silver and cohalt were never
detected.
The Susquehanria enters Pennsylvania just upstream
from this sampling station at the intake of’ the Sayre
municipal water treatment plant. The drainage basin up-
stream from this station, in the State of New York, comprises
some 6,270 square miles. A number of small New York
communities lying short distances upstream from the station
discharge both municipal and industrial wastes into the river.
The largest upstream communities discharging sewage treat-
ment plant effluents into the river or tributary are Elmira,
New York, with a population of 46,500 located 26 miles
B-8
-------
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AT CONOWINCJO, MARYLAND
The sampling point at this station is located at the
Conowingo hydroelectric power plant a few miles down-
stream from the Pennsylvania Maryland State line and 10
miles above the river’s entry into Chesapeake Bay. The
watershed upstream from the station, in Pennsylvania,
includes a highly populated and industrialized area. There
are, however, no known significant pollution sources in the
immediate vicinity of’ the station. To supplement its present
water supply, the city of Baltimore. Maryland, is constructing
an intake about one-quarter mile upstream from the station.
In addition to those elements listed in the table, a
positive silver value of 0.6 g/l and a vanadium value of 6
jigjl were recorded. Cadmium, beryllium, arsenic, nickel and
cobalt were never detected.
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
ELEM ENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Lead
M ol y hd en u in
Mm.
Observed Values, p g/1
9
9
8
8
7
9
9
I
7
Max.
Mean
100
100
88.9
88.9
77.8
100
100
22.2
77.8
12
19
4
0.5
6
47
3
6
44
144
52
11
28
46
165
29
168
23
51
15
4.8
9
21
97
16
65
3-’ .)
-------
THE POTOMAC RIVER AT WILLIAMSPORT, MARYLANI)
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Aluminum
No. of Positive
Occurrences
5
Ii
10
3
5
11
Ii
5
Frequency
of Detection, %
45 5
IOU
90.9
27.3
45.5
100
100
45.5
swvCd Vah j/1
Mii i. Max. Mean
4 58 20
10 58 29
5 lOt 20
0.6 4.0 2.5
2 I I ()
5 4 31
55 240 131)
3 ti 28
The Potomac River drains the eastern slope of the
Allegheny Mountains and, for a large portion of its length, is
the interstate boundary separating Maryland and Virginia.
The headwaters are in mountainous terrain. Willianisport,
Maryland, is the uppermost surveillance system station on the
Potomac River. It is located at the Hagerstown, Maryland,
municipal water treatment plant intake, 2 1 0 miles above the
point where the river discharges to Chesapeake Bay.
This station had one of the lowest perccn 1 (45)
frequencies for zinc of all stations surveyed. In general, all
trace elements were below both basin and national Levels
Two lead values of 5 and 6 g/ I and a single arsenic of 61
gJ I were recorded in addition to those elements shown
Cadmium, beryHi urn, silver, nickel, cobalt, chromi urn and
vanadium were all either absent or helow the mi nhinum
detectable limits.
B-lU
-------
POTOMAC RIVER AT GREAT FALLS, MARYLAND
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g!1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88
8
20
12
Boron
9
100
5
71
35
Iron
6
66.7
2
123
23
Manganese
Copper
4
7
44.4
77.8
0.8
4
2.1
11
1.6
7
Barium
9
100
17
57
32
Strontium
9
100
40
168
96
Aluminum
6
66.7
17
136
46
Lead
3
33.3
3
25
16
Molybdenum
3
33.3
6
32
15
This sampling point is located 84 miles below Williams-
port, Maryland, approximately 10 miles northwest of the
District of Columbia boundary and is at the intake of the
Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant. This 300 mgd plant is
operated by the Corps of Engineers to provide municipal
water supply for the District of Columbia. The Potomac
River is tidal below this station.
While the frequency of detection for zinc increased at
Williamsport over the time period involved, the average
concentration decreased. In addition to elements shown
above, two nickel values (2 and óp g/1) and single cadmium
(2 p.g/l), arsenic (21 /Lg/1), and vanadium (6 g/1) values
were recorded. Beryllium, silver and cobalt were never
detected.
B-I I
-------
POTOMAC RIVER AT WASHINGTON, D.C.
ELEMENT
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
6
7
3
4
6
7
7
Frequency
of Detection, %
85.7
100
42.9
57.1
85.7
100
100
7
10
II
0.9
3
15
60
Observed Valtics, gJ I
Max.
240
7()
43
5.0
23
5 ()
270
Mean
50
31
26
2.9
II
29
124
This station is in the east hoist room of Arlington
Memorial Bridge on U. S. Highway 50. The Potomac Estuary
at this point has an average tidal range of about 4 feet. The
water here is still within the freshwater category with
chloride concentrations of about 6 to 30 mg/i.
Trace element levels at this station showed little change
over the upper Potomac sampling points. Observed values are
summarized in the table. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver
nickel, cobalt, and vanadium were never detected at measur
able levels.
Zinc
No. of Positive
Occurrences
M m.
B- 12
-------
SHENANDOAH RIVER AT BERRYVILLE, VIRGINIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, gf 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
13
100
40
500
136
Boron
13
100
5
180
42
Iron
8
61.5
4
70
20
Manganese
4
30.8
1.1
6.0
3.7
Copper
11
84.6
29
106
54
Barium
13
100
7
46
30
Strontium
13
100
36
135
79
Molybdenum
3
23.0
14
51
31
The major tributary to the Potomac is the Shenandoah
River. There are industrial developments in the upper reaches
of both rivers. Hydroelectric power plant operations on the
Shenandoah exert a major influence on the flow regimen.
The Berryville sampling point is at the intake of the U. S.
Army Corps of Engineers pumping station.
Zinc levels at this station, which is
miles above the Shenandoah’s mouth, are
higher than basin averages.
In addition to those elements listed, single observations
of arsenic, nickel, lead and vanadium at 31,9, 5 and 40j .tgjl,
respectively, were recorded. Beryllium, silver, cobalt and
chromium were never detected.
approximately 25
almost three times
B-I 3
-------
BASIN 3
SOUTHEAST
“ L
!ALABAMA
, ‘ COLUMBUS
. IU
MISS SS PP 1
- Jcl URY ATTAHOOC
APALACH/COLA
RO
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ANETT
MHUS 5 ORT WENTWORTH
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POLITICAL BOUNDARY
RIVER bASIN BOUNDARY
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
SAMPLING POINT
Z5 0 00 ?0O
I L --
)00
--
SCAI .L IN
APPENDIX C
BASIN 3- SOUTHEAST
The Southeast Basin comprises approximately 283,000
square miles which drain toward the Atlantic Ocean south of
the Potomac Basin or into the Gulf of Mexico east of the
Mississippi River Delta. Ileadwaters and upper reaches of the
major streams arc in the Appalachians. Lower reaches are in
the Coastal Plain.
There are 1 0 Water Quality Surveillance System stations
Located on seven rivers within this basin. Composite samples
lr m the basin analyzed during the time period involved
totaled 91. All elements included in the spectrographic
program were observed on at least one occasion. Cadmium,
beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were the lesser observed
elements, occurring with a frequency of oniy 1.1%. Only
barium occurred with a frequency of I 00 ; five other
elements were observed at measurable levels in more than
o)4 of all samples. The basin’s mean values for both iron and
aluminum exceeded the national averages by a lactor of two.
All other elements were either equal to, or below, national
averages.
( ‘-I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 3 — SOUTHEAST
No. of Positive Frequency Observed Va1UCS J g/L
ELEMENT Occurrences of Detection, % Mm.
Zinc 88 96.7 4 49S 52
Cadmium 1 1.1 5 5
Arsenic 8 8.8 5 109 35
Boron 86 94.5 6 I 20 29
Phosphorus 47 51.6 4 120 43
Iron 90 98.9 4 660 I 20
Molybdenum 17 18.7 2 15
Manganese 66 72.5 0.4 37.4 2.8
Aluminum 65 71 .4 4 I 050 I I 7
Beryllium 1 1. I 0.05 0.05 o.o
Copper 7 95.() 3 110 14
Silver 5 5.5 0. I 0.7 0.4
Nickel 1 9 20.9 2 I 7 4
Cobalt 1 Ii I I I
Lead Il 12.1 3 2 1 8
Chromium 37 40.7 I 22 4
Vanadium 1 1.1 10 10 10
Barium 91 100 3 340 26
Strontium 90 98.9 7 77 26
C-2
-------
CHATTACHOOCHEE — APALACHICOLA RIVERS
The Chattahoochee River heads in northern Georgia. Its
lower 140 miles form the Georgia-Alabama boundary. A
system of locks and dams regulate the river stages and the
stream is navigable up to Columbus, Georgia. The Chatta-
hoochee joins the Flint River in Lake Seminole behind Jim
Woodruff Dam to form the Apalachicola River which flows
south across Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico.
There are three surveillance stations on this River: at
Atlanta 300 miles above the mouth, at Lanett, Alabama
approximately 100 miles downstream, and at Columbus 35
miles farther downstream.
Some of the largest iron and aluminum concentrations
were found in this river system, usually in the fall and winter
months.
CHAT AHOOCHEE RIVER AT ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Samples are collected from the municipal water treat-
ment plant intake approximately 200 feet upstream from the
junction of Peachtree Creek and the Chattahoochee River.
Morgan Falls’ hudroelectric plant is 10 miles upstream and
Sidney Lanier Reservoir 48 miles upstream from the station.
The City of Atlanta and nearby Cobb, DeKaib, and Gwinnet
Counties utilize the river as their water supply.
The lowest iron concentrations in the Chattahoochee
River system were found at Atlanta. Cadmium, beryllium,
silver, cobalt, lead and vanadium have never been observed at
measurable levels at this station. A single arsenic value of 5
was recorded.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values,J.L
l
— Min.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
100
5
46
19
Boron
10
100
6
75
19
Iron
10
100
4
225
86
Manganese
8
80
0.7
4.1
1.7
Copper
10
100
5
30
12
Barium
10
100
3
56
16
Strontium
10
100
11
40
19
Molybdenum
5
50
3
53
17
Aluminum
8
80
5
405
72
Nickel
6
60
2
17
6
Chromium
8
80
1
18
5
C-3
-------
CHATIAHOOCHEE RIVER AT LANETT, ALABAMA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,p.g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
100
8
459
81
Boron
7
87.5
24
45
34
Iron
8
100
8
174
54
Manganese
4
50
0.8
2.5
1 .4
Copper
8
100
4
11
6
Barium
8
100
10
38
18
Strontium
8
100
7
33
19
Aluminum
5
62.5
19
170
78
Nickel
3
37.5
2
6
3
Chromium
3
37.5
1
12
6
._
—
—
This sampling point is the raw water intake for the West
Point Manufacturing Company near the Georgia-Alabama
State line. The City of Lanett, Alabama receives its water
supply from the same source. Approximately 19 miles
downstream from this station is the dam for Bartletts Ferry
Reservoir constructed by the Georgia Power Company.
Upstream municipal discharges include both raw sewage and
secondary effluent. The cities of Lanett, Alabama and West
Point, Georgia obtain their water supplies from the Chatta-
hoochee in this vicinity.
While the mean iron concentration was somewhat lower
than that observed at Atlanta, the aluminum value remained
unchanged. The higher values were recorded during the fall
and winter months. A single zinc value in excess of 40 0/.Lg/1
was also recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, cobalt
and lead were never detected. Single positive occurrences of
vanadium (10 g/ I) and molybdenum (11 j.tg/ I) were
recorded.
C-4
-------
CHATIAHOOCHEE RIVER AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, Mg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
100
5
154
34
Boron
10
100
17
97
32
lron*
10
100
4
200
66
Manganese
7
70
0.4
6.3
2.6
Copper
10
100
4
44
ii
Barium
10
100
8
69
22
Strontium
10
100
12
30
20
Aluminum
5
50
5
345
96
Chromium
5
50
1
2
1
This sampling point is the Columbus municipal water
treatment plant intake located in Lake Oliver. The intake can
be adjusted from a zero to 40 foot depth in the lake. There
are no significant industrial pollution sources in the area.
Both Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama use the
Chattahoochee River for their drinking water requirements.
Several greater than” values were recorded but are not shown.
iron concentrations at this station varied from 4 to
>360 p g/1. The fall and winter composites were usually
above 100 Mg/i, while spring and summer samples were
below 25 g/l. Aluminum and manganese showed this same
trend; however, manganese concentrations were much lower,
never exceeding 6.3 j. g/I. A single nickel value of 2 g/l and
a lead value of 21 gJi were recorded in addition to elements
shown above. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, cobalt and
vanadium were never detected.
C-5
-------
APALACHICOLA RIVER AT CHATTAHOOCHEE, FLORIDA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Va1ues, gJ I
Mizi
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
4
36
17
Boron
9
100
12
54
27
Iron
9
100
4
170
35
Manganese
3
33.3
0.6
1.0
0.8
Copper
8
88.9
3
44
10
Barium
9
100
11
28
17
Strontium
9
100
12
25
17
Aluminum
6
66.7
6
190
45
Lead
4
44.4
4
12
6
Chromium
3
33.3
3
13
6
This station is located at the intake of the U. S. Corps of
Engineers’ Jim Woodruff Dam on the Georgia-Florida State
line at river mile 108. The river in this area is used principally
for navigation, power and recreation.
Zinc, iron and aluminum concentrations were below
those observed in the Chattahoochee River, the mean values
being below basin averages. In addition to those elements
shown, two positive silver values (0.3 and 0.7 gfl)and two
positive nickel values (2 and 3 .LgJ1) were recorded. Cad-
mium, arsenic, molybdenum, beryllium, cobalt and vanadium
were never detected.
C-6
-------
ROANOKE RIVER AT JOHN KERR DAM, VIRGINIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
0
Mm.
bserved Values, p.g
Max.
/ 1
Mean
Zinc
9
90
4
53
15
Boron
10
100
16
108
38
Iron
10
100
4
182
77
Manganese
7
70
0.4
1.9
1.0
Copper
9
90
6
16
10
Barium
10
100
14
28
21
Strontium
10
100
15
57
33
Molybdenum
4
40
3
17
9
Aluminum
6
60
6
260
97
Chromium
4
40 ‘
2
22
7
The Roanoke River begins on the eastern slope of the
Appalachian Mountains in Virgina and empties into Batchelor
Bay, an arm of Albermarle Sound in North Carolina. Three
impoundments on this river — Kerr Dam, Roanoke Rapids
Dam and Gaston Dam provide flood control and hydro-
electric power. The sampling station on this river is located at
the turbine intake of the Corps of Engineers’ John H. Kerr
Dam which, depending on the reservoir elevations, is from 40
to 80 feet below the reservoir surface. During periods of
summer stratification in
levels are reduced.
Occasional high concentrations of iron and aluminum
were observed; however, the mean values were below basin
averages. Other elements were observed in quite low concen-
trations. Arsenic at 20 and 22 g/ 1, as well as single
occurrences of beryllium at 0.05 g/l, nickel at 5 p g/1 and
lead at 8 p g/ 1 were recorded. Cadmium, silver, cobalt and
vanadium were never detected.
the reservoir, the dissolved oxygen
C-7
-------
SAVANNAH RIVER AT NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values ,p.g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
6
66
20
Boron
8
88.9
12
42
23
Iron
9
100
33
660
269
Manganese
9
100
1.4
6.5
3.1
Copper
9
100
15
41
27
Barium
9
100
9
40
16
Strontium
9
100
14
31
21
Molybdenum
3
33.3
10
50
29
Aluminum
8
88.9
4
1050
349
The Savannah River heads in the Blue Ridge Mountains
of North Carolina. The river forms the boundary between
Georgia and South Carolina. There are extensive reservoir
developments in the headwaters. This sampling point is at the
intake of the North Augusta’s water treatment plant approxi-
mately 20 miles downstream from Clark Hill Dam and
Reservoir and 200 miles above the river’s mouth. The cities
of Augusta, Georgia and North Augusta, South Carolina
utilize Savannah River water for drinking purposes and
discharge wastes (both industrial and municipal) approxi-
mately two miles below the sampling station.
Iron and aluminum levels were consistently high with
iron averaging over 250 g/l and aluminum 350 g/l,
Aluminum was observed on one occasion above 1000 g/ 1.
Cadmium, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium were
never detected at measurable levels; however, single occur-
rences of arsenic, lead and chromium at 14, 5 and 6 1 u.g/3,
respectively, were recorded.
c-R
-------
SAVANNAH RIVER AT PORT WENTWORTH, GEORGIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
.
%
Observed Values, g/l
Mm,
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
90.9
4
44
15
Boron
10
90.9
14
60
26
Iron
II
100
4
483
166
Manganese
9
81.8
0.5
37.4
6.0
Copper
II
100
3
19
10
Barium
11
100
9
35
19
Strontium
11
100
18
43
24
Aluminum
7
63.6
5
118
40
Chromium
3
27.3
3
8
6
Port Wentworth, Georgia is the lower sampling point on
the Savannah River, 22 miles above the river’s outflow to the
Atlantic ocean. The Savannah River plant of the Atomic
Energy Commission lies upstream from this station. Samples
at Port Wcntworth are collected from a U. S. Highway 17
Bridge within the tidal estuary.
Iron concentrations at this station varied from 4 to 483
g/ I, the mean value exceeding both basin and national
averages. Other elements detected were in quite low concen-
trations; cadmium, beryllium and vanadium were never
detected. Positive nickel values of 3 and 4 j. g/ 1 and arsenic of
10 and 1 5 g/ 1 were recorded as were single occurrences of
silver (0.1 g/1), cobalt (1 g/1), lead (3 g/1) and
molybdenum (5 g/1).
C-9
-------
ESCAMBIA RIVER AT CENTURY, FLORIDA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Vahj 1
M n.
Zinc
10
100
6
495
155
Boron
9
90
14
37
23
Iron
10
100
93
405
204
Manganese
9
90
0.6
13.2
3.9
Copper
10
100
3
110
33
Barium
10
100
16
36
22
Strontium
10
100
9
60
25
Aluminum
9
90
16
500
130
Nickel
3
30
4
6
Chromium
4
40
1
6
3
This stream begins in south-central Alabama and flows
southerly across Alabama and the Florida Panhandle to
discharge into Pensacola Bay. Its drainage area lies between
those of the Chattahoochee River to the east and the
Alabama River to the west.
This station is located just below the Florida-Alabama
State line. Samples are collected from State Highway 4
Bridge two miles east of Century. Waters of the Escambia
River downstream from the station in the State of Florida are
used mainly for recreation and industrial cooling purposes.
Upstream industrial discharges include wood Prese atjve
wastes, Kraft paper mill wastes and brine wastes totaling
26,000 Ibs./day of chlorides.
In addition to high levels of zinc, iron and occasional
aluminum, single positive occurrences of cadmium at 5, &’I,
silver at 0.3 g/1 and molybdenum at 9 g/l were recorded.
Two arsenic values of 92 and JO 9 g/l were also detected.
Beryllium, cobalt, lead and vanadium were never observed.
C-b
-------
TOMBIGBEE RIVER BELOW COLUMBUS. MISSISSIPPI
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, p g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
11
471
131
Boron
8
88.9
11
38
23
Iron
9
100
68
330
168
Manganese
8
88.9
0.4
4.0
. 2.0
Copper
9
100
4
15
6
Barium
9
100
20
75
43
Strontium
9
100
33
77
51
Aluminum
7
77.8
10
278
109
Lead
3
33.3
6
13
8
Chromium
5
55.6
1
10
5
The Tombigbee River is a major tributary to the Mobile
River. It begins in Northeast Mississippi and flows south —
southeastward into Alabama. The surveillance system station
is located approximately 11 miles south of Columbus,
Mississippi a few miles from the Mississippi-Alabama State
line. Samples are collected from the bank at Camp Pratt,
YMCA.
In addition to those elements listed above, single
positive occurrences of silver at 0.7j.i.g/ 1 and nickel at 8/Lg/1
were also observed. Zinc, iron and aluminum averages
equalled or exceeded basin values. Cadmium, arsenic, molyb-
denum, beryllium, cobalt, and vanadium were never detected
at this station.
C-Il
-------
COOSA RIVER BELOW ROME, GEORGIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
0
Mm,
bserved Va1ues j g/ 1
Max. Mean
Zinc
4
80
6
60
26
Boron
5
100
22
120
52
Iron
4
80
6
59
24
Manganese
———
- —
Copper
3
60
3
6
5
Barium
5
100
27
340
107
Strontium
4
80 —
24
36
30
This station had been operated for only three years with Cadmium, arsenic, molybdenum, beryllium, silver, nickel
only five composite samples analyzed to the closing date of cobalt, lead and vanadium were never observed. Chromium
the time period involved in this study. Element concentra- was detected on one occasion at 5 p.g/1.
tions were generally below basin and national averages.
C-12
-------
BASIN 4
APPENDIX D
TENNESSEE RIVER
ff
C ’ ‘ KINGSTO, S’LENol Ii 4
\ r ; -, / (‘ N. CA )
M
BASIN 4 — TENNESSEE RIVER
The Tennessee River is formed in eastern Tennessee by
the junction of the Ilolston and French Broad Rivers. The
stream flows southwesterly across the State, westerly across
northern Alabama for about 200 miles, re-enters and flows
northward across Tennessee and the western tip of Kentucky
to enter the Ohio River at Paducah. The total length is 652
miles. Suthice water resources within the 40,910 square-mile
basin have been developed by the Tennessee Valley Author-
ity.
The Tennessee River Basin contains six Water Quality
Surveillance System stations, four of these are on the main
stem at Pickwick Landing, Tennessee; Bridgeport, Alabama;
Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Lenoir City, Tennessee. The
others are on the Clinch River above Kingston, Tennessee and
at (‘linton, Tennessee.
Samples analyzed within this basin during the stated
time interval totaled 68. Boron, barium and strontium were
observed with frequencies of 1 00%. Zinc, iron and copper
were detected 73 to 91% of the time. Chromium and
aluminum were found in 47% of the samples, while lead and
molybdenum were found in approximately 37%. Nickel was
observed on six occasions, ranging from 4 to 6 ig/ 1, while
arsenic and beryllium were found at measurable levels only
once. Cadmium, silver and vanadium were never detected. All
basin averages generally were below national levels.
LEGEND
POLITICAL BOUNDARY
RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY
• SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SAMPLING
POINT
50 25 0 50 100 200 300
SCALE IN M1LES
1)-i
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 4— TENNESSEE RIVER
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed VaIues,p g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
50
73.5
5
172
28
Cadmium
0
0
——
—---
Arsenic
1
1.5
50
50
50
Boron
68
100
1
66
24
Phosphorus
27
39.7
6
120
42
Iron
57
83.8
2
686
37
Molybdenum
26
38.2
3
67
25
Manganese
39
57.4
0.4
11
3.7
Aluminum
32
47.1
3
92
30
Beryllium
1
1.5
0.16
0.16
0.16
Copper
62
91.2
2
33
11
Silver
0
0
——
--—
—_
Nickel
6
8.8
4
6
4
Cobalt
0
0
——
——
Lead
24
35.3
5
38
17
Chromium
32
47.1
2
20
6
Vanadium
0
0
——
—--
——
Barium
68
100
2
52
25
Strontium
68
100
9
118
47
-------
TENNESSEE RIVER AT LENOIR CITY, TENNESSEE
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
80
11
54
32
Boron
10
100
7
30
20
Iron
8
80
4
107
34
Manganese
6
60
0.4
9.0
3.2
Copper
10
100
3
33
17
Barium
10
100
11
52
32
Strontium
10
100
20
88
63
Molybdenum
3
30
6
43
26
Aluminum
7
70
14
60
30
Lead
3
30
22
38
29
Chromium
6
60
3
10
6
This uppermost station is located 600 miles above the
river’s mouth. Samples are collected at the municipal water
treatment plant intake. This station is one mile below, and in
the tailrace of, Ft. Loudon Dam. It is almost directly
opposite the mouth of a major tributary, the Little Tennessee
River, which, however, probably has little influence on the
water characteristics as measured at the sampling point.
The city of Knoxville, Tennessee, 50 miles upstream,
discharges treated municipal wastes. The 45 mile reach of Ft.
Loudon Reservoir modifies these wastes to the extent that no
effect is apparent at Lenoir City. The river sustains extensive
recreational use, with fishing, boating and swimming on Ft.
Loudon Reservoir and excellent seasonal fisheries for sauger,
walleye and white bass in the dam tailwaters.
Average trace element concentrations observed at this
station approximate basin averages. In addition to elements
shown above, a single positive nickel value of 6 g/1 was
recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, cobalt and
vanadium were never detected.
D-3
-------
TENNESSEE RIVER AT CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Va1ues p g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
61.5
9
25
16
Boron
13
100
3
50
21
Iron
12
92.3
2
73
29
Manganese
8
61.5
0.7
9.5
2.7
Copper
10
76.8
3
28
14
Barium
13
100
6
48
23
Strontium
13
100
9
70
38
Aluminum
5
38.4
19
92
37
Lead
3
23.0
10
29
19
Chromium
8
61.5
2
20
8
This sampling station is located 135 miles below Lenoir
City, approximately 465 miles above the river’s mouth.
Samples are collected at the municipal water treatment plant
intake. This station is in the tailwaters of TVA’s Chicka-
mauga Lake, approximately 48 river miles upstream from the
Alabama-Tennessee State line. Hales Bar Dam is located at
river mile 43 1, approximately 34 miles downstream from the
sampling point.
Principal pollution sources above the station are a
chemical plant producing fertilizers, a mineral recovery
operation, and two commercial sand dredging operations
which create occasional turbidity problems. The river serves
as a source of municipal water supply for the city of
Chattanooga. Approximately 40-45 million gallons a day are
used by industry for cooling purposes. There is some
commercial trotline fishing for catfish in the area, and a
considerable amount of bank fishing by local residents.
The average concentrations of the elements observed
generally show a slight reduction from those at Lenoir City.
Beryllium was observed on one occasion at 0.16 j .i .g/1;
cadmium, arsenic, silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium were
never detected.
D-4
-------
TENNESSEE RIVER AT BRIDGEPORT, ALABAMA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.5
6
23
12
Boron
9
100
7
45
24
Iron
9
100
4
52
21
Manganese
3
33.3
0.6
1.9
1.4
Copper
9
100
2
9
4
Barium
9
100
11
36
24
Strontium
9
100
20
118
54
Aluminum
6
66.7
16
53
28
Chromium
3
33.3
3
13
6
This station, 408 miles above the mouth of the
Tennessee River, is located at TVA’s Widows Creek Steam
Plant approximately eight river miles downstream from the
Alabama-Tennessee State line. The river at this point is
impounded by TVA’s Guntersville Dam. The Tennessee River
in this area serves as a source of water supply for Bridgeport,
Alabama and, during the dry season, for South Pittsburg,
Tennessee, and provides cooling water for the steam plant.
The area has high recreational use for fishing, boating and
swimming. Commercial clamming is of considerable import-
ance.
In addition to those elements shown, two positive
occurrences of lead at 11 and 14 g/ 1 and a single
molybdenum value of 12 j. g/1 were recorded. Cadmium,
arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt, and vanadium were
never detected. Seldom did the concentration of any element
exceed the basin average.
D-5
-------
TENNESSEE RIVER AT P ICKWICK LANDING, TENNESSEE
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
5
172
42
Boron
9
100
6
50
25
Iron
8
88.9
5
686
111
Manganese
5
55.5
0.8
4.6
2.0
Copper
9
100
3
9
6
Barium
9
100
10
28
20
Strontium
9
100
13
54
34
Aluminum
4
44.5
4
63
35
Chromium
4
44.5
4
14
8
This station is located 207 miles above the point where
the Tennessee joins the Ohio River. Samples are obtained at
the Pickwick Dam powerhouse approximately eight miles
below the Alabama-Tennessee State line. The penstocks take
water at 30 to 40 foot depths from Pickwick Reservoir. The
river at, and immediately below, this station serves as a
source of water supply for the town of Clifton, Tennessee
and for the Tennessee River Pulp and Paper Company.
Pickwick Lake provides recreation in the form of fishing,
boating, and swimming. The tajiwaters immediately below
Pickwick Dam support a sport fishery for sauger, white bass,
and catfish.
The mean zinc and iron concentrations shown in the
table are influenced by a sample collected during the period
October—December 1962. This 1962 sample contained zinc
at 1 72 p..g/t and iron at 686 .&g/l. Excluding these two values,
the mean values recorded for zinc and iron were 26 and 29
.zg/l, respectively. A single lead value of 9 /.Lg/ I and two
molybdenum occurrences of 3 and 4p g/I were also recorded.
Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and
vanadium were never detected.
D-6
-------
CLINCH RiVER ABOVE KINGSTON, TENNESSEE
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Va1ues, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
14
87.5
7
60
34
Boron
16
100
1
46
24
Iron
14
87.5
4
88
23
Manganese
12
75.0
2.0
10
5.3
Copper
16
100
4
30
15
Barium
16
100
2
47
27
Strontium
16
100
27
87
47
Molybdenum
13
81.3
5
67
31
Aluminum
7
43.7
4
85
25
Nickel
5
31.2
4
5
4
Lead
10
62.5
5
36
15
Chromium
8
50.0
2
11
5
Samples are collected at the intake of the Oak Ridge
Gaseous Diffusion Plant. This station is below TVA’s Melton
Hill Dam (closed in the summer of 1963). Watts Bar
Reservoir, another TVA impoundment, is approximately 50
miles downstream. The river at this point has reversing flows,
depending on the schedule of releases from these two dams.
The principal pollution sources are the city of Oak
Ridge, Tennessee, with secondary treatment, and the Oak
Ridge National Laboratory. Effluents from the Laboratory
are impounded by a dam on White Oak Creek before release
to the Clinch River.
Analyses of 16 samples collected at this station showed
trace element levels to be equal to or below basin figures.
Cadmium, beryllium, silver, cobalt and vanadium were never
detected; however, a single positive arsenic value of 50 g/ I
was recorded in addition to those shown.
D-7
-------
CLINCH RIVER AT CLINTON, TENNESSEE
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ,u.g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
50
10
16
13
Boron
10
100
16
66
33
Iron
5
50
8
52
22
Manganese
5
50
1.0
11
5.2
Copper
7
70
4
17
6
Barium
10
100
19
34
27
Strontium
10
100
31
70
47
Molybdenum
5
50
10
32
20
Aluminum
3
30
3
37
24
Lead
5
50
6
37
18
Chromium
3
30
2
6
4
This is the uppermost station on the Tennessee River point where the Clinch empties into the Tennessee River. The
System, and is in the tailwaters of TVA’s Norris Dam located river serves as a water supply for several small communities in
approximately 10 river miles above the sampling point. The the area, including Clinton and Andersonville, Tennessee.
station lies at about the upper limit of the main arm of the
impoundment created by Melton Hill Dam which was Trace element levels were all quite low, seldom ex-
completed in the early summer of 1963. Samples are ceeding the basin averages. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium,
collected from the intake of the municipal water treatment silver, nickel, cobalt, and vanadium were never detected.
plant located at State Highway 61 Bridge, 68 miles above the
D-8
-------
(.
-
TORONTO
BASIN 5
OHIO RIVER
, ‘c NNS”
II’ - - “ PITTSBURGH
rINlIANA
“1 -’ •
/ Li ‘I
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\ HAkM HUNTINGTON WINFIELD DAM
/ ( ANSVILLE
CAIRO — h K L N I U L KY
T \\‘ LLA1KC VILL
r’ ,--- -•:-
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“ VENNESSLL
rEr /tWESSEEF?
APPENDIX E
BASIN 5 - OHIO RIVER
‘Ihe Ohio River BLI in contains 13 Water uaIlLy
Surveillance System stations. Seven of these are on the main
stein and there is one station each on the Monongahela.
Allegheny, Kanawha, Little Miami, Wabash and Cumberland
Rivers.
Barium, boron and strontium were observed in over 99%
of all samples boron and strontium concentrations were
below national averages. While the mean concentration for
aluminum in this basin exceeded that for iron by a factor of
five, iron was observed in three times a many samples.
Beryllium, nickel and cobalt were observed with a
greater frequency and at higher mean concentrations than
national averages. Molybdenum, manganese and lead mean
concentrations were also above national levels in this basin.
Zinc, cadmium, copper, silver, vanadium and chromium were
observed with about the same frequency and at concentra-
tions approximately equalling the national levels.
SCALE IN MILES
‘ 6END
POLITICAL BOUNDARY
- RIVER BASIN fiI)UNDARY
• S PVI ILLANCF SYSTEM SAMPLING
PONT
5) ‘ 0 50 ‘00 20(1 300
1—I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 5- OHIO RIVER
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Observed Values,j . g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Cadmium
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
198
7
20
240
118
166
68
142
52
34
175
13
61
24
45
57
9
242
242
Frequency
of Detection, %
81.8
2.9
8.3
99.2
48.8
68.6
28.1
58.7
21.5
14.1
72.3
5.4
25.1
9.9
18.6
23.6
3.7
100
100
3
2
26
8
1
6
0.4
7
0.05
2
0.4
2
3
10
1
2
4
43
787
11
128
752
725
223
473
3230
1430
1.22
280
8.2
114
48
140
36
54
195
520
81
7
66
67
130
28
70
232
141
0.28
23
2.1
31
19
30
7
22
43
130
E-2
-------
ALLEGHENY RIVER AT PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values, p.g/ I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
28
75.7
7
114
42
Boron
37
100
15
220
50
Iron
25
67.6
4
60
23
Manganese
22
59.5
1
3230
537
Copper
15
40.5
2
133
15
Barium
37
100
7
170
37
Strontium
37
100
44
220
95
Cadmium
3
8.1
2
11
7
Molybdenum
12
32.4
20
140
68
Beryllium
10
27.0
0.05
0.42
0.15
Nickel
15
40.5
8
86
37
Cobalt
8
21.6
3
48
18
Lead
5
13.5
10
33
18
Chromium
7
18.9
1
8
4
Arsenic
6
16.2
42
95
70
The Allegheny River begins in north-central Pennsyl-
vania, flows into New York, re-enters Pennsylvania, and flows
soutward to Pittsburgh. Oilfield brines, acid mine drainage,
and mill wastes drain or are discharged to the headwaters of
the Allegheny and its tributary the Kiskiminetas River.
Samples are collected from the intake of the Pittsburgh
filtration plant located near the mouth of the Allegheny
River. Water quality at this station is affected by discharges
from industries including steel, fabricated steel products,
clay, glass, paper, petroleum, food products and stone
products.
Aluminum and vanadium were observed at this station
on only two occasions. Silver was observed at 2 p.i.g/1 in one
sample; however, other “lesser seen elements” such as
cadmium, cobalt and beryllium were observed with a much
greater frequency as shown in the table. Arsenic was also
frequently observed.
E-3
-------
MONONGAHELA RIVER AT PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values,p .g/ I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
35
97.2
20
787
212
Boron
36
100
13
430
89
Iron
29
80.6
7
183
41
Manganese
30
83.3
6.6
2150
632
Copper
32
88.9
3
280
66
Barium
36
100
6
65
30
Strontium
36
100
55
520
160
Molybdenum
13
36.1
29
294
103
Aluminum
20
55.6
13
1430
300
Beryllium
23
63.9
0.07
1.22
0.34
Silver
3
8.3
1.1
4.0
2.7
Nickel
29
80.6
10
86
35
Cobalt
15
41.7
7
34
19
Lead
3
8.3
23
36
29
Chromium
6
16.7
3
36
11
The Monongahela River heads in northern West Virginia,
and flows north to Pittsburgh. Both the Monongahela and its
principle tributary, the Youghiogheny, are polluted by acid
mine drainage so that pH values below 3.0 have been observed.
Samples are collected from the Hayes Mine Filter Plant
intake about three miles from the mouth of the Monongahela
River. This river is navigable for its entire length and receives
large quantities of industrial wastes in its lower reaches. The
industry products include steel, coal, glass and clay items and
fabricated steel items. The Monongahela and Youghiogheny
Rivers are interstate streams involving Maryland, West
Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
As in the Allegheny, the “lesser seen elements” were
observed with greater frequency, probably due to acid-mine
drainage and mill wastes. A single cadmium value of 7 g/ I
and an arsenic value of 86 g/ I were also recorded.
E-4
-------
THE OHIO RIVER
The Ohio River is formed by the junction of the
Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers at Pittsburgh, Pennsyl-
vania, and flows southwesterly to its confluence with the
Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois. Surveillance stations are
located at Toronto, Addison (near Gallipolis), Huntington,
Cincinnati, Louisville, Evansville, and Cairo.
The average annual discharge of over 260,000 cubic feet
per second makes the Ohio the largest single tributary to the
Mississippi River. Navigation is maintained by a series of
dams and locks throughout the Ohio and on the Mononga-
hela and Allegheny Rivers.
The Ohio starts out as an acid stream with low pH
values because of the acid mine drainage from the
Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. Municipal and industrial
wastes from Pittsburgh and the basic steel industries and
additional acid mine drainage are discharged to the upper
reach of the river. By the time the Ohio has reached Addison,
Ohio, it has established itself as a more typical alkaline
stream.
Within the stated time period, 104 samples from the
Ohio River were analyzed. Boron, barium and strontium were
found in over 95% of the samples. Barium concentrations
remained very constant over the length of the river, ranging
from 28 g/l at Toronto to 41 p g/l at Cairo. Strontium
varied slightly, increasing from 105 p .g/ 1 at Toronto at 155
p g/l at Cincinnati, Louisville and Evansville and then
receding to 103 J.Lg/ 1 at Cairo.
Zinc was found in over 70% of the samples, ranging
from 18 g/ I at Cairo to 117 p .gJ 1 at Toronto. Iron also
showed a decreasing trend, dropping from 44 g/l at
Toronto to 27 g/ 1 at Cairo.
Below Cincinnati, manganese was detected in 30% of
the samples with a mean of 3 pg/ 1. Above Cincinnati, the
occurrence ranged from 44-86% with a mean of 68 g/ 1 at
Toronto, 36 g/ 1 at Addison, and 32 g/ 1 at Cincinnati. This
large fluctuation in manganese is due to slug concentrations
at various times.
Copper was found in 57% of the samples at Toronto and
Addison with a mean of 9 ,hg/ 1. This mean value remained
the same at Huntington; however, the frequency increased by
over 20%. The mean copper value at Cincinnati increased by
a factor of 5 to 53 p .g/ I but decreased to 10 g/ 1 at the three
lowermost stations.
Lead and molybdenum were occasionally detected. The
highest frequency (40%) for molybdenum occurred at
Louisville and Evansville. The highest frequency for lead was
recorded below Addison (34%); however, the mean was
higher at Huntington (56p g/1).
All elements included in the spectrographic program
were detected at least once in the Ohio River.
E-5
-------
OHIO RIVER AT TORONTO, OHIO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Va1ues, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
7
7
6
6
4
7
7
100
100
85.7
85.7
57.1
100
100
43
25
11
2.7
3
8
46
282
170
102
376
15
56
210
117
84
44
68
10
28
105
This is the uppermost surveillance station on the Ohio
River. It is located on the west bank approximately 1 9 miles
downstream from the Pennsylvania-West Virginia-Ohio State
line. Samples are collected from the raw water intake of the
Toronto water treatment plant. The Pittsburgh—Toronto
reach of the Ohio River is heavily industrialized principally
with steel and fabricated steel products mills. There is some
acid mine drainage in the area.
The high zinc concentrations observed at this station
were most probably due to the Monongehela River. Barium
levels showed no change, while strontium appeared to be an
average of the levels observed in the Allegheny and the
Monongahela. The “lesser seen elements” observed at the two
Pittsburgh stations are either absent or below the detection
limits at this station. Except for the composite of January 1
— March 31, 1966, the mean manganese concentration was
5.9 p.g/l. This particular composite contained manganese at
376 p g/1. An aluminum value of 348 g/l was recorded in
this same composite as were the highest zinc (282 p g/1) and
the only positive beryllium (0.22 j.tg/1), nickel (19.tg/1) and
vanadium (38 g/1) values. In general, much of the trace
metal pollution observed at Pittsburgh had disappeared or at
least was detected at very low levels at the Toronto station.
E-6
-------
OHIO RIVER BELOW ADDISON, OHIO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, p g/ 1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
23
71.9
8
75
26
Boron
32
100
18
752
106
Iron
17
53.1
5
113
23
Manganense
14
43.8
0.9
180
36
Copper
18
56.3
3
31
8
Barium
32
100
9
96
42
Strontium
32
100
64
280
131
Molybdenum
9
28.1
14
473
88
Aluminum
3
9.4
10
50
28
Lead
11
34.4
12
48
23
Chromium
8
25
3
9
6
Addison, Ohio is approximately 200 river miles below
Toronto. This sampling point is at the intake of the Kyger
Creek station of the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation,
approximately four miles upstream from the mouth of the
Kanawha River, and 18 miles above Gallipolis Lock and Dam.
There is a complex of chemical, steel, pharmaceutical and
other industries in the Wheeling, Moundsville, and
Parkersburg, West Virginia, areas at distances of 80 to 170
miles upstream from the sampling point.
At Addison the mean zinc concentration had decreased
to one-fourth the level observed at Toronto. Iron had also
decreased. Again, except for several slugs of manganese (165
and 180 /Lg/ 1), the mean concentration of iron would have
been only 13.5. Cadmium, beryllium, silver and cobalt were
never observed at measurable levels. Single occurrences of
arsenic (75p.gJl), nickel (16 g/l), and vanadium (13j.tg/1)
were recorded. Lead and chromium, undetected at Toronto,
were again at measurable levels in over 25% of the samples
taken at Addison.
E-7
-------
OHIO RIVER AT HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
16
19
13
13
16
20
20
4
3
4
Frequency
Of Detection, %
80
95
65
65
80
100
100
20
15
20
7
4
1.0
2
4
62
10
28
2
Observed_Values, p g/ 1
Max.
118
164
31
32
35
101
250
83
91
12
Mean
37
61
14
5.8
10
37
123
48
56
5
Approximately 45 miles downstream from Addison,
samples are collected at the intake of the Huntington water
treatment plant on the south bank of the Ohio River. It is
approximately 38 miles below the confluence of the
Kanawha and Ohio Rivers. The river in this reach is
impounded by GreefluP Lock and Dam approximately 36
miles downstream. Industrial discharges, particularly from
the Charleston, West Virginia area on the Kanawha River,
affect water quality at this station. The nearest significant
municipal discharge is 34 miles upstream at Gallipolis, Ohio
where primary treatment plant effluent is discharged. The
cities of Ironton, Ohio, Ashland, Kentucky and Huntington,
West Virginia use the Ohio River as a source of Water supplY.
While the frequency of lead observations was only half
that at Addison, the mean concentration had more than
doubled at Huntington. Boron, iron, manganese and molyb-
denum had all decreased, while chromium, barium and
strontium remained about the same. Except for two values
above 100 g/ 1, the mean zinc concentration also remained
unchanged. In addition to those elements shown in the table,
single occurrences of nickel (33p.g/1), cobalt (36 g/1) and
vanadium (2 j. g/l) were recorded. Observed on two occasions
each were cadmium (2 and 9 g/l), aluminum (7 and 35 j. g/I)
and silver (1.0 and 8.2 g/l). Three positive arsenic concen-
trations ranging from 33 to 70 .zg/l were also noted.
No. of Positive
ELEMENT Occurrences
Mm.
Strontium
Molybdenum
Lead
Chromium
E-8
-------
OHIO RWER AT CINCINNATI, OHIO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g Ag/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88.9
10
72
36
Boron
9
100
23
194
83
Iron
7
77.8
4
44
21
Manganese
7
77.8
2.9
461
73
Copper
9
100
6
117
53
Barium
9
100
10
76
41
Strontium
9
100
80
216
155
Samples are taken from the municipal water treatment
plant intake located approximately one-half mile upstream
from the mouth of the Little Miami River. The Corps of
Engineers’ Markiand Lock and Dam, constructed 72 miles
downstream in June 1963, increased the normal pool
elevation at this station by approximately 10 feet. This
section of the Ohio River supports extensive recreational use,
primarily boating and water skiing, plus limited sport fishing.
There are no significant sources of municipal or industrial
pollution between Cincinnati and the nearest upstream
surveillance station at Huntington, West Virginia, approxi-
mately 160 miles distant.
While boron showed a slight increase in concentration
from that observed at Huntington, zinc, iron, barium and
strontium remained at about the same levels. A single slug of
manganese was again responsible for the larger mean value for
manganese. Excluding this slug value of 461 pg/ 1, the mean
would be 8.1 gAg/i. In addition to the elements shown above,
single positive occurrences of molybdenum (52 gAg/I),
aluminum (20 gAg/i), nickel (2 pig/I) and lead (26 gAg/l) were
recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, cobalt,
chromium and vanadium were never recorded.
E-9
-------
OHIO RIVER AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
70
3
63
23
Boron
10
100
33
122
64
Iron
8
80
6
170
50
Manganese
3
30
1.8
5.7
3.5
Copper
7
70
2
27
10
Barium
10
100
22
179
58
Strontium
10
100
96
224
154
Molybdenum
4
40
9
51
34
Samples are collected at Louisville’s municipal water
plant intake five miles upstream from McAlpin Lock and
Dam, approximately 138 miles downstream from the
Cincinnati station. The Ohio River in this area sustains high
recreational use for boating, water skiing and fishing. Barge
traffic is heavy. The nearest significant waste discharges are
the three Cincinnati primary treatment plants.
The mean zinc, barium and strontium concentrations at
this station remained essentially unchanged from those
observed upstream at Cincinnati. Boron and manganese
decreased slightly while iron had doubled. Two occurrences
each of lead (15 and 45 g.tg/l) and chromium (9 and 28 g/l)
were recorded as were single aluminum (17 .ig/1) and nickel
(26 1 1g/1) values. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, cobalt
and vanadium were not detected at any time.
E- 10
-------
OHIO RIVER AT EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
77.8
10
390
82
Boron
9
100
36
172
78
Iron
7
77.8
5
81
23
Manganese
3
33.3
1.5
6.0
3.1
Copper
9
100
4
22
11
Barium
9
100
17
121
58
Strontium
9
100
91
263
157
Molybdenum
4
44.4
13
80
42
This sampling point is located at the intake of the
Evansville Waterworks Department. Uniontown Lock and
Dam, authorized for construction by the Corps of Engineers
approximately 50 miles below this station, will raise the
normal pool elevation at Evansville about three feet. There
are no significant industrial discharges above this station. In
the reach of river between Evansville and the next upstream
surveillance station at Louisville, Kentucky, 180 miles
distant, there are three major municipal discharges of primary
effluent to the river.
Boron, manganese, copper, barium, strontium and
molybdenum levels remained unchanged from levels observed
at Louisville in this stretch of the river. Iron had decreased to
the level shown at the Cincinnati station. The mean zinc
concentration had increased by a factor of 3.5 due to a value
of 390 zg/l observed in the July 1 — September 30, 1964
composite. Excluding this high value, the mean would be 32
j.Lg/I. Other observations include two aluminum values of 9
and 16 g/l, two lead values of 15 and 140 pg/l and two
chromium values of 17 and 22 j1g/1. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium were never
detected.
E- 11
-------
OHIO RIVER AT CAIRO, ILLINOIS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
19
70.4
3
65
18
Boron
26
96.3
17
100
43
Iron
15
55.6
6
107
27
Manganese
9
33.3
0.4
8.1
2.9
Copper
27
100
3
21
9
Barium
27
100
21
105
41
Strontium
27
100
59
245
103
Molybdenum
7
25.9
6
122
36
Aluminum
6
22.2
13
47
27
Lead
5
18.5
10
27
13
Chromium
8
29.0
2
13
7
Samples are taken from the Cairo municipal water
treatment plant intake three miles above the Ohio’s entry to
the Mississippi. Between Cairo and the next upstream station
at Evansville, Indiana, 190 miles away, municipal wastes from
several cities, industrial wastes from refineries and canneries,
and coal mine drainage are discharged to the river. All of the
cities either have or soon will have built sewage treatment
plants.
Zinc, boron, barium and strontium at this station all
showed reductions from the mean concentrations observed at
Evansville. Iron, manganese, copper and molybdenum re-
mained unchanged. Lead and chromium were observed
infrequently, while cadmium, beryllium and cobalt were
never detected. Arsenic was detected on four occasions,
ranging from 30 to 1 28 pg/I. Two positive silver values of 1.0
and 2.0 g/l as well as single nickel (20 g/1) and vanadium
(29 pg/I) values were recorded.
E-12
-------
KANAWHA RIVER AT WINFIELD DAM, WEST VIRGINIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ,.Lg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
31
100
5
383
115
Boron
31
100
7
154
36
Iron
20
64.5
1
35
11
Manganese
22
71.0
0.8
115
27.4
Copper
22
71.0
5
16
8
Barium
31
100
8
195
70
Strontium
31
100
47
368
144
Aluminum
7
22.6
24
56
36
Silver
4
12.9
0.4
3.0
1.2
Nickel
9
29.0
3
23
10
Chromium
10
32.3
4
18
8
Vanadium
3
9.7
16
54
35
The Kanawha River drains the central western half of
lower West Virginia and enters the Ohio at Point Pleasant,
Ohio. In the Charleston area, waste discharges from a large
chemical industry complex results in organic, inorganic and
thermal pollution. Samples are collected at the turbine intake
of Winfield Dam Power Plant approximately 25 miles below
Charleston.
Zinc, manganese, barium and strontium concentrations
varied considerably at this station. Cadmium, beryllium, and
cobalt were never detected at measurable levels. Two
instances of molybdenum at 19 and 20 .tgf1 and four arsenic
values ranging from 26 to 70 .tgf 1 were recorded within the
time interval involved.
E-13
-------
LITFLE MIAMI RIVER AT CINCINNATI, OHIO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean —
Zinc
7
77.8
3
33
18
Boron
9
100
30
203
75
Iron
6
66.7
10
223
90
Manganese
7
77.8
1.3
11.9
6.6
Copper
6
66.7
3
14
8
Barium
9
100
33
58
47
Strontium
9
100
1 29
245
1 78
Molybdenum
6
66.7
45
144
82
Lead
3
33.3
19
68
46
Chromium
3
33.3
3
10
7
Samples are collected from State Highway 1 25 Bridge at
Beechmont levee, two miles above the Little Miami’s con-
fluence with the Ohio. This station has a dual purpose. It
monitors pollution in the Little Miami, and doubles as the
surveillance system’s Field Test Station for the evaluation of
equipment and instrumentation.
This reach of the Little Miami River is affected by
discharges of raw domestic sewage with quantities of floating
solids in the Clough Creek tributary. The confluence of the
two streams is downstream from the station but backwater
from the Ohio occasionally forces some of the sewage
upstream to the vicinity of the surveillance station.
Three high iron values of 181, 223 and 94 j . g/l were
responsible for the mean value of 90 tg/l which exceeds the
basin level by a factor of 3. Molybdenum was observed more
frequently in this stream, ranging from 45 to 144 g2g/I.
Copper levels were well below the basin average, while
strontium ran somewhat higher. Cadmium, beryllium, silver,
nickel, cobalt and vanadium were never detected. Arsenic (90
zg/l) and aluminum (18 .tg/l) were observed on one occasion.
E- 14
-------
WABASH RIVER AT NEW HARMONY, II DIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, zg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
14
158
51
Boron
9
100
49
99
72
Iron
7
77.8
15
57
27
Manganese
3
33.3
4.6
12.0
7.1
Copper
4
44.4
6
124
39
Barium
9
100
21
51
42
Strontium
9
100
100
228
133
Molybdenum
5
55.6
60
136
84
Aluminum
3
33.3
11
95
48
Lead
4
44.4
15
57
35
The Wabash River heads in western Ohio, flows westerly
across northern Indiana, turns southward, and becomes the
Indiana-Illinois boundary from near Terre Haute, Indiana to
its junction with the Ohio River, approximately 30 miles
below Evansville, Indiana. Samples are collected at Pier C of
U. S. Highway 460 bridge. This station is located on the
Indiana State line approximately 52 miles above the con-
fluence of the Ohio and Wabash Rivers.
Between New Harmony and Clinton, Indiana, the latter
located about 1 5 miles north of Terre Haute, the Wabash
River receives wastes, after primary treatment, from eight
municipalities. Pollution comes also from a complex of
industries including chemical, meat packing, paper, wood
treatment and food processing plants.
Boron, barium and strontium were observed in all
samples at concentrations approximating basin averages. Zinc
and copper were infrequently found, with single values of
each responsibile for higher mean values. These high valUes
were observed in the October 1 — December 31, 1962
composite and were as follows: zinc 158 g/1, copper 124
pg/i, nickel 114 pg/i, and lead 57 pg/i. Arsenic, beryllium,
cobalt and vanadium were never detected. Cadmium at 8 pg/i
and silver at 0.9 pg/l were recorded as were two chromium
values of 4 and 12 pg/i.
E- 15
-------
CUMBERLAND RIVER AT CHEATHAM LOCK
The Cumberland River heads in the Appalachian Moun-
tains of southern Kentucky and central Tennessee, and enters
the Ohio River several miles above the confluence of the
Tennessee and the Ohio. The Cumberland’s extensive lock,
dam, and reservoir system influences its flow. Samples are
collected at Cheatham Lock approximately 22 miles up-
stream from the Clarksville, Tennessee municipal treatment
plant.
The city of Nashville discharges municipal wastes, of
which about half receives secondary treatment, into the river
about 20 miles upstream. Recreational use of the rvef
includes boating and commercial and sport fishing. The river
is also important for commercial clamming. Barge navigation
is an additional use of the river.
Only six samples were analyzed from the Cheatham
Lock station during the period July 1964 — September 30,
1967. Most of those trace elements occurring at measurable
levels were below the basin as well as the national y TageS.
Cadmium, arsenic, molybdenum, beryllium, silver, nickel,
cobalt and vanadium were not detected.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Lead
Chromium
Mm
Observed Values, 11g/l
5
6
6
3
6
6
6
4
4
Max.
•Mean
83.3
100
100
50
100
100
100
66.7
66.7
8
20
5
2.4
5
19
43
12
4
29
49
44
3.0
7
23
68
40
10
15
35
16
2.6
5
21
52
22
6
E- 16
-------
APPENDIX F
BASIN 6 LAKE ERIE
The Lake Erie Basin includes about 1 4,065 square mi1e .
of which II ,660 are in northern Ohio and the remainder in
Michigan. Indiana. and Pennsylvania. Three major rivers
empty into Lake Erie two of these, the Maumee and
Cuyahoga. are included in the Water Quality Surveillance
System.
Within the basin are a number of hc nily
cities, a highly developed agricultural activity
upon vineyards and orchards, a commercial
numerous lakeshore recreatiotial developments.
The Maumee River at Toledo has relatively high summer
temperatures. high levels of dissolved phosphate and hard
water, all of which favor a rich and diverse plankton flora. In
contrast. the water of the ( T uyahoga River at Cleveland
supports very low plankton populations. This may be due to
low phosphate levels although zinc is often present at this
station in concentrations known to inhibit algal growth.
The high zinc concentration in tile Cuyahoga resulted in
a large mean value for the Lake Erie basin. The same was true
for boron and manganese. Strontium generally was observed
at higher levels in the Maumee. The Lake Erie basin had a
higher frequency of detection as well as a higher mean nickel
value than the national averages. Again, this was a result of
the nickel observed in the Cuyahoga.
BASIN 6
LAKE ERIE
TOLED0 ’ ’
1O, Y4HOGA RIVER
MAUMEE RIVER
LEGEND
— —- POLITICAL BOUNDARY
RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SAMPLING POINT
50 25 0 50 00 200 300
-4
SCALE IN MILES
md ustrialized
based largely
fishery. and
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 6— LAKE ERIE
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ,.Lg/l
Mm.
— Max.
Mean
Zinc
Cadmium
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
41
4
2
47
25
31
13
29
10
3
26
3
25
2
13
11
2
47
47
87.3
8.5
4.3
100
53.2
66.0
27.7
61.7
21.3
6.4
50.4
6.4
53.2
4.3
27.7
23.4
4.3
100
100
10
6
281
28
16
6
21
1.6
18
0.16
5
1.1
9
20
16
6
45
10
82
1183
120
336
700
350
312
108
900
138
0.19
39
9.0
130
46
90
25
63
140
960
205
50
308
210
153
35
68
138
56
0.17
11
5,3
56
33
39
12
54
42
260
F-2
-------
CUYAHOGA RIVER AT CLEVELAND, OHIO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
23
100
44
1
183
341
Boron
23
100
129
700
329
Iron
13
56.5
6
312
51
Manganese
16
69.5
4.5
900
244
Copper
7
30.4
6
33
14
Banum
23
100
10
140
50
Strontium
23
100
82
372
171
Cadmium
3
13.0
6
120
64
Aluminum
3
13.0
18
38
26
Nickel
17
74.0
15
130
71
Lead
4
17.4
26
88
47
Chromium
4
17.4
8
25
14
This station is approximately one mile above the point
where the Cuyahoga River flows into the eastern end of Lake
Erie. Samples are collected from the bridge tender’s tower at
Center Street Bridge. The cities of Akron and Cleveland
discharge secondary sewage treatment plant effluents to the
Cuyahoga. Cleveland’s complex of chemical, automobile
manufacture, paper and meat packing industries also dis-
charges wastes into the river. The principal agricultural
activity in the watershed is dairy farming. Lake Erie is the
water supply for the City of Cleveland, whose municipal
system serves a population of 1,600,000.
Zinc, boron, barium and strontium were found in all
samples. Nickel was present in almost three-fourths of the
samples, and iron and manganese were also frequently found.
Arsenic, silver and vanadium were not observed; however,
two instances each of molybdenum (24 and 30 1g/l);
beryllium (0.16 and 0.16 g/l) and cobalt (20 and 46j . g/l)
were recorded.
F-3
-------
MAUMEE RIVER AT TOLEDO, OHIO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive -
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
18
75.0
10
96
31
Boron
24
100
28
245
95
Iron
18
75.0
9
56
23
Manganese
13
54.2
1.6
16
7.0
Copper
19
79.2
5
39
10
Barium
24
100
22
56
35
Strontium
Molybdenum
24
100
45.8
163
21
960
108
346
76
11
Aluminum
7
29.1
25
138
69
Silver
3
12.5
1.1
9.0
5.3
Nickel
8
33.3
9
58
24
Lead
9
37.5
16
90
36
Chromium
7
29.1
6
15
11
This station is located at the mouth of the Maumee
River where it empties into Lake Erie. Samples are collected
at the No. 2 slip of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad coal
docks. A complex of oil refining, glass, steel, chemical, meat
packing and brewery industries in the Toledo area discharges
wastes directly into the Maumee River. Also, 1 2 major
municipalities in the Maumee River basin discharge secondary
effluents from their treatment plants.
Boron, barium and strontium were found in all samples,
while zinc, iron and copper were found in 75%. Manganese
and molybdenum were also quite regular 45 to 55% of the
time. Aluminum, nickel, lead and chromium were slightly less
frequent. Cobalt was never detected; however, two arsenic
(281 and 336 g/1), two vanadium (45 and 63 g/l) and single
cadmium (9 g/l) and beryllium (0.19 j .igfI) values were
recorded.
F-4
-------
BASIN 7
UPPER MISSISSIPPI
‘ Z AUDETTE, ,\ J TERNAT NAL FALLS
R4/ y -
GRAND FuRKS , . /
‘ / \
MINNESOTA (
/ ‘S
S . — 5— ‘ 5S
5 . - ’ 1 cp
‘S 0
ST. PAUL /
PEORIAJ
Is
APPENDIX G
BASIN 7 — UPPER MISSISSIPPi
Portions of eight states lie within the Upper Mississippi
Basin. For convenience of reference, this basin is considered
to include the basins of the Red River of the North and the
Rainy River which flow into Canada, in addition to the
Mississippi River and its tributaries from its origin to the
confluence of the Ohio River. Ten sampling points arc
maintained in this basin, one on the Red River. two each on
the Rainy and Illinois Rivers, arid five on the Mississippi.
01 those elements included in the dircct -readiiig pro-
grain, only barium and strontium occurred with a frequency
of I 00 within this basin. Boron was ne\t at , followed
by copper and iron, each at 80%. Zinc, molybdenum and
manganese were detected in 70, 9 and 62 . respectively, of
all samples. Al urni n urn, nickel and chrorniu iii were found at
measurable levels in less than and cadmium, cobalt and
vanadium in less than % . Beryllium was never detected.
Molybdenum was found more often in this basin than in any
other. Concentrations ranged from 4 to 360 jig/I. with a
mean value of 88 gig/I.
0 WA
—. —.
ILLINOIS
J 5 ;T
L (61
POLiTICAL BOUNDARY
-- RIVER BAS N ALUN:.ARY
• SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SAMPLING
POINT
Sc. 0 cc 2
SCALE N MI t ES
CAPE GIRADEAU
( - I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 7 — UPPER MISSISSIPPI
No. of Positive Frequency Observed Values, j. g/1
ELEMENT Occurrences of Detection, % Mm. Max. Mean
Zinc 79 70.5 3 380 45
Cadmium 2 1.8 4 8 6
Arsenic 8 7.1 16 210 69
Boron 110 98.2 6 626 105
Phosphorus 87 77.7 9 1750 243
Iron 90 80.4 7 363 35
Molybdenum 77 68.8 4 360 88
Manganese 69 61.6 0.5 257 9.8
Aluminum 22 19.6 2 130 18
Beryllium 0 0
Copper 90 80.4 2 112 14
Silver 6 5.4 0.9 6.0 3.4
Nickel 17 15.2 1 42 15
Cobalt 1 0.9 18
Lead 27 24.1 5 119 33
Chromium 20 17.9 1 20 7
Vanadium 1 0.9 20
Barium 112 100 6 110 39
Strontium 112 1 00 7 310 105
G-2
-------
RED RIVER (NORTH) AT GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
80
13
50
37
Boron
9
90
58
190
114
Iron
7
70
10
45
22
Manganese
7
70
6.8
20
11.8
Copper
5
50
ii
20
13
Barium
10
10
24
80
61
Strontium
10
10
113
192
155
Molybdenum
9
90
63
360
210
Lead
4
40
21
100
52
The Red River of the North is formed at Wahpeton,
North Dakota, by the junction of the Bois des Sioux and
Otter Tail Rivers, and flows north into Canada where it
discharges into Lake Winnipeg. The United States portion of
the drainage basin covers about 34,300 square miles. The Red
River is used for municipal water supplies and waste disposal.
Samples are collected from the intake of the Grand Forks
municipal water treatment plant. The river is shallow and
slow moving, with considerable peat bog drainage upstream
from the station.
Fargo, North Dakota, approximately 80 miles upstream,
discharges primary sewage treatment plant effluent. Also,
industrial wastes are discharged to the Red River of the
North from sugar beet and potato processing plants. Agricul-
tural activity in the watershed consists primarily of small
grain crops, potatoes and livestock.
Molybdenum occurred at this station with the greatest
frequency of detection of any station in the nation. The
mean concentration was four times as high as national levels
and almost three times the basin level. Zinc, iron, manganese
and copper were usually all quite low. Arsenic, beryllium,
nickel, cobalt and chromium were never detected. Single
observations of cadmium (4 .ig/1) and aluminum (32 j.Lg/l), as
well as two of silver (2.4 and 3.0 Wl) were recorded.
G-3
-------
RAINY RIVER AT INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MINNESOTA
The Rainy River flows a distance of approximately 75
miles from Rainy Lake to Lake-of-the-Woods, and forms the
international border between Ontario and Minnesota. The
International Falls station is located a short distance down-
stream from the outlet of Rainy Lake. Samples are collected
at the pump house intake of the Minnesota and Ontario
Paper Company. This plant also provides municipal water
supplies to the city of International Falls. The river is little
used for recreation from International Falls to Baudette,
Minnesota, the next downstream sampling station.
Boron concentrations at this station were considerably
below basin and national averages. Molybdenum was also
quite low. Cadmium, beryllium, silver, cobalt and vanadium
were never detected. Arsenic was found on two occasions at
16 and 20 .ig/l. Figures for other elements are given in the
table.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Mm.
Observed Values, i.i /J
Max.
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Molybdenum
Aluminum
Nickel
Lead
Chromium
Mean
10
10
10
8
9
10
10
5
7
3
4
5
100
100
100
80
90
100
100
50
70
30
40
50
22
9
8
0.5
5
6
7
4
3
5
135
34
63
2.2
20
27
21
11
23
3
16
5
84
15
29
1.0
11
14
14
7
I I
2
9
2
G-4
-------
RAINY RIVER AT BAUDEUE, MINNESOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, 1g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
100
19
380
96
Boron
10
100
6
626
80
Iron
10
100
28
118
51
Manganese
9
90
0.6
257
30
Copper
10
100
7
112
23
Barium
10
100
8
75
21
Strontium
10
100
12
95
30
Molybdenum
6
60
6
57
25
Aluminum
7
70
2
33
12
Nickel
4
40
2
42
13
Lead
3
30
5
15
11
Chromium
4
40
1
20
7
Samples at this station are collected from the intake of
the Baudette municipal power plant. The Rainy River forms
the boundary between central Minnesota and Ontario, and
the station is approximately 19 miles above the point where
Rainy River turns north and empties into Lake-of-the-Woods.
Both the river and the lake sustain considerable recreational
fishing and boating in the vicinity of this station. Pulp and
paper mill wastes and treated municipal wastes are discharged
to the river in the International Fails-Fort Frances area,
approximately 75 miles upstream. Peat bog drainage from
tributaries causes high color readings at this station.
All elements listed above showed increases over those
observed at International Falls. The boron concentration of
the April 1 — July 30, 1967 composite results in an unusually
high mean value of 80 j.ig/l. Zinc, boron, iron, copper, barium
and strontium were observed in all samples; cadmium,
beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were never detected. Silver
was detected once only at 0.9 ,1g/l and arsenic three times at
19, 24 and 46 pg/I during the period of record.
G-5
-------
ILLINOIS RIVER AT PEORIA, ILLINOIS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
15
55.6
10
66
31
Boron
27
100
67
320
192
Iron
17
63.0
8
41
21
Manganese
14
51.9
0.8
26
9.1
Copper
19
70.4
4
44
14
Barium
27
100
9
55
30
Strontium
27
100
97
310
178
Molybdenum
17
63.0
40
230
110
Nickel
9
33.3
4
40
20
Lead
6
22.2
20
53
29
Phosphorus
25
92.6
110
1026
492
The Illinois River basin covers 26,800 square miles,
mostly in Illinois. The entire river is navigable so that water
transportation is possible between the Great Lakes and the
Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois River joins the Mississippi River
near Grafton, Ill. The terrain ranges from rolling to flat and
the soil type is glacial drift.
This station is located approximately halfway between
Chicago and the point where the Illinois River empties into
the Mississippi River. Samples are taken from the Peoria
municipal water plant intake. Municipal and industrial
discharges from the Chicago metropolitan area are diverted,
with dilution water from Lake Michigan, through the Chicago
Sanitary and Ship Canal System to the Illinois River. Thus, a
major portion of flow in the upper reach of the Illinois River
is secondary sewage treatment plant effluent from Chicago.
The waste loadings on this river are reflected in phosphorus
concentrations which are among the highest observed
throughout the surveillance system, ranging from 0.1 to I
mg/l.
A total of 27 samples from this station were analyzed.
Mean values for boron and molybdenum exceeded both basin
and national 1evels zinc, iron and manganese concentrations
generally were quite low. Aluminum, cadmium, silver, cobalt
and vanadium were each observed on only one occasion.
Beryllium was never detected at this station; however, three
arsenic observations of 60, 160 and 210 g/l were recorded.
G-6
-------
ILLINOIS RIVER NEAR GRAFTON, ILLINOIS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, u
j1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
62.5
16
77
37
Boron
8
100
98
380
190
Iron
6
75.0
20
61
34
Manganese
4
50.0
5.0
12
8.9
Copper
5
62.5
6
14
10
Barium
8
100
23
68
51
Strontium
8
100
82
193
133
Molybdenum
5
62.5
38
242
117
Phosphorous
8
100
67
1750
431
The surveillance system station at this site is seven miles
above the confluence of the Illinois with the Mississippi
River. Samples are collected at the intake of Pere Marquette
State Park pump house.
Concentration ranges observed upstream at Peoria re-
main fairly constant and even at this distance still reflect
municipal discharges from the metropolitan Chicago Area.
While the mean value for phosphorus at Grafton had
decreased slightly from that observed at Peoria, the maxi-
mum observed value was over I ½ times greater. Only two
lead observations (21 and 50 pg/l) and singles for chromium
(11 g/1) and aluminum (130 g . g/l) occurred at this station, in
addition to elements tabulated above. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium, which were
observed on occasion at Peoria, were never detected at
Graft on.
G-7
-------
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
The Mississippi River heads in Lake Itasca in northeast
Minnesota and flows generally southeastward. The river is
navigable from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to New Orleans,
a distance of approximately 1800 miles. The principal
tributary to the Mississippi in this basin is the Missouri River
at St. Louis.
Five stations in this basin are located on the Mississippi
at Lock and Dam No. 3, below St. Paul, Minnesota; at
Dubuque, Iowa; Burlington, Iowa; East St. Louis; and Cape
Girardeau, Missouri, involving about 800 river miles.
Forty-seven samples were collected from these five
Upper Mississippi River stations within the time span
involved. Barium and strontium were present in all. Phos-
phorus was detected at the three upper stations in more than
55% of the samples at a mean concentration of 9 3jig1 1. The
two stations below the confluence of the Illinois River
showed a slight increase in frequency with a mean phos-
phorus value of 130 jig/I.
The mean zinc, manganese and molybdenum levels
remained quite constant throughout this stretch of the river.
Iron started out with a mean value of 88 ig/l but decreased
over the first 200 miles to approximately one-third this value
and then remained constant over the remaining 530 miles.
Occasional low levels of lead and chromium were observed;
however, aluminum was seldom detected. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were never detected in this
stretch of the Mississippi River.
G-8
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER LOCK AND DAM NO. 3 BELOW ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j. g/1
Mi
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
77.8
5
78
27
Boron
9
100
40
220
79
Iron
8
88.9
7
363
88
Manganese
7
77.8
1.0
10.4
5.1
Copper
9
100
2
22
11
Barium
9
100
36
51
41
Strontium
9
100
59
100
72
Molybdenum
7
77.8
31
124
69
Lead
3
33.3
12
78
38
Phosphorus
7
77.8
41
224
104
This station is on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border
approximately 40 miles downstream from the Minneapolis-
St. Paul area. There are no reported sources of industrial
pollution in the immediate vicinity; however, the Minne-
apolis-St. Paul area discharges treated wastes into the
Mississippi River above this station. Agricultural activity in
the watershed consists mainly of dairying and general
farming.
Except for a high boron value and occasional high iron
and molybdenum levels, trace element concentrations were
all quite low, showing very little variation. In addition to
those elements tabulated, two chromium values of 9 and 18
g/l and single nickel and aluminum values of 16 and 10 ,1g/1,
respectively, were recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium,
silver, cobalt and vanadium were never detected.
G-9
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT DUBUQUE, IOWA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,j. g/J
Mm.
Max. Mean
Zinc
9
90
9
51
23
Boron
10
100
23
68
37
Iron
9
90
9
87
33
Manganese
5
50
1.8
11
5.1
Copper
10
100
9
20
13
Barium
10
100
27
45
36
Strontium
10
100
34
62
45
Molybdenum
8
80
21
160
60
Phosphorus
I
70
38
230
83
This station is located on the west side of the Mississippi
River near the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin borders, approximately
200 miles below Lock and Dam No. 3. Samples are collected
at the Corps of Engineers Lock and Dam No. 11. There are
no known sources of significant municipal or industrial
pollution in the vicinity. There is considerable barge traffic
on the river. The city of Dubuque uses Mississippi River
water only as an emergency source of supply.
Except for a molybdenum value of 1 60 g/l, concentra-
tions of all elements were quite low. Aluminum was detected
on two occasions at 9 and 25 g/l and chromium once at 11
g/l. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt, lead
and vanadium were never observed at measurable
concentrations.
G-l0
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT BURLINGTON, IOWA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j.ig/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
6
66.7
7
140
37
Boron
9
100
23
125
.51
iron
9
100
7
116
25
Manganese
5
55.6
2.2
7.8
4.3
Copper
9
100
13
26
21
Barium
9
100
29
56
42
Strontium
9
100
36
58
50
Molybdenum
5
55.6
24
130
68
Phosphorus
5
55.6
38
182
91
The surveillance system station at Burlington, Iowa is
about 35 miles above the Missouri State line. Samples are
taken from the municipal water plant intake, 180 miles
below the Dubuque, Iowa station. Several upstream com-
munities within 100 miles of this station discharge both
treated and raw wastes into the river.
The trace element concentration ranges showed more
spread at this station; however, mean values remained about
the same as upstream. While lead and chromium were each
observed on one occasion at 48 and 6 pg/l, respectively,
cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt
and vanadium were never detected.
G-l1
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j
/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
4
40
10
90
35
Boron
10
100
36
143
75
Iron
7
70
7
84
31
Manganese
5
50
1.0
11.2
5.7
Copper
7
70
3
13
8
Barium
10
100
29
67
51
Strontium
10
100
65
147
94
Molybdenum
9
90
12
112
70
Phosphorus
8
80
18
350
132
Another 200 miles downstream, samples are collected
on the east bank of the Mississippi River at the intake of the
East St. Louis Water Company which is approximately 20
river miles above the filter plant. There is considerable
domestic and industrial use of the Mississippi River water in
this area. Most of the major cities and towns, including
Alton, Grafton, and Quincy, Illinois discharge treated wastes
into the river. A complex of chemical, steel, petroleum and
meat packing industries at Alton, Hartford, Monsanto,
National City, Wood River and Roxana, illinois discharge
wastes of unknown quantity and strength into the river.
The frequency of zinc, copper and iron observations had
decreased at this station from that observed at Burlington;
however, the mean concentrations remained about the same.
Strontium exhibited a greater range of values and also
showed a higher mean concentration. In addition to those
elements shown above, chromium at 8 and 1 4 g . g/l, lead at 12
.tg/l and aluminum at 13 pg/I were recorded. Cadmium,
arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobaLt and vanadium were
never detected.
G-12
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
3
35
21
Boron
8
88.9
47
176
80
Iron
7
77.8
16
52
33
Manganese
5
55.6
1.7
12
7.1
Copper
7
77.8
5
11
8
Barium
9
100
32
110
71
Strontium
9
100
100
256
154
Molybdenum
6
66.7
13
128
59
Lead
3
33.3
16
119
70
Phosphorus
5
55.6
26
283
131
This station located farthest downstream of the five in
this basin, is about 145 river miles below East St. Louis.
Samples are taken at the Missouri Utilities Company plant.
Most of the analyses are made on waters from the Cape
Girardeau municipal water plant intake located approxi-
mately 53 miles upstream from the Ohio River.
Except for increased mean levels of barium and stron-
tium, concentrations of those elements listed above showed
little change from the East St. Louis station. The frequency
of detection for boron and molybdenum had decreased
slightly. Lead which was missing in upstream station samples
appeared with a frequency of 33%. Chromium and silver were
each detected twice at 9 and 17 pg/i, and 4.5 and 6.0 pg/I,
respectively. Aluminum at 15 pg/l was also observed but
cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, nickel, cobalt and vanadium
were never detected.
G-13
-------
APPENDIX 1-I
BASIN 8
BASIN S WESTERN GREAT LAKES
WESTERN GREAT LAKES
The Western Great Lakes Basin, for purposes of this
document, includes that portion of the United States that
drains to Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior. Three
surveillance stations in the basin are located along lake
shorelines at Ga iv, Indiana, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and
Duluth. Minnesota. The remaining three stations are located
on waterways between the lakes. These include the Detroit
River at Detroit, Michigan, the St. (lair River at Port Huron,
Michigan and the St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste Marie,
Michigan. The surveillance stations are located at water
treatment plant intakes.
Surface streams in the area are fed largely by ground
water and runoff from natural lakes. Glacial drift, consisting
HhJ 0t mostly of sands and barns, covers the region. The basin
economy is based largely upon iron and copper mining, steel
and automobile manufacturing, and recreation.
Lake pollution is a local problem in many areas. Before
1 900, the polluted Chicago River flowed into Lake Michigan,
causing severe public health problems. Since then, lake waters
have been diverted through the 28-mile Chicago Sanitary and
Ship (‘anal to the Illinois River. Average annual flows are
limited to I ,500 cubic feet per second.
Samples analyzed from this basin totaled 66 in the
period involved. lii only five instances did an individual
element cxcec(l a concentration of 100 .ig/I. The highest of
these was a zinc value of 406 g/l in the St. Mary’s River.
However, the mean zinc value of 24kg/I is tile second lowest
ol any basin. In addition, boron, copper and manganese are
found at their lowest levels within this basin.
SAULTE STE MARIE
RIVER
— — —
MILWAU EE(
LL
LEGEND
— — POLITICAL BOUNDARY
- RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
SAMPLING POINT
‘1 25 0 50 100 t’ l lU
--
SCALE iN MILES
II— I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 8— WESTERN GREAT LAKES
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Cadmium
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
60
2
3
66
32
52
34
37
28
64
6
6
2
27
19
0
66
66
90.9
3.0
4.5
100
48.5
78.8
51.5
56.1
42.4
1.5
97.0
9.1
9.1
3.0
40.9
28.8
0
100
100
2
3
13
2
5
4
0.3
0.1
2
2
3
5
9
406
8
83
49
104
168
129
7.4
71
34
3.8
28
21
55
20
41
108
24
S
37
19
31
22
28
2.3
17
0.05
7
1.4
10
11
14
6
15
44
H-2
-------
ST. CLAIR RIVER AT PORT HURON, MICHIGAN
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
90
4
20
12
Boron
10
100
12
39
20
Iron
9
90
3
53
16
Manganese
6
60
0.9
6.3
3.0
Copper
10
100
4
20
10
Barium
10
100
10
20
15
Strontium
10
100
42
77
63
Molybdenum
7
70
4
49
19
Aluminum
4
40
3
65
24
Lead
4
40
6
28
14
Chromium
3
30
4
8
5
The St. Clair River flows from Lake Huron to Lake St.
Clair thence to Lake Erie via the Detroit River. Samples are
collected at the Port Huron municipal water plant intake.
This station is located at the beginning of the St. Clair River
just above the mouth of the Black River.
Boron, copper, barium and strontium occurred with a
frequency of 100%, but were all quite low in concentration.
In addition to those elements shown in the table, a single
occurrence of silver at 2.1 pg/l was recorded. Cadmium,
arsenic, beryllium, nickel, cobalt, and vanadium were never
detected.
H-3
-------
DETROIT RIVER AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88.9
6
69
24
Boron
9
100
10
39
23
Iron
8
88.9
4
62
23
Manganese
7
77.8
0.5
6.8
3.0
Copper
9
100
6
13
8
Barium
9
100
9
22
14
Strontium
9
100
45
90
69
Molybdenum
6
66.7
15
47
28
Aluminum
3
33.3
5
68
29
Lead
5
55.6
5
53
21
Chromium
4
44.4
5
13
8
The Detroit River connects Lakes St. Clair and Erie. The
sampling point is a short distance from Lake St. Clair.
Samples are collected from the Detroit municipal water plant
intake at Water Works Park. The data reflect the quality of
the Detroit River water before it has received wastes from
downstream municipalities and the complex of automotive,
chemical, cement and metal working industries.
While the trace element levels at this station were all
quite low, all elements included in the direct-reader program,
except arsenic and vanadium, were detected at least once. In
addition to the elements listed above, two cadmium (3 and 8
one beryllium (0.05 pg/I), two silver (1 .0 and 3.8 pg/i),
two nickel (5 and 20 pg/I) and one cobalt (21 pg/l) were
recorded.
H-4
-------
LAKE SUPERIOR AT DULUTH, MINNESOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .zg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
90
4
17
9
Boron
10
100
7
36
17
Iron
10
100
2
83
23
Manganese
4
40
0.3
2.6
1.2
Copper
10
100
3
6
3
Barium
10
100
8
22
14
Strontium
10
100
12
27
16
Molybdenum
3
30
5
20
12
Aluminum
5
50
1
26
11
Chromium
4
40
2
20
9
Samples are taken from the Duluth municipal water
intake which extends 1500 feet from shore. The plant serves
an estimated 110,000 people. The city of Duluth discharges
chlorinated primary effluent to the St. Louis River which
subsequently empties into Lake Superior.
Due to the low dissolved solids content of water samples
taken at this station, the detection limits are quite low.
Therefore, many elements are detected at this station that
would go undetected in other waters. In addition to elements
listed in the table, the following were recorded: arsenic (83
g/l), silver (0.2 and 0.1 g/l), nickel (2 j . g/l) and lead (7 and
20 g/l). Cadmium, beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were
never detected.
H-S
-------
LAKE MICHIGAN AT MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
j ig/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
70
5
23
13
Boron
10
100
13
49
25
Iron
6
60
7
37
20
Manganese
4
40
0.3
7.4
2.7
Copper
9
90
2
34
13
Barium
10
100
10
26
18
Strontium
10
100
38
108
64
Molybdenum
6
60
11
129
54
Lead
3
30
7
20
13
This sampling point is in Lake Michigan at the intake of
the Milwaukee water purification plant. The principal indus-
tries which may affect water quality are brewing and meat
packing. The city discharges secondary treatment plant
effluent into the lake. Milwaukee’s port facilities are capable
of handling ocean going vessels which enter the Great Lakes
through the St. Lawrence Seaway.
The ten composite samples analyzed at this station all
contained boron, barium and strontium at relatively low
levels. Other elements occurred with lesser frequency, again
at low levels. Lead was observed in three samples, the highest
concentration, however, being only 20 pg/I. In addition to
those elements shown, two aluminum (28 and 71 pg/I), two
chromium (2 and 4 pg/I) and a single silver concentration
(1.6 pg/I) were observed. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium,
nickel, cobalt and vanadium were never detected.
H-6
-------
LAKE MICHiGAN AT GARY, INDIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
10
55
25
Boron
9
100
16
43
29
Iron
4
44.4
4
114
49
Manganese
6
66.7
0.7
5.5
2.4
Copper
8
88.9
2
7
4
Barium
9
100
14
41
21
Strontium
9
100
53
77
67
Molybdenum
7
77.8
13
73
35
Aluminum
4
44.4
3
58
21
Lead
3
33.3
13
55
34
Chromium
3
33.3
5
19
10
Samples are collected from the Gary municipal water
treatment plant intake which extends 6,000 feet into Lake
Michigan into water 35 feet deep. This plant serves an
estimated 200,000 people. Lake and Porter Counties, Indiana
discharge treated and untreated wastes into the Calumet
River. Except during periods of high runoff, most of these
wastes are diverted to the Illinois River. A complex of food
processing, chemical, petroleum refining, paper and metal
industries discharges effluents to Lake Michigan in this area.
Analyses of nine samples showed zinc, boron, barium
and strontium present at measurable levels in all. While iron
was observed in only four samples, one contained the highest
iron concentration recorded within this basin. Lead and
chromium were observed in three of the nine; however,
cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and
vanadium were all either absent or below the detection limits.
-------
ST. MARY’S RIVER AT SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values,
Ag/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
18
100
2
406
41
Boron
18
100
2
28
11
Iron
15
83.3
1
168
19
Manganese
10
55.6
0.3
4.0
1.8
Copper
18
100
2
28
5
Barium
18
100
5
34
11
Strontium
18
100
9
22
14
Molybdenum
5
27.8
5
12
9
Alumin urn
10
55.6
2
10
6
Nickel
3
16.7
2
28
11
Lead
10
55.6
3
12
6
Chromium
3
16.7
1
7
3
The St. Mary’s River flows from Lake Superior to Lake
Huron and is part of the Canada-United States boundary.
Samples are collected from the Sault Ste. Marie municipal
water treatment plant intake. This is near the outlet of Lake
Superior, approximately two miles above the navigation locks
at Sault Ste. Marie.
Note the very low mean values reported for this station.
Because of the low total dissolved solids, large sample
volumes can be taken for analysis. Elements which would be
reported as “less than” values at most stations can be given as
positive numbers due to this exceptional sensitivity. In
addition to those elements listed, two arsenic values (1 3 and
17 pg/l) and one cobalt (2 .tg/1) were observed. Cadmium,
beryllium, silver, and vanadium, however, were never
detected.
H-8
-------
BASIN 9
MISSOURI RIVER
APPENDIX I
BASIN 9 \IISSOURI RIVER
•
Y NKTu IOWA
Hf N y -.
NFBR S JMAHA
JLJLE HiJHu ‘T l4T — —
- I PLATM)UTH: ANSA C;N
— T u fP I Mi 5Huki Cii Y
DE SOTO ST LOU1S
I MISSOuRI
I Wit L STuN
- uS
SIDN
M T ANA N )PT H i Ku1t
p * 8ISMARC
F ‘-I ‘ t
i( A c,u j Ai
1
.
ING ui T
• f.1H5
- --4
SOUTH
A K C- T f
/ Wr’
Ten states and a portion of (‘anad make up this basin
whose drainage area is 529.000 square miles.
r MINNFISGTA
- SIi)L F, 1
I -
Fifteen sampling sites
basin. The South Platte,
Yellowstone, Big Horn and
eight stations arc loca ted on
are located On eight rivers of the
North Platte, Platte, Big Sioux,
Kansas Rivers have one each, and
the Missouri River
With the exception of boron, barium and strontium, the
frequency of’ detection of the trace elements was below
national levels. (‘admium was never detected within this
basin. Arsenic, beryllium, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, silver,
lead and chromium were found in less than % of all samples.
1— 1
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 9— MISSOURI RIVER
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
78
53.0
4
572
39
Cadmium
0
0
——
Arsenic
3
2.0
106
150
123
Boron
143
97.3
48
600
154
Phosphorus
58
39.5
23
5040
353
Iron
97
66.0
3
248
37
Molybdenum
47
32.0
8
354
83
Manganese
60
40.8
1.0
414
13.8
Aluminum
17
11.6
10
2760
213
Beryllium
3
2.0
0.01
0.56
0.23
Copper
73
49.7
3
133
17
Silver
6
4.1
0.8
1.5
1.2
Nickel
3
2.0
1
10
5
Cobalt
1
0.7
8
8
8
Lead
5
3.4
23
57
39
Chromium
7
4.8
9
27
17
Vanadium
2
1.4
158
184
171
Barium
144
98.0
8
192
63
Strontium
146
99.3
81
1000
342
1-2
-------
BIG HORN RIVER AT HARDIN, MONTANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j.Lg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
6
60
4
46
19
Boron
10
100
79
600
196
Iron
6
60
6
56
27
Manganese
4
40
1 .4
20
8.2
Copper
3
30
4
21
9
Barium
10
100
28
76
46
Strontium
10
100
290
780
492
Molybdenum
5
50
47
238
109
The Big Horn River is formed at Riverton in west
central Wyoming by the junction of Buffalo Creek and the
Wind River. It flows north between the Absaroka and Big
Horn Mountains and enters Montana where it joins the
Yellowstone River near Custer.
The Water Quality Surveillance System station at Hardin
is located 60 miles below the Wyoming-Montana State line.
Samples are taken at the municipal water treatement plant
intake.
In addition to those elements listed, aluminum occurred
in two samples at concentrations of 12 and 70 1 g/l.
Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt, lead and
chromium were never detected. Vanadium was observed in
one sample at a level of 158 pg/I.
1-3
-------
YELLOWSTONE RIVER NEAR SIDNEY, MONTANA
.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
j gfl
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
100
6
116
57
Boron
8
100
108
391
222
Iron
6
75
12
132
40
Manganese
4
50
3 3
414
108
Copper
6
75
3
16
9
Barium
8
100
22
57
39
Strontium
8
100
81
540
278
The Yellowstone River heads in the Absaroka Moun-
tains of northwestern Wyoming. The river flows through
Yellowstone National Park into Montana and then north-
easterly to join the Missouri River just beyond the North
Dakota State line.
The Sidney station of the surveillance system is about
five miles above the Montana-North Dakota State line, and
approximately 25 miles above the junction of the Yellow-
stone River with the Missouri River. Samples are taken from
the intake of the Lewis and Clark station of the Montana-
Dakota Utilities Company.
Only seven metals — boron, barium, strontium, zinc,
iron, manganese and copper — were found in measurable
concentrations with any degree of regularity. Cadmium,
arsenic, silver, nickel, cobalt, chromium and lead were never
detected; single occurrences of aluminum (2.8 mg/I),
beryllium (0.56 ig/l) and lead (57 pg/I) were recorded.
1-4
-------
BIG SIOUX RIVER BELOW SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
6
61
21
Boron
9
100
76
355
180
Iron
5
55.6
13
45
25
Manganese
3
33.3
7.0
8.0
7.6
Copper
—
———
—
———
———
Barium
9
100
23
89
59
Strontium
9
100
129
346
229
The Big Sioux River flows almost due south from its
headwaters in northeastern South Dakota to its confluence
with the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa. Its overall length
is 420 miles, Samples are collected from the first county road
bridge east of U. S. Highway 229 and south of Sioux Falls.
No municipal water supplies are taken from the Big Sioux
River. The city of Sioux Falls discharges secondary sewage
treatment plant effluent and the “Pathfinder” atomic power
plant, which began operation in June 1962, discharges its
wastewater to this river.
Extremely high levels of phosphorus, reflecting the
upstream sewage discharges, were recorded at this station
ranging from 66 to over 5000 Mg/i. In addition to boron,
barium and strontium, which were found in all samples, only
zinc, iron and manganese occurred with any degree of
regularity, and then at low levels. Cadmium, arsenic, alumi-
num, beryllium, copper, silver, nickel, lead and vanadium
were never detected. Two occurrences of molybdenum at 92
and 234 pg/i, and a single chromium of 27 pg/l were
recorded.
1-5
-------
KANSAS RiVER AT DESOTO, KANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values,
Lg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
8
40
26
Boron
9
100
48
340
105
Iron
6
66.7
15
46
25
Manganese
3
2.0
14
9.3
Copper
4
44•4.
7
16
10
Barium
9
100
28
192
92
Strontium
9
100
195
655
369
Aluminum
3
33.3
48
150
95
The Kansas River is formed by the confluence of the
Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers in central Kansas. The
river then flows almost due east to its confluence with the
Missouri River at Kansas City. Samples are collected at the
intake of the Sunflower Ordinance Works, Hercules Powder
Company. Twenty miles upstream, Lawrence, Kansas dis-
charges primary treatment plant effluent while Topeka,
Kansas, 52 miles upstream, discharges secondary effluent.
Lawrence uses the river for a portion of its municipal supply.
Agriculture is the principal economic activity of the
basin, with diversified crops being grown. Industrial wastes
have an important effect upon the lower reach of the river.
There are numerous irrigation diversions above the DeSoto
station.
Two molybdenum values (50 and 51 g. g/1) as well as
single occurrences of aluminum (10 .tg/l), silver (15 j.tg/l),
nickel (5 pg/I), cobalt (8 g Ag/I) and lead (25 gAg/l) Were
recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, chromium and
vanadium were never observed at measurable levels.
1-6
-------
PLATTE RIVER ABOVE PLATFSMOUTH, NEBRASKA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
18
56
31
Boron
9
100
54
200
103
Iron
8
88.9
22
68
37
Manganese
3
33.3
2.3
12
6.3
Copper
4
44.4
3
22
10
Barium
9
100
39
188
107
Strontium
9
100
150
329
252
Aluminum
3
33.3
12
106
44
The Platte River is formed by the junction of the North
Platte and South Platte Rivers at North Platte, Nebraska. This
river then flows across the middle of Nebraska to join the
Missouri River below Omaha. The principal use of the Platte
River is irrigation.
The Plattsmouth station is located two miles above the
confluence of the Platte River with the Missouri River.
Samples are collected at U. S. Highway 73 bridge. The river
bisects the entire State and receives wastes from almost every
community along the way. These discharges range from raw
sewage to secondary effluent. The lower Platte River valley
supports a diversified agricultural economy. No Nebraska
communities use the Platte River for water supply.
In addition to those elements listed in the table, single
positive occurrences of silver (1.2 g/l), arsenic (106 g/1),
lead (45 g/l) and chromiun (18 g.tg/l) were recorded.
Cadmium, molybdenum, beryllium, nickel, cobalt and
vanadium were not detected.
1-7
-------
NORTH PLATFE RIVER ABOVE HENRY, NEBRASKA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
‘Lg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
6
60
7
572
131
Boron
9
90
82
291
131
iron
6
60
7
50
24
Manganese
5
50
1.1
16
7.8
Copper
4
40
6
20
11
Barium
10
100
19
102
62
Strontium
10
100
220
462
325
Molybdenum
3
30
13
106
60
The North Platte River flows from northern Colorado
into Wyoming where it makes a wide arc to the east and
enters Nebraska. This stream has a large number of reservoirs
for irrigation and sustains fish and wildlife in important
numbers.
This Henry, Nebraska station is located downstream
from the Nebraska-Wyoming State line, Samples are taken
from State Highway No. 86. Irrigated agriculture is the
principal economic activity and sugar beets are the leading
crop. Several beet sugar refineries in this area discharge
partially treated wastes into the river. These wastes and
irrigation return flows have created a pollution problem in
this river.
One occurrence of nickel (I .ig/l) was reported at this
station in addition to elements listed above. Cadmium,
arsenic, beryllium, aluminum, silver, cobalt, lead, chromium
and vanadium were never detected.
1-8
-------
SOUTH PLAUE RIVER AT JULESBURG, COLORADO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed
Values, ig/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
4
40
10
84
57
Boron
9
90
110
519
248
Iron
3
30
31
47
41
Manganese
4
40
9.2
31
16.8
Barium
10
100
15
92
51
Strontium
10
100
525
1000
741
Molybdenum
3
30
15
354
181
The South Platte River originates at South Park in
central Colorado, flows east from the mountains a few miles
south of Denver, and then bends northerly toward Denver.
Denver obtains a portion of its water supply from, and
discharges all of its wastes into, this river. Leaving Denver,
the South Platte flows north and east to North Platte,
Nebraska, where it joins the North Platte River. The South
Platte is extensively utilized for irrigation, particularly for
sugar beets, the principal crop of the basin.
Samples are taken at the Julesburg sewage treatment
plant one mile east of the city. This station is located two
miles above the Colorado-Nebraska State line. Return flows
from the extensive irrigated agriculture system are responsi-
ble for relatively high concentrations of dissolved salts in the
river waters.
In addition to those elements listed in the above table, a
single positive occurrence of vanadium (184 pg/l) was
recorded. While vanadium was observed at many stations
below 10 Mg/i, it is rarely found at this high level. Two
copper values of 4 and 20 Mg/I were also recorded. This
station had one of the lowest percent detection figures for
copper, (20%). Cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, beryllium,
silver, nickel, cobalt and lead were never detected.
1-9
-------
THE MISSOURI RIVER
The Missouri River is formed by the junction of the
Gallatin, Madison and Jefferson Rivers in southwestern
Montana at the town of Three Forks and flows 2,464 miles
to its confluence with the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The
drainage area of 529,000 square miles covers 10 states and a
portion of Canada.
The river is regulated by multipurpose dams and
reservoirs on major tributaries and the main stem. Major
Missouri River impoundments include Fort Peck, Garrison,
Oahe, St. Randall and Gavin’s Point. The principal tributaries
to the main stem are the Yellowstone, Big Sioux, Platte, and
Kansas Rivers. The Big Horn River is tributary to the
Yellowstone.
No surveillance stations are maintained over the first
900 miles of the Missouri River; waters of the remaining
1500 miles are monitored at eight sites. These include
Williston, N. D., Bismarck, N D., Yankton, S. D., Omaha,
Nebr., St. Joseph, Mo., Kansas City, Kans., Missouri City,
Mo. and St. Louis, Mo.
The levels of trace metals over this distance remained
quite constant as may be seen in the tables. The greatest
variation occurred with iron and copper due to several
unusually high values recorded during the period involved.
Cadmium and vanadium were never detected in any samples
from the Missouri River. Single occurrences of nickel and
cobalt, two each of beryllium and arsenic, and three each of
silver, lead and chromium were recorded. Aluminum was
found in 10% of all samples while molybdenum was more
frequent at 36%. Missouri River samples analyzed totaled 82.
1-10
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT WILLISTON, NORTH DAKOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
70
20
56
32
Boron
10
100
87
262
146
Iron
8
80
14
99
45
Manganese
5
50
1.0
5.8
4.2
Copper
9
90
8
54
25
Barium
10
100
30
61
44
Strontium
10
100
216
432
317
Molybdenum
6
60
17
135
81
The Williston station is the extreme upstream sampling
point on the Missouri River. It is located about 11 miles
below the Montana-North Dakota State line, and 10 miles
below the confluence of the Yellowstone River. Samples are
collected at the Williston municipal water treatment plant
intake. The station is in pool from Garrison Dam.
Boron, barium and strontium were observed in all
samples. Copper, iron, zinc, molybdenum, and manganese
were found over 50% of the time at measurable levels. In
addition, single occurrences of aluminum and silver at 95 and
1.3 pg/I, respectively, were recorded. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, nickel, cobalt, lead, chromium and vanadium were
never detected.
1—11
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j.Lg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
4
40
9
42
23
Boron
9
90
91
272
170
Iron
6
60
15
179
56
Manganese
4
40
1.3
4.0
2.8
Copper
10
100
14
50
24
Barium
9
90
40
63
48
Strontium
9
90
239
409
306
Molybdenum
4
40
16
65
39
The second uppermost sampling station on the Missouri
River is located at Bismarck, approximately 240 miles below
Williston, North Dakota and 70 miles below Garrison Dam.
Trace elements at this station showed little, if any, change
either in frequency or in concentration from those observed
at Williston. Single observations of arsenic (115 pg/I) and
chromium (11 pg/i) were recorded; cadmium, aluminum,
beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt, lead and vanadium were
never detected.
1-12
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT YANKTON, SOUTH DAKOTA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
50
11
48
31
Boron
10
100
98
318
147
Iron
5
50
14
61
27
Manganese
3
30
1.6
23
9.6
Copper
7
70
8
133
42
Barium
10
100
38
65
48
Strontium
10
100
245
425
324
Molybdenum
3
30
24
76
57
The Yankton, South Dakota station is located about
seven miles below Gavin’s Point Dam, last of the series of
dams on the main stem of the Missouri. Yankton is 500 river
miles below Bismarck, North Dakota. Samples are collected
at the Yankton municipal water treatment plant intake. The
Niobrara and White Rivers are tributary to the Missouri,
flowing into Lewis and Clark Reservoir impounded by
Gavin’s Point Dam.
In addition to those elements shown in the table, a
single silver value of 0.8 pg/i was recorded at this station.
Other elements such as cadmium, aluminum, beryllium,
nickel, cobalt, lead, chromium and vanadium were not
detected.
1-1 3
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT OMAHA, NEBRASKA
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Molybdenum
Alumin urn
No. of Positive
Occurrences
6
15
10
6
3
14
15
7
3
Frequency
of Detection, %
40.0
100
66.7
40.0
20.0
93.3
100
46.7
20.0
M m.
13
75
12
2.4
8
32
209
14
11
Max.
103
336
24
16.8
17
140
600
188
13
Mean
38
139
18
6.2
11
72
338
75
12
Omaha, Nebraska, is approximately 180 river miles
below Yankton, South Dakota. One hundred miles upstream
the Big Sioux River and the Sioux Falls, Iowa municipal and
industrial waste discharges enter the Missouri. Samples are
collected at the Omaha municipal water treatment plant
intake,
Here the frequency of detection and also the mean
concentration for copper had decreased somewhat, possibly
due to dilution from the Big Sioux, which is also low in
copper. Barium showed a slight increase; however, there was
little or no change in the other elements.
Cadmium, silver, nickel, cobalt, lead, chromium and
vanadium were never detected at this station in measurable
concentrations. Single observations of arsenic at 1 50 ig/l and
beryllium at 0.01 .Lg/l were recorded,
Observed Values, j.tg/l
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, 4.1g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
3
30
7
32
18
Boron
10
100
78
232
126
Iron
5
50
18
60
37
Manganese
5
50
2.6
19
8.7
Copper
5
50
5
17
8
Barium
10
100
30
132
70
Strontium
10
100
244
500
314
St. Joseph is located 450 river miles above the mouth of
the Missouri River. Samples are collected at the municipal
water treatment plant intake. This station is approximately
180 miles downstream from Omaha, Nebraska and is affected
by municipal and industrial discharges from that area. The
mineral quality of waters at St. Joseph station is affected by
waters from the Platte River.
Strontium, barium and boron were the only elements
that appeared regularly in higher concentrations. Iron,
between 18-60 .tg/l, appeared occasionally, along with
manganese and copper. Chromium, cadmium, silver, nickel,
arsenic, cobalt and vanadium were never observed in positive
concentrations. Single occurrences of molybdenum (120
ig/1), aluminum (118 g/1), beryllium (0.12 g g/1), and lead
(46 pg/I) were recorded.
I-I 5
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT KANSAS CITY, KANSAS
Frequency
of Detection, %
Samples are collected at the municipal water treatment
plant intake. This station monitors the Missouri River above
the confluence of the Kansas River and is affected by
municipal and industrial discharges from St. Joseph, Missouri
and Omaha, Nebraska, located 77 and 268 miles upstream,
respectively.
Two concentrations of iron at 164 and 248 pg/I were
responsible for the mean being twice that observed upstream
at St. Joseph. Other levels showed very little change from one
station to the next. Copper showed a slight increase in
frequency; however, zinc, manganese and molybdenum
remained under 50%. Except for a single Occurrence of
aluminum at 17 pg/I, no other elements were detected at
measurable levels.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Mm. Max.
Observed Values, pg/I
Mean
Zinc
3
33.3
19
36
26
Boron
9
100
94
273
151
Iron
6
66.7
12
248
87
Manganese
3
33.3
2.8
7.0
4.6
Copper
8
88.9
4
19
11
Barium
9
100
31
164
85
Strontium
9
100
129
415
267
Molybdenum
4
44.4
33
96
57
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT MISSOURI CITY, MISSOURI
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ,.tg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
70
8
43
21
Boron
9
90
72
184
110
Iron
9
90
3
106
30
Manganese
4
40
1.0
10
4.5
Copper
3
30
4
18
8
Barium
10
100
8
162
64
Strontium
10
100
120
485
272
Samples are collected at the intake of the Northwest
Electric Power Cooperative.
Liberty, Missouri, the nearest upstream community,
discharges sewage into a tributary nine miles above the
station. The cities of Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City,
Missouri, and North Kansas City, Missouri contribute both
sewage and industrial wastes about 50 miles upstream.
Primary treatment plants are either in planning or under
construction in upstream areas and should relieve the
polluted condition which existed during the period involved.
In addition to those elements listed in the above table,
single positive occurrences of silver (1.5 pg/l), nickel (5 g/1),
cobalt (8 pg/l), lead (25 pg/i) and aluminum (10 pg/I) were
observed. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, chromium and
vanadium, however, were never detected.
1-17
-------
MISSOURI RIVER AT ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Molybdenum
4
8
8
4
4
7
8
4
Frequency
of Detection, %
— - ----
100
100
50.0
50.0
87.5
100
50.0
Mm.
12
81
8
1.6
6
21
187
8
Max.
28
480
155
6.0
16
94
360
40
Mean
19
164
42
3.6
10
48
257
30
This terminal surveillance station on the Missouri is
located 37 miles above the river’s mouth. Samples for trace
element analyses are collected from the intake of the city of
St. Louis’ Howard Bend water treatment plant at river mile
37.2.
The nearest upstream municipal and industrial waste
discharges which affect this station are those from the
metropolitan Kansas City area.
An unusually high boron reading of 0.48 mg/I reflects in
the mean boron value which showed a 50% increase over that
at Missouri City. Aluminum at 86 j . g/l and lead at 23 pg/I
were recorded in single samples as were two chromium values
of 18 and 26 pg/I. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel,
cobalt and vanadium were never detected.
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Observed Values, pg/I
1-18
-------
BASU4 10
SOUTHWEST-LOWER
MISSISSIPPI
coLoRA DO -
KANSAS
NEW ;o C c-, MISSOURI -
MExgc 0 tARKANSAS J
TEXAS g ‘FORT SMITh ITENN SSEE
/\ OKLAHOMA 4 MEMPhIS — —
TILE K
- / ENDL I f FERRY
1. (GEND
— — POLITICAL HOUNDARY
- - RIvER BASIN 11 rdA ly
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
SAMPLING POINT
00 00 0 SC 100 100 $00
SCALI IS IdILSS
AOSSIER C r
ALE XANO
qISSIs IPPI
I I TA
NEW ORLEANS
APPENDIX J
BASiN 10 — SOUTHWEST—LOWER MISSISSIPPI
The Southwest Lower Mississippi River Basin contains
1 7 Water Quality Surveillancc System stations situated on
five rivers. Five of the stations are on the Mississippi River
mainstem below the confluence of the Ohio River, five are on
the Arkansas River mainstem, and four are on the mainstem
of the Red River. The Verdigris and the Ouachita Rivers,
tributary to the Arkansas arid Red Rivers, respectively, are
also sampled, as is the Atchafalaya River.
Samples analyzed in this basin during the time involved
totaled 155. Barium, boron and strontium were found at
measurable levels in over 9W, of these samples. iron was
observed in 80% of the samples, while zinc and copper were
found in approximately 63Y( -. Aluminum, molybdenum,
chromium and manganese were found in 19-35% of the
samples. Arsenic, silver, nickel, cobalt, lead and vanadium
were found in less than 107- of the samples; cadmium and
beryllium were never detected. Mean basin values for zinc,
boron, iron, aluminum, copper, barium, strontium, lead,
chromium, molybdenum and silver exceeded the national
levels.
-Us
i-I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 10— SOUTHWEST—LOWER MISSiSSIPPi
No. of Positive Frequency ______________ Observed Values, j.tg/l
ELEMENT Occurrences — of Detection,% Mm. Max. Mean
Zinc 97 62.6 3 1080 85
Cadmium 0 0
Arsenic 2 1.3 56 126 91
Boron 154 99.4 9 1020 131
Phosphorus 47 30.3 5 329 81
Iron 110 80.0 3 837 69
Molybdenum 31 20.0 11 1100 95
Manganese 54 34.8 0.6 50 9.0
Aluminum 30 19.4 7 588 68
Beryllium 0 0
Copper 99 63.9 2 250 19
Silver 7 4.5 1.1 9.0 4.3
Nickel 15 9.7 5 50 17
Cobalt 1 0.7 36 36 36
Lead 15 9.7 9 75 37
Chromium 31 20.0 2 90 16
Vanadium 6 3.9 4 67 25
Barium 155 100 13 262 90
Strontium 153 98.7 78 5000 540
J-2
-------
THE ARKANSAS RIVER
The Arkansas River heads in the Rocky Mountains near
Leadville, Colorado. The river flows in a southeasterly course
to its confluence with the Mississippi River in southeast
Arkansas. Irrigation places heavy demands on the stream
waters in the semiarid and dry regions east of the mountains.
Dissolved solids build up as a result of both natural and
man-made pollution above Tulsa, Oklahoma, and are subse-
quently reduced by dilution from other streams in Arkansas.
Pueblo, Colorado, is the only large community to use the
Arkansas River as a municipal supply. The Verdigsis River
drains from eastern Kansas southward into Oklahoma and
joins the Arkansas River near Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Forty-five samples from the five stations on the
Arkansas River were analyzed within the time period
involved. Manganese was detected in only 10 (22.2%) of
these; copper occurred in 16 (35.6%). The mean zinc values
varied considerably in the Arkansas River because of several
high individual values. The stretch of river from Collidge,
Kansas to Pendleton Ferry, Arkansas showed a-decrease in
the mean boron level from 675 to 64 pg/I. The mean
strontium also decreased from 2400 to 350 pg/I over this
same distance, The high iron levels at Collidge decreased by a
factor of 6 by the time the Arkansas reached Ponca City,
Oklahoma, a distance of 450 miles.
Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were
never observed at measurable levels in the Arkansas River;
single occurrences of both silver and lead were recorded.
Nickel, chromium and aluminum were found in less than 9%
of the samples.
J-3
-------
ARKANSAS RIVER AT COOLIDGE, KANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
4
40
5
256
127
Boron
9
90
240
1020
675
Iron
5
50
77
837
283
Manganese
6
60
15
50
36
Copper
2
20
5
30
17
Barium
6
60
18
60
36
Strontium
10
100
536
5000
2386
Molybdenum
4
40
200
1100
460
The Coolidge, Kansas station is located I ‘/2 miles
downstream from the Colorado-Kansas State line. Samples
are taken from the south bank, 50 feet below the U. S.
Geological Survey gaging station. Fifty miles upstream, John
Martin Dam creates a storage reservoir for irrigation usage. At
times, this reservoir has been completely drained to satisfy
appropriations. The nearest pollutional sources to the
Coolidge station are Holly and Lamar, Colorado; six and
thirty-four miles upstream, respectively.
The Coolidge station is one of the few in the entire
surveillance system where barium was not always found at
measurable concentrations. Because of the high total dis-
solved solids present, relatively small sample aliquots were
analyzed, resulting in unsatisfactory limits of detection for
many elements. Single occurrences of aluminum (428 pg/I),
nickel (16 pg/I) and chromium (90 pg/I) were recorded.
Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, cobalt, lead and
vanadium were either absent or below the detection limits.
J-4
-------
ARKANSAS RIVER NEAR PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occunences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j ig/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Barium
Strontium
3
10
4
10
10
30
100
40
100
100
10
48
24
96
540
28
700
66
262
2300
19
188
46
159
1190
This station is approximately 50 river miles downstream
from the Oklahoma-Kansas State line. Samples are taken
from the downstream side of old U. S. Highway 60 Bridge,
east of Ponca City. No known municipal use is made of this
river from Ponca City upstream to the Coolidge station. The
nearest upstream city is Arkansas City, Kansas, at the State
line.
The region is largely agricultural with industrialization
in the Wichita, Kansas area. Hutchinson, Kansas is the site of
a salt mine and some natural salt is contributed by
Rattlesnake Creek. Oil fields are located in the vicinity of
Great Bend, Kansas.
The Arkansas River at Ponca City showed high phos-
phate concentrations, averaging nearly I mg/i over the stated
time interval, presumably from farm fertilization.
in the above table, only
at 24 jig/i were recorded.
molybdenum, aluminum,
lead and vanadium were
Other than elements listed
copper at 9 jig/i and chromium
Cadmium, arsenic, manganese,
beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt,
never detected.
i_S
-------
ARKANSAS RIVER NEAR FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .ig/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Copper
Barium
Strontium
6
7
5
5
8
8
75.0
87.5
62.5
62.5
100
100
9
46
15
3
83
264
350
169
77
20
216
1340
120
100
48
10
131
585
The surveillance system station near Fort Smith,
Arkansas is located at the Oklahoma-Arkansas State line.
Samples are collected at the U. S. Highway 64 bridge.
Between the Ponca City and Fort Smith stations, the Salt
Fork of the Arkansas and the Cimarron River contribute
heavy salt loadings. These are diluted by waters of the
Verdigris, Grand, Illinois, and Canadian Rivers so that total
dissolved solids concentrations are generally between 350 and
700 mg/i at the Fort Smith station.
The principal industry in the Ponca City-Fort Smith
area is petroleum production and refining. Many of the oil
fields in this area were developed prior to advancement of
adequate brine disposal techniques. Consequently, these oil
fields still are sources of salt loading which if flushed from
evaporation ponds during the rainy season.
Cadmium, arsenic, molybdenum, beryllium, cobalt, lead
and vanadium were never observed at measurable levels.
However, single observations of manganese (9.0 pg/I),
aluminum (20 pg/l), silver (7.0 pg/l), nickel (9 pg/I) and
chromium (26 pg/l) were recorded.
J-6
-------
ARKANSAS RIVER AT LIULE ROCK, ARKANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Copper
Barium
Strontium
4
8
5
5
8
7
50.0
100
62.5
62.5
100
87.5
6
42
5
2
81
210
117
180
70
18
147
473
60
87
38
9
100
344
This surveillance system station is located about midway
between the Fort Smith and Pendleton Ferry stations in
central Arkansas. Samples are collected at the pipe yard of
the Little Rock Water Department. The influent salt which
affects water quality upstream at Fort Smith has been
moderated at Little Rock by the influx of waters low in
mineral concentrations. The nearest community discharging
wastes to the river is Morrilton, Arkansas, 57 miles upstream
from Little Rock. Manganese at 6 pg/i, lead at 20 pg/I, and
chromium at 14 pg/l were observed in addition to the six
elements tabulated above. Cadmium, arsenic, molybdenum,
aluminum, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium
were never detected at this station.
J-7
-------
ARKANSAS RIVER AT PENDLETON FERRY, ARKANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/J
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
6
43
25
Boron
8
88.9
48
81
64
Iron
6
66.7
13
239
86
Manganese
2
22.2
2.0
11
6.5
Copper
3
33.3
3
7
5
Barium
9
100
76
120
99
Strontium
8
88.9
182
525
349
Chromium
3
33.3
10
29
18
This is the final surveillance system station on the
Arkansas River before its confluence with the Mississippi, 44
miles downstream from Pendleton Ferry. Samples are col-
lected from the ferry at approximately midstream. The
nearest community above this station is Pine Bluff, Arkansas
approximately 40 miles upstream. The Arkansas River in this
area is not used for either irrigation or municipal supply.
In addition to those elements shown above, two
occurrences of aluminum (20 and 34 g/l) and a single
occurrence of nickel at 5 gig/I were reported. No other trace
elements were found at measurable levels.
J-8
-------
VERDIGRIS RIVER AT NOWATA, OKLAHOMA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
2
28.6
24
32
28
Boron
7
100
9
71
51
Iron
5
71.4
14
48
26
Manganese
2
28.6
4.3
6.7
5.5
Copper
5
71.4
4
16
9
Barium
7
100
19
133
91
Strontium
7
100
247
1125
600
The Verdigris River heads in southeast Kansas and flows
southward to its junction with the Arkansas River near
Muskogee, Oklahoma. The Nowata station is located 20 miles
downstream from the Kansas-Oklahoma State line. Samples
are taken from Nowata’s municipal water plant intake.
In addition to those elements listed above, two alumi-
num (10 and 17 pg/i), two lead (9 and 29 Mg/i), two
chromium (2 and 15 pg/i), and single occurrences of silver
(1.1 pg/I) and vanadium (67 pg/I) were recorded. Cadmium,
arsenic, molybdenum, beryllium, nickel and cobalt were
never detected. Vanadium has also been observed at Norman,
Oklahoma and at Nichols Hills, Oklahoma at 110 and 500
pg/i respectively. These two locations are not regular surveil-
lance system sampling points.
J-9
-------
RED RIVER OF THE SOUTH
The Red River heads in the high plains of the Texas
Panhandle, South of Amarillo, in Palo Duro Canyon, and at
several other points farther downstream, the river is degraded
by rising salty ground water from several natural sources in
this basin. Oil field pollution is being rapidly corrected. The
Red River is subsequently diluted by the Washita River which
enters Lake Texoma above Denison Dam and thereafter by
several large tributaries. However, the rainfall variability and
the operation of Denison Dam cause fluctuating mineral
concentrations in the lower portion of this river. Only one
municipality, Bossier City, La., uses the Red River as a source
of supply. The Red River is confluent to the Atchaflalaya
River, a distributary of the lower Mississippi in Louisiana.
Barium and strontium in the Red River of the South
were observed at some of the highest levels in the national
System. Concentrations for most elements varied consider-
ably from station to station. Manganese was observed
infrequently in this stream, being found in only 18% of the
samples and ranging from 3 to 15 pg/I. Molybdenum,
chromium, aluminum and lead occurred at measurable levels
in fewer than 5% of all samples, while cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium were all either
absent or below the detection limits.
J-1 0
-------
RED RIVER AT DENISON, TEXAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Copper
Barium
Strontium
10
8
3
8
9
8
100
80
30
80
90
80
9
93
3
12
65
480
320
403
73
78
205
1386
83
227
37
35
145
987
This uppermost station on the Red River of the South is
approximately 726 miles above the mouth. Samples are
collected from the penstock of Demson Dam. The Red River
at this point has formed the boundary between Texas and
Oklahoma for some 200 miles. There is no municipal use of
the Red River above the Denison station because of the high
salt concentrations from brine seeps and flood plains. Oil
field practices in the past have contributed to this salt load
but these sources are being eliminated by State agency
enforcement actions. Almost all of the communities up-
stream from Denison use the Red River or some one of its
tributaries as a receiving water for their municipal wastes.
Cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, beryllium, silver, nickel,
cobalt, lead, chromium and vanadium were never detected.
Single occurrences of molybdenum at 49 g/1 and manganese
at 15 g/l were recorded.
J-1l
-------
RED RIVER AT INDEX, ARKANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
4
40
3
86
32
Boron
10
100
50
197
125
Iron
7
70
17
95
42
Manganese
2
20
3.3
5.0
4.1
Copper
2
20
5
7
6
Barium
10
100
52
182
122
Strontium
10
100
268
874
613
This station is located at the point where the Red River
ceases to form the Arkansas-Texas boundary and begins its
flow through southwest Arkansas to Louisiana. Samples are
collected from U. S. Highway 71 bridge. The Denison, Texas
station is approximately 240 river miles upstream from the
Index, Arkansas station. Blue River, Boggy Creek and the
Kiamichi River are confluent to the Red River from
Oklahoma in the reach above Index and below Denison. Bois
D’Ark Creek and Pecan Bayou are the principal tributaries
entering from Texas. These tributaries drain an area whose
rainfall averages about 40 inches per ‘ear.
Nearly all the municipalities in the Red River basin
discharge wastes into the river or its tributaries. The two
cities nearest to the Index station are DeKaib, Texas and New
Boston, Texas at 36 and 25 miles above the station. Both
operate secondary sewage treatment plants.
In addition to the seven elements tabulated above,
aluminum was detected on one occasion at 80 pg/I.
Cadmium, arsenic, molybdenum, beryllium, silver, nickel,
cobalt, lead, chromium and vanadium were never detected.
i-I 2
-------
RED RIVER AT BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88.9
4
1080
165
Boron
8
88.9
26
140
89
Iron
8
88.9
7
134
38
Manganese
2
22.2
3
4
3.5
Copper
7
77.8
4
21
12
Barium
9
100
68
202
119
Strontium
8
88.9
191
592
382
Samples are collected from the Bossier City municipal reservoir and a plan to pump from the river only when
water treatment plant intake. This station is approximately satisfactory quality prevails.
35 miles below the Arkansas-Louisiana State line and 175
miles below the nearest upstream station at Index, Arkansas. In addition to the seven elements tabulated above, two
Bossier City is the only municipality known to draw its instances of chromium at 7 and 13 g.tg/l and one of lead at 60
supply from the Red River. The variability of mineral J1g/1 were recorded. No other trace elements were observed.
concentrations has required this community to install a
i-i 3
-------
RED RIVER AT ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .tg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
2
20
29
58
43
Boron
10
100
60
200
102
Iron
7
70
18
395
88
Manganese
2
20
3.0
6.0
4.5
Copper
4
40
6
14
10
Barium
10
100
56
156
99
Strontium
10
100
200
771
444
Aluminum
3
30
13
588
207
Chromium
3
30
11
42
23
This surveillance station, approximately 190 miles be-
low Bossier City, monitors the quality of the Red River
before its entry into the Atchafalaya River system. Samples
are collected from U. S. Highway 165 bridge. Organic
pollution is the principal problem at this station. Bossier
City, Shreveport, Pineville, and Alexandria, Louisiana dis-
charge sewage to the Red River above this station as does
Barksdale AFB at Shreveport and England AFB at
Alexandria. Three miles above the Alexandria station, a
Veterans Administration Hospital also discharges waste from
a population of 500.
In addition to elements listed above, molybdenum was
detected in one sample at 22 .tgJl.
i-I 4
-------
ATCHAFALAYA RIVER AT MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
83.3
15
36
23
Boron
6
100
63
141
101
Iron
4
66.7
14
84
39
Manganese
5
83.3
3.3
24
11
Copper
6
100
12
250
99
Barium
6
100
45
130
86
Strontium
6
100
124
340
205
In addition to the above tabulations, single occurrences
of aluminum, silver, lead and chromium at 61, 3.6, 17 and 5
g. g/1, respectively, were recorded. Cadmium and vanadium
were never detected.
Zinc, iron and strontium concentrations at the Morgan
City station were all lower than those observed in the Red
River at Alexandria. The mean boron and barium levels
remained unchanged; however, copper showed a tenfold
increase.
J- 15
-------
OUACHITA RIVER AT BASTROP, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ugh
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
77.8
67
924
409
Boron
9
100
34
168
100
Iron
9
100
13
800
215
Manganese
4
44.4
1.5
11
6.0
Copper
8
88.9
8
82
36
Barium
9
100
67
129
96
Strontium
8
88.9
83
774
411
Aluminum
5
55.6
14
240
78
The Ouachita River flows southward from central
Arkansas and, in its lower reach, becomes the Black River.
The Black River is tributary to the Red River about 30 miles
downstream from Alexandria, Louisiana.
The site of the Bastrop station is approximately 14
miles downstream from the Arkansas-Louisiana State line and
215 miles above the confluence of the Ouachita with the Red
River. Samples are collected from the east bank, seven miles
west of Bastrop. The Ouachita River is navigable at this point
and the flow is regulated by navigation locks and dams. The
principal agricultural activity in this area is cotton raising.
Crossett, Arkansas, site of a pulp mill, is the nearest
community about 30 miles upstream.
Nickel at 17 and 50 g.Lg/l, as well as silver, chromium and
vanadium at 2.0, 17 and 12 pg/i, respectively, were recorded
in addition to elements tabulated above. Cadmium, arsenic,
molybdenum, beryllium, cobalt and lead were never observed
at this station.
i-I 6
-------
THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
The surveillance system station at West Memphis,
Arkansas, monitors inflow to the lower Mississippi River
which eventually flows to the Gulf of Mexico. This portion
of the Mississippi is 725 miles long. Twin stations are
installed at Delta, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi on the
opposite bank, to adequately monitor water quality in the
presence of incomplete mixing of tributary flows from the
Yazoo River at this point.
Mean levels of boron, barium and strontium observed at
Girardeau were slightly higher than at West Memphis.
iron and copper, however, showed slight decreases.
Mean levels for all elements over this stretch of the
Mississippi River remain quite constant. Except for a slight
increase in zinc mean concentration at Delta, Louisiana, the
high levels of strontium found in the Arkansas apparently
have little effect on the Mississippi.
Molybdenum, observed quite frequently in the upper
Mississippi, was also found in the lower stretch, but at
slightly lower level. Mean concentrations of zinc, boron,
manganese, copper and barium showed little variation from
those observed in the upper Mississippi. Iron levels decreased
slightly.
Cape
Zinc,
J- 17
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT WEST MEMPHiS, ARKANSAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
ug/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
6
60
6
90
31
Boron
10
100
38
82
57
Iron
8
80
12
150
39
Manganese
6
60
0.6
12.6
5.0
Copper
7
70
2
25
12
Barium
10
100
13
79
41
Strontium
10
100
92
144
I
15
Molybdenum
6
60
14
91
45
Nickel
4
40
8
30
19
Chromium
3
30
7
40
18
This station is located on the west shore of the
Mississippi River, approximately 725 miles above the mouth.
Samples are collected from the floating dock of the
Oklahoma-Mississippi River Products Company.
Municipal sewage is discharged within one-half mile
upstream by West Memphis, Arkansas. Across the river,
Memphis, Tennessee discharges sewage through four outfalls,
three of them upstream from the sampling station and one
downstream.
Two occurrences each of aluminum (28 and 36 pg/i),
silver (1.8 and 5.8 pg/I) and lead (12 and 29 pg/I), plus a
single occurrence of vanadium (15 pg/I) were recorded, in
addition to the 10 elements tabulated above for this station.
i-i 8
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT DELTA, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j Ag/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
70
14
264
61
Boron
10
100
33
95
56
Iron
9
90
9
94
43
Manganese
5
50
2.0
12
5.2
Copper
8
80
6
22
12
Barium
10
100
22
81
56
Strontium
10
100
78
154
127
Molybdenum
5
50
11
63
39
Aluminum
5
50
7
36
22
Nickel
4
40
8
32
17
Chromium
3
30
10
15
12
This station is located on the west bank of the There are no significant upstream pollution sources in
Mississippi River immediately upstream from the mouth of the area. The city of Vicksburg, on the east bank, utilizes the
the Yazoo River, approximately 290 miles below West Mississippi River as a source of drinking water.
Memphis. Samples are collected at the Corps of Engineers
pier at the Delta Casting Yard about two miles north of the In addition to elements listed above, single observations
U. S. Highway 80 bridge, of silver (9.0 pg/i), cobalt (36 pg/i) and lead (45 pg/i) were
reported at the Delta station.
J- 19
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
‘Ag/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
5
55.6
9
40
28
Boron
9
100
32
130
66
Iron
8
88.9
7
138
46
Manganese
5
55.6
1.1
4.0
2.4
Copper
7
77.8
5
9
7
Barium
9
100
14
94
50
Strontium
9
100
87
213
122
Aluminum
3
33.3
25
26
26
Molybdenum
3
33.3
9
47
34
This sampling point is at the raw water intake of the
city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. It is immediately below the
mouth of the Yazoo River which drains northwestern
Mississippi. During high spring flows, most of the water is
from the Yazoo River, while during low flows, most of the
water is from the Mississippi River.
There are no known significant industrial or municipal
sources of pollution immediately above the station. The city
of Vicksburg obtains its water supply from the river. Most of
the industries use city water and are located downstream
from the station.
In addition to those elements tabulated, single occur-
rences of arsenic, nickel and vanadium at 56, 9 and 42 .tg/1
were recorded. Two occurrences each of lead (19 and 52
pg/l) and chromium (23 and 11 g.tg/1) were also observed.
Cadmium, beryllium, silver and cobalt were never detected.
J-20
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR NEW ROADS, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, 2g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
100
7
46
22
Boron
7
100
44
200
87
Iron
4
57.1
15
70
50
Manganese
3
42.9
3.0
12
6.3
Copper
7
100
5
36
12
Barium
7
100
28
76
54
Strontium
6
85.7
98
158
133
Molybdenum
4
57.1
16
90
55
Chromium
3
42.9
9
11
9
The next to the last downstream station on the
Mississippi River is located near New Roads, Louisiana
approximately 163 miles above New Orleans. As the activa-
tion date for this station was May 1964, only seven samples
have been included in the period reported.
In addition to the nine elements listed above, single
occurrences of aluminum (26 g.Lg/1), lead (45 g/l) and
vanadium (4 g/l) were observed here. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, silver, nickel and cobalt were never detected.
J-2 1
-------
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
g/1
- Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
12
66.7
5
59
23
Boron
18
100
22
463
77
Iron
13
72.2
8
59
22
Manganese
7
38.9
0.6
10.4
3.6
Copper
14
77.8
2
19
9
Barium
18
100
23
77
53
Strontium
18
100
92
216
133
Molybdenum
7
38.9
16
84
36
Aluminum
3
16.7
13
60
29
Lead
4
22.2
28
75
54
Chromium
4
22.2
5
10
8
This station is the farthest downstream sampling point
on the Mississippi River and is located 105 miles above the
mouth. Samples are taken at the New Orleans municipal
water treatment plant intake. Twenty miles upstream, pri-
mary sewage treatment plant effluent and wastes from
petrochemical industries at Baton Rouge are discharged to
the river. Ocean-going vessels navigate the river as far
upstream as Baton Rouge.
Municipal water supplies taken from the Mississippi in
the area of the station include those of New Orleans,
Westwego, Gretna and Algiers, Louisiana, and Jefferson
Parish.
In addition to the elements tabulated arsenic, nickel and
vanadium were detected on single occasions at 126, 15 and
10 g/l, respectively. Cadmium, beryllium, silver and cobalt
were never observed.
J-2 2
-------
BASIN 11
COLORADO RIVER
SCALE IN MILES
K- I
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• SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SAMPLING
POINT
2 s 0 ‘ 200
APPENDIX K
BASIN 11 — COLORADO RIVER
The Colorado River heads on the west slope of the
Rocky Mountains in northern Colorado. This river flows
nearly I ,400 miles in a generally southwesterly direction to
the Gui I’ of California. Seven States drain wholly or in part to
the Colorado from its 244,000 square mile U. S. watershed.
The stream forms the boundary separating Arizona from
California and a part of Neva(la. For its last 80 miles, the
river flows through Mexico, draining an additional 2,000
square miles south of the U. S. border.
Light surveillance stations are located within this basin
on four river systems. Five stations are OH the Colorado
mainstem and one each are located on the Green, Animas and
San Juan Rivers. One hundred samples were analyzed from
these four rivers during the time period here involved.
All elements included in the spectrographic program
were observed at least once, except beryllium. Cadmium,
arsenic, and cobalt were observed in 2% or less of the
samples. Al umninum, lead, chromium and silver were observed
14 to I’ of the time nickel and vanadium 8 and Q% of the
time, respectively. Boron, barium and strontium were de-
tected in over 98 of all saniples, iron in 5’ )Y, and copper.
molybdenum, manganese and zinc in 33 to 45%.
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 11 - COLORADO RIVER
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ug/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Cadmium
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
45
1
2
98
22
59
37
39
14
0
33
18
8
2
15
17
9
100
100
45
1
2
98
22
59
37
39
14
0
33
18
8
2
15
17
9
100
100
3
2
26
11
10
2
10
1.3
7
1
0.4
3
10
14
3
7
3
115
312
2
80
1800
580
251
444
49
200
35
38
26
11
64
63
300
232
3500
51
2
53
179
121
40
130
12
50
10
5.8
12
11
32
16
105
60
697
K-2
-------
SAN JUAN - ANIMAS RIVERS
The Animas River is tributary to the San Juan; the San
Juan River is tributary to the Colorado River. The two rivers
begin at altitudes above 10,000 feet and flow over very steep
courses in their upper reaches. Most of the flow in these river
systems originates in Colorado. Flows through numerous dry
washes or arroyos from occasional desert rains carry large
sediment load to the San Juan, Below the Animas confluence
with the San Juan at Farmington, New Mexico, a broad
stream bed is cut into soft sandstones and mans, within
which the dry-weather flow channel meanders.
While a wide variety of trace elements were observed in
the Animas River at Cedar Hill, New Mexico, many go
undetected in the San Juan River. The boron mean concen-
tration in the San Juan was twice that observed in the
Animas. The iron concentration also was higher in the San
Juan, as was strontium. Aluminum was observed less fre-
quently but in increased mean concentration in the San Juan.
K-3
-------
ANIMAS RIVER AT CEDAR HILL, NEW MEXICO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g. g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
13
65
7
76
24
Boron
19
95
11
176
53
Iron
17
85
2
29
12
Manganese
7
35
1.3
10.5
3.6
Copper
10
50
2
10
5
Barium
20
100
13
113
43
Strontium
20
100
126
1200
368
Molybdenum
4
20
10
88
46
Aluminum
8
40
7
95
31
Silver
9
45
0.4
7.0
2.9
Nickel
4
20
3
16
7
Lead
11
55
14
52
30
Chromium
6
30
3
13
6
Vanadium
3
15
7
48
29
The Water Quality Surveillance System sampling station
on the Animas River is located near the Colorado-New Mexico
State line. Samples are collected from the bank at the gas
pipeline crossing on the Heizer ranch. Two communities in
Colorado — Silverton and Durango — discharge municipal
wastes into the Animas. Aztec, New Mexico, 1 5 miles below
the surveillance station, and Farmington, New Mexico, 14
miles below Aztec, use the river for municipal supply and
waste disposal.
Water quality in the Animas is affected by uranium
mine tailings and drainage near Silverton, Colorado. Exten-
sive use is made of the stream for irrigation and there are oil
and gas developments below this station.
Of the 19 elements included in the spectrographic
program, only beryllium was undetected. Cadmium, arsenic
and cobalt were each observed on one occasion at 2, 80 and
10 .ig/l, respectively.
K-4
-------
SAN JUAN RIVER AT SHIPROCK, NEW MEXICO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, jAg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
63.6
16
74
35
Boron
11
100
25
295
123
Iron
10
90.9
14
245
56
Manganese
5
45.5
3.6
12
6.9
Copper
4
36.4
5
18
10
Barium
11
100
15
108
57
Strontium
11
100
147
1270
615
Aluminum
3
27.3
21
200
85
The surveillance system station at Shiprock is about 22
miles upstream from the point where the San Juan River
enters Utah after flowing through Colorado for about three
miles near the Four Corners Area. Samples are collected just
upstream from the water intake for the U. S. Bureau of Mines
helium plant. Several small communities are located above
the surveillance station. Farmington, New Mexico with a
population of about 25,000 is 59 miles upstream. Extensive
irrigation near Farmington can be expected to increase when
waters impound behind Navajo Dam and when the irrigation
works are completed. Natural gas deposits are found along the
river above Farmington and a uranium mill is located a short
distance above the surveillance station.
In addition to those tabulated above, the following
elements and concentrations were detected: molybdenum
(15 and 69 pg/I), silver (1.4 and 3.6 pg/i), lead (14 pg/l) and
vanadium (217 pg/I). Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, nickel,
cobalt and chromium were all either absent or below the
detection limit.
K-5
-------
GREEN RIVER AT DUTCH JOHN, UTAH
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency.
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g.ig/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
4
44.4
5
36
19
Boron
9
100
60
215
135
Iron
6
66.7
6
109
41
Manganese
4
44.4
3.3
15
9.0
Copper
5
55.6
1
16
9
Barium
9
100
11
196
64
Strontium
9
100
318
437
375
The Green River is tributary to the Colorado in
southeastern Utah. This stream flows from southwestern
Wyoming to Utah, joining the Colorado below Moab, Utah.
The Water Quality Surveillance System station at Dutch
John, Utah, is about 30 miles downstream from the
Wyoming-Utah State line. Samples are collected at Flaming
Gorge Dam powerhouse. Downstream, the Green River enters
and flows through Colorado for a short distance before
reentering Utah and proceeding to its confluence with the
Colorado in southeast Utah.
The nearest municipal discharge to the Dutch John
station is about 90 miles upstream at Green River, Wyoming.
Grazing of sheep and cattle is a major land use, as is
irrigation. A large portion of the irrigated cropland is in
Wyoming. Principal crops are alfalfa, natural hay, oats and
clover.
Molybdenum (95 and 142 .ig/l), aluminum (43 pg/I),
silver (2.2 and 4.5 pg/I), nickel (7 pg/I) and cobalt (II pg/i)
were observed at the respective levels indicated. Cadmium,
arsenic, beryllium, lead, chromium and vanadium were never
detected.
K-6
-------
THE COLORADO RIVER
Most of the Colorado River’s drainage area is arid land.
Precipitation in the basin varies from 2½ inches per year
along the Mexican Border to 30 inches per year in the higher
elevations along the Continental Divide. Annual evaporation
varies from about 32 inches in the upper basin to almost 86
inches in the California-Arizona desert area. Streamfiow in
the lower Colorado is presently regulated. Further dam
construction underway and planned will bring the entire river
under regulation.
There are extensive irrigation and water power projects
throughout the river basin. In addition, a portion of the
Colorado flow is diverted and exported to southern
California for municipal and industrial uses. The principal
industrial activities in the basin are mining and ore pro-
cessing. The extent of these activities varies as to location and
time. Past mining activities have left their scars on the land,
and mine drainage and tailings piles still exert an adverse
influence on the quality of the water draining some areas.
The Colorado plateau extends over portions of Utah,
Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. The lower portion of
the plateau is largely composed of flat-lying sandstones,
shales, and limestones which have been deeply incised by the
river system, most notably in the Grand Canyon. Because of
the land erosion, the Colorado River carries a heavy silt load.
Five water quality sampling stations are located on the
Colorado River at Loma, Colorado; Page, Arizona; Boulder
City, Nevada; Parker Dam, California and Yuma, Arizona.
Sixty samples from the Colorado were analyzed within the
time period. The zinc mean value increased both in frequency
and concentration between Loma and Parker Dam, probably
due to the Green and San Juan Rivers. A decrease was then
noted. Iron, which remained about the same in frequency,
showed this same increase in concentration, varying from
3 5-84 j. gfl.
Between Loma, Colorado and Yuma, Arizona, a dis-
tance of over 1,000 river miles, the boron mean level
increased from 109 to 656 pg/I. Strontium averaged about
650 .ig/l between Loma and Boulder City and then tripled to
over 1800 .ig/l at Yuma, Arizona. Molybdenum, although not
too regular in appearance, decreased over the same distance.
Cadmium, beryllium and cobalt were never observed at
measurable levels. Arsenic, aluminum, nickel and lead were
found in less than 5% of the samples. Silver and vanadium
were found in 8%, while chromium was detected in about
18% of the samples.
K-7
-------
COLORADO RIVER AT LOMA, COLORADO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, Mg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Boron
22
100
18
232
109
Iron
11
50.0
15
62
35
Manganese
11
50.0
3.4
49
18
Copper
7
31.8
4
35
20
Barium
22
100
3
82
40
Strontium
22
100
203
1800
667
Molybdenum
18
81.8
20
444
194
Silver
3
13.6
3.0
38
16.8
Chromium
5
22.7
4
19
10
Vanadium
5
22.7
29
300
129
This is the farthest upstream surveillance station on the
Colorado River and is located approximately 15 river miles
above the Colorado-Utah State line. Samples are collected
from the north bank of the river, two miles south of Loma.
The Colorado heads roughly 250 miles upstream from this
point.
Irrigated agriculture above the Loma station produces
fruit, forage, grains and truck farm products. Upstream
industries include uranium plants at Rifle, Grand Junction
and Gunnison, and an oil shale extraction plant at Rifle.
Municipal waste is discharged by three upstream communities
within 21 miles of this station. There is a gasoline and coke
refinery one mile upstream.
This station showed more positive occurrences of
vanadium than any other in the entire surveillance system. In
addition to those elements listed above, single occurrences of
zinc at 13 pg/I and aluminum at 29 pg/I were recorded.
Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, nickel, cobalt and lead were
never detected.
K-8
-------
COLORADO RIVER AT PAGE, ARIZONA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Barium
Strontium
4
9
4
3
9
9
44.4
100
44.4
33.3
100
100
3
86
29
5.3
30
288
77
228
127
9.0
91
1250
29
142
75
7.1
59
645
The Page, Arizona station is approximately five miles
below the Arizona-Utah State line, and 375 miles below the
Loma, Colorado station. Samples are taken from the Page
municipal water treatment plant. Moab, Utah, about 150
miles upstream, is the nearest community. The Green and
San Juan Rivers are confluent to the Colorado River above
Page and below Loma, Colorado; both tributaries have
surveillance system stations.
Molybdenum at 48 and 100 g/1, arsenic at 26 j.tg/1,
copper at 3 and 10 pg/I, silver at 3.5 pg/i and chromium at 11
pg/I were detected in certain samples. Cadmium, aluminum,
beryllium, nickel, cobalt, lead and vanadium were not
detected.
K-9
-------
COLORADO RIVER NEAR BOULDER CITY, NEVADA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, JLgJl
Mm.
Max.
Mean —
Zinc
5
50
10
259
96
Boron
10
100
90
620
197
Iron
4
40
17
137
51
Manganese
4
40
3.3
26
15
Barium
10
100
50
232
90
Strontium
10
100
115
1220
658
Molybdenum
3
30
33
165
98
Boulder City, Nevada lies 360 miles below Page, Arizona
and 415 miles above the mouth of the Colorado River. Water
samples are taken from the booster pump station of the
Boulder City intake which taps Hoover Dam penstocks. The
intake elevation is variable.
Hoover Dam created Lake Mead which has a detention
time of about two years for the average Colorado River flow.
The evaporation rate is about seven feet per year. Lake Mead
is a recreational water and receives some pollution from this
source. Above Lake Mead, the river flows through the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado.
Two occurrences each of lead (36 and 64 gAg/I) and
chromium (19 and 22 pg/I) and single occurrences of copper
(23 pg/i) and silver (13 pg/I) were recorded. Cadmium,
arsenic, aluminum, beryllium, nickel, cobalt and vanadium
were never detected.
K-10
-------
COLORADO RIVER ABOVE PARKER DAM, ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j.Lg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
12
312
104
Boron
9
100
95
1036
271
Iron
4
44.4
2
251
84
Manganese
3
33.3
4.0
20
12.5
Copper
3
33.3
4
20
10
Barium
9
100
27
156
94
Strontium
9
100
438
1221
737
Molybdenum
4
44.4
33
74
52
Parker Dam lies 157 river miles below Boulder City,
Nevada, 167 miles above Yuma, Arizona, and approximately
258 miles above the mouth of the Colorado River. This water
quality surveillance station is located in the Whitset pumping
plant which diverts Colorado River water from Lake Havasu
to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
The Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas use this
water as a major portion of their municipal supplies. A
portion of this diverted water is used also for industrial
purposes and to recharge ground water aquifers.
No other municipal, industrial or agricultural uses are
made of Colorado River water in the Parker Dam-Boulder
City reach. Needles, California, about 70 miles upstream,
draws it water supply from wells and discharges its wastes
through lagoons to the main stem of the Colorado.
Total dissolved salt concentration, approximately one-
third that found at Yuma, permits somewhat better limits of
detection at this station. In addition to those elements
tabulated, nickel at 7 and 26 zg/1, lead at 38 .zg/1 and
chromium at 36 g. g/1 were detected. Cadmium, arsenic,
aluminum, beryllium, silver, cobalt and vanadium were never
detected.
K-il
-------
COLORADO RIVER AT YUMA, ARIZONA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Barium
Strontium
2
9
3
2
10
10
20
90
30
20
100
100
13
313
34
12
38
836
80
1800
72
28
121
3500
46
656
56
20
74
1852
The Yuma, Arizona station provides surveillance on the
Colorado before the river enters Mexico. Samples are
collected from the former intake of the Arizona Water
Company. The Colorado River is a source of irrigation water
for the extensive developments above Yuma and receives the
irrigation return drainage.
The Yuma station is directLy influenced by the Weilton-
Mohawk irrigation district drainage and the Gila River which
enters the Colorado River immediately upstream. This station
is 10 miles above the Mexican border approximately 90 miles
above the mouth of the river. Yuma discharges its municipal
waste into the Colorado River below this station.
As shown in the table, strontium and boron concen-
trations were extremely high, ranging from 835 to 3500 pg /i
and 313 to 1800 pg/I, respectively. Except for barium, very
few trace elements other than those shown above were
detected in measurable quantities because the high dissolved
salt content of the samples permits only slight concentration
of the elements involved.
Single occurrences of aluminum at 125 pg/I, copper at 7
pg/i and nickel at 25 pg/I, plus two occurrences of chromium
at 34 and 63 pgJl were recorded. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium, silver, cobalt, lead and vanadium were never
detected.
K-12
-------
-- r o i ’
- \ COLORADO -- - L I I ILAL buuNLAf Y
RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY
• AL AM SA I
—, SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
• SAMPLING POINT
/ ) I 0 0 00 ZOO
/ r—t _ .j--—i __ . .
,/ / SCALI IN MIL(S
,‘ / “ I
NEW
1 iç M Fxic: J
FL PASO
sOO
BASIN 12
WESTERN GULF APPENDIX L
BASIN 12 - WESTERN GULF
The Western Gulf Drainage Basin includes most ot I cx
and New Mexico plus small portions of Colorado and
Louisiana. Topography varies from the sea level coastal plain
to the 14,000 foot peaks of southern Colorado.
Two river systems within the Western Gulf Basin, the
Sabine on the east and the Rio Grande on the west, are
included within the Water Quality Surveillance System. Five
sampling stations are located in the basin, four on the Rio
Grande and one on the Sabine River.
Forty-seven samples from this basin were analyzed
within the time period involved. All contained barium and
strontium; boron was found in 98% of the samples. Iron
occurred with a frequency of 70%; manganese, copper and
zinc were found only 38-49% of the time. Cadmium, arsenic,
nickel, lead, chromium and vanadium were found in 6% or
less of the samples. Beryllium and cobalt were never observed
at measurable levels in any sample.
T EXAS
MEXICO
BR OWN S V ILL I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 12— WESTERN GULF
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ig/l
M m .
Max.
Mean
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
23
1
2
46
11
33
5
18
10
0
19
2
1
0
1
3
1
47
47
48.9
2.1
4.3
97.9
23.4
70.2
10.6
38.3
21.3
0
40.4
4.3
2.1
0
2.1
6.4
2.1
100
100
6
10
20
34
18
3
4
0.6
5
2
0.4
3
4
5
9
10
21
405
10
24
1726
570
952
59
42
924
38
6.6
3
4
56
9
174
2720
92
10
22
289
173
173
24
10
.333
11
3.5
3
4
25
9
67
652
Zinc
Cadmium
L-2
-------
SABINE RIVER NEAR RULIFF, TEXAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g. g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
100
25
405
162
Boron
8
80
46
331
103
Iron
10
100
28
952
373
Manganese
8
80
0.6
28
7.8
Copper
10
100
4
34
14
Barium
10
100
18
70
50
Strontium
10
100
21
203
112
Aluminum
8
80
9
924
400
The Sabine River begins at an elevation of 500 feet in
east Texas, flows 200 miles to the southeast, and then bends
to the south to form the Texas-Louisiana border for 180
miles. The river discharges into Sabine Lake near Port Arthur
and thence into the Gulf of Mexico. The total drainage area is
about 9,700 square miles.
The sampling station is located on the Sabine River
Authority Canal which supplies industrial and agricultural
water to the Orange-Beaumont area. Samples are collected at
the Sabine River Authority pumping plant. The 1962
Inventory of Municipal Waste Facilities showed 34 corn-
munities in the Texas and Louisiana area discharging both
treated and untreated municipal wastes to the Sabine River
mainstem or its tributaries. There are, however, no significant
discharges within 1 00 miles of the Ruliff station. Oil fields
have been developed in the upstream drainage basin. Some
diversion is made for rice irrigation.
The highest concentrations of zinc, iron and aluminum
within this basin were observed in the Sabine River in 80% or
more of the samples. Single occurrences of molybdenum,
silver, nickel and lead at 34, 0.4, 3 and 5 g/l, respectively,
were also recorded.
L-3
-------
THE RIO GRANDE
The Rio Grande drains an area of 182,200 square miles,
about one-half of which are in Mexico. The river heads on the
eastern flank of the San Juan Mountains in south-central
Colorado. It flows southward through New Mexico and
thence southeasterly to form the international boundary
between the United States and Mexico.
The San Luis Valley of Colorado, a part of the Rio
Grande watershed, is an area of extensive agricultural
development. The river flow is affected by irrigation with-
drawals and returns and by the operation of storage
reservoirs. Upon entering New Mexico, the Rio Grande
traverses an arid area. Two large mainstem impoundments,
above El Paso — Elephant Butte and Cabello Reservoirs —
store most of the river flow from September to March for
release during the growing season. Below El Paso, the Mexico
drainage contributes little surface runoff. In the vicinity of
Brownsville, Texas the stream supports an extensively in-i-
gated agriculture.
There are four water quality sampling stations on the
Rio Grande. The uppermost is at Alamosa, Colorado at river
mile 1755. Approximately 500 miles down river is the El
Paso station. The third station at Laredo, Texas is at river
mile 356 and the Brownsville station is farthest downstream
just 52 miles above the mouth of the Rio Grande.
The trace element mean levels at Alamosa were the
lowest observed anywhere in the Rio Grande Basin. Zinc,
manganese and copper were infrequently found. Only boron,
barium and strontium occurred regularly. The strontium
levels in the Rio Grande are some of the highest observed in
any river within the national system.
L-4
-------
RIO GRANDE BELOW ALAMOSA, COLORADO
•
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
J1g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Boron
Iron
Copper
Barium
Strontium
10
7
3
10
10
100
70
30
100
100
34
6
4
10
86
245
67
6
50
308
106
27
5
33
207
Samples are collected from the Colorado State Highway
142 bridge. This is the uppermost surveillance station on the
Rio Grande River and is located approximately 10 miles
above the Colorado-New Mexico State line in the San Luis
Valley. This valley supports extensive agriculture, potatoes
being the principal crop. In parts of the valley, water tables
are quite high and the fields must be extensively drained to
prevent mineral buildup in the root zone.
The nearest upstream municipal waste discharges in-
clude those of Alamosa, Del Norte, and Monte Vista,
Colorado. An oil refinery and a dairy also discharge wastes to
the Rio Grande about three miles above the Alamosa station.
Boron, barium, and strontium levels are lower at this
station than at others in this basin. Zinc was observed on two
occasions at 10 tg/1. Manganese at 1.2 and 2.0 pg/l was also
observed, as were single occurrences of molybdenum (59
ig/l), aluminum (5 g/l), chromium (15 g/1) and vanadium
(9 g.&g/l). Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt
and lead were never detected.
L-5
-------
RIO GRANDE AT EL PASO, TEXAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ig/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Barium
Strontium
5
9
4
9
9
55.6
100
44.4
100
100
6
155
3
35
480
126
1726
119
120
2720
51
542
56
63
1290
The El Paso surveillance system station is located near
the point where the river becomes the international boundary
between the United States and Mexico. For approximately
20 miles above this point the river is the interstate boundary
between New Mexico and Texas. Samples are collected from
the El Paso municipal water plant intake.
The Rio Grande at this point is regulated by Elephant
Butte and Cabello Reservoirs upstream in New Mexico. From
about mid-September to early March the flow at El Paso is in
the range of one to several cubic feet per second. La Cruces,
New Mexico and Anthony, Texas, 45 and 19 miles upstream,
respectively, discharge secondary treatment sewage effluents
to the stream. El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico obtain half
of their minicipal water supplies from the Rio Grande.
Manganese at 20 and 42 g/l, copper at 3 and 38 g.zg/l
and arsenic at 24 g/l were recorded in addition to the five
elements tabulated above. Cadmium, molybdenum, alumi-
num, beryllium, silver, nickel, cobalt, lead, chromium and
vanadium were never detected.
L-6
-------
RIO GRANDE AT LAREDO, TEXAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j ig/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
3
30
22
78
52
Boron
10
100
113
880
269
Iron
6
60
13
238
79
Manganese
2
20
3.0
3.7
3.3
Copper
2
20
4
15
10
Barium
10
100
23
174
89
Strontium
10
100
448
1815
822
The Laredo station is 892 river miles below the El Paso
surveillance system station. Some distance upstream the
Pecos River, which drains some 35,000 square miles, has
joined the Rio Grande. Samples are collected from the intake
of the Laredo municipal water plant. The Rio Grande flows
through sparsely populated areas from El Paso to Laredo, and
only limited use is made of this reach of the river.
The same general conditions were observed at the
Laredo station as at Brownsville. Barium, boron, and stron-
tium were observed in all samples. Iron occurred frequently
and zinc, manganese and copper were observed occasionally.
In addition, single occurrences of cadmium (10 pg/l),
molybdenum (11 pg/i), aluminum (135 pg/i), silver (6.6 pg/i)
and chromium (56 pg/I) were recorded. Arsenic, beryllium,
nickel, cobalt, lead and vanadium were never detected.
L-7
-------
RIO GRANDE AT BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Barium
Strontium
3
9
6
4
8
8
33.3
100
66.7
44.4
88.9
88.9
6
246
3
4.8
84
585
38
820
823
29
130
1400
18
423
183
12
108
952
The Brownsville station is the terminal station on the
Rio Grande. Samples are collected at the intake of
Brownsville No. 1 Water Plant. Falcon Reservoir, on the
mainstem between Brownsville and Laredo, provides irri-
gation and municipal water supplies for communities of the
“Magic Valley” at the southern tip of Texas. This agricultural
district supports a diversified production of cotton,
vegetables, corn, grains and citrus fruit. Most of the industrial
wastes result from canning and packing operations. Municipal
and industrial wastes in this valley, for the most part, are
diverted into the Gulf of Mexico via arroyos and floodways.
Brownsville is an exception; this city discharges municipal
wastes into the Rio Grande from its treatment plant. There
are no communities downstream.
Two occurrences each of molybdenum (4 and 1 1 pg/I)
and oopper (2 and 4 ig/l) plus single occurrences of arsenic
(20 pg/I) and lead (4 pg/l) were recorded. Cadmium,
aluminum, silver, nickel, cobalt, chromium and vanadium
were never detected.
L-8
-------
APPENDIX M
BASIN 13 PACIFIC NORTHWEST
The Pacific Northwest Basin includes the Columbia
River system and the small Pacific Coast drainage basins
along the western flanks of the Cascade and Coast Ranges in
Oregon and Washington. At present, only the Columbia Basin
is included in the Water Quality Surveillance Systen.
The Pacific Northwest drainage basin totals about
259,000 square miles, of which 220,000 lie in the United
States. The Basin embraces Washington and Oregon, nearly
all of Idaho, western Montana and small portions of
Wyoming, Utah and Nevada. In general, runoff is high in this
basin and mineral concentrations are fairly low except where
the water has been used for irrigation.
Fourteen surveillance stations are located in this basin:
six on the Columbia, three on the Snake and one each on the
( 1 learwater, the Willamette, and Pend Oreille, the Yakitna and
the Spokane Rivers. Samples analyzed from these stations
during the time period involved totaled I 62.
Of’ the 19 elements routinely monitored, only barium
was found in all samples. All of the elements occurred at least
once. Cadmium, beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were found
in less than 6% of the samples; arsenic and nickel occurred
8.5 and 10.5% of’ the time. Lead, chromium, aluminum and
molybdenum occurred in 23 to 39% of the samples;
manganese in 51%. Iron, copper and zinc were found in 80 to
90 . Boron occurred with a frequency of over 93% and
strontium over 99%. The mean concentrations of these
elements were all below the national averages.
P LL IJ
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
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M-l
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 13 — PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, Mg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
146
90.1
2
330
40
Cadmium
4
2.5
1
13
5
Arsenic
14
8.6
16
300
68
Boron
152
93.8
4
148
30
Phosphorus
85
52.5
2
183
47
Iron
130
80.2
2
256
32
Molybdenum
63
38.9
2
128
30
Manganese
83
51.2
0.4
28
2.8
Aluminum
49
30.2
3
179
30
Beryllium
1
0.6
0.02
0.02
0.02
Copper
141
87.0
1
37
9
Silver
14
8.6
0.1
3.7
0.9
Nickel
17
10.5
1
50
10
Cobalt
6
3.7
1
17
8
Lead
37
22.8
4
79
15
Chromium
53
32.7
1
36
6
Vanadium
10
6.2
3
20
13
Barium
162
100
2
100
27
Strontium
161
99.4
3
334
68
M-2
-------
WILLAMEUE RIVER AT PORTLAND, OREGON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
90.9
12
70
28
Boron
Ii
100
6
74
22
Iron
II
100
15
138
59
Manganese
9
81.8
0.4
3.2
1.4
Copper
10
90.9
4
17
7
Barium
11
100
4
25
10
Strontium
Ii
100
16
32
24
Molybdenum
4
36.4
3
28
15
Aluminum
5
45.5
10
179
85
The Willamette river rises in southwest Oregon and
flows northward 300 miles to its confluence with the
Columbia River at Portland. It is navigable to Eugene, 178
miles upstream. The Willamette drains the most heavily
populated part of Oregon. Agriculture, food processing, and
lumbering operations are the principal economic activities.
The Portland sampling station is located at Swan Island,
8½ miles above the Willamette’s confluence with the
Columbia. Two pulp mills are located at Oregon City,
approximately 18 miles above the station. The largest
municipality contributing waste upstream from the station is
Salem, Oregon.
In addition to those elements shown above, single
occurrences of nickel and chromium at 1 pg/I and vanadium
at 3 pg/l were recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver,
cobalt and lead, however, were never recorded.
M-3
-------
PEND OREILLE RIVER AT ALBENI FALLS DAM, IDAHO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g. g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
90.9
3
39
15
Boron
11
100
4
27
13
Iron
10
90.9
2
74
18
Manganese
7
63.6
0.4
7.0
2.4
Copper
10
90.9
3
11
5
Barium
11
100
2
100
39
Strontium
11
100
15
69
33
Molybdenum
7
63.6
13
55
24
Aluminum
3
27.3
3
15
7
Lead
4
36.4
10
20
14
Chromium
3
27.3
2
13
6
The Pend Oreille River begins as an outflow from Pend
Oreille Lake in Northern Idaho and receives drainage from
Washington, Idaho, western Montana, and Canada. It flows
119 miles west-northwest to the Columbia River in Canada.
Most of the drainage basin is covered by natural forests.
This water quality station is located in the Albeni Falls
Dam powerhouse. This dam near the Washington-Idaho
border creates an impoundment which extends upstream to
Pend Oreille Lake, a large natural lake. The principal stream
feeding Lake Pend Oreille is the Clark Fork River which
drains a large portion of western Montana.
The principal community on Pend Oreille Lake is
Sandpoint, Idaho, which discharges treated wastes into the
lake near its outlet to the Pend Oreille River. Priest River,
Idaho discharges treated municipal waste to Pend Oreille
River above the surveillance system station. No major
municipal waste loads are discharged to the Pend Oreille
River below the station.
Two occurrences each of nickel (2 and 13 pg/I) and
cobalt (I and 14 pg/l), plus single silver (0.2 pg/I), vanadium
(17 pg/i) and cadmium (2 pg/I) values were observed. Only
arsenic and beryllium, of the 19 programmed elements, were
never detected
M-4
-------
YAKIMA RIVER AT RJCHLAND, WASHINGTON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, tg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
10
58.8
2
31
11
Boron
16
94.1
17
42
24
Iron
12
70.6
3
92
19
Manganese
7
41.2
1.3
9.6
4.5
Copper
13
76.5
3
8
5
Barium
17
100
12
37
21
Strontium
17
100
42
129
74
Molybdenum
9
52.9
4
77
39
Lead
4
23.5
5
22
13
The Yakima River rises on the east slope of the Cascade
Range and flows 203 miles to the Columbia. This stream is
used extensively for irrigation and hydroelectric power.
The Richiand, Washington sampling station is located at
the city pumping station near the terminus of the Yakima
River basin. Extensive irrigation in the basin supports an
agricultural economy which produces such diversified crops
as fruits, including apples, cherries, and pears; hay and grain
crops; vegetables; and such other crops as sugar beets,
potatoes and hops. Over one-quarter million acres are
irrigated in the Yakima basin. Yakima, Washington, the
principal upstream community lies some 90 miles above the
surveillance station and discharges treated wastes to the
Yakima River. Food processing plants, lumber yards, and
some manufacturing plants are located in and near the city.
Food processing plants which operate seasonally generate
large quantities of industrial wastes. These wastes are
extensively treated by lagooning and applied by sprinkler to
land areas. During the irrigation season, a high percentage of
the river flow at the surveillance station is irrigation return
drainage.
Two occurrences each of aluminum at 5 and 10 ,i g /l and
vanadium at 18 and 20 pg/i, plus one of chromium at 4 . g/1
were reported. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, silver, nickel
and cobalt were never detected.
M-5
-------
SPOKANE RIVER AT POST FALLS DAM. IDAHO
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
9
8
9
6
9
9
9
Frequency
of Detection, %
100
88.9
100
66.7
100
100
100
Mm.
72
6
2
0.4
4
9
3
Max.
330
17
132
2.0
17
29
14
Mean
203
10
21
1.1
9
17
10
The Spokane River originates below Coeur d’Alene Lake
in western Idaho. The lake receives drainage from Idaho and
western Montana. The river flows in a westward course to
join the Columbia River. The principal economic activities in
this area are lumbering, wheat, fruit, livestock and mining
and associated processing.
This station is located in the Post Falls Dam powerhouse
two miles upstream from the Washington-Idaho State line
and seven miles downstream from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This
city draws its municipal water supply from Coeur d’Alene
Lake and discharges its treated sewage to the river above the
sampling station. Lumbering is the principal industry in this
area. The lower reach of the Spokane River is in pool above
Grand Coulee Dam after flowing through Spokane,
Washington.
In addition to those elements listed above, cadmium at
I and 4 pg/I, nickel at I and 3 pg/I, lead at 4 and 8 pg/I and
chromium at 3 and 2 pg/l as well as molybdenum at 10 pg/i,
aluminum at 20 g/l and vanadium at 6 pg/I were observed,
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Observed Values, g tg/l
M-6
-------
CLEARWATER RIVER AT LEWISTON, IDAHO
.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
9
100
13
99
43
Boron
8
88.9
4
23
12
Iron
9
100
10
95
39
Manganese
6
66.7
0.4
1.1
0.7
Copper
9
100
5
37
22
Barium
9
100
8
36
15
Strontium
9
100
15
59
30
Aluminum
6
66.7
6
135
41
The Clearwater River is tributary to the Snake River and
drains north-central Idaho and a small portion of western
Washington. Much of the headwater area is in natural forests;
lumbering and lumber mills are the principal economic
activity. Some farming is also carried on.
The Clearwater is monitored by the Water Quality
Surveillance System at the municipal water plant intake,
approximately two miles above its confluence with the Snake
River. There are minor municipal discharges located some 40
miles upstream from the station. The nearby area is rather
hilly and stock raising is the principal agricultural activity. A
kraft pulp mill is located above the station and utilizes 30 to
40 million gallons per day of the river water. Wastes from this
plant are discharged to the confluence of the Snake and
Clearwater Rivers below the surveillance station. There is a
log pond associated with this plant.
In addition to two nickel values of 2 and 41 pg/i, single
observations of arsenic at 1 6 pg/l, molybdenum at 15 pg/i,
beryllium at 0.02 pg/I, silver at 0.1 pg/i, lead at 5 pg/i,
chromium at 12 pg/I, and vanadium at 8 pg/i were recorded.
Cadmium and cobalt were never detected.
M-7
-------
THE SNAKE RIVER
The Snake River is the major tributary of the Columbia.
It rises in Yellowstone National Park and flows for about
1,000 miles to join the Columbia near Pasco, Washington.
This stream has cut a canyon to a depth of 5,500 feet.
Idaho’s major population centers are located along the Snake
River where both private and Federal irrigation projects are
active.
Three Water Quality Surveillance Stations are located on
the Snake River at Wawawai and Ice Harbor Dam,
Washington and Payette, Idaho. The Ice Harbor Dam station
lies farthest downstream, just 1 0 miles above the point where
the Snake River discharges to the Columbia. The Wawawai
station is located 100 miles upstream. Payette is the
uppermost station, lying 255 miles above Wawawal and 635
miles below the headwaters of the Snake River.
Thirty-six samples from these three stations were
analyzed within the time period here reported. The zinc
mean level remained quite constant, varying only from 34 to
46kg/i.
The iron and manganese mean concentrations showed
slight decreases. The boron mean concentration of 86 pg/i at
Payette was apparently diluted by the Clearwater River to 12
pg/i and was recorded at 54 pg/i over the remaining distance.
Barium, strontium, and molybdenum concentrations also
reflected the dilution effect of the Clearwater River,
M-8
-------
SNAKE RIVER AT PAYErrE, IDAHO
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .tg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
15
93.8
4
103
34
Boron
15
93.8
30
125
86
Iron
9
56.3
2
155
41
Manganese
5
31.3
1.5
28
10
Copper
8
50.0
2
30
10
Barium
16
100
9
81
36
Strontium
15
93.8
30
334
177
Molybdenum
8
50.0
21
128
71
The Payette station is located at the highway bridge
crossing the Snake River. It is the uppermost sampling point
on the river, and is located in the reach of the river that
forms the Oregon-Idaho border. Municipal wastes are dis-
charged to the Snake River within four miles upstream from
the station. Also, upstream, about 2.5 million acres are
irrigated for growing sugar beets, potatoes, and grains, the
principal crops. The associated food processing plants dis-
charge their wastes to the Snake River and its tributaries
above the Payette station.
Two occurrences of silver at 0.5 and 1.3 Mg/I and single
occurrences of cadmium, arsenic and chromium values of 13,
300 and 2 g/I, respectively, were recorded. Aluminum,
beryllium, nickel, cobalt, lead and vanadium were never
detected.
M-9
-------
SNAKE RIVER AT WAWAWA!, WASHINGTON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
72.7
3
70
37
Boron
10
90.9
14
92
54
Iron
8
72.7
6
256
62
Copper
6
54.5
4
10
6
Barium
11
100
7
52
26
Strontium
11
100
25
150
88
Molybdenum
3
27.3
2
64
37
Chromium
3
27.3
4
36
17
This sampling point in the surveillance system is located
at the pumping station of the I. E. Wilson Farm about 25
miles below the point where the Snake River bends westward
through Washington. Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston,
Idaho 25 miles upstream are the two communities that may
influence water quality at this station by discharging treated
sewage. Pulp mill wastes are also discharged to the river in the
Lewiston.Clarkston area. Irrigation water is diverted from the
stream, principally in the southern Idaho portion of the
drainage. The Clearwater River is a tributary to the Snake
River at Lewiston, Idaho.
Two occurrences each of manganese (2.3 and 9.6 pg/I),
aluminum (6 and 16 pg/i) and nickel (I and 50 pg/I), plus
single observations of silver (1.4 pg/l), lead Cli pg/i) and
vanadium (9 pg/I) were recorded. Cadmium, arsenic,
beryllium and cobalt were not detected.
M-lO
-------
SNAKE RIVER AT ICE HARBOR DAM, WASHINGTON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
77.8
6
201
46
Boron
8
88.9
17
148
54
Iron
9
100
4
48
21
Manganese
4
44.4
1.5
5.9
3.0
Copper
9
100
10
19
14
Barium
9
100
14
33
24
Strontium
9
100
28
146
92
Molybdenum
3
33.3
8
60
32
Aluminum
3
33.3
8
49
27
This surveillance system station, located in the power-
house at Ice Harbor Dam, Washington, monitors the dis-
charge of the Snake River to the Columbia River. There are
no municipal water users for 100 miles upstream from this
station. The Snake River flow is regulated and provides for an
extensive irrigated agriculture.
Single occurrences of nickel (2 j.tg/1), cobalt (3 .Lg/1),
lead (16 pg/I), chromium (10 pg/I) and vanadium (19 pg/I)
were reported. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium and silver were
never detected.
M-11
-------
THE COLUMBIA RIVER
The Columbia River originates in Columbia Lake, in
southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It flows 190 miles
northwest, thence bends sharply to the south, flowing 270
miles to cross the international boundary and continues on
across Washington for another 750 miles to the Pacific
Ocean. The fall from source to tidewater is about 2,700 feet.
Many of the Columbia’s tributaries, however, have even
greater drops between source and mouth, varying in some
instances from 3,000 to 6,000 feet.
The principal tributary is the Snake River whose general
drainage is the southeastern half of the United States portion
of the basin. Other major tributaries to the Columbia are the
Pend Oreille, Spokane, Yakima, and Willamette Rivers, plus
numerous smaller streams along its entire length.
The Cascade Mountain Range lies a short distance inland
from the Pacific Coast. Two hundred to 300 miles east of the
Cascades is the main range of the northern Rocky Mountains.
Ninety-one percent of the land area of the Columbia River
Basin, accounting for 75 percent of the runoff, lies in
between.
The intervening plateau includes several low mountain
ranges and rolling hills, with precipitous canyons in many
places. Much of this area is composed of enormous sheets of
horizontal lava flows, covered with surface materials suitable
for a variety of agricultural purposes. Nearly all of the
interior lands suitable for cultivation are semiarid or near-
deserts.
The lower, drier mountain slopes and the dry, interior
plateaus are covered by sagebrush and other desert vegeta-
tion. The surrounding humid mountains are covered with
forests of varying types and densities.
Six Water Quality Surveillance Stations are located on
the Columbia River. The uppermost station is at Northport,
Washington, approximately 14 miles downstream from the
Canadian border. Some 275 miles farther downstream at
Wenatchee, Washington is the next station. The Hanford
Atomic Energy Plant and the outflow of the Yakima River
are monitored by a third station at Pasco, Washington. Two
other stations are located at McNary Dam and Bonneville
Dam, respectively. The terminal station, approximately 54
miles above the point where the Columbia empties into the
Pacific Ocean, is at Clatskanie, Oregon.
Sixty-nine samples were analyzed from these six
Columbia River stations during the time period involved. Ail
contained barium and strontium; cadmium and beryllium
were never detected. Except for a single occurrence at 239
pg/i at Pasco, the zinc concentrations in the Columbia River
never exceeded 50 .tg/l, although this element was detected
in over 98% of the samples.
The boron mean level, which ranged from 10 to 34 pg/I,
increased slightly below Pasco, Washington and was observed
with an overall frequency of over 94%. Copper occurred with
a frequency of 97%, the mean ranging from 23-3 5 pg/I. Iron
was observed at measurable levels in 77% of the samples with
varying means of 22 to 33 pg/I. The frequency of manganese
was even less at 53%, while the highest observed concen-
tration was only 8.1 pg/I. The manganese mean concentration
at the six stations varied from 1 .5 to 3.6 pg/i.
M-12
-------
Molybdenum and aluminum occurred with a frequency frequency of detection and the ranges of the observed values
of 39%. Chromium increased in frequency from 25% at in the Columbia River are shown in the following table.
Northport to 67% at the lower four stations. Mean concentra-
tions ranged from 3 to 8 gJl, the minimum being I g/l and Except for an increase in the zinc mean concentration at
the maximum 22 Lead was observed in 35% of the Pasco, there was no noticeable increase in metals below the
samples, ranging from 4 to 79 .ig/l. Hanford Reactor.
Vanadium was detected twice and cobalt three times. In general, excellent detection limits were achieved in
Seven occurrences of nickel were reported, plus nine each for the Columbia River samples because total dissolved solids
silver and arsenic. The number of positive occurrences, the were low.
COLUMBIA RIVER
No. of Positive Frequency ____________ Observed Values, s. g/l
ELEMENT Occurrences of Detection, % Mm. Max. Mean
Zinc - - 68 98.6 4 239 29
Boron 65 94.2 5 66 21
Iron 53 76,8 2 155 28
Manganese 37 53.6 0.5 8.1 2.5
Copper 67 97.1 1 28 8.7
Barium 69 100 3 61 30
Strontium 69 100 35 122 62
Molybdenum 27 39.1 2 66 19
Aluminum 27 39.1 10 57 24
Chromium 40 58,0 1 22 6
Lead 24 348 4 79 17
M-13
-------
COLUMBIA RIVER AT NORTHPORT, WASHINGTON
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Arsenic
Aluminum
8
7
7
5
7
8
8
3
3
100
87.5
87.5
62.5
87.5
100
100
37.5
37.5
14
6
4
0.6
3
18
36
30
15
40
19
155
2.8
7
61
67
66
31
26
10
29
1.5
4
35
52
48
21
This is the uppermost station in the Columbia River
mainstem. The station is approximately 14 miles below the
U. S.-Canadian border and 734 miles above the mouth of the
Columbia River. The Pend Oreille River which rises in the
United States and enters Canada is confluent to the Columbia
above this station. Samples are collected from Washington
State Highway Number 22 bridge at Northport.
Cadmium, beryllium, nickel, cobalt and vanadium were
never detected at this station. Two occurrences each of
molybdenum (3 and 11 pg/I), silver (0.2 and 0.6 pg/I), lead (6
and 9 pg/i), and chromium (4 and 4 pg/i) were recorded in
addition to those elements listed above.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j Ag/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
M-14
-------
COLUMBIA RIVER AT WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .tg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
11
100
7
48
18
Boron
ii
100
6
54
15
Iron
9
81.8
2
100
27
Manganese
5
455
0.5
4.5
2.1
Copper
I I
100
2
13
5
Barium
ii
100
7
50
27
Strontium
Ii
100
43
108
59
Arsenic
3
27.3
23
65
46
Molybdenum
4
36.4
5
23
14
Lead
5
45.5
5
24
13
Chromium
4
36.4
3
22
8
This station is located at the plant intake of the
Wenatchee works of the Aluminum Company of America,
some 70 miles upstream from the Hanford Atomic Works.
Wanatchee and East Wenatchee discharge wastes to the
Columbia River about 12 miles upstream. Other industries in
the area include irrigated agriculture, ore smelting and meat
processing.
Grand Coulee Dam and Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake are
about halfway between Wenatchee and the next sampling
station at Northport, Washington, some 275 miles upstream.
The Spokane River is confluent to the Columbia in Franklin
D. Roosevelt Lake.
While zinc, boron, copper, barium and strontium were
observed in all samples, cadmium, beryllium and vanadium
were never detected. Aluminum at 23 and 27 pg/I, silver at
0.2 and 3.7 pg/I, nickel at 5 and 13 pg/i and cobalt at 14 and
17 j. g/i were also recorded.
M-15
-------
COLUMBIA RIVER AT PASCO, WASHINGTON
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Molybdenum
Aluminum
Lead
16
15
7
8
16
16
16
6
6
4
11
100
93.8
43.8
50.0
100
100
100
37.5
37.5
25.0
68.8
7
5
2
0.8
3
24
43
5
13
6
3
239
28
146
4.5
28
56
94
17
44
29
21
47
12
33
2.2
9
33
58
11
22
15
8
The Pasco station is located above the mouth of the
Snake River and below the mouth of the Yakima River.
Samples are collected at the municipal water plant intake.
The Hanford Atomic Energy Works is located approxi-
mately 60 river miles above this station and its industrial
wastes, including reactor cooling waters, are discharged to the
Columbia River. The communities of Richiand, Pasco and
Kennewick, Washington utilize the Columbia River below the
Hanford Works as a source of community water supply.
Richland, Washington discharges treated wastes into the
Yakima River near its confluence with the Columbia. This
confluence point is approximately six miles upstream from
the Pasco station. Wenatchee is approximately 130 river miles
upstream from Pasco.
Cadmium, beryllium and cobalt were never detected at
this station. Two occurrences each of arsenic (45 and 7 O g/1)
and nickel (11 and 15 Mg/I) were recorded, as were single
silver (0.8 .ig/1) and vanadium (18 g.ig/l) values. Except for an
increase in the zinc mean concentration, the Hanford Reactor
appeared to have little effect on the metals concentrations in
Columbia River water.
Zinc
Boron
Iron
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, g g/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Chromium
M-16
-------
COLUMBIA RIVER AT McNARY DAM, OREGON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
g.Lg/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
14
100
10
38
21
Boron
13
92.9
14
66
30
Iron
12
85.7
4
146
22
Manganese
8
57.1
0.7
8.1
3.6
Copper
13
92.9
1
26
15
Barium
14
100
23
38
31
Strontium
14
100
39
122
72
Molybdenum
6
42.9
4
64
28
Aluminum
5
35.7
11
29
18
Lead
4
28.6
4
30
15
Chromium
10
71.4
2
9
5
The McNary Dam station is located in the powerhouse
at the dam and monitors the outflow from McNary Reser-
voir. There are no major communities on the Columbia River
between McNary Dam and the next upstream surveillance
station at Pasco, Washington, 37 miles distance, There is,
however, a pulp mill in this reach. The principal economic
activity in the area is wheat farming. A moderate amount of
irrigation is practiced. The Snake River is confluent to the
Columbia in the McNary Dam-Pasco reach of the river.
In addition to those elements tabulated, two occur-
rences of silver at 1 .1 and 1 .6 pg/i and one of arsenic at 108
pg/I were recorded. Cadmium, beryllium, nickel, cobalt and
vanadium were never detected,
M-17
-------
COLUMBIA RIVER AT BONNEVILLE, OREGON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, pg/i
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88.9
7
78
31
Boron
8
88.9
I I
62
34
Iron
7
77.8
5
95
29
Manganese
5
55.6
0.9
3.3
2.0
Copper
9
100
4
14
7
Barium
9
100
26
48
32
Strontium
9
100
42
105
69
Molybdenum
3
33.3
4
66
25
Aluminum
5
55.6
16
38
28
Lead
7
77.8
11
79
27
Chromium
6
66.7
1
22
6
The Bonneville station is located approximately 145
river miles below McNary Dam in the Bonneville Dam
powerhouse. The Columbia River is navigable at this point
and above. Occasional pollution has resulted from oil leaks in
barges carrying petroleum products. Hood River and the
Dalles, Oregon and White Salmon, Washington are the three
major upstream communities. All are within 40 miles of the
sampling point and discharge their treated wastes to the
mainstem. There are lumber mills at Cascade Locks and
Stevenson, Washington four miles upstream. The Columbia
River in this area is extensively used for power production
and recreation.
Cadmium, beryllium, silver, cobalt and vanadium were
never detected at this station during the period of record. In
addition to those elements summarized, arsenic at 53 pg/I
and nickel at 7 pg/l were recorded on single occasions.
M-l8
-------
COLUMBIA RIVER AT CLATSKANIE, OREGON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values.
j.zg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
11
100
4
47
22
Boron
Ii
100
12
52
26
Iron
II
100
3
100
31
Manganese
6
54.5
0.6
5.0
2.7
Copper
11
100
3
19
9
Barium
Il
100
3
41
23
Strontium
II
100
35
113
58
Molybdenum
6
54.5
2
54
20
Aluminum
6
54.5
10
57
28
Chromium
7
63.6
1
6
3
The Clatskanie station is the lower terminal water
quality surveillance station on the Columbia River. Samples
are collected at the wharf of Beaver Army Terminal. U. S.
Army Transportation Supply and Maintenance Command,
approximately 54 miles above the mouth of the river.
The Cowlitz and Williamette Rivers are confluent to the
Columbia in the reach upstream from Clatskanie and below
the next mainstem monitoring station at Bonneville, Oregon,
92 miles distant. Major upstream communities above the
Clatskanie station are Portland, Oregon and Longview, Kelso
and Vancouver, Washington. Grains and timber are the
principal crops grown in the watershed of this reach, and
pulp mills are the leading industrial activity, especially in the
Kelso-Longview area.
Occurrences of arsenic (30 and 49 pg/I), silver (0.2 and
1.0 pg/I), nickel (2 and 8 pg/I), lead (4 and 15 pg/i), cobalt (1
pg/I) and vanadium (16 pg/I) were recorded. Cadmium and
beryllium were the only two elements included in the routine
program that were never detected.
M-19
-------
BASIN 14 APPENDIX N
BASIN 14 - CALIFORNIA
The (‘alifornia Basin covers some 111,000 square miles,
of which about 4,500 arc in Oregon. The Great Central
Valley of California includes the Sacramento and San
Juaquin Valleys, drained by rivers of the same names, with
respective drainage areas of about 60,300 and 1 7,000 square
miles. The Kiamath River drains about 1 5,700 square miles in
northern California and southern Oregon. A Water Quality
Surveillance System station is located in each of these major
basins. Flows throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin
Rivers reflect the operation of multipurpose dams and
reservoirs. The upper reaches of the Kiamath are also
regulated.
Major industries include irrigated agriculture, food
processing, petroleum production and refining, lumber, paper
arid allied products, electric power generation, aircraft and
missile manufacturing and recreation.
Twenty-nine samples from this basin were analyzed. All
contained barium at measurable levels, while strontium and
boron were found in over 96%. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium,
silver and cobalt were never detected. The zinc and strontium
mean values were below the national averages; the boron
mean concentration in this basin exceeded the national mean
by 40%. Other elements were either equal to or below
national means.
, \
,-.-—- ‘
CALIFORNIA
COURT LAND
VERNALI
S.
‘S
S.
‘S
S.
MEXICO
N-I
-------
SUMMARy OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 14— CALIFORNIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
Lg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc 21 72.4 3 47 16
Cadmium 0 0
Arsenic 0 0
Boron 28 96.5 31 391 143
Phosphorus 18 62.1 10 189 83
Iron 27 93.1 3 227 46
Molybdenum 11 37.9 14 124 45
Manganese 13 44.8 0.5 7.8 2.8
Aluminum 5 17.2 10 232 63
Beryllium 0 0
Copper 20 69.0 3 45 12
Silver 0 0
Nickel 4 13.8 2 34 10
Cobalt 0 0
Lead 2 6.9 2 6 4
Chromium 6 20.7 2 45 15
Vanadium 2 6.9 21 40 30
Barium 29 100 6 163 42
Strontium 28 96.5 34 560 153
N-2
-------
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER NEAR VERNALIS, CALIFORNIA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values,
Lg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
6
60
3
40
17
Boron
9
90
153
391
274
Iron
8
80
11
216
52
Manganese
3
30
2.3
5.0
3.3
Copper
4
40
6
32
14
Barium
10
100
37
163
94
Strontium
9
90
94
560
345
The Water Quality Surveillance System station near
Vernalis provides data on water quality in the San Joaquin
River just before it enters the tidal waters of the Sacramento-
San Joaquin delta. Samples are collected from the San
Joaquirt city bridge. During the winter rainy season, and
when large irrigation releases are being made from upstream
reservoirs, the water is of excellent quality. During the
low-flow months, flows in the lower reach of the San Joaquin
River are made up entirely of irrigation return waters having
excessive concentrations of salts.
In addition to those elements listed above, single
occurrences of aluminum (10 pg/I), chromium (45 pg/i) and
two of molybdenum (31 and 76 pg/I) were recorded.
Cadmium, beryllium, silver, nickel and cobalt were never
observed in positive concentrations. The boron, barium and
strontium levels observed at this station were some of the
highest within the California Basin.
N-3
-------
SACRAMENTO RIVER AT GREEN’S LANDING ABOVE COURTLAND, CALIFORNIA
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Molybdenum
This station collects water samples at the U. S. Bureau
of Reclamation instrument house on the east bank of the
Sacramento River at Green’s Landing. Water levels and
currents here are affected by semidiurnal tides. There are,
however, no measurable ocean salts in the water. The water
at Green’s Landing is affected by organic loadings from the
city of Sacramento’s primary sewage treatment plant 17
miles upstream and, seasonally from the beet sugar plant six
miles upstream. Inorganic
irrigation drainage.
In addition to those elements listed above aluminum
was recorded at 28 Mg/i in one sample. Two occurrences each
of nickel (2 and 3 Mg/I), lead (2 and 6 pg/I) and chromium (5
and 1 2 pg/i) were also observed. Cadmium, arsenic, beryl-
hum, silver, cobalt and vanadium were never detected.
Zinc
Boron
Iron
8
9
9
4
8
9
9
3
88.9
100
100
44.4
88.9
100
100
33.3
6
31
3
0.5
3
14
34
‘4
24
116
108
2.0
13
38
68
18
12
62
27
1.5
8
21
48
16
loadings derive from upstream
N-4
-------
KLAMATH RiVER NEAR KENO, OREGON
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, j tg/l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
7
70
8
47
21
Boron
10
100
56
158
98
Iron
10
100
7
227
57
Manganese
6
60
1.0
7.8
3.5
Copper
8
80
3
45
16
Barium
10
100
6
16
10
Strontium
10
100
42
129
76
Molybdenum
6
60
36
124
57
Aluminum
3
30
15
232
93
Chromium
3
30
2
26
11
The Kiamath River near Keno drains a semi-arid interior
plateau which includes some 200,000 irrigated acres. Samples
are taken from the river below the John C. Boyle power
plant, 220 miles above the mouth of the river. The Keno
station is located below Kiamath Lake near the California-
Oregon State line.
In addition to 10 elements tabulated, the following were
observed at lesser frequencies: nickel (2 and 34 g/l), and
vanadium (21 and 40 g2g/l). Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium,
silver, cobalt and lead were never detected.
N-5
-------
BASIN 15
APPENDIX 0
F
Il . r PRESTON
8(4 / ? RIVER
‘ I , L ,._
NEV4D, “
UTAH ‘
- - TRUC/((F H
4” \
LJRVEILLANCE SYSTEM
SAMPLING POINT
U u
SALE IN MILES
The Great Basin is the western desert region of the
United States. The area has no surface outflow to the oceans.
All of’ the streams originate in the surrounding mountains and
terminate in closed Likes where e(luihbrIUrn is main taixied by
in flow and evaporation. The Salton Sea lies within the Great
Basin. This area was a sink prior to a breakthrough by the
Colorado River which flooded the area in 1905-7. It now
receives irrigation return flows.
Two water quality surveillance stations are maintained
in the basin, these are on the Bear River at Preston, Idaho
and on the Truckee River at Farad, California. The Bear
River originates in the Wasatcli Mountains of western
Wyoming and flows into Idaho before bending southward
into Utah where it discharges into Great Salt Lake near
Brigham City, Utah. The Truckee River begins at Lake Tahoe
on the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada along the northeast
e(lt e of’ (‘alif’ornia. This is in a mountainous terrain. The
lower portion of the Truckee drainage basin is arid.
Nineteen samples were analyzed within the time in-
volved. Barium, boron and strontium were found in over 94%
of’ all samples. while iinc, iron, molybdenum, manganese and
copper were observed 58 to 74% of the time. Frequency of
detection for aluminum, nickel, lead and chromium varied
from 1 0 to 21 % cadmium, arsenic and silver were detected in
only 5% of the sam pies. Beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were
never detected within this basin. In general, the mean
concentrations were below national levels.
GREAT BASIN
BASIN 15 GREAT BASIN
— — —. —‘
L GI ND
— POLiTICAL BOUNDARY
- RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY
.
N
CALIF, ‘
MEX iCO
0- 1
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 15— GREAT BASIN
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection,
%
Observed Values, pg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
13
68.4
8
159
.44
Cadmium
1
5.3
1
1
1
Arsenic
1
5.3
20
20
20
Boron
18
94.7
13
330
84
Phosphorus
5
26.3
8
104
37
Iron
14
73.7
3
557
70
Molybdenum
11
57.9
3
338
145
Manganese
11
57.9
0.4
23
7.8
Aluminum
3
15.8
2
27
15
Beryllium
0
0
———
—- —
— —
Copper
14
73.7
2
70
12.6
Silver
1
5.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Nickel
3
15.8
2
7
4
Cobalt
0
0
———
———
———
Lead
4
21.1
2
66
18
Chromium
2
10.5
3
6
4
Vanadium
0
0
Barium
18
94.7
10
113
41
Strontium
18
94.7
30
331
152
0-2
-------
TRUCKEE RIVER, CALIFORNIA-NEVADA BORDER AT FARAD, CALIFORNIA
.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, Mg/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88.9
8
57
32
Boron
9
100
13
44
22
Iron
8
88.9
3
58
14
Manganese
4
44.4
0.4
1.8
0.8
Copper
8
88.9
2
24
9
Barium
9
100
10
29
18
Strontium
9
100
30
100
56
Molybdenum
3
33.3
3
17
9
Aluminum
3
33.3
2
27
15
Nickel
3
33.3
2
7
4
Lead
3
33.3
2
4
2
The Farad station is located 21 miles below Lake Tahoe,
above the point where the Truckee River enters Nevada.
Samples are collected at the Farad power plant of the Sierra
Pacific Electric Company. The primary upstream uses of
water are domestic water supply, recreation, and hydro-
electric power generation at Lake Tahoe. Downstream, the.
river supplies municipal water to Reno and Sparks, Nevada
and irrigation water to the surrounding area before termi-
nating in Pyramid Lake.
In addition to those elements tabulated, single occur-
rences of cadmium, arsenic and silver at 1, 20 and 0.3 .ig/i
were recorded. Chromium was detected on two occasions at
3 and 6 g/1. Beryllium, cobalt and vanadium were never
detected.
0-3
-------
BEAR RIVER ABOVE PRESTON, IDAHO
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Banum
Strontium
Molybdenum
5
9
6
7
6
9
9
8
50
90
60
70
60
90
90
80
19
97
10
3.0
2
34
202
38
159
330
557
23
70
113
331
338
63
147
145
11.9
18
64
249
196
The Bear River surveillance station is nine miles up-
stream from the Idaho-Utah State line. Samples are collected
at U.S. Highway 91 bridge, three miles northwest of Preston,
Idaho. This stream eventually enters Great Salt Lake near
Brigham City, Utah.
Approximately half of the upstream area is irrigated and
dry land farming is practiced on the other half. Dairying,
pasturage, and grain and sugar beet growing are the major
activities. Pollution problems in the Stream as a result of
sugar beet refinery and municipal waste discharges are being
corrected.
In addition to those elements listed above, lead was
observed at 66 g/l on one occasion. Cadmium, beryllium,
silver, nickel, cobalt and vanadium were never detected.
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, ‘l
Mm.
Max.
Mean
0-4
-------
BASIN 16 APPENDIX P
ALASKA
BASIN 16— ALASKA
Alaska embraces over 586,000 square miles and has
three climatic and hydrologic regions. The Water Quality
Surveillance System station at Anchorage provides data on
water quality in the southern region.
The Alaskan interior is bounded on the south by the
Alaska Range with a maximum elevation of 20,300 feet at
Mount McKinley, and on the north by the Brooks Range
with elevations to 8.000 feet. Over 300.000 square miles of
the interior drains into the Yukon River which heads within
25 miles of tidewater in southeastern Alaska and runs 2.300
miles to the Bering Sea. The Tan:ina River is a major
tributary to the Yukon. The surveillance station at Fairbanks
provides data on a tributary of the Tanana.
The western and northern region includes the Aleutian
Islands, the Bering Sea coast, and the Arctic drainage basins.
There are no surveillance system stations within this third
region at I resent.
Eighteen samples were analyzed from the two stations
within the time period here involved. Of the 19 elements
routinely sought. three, i.e.. cadmium, beryllium and cobalt,
were never detected. Arsenic, silver. nickel, chromium and
____________________________________________ vanadium were found in less than 25 of the samples.
Manganese was found i 60% of the samples: zinc, boron.
iron, copper, barium arid strontium were found in more than
83%. The mean values for most of these elements were below
________________________ the national averages.
4
14
fl’,
SLOUG1’ 4
—-—POLITICAL BOUNDARY
SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEM STATION
SO 0 30 ‘00 ISO tOO t$O
5C*LI IS SILlS
P— I
-------
SUMMARY OF TRACE ELEMENTS
BASIN 16- ALASKA
-
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
-
Observed Values, ag/I
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
Cadmium
Arsenic
Boron
Phosphorus
Iron
Molybdenum
Manganese
Aluminum
Beryllium
Copper
Silver
Nickel
Cobalt
Lead
Chromium
Vanadium
Barium
Strontium
15
0
3
18
l0
17
5
11
5
0
17
I
2
0
7
4
1
18
18
83.3
0
16.7
100
55.6
94.4
27.8
61.1
27.8
0
94.4
5.6
11.1
0
38.9
22.2
5.6
100
100
5
32
10
10
2
2
0.5
2
2
3
2
3
4
14
88
36
120
82
85
34
163
24
20
7
35
19
41
341
28
34
28
40
25
17
18
11
9
1.1
5
12
9
32
17
81
P-2
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SHIP CREEK AT ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
ELEMENT
No. of Positive
Occurrences
Frequency
of Detection, %
Observed Values, .&g/1
Mm.
Max.
Mean
Zinc
8
88.8
5
59
23
Boron
9
100
10
40
24
Iron
8
88.8
2
44
15
Manganese
6
66.7
0.5
2.6
1.4
Copper
9
100
2
17
8
Barium
9
100
4
14
8
Strontium
9
100
24
165
79
Lead
6
66.7
2
35
13
Chromium
3
33.3
3
19
9
Arsenic
3
33.3
32
36
34
The Anchorage Surveillance System station is located in
the Anchorage water treatment plant and obtains samples
from Ship Creek Reservoir. This stream is the source of
municipal water supply for Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf
Air Force Base, and is used by Anchorage for part of its
supply. The average diversion for this municipal use is 16
cubic feet per second.
Nickel at 3 and 7 g/1, and single observations of
molybdenum (2 ig/l), aluminum (2 .&g/i) and silver (1.1 ig/l)
were recorded. Cadmium, beryllium, cobalt and vanadium
were never detected.
P .3
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CHENA RIVER AT FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
ELEMENT
Zinc
Boron
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Barium
Strontium
Molybdenum
Aluminum
No. of Positive
Occurrences
7
9
9
5
8
9
9
4
4
Frequency
of Detection, %
77.8
100
100
55.6
88.9
100
100
44.4
44.4
Mm.
16
10
8
1.0
5
7
14
12
3
Max.
88
120
85
163
20
41
341
34
24
Mean
32
32
34
37
10
27
84
21
14
The Water Quality Surveillance System station at
Fairbanks, Alaska is located at Fort Wainwright on the Chena
River some 16 miles above the Chena River’s confluence
with the Tanana. The Chena River at the sampling point is
occasionally referred to as Chena Slough. Municipal and
industrial wastes associated with the city of Fairbanks are
discharged to the Chena River downstream from the sur-
veillance station.
In addition to those elements tabulated, single occur-
rences of lead at 11 g/l, chromium at 10 g/ 1 and vanadium
at 32 Mg/I were recorded. Cadmium, arsenic, beryllium silver,
nickel and cobalt were never detected.
Observed Values, g/l
P-4
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In Its assigned functten as the Nation’s princIpal natural releurce agency,
the Department of the InterIor bears a special obligation to assure that our
expendable resources are conserved, that renewable resources are man-
aged to produce optimum yields, and that all resources contribute their
full measure to the ptOgi’eis, prosperity, and security of America, now
and In the future.
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