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Trace Metal Contamination Due to Acid Rock Drainage and Its Impacts on the Fish-Bearing Pennask Creek Watershed, British Columbia

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Abstract

The Pennask Creek watershed in British Columbia (BC), Canada has been contaminated with acid rock drainage (ARD) and associated metal leaching (ML) as a result of highway construction. By combining existing and newly gathered information, this study determined the extent of metal contamination of the water and sediments, the potential biological impacts of this contamination, the influence of local geology, and estimated the potential risk to aquatic organisms. Surface water and sediment samples from the watershed were analyzed for general chemical parameters and trace metals. Rock samples were analyzed for mineralogy and chemical composition. Metal concentrations in water and sediments downstream of the ARD/ML source were higher than elsewhere in the watershed. Metals of concern include aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Analysis of historical water quality data indicated that the concentrations of these metals have decreased markedly since 2004, due to remediation efforts. Rock samples collected from the streambeds and banks were not found to be potentially acid generating, but did contain significant levels of metals. Al, Cu, and Zn levels consistently exceeded BC water and sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, indicating that adverse biological effects are probable at stations downstream of the ARD/ML source. Benthic invertebrate monitoring over a 10-year period showed low abundance and diversity and a complete absence of sensitive taxa at downstream stations. Risk quotients indicated a likelihood of adverse biological effects for aquatic organisms, including rainbow trout, due to metal contamination in the watershed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for funding this research. We would also like to express our thanks to Paula Parkinson and Timothy Ma at the Environmental Engineering Laboratory, University of British Columbia Department of Civil Engineering, for their technical assistance.

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  1. Lisa D. Walls

    Present address: Hemmera Envirochem Inc., Suite 250-1380 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6Z 2H3

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Lisa D. Walls, Loretta Y. Li & Kenneth J. Hall

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  1. Lisa D. Walls
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  2. Loretta Y. Li
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Correspondence to Loretta Y. Li.

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Walls, L.D., Li, L.Y. & Hall, K.J. Trace Metal Contamination Due to Acid Rock Drainage and Its Impacts on the Fish-Bearing Pennask Creek Watershed, British Columbia. Water Air Soil Pollut 224, 1675 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1675-1

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