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Water Quality of the Lower Columbia River Basin: Analysis of Current and Historical Water-Quality Data Through 1994

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Water Quality of the Lower Columbia River Basin: Analysis of Current and Historical Water-Quality Data Through 1994 Water Quality of the Lower Columbia River Basin: Analysis of Current and Historical Water-Quality Data through 1994 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4294 Prepared in cooperation with the Lower Columbia River Bi-State Water-Quality Program Water Quality of the Lower Columbia River Basin: Analysis of Current and Historical Water-Quality Data through 1994 By Gregory J. Fuhrer, Dwight Q. Tanner, Jennifer L. Morace, Stuart W. McKenzie, and Kenneth A. Skach U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 95–4294 Prepared in cooperation with the Lower Columbia River Bi-State Water-Quality Programs Portland, Oregon 1996 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director The use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey, WRD Earth Science Information Center 10615 S.E. Cherry Blossom Drive Open-File Reports Section Portland, Oregon 97216 Box 25286, MS 517 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 FOREWORD One of the great challenges faced by the Nation’s water-resource scientists is providing reliable water-quality information to guide the management and protection of our water resources. That challenge is being addressed by Federal, Tribal, State, interstate, and local water-resources agencies, by academic insti- tutions, and by private industry. Many of these organizations are collecting water-quality data for a host of purposes, including compliance with permits and water-supply standards, development of remediation plans for specific contamination problems, decision of operational procedures for industrial, wastewater, or water-supply facilities, and refinement of research to advance our understanding of water-quality processes. In fact, during the past two decades, tens of billions of dollars have been spent on water-quality data collection programs. Unfortunately, the utility of these data for present and future regional and national assessments is limited by such factors as the areal extent of the sam- pling network, the frequency of sample collection, the variety of collection and analytical procedures, and the types of water-quality characteristics determined. The Lower Columbia River Bi-State Water Quality Program, with involvement from private industry, sports and commercial fishing, public ports, environmental groups, municipal, State, Northwest Power Planning Council, and Federal interests, has provided guidance to: 1. Provide a regionally consistent description of water-quality conditions; 2. Define seasonal and long-term trends (or lack of trends) in water quality; and 3. Identify, describe, and explain, as possible, the major factors that affect observed water-quality conditions and trends. Don Yon, Project Manager Lower Columbia River Bi-State Water Quality Program iii iv CONTENTS Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................................... iii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................2 Background ........................................................................................................................................................................4 Purpose and Scope .............................................................................................................................................................5 Acknowledgments..............................................................................................................................................................6 The Lower Columbia River Basin ..............................................................................................................................................6 Precipitation .......................................................................................................................................................................8 Streamflow Conditions ......................................................................................................................................................8 Land and Water Use.........................................................................................................................................................12 Point Source .....................................................................................................................................................................12 Data Sources and Methods of Analysis ....................................................................................................................................14 Current and Historical Sources of Data ...........................................................................................................................17 Historical Data ........................................................................................................................................................17 Current Data............................................................................................................................................................24 U.S. Geological Survey..................................................................................................................................24 Washington Department of Ecology..............................................................................................................31 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality..............................................................................................32 Data-Analysis Methods....................................................................................................................................................33 Loads.......................................................................................................................................................................33 Trends......................................................................................................................................................................34 Existing Water-Quality Guidelines..................................................................................................................................36 Ambient Stream Water Quality...............................................................................................................................36 Aquatic Life.....................................................................................................................................................36 Human Health..................................................................................................................................................37 Drinking-Water Quality ..........................................................................................................................................38 Regulations......................................................................................................................................................39 Health Advisories ............................................................................................................................................39 Analysis of Available Surface-Water-Quality Data..................................................................................................................39 Water Temperature ..........................................................................................................................................................39 Dissolved Oxygen and pH ...............................................................................................................................................45 Total Dissolved Gas .........................................................................................................................................................49 Suspended Sediment ........................................................................................................................................................50 Nutrients...........................................................................................................................................................................55 Major Ions and Related Measures....................................................................................................................................68 Trace Elements.................................................................................................................................................................79 Organic Compounds ........................................................................................................................................................97 Fecal-Indicator Bacteria.................................................................................................................................................115 Radionuclides.................................................................................................................................................................118
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