Abstract
Purpose
River impoundments disrupt natural water flow patterns and sediment distribution throughout the impacted reach, which often results in a damaging effect on aquatic ecosystems. Dam removal can release sediments that may contain fugitive agricultural nutrients and organochlorine pesticide residues (OCPRs).
Methods
Sediment samples from an impoundment on the Oostanaula Creek (HUC 03,565,432) in Athens, Tennessee, were obtained, as were surface soil samples from the agricultural watershed. A subset of cores were used for simulated weathering, and all samples were extracted and analyzed for nutrients and OCPRs.
Results
The impoundment sediments tested low in P and K, but sediment pore water contained elevated concentrations of NO3, NH4, and SO4 relative to reservoir water. Endrin aldehyde and p,p’-DDD were commonly detected in sediment and soil, while aldrin, dieldrin, and p,p’-DDE occurred in a smaller number of samples. When detected, dieldrin and endrin aldehyde frequently exceeded the threshold effect concentration (TEC), but never exceeded the probable effect concentration (PEC) in the sediment samples; p,p’-DDD always exceeded TEC and exceeded PEC in 49% of the sediment samples. The concentrations of NO3 and NH4 in the weathered sediment leachates were similar to those in the reservoir water, and NH4 became the dominant cation in leachates at the conclusion of simulated weathering. Weathering decreased sediment p,p’-DDD concentrations to less than the PEC; however, the concentrations of other OCPRs were not influenced.
Conclusion
The dam sediments may have harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms and a long-term impact on stream reclamation following low-head dam removal.
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Acknowledgements
We also thank Ms. Galina Melnichenko and Ms. Melanie Stewart of the Biosystems Engineering and Soil Sciences Department’s Soil and Water Quality Laboratory for their expertise in analyzing the soil and sediment samples.
Funding
Financial support of this research by USEPA project number A16-0345 is gratefully acknowledged.
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Essington, M.E., Ludwig, A.L., Essington, E.A. et al. Persistence of organochlorine pesticide residues in sediments derived from an agricultural watershed in Tennessee, USA. J Soils Sediments 22, 1852–1864 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03220-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03220-0