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<br />ECOIOXlcology and Enmonmental Safely 45. 132-l47 (2000)
<br />EnvIronmental Research. Section B
<br />doi:lO.lOO6/eesa.l999.1834, available online at http:: www.idealibrary.com on .IEJl!..l@
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<br />
<br />Hazard Assessment of Selenium and Other Trace Elements in Wild Larval
<br />Razorback Sucker from the Green River, Utah
<br />
<br />S.1. Hamilton!.l R. T. Muth,t B. Waddell,; and T. W. Mays
<br />
<br />.us. Geological Sun:ey. Columbia Enrironmental Research Center. Ecotoxicology Research Station. 3/247 436th AL'enue. Yankton. South Dakota 57078-6364:
<br />t Larral Fish Laboratory, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology. Colorado State Unirersity. Fort Collins. Colorado 80523;
<br />tIJS. Fish and Wildlife SaUce. Ecological Serrices, /45 East /300 South Street. Lincoln Plaza. Suite 404. Salt Lake Ciry. Utah 84/15. and
<br />~ Us. Geological Surrey. Columbia Environmental Research Center. 4200 New Haren Road. Columbia. Missouri 65201-9634
<br />
<br />.J
<br />
<br />Received February 11. 1999
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<br />Contaminant investigations of the Green River in northeastern
<br />Utah have documented selenium contamination at sites receiving
<br />irrigation drainage. The Green River provides critical habitat for
<br />four endangered fishes including the largest extant riverine popu-
<br />lation of endangered razorback sucker. Although 2175 larval
<br />razorback suckers were collected from the river between 1992
<br />and 1996, very few juveniles have been captured within recent
<br />decades. Selenium concentrations were measured in larval razor-
<br />back suckers collected from five sites in the Green River (Clill'
<br />Creek, Stewart Lake Drain, Sportsman's Drain, Greasewood
<br />Corral, and Old Charlie Wash) to assess the potential for ad-
<br />verse ell'ects on recruitment of larvae to the juvenile stage and the
<br />adult population. Larvae from all sites contained mean selenium
<br />concentrations ranging from 4.3 to 5.8 pg/g. These values were at
<br />or above the proposed toxic threshold of 4 pg/g for adverse
<br />biological ell'ects in fish, which was derived from severallaborat-
<br />ory and field studies with a wide range of fish species. At two
<br />sites, Clill' Creek and Stewart Lake Drain, selenium concentra-
<br />tions in larvae increased over time as fish grew, whereas selenium
<br />concentrations decreased as fish grew at Sportsman's Drain.
<br />Evaluation of a 279-larvae composite analyzed for 61 elements
<br />demonstrated that selenium and, to a lesser extent, vanadium
<br />were elevated to concentrations reported to be toxic to a wide
<br />range of fish species. Elevated selenium concentrations in larval
<br />razorback suckers from the five sites suggest that selenium
<br />contamination may be widespread in the Green River, and that
<br />survival and recruitment of larvae to the juvenile stage may be
<br />limited due to adverse biological ell'ects. Selenium contamination
<br />may be adversely "ecring the reproductive success and recruit-
<br />ment of endangered razorback sucker. v 2000 Adldemic Press
<br />
<br />INTRODUCTION
<br />
<br />Investigations conducted for the National Irrigation
<br />Water Quality Program (NIWQP) in the Green River basin
<br />
<br />I To whom correspondence should be addressed. Fax: 605-665-9335.
<br />E-mail: Steve_Hamilton@USGS.GOV.
<br />
<br />0147-6513100 $35.00
<br />Copyright (" 2000 by Academic Press
<br />All rights of r<production in any form reserved.
<br />
<br />in northeastern Utah by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />(USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Bureau of
<br />Reclamation from 1986 to 1989 detected elevated concen-
<br />trations of selenium in various samples of water, sediment,
<br />and biota (Stephens et al., 1988, 1992; Peltz and Waddell,
<br />1991). Selenium concentrations were especially elevated in
<br />the areas of Ashley Creek, Stewart lake Waterfowl Man-
<br />agement Area, and Ouray National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
<br />Water samples from various locations in Ashley Creek be-
<br />low the sewage lagoon near Vernal had selenium concentra-
<br />tions ranging from 25 to 150 Ilg/Iiter, and at the mouth were
<br />59 to 78 Ilg/Iiter, which greatly exceeds the national water
<br />quality criterion of 5 f.J.g/liter (USEPA, 1987). At Stewart
<br />lake Drain, selenium concentrations ranged from I to
<br />12 Ilg/liter. At Ouray NWR, high concentrations of sel-
<br />enium occurred at North Roadside Pond, South Roadside
<br />Pond, and in shallow groundwater in the Sheppard Bottom
<br />area where samples from wells have contained up to
<br />9300 Ilg/1iter.
<br />The Green River typically has relatively low selenium
<br />concentrations. However, because of concern about how
<br />selenium concentrations in the Green River are influenced
<br />by elevated selenium as a result of surface and subsurface
<br />drainage in the area, the USGS collected water samples for
<br />selenium analysis along transects across the river at 13 sites
<br />from above Stewart lake to Ouray NWR in 1991 and 1992.
<br />Concentrations of selenium in the Green River ranged from
<br />< I to 2 f.J.g/liter in 1991 and from < I to 3llg/liter in 1992
<br />(D. Stephens, USGS, personal communication, 1996), with
<br />the highest concentrations during each year occurring be-
<br />low the confluence of Ashley Creek and Stewart lake Drain
<br />with the Green River.
<br />Elevated selenium concentrations also have been detected
<br />in fish from the Green River (Lowe et aI., 1985; Stephens et
<br />aI., 1988, 1992; Schmitt and Brumbaugh, 1990; Peltz and
<br />Waddell, 1991). From 1978 through 1987,25 composite fish
<br />samples (four species collected, and composited by species)
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