Aida Farag, PhD
Dr. Aїda Farag is the Project Leader at the Columbia Environmental Research Center’s, Jackson Field Research Station.
She focuses on 3 research areas: 1) The potential effects of oil and gas activities on aquatic life and is the Co-Lead for the Environmental Health Mission Area – Energy Project. This project includes 35 researchers and 65 external partners from universities, state agencies, and other federal agencies focusing research on source mobility, pathways to the environment, resilience/restoration, and beneficial reuse. 2) Restoration of Contaminated and Impaired Ecosystems. Dr. Farag convened an international workshop in 2014 and continues to advance the science of putting restoration goals upfront. 3) Fish physiology to complement toxicological investigations and Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration assistance. She uses a multifaceted approach to define not only changes at the level of the individual fish but to relate those changes to population structures in the field.
Professional Experience
2000 - present Research Fishery Biologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Project Leader, Jackson Field Research Station, Jackson, Wyoming.
1994 - 2000 Research Fishery Biologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Assistant Project Leader Jackson Field Research Station, Jackson, Wyoming.
1994 - 2000 Research Fishery Biologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Assistant Project Leader Jackson Field Research Station, Jackson, Wyoming.
1994 - 1994 Post-doctoral Research Associate, Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit.
1988 - 1993 Research Associate and PhD candidate, University Wyoming, Dept. of Zoology and Physiology.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, 1993. U.S. Department of Energy Fellowship
M.S. Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, 1988.
B.S. Environmental Health Management; Indiana University, Bloomington, 1981.
Affiliations and Memberships*
1985 - present, Member of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
1998 - present, Adjunct Faculty, University of Wyoming, Department of Zoology and Physiology.
2004 - present, Member of the Society of Ecological Restoration
2007 - present, Member Editorial Board Restoration Ecology, an international journal.
2011 - 2015, Member Board of Directors, Society of Restoration Ecology
2011 - 2015, Member Science and Policy Committee, Society of Ecological Restoration
2016 - present, Science Team about Energy and Plains and Potholes (STEPPE)
2019 - present, Bakken Federal Executive Group – Natural Resources Subcommittee (BFEG)
2020 - present, Research Associate Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative
2020 - present, Plant Interest Group Steering Committee, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Science and Products
Bioavailability and toxicity of dietborne copper and zinc to fish
Water quality in three creeks in the backcountry of Grand Teton National Park, USA
Backcountry water quality in Grand Teton National Park
Water-quality, biology, and streambed sediment data and preliminary geochemical interpretations for streams in the upper Prickly Pear Creek watershed, Montana, 2000
Distribution of metals during digestion by cutthroat trout fed benthic invertebrates contaminated in the Clark Fork River, Montana and the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho, U.S.A., and fed artificially contaminated Artemia
Dietary effects of metals-contaminated invertebrates from the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho, on cutthroat trout
Movements of adult chinook salmon during spawning migration in a metals-contaminated system, Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho
Concentrations of metals associated with mining waste in sediments, biofilm, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish from the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho
Cutthroat trout avoidance of metals and conditions characteristic of a mining waste site: Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho
Metals-contaminated benthic invertebrates in the Clark Fork River, Montana: Effects on age-0 brown trout and rainbow trout
Physiological changes and tissue metal accumulation in rainbow trout exposed to foodborne and waterborne metals
Characterization of ecological risks at the Milltown Reservoir-Clark Fork River Sediments Superfund Site, Montana
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 52
Bioavailability and toxicity of dietborne copper and zinc to fish
To date, most researchers have used dietborne metal concentrations rather than daily doses to define metal exposure and this has resulted in contradictory data within and between fish species. It has also resulted in the impression that high concentrations of dietborne Cu and Zn (e.g.>900 mg kg−1 dry diet) are relatively non-toxic to fish. We re-analyzed existing data using rations and dietborne mAuthorsSusan J. Clearwater, Aïda M. Farag, J.S. MeyerWater quality in three creeks in the backcountry of Grand Teton National Park, USA
This study was conducted in Grand Teton National Park during the summers of 1996 and 1997 to investigate the water quality in two high human use areas: Garnet Canyon and lower Cascade Canyon. To evaluate the water quality in these creeks, fecal coliform, Giardia lamblia, coccidia, and microparticulates were measured in water samples. No evidence of fecal coliform, Giardia lamblia, or coccidia, wasAuthorsA.M. Farag, J.N. Goldstein, D. F. WoodwardBackcountry water quality in Grand Teton National Park
Over the past several decades, visitor use of the backcountry areas of Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming) has dramatically increased. The water quality of clear, sparkling mountain streams and lakes is being impacted by concentrated recreational use where, because of the potential for future wilderness designation, no restroom facilities are available. Park officials are concerned about the impacAuthorsN. Tippets, S. O'Ney, A.M. FaragWater-quality, biology, and streambed sediment data and preliminary geochemical interpretations for streams in the upper Prickly Pear Creek watershed, Montana, 2000
No abstract available.AuthorsTerry L. Klein, Joanna N. Thamke, Aïda M. FaragDistribution of metals during digestion by cutthroat trout fed benthic invertebrates contaminated in the Clark Fork River, Montana and the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho, U.S.A., and fed artificially contaminated Artemia
The concentrations of essential amino acids in three, undigested invertebrate diets collected from the Clark Fork River (CFR) for cutthroat trout were similar to each other, but were c. 25–75% less than Artemia that were exposed to a mixture of arsenic, copper, cadmium, lead and zinc in the laboratory. The Artemia diet appeared less palatable and the texture, quantity and appearance of the intestiAuthorsA.M. Farag, M.J. Suedkamp, J.S. Meyer, R. Barrows, D. F. WoodwardDietary effects of metals-contaminated invertebrates from the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho, on cutthroat trout
Benthic macroinvertebrates with elevated concentrations of metals were collected from the Coeur d'Alene (CDA) River, Idaho, pasteurized, and fed to cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki in the laboratory from start of feeding until 90 d posthatch. Invertebrates were collected from two sites known to contain elevated concentrations of metals: near Pinehurst in the South Fork of the CDA River and at CAuthorsA.M. Farag, D. F. Woodward, W. Brumbaugh, J.N. Goldstein, Elizabeth MacConnell, Christer Hogstrand, F.T. BarrowsMovements of adult chinook salmon during spawning migration in a metals-contaminated system, Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho
Spawning migration of adult male chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha was monitored by radio telemetry to determine their response to the presence of metals contamination in the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho. The North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River is relatively free of metals contamination and was used as a control. In all, 45 chinook salmon were transported from their natal sAuthorsJ.N. Goldstein, D. F. Woodward, A.M. FaragConcentrations of metals associated with mining waste in sediments, biofilm, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish from the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho
Arsenic, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, and Zn were measured in sediments, biofilm, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish from the Coeur d'Alene (CDA) River to characterize the pathway of metals transfer between these components. Metals enter the CDA Basin via tributaries where mining activities have occurred. In general, the ranking of food-web components from the greatest to smallest concentrations of metals waAuthorsA.M. Farag, D. F. Woodward, J.N. Goldstein, W. Brumbaugh, J.S. MeyerCutthroat trout avoidance of metals and conditions characteristic of a mining waste site: Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho
The South Fork basin of the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho has been an area of heavy mining activity since the 1880s. The mining operations have resulted in elevated concentrations of metals in surface water, most notably cadmium, lead, zinc, and, to a lesser extent, copper. The metals affected surface water quality downstream in the Coeur d'Alene basin and are suspected to be one of the primary reasoAuthorsDaniel F. Woodward, Jack N. Goldstein, Aïda M. Farag, William G. BrumbaughMetals-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. BarrowsPhysiological changes and tissue metal accumulation in rainbow trout exposed to foodborne and waterborne metals
Sublethal physiological effects and metal residue accumulation in tissues were measured in adult and juvenile rainbow trout fed a metal-contaminated diet and/or exposed to waterborne metals for 21 d. The consumption of metal-contaminated invertebrates from the Clark Fork River, Montana, significantly affected scale loss and metal accumulation in gut tissue of adult trout. Survival, scale loss, andAuthorsAïda M. Farag, Connie J. Boese, Harold L. Bergman, D. F. WoodwardCharacterization 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. DalSoglio
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government