1. Home
  2. Items
  3. Heavy metals in lakes of the Coeur d'Alene River Valley,...
PDF

Heavy metals in lakes of the Coeur d'Alene River Valley, Idaho Item Info

Heavy metal concentrations were measured in the water, sediments, and fish of nine small lakes located along the main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River. Mining wastes have been discharged into this drainage since the 1890's. Concentrations of dissolved metals were low in the lakes and did not differ significantly from lake to lake. Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cs, and Sb have accumulated in lake sediments. The concentrations of these metals varied in sediments from lake to lake, and within each lake were highest at stations close to the river. Zn, Cu, and Cd concentrations in muscle and liver of Yellow Perch were not significantly different between lakes. However, Zn and Cd concentrations in fish from several of the Coeur d'Alene lakes were significantly higher than in fish from a control area. Metal concentrations were somewhat related to trophic status, decreasing at higher trophic levels. Zn, Cu, and Cd concentrations were greater in benthic insects than in fish. The concentration of zinc in muscle was highest in Brown Bullheads (68 mg/kg), an omnivorous species, and lowest in Largemouth Bass (20 mg/kg), a piscivorous species.

View on Timeline View on Map Download PDF
Title:
Heavy metals in lakes of the Coeur d'Alene River Valley, Idaho
Authors:
Bauer, Stephen Bernard
Date Created (ISO Standard):
1974-11
Description:
Heavy metal concentrations were measured in the water, sediments, and fish of nine small lakes located along the main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River. Mining wastes have been discharged into this drainage since the 1890's. Concentrations of dissolved metals were low in the lakes and did not differ significantly from lake to lake. Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cs, and Sb have accumulated in lake sediments. The concentrations of these metals varied in sediments from lake to lake, and within each lake were highest at stations close to the river. Zn, Cu, and Cd concentrations in muscle and liver of Yellow Perch were not significantly different between lakes. However, Zn and Cd concentrations in fish from several of the Coeur d'Alene lakes were significantly higher than in fish from a control area. Metal concentrations were somewhat related to trophic status, decreasing at higher trophic levels. Zn, Cu, and Cd concentrations were greater in benthic insects than in fish. The concentration of zinc in muscle was highest in Brown Bullheads (68 mg/kg), an omnivorous species, and lowest in Largemouth Bass (20 mg/kg), a piscivorous species.
Subjects:
mine wastes heavy metals fish
Location:
Coeur d'Alene River
Latitude:
47.47
Longitude:
-116.66
Collection:
Coeur d'Alene Basin
IWRRI number:
197402
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
Publisher:
University of Idaho
Contributing Institution:
University of Idaho
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf
Cataloger:
wbv
Date Digitized:
2012

Contact us about this record

Source
Preferred Citation:
"Heavy metals in lakes of the Coeur d'Alene River Valley, Idaho", Idaho Waters Digital Library, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/iwdl/items/iwdl-cda_bauer_1974.html
Rights
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
« Previous Back to Browse Next »