Methylmercury Concentrations in Largemouth Bass from the Davis Pond Freshwater Postdiversion Sampling (2007-2009)

The diversion of freshwater from the Mississippi River is intended to mitigate saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico and to lessen the concomitant loss of wetland areas. Though effective, freshwater diversion can affect wildlife and habitat; therefore, prediversion and postdiversion data collections are necessary to identify effects. The Davis Pond freshwater diversion area is located between the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche and extends to Barataria Bay Basin, Louisiana. Results and interpretations from the prediversion biomonitoring done in 2001- which included data on fish, eagles, and bivalves - are presented in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5067, "Davis Pond Freshwater Prediversion Biomonitoring Study: Freshwater Fisheries and Eagles." The postdiversion data generated approximately 6 years later from the sampling of fish whole bodies are presented here in this USGS Data Series. An accompanying log of postdiversion study site photographs was also produced in USGS Data Series 605, "Photographic Images Captured While Sampling for Bald Eagles near the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Structure in Barataria Bay, Louisiana (2009-10).

Figure 21 represents the total methylmercury detected in largemouth bass samples collected in 2007-2009, approximately six years after the Davis Pond freshwater diversion structure was operational. Samples are from the Mississippi River, Lake Cataouatche, Bayou Couba, and Lake Salvador.