Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Klamath Basin, California and Oregon, 1988-89
Year: 1991
Type: report
Abstract: Description of study area 3 History 3 Climate 3 Geology 7 Soils 7 Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges 8 Past and present environmental concerns 8 Hydrologic setting 12 Previous studies 15 Contaminants 17 Organochlorines 18 Bald eagles and their prey 18 Acrolein 19 Sample collection and analysis 19 Sampling media 19 Sampling sites 20 Sampling methods 23 Water and bottom sediment 23 Biota 24 Analytical support and methods 24 Discussion of results 25 Major chemical constituents and physical properties 25 Water 25 Trace elements 26 Arsenic 26 Mercury 31 Selenium 34 Organochlorine compounds 36 Bottom sediment 36 Fish 36 Birds 37 Organophosphates and carbamates 39 Birds 40 Summary and conclusions 41 References cited 43 Supplemental data 47 FIGURES 1. Maps showing location of study area and sampling sites 4 2. Graph showing annual precipitation at Klamath Falls Airport from 1966 to 1988 7 3. Photographs showing aerial views of Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges 4. Schematic map of Klamath Basin Irrigation Project 13 Contents III Water-quality informationParticle sizes of bottom sediment and concentration of chemical constituents are given in metric units.To convert metric units to inch-pound units, multiply the metric unit by the reciprocal of the appropriate conversion factor given above.Electrical conductivity is expressed as specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 °C (ja.S/cm).Trace-element and pesticide concentrations in water samples are given in micrograms per liter (jig/L).One thousand micrograms per liter is equivalent to 1 milligram per liter (mg/L).Micrograms per liter is equivalent to "parts per billion."Trace-element concentrations in bottom sediment are given in micrograms per gram (jig/g).Micrograms per gram is equivalent to "parts per million."Pesticide concentrations in bottom sediment are given in micrograms per kilogram (jig/kg).One thousand micrograms per kilogram is equivalent to 1 microgram per gram (jig/g).Micrograms per kilogram is equivalent to "parts per billion." Conversion Factors, Vortical Datum, and Wafer-Quality Information V
DOI: 10.3133/wri904203
Authors: S. K. Sorenson, S.E. Schwarzbach
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W83994000