Washington State Department of Ecology

Publication Summary

Title

Surface Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides in Salmonid-Bearing Streams, 2009 Data Summary

Month-Year Published

January 2011

Online Availability

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Short Description

This report presents 2009 pesticide results for two urban basins, Thornton Creek (Cedar-Sammamish basin) and Longfellow Creek (Green-Duwamish basin), as well as four agricultural basins: lower Skagit-Samish basin, lower Yakima basin, and the Wenatchee and Entiat basins.

Program changes during 2009 include adding an urban site (Longfellow Creek) and adding analysis for 18 pesticides.

A triennial review of pesticide data collected from 2007-09 is included for the Wenatchee-Entiat basins. During 2007-09 few pesticides were detected at the Wenatchee-Entiat basin sites with the exception of Brender Creek. Brender Creek endosulfan levels indicate potential chronic health effects to aquatic life during mid-March through May.

(Also see abstract below)

Publication Number

11-03-004

Author(s)

Sargeant, D., D. Dugger, P. Anderson, and E. Newell

Print Availability

Request from the program.

Number of pages

Keywords

agriculture, basin, creek, criteria, Ecology, Environmental Protection Agency, monitoring, pesticide, registration, river, salmon, Skagit , standards, stream, surface water, toxic, toxicity, urban, water quality standards, WRIA 46, Yakima Basin

Subject Waterbodies

Samish River, Indian Slough, Browns Slough, Thornton Creek, Longfellow Creek, Spring Creek, Marion Drain, Sulphur Creek Wasteway, Wenatchee River, Mission Creek, Peshastin Creek, Brender Creek, Entiat River

Related Publications

Title

Relationship

Quality Assurance Project Plan: Washington State Surface Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides in Salmonid Habitat for Two Index Watersheds: A Study for the Washington State Department of Agriculture by the Washington State Department of Ecology

supporting publication

Addendum to Quality Assurance Project Plan: Surface Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides in Salmonid Bearing Streams: Addition of Wenatchee and Entiat Watersheds in the Upper Columbia Basin.

supporting publication

Addendum 3 to Quality Assurance Project Plan: Washington State Surface Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides in Salmonid Habitat in Two Index Watersheds

supporting publication

Surface Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides in Salmonid-Bearing Streams, 2006-2008 Triennial Report

part of a series

Appendices C-G: Surface Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides in Salmonid-Bearing Streams, 2009 Data Summary

appendix

Abstract

Long Description

The Washington State Departments of Agriculture and Ecology are conducting a multi-year monitoring study to characterize pesticide concentrations in selected salmon-bearing streams during a typical pesticide-use period.

Monitoring is being conducting in six basins:

Thornton Creek in the Cedar-Sammamish basin and Longfellow Creek in the Green-Duwamish basin, representing urban land use.

Lower Skagit-Samish basin, representing western Washington agriculture.

Lower Yakima basin, representing eastern Washington irrigated agriculture.

Wenatchee and Entiat basins, representing central Washington tree fruit agriculture.

This report summarizes data collected during 2009 from four basins: Cedar-Sammamish, Green-Duwamish, Skagit-Samish, and lower Yakima. The report also provides a more intensive review of data collected during 2007-2009 from two basins: Wenatchee and Entiat.

In 2009, samples were collected for analysis of over 165 pesticides and pesticide degradates, as well as total suspended solids. Field data were collected for streamflow, temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen.

Changes to the monitoring study during 2009 include:

Discontinuing monitoring at the upstream Thornton Creek site.

Adding an urban land-use site in the Green-Duwamish basin (Longfellow Creek).

Adding analysis for 18 pesticides and degradate pesticides.

An intensive review of pesticide results is conducted on a triennial basis. Year 2009 is the first in a three-year study cycle to investigate pesticides in the Green-Duwamish basin, the fourth in a six-year cycle in the Skagit-Samish basin, and the seventh in a nine-year cycle in the Cedar-Sammamish and Lower Yakima basins. Triennial results for the Wenatchee-Entiat basins are included in this report.

During 2007-09 few pesticides were detected at the Wenatchee-Entiat basin sites with the exception of Brender Creek. This is in part due to higher streamflows at some of the sites including Peshastin Creek and the Wenatchee and Entiat Rivers. Brender Creek endosulfan levels exceeded the endangered species level of concern for salmonids and the Washington State chronic water quality standard, indicating potential chronic health effects to aquatic life during mid-March through May. Pesticide concentrations at the Entiat River site met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticide Registration Toxicity Criteria and EPA National Recommended Water Quality Criteria as well as Washington State Water Quality Standards.

Link to EIM data for User Study ID DSAR0004

This page last updated August 17, 2011