Smelter slag containing copper and other trace elements is widespread in riverbed sediment of the upper Columbia River (UCR) of the United States. To evaluate potential risk to aquatic life concentrations of copper and other trace elements were measured in shallow pore-water and in river water samples collected near the sediment-water interface. Samples were collected using an in-situ pore-water profiler to collect a suite of four water samples from above, at, and below the sediment-water interface at each of 29 sampling locations; pore-water collected with a drive-point sampler at 10 additional locations; and Stabilized Liquid Membrane Device samplers (SLMDs) to allow determination of trace-element concentrations directly at the sediment-water interface at 8 locations. Samples were collected between April 26 and August 5, 2015 from a total of 47 locations in the UCR between river-mile 715 and 745. The analysis of water samples included specific conductance, pH, alkalinity, fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulfate, phosphate, dissolved organic carbon, silver, aluminum, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, calcium, cadmium, cerium, cobalt, chromium, cesium, copper, dysprosium, erbium, europium, iron, gallium, gadolinium, germanium, holmium, potassium, lanthanum, lithium, lutetium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, niobium, neodymium, nickel, phosphorus, lead, praseodymium, rubidium, antimony, scandium, selenium, silica, samarium, strontium, tantalum, terbium, thorium, titanium, thallium, thulium, uranium, vanadium, tungsten, yttrium, ytterbium, and zinc. The analysis of SLMD samples included cadmium, copper, nickel, phosphorous, and zinc.

Smelter slag, containing copper and other trace elements, is widespread in riverbed sediments in the Upper Columbia River near Kettle Falls, WA. To evaluate the potential risk to aquatic life, concentrations of copper and other trace elements were measured in the shallow pore and surface water collected near the sediment-water interface. An in situ pore-water profiler was used to collect a suite of four water samples from above, at, and below the sediment-water interface at each of 11 sampling locations. Samples were collected between July 19-21, 2017. The analysis of water samples included specific conductance, pH, alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon, and a suite of major anions, cations, and trace elements.

Smelter slag, containing copper and other trace elements, is widespread in riverbed sediments in the Upper Columbia River near Kettle Falls, WA. To evaluate the potential risk to aquatic life, concentrations of copper and other trace elements were measured in the shallow pore and surface water collected near the sediment-water interface. An in situ pore-water profiler was used to collect a suite of four water samples from above, at, and below the sediment-water interface at each of 11 sampling locations. Samples were collected between July 19-21, 2017. The analysis of water samples included specific conductance, pH, alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon, and a suite of major anions, cations, and trace elements.

Record amounts of precipitation fell across the Colorado Front Range from September 9 to 16, 2013, resulting in extensive flooding in the South Platte River and its major mountain tributaries. In this study, the effects of the flood on the City of Boulder, Colorado urban hydrology system were assessed using weekly time-series sampling of 3 source waters (Boulder tap water, Boulder wastewater treatment facility effluent, and Boulder Creek water) conducted from September 20 to October 16, 2012 (n=5) and August 13 to September 30, 2013 (n=8). The effect of the flood on the South Platte River was assessed using a single basin-wide sampling of 5 main stem and 7 tributary sites from September 18 to 22, 2013. Filtered water samples were analyzed at the Boulder sites, and filtered and unfiltered samples were analyzed at the South Platte River sites. Major elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry and trace elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Each sample was measured in triplicate and the averages and standard deviations are reported. The results from analyses of associated quality assurance samples (field blanks and field duplicates) also are presented.

Record amounts of precipitation fell across the Colorado Front Range from September 9 to 16, 2013, resulting in extensive flooding in the South Platte River and its major mountain tributaries. In this study, the effects of the flood on the City of Boulder, Colorado urban hydrology system were assessed using weekly time-series sampling of 3 source waters (Boulder tap water, Boulder wastewater treatment facility effluent, and Boulder Creek water) conducted from September 20 to October 16, 2012 (n=5) and August 13 to September 30, 2013 (n=8). The effect of the flood on the South Platte River was assessed using a single basin-wide sampling of 5 main stem and 7 tributary sites from September 18 to 22, 2013. Filtered water samples were analyzed at the Boulder sites, and filtered and unfiltered samples were analyzed at the South Platte River sites. Major elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry and trace elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Each sample was measured in triplicate and the averages and standard deviations are reported. The results from analyses of associated quality assurance samples (field blanks and field duplicates) also are presented.

This data release contains chemistry and toxicity data from sediment toxicity tests conducted by the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) with 66 sediment samples collected from in and around the Upper Columbia River in the fall of 2013. Toxicity testing was conducted from fall 2013 through summer 2014 with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, the midge Chironomus dilutus, and the mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea. Short-term toxicity endpoints (10-28 d) included survival, weight, and biomass of all test organisms. Long-term tests with amphipods (42 d) and midges (about 50 d) included reproduction endpoint. Sediments were analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics, including particle size distribution, total organic carbon, acid volatile sulfide, slag content, and concentrations of metals in total-recoverable and simultaneously-extracted fractions. Porewaters were separated by centrifugation and by peepers (diffusion samplers) and were analyzed for filterable metals, dissolved organic carbon, and major ions. These data are intended to be used to characterize concentration-response relationships between metals concentrations and toxicity endpoints and to estimate site-specific toxicity thresholds for select metals or metal mixtures. These thresholds will be used to evaluate risks or injuries to the benthic invertebrate community associated with exposure to contaminated sediments and to develop goals for remediation of sediments of the Upper Columbia River.

This data release contains chemistry and toxicity data from sediment toxicity tests conducted by the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) with 66 sediment samples collected from in and around the Upper Columbia River in the fall of 2013. Toxicity testing was conducted from fall 2013 through summer 2014 with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, the midge Chironomus dilutus, and the mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea. Short-term toxicity endpoints (10-28 d) included survival, weight, and biomass of all test organisms. Long-term tests with amphipods (42 d) and midges (about 50 d) included reproduction endpoint. Sediments were analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics, including particle size distribution, total organic carbon, acid volatile sulfide, slag content, and concentrations of metals in total-recoverable and simultaneously-extracted fractions. Porewaters were separated by centrifugation and by peepers (diffusion samplers) and were analyzed for filterable metals, dissolved organic carbon, and major ions. These data are intended to be used to characterize concentration-response relationships between metals concentrations and toxicity endpoints and to estimate site-specific toxicity thresholds for select metals or metal mixtures. These thresholds will be used to evaluate risks or injuries to the benthic invertebrate community associated with exposure to contaminated sediments and to develop goals for remediation of sediments of the Upper Columbia River.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release contains locations and concentrations of metals in various size fractions in floodplain-core, streambed-sediment samples, and sediment deposited on the flood plain from the December 2015 flood and underlying soils collected from along the Middle Big River and tributaries in the Southeast Missouri Barite District from 2012 to 2015. All samples were analyzed either by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or x-ray fluorescence (XRF). Concentrations of metals in quality-assurance samples are also presented to evaluate the effect of sample splitting and compare the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and USGS Missouri Water Science Center XRF units. Major and trace elements included in this data release include aluminum, antinomy, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, indium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, rubidium, scandium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, tellurium, thallium, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc. These data tables are provided as machine readable access to the tables in the following publication: Smith, D.C., and Schumacher, J.G., 2018, Distribution of mining-related trace elements in streambed and flood-plain sediment along the middle Big River and tributaries in the Southeast Missouri Barite District, 2012–15: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5103, 89 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185103.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release contains locations and concentrations of metals in various size fractions in floodplain-core, streambed-sediment samples, and sediment deposited on the flood plain from the December 2015 flood and underlying soils collected from along the Middle Big River and tributaries in the Southeast Missouri Barite District from 2012 to 2015. All samples were analyzed either by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or x-ray fluorescence (XRF). Concentrations of metals in quality-assurance samples are also presented to evaluate the effect of sample splitting and compare the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and USGS Missouri Water Science Center XRF units. Major and trace elements included in this data release include aluminum, antinomy, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, indium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, rubidium, scandium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, tellurium, thallium, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc. These data tables are provided as machine readable access to the tables in the following publication: Smith, D.C., and Schumacher, J.G., 2018, Distribution of mining-related trace elements in streambed and flood-plain sediment along the middle Big River and tributaries in the Southeast Missouri Barite District, 2012–15: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5103, 89 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185103.

The surface water water-quality data were compiled from Water Quality Portal (https://www.waterqualitydata.us/) (National Water Quality Monitoring Council, 2015), USGS’s NAWQA Project’s data compilation (Oelsner and others, 2017) or the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (Montana Bureau of Mines, 2021), The compilation contains data for chloride, pH, specific conductance, sulfate, total dissolved solids (TDS) collected between water year 1970 to 2014. In addition 10 metals (aluminum, arsenic, barium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, selenium strontium, and zinc) analyzed during water years 1993 through 2014.