Determination of a safe level of ammonia that is protective of juvenile Colorado pikeminnow in the Upper Colorado River, Utah
Fairchild JF, Allert AL, Mizzi J, Reisenburg R, Waddell B. 1999. Determination of a safe level of ammonia that is protective of juvenile Colorado pikeminnow in the Upper Colorado River, Utah. United States Fish And Wildlife Service. Columbia, MO
The US Fish and Willife Service worked with assistance from the Columbia Environmental Research Center to determine potential detrimental effects of the Atlas Mill uranium tailings pile near Moab, Utah, on the bank of the Colorado River, to the endangered fish species of the Upper Colorado River. The tailings pile lies adjacent to critical habitat for two of these species, the Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback sucker. The study mapped distributions of ammonia, metal and radiochemical concentrations adjacent to and below the pile, it conducted laboratory toxicity testing on young fathead minnows and Colorado pikeminnows to determine safe levels, and it compared the toxicity of ammonia to measured site concentrations. Ammonia existed at levels that would cause death of fish at the tailings leaching outlet into the Colorado River. Surface waters of the river adjacent to the pile approached the determined acute toxicity level, and surpassed the determined chronic toxicity level. Concentrations of other constituents, including molybdenum and vanadium, were sometimes higher than standards, but were not found to be at acutely toxic levels to the fish.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Fairchild, James; Allert, Ann; Mizzi, Janet; Reisenburg, Ronnette; Waddell, Bruce
- Date of Issue
- 1999-12-30
- Publisher
- United States Fish And Wildlife Service
- Units
- CANY
- Keywords
- Ammonia, Animal Studies, Aquatic Studies, Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), Colorado River UT, Fish, Inventory, Management, Mine Tailings, Monitoring, Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), Threatened and Endangered Species, Threatened-Endangered-Sensitive Animals, Toxicity