# Presentation: 161409

##  in cooperation with the Quapaw and Seneca-Cayuga Tribes of Oklahoma

** ****in cooperation with the Quapaw and Seneca-Cayuga Tribes of Oklahoma**

**Metals in Surface Water and Sediment in the Neosho and Spring River Basins, 2000 and 2002**

## USGS Hydrologic Technicians gaged and sampled 5 sites 6 times from spring and summer of 2000 to determine water quality and changes in water quality with streamflow.

## Constituents

**Physical parameters and concentrations of major ions, nutrients, metals, pesticides, VOC’s, and bacteria counts were analyzed.**
**We’ll concentrate on **_**metals**_** discharging from the Picher lead/zinc mining district, a major source of lead and zinc mined in the U.S. in the first half of the 20****th**** Century.**

## Metals

_**Iron**_**, **_**lead**_**, and **_**cadmium**_** concentrations were determined for **_***all***_** samples.**
_**Aluminum**_**, **_**chromium**_**, **_**copper**_**, **_**manganese**_**, **_**nickel**_**, **_**selenium**_**, and **_**zinc**_** concentrations were determined for **_***selected***_*** *****samples, taken at high-flow **_**and**_** low-flow conditions****.**

## Continuous Streamflow in Area

## Cadmium, rion, lead, manganese, zinc, and aluminum exceeded EPA drinking-water standards at this site.

**Cadmium, rion, lead, manganese, zinc, and aluminum exceeded EPA drinking-water standards at this site.**

## Metals loads increased exponentially with streamflow.

**Metals loads increased exponentially with streamflow.**

## Metals concentrations decreased downstream on Tar Creek.

**Metals concentrations decreased downstream on Tar Creek.**

## Runoff loads were about 7 times greater than at the upstream site, but streamflow was almost 10 times greater at the downstream site.

**Runoff loads were about 7 times greater than at the upstream site, but streamflow was almost 10 times greater at the downstream site**.

## Total metal concentrations generally increased with streamflow, due to resuspension of contaminated bed sediments and/or runoff of contaminated sediments from the land surface.

**Total metal concentrations generally increased with streamflow, due to resuspension of contaminated bed sediments and/or runoff of contaminated sediments from the land surface.**

## Iron and lead concentrations were less in Beaver Creek than at both Tar Creek sites.

**Iron and lead concentrations were less in Beaver Creek than at both Tar Creek sites.**

## Lesser concentrations and lesser streamflows produced relatively small metal loads in Beaver Creek. Metal concentrations and loads were similar at the second Beaver Creek Site.

**Lesser concentrations and lesser streamflows produced relatively small metal loads in Beaver Creek. Metal concentrations and loads were similar at the second Beaver Creek Site.**

## Iron and lead concentrations in the Spring River were similar to those in Beaver Creek.

**Iron and lead concentrations in the Spring River were similar to those in Beaver Creek**.

## Substantial loads of metals flow down the Spring River at greater flows. Aluminum, probably from suspended clays, forms a large part of the metals load.

**Substantial loads of metals flow down the Spring River at greater flows. Aluminum, probably from suspended clays, forms a large part of the metals load.**

## We’ve got some ideas regarding metals in surface water near the old Picher mining district, but what happens further downstream?

## USGS Hydrologic Technicians sampled two sites on the upper part of Grand Lake for selected trace metals in bed sediments and the water column on April 12, 2002, in cooperation with the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma.

## Metals concentrations in the lake were substantially less than those in the lakebed sediments.

**Metals concentrations were similar at the two lake sites.**
**Metals concentrations in lakebed sediment were about 1/10th of those in the mining district ca. 1988**
**Lead concentrations in urban lake sediments is commonly 0.05 to 0.2 mg/Kg.**

## Thank you for your time.

***Thank you for your time.***