Idaho's Large River Ambient Monitoring Network Completed
From 1989 to 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, monitored trends in water quality and biological integrity at more than 50 USGS streamgage stations on rivers throughout Idaho. In 2018, multiple State and Federal partners restarted a portion of the Large River Ambient Monitoring (LRAM) network.
LRAM monitoring continues at 5 sites each year (shown in bold) and additional sites throughout the state on a rotating basis. During 2020, we are collecting water samples for analysis 3 times throughout the spring and summer at these 14 sites:
- 12305000 Kootenai River at Leonia
- 13056500 Henrys Fork near Rexburg
- 13063000 Blackfoot River above Reservoir near Henry
- 13081500 Snake River near Minidoka
- 13092747 Rock Creek above Hwy 30/93 Crossing
- 13094000 Snake River near Buhl
- 13095175 Briggs Spring near Buhl
- 13095500 Box Canyon Springs near Wendell
- 13108150 Salmon Falls Creek near Hagerman
- 13140335 Big Wood River at South Broadford Bridge near Bellevue
- 13150430 Silver Creek at Sportsman Access near Picabo
- 13152500 Malad River near Gooding
- 13154500 Snake River at King Hill
- 13317000 Salmon River at White Bird
The samples will be analyzed for the following water-quality parameters:
Low-level Nutrients
- Nitrogen, ammonia
- Nitrogen, nitrite
- Nitrogen, nitrite + nitrate
- Total nitrogen, filtered and unfiltered
- Total dissolved phosphorus
- Phosphorus, phosphate, orthophosphorus
- Total phosphorus
Trace Elements
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Copper
- Lead
- Nickel
- Selenium
- Zinc
Biotic Ligand Model Parameters (used to predict toxic effects of metals on aquatic biota and to calculate the aquatic life criteria for copper)
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Sulfate
- Alkalinity
- Dissolved organic carbon
In addition, suspended sediment samples will be collected at selected sites.
For biological monitoring, we will collect fish tissue samples to analyze for selenium concentrations at these two sites:
These other science projects aer related to the Idaho Large River Ambient Monitoring program.
Monitoring Mining Effects in the Kootenai River Watershed
- Overview
From 1989 to 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, monitored trends in water quality and biological integrity at more than 50 USGS streamgage stations on rivers throughout Idaho. In 2018, multiple State and Federal partners restarted a portion of the Large River Ambient Monitoring (LRAM) network.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsUSGS streamgage station 13056500, Henrys Fork near Rexburg, Idaho LRAM monitoring continues at 5 sites each year (shown in bold) and additional sites throughout the state on a rotating basis. During 2020, we are collecting water samples for analysis 3 times throughout the spring and summer at these 14 sites:
- 12305000 Kootenai River at Leonia
- 13056500 Henrys Fork near Rexburg
- 13063000 Blackfoot River above Reservoir near Henry
- 13081500 Snake River near Minidoka
- 13092747 Rock Creek above Hwy 30/93 Crossing
- 13094000 Snake River near Buhl
- 13095175 Briggs Spring near Buhl
- 13095500 Box Canyon Springs near Wendell
- 13108150 Salmon Falls Creek near Hagerman
- 13140335 Big Wood River at South Broadford Bridge near Bellevue
- 13150430 Silver Creek at Sportsman Access near Picabo
- 13152500 Malad River near Gooding
- 13154500 Snake River at King Hill
- 13317000 Salmon River at White Bird
The samples will be analyzed for the following water-quality parameters:
Low-level Nutrients
- Nitrogen, ammonia
- Nitrogen, nitrite
- Nitrogen, nitrite + nitrate
- Total nitrogen, filtered and unfiltered
- Total dissolved phosphorus
- Phosphorus, phosphate, orthophosphorus
- Total phosphorus
Trace Elements
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Copper
- Lead
- Nickel
- Selenium
- Zinc
Biotic Ligand Model Parameters (used to predict toxic effects of metals on aquatic biota and to calculate the aquatic life criteria for copper)
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Sulfate
- Alkalinity
- Dissolved organic carbon
In addition, suspended sediment samples will be collected at selected sites.
For biological monitoring, we will collect fish tissue samples to analyze for selenium concentrations at these two sites:
- Science
These other science projects aer related to the Idaho Large River Ambient Monitoring program.
Monitoring Mining Effects in the Kootenai River Watershed
The Kootenai River (Kootenay in Canada) rises from the Canadian Rockies and flows south in an arc through Montana and Idaho before swinging back into British Columbia and the Columbia River. The uplifted sedimentary rocks forming the southern Canadian Rockies have rich coal deposits that have been mined for many decades. The coal beds and associated rock layers are enriched with other minerals as...