Columbia River Basin State of the River Report for Toxics
Download the State of the River Report for Toxics
The Columbia River Basin is contaminated with many toxic contaminants that are moving up the food chain, threatening the health of the Basin’s people, fish, and wildlife. The State of the River Report for Toxics is a summary of what we know about four widespread contaminants in the Basin: mercury, DDT and its breakdown products, PCBs, and PBDE flame retardants.
The report also highlights many important efforts to reduce toxics already underway in the Basin, including: erosion control in the Yakima Basin to reduce pesticide runoff; Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships to reduce pesticide use in the Hood River and Walla Walla Basins; PCB cleanup at Bonneville Dam; legacy pesticide collections and pharmaceutical take-back programs; and cleanup of the Portland Harbor, Hanford, and Lake Roosevelt contamination sites. Read the Executive Summary...
In the report:
Full Report (PDF) (60 pp. 6.6MB)
1.0 Executive Summary (PDF) (2 pp. 158K)
2.0 Introduction (PDF) (3 pp. 182K)
A National Priority
The Story of Contamination in the Columbia River Basin
The Origin and Purpose of the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group
3.0 Toxic Contaminants (PDF) (5 pp. 488K)
What are Toxic Contaminants?
Why are Persistent Toxics a Concern?
What are the Contaminants of Concern in the Columbia River Basin?
Which Contaminants are Found in People?
What are Emerging Contaminants of Concern?
Fish Consumption Advisories for Toxics are Widespread across the Basin
4.0 Indicators (PDF) (4 pp. 270K)
What are Indicators?
Which Indicator Species are Used in this Report?
Why were These Species Selected as Indicators for the Columbia River Basin?
- Juvenile salmon
- Resident fish
- Sturgeon
- Predatory birds—osprey and bald eagle in the Lower Columbia River
- Aquatic mammals—mink and river otter
- Sediment-dwelling shellfish—Asian clam
5.0 Status and Trends for Mercury, DDT, PCBs, and PBDEs (PDF) (15 pp. 1.4MB)
Mercury: Most Fish Consumption Advisories in the Basin are due to High Concentrations of Mercury
- Several pathways introduce mercury into the Columbia River Basin
- Regional trends and spatial patterns of mercury levels in the Basin can be difficult to evaluate
DDT: Banned in 1972, This Pesticide Still Poses a Threat to the Environment
- Soil erosion from agricultural runoff is the main source of DDT into the Basin
- DDT levels are declining with better soil conservation practices, but DDT still exceeds human health levels of concern
PCBs: Stable PCB Compounds Continue to Persist in the Environment
- PCBs enter the ecosystem from multiple sources and through multiple pathways
- PCBs in fish are declining but still exceed EPA human and ecological health concern levels in some areas
PBDEs: Concern over Flame Retardants is Growing
- PBDEs are in many everyday products
- Information on how PBDEs enter the environment is limited
- Levels of PBDEs in the Columbia River are increasing
Summary of Status and Trends for Mercury, DDT, PCBs, and PBDEs
6.0 Toxics Reduction Efforts—Current and Planned (PDF) (9 pp. 410K)
States are Improving Water Quality and Reducing Toxics
- State agencies are developing water quality improvement plans
- Oregon is using human health criteria to limit toxics
EPA and States are Using Permits to Control Toxics
Federal Government and States are Working to Clean up Hazardous Waste in the Basin
State and Local Partnerships are Working to Improve Farming Practices
- Partnerships and volunteer efforts are reducing runoff from farms
- Washington is working to control soil erosion and reduce pesticide runoff in the Yakima River Basin
- Oregon is working with farmers to reduce pesticide runoff
State and Local Governments are Removing Toxics from Communities
Oregon and Nevada are Reducing Industrial Mercury Emissions
Idaho Agencies and Kootenai Tribe are Monitoring Toxics in Fish, Water, and Air
PCBs and Hydroelectric Facilities
7.0 Conclusions (PDF) (1 pp. 152K)
8.0 Toxics Reduction Initiatives (PDF) (2 pp. 161K)
9.0 A Path Forward (PDF) (1 pp. 151K)
10.0 References (PDF) (7 pp. 219K)
Additional Supporting Information
Questions or comments about the report?