Publication Summary

The goal of the program is to investigate the occurrence and concentrations of toxic contaminants in edible fish tissue and surface waters from freshwater environments in areas of the state where the potential for contamination exists but recent data are absent.

This Quality Assurance Project Plan describes this monitoring effort.

Past monitoring efforts in Washington State have detected toxic contaminants in surface water, sediment, and aquatic animal tissues. In many cases, levels of contaminants have been high enough to threaten the health of humans and wildlife. The accumulation of these chemicals can cause a variety of health effects on humans and wildlife such as reproductive abnormalities, neurological problems, and behavioral changes.

For many areas of the state, information is lacking about the levels of toxic contamination in freshwater fish and surface water. A monitoring effort has begun to address this lack of information: the Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program - Exploratory Monitoring of Toxic Contaminants in Edible Fish Tissue and Freshwater Environments of Washington State.

The goal of the program is to investigate the occurrence and concentrations of toxic contaminants in edible fish tissue and surface waters from freshwater environments in areas of the state where the potential for contamination exists but recent data are absent.

This Quality Assurance Project Plan describes this monitoring effort.