Lower Columbia River Backwater Reconaissance Survey

Tetra Tech, Inc., was contracted by the Lower Columbia River Bi-State
Program to conduct a supplemental reconnaissance survey of sediment
and biota (fish and crayfish) contaminant levels in backwater areas of
the lower Columbia River (Tetra Tech 1994). These samples were
intended to expand the data base of the original reconnaissance survey
reported in Tetra Tech (1993). Station latitude and longitude were
recorded from geographic coordinates provided by a Magnavox MX 2000
Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigator System receiver. 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 Lower Columbia River - Bonneville Dam to river mouth.

Target analytes included 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, 59 semi-volatile organic
compounds (SVOCs) including 11 phenolic compounds and 17 polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons, 26 pesticides, 6 PCB Aroclors, 3 butyltin
compounds including tributyltin, and 8 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, Be, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Tl, and Zn by ICP (EPA
Method 200.7); Sb (EPA 204.2), As (EPA 206.2), Cd (EPA 213.2), Pb (EPA
239.2), and Se (EPA 270.2) by GFAA; Hg (EPA 245.2) by CVAA)]; cyanide
(SM 4500-CN E); SVOCs (EPA 8270) with SIM for PAH analysis; 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.