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A draft report and supporting information was produced by this SSP project. A scoping and reconnaissance study was conducted by the US Geological Survey in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service. Sediment, surface water and pore water samples were collected at 21 sites in the Clinch, Powell and South Fork Cumberland River basins in 2004-05. Three coal ponds (one yard sump and two drying cells) were also sampled in 2005. Surficial streambed sediment ranged from 0 to 47.7 percent coal and was composed predominantly of sand and gravel. Sediment quality guidelines were periodically exceeded at several sites for arsenic, chromium, lead and 22 of 31 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons...
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The overall goal of this SSP project was to evaluate the exposure and toxicological effects of contaminant stressors in the water and sediment of the Clinch River in areas of high mussel decline in Virginia and in areas of high abundance and recruitment in Virginia and Tennessee. The investigation also included an assessment of major tributary streams with varied histories of degradation, recovery and disturbance. The specific objectives of this project were to: 1. Integrate existing data sets on mussel populations, NPDES discharges, mining and other energy permitted activities, pesticide use, and land use. 2. Using passive sampling devices, measure water concentrations of a suite of polar and non-polar organic...
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This SSP project resulted in a final report and one publication. Toxicity tests were conducted at the U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC), Columbia, Missouri to determine the effects of sediments from impacted (historic coal mining or gas well activities) and un-impacted (these activities did not occur) river sites on growth and mortality of 2 mo old rainbow mussels (Villosa iris). Tissue from surviving juveniles from one replicate (n = 1) of each of the sediment exposures were histologically processed and qualitatively evaluated to determine sub-lethal effects on their organ and visceral tissues. Many tissues were improperly embedded, but re-embedding allowed most tissues to be...
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