Evaluation of flushing of a high-selenium backwater channel in the Colorado River.

Concern has been raised that selenium contamination may be adversely affecting endangered fish in the upper Colorado River basin. The objective of the study was to determine if operation of a water control structure (opened in December 1996) that allowed the Colorado River to flow through a channel area at Walter Walker State Wildlife Area (WWSWA) would reduce selenium and other inorganic elements in water, sediment, aquatic invertebrates, and forage fish. Endangered Colorado pikeminnow were collected and muscle plug samples taken for selenium analysis. Selenium concentrations in filtered water were 21.0 microg/L in 1995, 23.5 microg/L in 1996, 2.1 microg/L in 1997, and 2.1 microg/L in 1998. Selenium concentrations...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Colorado, Environment Design, Environmental Toxicology, animals, fishes, All tags... food chain, invertebrates, muscle, rivers, selenium, selenium: analysis, selenium: pharmacokinetics, skeletal, skeletal chemistry, tissue distribution, water movements, water supply, Fewer tags