Open-File Report 1998–0297
Science for Watershed Decisions on Abandoned Mine Lands: Review of Preliminary Results, Denver, Colorado, February 4-5, 1998
The Clark Fork River (Montana) and the Coeur d'Alene River (Idaho) were evaluated for the effects of mine wastes on the aquatic resource. (Although not part of the ongoing abandoned-mine-lands study in the Boulder River watershed, the research techniques described here would be appropriate in that watershed.) The research documented metals movement through abiotic and biotic components, determined toxicological damage to fishery resources, and quantified reductions in fish abundance. Test and reference sites were selected to remove variability caused by geology, land type, valley-bottom type, and land and water uses. Test and reference sites were compared by analysis of variance for metals concentrations in water, sediment, biofilm, invertebrates, and fish. The sites also were evaluated for abundance of wild trout and for indicators of poor fish health. Metals were most concentrated in sediment and biofilm downstream from the mining sites. Benthic invertebrates were an important pathway for dietary cycling of metals from sediment and biofilm to fish. Wild trout demonstrated a concentration of metals in gill and intestine that indicated exposure from both water and diet. Liver accumulations of metals were associated with metallothionein induction and tissue damage, which indicates systemic exposure and reduced fitness of wild trout. Abundance of wild trout were reduced both in numbers and densities at test sites having the following characteristics: significant accumulation of metals in numerous food-chain components and fish tissues, reduced short-term survival of domestic trout in live containers, and metallothionein increases in gill, liver, and/or intestine of wild trout. Other related research described food-chain and avoidance effects which occur with metals-impacted rivers. Growth and survival of young-of-the-year trout were reduced after fry were fed benthic invertebrates collected from sources with high concentrations of metals. Water concentrations of copper and zinc, below those causing death, were avoided by cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout.
1U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 1089, Jackson, WY 83001 (dan_woodward@usgs.gov)
2U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 1089, Jackson, WY 83001 (aida_farag@usgs.gov)
3U.S. Geological Survey, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201 (william_brumbaugh@usgs.gov)
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