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Data Series 880

Prepared in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology

Data Compilation for Assessing Sediment and Toxic Chemical Loads from the Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway, Washington

By Kathleen E. Conn and Robert W. Black

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (2.2 MB)Abstract

Between February and June 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey collected representative samples of whole water, suspended sediment, and (or) bed sediment from a single strategically located site on the Duwamish River, Washington, during seven periods of different flow conditions. Samples were analyzed by Washington-State-accredited laboratories for a large suite of compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other semivolatile compounds, polychlorinated biphenyl Aroclors and the 209 congeners, metals, dioxins/furans, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, butyltins, hexavalent chromium, and total organic carbon. Chemical concentrations associated with bulk bed sediment (<2 mm) and fine bed sediment (<62.5 μm) fractions were compared to chemical concentrations associated with suspended sediment. Bulk bed sediment concentrations generally were lower than fine bed sediment and suspended-sediment concentrations. Concurrent with the chemistry sampling, additional parameters were measured, including instantaneous river discharge, suspended-sediment concentration, sediment particle-size distribution, and general water-quality parameters. From these data, estimates of instantaneous sediment and chemical loads from the Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway were calculated.

First posted September 23, 2014

For additional information, contact:
Director, Washington Water Science Center
U.S. Geological Survey
934 Broadway, Suite 300
Tacoma, Washington 98402
http://wa.water.usgs.gov

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Suggested citation:

Conn, K.E., and Black, R.W., 2014, Data compilation for assessing sediment and toxic chemical loads from the Green River to the lower Duwamish Waterway, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 880, 46 p., https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds880.

ISSN 2327-638X (online)



Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Methods

Hydrology and Field Parameter Data

Quality-Assurance Data

Water-Chemistry Data

Suspended-Sediment Chemistry Data

Bed-Sediment Chemistry Data

Comparison of Suspended-Sediment and Bed-Sediment Data

Instantaneous-Load Estimates

Summary

Acknowledgments

References Cited

Appendix A. Analytical Laboratory Qualifier Descriptions, Result Amendments, and Complete
Analytical Chemistry Results


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