Reconaissance Survey of the lower Columbia River

Tetra Tech, Inc., was contracted by the Lower Columbia River Bi-State
Program to conduct a reconnaissance level survey of water, sediment,
and biota (fish and crayfish) contaminant levels in these media of the
lower Columbia River below Bonneville Dam (Tetra Tech 1993). Sediment
and fish tissue sampling (including crayfish) focused on locations in
the mainstem and backwater areas of the lower river. Sediment
sampling was conducted using a stainless steel 0.1 m2 van Veen grab
deployed by winch from a vessel. Station latitude and longitude were
recorded from geographic coordinates provided by a Magnavox MX 2000
Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigator System receiver onboard the
vessel. The GPS locational information was not corrected for the
U.S. Department of Defense's Selective Availability, and therefore the
GPS latitudes and longitudes provided are accurate to approximately
100 m.

The area of study was the Lower Columbia River - Bonneville Dam to
river mouth

Sediment samples consisted of a homogenized composite of at least 3
grab samples. Samples were shipped on ice to laboratory. Sample
chain-of-custody procedures were followed.

Target analytes were seventeen dioxin and furan congeners, 7 PCB
Aroclors, 16 metals and trace elements (Al, Sb, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr,
Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, Ag, Tl, Zn), cyanide, 52 semi-volatile organic
compounds (SVOCs) including 11 phenolic compounds and 15 polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons, 28 pesticides, 7 PCB Aroclors, 3 butyltin
compounds including tributyltin, and 7 long-lived radionuclides.
Conventional analyses included sediment grain size and total organic
carbon content. All data are reported on a dry weight basis.

Analytical techniques included Dioxins and furans (EPA Method 1613
with modifications); PCB Aroclors (EPA Method 8080); metals and trace
elements [Ag, Al, Ba, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Sb, Tl, and Zn by ICP (EPA
Method 200.7); As (EPA 7060), Be (EPA 7091), Cd (EPA 7131), Pb (EPA
7421), and Se (EPA 7740) by GFAA; Hg (EPA 7471) by CVAA)]; cyanide
[colorimetry (EPA 9010)]; SVOCs (EPA 8270); pesticides and PCBs (EPA
8080), Butyltins (GC/MS with SIM); radionuclides by alpha spectroscopy
and gamma counting.

The information for this metadata was taken from the Columbia River
Basin: Sediment Database Abstracts.