Abstract
Twelve water quality variables from upstream and downstream locations in the Hanford Reach of the mainstem Columbia River, southcentral Washington, were compared statistically for the two time periods 1951 to 1953 and 1986 to 1988. During the 1951 to 1953 period, beta radioactivity and, most likely, water temperatures in the Hanford Reach were significantly higher downstream than upstream, while dissolved oxygen and sulfate were significantly lower. The increased beta radioactivity and temperature downstream were due to the discharge of cooling water from five single-purpose production reactors then operating on the Hanford Site. The last production reactor closed in January 1971. During the 1986 to 1988 period, beta radioactivity and water temperatures were similar upstream and downstream, but nitrate nitrogen had become significantly higher downstream. Comparison of 1951 to 1953 with 1986 to 1988 showed, as expected, that beta radioactivity was much lower today, at essentially background levels. Phosphate in the Hanford Reach had decreased significantly over the 35 year interval, while biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and nitrate nitrogen had increased. These changes, while detectable statistically, were relatively small. Today, the quality of water in the Hanford Reach remains well within Washington State standards for Class A waters. Occasional low pH values, which appear to orginate upriver, violate these standards.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Public Health Association, et al.: 1975, ‘Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 14th Edition, American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C.
Becker, C. D.: 1990, Aquatic Bioenvironmental Studies: The Hanford Experience, 1944–1984, Studies in Environmental Science 39, Elsevier Science Publishers Inc., Amsterdam.
Becker, C. D.: 1973, ‘Columbia River Thermal Effects Study: Reactor Effluent Problems’, J. Water Poll. Control Fed. 45, 850–869.
Becker, C. D. and Gray, R. H.: 1989, ‘Abstracted Publications Related to the Hanford Environment, 1980 to 1988’, PNL-6905, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
Cline, C. S., Rieger, J. T., and Raymond, J. R.: 1985, ‘Ground-Water Monitoring at the Hanford Site January-December 1984’, PNL-5408, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
Cushing, C. E., Watson, D. G., Scott, A. J., and Gurtisen, J. M.: 1981, ‘Decrease of Radionuclides in Columbia River Biota Following Closure of Hanford Reactors’, Health Phys. 41, 59–67.
Dirkes, R. L.: 1988, ‘Surface-Water Monitoring’, in Jaquish, R. E. and Mitchell, P. J. (eds.), Environmental Monitoring at Hanford for 1987; PNL-6464, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington, pp. 3.29–3.39.
Dirkes, R. L.: 1989, ‘Surface-Water Monitoring’, in Jaquish, R. E. and Bryce, R. W. (eds.), Hanford Site Environmental Report for Calender Year 1988; PNL-6825, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington, pp. 4.10–4.22.
Ebel, W. J., Becker, C. D., Mullan, J. W. and Raymond, H. L.: 1989, ‘The Columbia River-Toward a Holistic Understanding’, in Dodge, D. P. (ed.), International Large River Symposium, Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 106, Toronto, Canada, pp. 205–219.
Evans, J. C., Bryce, R. W., Dennison, D. I., and Mitchell, P. J.: 1988a, ‘Ground-Water Monitoring’, in Jaquish, R. E. and Mitchell, J. P. (eds.), Environmental Monitoring at Hanford for 1987; PNL-6464, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington, pp. 3.10–3.28.
Evans, J. C., Mitchell, R. W., and Dennison, D. I.: 1988b, ‘Hanford Site Ground-Water Monitoring for April Through June 1987’; PNL-6315-1, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
Evans, J. C., Bryce, R. W., and Sherwood, D. R.: 1989, ‘Ground-Water Protection and Monitoring Program’, in Jaquish, R. E. and Bryce, R. W. (eds.), Hanford Site Environmental Report for Calender Year 1988; PNL-6825, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington, pp. 5.1–5.16.
Foster, R. F.: 1972, ‘The History of Hanford and Its Contribution of Radionuclides to the Columbia River’, in Pruter, A. T. and Alverson, D. L. (eds.), The Columbia River Estuary and Adjacent Ocean Waters, University of Washington Press, Seattle, pp. 3–18.
Foster, R. F., and Rostenbach, R. E.: 1954, ‘Distribution of Radioisotopes in Columbia River’, J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 46, 633–640.
Foster, R. F., Junkins, R. L., and Linderoth, C. E.: 1961, ‘Waste Control at the Hanford Plutonium Production Plant’, J. Water Pollut. Control. Fed. 35, 511–529.
Jaquish, R. E., and Mitchell, P. J. (eds.): 1988, ‘Environmental Monitoring at Hanford for 1987’, PNL-6464, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
Jaske, R. T., and Goebel, J. B.: 1967, ‘Effects of Dam Construction on Temperatures of Columbia River’, J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 59, 935–942.
Jaske, R. T., and Synoground, M. O.: 1970, ‘Effect of Hanford Plant Operations on the Temperature of the Columbia River 1964 to Present’, BNWL-1345, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
McCormack, W. D., and Carlile, J. M. V.: 1984, ‘Investigation of Ground-Water Seepage from the Hanford Shoreline of the Columbia River’, PNL-5289, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
McGavock, E. H., Wiggins, W. D., Boucher, P. R., Blazs, R. L., Reed, L. L., and Smith, M. L.: 1988, ‘Water Resources Data. Washington, Water Year 1986’, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report WA-86-1, USGS, Tacoma, Washington.
Pacific Northwest Laboratory: 1987, ‘Environmental Monitoring at Hanford for 1986’, PNL-6120, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
Robeck, G. G., Henderson, C. and Palange, R. C.: 1954, ‘Water Quality Studies on the Columbia River’, U.S. Public Health Service, R. A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Smith, R. A., Alexander, R. B., and Wolman, M. G.: 1987, ‘Water-Quality Trends in the Nation's Rivers’, Science 235, 1607–1615.
Snedecor, G. W., and Corchran, W. G.: 1980, Stastistical Methods, 7th Ed., Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.
Stober, Q. J. et al.: 1979, ‘Columbia River Irrigation Withdrawal Environmental Review: Columbia River Fishery Study’, Report FRI-UW-7919, Fisheries Research Institute, University of Washington to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: 1976, ‘Final Environmental Statement, Proposed Columbia Basin Project, Washington’, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region, Boise, Idaho.
Washington State Department of Ecology (WDOE): 1982, ‘Water Quality Standards for Waters of the State of Washington’, Washington Administrative Code, Chapter 173–303, Olympia, Washington.
Watson, D. G., and Templeton, W. L.: 1973, ‘Thermoluminescent Dosimetry of Aquatic Organisms’, in Radionuclides in Ecosystems, Proceedings of the 3rd National Symposium on Radioecology; CONF-710501-P2, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D. C. pp. 1125–1129.
Whelan, G., and Newbill, C. A.: 1983, ‘Update of Columbia River Flow and Temperature Data Measured at Priest Rapids Dam and Vernita Bridge’, Report for UNC Nuclear Industries, Inc. by Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Becker, C.D., Gray, R.H. Past and present water-quality conditions in the Hanford Reach, Columbia River. Environ Monit Assess 22, 137–152 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00418012
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00418012