Long-Term Surface-Water Monitoring in the Upper Clark Fork River Basin Active
Documenting channel conditions during water-quality sampling
at Silver Bow Creek below Blacktail Creek at Butte, MT
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected water-quality samples from selected stream sites upstream from Missoula since 1985.
The USGS began collecting surface water-quality data in the upper Clark Fork Basin in 1985 to establish baseline metal concentrations and loads and was later expanded in 1992 in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to provide consistent long-term data at a network of sites. The sampling was initiated in response to elevated trace-element concentrations and the designation of areas in the upper Clark Fork basin by the USEPA as National Priorities List Superfund sites. This water-quality information aids the public and local, State, Federal, and Tribal governments in assessing risks to aquatic resources, facilitating resource-management decisions, and evaluating the effectiveness of remediation. In addition to water-quality data, the long-term monitoring program also obtains daily records of streamflow, suspended sediment, and turbidity at selected sites, as well as trace-element data for biota and bed sediment.
The Clark Fork originates near Warm Springs in western Montana at the confluence of Silver Bow and Warm Springs Creeks. Along the 148-mile reach of stream from Silver Bow Creek in Butte to the Clark Fork near Missoula, six major tributaries enter: Blacktail Creek, Warm Springs Creek, Little Blackfoot River, Flint Creek, Rock Creek, and Blackfoot River. Large-scale mining and smelting were prevalent land uses in the upper basin for more than 100 years but are now either discontinued or substantially smaller in scale.
Deposits of copper, gold, silver, and lead ores were extensively mined, milled, and smelted in the drainages of Silver Bow and Warm Springs Creeks from about the 1860s to the 1980s. Moderate- and small-scale mining also occurred in the basins of most of the major tributaries to the Clark Fork. Tailings derived from past mineral processing commonly contain large quantities of trace elements such as arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc. Tailings have been eroded; mixed with stream sediment; transported downstream; and deposited in stream channels, on flood plains, in the Warm Springs Ponds, and where the former Milltown Reservoir was located (Andrews, 1987). The widely dispersed tailings continue to be remobilized, transported, and deposited along the stream channel and flood plain, especially during high flows. The occurrence of elevated trace-element concentrations in water and bed sediment can pose a potential risk to aquatic biota and human health (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004; Montana Department of Environmental Quality, 2012).
Below are data related to this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Spatiotemporal variations in copper, arsenic, cadmium, and zinc concentrations in surface water, fine-grained bed sediment, and aquatic macroinvertebrates in the upper Clark Fork Basin, western Montana—A 20-year synthesis, 1996–2016
Metals-contaminated benthic invertebrates in the Clark Fork River, Montana: Effects on age-0 brown trout and rainbow trout
Brown trout avoidance of metals in water characteristic of the Clark Fork River, Montana
Chemical characterization of sediments and pore water from the upper Clark Fork River and Milltown Reservoir, Montana
Characterization of ecological risks at the Milltown Reservoir-Clark Fork River Sediments Superfund Site, Montana
Toxicity of metal-contaminated sediments from the upper Clark Fork River, Montana, to aquatic invertebrates and fish in laboratory exposures
Use of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, Montana
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 1992 through September 1993) and statistical summaries of water-quality data (March 1985 through September 1993) for streams in the upper Clark Fork basin, Montana
Bioaccumulation of metals by Hyalella azteca exposed to contaminated sediments from the upper Clark Fork River, Montana
Water-quality and transport characteristics of suspended sediment and trace elements in streamflow of the upper Clark Fork basin from Galen to Missoula, Montana, 1985-90
Large-scale distribution of metal contamination in the fine-grained sediments of the Clark Fork River, Montana, U.S.A.
Water-quality data (October 1988 through September 1989) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1989) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Montana
Water-quality data (October 1987 through September 1988) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1988) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Montana
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected water-quality samples from selected stream sites upstream from Missoula since 1985.
The USGS began collecting surface water-quality data in the upper Clark Fork Basin in 1985 to establish baseline metal concentrations and loads and was later expanded in 1992 in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to provide consistent long-term data at a network of sites. The sampling was initiated in response to elevated trace-element concentrations and the designation of areas in the upper Clark Fork basin by the USEPA as National Priorities List Superfund sites. This water-quality information aids the public and local, State, Federal, and Tribal governments in assessing risks to aquatic resources, facilitating resource-management decisions, and evaluating the effectiveness of remediation. In addition to water-quality data, the long-term monitoring program also obtains daily records of streamflow, suspended sediment, and turbidity at selected sites, as well as trace-element data for biota and bed sediment.
The Clark Fork originates near Warm Springs in western Montana at the confluence of Silver Bow and Warm Springs Creeks. Along the 148-mile reach of stream from Silver Bow Creek in Butte to the Clark Fork near Missoula, six major tributaries enter: Blacktail Creek, Warm Springs Creek, Little Blackfoot River, Flint Creek, Rock Creek, and Blackfoot River. Large-scale mining and smelting were prevalent land uses in the upper basin for more than 100 years but are now either discontinued or substantially smaller in scale.
Deposits of copper, gold, silver, and lead ores were extensively mined, milled, and smelted in the drainages of Silver Bow and Warm Springs Creeks from about the 1860s to the 1980s. Moderate- and small-scale mining also occurred in the basins of most of the major tributaries to the Clark Fork. Tailings derived from past mineral processing commonly contain large quantities of trace elements such as arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc. Tailings have been eroded; mixed with stream sediment; transported downstream; and deposited in stream channels, on flood plains, in the Warm Springs Ponds, and where the former Milltown Reservoir was located (Andrews, 1987). The widely dispersed tailings continue to be remobilized, transported, and deposited along the stream channel and flood plain, especially during high flows. The occurrence of elevated trace-element concentrations in water and bed sediment can pose a potential risk to aquatic biota and human health (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004; Montana Department of Environmental Quality, 2012).
- Data
Below are data related to this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Spatiotemporal variations in copper, arsenic, cadmium, and zinc concentrations in surface water, fine-grained bed sediment, and aquatic macroinvertebrates in the upper Clark Fork Basin, western Montana—A 20-year synthesis, 1996–2016
The legacy of mining-related contamination in the upper Clark Fork Basin created an extensive longitudinal gradient in metal concentrations, extending from Silver Bow Creek to Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho. Downstream metal concentrations continue to decline, but, despite such improvements, the ecological health of much of the river remains uncertain. Understanding the long-term consequences of the ClaAuthorsSara L. Caldwell Eldridge, Michelle I. HornbergerFilter Total Items: 51Metals-contaminated benthic invertebrates in the Clark Fork River, Montana: Effects on age-0 brown trout and rainbow trout
Benthic organisms in the upper Clark Fork River have recently been implicated as a dietary source of metals that may be a chronic problem for young-of-the-year rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In this present study, early life stage brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout were exposed for 88 d to simulated Clark Fork River water and a diet of benthic invertebrates collected from the riverAuthorsDaniel F. Woodward, Aïda M. Farag, Harold L. Bergman, Aaron J. Delonay, Edward E. Little, Charlie E. Smiths, Frederic T. BarrowsBrown trout avoidance of metals in water characteristic of the Clark Fork River, Montana
The avoidance response of brown trout (Salmo trutta) to mixtures of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc was determined in water simulating the Clark Fork River, Montana. Effects of acidification on the avoidance response were also evaluated. Tests were conducted in a cylindrical chamber that received reference water at one end and metal-contaminated water at the other; a distinct boundary formed at thAuthorsDaniel F. Woodward, James A. Hansen, Harold L. Bergman, Aaron J. Delonay, Edward E. LittleChemical characterization of sediments and pore water from the upper Clark Fork River and Milltown Reservoir, Montana
The upper Clark Fork River basin in western Montana is widely contaminated by metals from past mining, milling, and smelting activities As part of a comprehensive ecological risk assessment for the upper Clark Fork River, we measured physical and chemical characteristics of surficial sediment samples that were collected from depositional zones for subsequent toxicity evaluations Sampling stationsAuthorsW. G. Brumbaugh, C.G. Ingersoll, N.E. Kemble, T.W. May, J.L. ZajicekCharacterization of ecological risks at the Milltown Reservoir-Clark Fork River Sediments Superfund Site, Montana
A comprehensive field and laboratory approach to the ecological risk assessment for the Milltown Reservoir-Clark Fork River Sediments Site, a Superfund site in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, has been described in the preceding reports of this series. The risk assessment addresses concerns over the ecological impacts of upstream releases of mining wastes to fisheries of the upper Clark Fork RiverAuthorsGary A. Pascoe, Richard J. Blanchet, Greg L. Linder, Don Palawski, William G. Brumbaugh, Tim J. Canfield, Nile E. Kemble, Chris G. Ingersoll, Aïda M. Farag, Julie A. DalSoglioToxicity of metal-contaminated sediments from the upper Clark Fork River, Montana, to aquatic invertebrates and fish in laboratory exposures
Sediments of the upper Clark Fork River, from the Butte and Anaconda area to Milltown Reservoir (230 km downstream), are contaminated with As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, and Zn primarily from mining activities. The toxicity of pore water from these sediments was determined using Daphnia magna (48-h exposure), rainbow trout (96-h exposure), and Microtox®. However, pore-water data from these exposures were queAuthorsNile E. Kemble, William G. Brumbaugh, Eric L. Brunson, F. James Dwyer, Christopher G. Ingersoll, Dave P. Monda, Daniel F. WoodwardUse of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, Montana
The upper Clark Fork River, above Flathead River, is contaminated with large amounts of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, and Zn ores from past mining activities. The contaminated area extends from the Butte and Anaconda area to at least 230 km downstream to Milltown Reservoir. Both the upper Clark Fork River and Milltown Reservoir have been designated as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites becAuthorsTimothy J. Canfield, Nile E. Kemble, William G. Brumbaugh, F. James Dwyer, Christopher G. Ingersoll, James F. FairchildWater-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 1992 through September 1993) and statistical summaries of water-quality data (March 1985 through September 1993) for streams in the upper Clark Fork basin, Montana
Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Missoula as part of a program to characterize aquatic resources in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana. Water-quality data were obtained periodically at 16 stations during October 1992 through September 1993 (water year 1993); daily suspended-sediment data were obtained at six of these stations. Bed-sediment and bAuthorsJohn H. LambingBioaccumulation of metals by Hyalella azteca exposed to contaminated sediments from the upper Clark Fork River, Montana
Macroinvertebrates contaminated with metals in the Clark Fork River of Montana have been demonstrated to be a potentially toxic component in the diet of trout Because sediment was the suspected source of metals to these invertebrates, bioaccumulation of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn from sediment was evaluated by exposing the amphipod Hyalella azteca for 28 d in the laboratory to samples of sediment collAuthorsChristopher G. Ingersoll, William G. Brumbaugh, F. James Dwyer, Nile E. KembleWater-quality and transport characteristics of suspended sediment and trace elements in streamflow of the upper Clark Fork basin from Galen to Missoula, Montana, 1985-90
No abstract available.AuthorsJ. H. LambingLarge-scale distribution of metal contamination in the fine-grained sediments of the Clark Fork River, Montana, U.S.A.
Historic discharges from the mining and smelting complex at the head-waters of the Clark Fork River have resulted in elevated Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in the <60 μm fraction of both bed and flood-plain sediments of the river. Processes affecting the trends in longitudinal distributions of these metals were investigated by repeated sampling over a 380 km river reach between August 1986AuthorsE.V. Axtmann, S. N. LuomaWater-quality data (October 1988 through September 1989) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1989) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Montana
Water quality sampling was conducted at eight sites on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, from October 1988 through September 1989. This report presents tabulations and statistical summaries of the water quality data. Included are tabulations of streamflow, onsite water quality, and concentrations of trace elements and suspended sediment for periodic samples. Also inclAuthorsJ. H. LambingWater-quality data (October 1987 through September 1988) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1988) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Montana
Water quality sampling was conducted at eight sites on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Mont., from October 1987 through September 1988. This report presents tabulations and statistical summaries of the water quality data. Included in this report are tabulations of streamflow, onsite water quality, and concentrations of trace elements and suspended sediment for perioAuthorsJohn H. Lambing - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.