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<br />TOXICITY OF LEACHATES FROM RETORTED OIL SHALE
<br />
<br />increase in these variables could result in reduced
<br />survival and growth of fishes and food-chain or-
<br />ganisms. However, it would take 50 oil shale
<br />developments, each producing 117,182 m3 per
<br />year ofIeachate (Stollenwert and Runnells 1981),
<br />to increase the TDS in the White River (USGS
<br />1981 b) to concentrations measured in our 3%
<br />exposure. This would amount to 1 % of the av-
<br />erage annual discharge from the White River.
<br />Due to reduced dilution and less flushing, smaller
<br />feeder streams and backwater areas are likely to
<br />" have higher concentrations ofleachates than the
<br />main channel of the river system. Because these
<br />I, habitats are important fish food-producing and
<br />I nursery areas for young-of-the-year fishes, es-
<br />~, pecially Colorado squawfish (Tyus et al. 1982),
<br />protection of water quality in these habitats is
<br />essential.
<br />Discharge of retorted shale leachate into the
<br />upper Colorado River system should take into
<br />consideration the high concentration of in organ-
<br />ic ions in the leachate, the already high level of
<br />dissolved solids in the river system, and the di-
<br />lution factor between quantity of leachate dis-
<br />charged and volume of receiving stream, Prelim-
<br />" inary findings in this study indicate a safe ratio
<br />l of leachate discharge to surface water discharge
<br />I might be I :99 or 1 %. Site-specific studies would
<br />; need to be conducted on particular spent shale
<br />: types and receiving waters, Special emphasis
<br />t should be placed on the flow characteristics of
<br />1'",baCkwater habitats to prevent an increased res-
<br />idence time of leachate in these areas.
<br />
<br />, Acknowledgments
<br />
<br />t Wi thank D. Chester, J,~. Coyle, E, K. Henry,
<br />~, R. L. Knowlton, L. C. Nell, K. M. McFadden,
<br />i D. A. Sanchez, and B. L. Thomas for their ex-
<br />J ceIlent technical assistance in conducting this
<br />~",', study. The U.S. Department of Energy supported
<br />the University of Wyoming under Contract DE-
<br />AC02-82ER60071 and Battelle Pacific North-
<br />- est Laboratories under Contract DE-AC06-
<br />76LRO 1830.
<br />
<br />
<br />I References
<br />
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<br />893
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