Evaluation of PCB Congeners in Surface Waters from the Green River and its Major Tributaries
Presentation Abstract
The Green River Basin is a source of PCBs to the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Superfund Site. Therefore, King County conducted a water quality assessment to examine relative differences of PCB concentrations in the Green River and four of its major tributaries. The study was designed to address the following questions: 1) How do the relative contributions of key contaminants differ between baseflow and storm event conditions? 2) What are the relative spatial differences in key contaminants in the Green River and its major tributaries? In 2011 and 2012, surface water samples were collected from four major tributaries to the Green River, as well as two main stem Green River locations: an upstream location at Flaming Geyser State Park, and a downstream location at Foster Links Golf Course. At each of the six locations, three composite baseflow and six composite storm event samples were collected. All samples were analyzed for arsenic, PAHs, PCB congeners and conventional parameters; however this presentation will focus only on PCB results. In most samples, PCB concentrations were higher during storm events than under baseflow conditions. PCB concentrations during storm events tended to be higher at the three most downstream locations. Under baseflow conditions, PCB concentrations were similar across the tributary basins and the main stem locations with the exception of one sample collected from Soos Creek. Additional data from sampling stations further upstream on the Green River, including above the Howard Hanson Dam were collected in 2013; these data will also be presented. Data from this study will be used as a line of evidence to evaluate upstream contaminant sources to the LDW, improve the understanding and nature of these inputs (e.g., influence of storm events), and inform future source control efforts in the watershed.
Session Title
Session S-01B: PCBs in the Green/Duwamish Watershed
Conference Track
Toxics
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
30-4-2014 10:30 AM
End Date
30-4-2014 12:00 PM
Location
Room 608-609
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Water--Pollution--Washington (State)--Duwamish Waterway; Polychlorinated biphenyls--Environmental aspects--Washington (State)--Duwamish Waterway
Geographic Coverage
Duwamish Waterway (Wash.)--Environmental conditions; Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Environmental conditions
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Evaluation of PCB Congeners in Surface Waters from the Green River and its Major Tributaries
Room 608-609
The Green River Basin is a source of PCBs to the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Superfund Site. Therefore, King County conducted a water quality assessment to examine relative differences of PCB concentrations in the Green River and four of its major tributaries. The study was designed to address the following questions: 1) How do the relative contributions of key contaminants differ between baseflow and storm event conditions? 2) What are the relative spatial differences in key contaminants in the Green River and its major tributaries? In 2011 and 2012, surface water samples were collected from four major tributaries to the Green River, as well as two main stem Green River locations: an upstream location at Flaming Geyser State Park, and a downstream location at Foster Links Golf Course. At each of the six locations, three composite baseflow and six composite storm event samples were collected. All samples were analyzed for arsenic, PAHs, PCB congeners and conventional parameters; however this presentation will focus only on PCB results. In most samples, PCB concentrations were higher during storm events than under baseflow conditions. PCB concentrations during storm events tended to be higher at the three most downstream locations. Under baseflow conditions, PCB concentrations were similar across the tributary basins and the main stem locations with the exception of one sample collected from Soos Creek. Additional data from sampling stations further upstream on the Green River, including above the Howard Hanson Dam were collected in 2013; these data will also be presented. Data from this study will be used as a line of evidence to evaluate upstream contaminant sources to the LDW, improve the understanding and nature of these inputs (e.g., influence of storm events), and inform future source control efforts in the watershed.
