Streamflow and total selenium concentration data for six Canadian sites in the Kootenay and Columbia River Basins (2004-2022) and scripts for trend analysis using R–QWTREND

A study to assess the potential for long-range transport of selenium from the Elk River valley (British Columbia, Canada) was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) using an analysis of total selenium concentrations and loads at six sites in the Elk, Kootenay, and Columbia Rivers in British Columbia, Canada. This dataset contains discrete total selenium concentration data and daily streamflow records used as input to R–QWTREND models and scripts to produce model results at each site.

Total selenium concentration data was obtained from the Governments of Canada and Province of British Columbia (https://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=85991363447e4c73991e418dd98133ca) at six sites: Kootenay River near Fenwick (BC08NG0009), Elk River below Sparwood (BC08NK0004), Elk River above Highway 93 (BC08NK0003), Kootenay River above Highway 93 near Creston (BC08NH0005), Columbia River at Birchbank (BC08NE0005), and Columbia River at Waneta (BC08NE0001). Streamflow data were obtained from the USGS National Water Information System (http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN) for two sites: Kootenai River at Porthill ID USGS-12322001 and Kootenai River Tribal Hatchery NR Bonners Ferry USGS-12310100. Streamflow data were obtained from a previous data release for Kootenay River near Fenwick (Lange and Storb, 2023) and for Elk River at Phillips Bridge (08NK005). Streamflow data were obtained from the British Columbia Water Tool (https://kwt.bcwatertool.ca/streamflow) for the Elk River at Fernie (08NK002) and Columbia River at Birchbank (08NE049).

Streamflow and concentration data were used to analyze selenium loads and trends in selenium concentrations using R–QWTREND (Vecchia and Nustad, 2020). Data input to the trend models ranged from 2004–22 at all sites except for Kootenay River near Fenwick, where data ranged from 2004–18 due to data limitations at this site. Model outputs, including diagnostic plots to evaluate model reliability, can be viewed by downloading the child item “Scripts to run R–QWTREND models and produce results” and following the instructions to run the models.