Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. "'\,....... ....)7 <br />,. lei... ( t) to <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1907-\0-1908, altalai disea.e was <br />reported ,to'have tilled 15,00.0 sheep <br />near Medicine Bow, Wyoming (located 60 <br />miles south of tbe Kendrick Reclama- <br />tion Project) (Rosenfeld and Beatb, <br />1964, p. 4). At tbat time, tbe deaths <br />of the sheep were associated witb <br />grazing in an area witb an abundance <br />of woody aster (~acba.r4Dtbera) and a <br />species of Astragalus, now celled loco <br />weed. growing on soils from tbe Nio- <br />brara Formation. Several researchers <br />in the early 1930's stated that tbe <br />responsible agent for the disease <br />likely was the element selenium. <br />Studies by Beatb and others (1935), <br />reported that a number of species of <br />plants witbin tbe genera Astragalus, <br />Stanleya (Prince's plume), ~acbaeran- <br />thera. aod Baplopapus (goldenveed) bad <br /> <br />QC-(O~ \"'~"\ <br /> <br />u..........-.- .r,l_ <br />...... ......... . ~ I _I <br />-. __ III ....._ <br />~_.'*' <br /> <br />SELENIUM CONTAMINATION FROM <br />IRRIGATION DRAINAGE IN THE <br />WESTERN UNITED STATES <br />WITH EMPHASIS ON UTAH <br />by Coyle W. Stephens 1 <br />Bruce WaddeU2 <br /> <br />ABSTRACT <br /> <br />Selenium, an element required in trace quantities for <br />normal bealtb of animals and bumans, can eause problea. for <br />livestock, wildlife, and humans when inge.ted in larger-than- <br />required eoncentrations. It is-pre..nt in aany sedi..ntary <br />deposita ADd io arid, alkaline soil. typical of.tha,ve.tern <br />UJ1ited States, ael.oiua can be lIObiUzed or -relea.ed fr~ '81)'11 <br />by irrigation SDd asy reach ha~rdoua concentrations in drain- <br />age water. If vater containing aeleniua enters a vet land or <br />pond, biological proces.es can magnify tbe concentration within <br />wildlife and cause redueed reproduetion and deformities. Within <br />tbe middle Green River area of Utah, large concentration. ~~ <br />selenium have been found in vater and vildlife at Stewart Lake <br />Waterfowl Manageaent Area and at Ouray National Wildlife Ref- <br />uge. Several otber areas of the State are affected to a l..ser <br />degree. Duman conaumption of fisb and fovl from contaminated <br />areas could result in selenium dosages that exceed tbe recog- <br />nized safs and adequate ma..iaus'daily intake-of-2oo aicrogr..s. <br />Options for reaedial aetion for contaainated areas inVOlve <br />cbanges in manageaent of water, drainage, land-use, wildlife, <br />end possible application of waste-vater treat..nt processes. <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Seleniua-induced problems'for <br />agriculture in tbe western United <br />States were noted as early as ~857. <br />when cavalry horses grazing on plants <br />growing in soils derived from the <br />Niobrara Formation near the Nebraska- <br />South Dakota .border e"perienced <br />"alkalai disease", losing tails, manes <br />and having necrosis of tbe hooves <br />(Rosenfeld and Beatb, 1964, p. 2). <br />The ailment was termed "alk.lai dis- <br />ease' by the residents because they <br />believed it vas due to an alkalai or <br />other mineral poisoning associated <br />with specific tracts of land. From <br /> <br />'u.& Goalg.... _, Sol .....0... ~ <br />Zu.& Rsh _ WiI<I.. _ SII' ..... CiIy. v.... <br /> <br />165 <br />