Distribution of Radionuclides in 

the Columbia River Streambed, 

Hanford Reservation to 

Longview, Washington

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 433-O

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Distribution of Radionuclides in 

the Columbia River Streambed, 

Hanford Reservation to 

Longview, Washington

By W. L. HAUSHILD, G. R. DEMPSTER, JR., and H. H. STEVENS,JR. 

TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER, 433-O

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE , WAS H I NGTO N :1 975
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

ROGERS C. B. MORTON, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

V. E. McKelvey, Director

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Haushild, W. L.

Distribution of radionuclides in the Columbia River streambed, Hanf ord Reservation to Longview, Washington. 

(Transport of radionuclides by streams) (Geological Survey Profession al Paper 433-O) 

Bibliography: p. O26

1. Radioactive substance's Columbia River. 2. Sediments (Geology) Columbia River. I. Dempster, G. R., joint author. II. Stevens, Herbert 

Humphreys, 1927- joint author. III. United States. Atomic Energy Commission. IV. Title. V. Series. VI. Series: United States. Geological Survey. Professional Paper 433-O.

GB1227.C6H38 621.48'38 74-28073

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402 

Stock No.024-001-02663-5
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract ____________________________________________ 1

Introduction_______________________________________________ 1

Acknowledgments ___________________________________________ 4

Equipment and methods __________________________________________ 4

The Columbia River __________________________________________ 5

Description of the study reach ________________________-___ ____ 5

Streambed characteristics _____________________ ___ 5

Dunes _________________________________________________________________ 6

Homogeneity of sediment characteristics ______________-___ 7

Concentrations of radionuclides in surficial streambed sediment __________ __ 8

Seasonal variation_____________________________ _ 8

Downstream attenuation____________________________-___ 12

Radionuclide inventories-----__________________________________________ 14

Inventory computed from radionuclide budget ________________ _ __ 14

Inventory computed from reconnaissance-survey data _______ _ __ __ 17

Computation method, data and river division ________ _ _ _ __ 17

Armored-streambed reaches ______________ ____ _ 19

Sediment-depositing reaches ___________ __ ___ __ _ _ 19

Discussion _______________________________________ 23

Summary and conclusions _______________________________ _- 25

References _____________________________________________ __ 26

Basic data _____________________________________________ _ 30

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

FIGURE 1. Map of Columbia River study area ___ ____________________________________ __________ 2 

2-9. Graphs showing:

2. Depth-finder profiles of streambed dunes _______________________________ 7

3. Departures of sample-mean from period-mean concentrations of chromium-51 and zinc-65 for coarse- and fine-sediment segments of three Columbia River cross sections ___________________ __ 11

4. Departures of sample-mean from period-mean concentrations of scandium-46 and cobalt-60 for coa rse- and fine-sediment segments of cross sections at three Columbia River locations _______________ 12

5. Seasonal variation patterns of suspended-sediment and radionuclide concentrations, and water discharge of the

Columbia River.____________________________,___________ _______ 13

6. Weekly mean inputs of chromium-51 into the Pasco-to-Vancouver, Wash., reach of the Columbia River __ 16

7. Weekly mean inputs of cobalt-60 into the Pasco-to-Vancouver, Wash., reach of the Columbia River _ _ __ 16

8. Monthly mean inventories, Pasco to Vancouver, Wash., of antimony-124, manganese-54, cobalt-60, zinc-65, and

chromium-51 __________________________________________ ___________ 17

9. Monthly mean inventories, Pasco to Vancouver, Wash., of cobalt-58, scandium-46, and iron-59 __ _ ____ 18

10. Map showing stream environments and locations of core sites and sections between CRM 65.5 and 78.0 (km 105 and 126) 20

11. Graphs showing variation of normalized zinc-65 concentrations with depth in Columbia River streambed cores _____________ 22

12. Diagram showing method for estimating average depth of zone of particle movement ______ _ ____ _ 23

III
IV CONTENTS

TABLES

Page

TABLE 1. Mean concentrations of four radionuclides in surficial-sediment samples from river subsections at three Columbia River

stations_____________________________________________________________ 9

2. Mean particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples from river subsections at three Columbia River stations _ 10

3. Ratios of period-mean radionuclide concentrations in coarse- and fine-sediment parts of the streambeds at Columbia River

locations ____________________________________________________________ 13

4. Mean radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples, and mean in-place count 

rates of gross-gamma radioactivity at sample sites for stream environments in sediment-depositing reaches of the 

Columbia River from 27 miles (43 km) upstream of McNary Dam to Longview, Wash __ 19

5. Mean radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples, and mean in-place grossgamma count rates for two stream subenvironments in sediment-depositing subreaches of the Columbia River from 14 

miles (23 km) below Bonneville Dam to Longview, Wash ____________ ______________________ 21

6. Estimated radionuclide inventories at times of the reconnaissance surveys for various reaches of the Columbia River from

the reactors, Hanford Reservation to Longview, Wash ___________________________________ 23

7. Estimated mean radionuclide inventories for 1965 in various reaches and in the total reach of the Columbia River from

the reactors, Hanford Reservation to Longview, Wash ____________________-____-- 24

8. Estimated mean radionuclide inventories for 1965 in the Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, Wash- ____ ____ 24

9. Estimated radionuclide inventories for June 1965 in the Columbia River from reactors, Hanford Reservation, Wash., to

the ocean __ ____ ______ ____ ____________________ _______ _________________ 25

10. Radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples and gross-gamma count rates of

in-place sediment of the Columbia River _________________________________ ___________ 30

11. Radionuclide concentrations in selected sections of sediment cores from the Columbia River 32

CONVERSION FACTORS

1 inch = 2.54 centimetres 1 foot =0.305 metre 1 mile = 1.61 kilometres
TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

DISTRIBUTION OF RADIONUCLIDES IN THE

COLUMBIA RIVER STREAMBED, 

HANFORD RESERVATION TO LONGVIEW, WASHINGTON

By W. L. HAUSHILD, G. R. DEMPSTER, JR., and H. H. STEVENS, JR.

ABSTRACT

Until all the eight reactors at Hanford Reservation, cooled by oncethrough flow of treated Columbia River water, were shut down in 

1971, their cooling-water effluent was the main source of dissolved 

and particulate radionuclides in the Columbia River. The distribution 

and quantities of radionuclides accumulated in the riverbed were 

investigated; reconnaissance surveys were made of radionuclide concentrations, particle size of surficial sediment, and sediment at depth; 

radionuclide discharges were denned at two locations; and radionuclide concentrations in surficial sediment were observed semimonthly 

at three river locations.

The pattern of seasonal variation of radionuclide concentrations in 

surficial sediment of the Columbia River generally was independent 

of location, radionuclide species, and sediment composition. The variations were attributable to seasonal changes in concentration of 

suspended-particulate and dissolved radionuclides at Pasco, Wash., 

and changes in hydrodynamic and transport characteristics of the 

river. Radionuclide concentrations were at a maximum during 

November-early January and late March-early May, and at a 

minimum during June-July and late January-early March.

At all river locations, radionuclide concentrations in coarse 

surficial sediment (mostly sand with some fine gravel) of main channels were significantly lower than concentrations in fine surficial 

sediment (mixtures of sand, silt, and clay) of secondary channels and 

shallow areas. Chromium-51 and scandium-46 usually had a greater 

affinity for fixation to fine sediment, relative to coarse sediment, 

than did zinc-65 or cobalt-60. Radionuclide concentrations in both 

coarse sediment and fine sediment did not vary significantly (95 

percent confidence level) within relatively long river reaches. However within the reach from the reactors to Longview, Wash., 

radionuclide concentrations in surficial sediment did attenuate with 

distance downstream; respective concentrations of chromium-51, 

zinc-65, scandium-46, and cobalt-60 at Vancouver, Wash., Columbia 

River mile 106 (km 171), averaged 4, 2, 1, and 1 percent of levels at 

Pasco, Wash., Columbia River mile 330 (km 531).

The stratigraphic distribution of radionuclides varied considerably. 

Differences were distinguishable between coarse sediment of main 

channels and fine sediment of secondary channels and shallow areas, 

but differences were not distinguishable within these sediment-size 

classes. Radionuclides tended to be distributed equally throughout 

relatively great depths (more than 60 in. (1.5 m) in some places) in 

sand beds of main channels; this was attributed to the mixing of 

sediment when dunes migrate downstream. Radionuclide concentrations in fine-sediment beds usually were highest at or a few inches

below the surface and generally attenuated to negligible values 

within the upper 12 inches (0.3 m) of the streambed.

The monthly mean quantities of eight radionuclides accumulated 

in the streambed between Pasco and Vancouver generally decreased 

linearly from January 1964 to September 1966. Seasonal variations of 

monthly mean accumulations of zinc-65, cobalt-60, antimony-124, 

and manganese-54 were small, whereas monthly mean accumulations of chromium-51 varied greatly during each year the higher of 

two seasonal maximums was five to six times greater than the lower of 

two seasonal minimums.

In 1965 the estimated mean amount of five radionuclides accumulated in the streambed from Hanford Reservation to Longview, Wash., 

was 37,100 curies. This consisted of 12,800 curies of zinc-65, 22,300 

curies of chromium-51, and 2,000 curies combined of cobalt-60, 

scandium-46, and manganese-54. Forty percent of the radionuclide 

accumulation was in the Pasco-to-McNary Dam reach, 52 percent was 

in sediment-depositing reaches below The Dalles Dam, and the remaining 8 percent was in thin-sediment deposits in the lower part of 

The Dalles Reservoir and various armored-streambed reaches.

In June 1965,28,900 curies of these radionuclides were estimated to 

be in the Columbia River streambed from the reactors to the ocean: 

20,200 curies in the riverbed, and 8,700 curies in the estuary bed 

(Hubbell and Glenn, 1973). A predominance of chromium-51 over 

zinc-65 in the estuary bed and an opposite predominance in the 

riverbed probably indicate less seasonal variation in the accumulation of radionuclides (especially chromium-51) in the estuary bed than 

in the riverbed. It also suggests that the main source of particulate 

radionuclides discharged to the ocean during June was the riverbed 

rather than the estuary bed.

INTRODUCTION

From 1944 to 1971, the Columbia River received 

radionuclides derived partly from natural radioactivity 

and nuclear fallout on its drainage basin, but mostly 

from low-level radioactive waste discharges from 

facilities at the U.S. AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) 

Hanford Reservation (fig. 1). The low-level wastes were 

produced primarily by neutron activation of chemical 

constituents in the treated river water used to cool the 

nuclear reactors on the Reservation. Dissolved 

radionuclides that entered the river either remained in 

solution or became associated with sediment or aquatic

Ol
02 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

NORTHERN ROCKY MTS 

WASHINGTON

47° -

45

43

INDEX MAP OF PART OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN

FIGURE 1. Columbia River study area.

THE DALLES
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. 03

biota. Mainly as a result of uptake and transport by 

sediment, the longer lived radionuclides were distributed in the streambed from the reactors to the Pacific 

Ocean. The number of operating reactors increased 

from one in 1944 (the first reactor went into operation 

on September 26, 1944) to nine in 1963-64, and decreased thereafter to none in 1971.

General levels of radionuclides in the river were monitored at various locations by radiological health groups 

of companies under contract to AEC, and by Washington and Oregon State agencies. Before 1962, investigations of interactions between the radionuclides and 

elements of the river environment were confined 

mainly to reaches in the vicinity of the Hanford Reservation. In 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with AEC began a detailed investigation of the 

transport and storage of radionuclides in the Columbia 

River between the reactors and Longview, Wash. (fig. 

1). Through the Richland Operations Office of the AEC, 

one of its prime contractors1 cooperated in the investi120°15

46°45

1General Electric Co. until about January 1965, and Battelle Memorial Institute thereafter.

119°00' 

 46°45'

PRIEST RAPIDS 

DAM

45°45'

"i ' n T r

5 10 15 20 25 30 KILOMETRES

Bridge
04 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

gation by arranging for and performing radiochemical 

analyses of water and sediment samples, by providing 

scientific expertise, and by participating in a survey of 

the sediments and radionuclides in the streambed between the reactors and McNary Dam (fig. 1).

The purpose of the investigation was to determine the 

decay, distribution, and movement of radionuclides in 

the Columbia River. In particular, information was desired on (1) the spatial and temporal distributions of 

radionuclides, (2) the influences of the hydrodynamic 

and sedimentation characteristics of the river on the 

distribution of radionuclides, and (3) the major processes involved in disposition of radionuclides in a fluvial 

environment. One objective of the study was to complement and supplement results from related studies of 

radioactivity in the Columbia River estuary and adjacent ocean.

As part of the investigation, surveys were made of the 

distribution of radionuclides and sediment in the 

streambed between the reactors and The Dalles Dam in 

September 1965; between The Dalles and Bonneville 

Dams in October and November 1964; and between 

Bonneville Dam and Longview, Wash., in April 1965. 

(See fig. 1 for these locations.) In addition, radionuclide 

concentrations and particle-size distributions - of 

surficial sediment were observed for samples collected 

semimonthly during 1963, and intermittently at other 

times during 1962-1965, from the streambed at Pasco, 

Wash., Hood River, Oreg., and Vancouver. This report 

presents the results from the surveys and the observations at the three river stations. The data have been 

used to determine the spatial and temporal distributions of radionuclides and particle size in the streambed. The quantities of several radionuclides in the 

streambed (radionuclide inventories) from the reactors 

to Longview were estimated from the spatial distributions of radionuclides and sediment. For the period 

January 1964 through September 1966, monthly mean 

inventories for the Pasco-to-Vancouver reach also were 

estimated by using inflow and outflow of eight radionuclides reported by Haushild, Stevens, Nelson, and 

Dempster (1973).

Between April 21 and May 12, 1966, surficial-sediment samples were collected at seven locations along 

the Columbia River between Pasco, Wash., and about 

CRM 862 (Columbia River mile 86, km 138), and from 

locations above the mouths of the Snake and Willamette Rivers (fig. 1). Data from these samples were 

used by Glenn (1973) in a study of the relations among 

radionuclide content, particle size, cation exchange 

capacity, mineralogy, and carbon content of sediment 

from the Columbia River.

^Distance in miles (also converted to kilometres) along the river is that given in a river mile 

index compiled by the Hydrology Subcommittee of the Columbia Basin Inter-Agency 

Committee (1962).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

All radiochemical analyses were performed under the 

direction of Dr. Julian M. Nielsen at the Hanford 

Radiological Sciences Department, which was operated 

initially by General Electric Co., and later by Battelle 

Memorial Institute. The work was performed for the 

Division of Reactor Development and Technology, U.S. 

Atomic Energy Commission.

Much of the equipment used to measure radioactivity 

in place and to obtain cores of deposited sediment was 

developed by D. W. Hubbell, E. A. Prych, and J. L. 

Glenn, U.S. Geological Survey, for investigating radionuclides in the Columbia River estuary.

EQUIPMENT AND METHODS

Several methods were used to sample the various 

types of sediment deposits in the Columbia River. 

Divers sampled the sediment from holes they dug at several locations in the gravel streambed in the upper part 

of McNary Reservoir (fig. 1). A gravity corer was used to 

obtain a few cores from clay and silt deposits upstream 

from McNary Dam and a split-core barrel with a Mylar 

liner was hand driven to obtain cores of sandy and silty 

deposits in shallow parts of McNary Reservoir (Nelson 

and Haushild, 1970). However, most cores were taken 

with a portable vibro corer (Prych and Hubbell, 1966), 

which satisfactorily cored sand deposits or deposits of 

sand, silt, and clay throughout the study reach. The 

cores were collected and retained in plastic liners. Sediment in the cores was relatively undisturbed although 

some interior warping may have occurred, and small 

quantities of water may have percolated upward in 

cores of coarse sand.

Sediment in the surface layer of the streambed 

(surficial sediment) was sampled with a USBM-54 

bed-material sampler (U.S. Inter-Agency Committee on 

Water Resources, 1966). This sampler can collect a 

300-400-semicylindrical slice from the bottom, retaining any fine sediment and interstitial water contained 

in the slice. Whenever sediment completely filled the 

sampler, approximately 62 percent of the sample was 

from the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the streambed and about 

38 percent was from the adjacent lower 1 inch. Occasionally, the sampler did not completely fill with sediment because the deposits were either less than 2 inches 

(5.1 cm) thick or they were so compacted that the sampler did not achieve maximum penetration.

Levels of gross-gamma radioactivity in the 

streambed were monitored with a single-channel radiation detection system adapted for in-place measurements (Prych, and others, 1967). A scintillation counter 

was encased in a waterproof aluminum housing that 

mounted into and formed the bottom of a towing sled. A 

single-conductor armored cable served as both the
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O5

signal conductor and the towline. In-place measurements of radioactivity were made by lowering the unit 

to the bed while the boat hovered, or was anchored, in 

essentially a fixed position.

The reaches that were surveyed, during separate continuous periods, were: reactors to McNary Dam, McNary Dam to The Dalles Dam, The Dalles Dam to Bonneville Dam, and Bonneville Dam to Longview, Wash. 

Before the survey of each reach, cross sections spaced at 

fairly regular intervals and other locations (such as 

mouths of tributaries) were selected from maps and U.S. 

Coast and Geodetic Survey charts of the river. These 

preliminary selections were modified during the survey 

when necessary.

At several points along each cross section, grossgamma radiation from the streambed was measured in 

place and surficial sediment was sampled. Water depth 

along the cross section was defined with a recording 

sonic depth finder. Between the cross sections, the depth 

finder was used to obtain a continuous record of bottom 

topography along courses parallel to the flow direction. 

Data on gross-gamma radioactivity, sediment texture 

and location of sampled sediment deposits, and the 

configuration of the streambed between cross sections 

were plotted on maps and charts in the field. These plots 

were used to find where additional surface-sediment 

samples and measurements of gross-gamma radioactivity would be most desirable, and to select coring sites.

Although many more cross sections were surveyed, 

only in 64 was enough sediment found on the streambed 

for surficial-sediment samples to be taken with the 

USBM-54 sampler. Thirty-eight cores were collected at 

or near some of these cross sections.

The general stratigraphy of the cores was logged immediately after collection. Cores were then kept frozen 

until processed. Freezing facilitated handling and suppressed biological and chemical activity. The sediment 

contained in the driving head of the corer below the 

plastic liner was extruded and placed in plastic containers.

Cores were processed by cutting the liners and frozen 

sediment into segments, Vz to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) long 

for the upper parts and 2 inches (5.1 cm) long for the 

lower parts of the cores. After the plastic liner was 

removed the core segments were trimmed to remove 

sediments that might have migrated with percolating 

water. The trimmed core segments and the sediment 

from the driving head were ovendried and then inspected to estimate the relative contents of gravel, sand, 

silt, clay, and organic material.

Some surficial-sediment samples were analyzed for 

radiochemical content. These samples were divided into 

a small portion, kept wet for analysis of particle-size 

distribution, and a large portion that was ovendried for

radiochemical analysis. Samples that were not 

analyzed for radiochemical content were kept wet for 

possible analysis of particle-size distribution.

Concentrations of specific radionuclides in core segments and surficial-sediment samples were determined 

at a radiochemical laboratory on the Hanford Reservation. At the laboratory, the dried sediment was crushed, 

weighed, and placed in an appropriate holder. Samples 

containing particles as large as 5 cm could be analyzed. 

Radionuclide concentrations of the samples were computed from multidimensional gamma-ray spectra data 

obtained with a 400-channel analyzer (Perkins, 1965).

In determining particle-size distribution of sediment, 

samples containing little or no silt (less than 0.062 mm) 

were ovendried and then analyzed, by sieving for particle sizes greater than 2 mm and by the visualaccumulation tube method for particle sizes between 

0.062 and 2 mm (U.S. Inter-Agency Committee on 

Water Resources, 1957a). Samples containing clay, silt, 

and sand were analyzed by a combination of wet sieving, visual-accumulation tube, and the pipette method 

for particle sizes less than 0.062 mm (U.S. Inter-Agency 

Committee on Water Resources, 1941, 1943). The 

methods involved chemical and mechanical dispersal of 

sediment particles, and chemical elimination of organic 

material. Particles smaller than 2 mm were measured 

by a settling-velocity method; particle sizes greater 

than 2 mm, determined by sieving, were adjusted to 

represent sizes based on settling velocity (U.S. InterAgency Committee on Water Resources, 1957b).

THE COLUMBIA RIVER 

DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY REACH

STREAMBED CHARACTERISTICS

From Priest Rapids Dam to about 5 miles (8 km) 

downstream from the Snake River, fine gravel and sand 

filled the interstices in the coarse gravel that formed an 

essentially armored streambed. Several gravelly islands, some of which supported vegetation, were in this 

reach. Sand, silt, and clay was deposited in and near the 

mouth of the Yakima River at the upstream end of 

McNary Reservoir (fig. 1), but the streambed in the 

lower reach of the Snake River was armored with 

gravel.

The source and characteristics of streambed sediment 

downstream from the Snake River mouth in McNary 

Reservoir depend on the mixing of the Columbia and 

Snake Rivers in the reservoir. Dispersion of dye released in the Snake River in September 1966, when flow 

in both rivers was low, showed that although the lateral 

mixing of water from the two rivers progressively increased downstream from the Snake River mouth to 

Wallula Gap (fig. 1), the rivers were still more separated
O6 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

than mixed. In this reach, the deep (30-60 ft, 9-18 m) 

channel that occupied the western one-third of the river 

carried mostly Columbia River water. The streambed of 

this channel, to within about 5 miles (8 km) above 

Wallula Gap, was armored with gravel similar to the 

streambed upstream; sand was deposited on the 

streambed for the remaining distance to Wallula Gap. 

The eastern two-thirds of the river from about 5 miles (8 

km) below the Snake River mouth to Wallula Gap was 

relatively shallow and carried mostly Snake River 

water. The sand, silt, and clay deposited in this part of 

the river probably was derived principally from the 

Snake and Walla Walla Rivers (fig. 1) since April 1953, 

when water was first impounded in McNary Reservoir.

After flowing through the constriction of the channel 

at Wallula Gap, the waters of the Columbia and Snake 

Rivers were completely mixed. During the survey of 

September 1965, thin (about 6 in., 15.2 cm) intermixed 

deposits of clay, silt and very little sand were found at 

most cross sections below Wallula Gap in McNary 

Reservoir. Only in one cross section near McNary Dam, 

and in parts of a few other cross sections, were sediment 

deposits notably thicker. The thinness and small particle size of the deposits in McNary Reservoir agree with 

Whetten and Fullam's (1967) findings from a study of 

the extent of sedimentation in Bonneville, The Dalles, 

McNary, and Ice Harbor (Snake River) Reservoirs by 

means of a boat-towed seismic profiler. They found relatively little sediment in all reservoirs except Bonneville, and attributed the scarcity of sediment to "the 

relatively high current velocities and small particle size 

of the sediment in these reservoirs."

The streambed from McNary Dam to about 16 miles 

(26 km) upstream of The Dalles Dam was either bedrock 

or armored with gravel. (Water was not impounded in 

John Day Reservoir (fig. 1) until after the survey of 

September 1965.) There were many gravel islands in 

this reach. Sand, silt, and clay sediments tended to be 

transported through the reach; deposits of fine sediments were found only in one pool (CRM 262.8, km 

422.8) and near the upstream end of one island (CRM 

205.4, km 330.5). Silt with some sand and clay was 

deposited in the downstream part of The Dalles Reservoir. As in McNary Reservoir, the sediment deposits 

generally were relatively thin, and were thicker only in 

localized areas.

Except in the 5-mile (8 km) reaches immediately 

below The Dalles Dam and above Bonneville Dam 

where the bed was generally bedrock (basalt) and for 

about 14 miles (23 km) below Bonneville Dam where it 

was armored with gravel or bedrock, the bed of the 

Columbia River below The Dalles Dam was generally 

sand. Sediment on the bottom and sides of the deep 

(main) channels that convey a large percentage of the 

water was generally fine to coarse sand; in some places

gravel was present. The sediment in the smaller shallow anabranches and nearshore areas generally was 

various mixtures of sand, silt, and clay.

DUNES

Often the sandy bottom sediment was formed into 

trains of dunes. Depending on local flow conditions, 

dunes were as small as 6 inches (15 cm) high and 4 feet 

(1.2m) long, or as large as 10 feet (3 m) high and 800 feet 

(240 m) long. The diversity in the heights and lengths of 

dunes is shown by the depth-finder records in figure 2 

for various locations downstream from The Dalles Dam. 

Whetten and Fullam (1967) reported that approximately 45 percent of the main channel between Bonneville Dam and Vancouver, and 80 percent between 

Vancouver and Longview, was covered with sand waves 

(dunes).

During times of high and medium flow, dunes progressed downstream by erosion of the upstream face and 

deposition on the downstream face; therefore, the 

streambed surface at a particular location alternately 

rose and fell as the dunes traveled by. Sediment that 

moved along the upstream faces of large dunes often 

formed small dunes (fig. 2) that usually migrated faster 

than the large dunes. When the flow was low, little if 

any sediment transport occurred along the bed, dunes 

migrated slowly if at all, and silt and clay sometimes 

accumulated enough to change the particle-size distribution of the surficial sediments. Fine-sediment 

layers covered the sand bed in some dune areas observed during low-water periods. Whetten and Fullam 

(1967) observed that silt deposits formed on the sand 

bed in some dune areas of Bonneville Reservoir in 

March 1966.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has built 

flood-protection and channel-improvement works along 

much of the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to 

Longview. These works generally have caused or increased deposition of sediment (sand, silt, and clay mixtures) along the Columbia River shores and in the 

smaller anabranches. Dunes formed in the shallower 

parts of these areas during high flows were exposed to 

the air during low flows. The action of rainfall, tides, 

and alternating inundation and exposure modify the 

migration, spacing, and shape of these dunes. Dunes 

exposed on some nearshore flats after the recession of 

high flow in late summer diminished gradually until by 

late fall-early winter the streambed there was relatively flat. Dunes formed underwater at the head end of 

shallow anabranches tended to decrease in height and 

to develop longer upstream slopes during exposure. 

Whetten and Fullam (1967) present quantitative data 

on the modification of dune shapes during all stages of 

emergence at the head end of a shallow anabranch at 

about CRM 127 (km 204).
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O7

HORIZONTAL DISTANCE, IN METRES 

240 0 150 300

o

1

Q

_i 

< 

O

DC

Water depth zz 37 feet (llm)

Water depth ~ 15 feet (4.6m)

Bonneville Reservoir, river mile 189 (Km 304) Near Longview, Wash.

Water depth ~ 46 feet 

(14m)

Bonneville Reservoir, river mile 169 (Km 272)

Water depth x 39 feet (12m)

Near Vancouver, Wash.

Water depth ~ 37 feet (llm)

Near Vancouver, Wash.

200 400 600 800 

HORIZONTAL DISTANCE, IN FEET

FIGURE 2. Depth-finder profiles of streambed dunes at four Columbia River locations.

1000 1200

HOMOGENEITY OF SEDIMENT CHARACTERISTICS

Studies by several investigators indicate that 

mineralogic characteristics of sediment deposited along 

the Columbia River downstream from Pasco are consistently homogeneous. Knebel, Kelley, and Whetten 

(1968) studied the spatial variations in clay minerals in 

the "clay-size" (^0.002 mm) fraction of surficial sediment by analyzing samples obtained as near midchannel as possible in Columbia River reservoirs and in Ice 

Harbor Reservoir on the Snake River. They found that 

the relative quantities of three clay mineral groups

(montmorillonite, illite, and chlorite plus kaolinite) in 

surficial sediment from McNary, The Dalles, Bonneville, and Ice Harbor Reservoirs were indistinguishable from one another. They attributed the similarity of 

clay-mineral quantities in surficial sediment from the 

three Columbia River reservoirs to the relatively large 

quantity of sediment contributed by the Snake River. 

Kelley and Whetten (1969) statistically analyzed 

sediment-sample data from the Columbia River and 

quantitatively determined which of five river reservoirs 

deviated most and which were most similar with respect
O8 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

to four measured variables: bulk chemistry, traceelement chemistry, bulk mineralogy, and heavymineral content. They concluded: "The general impression produced by the multiple discriminant analyses is 

that of quite homogeneous and independent source 

reservoirs upstream [Grand Coulee dam located at 

CRM 596.6,959.9 km, and Ice Harbor] and more variable and less distinct reservoirs downstream [McNary, 

The Dalles, and Bonneville]; although different from 

the upstream reservoirs, the downstream reservoirs 

seem not very different from one another."

Glenn (1973) also found more sameness than difference in physical, chemical, and mineral characteristics 

of streambed sediment from seven locations between 

the Hanford Reservation and Longview, Wash. He reported that (1) no statistically significant differences in 

cation exchange capacity were noted between the upper 

and lower ends of the study reach, (2) no longitudinal 

trends in carbon or nitrogen content were apparent, (3) 

the mineral suite in less-than-2-/>tm and 2-4-/>tm separates from the Snake River was not appreciably different from the suite in these separates from the Columbia 

River, (4) highly significant differences in mineral assemblages of the less-than-2-/Am and 2-4-/>tm separates 

along the Columbia River were not evident, (5) no 

highly significant longitudinal changes in mineralogy 

of sand separates occurred along the Columbia River, 

and (6) when regression coefficients for the logarithms 

of zinc-65 concentrations versus the logarithms of particle diameters were compared, no significant differences 

existed among sample locations.

The homogeneity of the mineralogic and chemical 

characteristics of surficial sediment below the reactors 

indicates that particle size may be a good indicator of 

radionuclide concentrations in the surficial sediment. 

Glenn (1973) confirms this by his finding that the 

logarithms of zinc-65 concentrations were inversely related (regression coefficient of - 0.6) to the logarithms of 

particle diameters. He was able to pool data for samples 

from seven locations along the Columbia River because 

covariance analyses indicated that regression coefficients at all locations were statistically the same. The 

homogeneity of sediment characteristics also suggests 

that radionuclide uptake by similar-size sediments in 

the Columbia River should be homogeneous. If so, differences in radionuclide concentrations in similar-size 

surficial sediment should not be distinguishable over 

relatively long distances along the Columbia River; differences may only be distinguishable over distances 

long enough so that further dilution, decay, and uptake 

by sediment have attenuated base levels in the river 

more than the variation of the radionuclide concentrations in surficial sediment. In other words, radionuclide 

concentrations in surficial sediment should (and did) 

attenuate downstream from the nuclear reactors but

attenuation within relatively long reaches should not 

be (and was not) determinable within credible 

confidence levels. These presumptions are the basis for 

the later division of the Columbia River into environments that had deposits of similar-size sediment and for 

the pooling of radionuclide concentrations in surficial 

sediment over relatively long reaches.

CONCENTRATIONS OF RADIONUCLIDES IN 

SURFICIAL STREAMBED SEDIMENT

SEASONAL VARIATION

Concentrations of radionuclides were determined for 

surficial-sediment samples obtained about semimonthly during 1963 from cross sections at Hood River, 

Oreg., and Vancouver, Wash., and during February 

1963 through May 1964 from a cross section at Pasco, 

Wash, (table 1). The yearly cycle of radionuclide concentrations was estimated from these data. Observation 

periods were too short for evaluating year-to-year concentration changes at the three locations.

The flow, sedimentation, and channel characteristics 

differed at the three cross sections. Water velocities 

were low during low flows but were quite high during 

high flows at the Pasco cross section, in the upstream 

part of McNary Reservoir. Sediment finer than gravel 

either moved in thin layers or formed thin intermittent deposits on the gravel-armored streambed. 

Surficial-sediment samples from the middle section of 

the river channel were mostly coarse sand and fine 

gravel, whereas samples from the shoreward sections 

contained more fine sand, some silt, and frequently 

some clay (table 2).

At the cross section in the middle part of Bonneville 

Reservoir at Hood River, Oreg., most water flowed in a 

deep main channel that occupied nearly two-thirds of 

the river's width; the other third was relatively shallow. 

The particle-size composition of surficial-sediment 

samples from the main channel varied, from about a 1:1 

mixture of fine sand and coarse sediment (sand with 

some fine gravel) during high and medium flows to a 

mixture of fine and coarse sands, silt and fine gravel 

during low flows (table 2). Sand dunes in the main 

channel migrated slowly downstream during high and 

medium flows but were stationary (or nearly so) during 

low flows. Some silt usually was deposited on the dunes 

during low flows. Surficial-sediment samples from the 

shallow section contained fine sand, silt, and small 

quantities of clay and coarse sediment the amounts of 

each particle-size component varied somewhat erratically during the sampling period (table 2).

A main channel at Vancouver conveyed about 90 

percent of the river discharge; the remainder flowed 

through a deep and comparatively narrow secondary 

channel along the Oregon side of the river.
TABLE 1. Mean concentrations of four radionuclides in surficial-sediment samples from river subsections at three Columbia R

[Concentrations in picocuries per gram]

Middle section 

of channel

Date Cr51 Zn65 Sc46

7962 

Aug. 14 60 420 20 

Oct. 30 ---_ ---_

7963 

Feb. 13 ____ 510 17

Mar. 4 _-__ 504 16 

Mar. 18 ____ 500 23

Apr. 3 ____ 560 22 

May 6 ____ 640 24 

May 21 ____ 550 19

June 17 __ 340 8.1 

July 9 ____ 370 11 

July 22 __- 400 13 

Aug. 6 53 440 15 

Aug. 26 92 370 13 

Sept. 10 120 440 20 

Sept. 25 210 420 20 

Oct. 7 640 470 39 

Oct. 21 620 480 38 

Nov. 5 900 1,300 49 

Nov. 18 1,400 770 77 

Dec. 2 1,800 940 95 

Dec. 16 580 730 45 

Dec. 30 790 1,300 92

7964 

Jan. 13 1,500 1,100 130 

Feb. 11 460 810 160 

Feb. 26 300 820 23 

Mar. 10 600 620 44 

Mar. 24 480 570 41 

Apr. 7 890 790 80 

Apr. 21 390 610 40 

May 5 260 540 27

7965 

Jan. 7 770 360 39 

Mar. 10 1,400 1,400 140

Pasco,

Co60

36

33 

34 

33 

36 

33 

35 

24 

29 

25 

26 

32 

25 

31 

26 

30 

29 

71 

36 

38 

32 

41

58 

42 

59 

30 

30 

37 

29 

31

14 

16

Wash.

Shoreward sections 

of channel

Cr51 Zn65 Sc46 Co60

140 310 16 18 

1,300 710 85 40

 1,600 90 95

______ 1,400 59 77

 2,800 270 90

______ 2,900 450 81

______ 1,300 81 50

-_-__ 510 15 32

1,100 820 81 54 

500 500 26 27 

1,000 1,900 63 170 

2,200 1,200 100 77 

6,900 1,600 320 56 

6,000 1,600 290 59 

13,000 3,900 630 100

12,000 3,300 540 92 

8,700 3,400 540 87 

6,600 2,300 420 110

4,100 2,600 300 110 

1,700 1,200 130 58 

3,500 2,300 280 86 

7,300 3,700 640 100 

4,400 2,200 360 77 

2,700 1,800 240 65 

2,100 1,400 160 44 

590 1,100 69 49

3,000 1,700 230 38 

1,800 1,300 160 26

Hood River, Oreg.

Main 

channel

Date

7962 

July 31 

Oct. 15

7963 

Jan. 8 

Feb. 12 

Mar. 13 

Mar. 26 

Apr. 10 

May 1 

May 21 

June 4 

June 18 

July 9 

July 23 

Aug. 6 

Aug. 26 

Sept. 10 

Sept. 24. 

Oct. 8 

Oct. 22 

Nov. 5 

Nov. 19 

Dec. 3 

Dec. 17

7964 

June 24 

Sept. 22

Cr51

16 

68

58 

33

 -

"69 

100 

120 

160 

190 

210 

290 

180 

300 

230

200 

200

Zn65

27 

41

56 

57 

140 

160 

160 

190 

36 

24 

24 

16 

19 

29 

34 

41 

44 

49 

49 

67 

51 

82 

100

16 

35

Sc48

0.8 

2.7

4.1 

2.3 

7.7 

11 

8.1 

10 

1.4 

.4 

.4 

.3 

.5 

1.5 

1.9 

2.6 

3.0 

3.6 

4.1 

6.3 

4.2 

8.1 

7.2

1.4 

3.9

Co60

1.0 

1.1

1.7 

1.2 

3.2 

3.5 

3.4 

4.0 

1.8 

.7 

.7 

.5 

.6 

.9 

.9 

1.1 

1.1 

1.3 

1.4 

1.9 

1.4 

2.3 

2.3

.7 

1.1

Cr51

50 

230

 -

 -

"150 

190 

150 

400 

420 

270 

640 

220 

400 

300

260 

310

Shallow 

section

Zn65 Sc46

76 2.0 

120 8.1

220 10 

470 32 

180 7.2 

200 9.0

130 3.6 

71 3.7 

50 3.5 

83 4.1 

53 3.2 

120 5.4 

91 5.0 

83 4.5 

170 8.1 

86 3.2 

120 5.0 

100 5.4

150 9.5 

120 7.2

Main 

channel

Co60

4.3 

5.9

7.2 

11 

4.5 

5.4

3.2 

2.8 

1.8 

3.5 

2.4 

5.0 

2.9 

3.2 

6.8 

3.9 

5.0 

4.5

5.0 

5.0

Date

7962 

July 24 

Oct. 8

7963 

Jan. 16 

Feb. 19 

Mar. 12 

Mar. 25 

Apr. 9 

Apr. 30 

May 28 

June 11 

July 8 

July 22 

Aug. 5 

Aug. 27 

Sept. 9 

Sept. 23 

Oct. 7 

Oct. 21 

Nov. 4 

Nov. 18 

Dec. 2 

Dec. 16

7964 

June 12

7965 

Jan. 19 

Apr. 15 

June 16

Cr51

15"

8.2 

5.4

18 

23 

24 

36 

28 

26 

43 

68 

34 

64

66

25 

9.8 

4.5

Zn65

11 

8.6

16 

10 

17 

25 

29 

21 

14 

11 

12 

12 

12 

11 

10 

10 

9.0 

9.6 

12 

14 

10 

17

10

13 

25

8.8

Sc48

0.2 

.2

.2 

.2 

.3 

.5 

.6 

.4 

.3 

.3 

.2 

.2 

.3 

.2 

.2 

.3 

.2 

.2 

.5 

.8 

.4 

1.1

.1 

.2

'Samples from the vertical from July 1962 through May 1963 and from three verticals thereafter.
O10 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

TABLE 2. Mean particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples from river subsections at three Columbia River stations

(Tabulated values are percent in class: clay, <0.004 mm; silt, 0.004-0.062 mm; fine sand, 

0.062-0.25 mm; coarse sediment, >0.25 mm]

Pasco, Wash.

Date Clay

1962

Aug. 7

Oct. 11 ____

1963

Jan. 30

Mar. 21 ____

June 14 ____

Sept. 3

Dec. 30

1964

June 29 __

1965

Jan. 7

Mar. 10

Middle section

of channel

oj]t Fine hllt sand

3

1 5

3

1 7

 6

2

1 3

1 6

Shoreward sections

Coarse 

sediment

97

94

97

92

94

98

96

93

Clay

1

1

1

2

1

____

3

2

of channel

Silt Fine 

sand

28 28

16 43

14 39

22 39

4 31

6 46

13 47

4 34

30 33

14 30

Coarse 

sediment

44

40

46

38

65

46

39

62

34

54

Hood River, Oreg.

1962

July 10

July 31 ___

Sept. 11 _._.

Oct. 15 ____

1963

Jan. 8 __

Apr. 4

June 4 ____

Dec. 17

1964

Mar. 31 3

June 24 __

Sept. 22

1962

July 5 ____

July 24

Sept. 7 -___

Oct. 8 ____

Dec. 27 ____

1963

Apr. 3 ____

June 11 ___.

1964

Apr. 1 __

June 6 ____

1965

Jan. 19 __

Apr. 15 _-.

June 16 __

Main

channel

40

49

1 27

1 50

2 36

6 38

_^__ 44

3 42

15 42

52

47

VE

Main

channel

13

14

19

15

23

-- 24

17

1 19

____ 24

2 13

7

3 19

60

51

72

49

62

56

56

55

40

48

53

incouver, Wash

87

86

81

85

77

76

83

80

76

85

93

78

1

1

1

2

3

4

4

3

4

____

1

1

1

1

~Y~

Shallow

section

33 64

17 79

11 84

23 71

35 59

24 70

22 71

38 55

51 44

Secondary

channel

11 46

11 46

10 51

11 43

8 53

6 46

11 45

8 34

2

3

4

4

3

2

3

4

1

43

42

38

45

38

48

44

57

Surficial-sediment samples from the main channel contained more coarse sand and fine gravel than did the 

main channel at Hood River; they seldom contained silt 

or clay. Samples from the secondary channel generally 

were mixtures of about equal parts of coarse and fine 

sand but the samples usually contained some silt and 

clay (table 2). Although sand dunes in both channels 

moved more slowly downstream during low flows than 

during high flows, they probably never ceased to 

migrate. 

The surficial sediment in a main channel at each cross

section was relatively coarser (coarse-sediment segment) than the surficial sediment in a secondary channel (fine-sediment segment). For a 95 percent confidence level, analyses of covariance using radionuclide 

data for sediment samples from each cross section 

indicated that (1) the mean concentrations of specific 

radionuclides in samples from the coarse-sediment 

segment were significantly lower than for samples from 

the fine-sediment segment (table 1); and (2) the concentrations of specific radionuclides at a specific time 

were not significantly different among samples from 

within either segment.

Percent departures of sample-mean concentrations 

from a period-mean concentration for chromium-51, 

zinc-65, scandium-46, and cobalt-60 in surficial sediments are plotted in figures 3 and 4. This normalization 

of the data suppresses the effects of differences between 

(1) river locations, (2) sediment compositions at a station, and (3) absolute concentrations of specific radionuclides. The general seasonal variation patterns were 

nearly the same for all radionuclides and for the coarseand fine-sediment segments. Concentrations of specific 

radionuclides generally were lowest during June-July, 

increased somewhat gradually to peaks during 

November-early January, were low again in late 

January-early March, peaked again during late 

March-early May, and then decreased to the low values 

during June-July. The few chromium-51 data during 

January through July suggest that the peak concentrations during late March-early May may be much less 

than the peak concentrations during November-early 

January at all river locations.

Most of the seasonal variation of radionuclide concentrations in the surficial sediment of the Columbia 

River streambed can be attributed to changes in the 

concentrations of the dissolved and particulate (associated with material coarser than 0.30 ^tm) radionuclides at Pasco and to changes in source and concentration of suspended sediment in the river. Haushild, 

Stevens, Nelson, and Dempster (1973) classified dissolved and particulate radionuclides at Pasco into four 

classes according to the seasonal variation patterns of 

their concentrations (fig. 5). Dissolved cobalt-60 is a 

class 1 radionuclide; dissolved zinc-65 and scandium-46 

are in class 4; particulate zinc-65, scandium-46, and 

cobalt-60 are in class 2; and dissolved and particulate 

chromium-51 are in class 3. The seasonal variation patterns for suspended-sediment concentrations and water 

discharges at Pasco and Vancouver are also shown in 

figure 5.

The June-July low in radionuclide concentrations in 

surficial sediment coincided with a period of low concentrations of dissolved and particulate radionuclides 

(fig. 5), and of high transport of sediment derived mostly
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. Oil

200

100

100

Pasco 

Hood River 

Vancouver 

 1963-64; 1965

 1963-64; A 1965

Chromium 51 

Fine sediment

i i i

r- 200

Chromium 51 

Coarse sediment

100

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June

1963 1964

FIGURE 3. Departures of sample-mean concentrations from period-mean concentrations of chromium-51 and zinc-65 for the coarse- and fine-sediment segments of cross sections at three 

Columbia River locations. Period means were computed from concentrations observed in samples of surficial sediment during August through December 1963 for chromium-51 and during 

May through December 1963 for zinc-65.

from the river channel and flood plain (Haushild and 

others, 1973). Relatively fast downstream migration of 

streambed dunes contributed to low radionuclide concentrations in surficial sediment. Dunes migrated by 

the erosion of upstream dune slopes and deposition on 

the downstream slopes. In this manner, surficial 

sediment became a mixture of recently deposited 

sediment and sediment that had been buried in the 

streambed for various periods. Because of radionuclide 

decay, buried sediment generally had lower concentrations of radionuclides than recently deposited sediment. 

Therefore, the mixed surficial sediment had relatively 

low concentrations of radionuclides.

During November through early January, finer sediment supplied to the Columbia River by tributary 

inflow caused most of the increase in suspended sediment (Haushild and others, 1973). Deposition occurred 

because water discharges usually were relatively low. 

Sorption of radionuclides by the sediment during suspension and deposition probably was enhanced by the 

increasing availability of most dissolved radionuclides 

(fig. 5). Consequently, concentrations of radionuclides 

in the surficial sediment peaked during Novemberearly January.

Suspended-sediment concentrations fell to a minimum during late January through early March. These
O12 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

300

200

100

0

100

Pasco /»

/ \ Hood River 

/ \ Vancouver

\

-1963-64; "1965 

1963-64; A 1965

Scandium 46 

Fine sediment

400 I I I I I I I ! I I I I I I I I I

Scandium 46 

Coarse sediment

Cobalt-60 

Fine sediment

i i 100

100 -

100

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i i i i

Cobalt-60 

Coarse sediment

" i ," , A , , A~7 ^ i ,

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June

1963 1964

FIGURE 4. Departures of sample-mean concentrations from period-mean concentrations of scandium-46 and cobalt-60 for the coarse- and fine-sediment segments of cross sections at three 

Columbia River locations. Period means were computed from concentrations observed in samples of surficial sediment during May through December 1963.

changes occurred at the same time that radionuclide 

concentrations in the surficial sediment were decreasing or at a minimum. However, at this time of year, the 

concentrations of dissolved zinc-65, scandium-46, and 

cobalt-60 usually remained at high levels and concentrations of dissolved and particulate chromium-51 usually decreased but were above mean concentrations (fig. 

5). The lesser availability of suspended fine sediment to 

take up radionuclides and deposit them on and in the

streambed may have contributed most to the low 

radionuclide concentrations.

For zinc-65, scandium-46, and cobalt-60, the peak of 

radionuclide concentrations in surficial sediment during late March through early May coincided with the 

usual increase in dissolved and particulate radionuclides then.

DOWNSTREAM ATTENUATION

Differences in radionuclide concentrations in
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O13

Class 1

Mean (Jan. 1964- 

Sept. 1966\

I I I I____I

O

z

LJ

O

o 

o

LJ

Q

_i 

O

o

Q

i i i

Class 2

i i r i i i i i [ \ I

Class 4

0 N D J F M A M 

WATER YEAR

A S

si 

11

Ou]

: 8

T I I

Class 3

F M A M 

WATER YEAR

FIGURE 5. Seasonal variation patterns in concentration of four classes of radionuclides, concentration of suspended sediment, and water discharge of the Columbia River. (Curves reproduced 

from those given by Haushild and others, 1973, figs. 9 and 10; scales and units of concentrations and discharges are not shown because only the variational patterns are important in this 

report.)

surficial sediment among the three locations on the complete enough to compute means at the three river 

Columbia River can be evaluated from the data in locations. Concentrations for the fine- and coarsetable 3. Radionuclide concentrations were compared for sediment parts of the streambed were compared at each 

periods when data from semimonthly observations were river location and also between river locations.

TABLE 3. Ratios of period-mean radionuclide concentrations in coarse- and fine-sediment parts of the streambed at

Columbia River locations

[Observation periods: chromium-51, August-December 1963; other radionuclides, May-December 1963]

Radionuclide-concentration ratios

Fine-sediment parts to coarse-sediment parts 

of streambeds at indicated station _ . _

Indicated station to Pasco, fine-sediment part

Indicated station to Pasco, coarse-sediment part 

of streambed . .__

Indicated station to Pasco, from data collected 

between April 21 and May 12, 19661 __ .. __

Cr51

8.9

1.0

1.0

1.0

Pasco,

Zn65

3.1 

1.0 

1.0 

1.0

Wash.

Sc46

7.4 

1.0 

1.0 

1.0

Hood River, Oreg.

Co60

2.2 

LO 

1.0 

1.0

Cr51

1.7 

.05

.28

Zn65

2.5 

.07 

.09 

2 .08

Sc46

2.0 

.03 

.10 

3 .06

Co60

3.1 

.06 

.04 

3 .07

Cr51

5.1 

.03 

.05

Vancouver, Wash.

Zn65

3.5 

.02 

.02 

2 .07

Sc46

5.4 

.01 

.01 

3 .03

Co60

3.1 

.01 

.01 

3 .04

'Data from table 25, p. 96 of Glenn (1971). Values shown for Hood River, Oreg., are average of values reported by Glenn for locations in Bonneville Reservoir upstream from Hood River 

and from Bonneville Dam.

2From average of concentrations for particles <0.5 mm. 

3From concentrations for particles <0.002 mm.
O14 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

Inspection of table 3 indicates that type of radionuclide affected the ratios between concentrations in fineand coarse-sediment parts of the streambed at a station. 

The ratios for zinc-65 and cobalt-60 averaged 2.9 and 

were about the same at the three stations, whereas the 

ratios for chromium-51 and scandium-46 ranged from 

1.7 to 8.9 and were highest at Pasco and lowest at Hood 

River. The comparisons among stations show that concentrations of chromium-51 and scandium-46 in the 

fine-sediment part of the streambed at Hood River decreased to only 5 and 3 percent, respectively, whereas 

concentrations in the coarse-sediment part decreased to 

28 and 10 percent, respectively, of concentrations at 

Pasco. The relatively small particle-size composition 

(table 2) and relatively favorable conditions for deposition of particulate radionuclides in the coarse-sediment 

part of the streambed at Hood River may have contributed to this apparent selective sorption and deposition 

of chromium-51 and scandium-46.

Glenn (1973) analyzed the downstream attenuation 

of radionuclide concentrations in surficial sediment as 

part of a study of the relations among radionuclide 

content and physical, chemical, and mineral characteristics of Columbia River sediments. His study included data for particle-size separates from samples 

obtained at six cross sections between Hanford Reservation and Vancouver, Wash., during April 21 to May 12, 

1966. Some of Glenn's data for zinc-65, scandium-46, 

and cobalt-60 are given in table 3. His results showed 

that (1) the average zinc-65 concentration from a station near McNary Dam was 20 percent of the zinc-65 

concentration from a station just upstream from Pasco, 

and (2) zinc-65 concentration decreased gradually from 

McNary Dam to Vancouver; at Vancouver, it was about 

7 percent of the concentration just upstream from Pasco. 

The results from the semimonthly sampling at the three 

stations during 1963 indicated that the average zinc-65 

concentration at Vancouver, Wash., was 2 percent, 

scandium-46 and cobalt-60 were 1 percent, and 

chromium-51 was 3-5 percent of respective concentrations at Pasco (table 3).

The smaller decrease in zinc-65 concentrations between Pasco and Vancouver for 1966 (Glenn, 1973) than 

for 1963 (this study) might be attributable to the different times of year the data were obtained. Less attenuation normally would be expected during late 

April-early May when zinc-65 concentrations usually 

are much greater than period-mean concentrations at 

stations downstream of Pasco (fig. 3). This reasoning 

helps explain the differences between Pasco and Vancouver, but is contradicted by the fact that attenuation 

of zinc-65 concentration between Pasco and Hood River 

during both 1963 and 1966 was the same. This evidence 

precludes explanations of differences in the attenuations by differences in sample locations and sample

makeup (particle-size separates versus total-sediment 

samples). Either attenuation of zinc-65 concentrations 

between Hood River and Vancouver was different in 

1966 than it was in 1963 or the error in determining the 

attenuation between Pasco and Vancouver is on the 

order of the differences between the attenuations noted 

in the two studies.

RADIONUCLIDE INVENTORIES 

INVENTORY COMPUTED FROM RADIONUCLIDE BUDGET

A radionuclide inventory is the quantity of a 

radionuclide accumulated in a specific reach of a stream 

at a given time. Inventories of specific radionuclides can 

be estimated by combining (1) the quantities of the 

radionuclides accumulated in the reach at some initial 

time; (2) the discharges of the radionuclides into and out 

of the reach after the initial time; and (3) the decay rates 

of the radionuclides.

An equation for computing the quantity of a 

radionuclide accumulating in a river reach from such 

data is:

R A0 exp-\ti+ (1 exp (1)

where

A, is the amount of a specific radionuclide

accumulated at end of time ti, 

A0 is the quantity of the radionuclide stored in

the reach at t = 0,

X is the decay rate for the radionuclide expressed in terms of 1/t, 

ti is the zth time period, and 

R is the input (inflow minus outflow) of the

radionuclide to the reach during ^. 

If X and t are expressed in the same units of time 

(weeks) and R is a weekly input, inventories can be 

computed from the following form of equation (1):

An = -n)\, (2)

T=

where

An is the amount of a specific radionuclide accumulated in the reach at the end of n weeks, 

T is a dummy variable that represents the 

number of weeks after some initial time 

when AQ is known, 

RT is the input of the specific radionuclide during

the Tth week.

Weekly mean discharges of eight radionuclides at 

Pasco and Vancouver, Wash., for the period January 

1964 through September 1966 were used as inflow and 

outflow discharges. The weekly discharges were used by 

Haushild, Stevens, Nelson, and Dempster (1973) to determine monthly mean discharges. For the computa-
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O15

tions, values of A 0 , the amount of a radionuclide stored 

in the Pasco-to-Vancouver reach as of January 1964, 

had to be known. These values were determined by 

solving equation (2) for An with n equal to 10 half-lives. 

If n is set equal to 10 half-lives, the term A0 exp-n\ in 

equation (2) equals A 0 /l,024, which is negligible 

compared with other terms in the equation. Thus, 

values of A 0 as of January 1964 could be computed solely 

from radionuclide inputs for periods of 10 half-lives 

before January 1964.

Because actual radionuclide discharges prior to 1964 

were not measured, they were simulated with a model 

based on discharges measured during 1964-66. Such a 

model should be valid unless there were major changes 

in the river system or in the operation of reactors during 

the 10 half-life periods preceding 1964. During 

1955-64, eight operating reactors contributed 

radionuclides directly to the river in their cooling-water 

effluent. The last major change in the Columbia River 

system prior to January 1964 was the beginning of 

storage in McNary Reservoir and regulation of water 

outflow at McNary Dam in April 1953. Ten half-life 

periods for seven radionuclides were shorter than the 

9-year period 1955-63. Therefore, inputs for these seven 

radionuclides were estimated from simulated discharges and used directly in equation (2). However, 

discharges of cobalt-60, which has a half-life of 5.27 

years, were simulated for only two half-lives (10.54 

years) prior to January 1964; this period started after 

the closing of McNary Dam in April 1953, but included a 

period from mid-1953 through 1954 when six instead of 

eight reactors were operating. Setting the storage of 

cobalt-60 in the Pasco-to-Vancouver reach two halflives before January 1964 at zero would introduce considerable error, because cobalt-60 accumulating in the 

reach since September 1944 would not have completely 

decayed by mid-1953. Annual storages of cobalt-60 

therefore were roughly estimated for the period September 1944 through mid-1953 by considering the 

number of reactors operating each year and the probable lesser storage of cobalt-60 in the reach (McNary 

Reservoir did not then exist). Summation of these estimated annual storages, corrected for decay losses to 

January 1964, suggested that the initial storage of 

cobalt-60 on January 1964 would have been about 40 

curies greater than if cobalt-60 storage two half-lives 

before January 1964 was zero. The additional initial 

storage of 40 curies was used in computing cobalt-60 

inventories for January 1964 to September 1966.

The discharges at Pasco and Vancouver for periods 

prior to 1964 were simulated by use of the following 

model:

X(t) = T(t)+S(t)+f[Q(t)] t (3) 

where

X(t) = time series of simulated weekly mean 

discharges of particulate or dissolved 

radionuclides,

T(t) = secular trend in Y(t), 

S(t) = pattern of seasonal variation for Y(t),

and

/"[Q(£)] = influence of water discharge on Y(t), 

in which

Y(t) time series of weekly mean discharges of 

particulate or dissolved radionuclides 

observed at Pasco or Vancouver during January 1964 to September 1966, 

exclusive of the period in July and August 1966 when all reactors were shut 

down, and

Q(t) = time series of weekly mean water discharges observed at Pasco or at Vancouver during the period January 

1964 to September 1966.

Secular trend, T(t), and seasonal variation pattern; 

S(t\ were determined for each particulate and dissolved radionuclide by using techniques described by 

.Waugh (1943). The logarithms of weekly values of 

[Y(t)-T(t)-S(t)] were related to the logarithms 

of weekly values of Q(t); if there was a significant linear 

relation, it was called/"[(?(£)]. In this manner, models 

were determined for simulating the particulate and dissolved discharges of each of the eight radionuclides at 

Pasco and at Vancouver a total of 32 models. The 

weekly mean total discharge of a radionuclide at each 

river station was determined by adding the simulated 

weekly mean discharges of dissolved and particulate 

radionuclides.

Subtraction of the simulated output discharges at 

Vancouver from the simulated input discharges at 

Pasco provided net weekly simulated inputs of the 

radionuclides to the Pasco-to-Vancouver reach. Observed and simulated inputs of chromium-51 and of 

cobalt-60 for the period January 1964 through September 1966 are shown, respectively, in figures 6 and 7. 

Being mostly anionic, about 92 percent of chromium-51 

remained dissolved in the river water at Pasco and 

Vancouver, whereas an average of 60 percent and 88 

percent, respectively, of the generally cationic cobalt-60 

was particulate at Pasco and Vancouver (Haushild and 

others, 1973; Nelson and others, 1966). The general 

agreement indicated in figures 6 and 7 between observed and simulated inputs for two dissimilar 

radionuclides was typical of the agreement for the other 

six radionuclides.

Weekly inputs observed from January 1964 through 

September 1966 and estimated initial storages for 

January 1, 1964, were used to compute weekly inventories. Monthly mean inventories, determined from the 

weekly values, are shown in figures 8 and 9.
O16 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

10,000

4000

JFMAMJ JASONDJFMAMJ JASONDJ FMAMJ J AS

1964 1965 1966

FIGURE 6. Weekly mean inputs (inflows minus outflows) of chromium-51 into the Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, Wash., January 1964 through September 1966.

A generally linear decrease in the radionuclide inventories during the observation period (figs. 8 and 9), 

agrees with the decreasing trend in discharges of 

radionuclides reported by Haushild, Stevens, Nelson 

and Dempster (1973). The pattern of the small seasonal 

variation in monthly mean inventories showed a maximum in spring and a minimum in summer-early fall 

for antimony-124, manganese-54, cobalt-60, and 

zinc-65 (fig. 8). The March-April peaks in monthly mean 

inventories of chromium-51 usually were little greater 

than the February-March minimums, whereas maximums during October-December were five to six times 

greater than the minimums in June or July. Variations 

in monthly inventories of cobalt-58 and scandium-46 

were anomalously large in 1964 (fig. 9). After 1964,

scandium-46 inventories had about equal maximums 

in May and November-December and about equal 

minimums in July and February, and cobalt-58 inventories varied slightly about the decreasing trend. 

Iron-59 inventories were maximum in May and 

October-November and were minimum in FebruaryMarch and July-August.

Computed antimony-124 and chromium-51 inventories had small negative values during the shutdown of 

all reactors in July-August 1966. Because these 

radionuclides are mainly dissolved, even relatively 

small inaccuracies in the data can make it impossible to 

determine accurate and credible values of small positive inventories of chromium-51 and antimony-124 by 

the methods defined in equation (2). Inventories deterAll reactors shut down

JFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJAS

FIGURE 7. Weekly mean inputs (inflows minus outflows) of cobalt-60 into the Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, Wash., January 1964 through September 1966.
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O17

INVENTORY COMPUTED FROM 

RECONNAISSANCE-SURVEY DATA

mined by using simulated inputs (see figs. 6 and 7 for

inputs of chromium-51 and cobalt-60) for the eight

radionuclides from the beginning of the shutdown

period through September 1966 are shown in figures 8

and 9. These data are estimates of inventories for the

Pasco-to-Vancouver reach had the reactors not been In general, inventories were computed by dividing

shut down. the river into reaches, reaches into subreaches, and

COMPUTATION METHOD, DATA AND 

RIVER DIVISION

10

10

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

0oo0o oooooooo0 00n00o0 ooooOo

Antimony 124

aw 

(

400 

300

g 20°

cc. 

0 540

2 

>-' (

cr 

£ 440

LU

w 340 

9

o 

220,000 

5

a 10,000 <

0 

30,000

20,000 i

10,000 

0 

mnnn

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 

> O ° O

o 

0 °oo o0 oooo°

Manganese 54

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

i i

i i i

0 A A , 

O 

0 (

1 1 1

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 

> O o O o Simulated\ 

o o oo ° o (

Cobalt-60

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

i i

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

100 °° ° o oo oo o o o o o o 0 o o o o 0 o o o o o o 

Zinc 65

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

A 4 <

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

- o 0 o o

- ' '. . °°"...--' 

o

Chromium 51

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

1 1 1

A

A 

A <

O

i i i

1964 1965 1966

FIGURE 8. Monthly mean inventories of five radionuclides for the Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, Wash., January 1964 through September 1966.
O18 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

/iUU

iooc

n

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

0 0 Cobalt-58 

> O 

~ o n o o _ 

o o o o o 

o o o °ooooooooo

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

0 0 0 A

1 1 1 1

1

A

0 <

1 -

600

CO

E 500 

o

1 i i i i i I i i i i i i i i l i r 

O O

-| I I I I I I I I I I T

O O

-400

£ 300

z

LiJ 

O

200

9 100 i I i I i I

Simulated' 

Scandium 46

i I I , I I I I I I L

300

200

100 - O O o

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i r

Iron-59

o o

°o 0° o o 0

JF MAMJ J ASOND'J FMAMJ JAS ON D'J FMAMJ JAS 

1964 1965 1966

FIGURE 9. Monthly mean inventories of three radionuclides for the Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, Wash., January 1964 through September 1966.

some subreaches into environmentally similar areas, as 

based on the composition of surficial sediment. Then, 

the radionuclide contents in the streambed of each subreach or environmental area were computed as the product of mean radionuclide concentrations in surficial 

sediment, factors to express distribution of radionuclide 

concentrations with depth in the streambed, specific 

weight of bed sediment, and extent of the subreach or 

environmental area. (Of course, all factors must be expressed in compatible units.) Inventories in a river 

reach were the sum of the inventories for the subreaches 

and environmental areas within the reach.

Table 10 shows the concentrations of five major 

radionuclides in surficial-sediment samples obtained 

from reconnaissance surveys. (See "Basic Data" section.) Particle-size distribution of the samples, water 

depths at sample locations, and gross-gamma count 

rates from in-place sediment are also given in this table.

Radionuclide concentrations in core segments are presented in table 11. (See "Basic Data" section.) Particlesize distributions of surficial-sediment samples from 

many locations other than those shown in table 10 are 

available from U.S. Geological Survey files. In addition 

to this body of data, Nelson (1965) reported concentrations of radionuclides in streambed sediment from the 

Columbia River upstream of McNary Dam. His data 

include radionuclide concentrations for (1) particle-size 

separates of samples obtained by divers, (2) segments of 

a 2-inch-diameter (5.1 cm) core from a sand deposit on 

the downstream side of an island downstream from 

Pasco, (3) segments of cores of a fine-grained sediment 

deposit located near McNary Dam and a silty-sediment 

deposit located about 4 miles (6.4 km) below the Snake 

River mouth, (4) segments of a core from a compacted 

clay deposit beneath about 50 feet (15 m) of water between Richland and the Yakima River mouth, and (5) a
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O19

core of sediment from the river flood plain downstream 

of the reactors but within the Hanford Reservation.

The first step in using the reconnaissance-survey 

data for computing radionuclide inventories was to divide the Columbia River into reaches of similar environment. The main division was into reaches where the 

streambed was armored with gravel (bedrock in a few 

short reaches), and where sediment (fine gravel, sand, 

silt, and clay) was deposited. (See "Description of the 

Study Reach" section.) Computation of inventories was 

different for each main stream environment.

ARMORED-STREAMBED REACHES

For the armored-streambed reach between the reactors and McNary Dam, Nelson and Haushild (1970) 

reported the average content of zinc-65, chromium-51, 

scandium-46, cobalt-60, and manganese-54 contained 

in the sediment beneath each unit area of streambed. 

The contents they reported were based on concentrations from samples obtained by divers. Armoredstreambed reaches below McNary Dam were not sampled; therefore, contents of radionuclides in these 

reaches were estimated by applying a downstream attenuation to the observed contents of the five radionuclides in the armored-streambed reach above McNary 

Dam. That is, radionuclide contents in armored 

streambeds were assumed to decrease linearly downstream at the same rate as the radionuclide attenuation 

in surficial sediment (sand) in the river's main channels. (See table 4 in the following section.) For example, 

the average concentration of zinc-65 in surficial-sand 

samples decreased by 60 percent (from 120 to 48 pci/g) 

between the reach upstream of Walla Walla River and

the Bonneville Reservoir reach; the average zinc-65 

concentration was 26 pci/g (another 18 percent lower) in 

surficial sand samples from the reach between Bonneville Dam and Longview, Wash. Zinc-65 content beneath each unit area of an armored streambed located 

midway between the midpoints of the reach upstream of 

Walla Walla River and the Bonneville Reservoir reach, 

therefore, was estimated to be 70 percent (100 - 60/2) of 

the zinc-65 concentration in the armored-streambed 

reach above McNary Dam.

Radionuclide inventories for armored-streambed 

reaches above McNary Dam were reported by Nelson 

and Haushild (1970). Inventories for armoredstreambed reaches below McNary Dam were computed 

from streambed areas, determined by planimetry from 

U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey maps, and the estimated radionuclide contents beneath each unit area of 

streambed.

SEDIMENT-DEPOSITING REACHES

The sediment-depositing reaches were further divided into stream subenvironments main channelswhere deposits were mostly sand or secondary channels 

and shallow areas where deposits were mixtures of 

sand, silt, and clay. Mean radionuclide concentrations 

and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment 

samples, and mean count rates of gross-gamma radioactivity of in-place sediment for these two subenvironments in each reach are shown in table 4.

Each sediment-depositing reach (except for the small 

deposit at CRM 263, km 423) was further divided longitudinally into subreaches. As an example, core sites, 

cross-section locations, and subenvironments for the

TABLE 4. Mean radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples, and mean in-place count rates of 

gross-gamma radioactivity at sample sites for stream environments in sediment-depositing reaches of the Columbia River from 27 miles 

(43 km) upstream of McNary Dam to Longview, Wash.

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

Particle-size

distribution

(percent in class)

E

Reach or location designation

Name

Upstream of Walla Walla River in

McNary Reservoir2

Downstream of Walla Walla River in

McNary Reservoir

29 mi. (47 km) downstream of

McNary Dam2

Downstream part of The Dalles

Reservoir2

Bonneville Reservoir3

Bonneville Dam to Longview Wash.4

CRM1

319-314

319-314

314-292

263

208-193

187-140

187-140

132-66

132-66

Stream environment

Main channel

Secondary channels and

shallow areas

Entire Streambed

Sediment deposit in pool of

rapids-and-pools reach

Entire streambed

Main channel

Secondary channels and

shallow areas

Main channel

Secondary channels and

shallow areas

Number 

of

samples

4

14

26

4

12

22

6

44

30

Zn65

120

260

470

54

130

48

140

26

130

Cr*i

220

660

580

140

300

110

380

34

190

Co60

8.1

10

14

2.7

3.4

1.8

5.9

.5

1.7

Sc46

9.5

35

54

3.6

17

4.1

12

.6

6.6

Mn54

8.1

12

14

4.5

8.1

3.2

7.7

.7

3.8

|

d

V

0

7

14

4

7

0

6

0

5

8 

18

d

0

48

55

29

43

3

50

0

38

E

IN

d

A

100

45

31

67

50

97

44

100

57

83 

§1 "H. s-i

£ -

31,000

90,000

190,000

30,000

79,000

10,000

33,000

'Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre. 

"Data collected in September 1965.

3Data collected in October and November 1964. 

4Data collected in April 1965.
O20 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

sediment-depositing subreach from CRM 65.5 to 78.0 

(km 105 to 126) are shown in figure 10. Radionuclide 

concentrations, particle-size distributions, and in-place 

count rates for surficial sediment in the subreaches 

from 14 miles (23 km) below Bonneville Dam to Longview, Wash., are given in table 5.

Their large standard deviations (table 5) indicate 

that concentrations of radionuclides in surficial-sediment samples varied greatly. Thus, differences in 

radionuclide concentrations in surficial-sediment samples from adjacent similar stream subenvironments 

usually were not significant (95 percent confidence 

level). Differences between concentrations in samples 

that were collected long distances apart usually were 

significant.

Semidiurnal ocean tides frequently cause flow in the 

river to reverse direction from the mouth upstream to 

near CRM 66 (km 106) actual location of the farthest 

extent of flow reversal depends on tide height and river 

flow. Because hydrodynamic conditions generally favor 

deposition in tidal river reaches where flow reverses, 

the higher concentrations of radionuclides between 

river miles 66 and 77 (km 106-124) (see table 5) may 

have been caused by the deposition of more fine sediment there than was deposited in nearby upstream 

reaches. Zinc-65 concentrations in surficial-sediment 

samples between CRM 66 and 123 (km 106-198) were 

significantly lower than concentrations between CRM 

123 and 132 (km 198-212); reasons for this difference 

are unknown. Radionuclide concentrations in surficial

Cowlitz 

River WASHINGTON

69.2(111) 

'.1(111)

122°50'

46°05'

OREGON

Secondary channels and shallowareas

Surficial sediment generally is a

clay-silt-sand mixture

Main channel

Surficial sediment generally is sand; 

sand v?ith small amounts of gravel 

occurs in some areas

O 

Core sites

Sampling sections

Distance upstream from mouth 

in miles (kilometresK

75.2 (121)

78.0 (126)

FIGURE 10. Stream environments and locations of core sites and sampled cross sections in the Columbia River between CRM 65.5 and 78.0 (km 105 and 126).
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O21

TABLES. Mean radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples and mean in-place gross-gamma 

count rates for two stream subenvironments in sediment-depositing subreaches of the Columbia River from 14 miles (23 km) below Bonneville Dam to Longview, Wash.

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

Particle-size

distribution

(percent in class)

In-place count rate 

(per minute)

NumReach her 

designation of 

by CRM1 samples

Zinc-65 

Mean SD2

Chromium-51 

Mean SD

Cobalt-60 

Mean SD

Scandium-46 

Mean SD

Manganese-54 

Mean SD

E 

8S

Mean SD

Secondary Channels and Shallow Areas

132-118

118-109

109-77

3 77-66

31 32-77

6

7

11

6

24

120

140

80

220

110

58

99

53

87

71

100

150

130

440

130

66

130

71

180

98

1.5

1.5

1.4

2.8

1.5

0.5

.9

.8

1.0

.8

4.4

5.8

4.1

14.3

4.7

2.9

4.9

2.8

9.3

3.6

2.9

3.4

2.6

7.2

2.9

1.4

2.9

1.5

2.9

2.0

6

6

3

8

5

52

49

18

44

37

38

39

42

27

40

4

6

37

21

18

33,000

33,000

24,000

51,000

29,000

14,000

12,000

15,000

15,000

14,000

Main channel

132-123

123-106

106-89

89-73

73-66

3 132-66

3 132-123

3123-66

11

7

8

9

9

44

11

33

50

23

14

15

22

50

18

18

13

7.7

6.3

9.0

18

10

34

37

28

28

41

34

24

13

10

8.6

18

16

0.5 0.1

.5 _

.5 _- -

.5

.5 .2

.5 ____

0.6

.6

.5

.5

.8

.6

0.2

.4

.2

.8

.4

0.9

.6

.5

.5

.9

.7

0.3 - 1

.2

.1 _ _ __

.1 __ ____

.5 _ _ 1

.3 -

40

29

16

38

41

33

31

59

71

84

62

58

67

69

15,000

6,800

7,600

7,000

11,000

10,000

8,200

6,200

3,000

3,200

2,600

4,400

5,500

3,800

1Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre.

2Standard deviation.

"Mean concentrations for these subreaches were used in computing inventories.

sediment of subreaches were determined for all the 

sediment-depositing reaches of the Columbia River between the reactors and Longview, Wash. The areas to 

which the concentrations apply were measured from 

U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey maps by planimetry.

The core-segment data (table 11) were used in estimating the vertical distributions of radionuclide concentrations required for computing inventories in the 

sediment-depositing reaches. For each of five radionuclides, ratios of concentrations at depth to adjusted 

concentrations in the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) of each core 

were computed. The concentrations were adjusted to 

represent concentrations that would have been obtained in a surficial sample; they were determined by 

weighting concentrations in the top inch (2.5 cm) and 

next-lower inch of cores with the percentage of sediment 

obtained from these streambed layers with a USBM-54 

sampler. (See "Equipment and Methods" section.) Thus, 

a ratio at a specific depth reflects the radionuclide concentration there relative to the concentration in the 

surficial sediment. The data from the appropriate cores 

within relatively long reaches of the Columbia River 

were combined to determine the vertical distributions 

of radionuclide concentrations in streambeds of main 

channels or the secondary channels and shallow areas 

in these reaches. The following techniques for determining the vertical distributions of zinc-65 concentration in the sediment-depositing streambeds are applicable to all radionuclides.

For the reach from Bonneville Dam to Longview, 

Wash., two vertical distributions of zinc-65 concentrations are shown in figure 11 for each subenvironment.

In the sand beds of the main channel, zinc-65 concentrations in a few cores were nearly the same throughout 

the core depth (left group of data), whereas concentrations below the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) of most cores averaged about 70 percent of the adjusted concentrations 

(right group of data). In the secondary channels and 

shallow areas, zinc-65 concentration decreased rapidly 

with depth in some cores (right group of data); concentrations generally decreased with depth in other cores 

(left group of data) in an erratic manner several ratios 

were equal to or greater than one. Other variables or 

combinations of variables such as core location, 

particle-size distribution of surface sediment at core 

sites, and in-place count of gross-gamma radioactivity 

at core sites did not prove to be reliable indicators of 

where the right or left distributions of zinc-65 concentrations occur in the two stream subenvironments. 

Therefore, vertical distributions of zinc-65 concentrations within each stream subenvironment for the Bonneville Dam-to-Longview reach were determined by 

combining the two groups of data for the specific subenvironment.

For two types of beds in McNary Reservoir, for secondary channels and shallow areas in the Bonneville 

Dam-to-Longview reach, and for local deposits in The 

Dalles Reservoir, the data in figure 11 define the vertical distribution of zinc-65 concentration to depths in the 

streambed where concentrations were negligible. Nelson and Haushild (1970) used the vertical distributions 

in the two types of beds in McNary Reservoir to compute 

a zinc-65 inventory there. Summation of the average 

ratios for 2-inch (5.1 cm) increments from the
O22 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

20

40

60

Bonneville Dam to Longview, Wash.

 x

Main channel

r

 * Secondary channels 

and shallow areas

i i i

L- 0.75

-1.5

I 

o

0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1

20

40

60

80

Bonneville Reservoir

Main 

channel

Shallow 

areas

The Dalles 

Reservoir

f.;

J * 

 '

Local 

 deposits

i

McNary Reservoir

i i i

9

Sandy silt 

beds

i i i

i i i i i i

?* *" "

»

f

Silty sand 

beds

i i i i i i

-0

-0.75

-1.5

CO 

Ul

cc

I ui Q

2 0 2 0

RATIO OF ZINC-65 CONCENTRATION AT INDICATED DEPTH TO ADJUSTED 

ZINC-65 CONCENTRATION IN TOP 2 INCHES (0.05m)

FIGURE 11. Variation of normalized zinc-65 concentrations with depth in cores from streambed of the Columbia River.

streambed surface to the depth where concentrations 

became negligible provided a vertical-distribution factor to apply to the previously determined zinc-65 concentrations in surficial sediment of the secondary channels and shallow areas of the Bonneville Dam-toLongview reach. The factor for this reach was also used 

in computing accumulations of radionuclides in 

streambeds of the similar subenvironments of Bonneville Reservoir. This was necessary because data 

were available for only one core taken in October 1964 

from the shallow areas of Bonneville Reservoir. Sustained high winds and waves, which are typical for the 

Columbia River gorge, made it impossible to obtain 

cores during two later surveys.

The vertical distribution of zinc-65 concentrations for

the one core from a shallow area probably was representative only of that site, and vertical distributions in 

secondary channels and shallow areas of Bonneville 

Reservoir were assumed to be similar to those in this 

subenvironment below Bonneville Dam. The thick deposits cored in The Dalles Reservoir were small in extent; deposits elsewhere were less than 1 foot (0.3 m) 

thick. For The Dalles Reservoir, factors to account for 

vertical distribution of zinc-65 concentrations were 

computed for (1) thick deposits, from the distributions 

(fig. 11) for The Dalles Reservoir, and (2) thin deposits, 

from the distributions (fig. 11) for sandy-silt beds in 

McNary Reservoir.

Factors to account for vertical distribution of zinc-65 

in the sand beds of the main channel in Bonneville
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O23

Direction of movement

dt 4

/mean ucu-auiia^c icvei i i

FIGURE 12. Method for estimating average depth of zone of particle movement d, where d = ^ l^df. (From Sayre and Hubbell, 1965, fig. 41.

Reservoir and below Bonneville Dam were computed 

from the data shown in figure 11. The constancy of 

zinc-65 concentration with depth in main-channel beds 

below Bonneville Dam resulted from the continual mixing of streambed sediment as the dunes migrated downstream. The gradual attenuation of zinc-65 concentration with depth in main-channel beds of Bonneville 

Reservoir may be attributed to the slow average rate of 

migration of dunes during medium and high river flows 

and the nonmigration of dunes during low river flows. 

The depth over which the vomputed factors apply 

should be the same as the depth d of the zone of particle 

movement. Sayre and Hubbell (1965) present a method 

for estimating d for dune beds from a depth-sounder 

record. The geometrical definitions and mathematical 

expression that they used for computing d for a reach 

are shown in figure 12. Sayre and Hubbell's method was 

used to estimate depths of the zone of particle movement 

in sand-bed reaches in Bonneville Reservoir and below 

Bonneville Dam, where many depth-sounder data (fig. 

2) were available.

The specific weight, expressed in units of weight per 

unit volume, of in-place sediment in the sedimentdepositing reaches was estimated from a relation between median particle size and specific weight of reservoir deposits (Hembree and others, 1952). Specific 

weight, concentration of radionuclides in surficial sediment, factors to account for vertical distributions of

radionuclide concentrations, and areas were then used 

to compute inventories (accumulations of radionuclides 

at a specific time) for the sediment-depositing reaches. 

Estimated radionuclide inventories at times when 

data were collected for various reaches of the Columbia 

River from the reactors to Longview, Wash., are given 

in table 6. The inventories shown in table 6 for the two 

reaches between the reactors and McNary Dam are 

those reported previously by Nelson and Haushild

(1970)- DISCUSSION

Inventories estimated from the reconnaissancesurvey data indicate the locations and amounts of the 

five major radionuclides accumulated within the 

streambeds of the reaches only at the times of the surveys. Because of the temporal variations in inventories 

shown in figures 8 and 9, any comparisons between 

reaches of inventories surveyed during different seasons or years may be considerably in error. To correct 

this deficiency, the inventories given in table 6 were 

adjusted for temporal variations (seasonal and trend) so 

that mean inventories for 1965 were estimated (table 7). 

The adjustment factors were computed from the inventory data given in figures 8 and 9. The seasonal variation and trend in the inventories for the Pasco-toVancouver reach were assumed to represent the temporal variations in inventories for the other Columbia 

River reaches. The adjustment factor for a specific

TABLE 6. Estimated radionuclide inventories at times of the reconnaissance surveys for various reaches of the Columbia 

River from the reactors, Hanford Reservation to Longview, Wash.

Reach designation

Description

McNary Dam to Biggs, Oreg.2 _ _ _

The Dalles Dam to Bonneville Dam3 . _

Bonneville Dam to Vancouver, Wash.4

Quantities, in curies

CRM1

_______ 384-330

________ 330-292

__ __ _ 292-208

________ 208-192

_ __ ___ 192-146

_ __ ___ 146-106

________ 106-66

Zinc-65

630 

3,600 

110 

710 

2,700 

3,300 

1,800

Chromium-51

600 

10,000 

160 

320 

7,000 

3,300 

3,500

Cobalt-60

80 

250 

12 

18 

130 

53 

53

Scandium-46

40 

330 

7 

50 

230 

64 

58

Manganese-54

80 

130 

13 

37 

200 

70 

73

'Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre. 

2Data collected in September 1965. 

3Data collected in October and November 1964. 

"Data collected in April 1965.
O24 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

TABLE 7. Estimated mean radionuclide inventories for 1965 in various reaches and in the total reach of the Columbia Riverfront the reactors,

Hanford Reservation, to Longview, Wash.

Reach designation Quantities, in curies Total

Description CRM1 Zn65 Cr51 Co60 Sc46 Mn54 Curies Percent

Reactors to Fasco, Wash . _ _ _

Fasco, Wash, to McNary Dam _ _ _ _ ___

McNarv Dam to Biggs, Oreg _ _ _ _ _

Biggs, Oreg., to The Dalles Dam _

The Dalles Dam to Bonneville Dam

Vancouver, Wash, to Longview, Wash

Total:

384-330

330-292

292-208

208-192

192-146

146-106

106-66

690

3,900

120

780

2,800

2,900

1,600

- 12,790

610

10,000

160

330

4,000

3,500

3,700

22,300

60.1

83

260

12

19

130

52

52

608

1.6

43

360

8

54

240

61

55

821

2.2

86

140

14

40

190

66

69

605

1.6

1,512

14,660

314

1,223

7,360

6,579

5,476

37,124

4.1

39.5

.8

3.3

19.8

17.7

14.8

100.0

'Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre.

radionuclide in a reach then was the ratio, computed 

from the data in figure 8 or 9, of its mean inventory in 

1965 to its inventory at the time of the reconnaissance 

survey in that reach.

Chromium-51 (60.1 percent) and zinc-65 (34.5 percent) accounted for nearly all of the radionuclide inventory in the Columbia River between the reactors and 

Longview, Wash, (table 7). Cobalt-60, scandium-46, and 

manganese-54 each contributed about 2 percent of the 

total inventory of the five radionuclides. Two main 

sediment-depositing reaches accounted for 92 percent of 

the radionuclide inventory 40 percent was in the 38 

miles (61 km) from Pasco, Wash., to McNary Dam and 

52 percent was in the 126 miles (203 km) from The 

Dalles Dam to Longview, Wash. The remaining 8 percent was divided among a 54-mile (87 km) armoredstreambed reach above Pasco (4 percent), an 84-mile 

(135 km) armored-streambed reach below McNary Dam 

(1 percent), and a sediment-depositing reach, 16 miles 

(26 km) long, from near Biggs, Oreg., to The Dalles Dam 

(3 percent).

Two mean inventories for 1965 in the Pasco-toVancouver reach, estimated from both adjusted reconnaissance-survey data (table 7) and radionuclide discharge data at the two stations (like that shown in figs. 6 

and 7), are shown in table 8. For every radionuclide, the 

estimated mean quantity is higher for the inventory 

computed from the reconnaissance-survey data. The 

total inventory estimated by this method exceeds that 

estimated from the radionuclide-discharge data by 47 

percent. Because there is no way to reliably estimate 

the error in either inventory, reasons for the consistent 

disagreement between the two inventories cannot be 

determined. However, the errors in both inventories 

may be large enough so that the disagreement between 

the two inventories is reasonable; both inventories 

probably are reasonably good estimates.

Hubbell and Glenn (1973) estimated radionuclide inventories for June 1965 in the Columbia River estuary 

(between CRM 0 and 66, km 0-106). To complement 

their data and to provide inventories for the entire river

and estuary downstream from the reactors, inventories 

for June 1965 in the Columbia River between the reactors and the head of the estuary (CRM 66, km 106) also 

were estimated. Inventories for June 1965 in the 

Pasco-to-Vancouver reach were obtained from the data 

in figures 8 and 9. Inventories in reaches above and 

below this reach were obtained by adjusting inventories 

estimated from reconnaissance-survey data (table 6) to 

June 1965, using a method similar to the one described 

previously for adjusting inventories to 1965 means. The 

estimated inventories for the estuary and the river are 

shown in table 9.

The predominance of zinc-65 over chromium-51 for 

June inventories in the river was forecasted by the 

seasonal variations in inventories for these radionuclides (see fig. 8). The predominance of chromium-51 

over zinc-65 for June 1965 in the estuary (table 9) may 

indicate that seasonal variations of these radionuclides 

are much less in the estuary than in the river. Possibly, 

high river flows in June transported more particulate 

radionuclides (especially chromium-51) out of the river 

reach than out of the estuary, where the tides counteracted the high flows. More particulate radionuclides 

may have been transported to the ocean during spring 

high flows than during lower flows in other seasons, but 

their source during the high-flow periods was more 

likely the riverbed rather than the estuary bed.

Seventy percent of the radionuclide inventory for

TABLE 8. Estimated mean radionuclide inventories for 1965 in the 

Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, Wash.

Inventory

Reconnaissance-survey 

data1

Radionuclide discharge 

data2

Radionuclide Curies Percent Curies Percent

Zinc-65 - __ 

Cobalt-60 . .. - -

Manganese-54

Total - _ - _

 10,000

 - 18,000

470

_____ 720

_____ 450

_____ 29,640

34

61

2

2

1

100

8,000

11,000

450

420

360

20,230

40

54

2

2

2

100

'From table 7.

"From data like those shown in figures 6 and 7.
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O25 

TABLE 9. Estimated radionuclide inventories for June 1965 in the Columbia River from the reactors, Hanford Reservation, Wash., to the ocean

Inventory

Zinc-65 Chromium-51 Other 

radionuclides2

Total

CRM1

River3 ________ ___ __ 384-66

Estuary4 ___________ 66-0

Curies Percent Curies Percent Curies Percent Curies Percent

11,000

2,100

38

7

7,600

5,300

26

18

1,600

1,300

20,200

8,700

70

30

Total. 13,100 45 12,900 2,900 11 28,900 100

1Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre.

2Cobalt-60, scandium-46, and manganese-54 in river; these three radionuclides pk 

zirconium-95-niobium-95 and ruthenium-106 in estuary.

June 1965 in the streambed from the reactors to the 

ocean was in the river reach. Computations based on 

appropriate totals of inventories and distances suggest 

that the quantity of radionuclides accumulated per unit 

length of estuary bed was about twice that of the 

riverbed. Because the average estuary width is at least 

twice the average river width (see fig. 1), quantities of 

radionuclides accumulated in sediments beneath a unit 

area of streambed were probably about the same for 

both the river and the estuary.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The seasonal variation patterns for the concentrations of radionuclides in surficial sediment of the Columbia River streambed were relatively independent of 

location (Pasco, Wash., Hood River, Oreg., and Vancouver, Wash.), radionuclide species (chromium-51, 

zinc-65, cobalt-60, and scandium-46), and stream environment (sand and gravel deposits in the main channel 

as opposed to mixtures of sand, silt, and clay in secondary channels and shallow areas). The similarity in 

seasonal variation patterns at three locations between 

Pasco and Vancouver may be attributable to the 

homogeneity in chemical and mineral characteristics of 

stream sediments in this reach. Radionuclide concentrations during January 1963 to June 1964 generally 

were high in late March-early May and November-early January and were low in June-July and late 

January-early March. Maximums in radionuclide 

concentrations in the streambed may have been 

attributable to some or all of the following factors: (1) 

High concentrations of suspended-particulate and dissolved radionuclides in the river flow, (2) availability of 

fine <0.062 mm) suspended sediment in the river; and 

(3) hydrodynamic conditions favorable to deposition of 

suspended sediment and particulate radionuclides. 

Minimum radionuclide concentrations in the 

streambed in June-July were attributed principally to 

mixing of streambed sediment by high water flows. The 

causes of minimum radionuclide concentrations during 

late January-early March was not known, but the

3 Inventories from figures 8 and 9 for reach between CRM 106 and 330 (km 171-531) and 

from table 6 (adjusted to June 1965) for reaches between CRM 330 and 384 (km 531-618), 

and CRM 66 and 106 (km 106-171).

"Inventories from table 10, Hubbell and Glenn (1973).

minimums coincided with a time when suspendedsediment concentrations were decreasing or at low 

values.

Concentrations of zinc-65 and cobalt-60 were 2 to SVz 

times greater in fine-sediment streambeds (usually 

mixtures of clay, silt, and sand) than they were in 

coarse-sediment streambeds (usually sand with some 

fine gravel). In relation to their fixation by coarse sediment, chromium-51 and scandium-46 showed a greater 

affinity for fixation by fine sediment than did zinc-65 or 

cobalt-60, especially at Pasco, Wash., where respective 

chromium-51 and scandium-46 concentrations in the 

fine-sediment part of the streambed averaged 8.9 and 

7.4 times greater than in the coarse-sediment part of the 

streambed. Average concentrations of zinc-65, 

scandium-46, cobalt-60, and chromium-51 in surficial 

sediment at Vancouver, Wash., during 5- or 8-month 

periods in 1965 were 2, 1, 1, and 3-5 percent, respectively, of comparable concentrations at Pasco, Wash. 

Concentrations in either coarse-sediment or 

fine-sediment beds were not significantly different (95 

percent confidence level) over relatively long distances 

along the river.

The stratigraphic distribution of radionuclides varied 

considerably. Differences in the stratigraphic distribution of radionuclides were distinguishable between 

coarse sediment of the main channel and fine sediment 

of secondary channels and shallow areas. Radionuclides 

tended to be distributed equally throughout relatively 

great depths (more than 60 inches, 1.5 m, in some 

places) in sand beds of the main channel. The uniform 

distributions of radionuclide concentration in sand beds 

was attributed to the mixing of the sediment by the 

downstream migration of dunes found there. Radionuclide concentrations in fine-sediment beds were highest 

at the surface, or a few inches below, and usually attenuated to insignificant values within the upper 12 

inches (0.3 m) of the streambed.

Monthly mean radionuclide inventories of 

chromium-51, zinc-65, cobalt-60, manganese-54, 

antimony-124, cobalt-58, scandium-46, and iron-59 in
O26 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

the Pasco-to-Vancouver reach were determined for the 

period January 1964 through September 1966 from estimated initial storages of radionuclides and observed 

radionuclide discharges at Pasco and Vancouver, 

Wash., during the period. Monthly-mean radionuclide 

inventories generally decreased linearly with time. 

Seasonal variations of zinc-65, antimony-124, 

manganese-54, and cobalt-60 inventories were small; 

inventories of these radionuclides were maximum in 

spring and minimum in summer-early fall. Seasonal 

variation of chromium-51 inventories was large; maximums during October-December were five to six times 

greater than minimums in June or July; whereas, 

March-April maximums were not much greater than 

February-March minimums. Iron-59 and scandium-46 

inventories seasonally varied considerably less than did 

chromium-51 inventories. Cobalt-58 inventories did not 

vary seasonally.

The mean inventory of five radionuclides in the 

streambed from Hanford Reservation, Wash., to Longview, Wash., in 1965 was estimated to be 37,100 curies. 

This quantity was determined by adjusting inventories 

estimated from data collected in a different reach during each of several reconnaissance surveys; the inventories were adjusted for seasonal variations and trends 

as indicated by the monthly inventories computed from 

radionuclide-discharge data. Chromium-51 contributed 

about 60 percent, zinc-65 about 34 percent, and 

cobalt-60, scandium-46, and manganese-54 each about 

2 percent of the 37,100 curies. Approximately 40 percent of the inventory was in the Pasco-to-McNary Dam 

reach of the river; another large portion (52 percent) of 

the inventory was in the sediment-depositing reaches 

below The Dalles Dam. The remaining 8 percent of the 

inventory was located in the thin sediment deposits in 

The Dalles Reservoir and two relatively long armoredstreambed reaches.

A total of 28,900 curies was estimated to have accumulated in the streambed between the reactors and 

the ocean in June 1965: 8,700 curies in the estuary 

(Hubbell and Glenn, 1973) and 20,200 curies in the 

river. Nearly equal amounts (13,000 curies) of zinc-65 

and chromium-51 were accumulated in the streambed 

of the whole reach; however, much less zinc-65 than 

chromium-51 was accumulated in the estuary bed, 

whereas the reverse was true for the riverbed. The predominance of chromium-51 over zinc-65 in the estuary 

bed may indicate less seasonal variation in radionuclide 

inventories especially chromium-51 inventory in 

the estuary than in the river. Also, the riverbed rather 

than the estuary bed was probably the principal source 

of particulate radionuclides transported to the ocean 

during high flows in June.

REFERENCES

Glenn, J. L., 1973, Relations among radionuclide content and physical, chemical, and mineral characteristics of Columbia River 

sediments: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 433-M, 52 p.

Haushild, W. L., Stevens, H. H. Jr., Nelson, J. L., and Dempster, G. R., 

Jr., 1973, Radionuclides in transport in the Columbia River from 

Pasco to Vancouver, Washington: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 

433-N, 43 p.

Hembree, C. H., Colby, B. R., Swenson, H. A., and Davis, J. R., 1952, 

Sedimentation and chemical quality of water in the Powder River 

drainage basin, Wyoming and Montana: U.S. Geol. Survey Circ. 

170, 92 p.

Hubbell, D. W., and Glenn, J. L., 1973, Distribution of radionuclides 

in bottom sediments of the Columbia River estuary: U.S. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 433-L, p. L1-L63.

Hydrology Subcommittee, Columbia Basin Inter-Agency Committee, 

1962, River mile index, main stem Columbia River: 17 p.

Kelley, J. C., and Whetten, J. T., 1969, Quantitative statistical 

analyses of Columbia River sediment samples: Jour. Sed. Petrology, v. 39, no. 3, p. 1167-1173.

Knebel, H. J., Kelley, J. C., and Whetten, J. T., 1968, Clay minerals of 

the Columbia River: A qualitative, quantitative, and statistical 

evaluation: Jour. Sed. Petrology, v. 38, no. 2, p. 600-611.

Nelson, J. L., 1965, Distribution of sediments and associated 

radionuclides in the Columbia River below Hanford, in AEC 

research and development report BNWL-36 3: Richland, Wash., 

Pacific Northwest Lab., p. 80-88.

Nelson, J. L., Perkins, R. W., Nielsen, J. M., and Haushild, W. L., 

1966, Reactions of radionuclides from the Hanford reactors with 

Columbia River sediments: Internat. Atomic Energy Agency, 

Vienna, May 16-20,1966, Symposium on the disposal of radioactive wastes into seas, oceans, and surface waters, Proc., SM-72/8, 

22 p.

Nelson, J. L., and Haushild, W. L., 1970, Accumulation of radionuclides in bed sediments of the Columbia River between the Hanford reactors and McNary Dam: Water Resources Research, v. 6, 

no. 1, p. 130-137.

Perkins, R. W., 1965, An anticoincidence shielded-multidimensional 

gamma ray spectrometer: Nuclear Industry Methods, v. 33, p. 

71-76.

Prych, E. A., and Hubbell, D. W., 1966, A sampler for coring sediments 

in rivers and estuaries: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 77, no. 5, p. 

549-556.

Prych, E. A., Hubbell, D. W., and Glenn, J. L., 1967, New estuarine 

measurement equipment and techniques: Am. Soc. Civil Engineers Proc., Jour. Waterways and Harbors Div., v. 93, no. WW2, 

Proc. Paper 5219, p. 41-58.

Sayre, W. W., and Hubbell, D. W., 1965, Transport and dispersion of 

labeled bed material, North Loup River, Nebraska: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 433-C, 48 p.

U.S. Inter-Agency Committee on Water Resources, Subcommittee on 

Sedimentation, 1941, Methods of analyzing sediment samples, in 

A study of methods used in measurement and analysis of sediment loads in streams: St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Lab., Minneapolis, Minn., rept. 4, 203 p.

 1943, A study of new methods for size analysis of suspendedsediment samples, in A study of methods used in measurement 

and analysis of sediment loads in streams: St. Anthony Falls 

Hydraulic Lab., Minneapolis, Minn., rept. 7, 102 p.

 1957a, The development and calibration of the visualaccumulation tube, in A study of methods used in measurement 

and analysis of sediment loads in streams: St. Anthony Falls 

Hydraulic Lab., Minneapolis, Minn., rept. 11, 109 p.
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O27

 1957b, Some fundamentals of particle-size analysis, in A study 

of methods used in measurement and analysis of sediment loads 

in streams: St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Lab., Minneapolis, 

Minn., rept. 12, 37 p.

 1966, Catalog instruments and reports for fluvial sediment 

investigations, in A study of methods used in measurement and

analysis of sediment loads in streams: St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Lab., Minneapolis, Minn., rept. M. 14 p.

Waugh, A. E., 1943, Elements of statistical methods: New York, 

McGraw-Hill, p. 267-349.

Whetten, J. T., and Fullam, T. J., 1967, Columbia River bed forms: 

Internat. Assoc. Hydraulic Research Conf, Fort Collins 

[Colorado], 12th, Proc., v. 1, p. 107-114.

BASIC DATA
O30 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

TABLE 10. Radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples and gross-gamma count rates of inplace sediment of the Columbia River

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

Date

Number 

of 

samCRM1 Ptes

43 

I"

-C)t_, &CO & Cr51 Zn65 Co60 Sc46 Mn54

3$

g 3

fl

O SS?

CO*J

"0.3 

£B

Particle-size 

distribution 

(pe*-cent in class)

6 

E

Tf 

g

O

V

E

1 <M s§ § d

J 

p

6

s

d

A

McNary Reservoir

7965 

Sept. 5

Sept. 4 

Sept. 5

Sept. 4

Sept. 4 

Sept. 4

Sept. 4

Sept. 4 

Sept. 4 

Sept. 3

Sept. 3

318.8 ______ 1

2 

3 

317.2 __ _ 1

2 

3

4 

315.5 ______ 1

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

314.0 ___ 1

2 

3 

4 

5 

310.5 ______ 1

2 

304.9 ______ 1

2 

3 

4 

5 

301.7 1

2 

3 

298.4 1

2 

296.2 ______ 1

2 

294.2 __ _ 1

2 

3 

4 

292.6 ___ 1

2 

3

4 

5 

6

7 

8

42 

56 

34 

12 

55 

41 

18 

13 

22 

23 

10 

29 

57 

12 

32 

70 

43 

22 

21 

41 

25 

55 

48 

84 

17 

34 

78 

65 

48 

33 

85 

51 

14 

93

~~15 

41 

81 

78 

13 

19 

37 

25

226 

574 

1,510 

411 

220 

323 

561 

320 

657 

751 

81.9 

611 

339 

377 

960 

1,050 

604 

370 

204 

558 

116 

1,640 

1,170 

552 

141 

386 

869 

303 

986 

367 

563 

645 

483 

1,420 

342 

148 

89.2 

1,050 

704 

1,140 

295 

425 

112 

434

60.3 

200 

408 

120 

133 

433 

741 

80.7 

135 

150 

50.4 

256 

230 

31.1 

144 

202 

136 

615 

94.1 

1,600 

127 

673 

380 

232 

384 

228 

885 

611 

507 

463 

590 

581 

503 

681 

266 

213 

102 

648 

557 

582 

198 

468 

86.9 

637

3.38 8.59 

11.3 20.8 

27.4 68.9 

5.36 22.6 

10.4 10.8 

17.6 33.8 

31.8 67.2 

2.88 8.02 

3.11 21.0 

3.65 27.1 

2.61 2.61 

13.4 23.8 

15.3 16.6 

.45 8.02 

3.24 43.4 

4.60 57.3 

4.28 29.5 

14.7 53.2 

2.34 11.5 

31.6 185 

3.42 10.9 

13.6 112 

16.6 62.6 

4.67 46.4 

13.7 28.4 

12.0 21.4 

17.2 94.7 

16.2 47.8 

9.78 59.5 

15.5 67.6 

13.6 67.6 

22.2 50.8 

11.9 69.3 

13.8 102 

12.2 20.2 

6.39 13.2 

3.78 6.43 

11.9 70.7 

20.4 50.0 

21.7 62.7 

8.47 17.3 

16.6 33.2 

5.94 6.06 

22.3 53.1

5.40 

13.2 

28.0 

9.46 

8.11 

22.4 

15.4 

1.5 

4.69 

6.26 

4.10 

13.6 

14.9 

1.98 

6.26 

7.26 

10.9 

19.7 

3.56 

38.1 

5.09 

21.7 

3.42 

7.34 

9.15 

5.95 

45.4 

19.3 

13.6 

11.9 

20.1 

14.2 

12.7 

29.0 

8.47 

5.44 

3.29 

19.3 

18.7 

19.0 

5.04 

13.0 

2.25 

17.0

10,600 

41,800 

17,700 

59,100 

89,000 

363,000 

277,000 

10,000 

18,300 

13,900 

3,900 

23,100 

20,500 

32,500 

62,000 

53,600 

130,000 

197,000 

74,800 

404,000 

110,000 

259,000 

177,000 

102,000 

179,000 

145,000 

474,000 

231,000 

255,000 

147,000 

318,000 

235,000 

188,000 

400,000 

130,000 

69,800 

71,800 

233,000 

145,000 

130,000 

75,400 

158,000 

69,200 

183,000

0 

2 

1 

2 

0 

5 

6 

4 

19 

18 

0 

2 

0 

8 

10 

12 

10 

16 

5 

16

"l~2 

1 

38 

11 

6 

11 

21 

18 

12 

26 

6 

16 

18 

7 

9 

8 

16 

17 

12 

5 

27 

5 

16

i 11

4 

13 

0 

22 

41 

30 

76 

73 

0 

12 

0 

66 

89 

85 

81 

61 

53 

67

"75 

10 

55 

51 

35 

60 

68 

80 

59 

69 

67 

79 

80 

34 

16 

28 

83 

59 

69 

23 

71 

13 

79

98 

87 

22 

85 

100 

73 

53 

66 

5 

9 

100 

86 

100 

7 

1 

3 

9 

23 

42 

17

"13 

89 

7 

38 

59 

29 

11 

2 

29 

5 

27 

5 

2 

59 

75 

64 

1 

24 

19 

71 

2 

76 

5

1 

0 

73 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

19 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

""6

0 

0 

0 

0

b

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

1

0 

6 

0

McNary Dam to the Dalles Reservoir

1965 

Sept. 12 262.8 ______ 1

2 

3

4

15 

19 

27 

14

222 

105 

81.0 

150

66.2 

24.6 

50.4 

78.3

2.88 4.18 

2.21 2.79 

2.52 1.98 

3.20 5.58

6.79 

2.66 

3.02 

5.36

22,200 

47,700 

21,700 

30,300

5 

15 

0 

0

32 

75 

1

7

63 

10 

99 

93

0 

0 

0 

0

The Dalles Reservoir

7965 

Sept. 16

Sept. 16 

Sept. 16

Sept. 14 

Sept. 14

205.4 ______ 1

2 

201.0 ______ 1

2 

198.4 1

2 

3 

194.4 ___ 1

2 

3 

193.0 ___ 1

2

33 

17 

15 

27 

75 

52 

28 

27 

100 

31 

84 

28

<2

280 

189 

343 

102 

35.6 

102 

274 

339 

288 

1,470 

180

91.4 

128 

61.2 

68.9 

156 

11.3 

29.8 

200 

168 

117 

346 

142

3.20 7.03 

3.33 16.3 

1.62 8.73 

2.93 10.5 

4.32 20.4 

.32 .36 

.90 3.56 

4.19 22.2 

3.92 19.6 

3.47 13.4 

9.73 69.4 

2.93 12.6

6.43 

10.4 

4.50 

8.92 

8.02 

1.85 

2.48 

7.66 

10.6 

5.85 

25.5 

6.98

88,000 

107,000 

34,100 

16,900 

125,000 

13,700 

54,600 

126,000 

114,000 

110,000 

65,200 

94,900

1 

2 

10 

5 

6

"~6 

6 

9 

15

8

3 

10

78 

44 

38

"67 

19 

77 

35 

62

96

88 

12 

48 

56

"27 

75 

14 

10 

25

0 

0 

0 

3 

0

'"6

0 

0 

40 

5

Bonneville Reservoir

1964 

Oct. 30 

Oct. 31 

Oct. 30

190.0 ___ 1 

186.6 ______ 1 

182.6 ___ 1 

2 

3 

4

32 

86 

23 

55 

57 

30

139 

119 

590 

73.8 

126 

79.7

79.7 

53.6 

194 

25.0 

54.9 

32.7

2.49 7.25 

1.83 4.04 

7.17 21.2 

.60 2.34 

1.87 5.58 

.96 3.13

4.50 

3.09 

11.9 

1.50 

3.04 

1.50

______ 2 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0

7 

1 

40 

0 

1 

1

73 

78 

53 

87 

64 

91

18 

211

13 

35

8

Notes are at end of table.
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH.

TABLE 10. Radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples and gross-gamma 

count rates of in-place sediment of the Columbia River-Continued

O31

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

Date

 3

Num- gber TS9j 

of feS 

sam- "8 

CRM1 pies £ Cr51 Zn65 Co60 Sc46 Mn54

In-place count rate(counts minute) per 

Particle-size 

distribution 

(percent in class)

S

 *

o' 

V

i co s°

So

o

g§ s

0° 0

6 A

Bonneville Reservoir Continued

7965 

Sept. 17 

1964 

Oct. 30

Oct. 31 

Oct. 31

Nov. 2

Nov. 2 

Oct. 29

Nov. 4

Nov. 5 

Nov. 5

182.5 _____

180.4 __ __

178.9 _____

175.0 ______

169.1 ____ _

168.6 ______

168.2 ______

155.4 ______

154.2 ______

151.0 _____

1 48

1 9 

2 60 

3 16 

1 15 

1 12 

2 34 

3 68 

4 74 

1 12 

2 35 

3 33 

1 13 

2 16 

1 11 

2 16 

3 21 

4 58 

1 10 

2 40 

3 16 

1 77 

2 16 

1 32

74.8

146 

53.2 

63.5 

240 

171 

64.8 

72.5 

123 

162 

147 

261 

49.2 

120 

90.9 

134 

54.9 

59.0 

278 

68.8 

643 

91.0 

364 

141

19.6

62.2 

26.4 

14.6 

69.8 

99.1 

35.4 

27.0 

63.1 

127 

59.0 

111 

25.2 

49.6 

40.0 

42.5 

22.1 

26.1 

105 

30.2 

176 

46.4 

124 

67.5

.54

2.58 

.96 

.70 

2.12 

4.49 

1.05 

.92 

3.12 

4.12 

1.77 

6.98 

.66 

1.44 

1.24 

1.11 

.49 

1.11 

5.13 

.99 

8.92 

2.02 

4.86 

2.61

Bonneville Dam to

7964 

Nov. 5 

7965 

Apr. 21

Apr. 21 

Apr. 21

Apr. 22 

Apr. 23 

Apr. 23 

Apr. 20 

Apr. 19

Apr. 19

Apr. 24 

Apr. 24 

Apr. 24 

Apr. 24

Apr. 24

Apr. 26

Apr. 26

Apr. 26 

Apr. 26 

Apr. 26 

Apr. 26 

Apr. 26

Apr. 27

131.8 ______ 

128.9 ___

125.1 ______

120.5 _____

ao.o ______

114.8 ___ __

114.8 ______

110.2 ______

106.6 __ .__

^3.0 ______ 

bQ.2 ______ boo

101.5 _

97.8 ______

91.6 ______

87.5 ______

C18.3 

C19.5 _ ___ 

dO.l __ _ _ 

do 2 

86.5 _ ___

85.8 _ _ _

1 22

1 10 

2 9 

3 14 

4 34 

5 46 

1 28 

2 45 

3 26 

4 14 

5 14 

1 12 

2 25 

3 33 

4 17 

5 19 

6 10 

1 12 

2 12 

1 10 

2 21 

1 25 

2 17 

3 30 

4 16 

1 21 

2 32 

3 31 

4 13 

1 32 

2 30 

3 32 

4 21 

1 56 

1 54 

1 60 

1 77 

2 52 

1 48 

2 58 

3 34 

4 8 

1 6 

2 39 

3 38 

1 15 

2 18 

1 43 

1 29 

1 18 

1 21 

1 48 

2 25 

3 55 

1 7

157

77.7 

77.4 

21.8 

47.8 

9.60 

23.0 

43.1 

9.68 

42.7 

40.2 

1,150 

14.5 

66.4 

105 

5.86 

127 

216 

64.6 

<5 

109 

32.0 

28.8 

42.2 

58.6 

42.8 

32.1 

16.9 

423 

36.4 

234 

34.7 

185 

82.7 

154 

220 

29.9 

18.1 

19.5 

33.8 

27.1 

50.3 

15.6 

33.4 

119 

211 

145 

22.7 

85.3 

59.1 

29.9 

23.4 

35.6 

16.9 

64.6

66.2

65.1 

55.4 

29.2 

42.7 

53.3 

48.4 

72.2 

40.2 

80.8 

111 

69.9 

13.7 

47.6 

129 

52.0 

171 

216 

29.8 

1.06 

128 

17.2 

17.9 

18.9 

67.1 

72.5 

33.4 

42.9 

187 

5.29 

342 

10.0 

153 

13.7 

56.8 

202 

4.33 

25.5 

6.02 

8.42 

19.0 

22.0 

7.44 

18.5 

9.85 

112 

40.0 

3.39 

17.1 

32.0 

4.93 

14.8 

19.9 

14.6 

29.8

3.27

1.49 

.45 

<.5 

.46 

.59 

.59 

.53 

.48 

.66 

1.89 

.81 

<.5 

<.5 

1.37 

.78 

1.78 

2.11 

.51 

<.5 

1.21 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

1.35 

.58 

<.5 

<.5 

1.93 

<.5 

3.39 

<.5 

1.53 

<.5 

.89 

2.04 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

1.60 

1.96 

1.12 

<.5 

1.60 

.68 

<.5 

.49 

<.5 

<.5 

.51

1.17

4.08 

2.21 

1.37 

10.8 

6.43 

2.59 

2.37 

3.41 

7.92 

6.85 

6.58 

1.89 

5.94 

4.21 

5.36 

1.72 

1.88 

7.52 

2.87 

15.7 

3.54 

11.7 

7.12

.90

4.25 

1.44 

1.10 

5.86 

5.41 

2.87 

1.73 

3.84 

4.38 

4.46 

6.12 

1.47 

3.80 

2.79 

3.16 

1.13 

1.33 

7.84 

2.35 

10.1 

4.40 

7.78 

4.91

19,900

______

______

______

0

0 

0 

0 

6 

1 

1 

0 

1 

7 

1 

7 

0 

1 

1 

1 

0 

0

1

0 

3 

2 

9 

3

0

2 

0 

1 

50 

6 

1 

1 

6 

31 

1 

48 

1 

3 

1 

2 

0 

0 

3 

2 

26 

4 

65 

5

73 27

98 0 

97 3 

80 19 

44 0 

93 0 

98 0 

92 7 

92 1 

62 0 

89 9 

45 0 

97 3 

75 21 

96 2 

83 14 

98 2 

99 1 

94 2 

96 2 

71 0 

88 6 

26 0 

90 2

Longview, Wash.

3.57

1.22 

.86 

<.5 

<.5 

.48 

.93 

.48 

.56 

.58 

3.19 

1.11 

<.5 

<.5 

4.91 

.52 

6.94 

9.23 

1.65 

<.5 

4.96 

<.5 

.80 

<.5 

2.63 

1.29 

<.5 

.55 

6.73 

<.5 

10.1 

<.5 

3.49 

1.30 

3.06 

10.6 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

.50 

1.09 

.53 

<.5 

3.68 

5.95 

1.98 

<.5 

.50 

.97 

<.5 

.87 

<.5 

<.5 

1.65

3.63

1.23 

1.21 

.55 

.80 

.79 

1.03 

.91 

.59 

1.19 

3.06 

.84 

<.5 

.67 

3.34 

1.44 

3.80 

5.10 

.99 

<5 

3.13 

.51 

.54 

.51 

2.02 

1.38 

.63 

.55 

3.24 

<.5 

16.2 

<.5 

7.97 

1.20 

1.64 

5.48 

<.5 

.51 

<.5 

<.5 

.64 

.72 

<.5 

.50 

2.66 

3.60 

1.96 

<.5 

1.19 

2.00 

<.5 

.61 

.61 

.48 

.99

22,400 

11,000 

16,100 

18,200 

27,100 

9,700 

26,200 

8,800 

16,600 

38,400 

11,200 

6,800 

15,200 

38,700 

12,400 

32,500 

54,700 

9,800 

1,800 

46,500 

4,500 

10,500 

8,500 

27,800 

23,200 

11,800 

4.400 

38,700 

3,500 

41,900 

4,900 

40,800 

12,400 

27,600 

41,500 

3,800 

13,100 

3,500 

6,700 

10,500 

10,100 

5,900 

7,400 

12,000 

34,900 

11,300 

3,600 

6,600 

14,400 

2,600 

9,800 

8,400 

4,900 

11,200

0

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 

0 

4 

0 

7 

11 

0 

0 

7 

0 

8 

0 

6 

1 

0 

0 

9 

0 

5 

0 

8 

5 

1 

2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

3 

5 

0 

7 

3 

0 

21 

0 

0 

1

5

29 

0 

0 

0 

0 

13 

0 

0 

0 

78 

4 

0 

0 

42 

4 

68 

80 

3 

1 

64 

0 

33 

0 

39 

17 

0 

0 

74 

0 

58 

0 

60 

13 

8 

26 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

11 

22 

24 

0 

14 

11 

0 

43 

0 

0 

10

63 32

68 0 

97 3 

82 18 

98 2 

72 28 

84 1 

76 24 

89 11 

82 18 

12 1 

94 2 

94 6 

79 21 

54 0 

90 6 

25 0 

9 0 

78 '9 

94 5 

29 0 

58 42 

58 1 

34 66 

54 1 

81 1 

72 28 

91 9 

17 0 

97 3 

36 1 

81 19 

23 9 

82 0 

88 3 

68 4 

56 44 

89 11 

25 75 

60 40 

44 56 

84 14 

56 44 

75 25 

86 1 

70 5 

64 7 

99 1 

74 5 

68 18 

51 49 

36 0 

94 6 

96 4 

69 20
O32 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

TABLE 10. Radionuclide concentrations and particle-size distributions of surficial-sediment samples and gross-gamma 

count rates of in-place sediment of the Columbia River-Continued

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram I

Date CRM1

Number 

of 

samples

_L 

"8

Cr51 /n65 Co6"

Bonneville Dam to Longview

1965 

Apr. 27 85.1 

Apr. 27 84.5 

Apr. 27 82.2

Apr. 28 81.1 

Apr. 28 79.6 

Apr. 28 78.0

Apr. 28 75.2

Apr. 28 71.6

Apr. 29 68.8 

Apr. 29 67.9

Apr. 30 67.7 

Apr. 29 65.5

1

______ 1 

1

2 

3 

______ 1 

1

______ 1 

2

_ 1

2 

3 

4 

5 

1

2 

3 

4 

______ 1 

2 

______ 1 

2 

3 

______ 1 

1

2 

3

4

15 

20 

44 

44 

52 

13 

23 

50 

45 

27 

12 

50 

29 

28 

48 

48 

28 

18 

13 

35 

26 

50 

14 

50 

20 

38 

46 

20

143 

83.7 

20.6 

37.1 

15.4 

39.6 

246 

35.6 

150 

35.7 

34.4 

23.4 

248 

790 

17.3 

35.0 

46.4 

31.1 

407 

47.1 

44.6 

31.5 

12.8 

254 

474 

447 

31.1 

84.3

82.0 

55.6 

6.22 

15.5 

12.9 

18.5 

117 

16.0 

109 

21.4 

4.38 

22.4 

130 

374 

8.20 

19.9 

23.2 

25.5 

210 

18.3 

18.5 

13.7 

1.52 

133 

294 

202 

20.4 

44.9

1.9& 

1.01

!50 

3.30

ll38 

.45

[51 

1.56 

4.09 

.45

'.91 

3.01

154

L40 

3.57 

3.21

.'73

Sc4B Mn«

In-place count rateminute (counts Iper 

Particle-size 

distribution 

(percent in class I

E 

E

o 

o

0

V

E 

£

Jf ">

8§

o

l 0 ^

0=" 6 

d ^

, Wash. Continued

4.27 

3.69

'.61 

6.56

5'.27 

.45

!46 

8.48 

30.0

L06 

14.4 

.54 

.56

7^72 

22.6 

2.76

2.91

2.71 

1.84

^53

'.72 

4.48 

.56 

3.41 

.54

'.63 

4.27 

11.7

'.53 

.72 

1.24 

7.09 

.60 

.95

3.20 

8.42 

8.83 

.68 

1.89

19,800 

48,200 

2,700 

7,700 

6,400 

4,500 

32,600 

9,000 

40,300 

11,100 

4,100 

9,100 

30,400 

100,000 

9,300 

12,900 

12,600 

7,500 

67,700 

6,700 

18,000 

8,100 

2,500

49^66 

5,700 

6,600 

18,800

3 

6 

0 

0 

0 

3 

5 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

9 

13 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

0 

0

"""9

0 

0 

0

14 

36 

0 

0 

0 

4 

31 

0 

7 

0 

0 

0 

57 

82 

0 

0 

0 

2 

50 

1 

0 

0 

0

""36 

0 

0

4

83 0 

57 1 

93 7 

93 7 

80 20 

21 72 

53 11 

97 3 

53 39 

91 9 

96 4 

51 49 

32 2 

5 0 

58 42 

96 4 

96 4 

26 72 

43 0 

99 0 

100 0 

52 48 

74 26

""53 ~~~2 

84 16 

69 31 

96 0

aSandy River.

bWillamette River.

cMultnomah Channel of Willamette River.

d Lewis River.

'Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre. 

"Multiply by 0.305 to compute water depth in metres.

TABLE 11. Radionuclide concentrations in selected sections of sediment cores from the Columbia River

Concentration

(picocuries per gram)

 s*.

CRM1 a-; Cr51 Zn65 Co60 Sc46 Mn« Zr9S

Nb95 Ru106

McNary Reservoir

325.8 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

6-7

7-8

315.4 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

315.0 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

6-7

314.4 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

313.9 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

275

231

1,200

1,150

748

1,110

<2

2,060

795

1,230

53.2

<2

139

65.7

488

940

86.1

<2

67~7

80.2

36

14

<2

1,490

1,370

1,160

<2

125

140

48.5

57.3

54.7

36.7

37.8

5.0

45.3

28.7

53.5

71.7

21.0

7.9

43.0

35.5

117

185

6.1

8.6

90.6

97.7

14.9

1.9

2.9

<.2

<.2

37.8

37.0

<.2

2.3

18.4

17.6

12.7

14.8

14.5

10.7

11.8

2.7

1.8

2.7

5.1

6.2

5.0

2.7

1.6

1.5

4.2

5.5

.7

.7

7.3

1.7

.5

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

.8

.7

<.2

<.2

10.0

6.8

< .2

< 3 '.92

<.2

<.2

< 2

3.1

<.2

<.2

.8

.8

< 2

3^5

1.9

13.2

100

.7

<.2

2.1

16.9

1.4

<.2

< .2

<.2

< 2

4.5

3.9

<.2

<.2

8.1

8.9

2.5

2.1

1.0

<.2

<.2

<.2

2.3

2.2

3.2

2.3

<.2

< 2

2.0

1.4

4.7

6.9

.2

.6

2.2

4.9

.6

< '.32

< 2

< 2

1.8

1.9

.3

<.2

8.11

11.1

3.6

5.4

10.1

8.5

7.1

4,1

2.7

3.1

2.5

3.7

5.82

1.7

3.5

2.6

6.0

13.7

2.3

1.3

9.5

6.9

6.3

.3

.3

< '.22

6.6

2.8

< '92

2.2

1.6

10.5

15.6

3.9

16.5

11.5

.5

17.7

10.5

8.6

3.4

1.9

1.0

.5

< 2

2^8

7.5

2.2

.3

4.5

2.4

1.4

< .2

< 2

IA

< 2

10^5

12.5

8.9

1.1

1-1

(9/7/65 to

9-10

11-12

13-14

15-16

17-18

20-22

22-24

7-8

11-12

17-18

26-28

38-39

45-47

7-8

8-9

10-11

12-13

18-20

34-36

8-9

11-12

20-22

22-24

24-26

46-48

5-6

6-7

7-8

8-14

Cr51

9/11/65)

75""

243""

_-!__

<2

<2 x

3 18 

<2

<2

101

"5~6

19

<2

<2

<2

5

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

Concentration

(picocuries

Zn68

6.4

7.2

19.5

12.2

f.4

<:.2

1.2

.9

1.0

.6

.7

<.2

100

19.2

.9

.9

.5

.3

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

.6

.3

.4

28.1

Co60

5.3

5.1

1.3

4.1

3.0

.6

.7

1.3

.3

.5

<.2

< 2

.6

9.8

4.1

.4

.4

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

3e!o

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< '.92

per gram)

Sc46 Mn54 Zr95 Ru106 Nb95

<0.2 <0.2 18.5 3.5

<.2 <.2 8.4 1.6

3.9 <.2 5.1 1.4

<.2 <.2 8.2 3.2

3.3 <.2 12.1 4.3

<c.2 "C.S 1.6 "C.S

<.2 <.2 1.5 2.2

<.2 <.2 6.4 2.7

<.2 <.2 '1.5 <.2

<.2 <.2 1.3 <.2

<.2 <.2 1.2 <.2

<.2 <.2 .8 <.2

__ <.2 2.5 1.9

<.2 2.6 5.4 4.1

<.2 <.2 6.1 4.5

<.2 <.2 1.5 .7

< 2 <.2 .7 .2

<.2 <.2 <.2 <.2

< 2 <.2 <.2 <.2

<.2 <.2 <.2 <.2

<.2 <.2 .2 .2

<c 2 <c 2 2 7

<.2 .3 .4 <.2

<.2 <.2 .3 .8

<.2 <.2 <.2 .4

<c.2 "C.S .6 "C.S

<.2 <.2 .7 .5

< 2 < 2 5 < 2

<!2 .'7 1.3 2.6

Notes are at end of table.
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O33

TABLE 11. Radionuclide concentrations in selected sections of sediment cores from the Columbia River Continued

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

-CM

CRM 1 g-c Q ~

CV /n- Co"" Sc"* MnSJ Zr85 

Nb85

McNary Reservoir

313.9 4-5

312.1 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

6-7

8-9

305.0 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

304.9 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

9-10

13-14

18-20

292.7 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

5-6

8-9

292.7 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

292.6 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

<2

1,130

<2

<2

<2

120

43.7

32,910

110

472

428

200

1,240

564

1,000

<2

6.3

23.0

705

36.9

15.8

<2

<2

<2

417

322

195

164

50.9

773

943

913

922

777

12.3

381

55.6

282

158

242

287

211

40.4

3 11.0

26.6

192

208

11.7

135

70.0

436

6.7

20.4

16.0

1.4

1.9

4.8

302

18.2

9.0

3.5

3.4

2.9

201

225

164

117

2.6

231

295

310

292

281

<2

7/7

1.1

14.7

11.1

18.6

25.8

22.8

12.8 3<.2

.9

3.5

10.1

1.4

3.0

1.7

10.9

< '.62

.4

.2

'.4

14.9

.9

.6

.3

.3

< 2

5.6

7.2

6.8

8.6

.4

12.4

15.3

15.4

15.4

12.7

<.2 .2

88.5 12.3

1.5 2.4

4.5 5.9

<.2 4.5

<.2 4.0

<.2 4.0

<.2 2.6

<.2 .5

3 <.2 3 1.1

2.9 1.0

17.2 4.6

21.4 4.6

<.2 <.2

12.4 3.6

6.8 2.3

47.6 14.7

<.2 .8

__ .5

<.2 .5

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

25.0 6.8

<.2 .5

<.2 .5

<.2 .2

<.2 .2

<.2 .2

15.4 3.5

20.5 4.2

9.7 4.7

4.2 2.8

.3 <.2

17.8 6.7

24.5 8.0

36.4 7.8

32.1 7.7

21.0 7.8

.7

28.2

2.2

17.1

9.9

24.8

12.8

25.4

5.4 3 .7

10.0

6.4

11.7

4.4

4.6

2.9

222

.3

2.4

1.4

1.6

.6

.7

13.8

.9

.5

.2

<.2

< 2

6.3

19.9

6.3

6.6

.4

16.3

13.0

22.8

14.3

13.1

Ru'«« f~ CrM

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

Znss Co«" Sc4S Mn« Zr95 Rul0(i 

Nb85

(9/7/65 to 9/11/65) Continued

.6

14.3 10-11

1.5 11-12 3 145

14.4 13-14 ____

9.3 17-18 37.2

15.1 32-34 3 13.1

10.4 34-36

12.7 38-40

3.0

345.4 5-6 <2

2.1 8-9 8.1

3.1 11-12 <2

5.1 24-26 <2

1.9 48-50 <2

3.4 24-26 ....

10.3 28-30 130

27.3 34-36 ....

10.0 40-42 100

2.4 46-48

1.4 52-54

2.6 58-60

.3 64-66

1.1

8.8 11-12 <2

.8 17-18 ____

<.2 18-20 <2

<.2 20-22 ____

.9 38-41 <2

< 2

4!9 5-6 <2

7.3 8-9 <2

2.0 11-12 <2

2.7 22-24 <2

.4 34-36 <2

7.4 5-6 1,410

3.5 6-7 658

7.3 7-8 338

4.2 8-9 340

10.7 9-15 100

32.0

21.2

12.8

.9

.6

1.1

2.3

.5

.3

<.2

<.2

< 2

101

10.9

14.3

7.0

*c 2

6.0

<.2

2.1

2.9

9.8

3.6

2.3

1.8

.9

.9

1.7

448' < 2

457

379

294

12.2

11.7

8.2

3.2

.3

.4

1.0

1.3

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

15.6

5.4

2.4

2.6

.4

1.5

.4

<.2

.5

.9

.6

<.2

<.2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< 2

14^6

14.1

21.0

25.2

3.6

< .2

<.2

<.2

*c 2

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<~2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< .2

< .2

<.2

<.2

< 2

44.3

35.8

16.4

1.7

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

*c 2

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

2/7

< .2

<.2

<.2

 ^ 2

<.2

< 2

<!2

< 2

12

.3

.4

< .2

<.2

<.2

<.w

< 2

3<!s

16.2

14.2

9.9

6.5

<.2

12.4 5.2

7.8 2.3

10.7 2.9

.9 <.2

1.1 .3

5.3 3.0

6.8 1.0

<.2 .3

<.2 .3

.9 7.3

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2 ie!i 5.5

9.0 1.8

9.6 3.2

5.1 1.2

1.9 1.7

7.1 2.1

1.7 1.8

1.4 1.3

< 2 <.2

A 1.2

1.1 <.2

<.2 1.4

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

21.0 15!l

19.0 12.3

16.0 15.0

15.9 15.9

5.0 1.8

The Dalles Reservoir (9/16/65)

205.4 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

7-8

10-11

14-15

17-18

24-26

194.6 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

6-7

7-8

8-9

87.3

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

42.8

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

191

115

102

130

184

141

150

124

244

229

244

170

146

140

120

105

98.5

97.8

88.4

3.8

2.0

1.5

2.2

3.4

2.2

2.4

2.0

3.8

3.9

2.8

1.8

1.5

1.5

1.4

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.2

15.1 7.0

4.6 4.1

2.6 2.2

5.9 3.3

11.0 5.4

4.1 3.6

4.5 4.2

4.5 3.2

8.2 7.2

9.5 5.9

6.8 6.3

<.2 5.2

1.1 4.5

1.8 5.0

.5 3.2

<.2 3.2

1.1 2.9

3.9 2.6

<-2 2.4

15.4

3.1

2.2

3.2

5.5

4.3

2.7

3.9

9.0

4.1

3.6

1.4

.5

2.4

4.1

1.4

3.2

3.6

.7

6.1 26-28 ....

1.1 32-34 ____

<.2 34-36 ....

2.1 38-39 <2

4.1 47-49 

4.1 51-53 __

2.2 57-59 <2

4.7 65-67 ....

4.5 72-75 ....

1.4

4.0 10-11 . 

<.2 12-13

.4 15-16 ....

3.1 18-20 ....

2.5 24 26

.5 28-30 <2

2.6 34-36

.9 38-44 ....

<.2

255

104

124

210

181

114

37.7

10.6

35.3

79.7

68.8

60.1

49.5

52.6

63.6

60 7

67.1

4.2

1.8

2.1

3.3

3.1

1.9

.6

.3

3.8

1.0

1.2

1.0

1.5

1 J..A9

1.2

1.1

.8

7.8

2.8

3.2

15.5

4.6

3.0

.5

*c 2

!?

.9

1.3

< 2

!9

g

<.2!s 1.1

5.9

2.6

3.1

5.3

5.1

2.6

1.3

.5

1.3

2.2

1.4

1.3

2.1

1.7

2.0

1.6

1.9

7.3 9.4

2.1 2.5

2.7 2.8

2.3 3.2

4.6 2.6

4.4 3.6

1.5 1.5

1.4 1.5

3.7 2.4

1.7 2.1

5.6 2.2

1.9 1.9

1.2 1.6

17.1 1 l.O*}

.9 <.2

1.7 1.2

.8 2.3

Bonneville Reservoir (10/28/64 and 9/17/65)

182.5 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

5-6

180.5 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

169.9 0-10

10-20

168.7 0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

7-8

14-15

16-17

168.7 0-10

10-18

18-26

168.6 0-17

17-27

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

267

12.2

13.5

121

25.2

15.8

40.8

47.7

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

<2

16.4

<14

12.4

48.2

30.8

17.8

15.2

14.5

13.3

14.2

107

10.3

8.1

56.9

6.6

6.6

16.3

42.9

15.7

9.6

11.6

11.0

10.1

10.6

7.7

17.4

5.6

5.9

9.0

6.0

0.4

.3

.3

.3

.4

2.0

1.3

.5

1.1

.4

< 2

2^2

3.5

.3

<.2

<.2

< .'22

<.2

< 2

1.3

.6

.6

<.5

<.5

<0.2 1.1

<.2 .9

<.2 .7

<.2 .8

<.2 .9

14.0 4.4

<.2 .6

<.2 .5

7.9 3.3

<.2 .3

<.2 .3

<1.1 .9

1.7 1.8

.5 .7

<.2 .5

<.2 .4

<.2 .5

<.2 <.2

<.2 .4

1.0 <.2

1.3 1.1

<.7 .5

.6 .5

.9 .8

.7 <.5

0.5

.3

.4

<.2

.4

2.9

.4

.3

3.9

.5

<.2

"if

< 2

.3

<.2

.4

.2

.6

<0.2 8-9 <2

<.2 11-12 <2

.4 13-14 ....

<.2 14-20 ._ 

<.2

3.3 7-8 5.4

<.2 12-13 <2

.4 18-20 12.6

5.9 22-24 4.1

1.0 36-38 25.2

.6

20-30 52.2

<.2 17-19 ....

<.2 22-24 <2

.2 28-29 .

<.2 29-31 ....

.4 35-37 <2

<.2 41-43 ._ 

2.2 46-48 __

__ 26-34 14.1

__ 34-42 11.3

__ 42-48 <9

27-37 35.9

__ 37-42 14.7

12.8

14.7

14.6

11.3

6.0

4.1

4.6

3.9

4.7

4.4

2.5

2.1

25.6

22.0

3.2

2.0

1.6

8.1

2.3

1.1

7.3

12.5

0.4

.3

.5

.4

< '.52

.2

.3

.3

2.0

.2

< 2

.9

.8

.2

.4

.4

.9

.7

< .5

< 5

<.5

<0.2

< 2

!9

<.2

<.2

<.2

!?

< .2

1.1

<.2

<.2

< 2

!2

<.2

<.2

< 2

!9

.8

.6

.5

<.5

0.9

.9

.9

.5

<.2

<.2

< .2

< .2

<.2

.5

< .2

< '.32

< 2

!s

<.2

< 2

!e

.5

< '.55

.6

0.2 <0.2

.4 <.2

1.1 .4

.8 1.1

<.2 <.2

<.2 < 2

.2 !6

.2 .4

.4 1.0

4.1 6.2

1.9 2.7

6.6 9.2

1.9 1.4

<.2 .9

<.2 .7

.4 .9

__

 
O34 TRANSPORT OF RADIONUCLIDES BY STREAMS

TABLE 11. Radionuclide concentrations in selected sections of sediment cores from the Columbia River Continued

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram>

CRM1 IS Cr51 Zn65 Co60 Sc46 Mn54 Nb»5

Ru los

fjj

Cr" **"

Concentration 

(picocuries per gram)

Co6" Sc4B Mns4

Nb"5

Ru""'

Bonneville Dam to Long view, Wash. (5/1/65 to 5/5/65; 9/20/65; 4/26/66 to 4/30/66)

128.9

123.7

120.5

114.9

114.8

4107.0

5107.0

4 107.0

5107.0

106.6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

7-8

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

5-6

8-9

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

7-8

9-10

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

7-8

0-1

1-2

2-3

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

5-6

11-12

17-18

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

6-7

9.0

9.0

12.2

18.5

2.7

14.4

9.5

11.7

14.9

18.5

15.3

14.4

7.2

15.3

8,1

8.1

7.6

7.2

<2

90.9

27.5

44.6

20.3

66.2

46.4

12.6

4.1

9.9

14.4

4.1

3.6

2.7

4.1

5.4

10.8

8.6

2.3

10.4

<2

18.5

14.9

9.0

5.0

5.4

6.8

11.3

14.9

11.7

9.5

4.5

7.6

3.6

8.1

7.6

7.6

334.2

134

90.0

1046~8

 

14.2

12.5

13.0

13.9

15.7

15.0

14.1

13.5

12.9

12.3

12.3

14.5

13.2

25.2

13.6

12.7

12.9

13.1

12.6

102

25.4

22.5

20.4

36.9

59.4

10.6

5.7

5.8

6.3

6.7

6.4

7.5

6.8

.5

<.2

< 2

<.2

< 2

< 2

33.6

13.3

5.0

4.2

4.1

3.5

3.7

11.2

8.3

7.0

7.5

6.4

4.9

3.8

8.1

6.9

6.1

90.6

64.6

69.8

154

78.2

33.4

28.7

0.4

.3

.2

.4

.4

.4

.3

.5

.4

<.2

.5

.4

.2

.5

<.2

.3

.3

.3

.3

2.9

.9

.8

.7

.5

.7

.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

.3

.2

< '.22

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

< 2

l!5

.5

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

.3

.5

.3

.4

< '.22

.3

< '.22

.2

< 2

i!o

.7

.9

1.5

1.1

.8

.9

<0.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

.2

< 2

12

2.4

<.5

<.5

< '.75

1.8

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

<.2

< 2

< 2

<.2

< 2

<.2

< 2

< 2

is

<.2

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

< 2

.2

<.2

< 2

< .2

< .2

<.2

<.2

< .2

< 2

!s

3.5

1.9

2 1

e!i

4.2

1.7

2.7

0.3

.3

.3

.2

< 2

.2

.3

.3

.3

.3

.2

.4

.4

.6

.3

.2

.2

.4

.4

2.0

.6

.7

.6

.9

1.6

.3

.'3

<.2

.2

< 2

<.2

< 2

<.2

< 2

<.2

< .2

< .'s2

.4

<.2

< 2

<.2

<.2

< '.32

<.2

<.2

< .2

< 2

<.2

<.2

< .2

< 2

< 2

L4

1.4

2.1

4.1

2.5

1.0

1.7

0.2

.2

.3

.3

.4

.3

.3

.2

< 2

^2

.4

< .2

< 2

!5

< 2

.2

.3

< 2

<~2~

< 2

< 2

!2

.3

< 2

<.2

< 2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< 2

!g

.3

<-2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< .2

< 2

< .2

<.2

<.2

< .2

< 2

!2

!2

<0.2

.3

< '.62

.2

<.2

<.2

.5

.6

<.2

.3

< '.32

<.2

<.2

.7

.2

.3

.3

__

3

.4

.3

.8

< .2

<.2

< .2

< 2

< '.B2

.3

< '.22

.5

.3

<.2

.3

< '.72

'.9

.6

<.2

<.2

< .2

< .2

< 2

i!o

1.3

7-8

9-10

11-12

14-15

16-18

18-24

9-10

11-12

14-15

17-18

22-24

28-30

30-36

11-12

14-15

17-18

20-21

23-24

26-30

6-7

7-8

8-10

10-12

16-18

11-12

14-15

17-18

20-22

26-28

30-32

32-38

38-44

7-8

9-10

11-12

17-18

28-30

40-42

9-10

11-12

14-15

17-18

20-22

23-25

25-31

11-12

19-20

45-46

23-24

29-30

35-36

41-42

46-47

47-48

17-18

20-21

23-25

27-29

29-31

33-35

35-37

8.1

11.3

9.0

3.6

9.5

<2

16.7

8.1

<2

22.5

15.3

11.3

45.5

10.4

5.0

3.2

7.2

8.6

5.9

40.2

41.9

36.1

<5

<5

2.3

<2

3.6

16.7

<2

17.6

9.0

6.3

4.5

5.0

3.6

12.2

3.2

<2

8.6

9.5

17.6

8.1

<2

7.6

3.2

7.7

<2

4.1

3.2

20.2

10.8

8.1

1.8

2.3

25.6

31.5

<5

35.1

30.6

39.6

<5

14.7

10.5

8.0

10.5

10.0

7.1

13.7

14.8

15.1

16.8

18.4

20.5

10.9

12.1

12.5

12.1

12.6

11.8

13.1

39.4

125

23.8

1.4

.7

6.4

7.4

6.8

6.7

5.9

2.5

<.2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< '.82

< .2

< 2

3^4

3.2

3.7

3.9

3.8

4.6

4.8

5.8

< .2

< 2

6.1

7.5

8.4

8.3

8.3

10.8

8.9

8.5

6 9

7.7

8.1

8.9

11.5

<0.2 <0.2

.3 <.2

<.2 <.2

.2 <.2

.2 <.2

.3 <.2

<.2 .2

.3 <.2

.3 <.2

<.2 <.2

.3 <.2

<.2 <.2

.2 <.2

.4 <.2

.4 <.2

.3 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 .3

<.2 <.2

.9 1.4

2.8 3.9

1.5 <.5

<,5 ^.5

<,5 ^.5

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

.3 <.2

.3 .3

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

.3 <.2

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

< 2 <.2

.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

.4 <.2

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 .5

<.2 .5

< 2 < 2

<.2 '.5

.5 <.5

.6 <.5

<.5 .5

.5 <.5

< 5 < 5

.6 <.5

.7 <.5

0.3

<.2

.2

.3

< '.22

.3

.4

.3

.3

.5

.5

< 2

<.2

.3

.3

.3

<.2

.4

1.5

2.1

1.2

<.5

<.5

<.2

.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< .2

< 2

< 2

< .2

<.2

< 2

< 2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< 2

< .2

<.2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< .2

<.2

< .2

< '.32

<.2

!2

< 2

.5

<.5

< 5

<!s

.5

<.5

0.3

.2

<.2

< 2

!4

<.2

<.2

.3

.3

.3

<.2

<.2

A

.3

.2

< 2

A

.5

<.2

.2

<.2

< 2

]4

.4

< .2

< 2

<.2

<-2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< .2

< .2

<.2

<.2

< 2

<.2

< .2

< .2

^4

< 2

<.2

< .2

< .2

< '.22

< 2

!2

__..

<0.2

.4

.5

<.2

.3

<.2

.3

.3

<.2

< 2

1.0

.6

1.1

<.2

<.2

.6

.5

.3

<.2

__--

<.2

< 2

.6

<.2

.6

< 2

.5

<.2

.3

.4

.3

.4

< .2

< 2

<.2

<.2

< .'52

< .2

< 2

< 2

!5

<.2

<.2

.5

.5

<.2

1.4

1.0

1.4

-__-

____
RADIONUCLIDES IN COLUMBIA RIVER, HANFORD TO LONGVIEW, WASH. O35

TABLE 11. Radionuclide concentrations in selected sections of sediment cores from the Columbia River Continued

Concentration

(picocuries per gram)

CRM1 1& Cr51 Zn65 Co60 Sc46 Mn54 Zr95 Ruio6 Nb95

H~

Q'~

Bonneville Dam to Longview, Wash. (5/1/65 to 5/5/65; 9/20/65

106.6

101.5

6 1.8

84.6

83.6

75.2

71.6

69.1

67.6

66.7

7-8

8-9

9-10

11-12

13-14

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-5

5-6

6-7

7-8

0-1

1-2

2-3

4-5

6-7

8-9

0-1

1-2

2-3

3-4

36.0

36.9

13.5

38.2

50.0

7.2

5.4

6.7

<2

<2

2.7

4.1

<2

8.1

<2

194

128

182

130

<5

11.3

24.8

15.8

13.1

11.7

11.7

12.6

11.3

<2

4.1

<2

4.1

62.2

16.7

32.4

12.6

145

32.4

65.7

15.8

144

68.5

96.8

10.8

204

57.7

84.7

20.3

7.7

<5

9.9

8.6

2.7

13.1

81.0

64.1

185

50.6

16.1

26.9

29.0

17.6

<.2

<.2

1.4

1.1

1.4

1.5

1.1

1.4

123

116

96.0

78.8

32.2

2.5

18.4

11.4

11.2

11.8

11.6

11.4

1.7

1.1

.7

.9

.9

34.0

10.8

6.9

6.9

110

75.8

,2.9

24.0

45.9

47.2

24.2

9.5

105

48.7

60.8

19.2

8.2

5.8

6.3

3.9

4.6

4.7

1.4

1.6

3.9

1.8

.7

.6

.6

.5

<.2

< .2

<.2

.3

.2

< 2

.2

< 2

2^0

2.4

2.0

1.5

1.2

.7

.3

.2

< .2

<.2

.4

< .2

<.2

<.2

< .2

< '.32

1.4

<.5

<.5

< 5

3.7

5.4

4.3

5.0

11.5

6.3

7.8

4.1

1.6

.9

1.1

.7

.5

.5

.3

.2

.3

.4

4.0

3.5

6.8

2.1

.5

1.3

.6

< .2

<.2

< .2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

m

9.2

5.8

5.1

3.3

< 5

^3

< .2

< .2

< .2

< .2

< 2

<2

< .2

<.2

< .2

< 2

.9

< .5

<.5

< 5

5.7

1.7

.5

< 5

 C5

1.7

< .5

< 5

6.2

2.9

3.2

.9

.5

<.5

< '.52

<.2

<.2

3.2

3.4

4.6

1.4

.7

.8

.5

.8

<.2

< .2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

< 2

L8

1.5

2.1

2.2

1.2

<.5

.7

.5

.7

.5

.4

.5

< .2

<.2

< .2

< 2

!?

.5

< 5

<5

2.4

1.2

1.3

< 5

1.8

.9

1.2

.7

1.7

2.2

.8

.5

.5

.4

< 2

<.2

.3

.3 "C.2

.7 1.6

.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<C 2 3

.3 <C.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 .3

.2 .4

<.2 1.0

<2 "<".2

^2 < 2

 C2 14

<.2 .5

<.2 .8

<C 2 2

<.2 .8

< 2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<~2~ Tl

.2 <.2

<.2 < 2

<2 ^3

37-39

41 43

43-46

46-52

5-6

8-9

18-20

37-38

8-9

14-15

28-30

42-44

50-53

7-8

9-10

11-12

14-16

22-28

6-7

14-15

20-22

26-32

32-36

5-6

9-10

14-15

17-23

23-25

5-6

9-11

13-15

9-10

11-12

23-24

34-36

46-48

58-60

67-74

10-11

24-25

36-38

48-50

56-58

4-5

5-6

6-12

12-18

Cr51

Concentration

(picocuries per gram)

Zn65 Co60 Sc46 Mn54 Zr95 Ru106

Nb95

; 4/26/66 to 4/30/66) Continued

37.8

41 9

68^9

8.1

<2

<2

4.1

3.2

6.8

<2

2.3

7.2

<2

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

19.8

12.6

15.3

9.9

21.2

4.1

12.6

<2

5.0

9.0

7.2

9.5

7.7

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

20.7

<5

6.3

<5

<5

2.7

9.0

3.6

4.1

18.5 .9 <.5 .7

97 £l 1 .O ft 14 J..4<^ ^~.W f\ 19i,£t

111 5.1 1.4 4.1

38.7 2.9 <.5 .6

<_2 <.2 <.2 <.2

<.2 <.2 <.2 <.2

< 2 <.2 <.2 <.2

< 2 <.2 <.2 <.2

1.3 <.2 <.2 <.2

1.2 <.2 <.2 <.2

15 <C 2 *C 2 <C 2

1.4 .2 <.2 <.2

11 ^9 <^9 ^9 J..J. *^.£i ^~.^ ^.^

1.0 <.5 <.5 <.5

<.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

<c.5 "-C.5 "C.5 <c.5

<.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

<.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

10.6 .3 .4 .4

11.4 <.2 <.2 .5

10.7 <.2 <.2 .4

11.8 <.2 <.2 .5

12.2 <.2 <.2 .5

.6 <.2 .5 <.2

.6 <.2 <.2 <.2

5 <C 2 2 <C 2

3.0 .3 <.2 <!2

27 2 < 2 < 2

6.4 <.5 <-5 <.5

6.3 <.5 <.5 <.5

5.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

<.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

.7 <.5 <.5 <.5

.6 <.5 <.5 <.5

.6 <.5 <.5 <.5

<.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

103 3.3 4.5 4.4

11.0 .8 <.5 .7

10.2 2.5 .5 .5

1.1 <.5 <.5 <.5

1.8 .9 <.5 <.5

4.6 .2 <.2 <.2

4.8 .3 <.2 .3

4.0 <.2 <.2 <.2

3.8 "C.2 "C.2 "C.2

<0.2 <0.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 .4

<.2 <.2

<.2 .7

.3 .3

< 2 < 2

.4 .5

<.2 <.2

<.2 .5

<.2 1.4

< 2 <.2

<.2 .5

<.2 <.2

< 2 <.2

< 2 <.2

<.2 .4

< 2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 <.2

<.2 .5

'Multiply by 1.61 to compute river kilometre.

2Multiply by 2.54 to compute depth interval in cm.

Concentrations designated as questionable by laboratory.

4Trough of sand dune.

"Upstream of crest of sand dune.

"Distance up Multnomah Channel of the Willamette River.

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1975-0-689-908/46