Water and Sediment Quality in the Yukon River 

and its Tributaries Between Atlin, British 

Columbia, Canada, and Eagle, Alaska, USA, 2004 

Edited by Douglas R. Halm and Mark M. Dornblaser

Open-File Report 2007-1197 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 
U.S. Department of the Interior 

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Mark D. Myers, Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 2007 

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Suggested citation: 

Halm, D.R., and Dornblaser, M.M., 2007, Water and sediment quality in the Yukon 

River and its tributaries between Atlin, British Columbia, Canada, and Eagle, Alaska, 

USA, 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1197, 120 p. 

ii
Contents 

Abstract................................................................................................................................................ 1 

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 2 

Intensive Sampling ...................................................................................................................... 3 

Purpose and Scope..................................................................................................................... 6 

Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................... 6 

Historical Background of Canadian Water Quantity and Quality Programs in the Yukon 

River Basin........................................................................................................................................... 7 

A Brief History of Hydrometric Monitoring Stations in the Yukon River Basin ................ 7 

A Brief History of Environment Canada’s Water-Quality Monitoring Program in the 

Yukon River Basin........................................................................................................................ 8 

Site Descriptions and Hydrology ................................................................................................... 10 

Nares River ................................................................................................................................. 11 

Atlin River.................................................................................................................................... 13 

Yukon River above Takhini River............................................................................................. 15 

Takhini River ............................................................................................................................... 17 

Teslin River ................................................................................................................................. 19 

Big Salmon River........................................................................................................................ 21 

Little Salmon River..................................................................................................................... 23 

Yukon River at Carmacks, Yukon Territory............................................................................ 24 

Nordenskiold River .................................................................................................................... 25 

Pelly River ................................................................................................................................... 27 

Yukon River above White River............................................................................................... 29 

White River ................................................................................................................................. 30 

Stewart River.............................................................................................................................. 32 

Sixtymile River............................................................................................................................ 34 

Klondike River............................................................................................................................. 36 

Fortymile River............................................................................................................................ 38 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, USA......................................................................................... 40 

Methods ............................................................................................................................................. 42 

Sample Collection and Processing ........................................................................................ 42 

Laboratory Analyses ................................................................................................................. 42 

Water and Sediment Quality and Water Discharge................................................................... 44 

Water Discharge and Field Water Quality ............................................................................ 44 

Suspended Sediment................................................................................................................ 47 

Particulate Carbon and Particulate Nitrogen....................................................................... 50 

Suspended Sediment Chemistry............................................................................................. 53 

Tritium.......................................................................................................................................... 55 

Major Cations and Dissolved Trace Elements ..................................................................... 58 

Anions.......................................................................................................................................... 71 

Deuterium and Oxygen Isotopes............................................................................................. 74 

Chlorophyll a............................................................................................................................... 77 

iii
Dissolved Organic Carbon and Fractionation....................................................................... 80 

Dissolved Carbon Gases and Carbon Isotopes.................................................................... 83 

Mercury....................................................................................................................................... 86 

Uranium ....................................................................................................................................... 89 

Nutrients...................................................................................................................................... 92 

Carbon Isotope Composition of Dissolved Organic and Inorganic Carbon .................... 95 

Sediment Mineralogy................................................................................................................ 97 

Quality Assurance and Quality Control ........................................................................................ 99

References Cited ............................................................................................................................ 117 

Figures 

1. Location of the Yukon River Basin in Canada and Alaska, USA ......................................... 2 

2. Study watersheds and sampling sites..................................................................................... 4 

3. Nares River ................................................................................................................................. 11 

4. Bennett Lake water level and sampling dates ..................................................................... 12 

5. Atlin River.................................................................................................................................... 13 

6. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Atlin River ........................................................................ 14 

7. Yukon River above Takhini River............................................................................................. 15 

8. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River at Whitehorse, Yukon Territory............. 16 

9. Takhini River ............................................................................................................................... 17 

10. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Takhini River ................................................................... 18 

11. Teslin River ................................................................................................................................. 19 

12. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Teslin River...................................................................... 20 

13. Big Salmon River........................................................................................................................ 21 

14. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Big Salmon River............................................................ 22 

15. Little Salmon River..................................................................................................................... 23 

16. Yukon River at Carmacks, Yukon Territory............................................................................ 24 

17. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River at Carmacks, Yukon Territory................ 25 

18. Nordenskiold River .................................................................................................................... 25 

19. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Nordenskiold River ........................................................ 26 

20. Pelly River ................................................................................................................................... 27 

21. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Pelly River........................................................................ 28 

22. Yukon River above White River............................................................................................... 29 

23. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River above White River................................... 30 

24. White River ................................................................................................................................. 30 

25. Stewart River.............................................................................................................................. 32 

26. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Stewart River .................................................................. 33 

27. Sixtymile River............................................................................................................................ 34 

28. Hydrograph and sampling sates, Sixtymile River ................................................................ 35 

29. Klondike River............................................................................................................................. 36 

30. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Klondike River................................................................. 37 

31. Fortymile River............................................................................................................................ 38 

iv
32. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Fortymile River................................................................ 39 

33. Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, USA......................................................................................... 40 

34. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, USA ............................. 41 

 

Tables

1. Summary of site characteristics with station numbers........................................................ 5 

2. Water discharge and field water quality of water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, June 2004................................................................................................................ 45 

3. Water discharge and field water quality of water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, August/September 2004....................................................................................... 46 

4. Suspended sediment in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

2004............................................................................................................................................... 48 

5. Suspended sediment in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004 ........................................................................................................... 49 

6. Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen in water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries, June 2004........................................................................................................ 51 

7. Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen in water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries, August/September 2004............................................................................... 52 

8. Suspended sediment chemistry of water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, 2004.......................................................................................................................... 54 

9. Tritium in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004.................... 56 

10. Tritium in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 

2004............................................................................................................................................... 57 

11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries, June 2004........................................................................................................ 59 

12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, August/September 2004...................................................................... 65 

13. Anions and laboratory alkalinity in water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, June 2004................................................................................................................ 72 

14. Anions and laboratory alkalinity in water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, August/September 2004....................................................................................... 73 

15. Deuterium (δ

2

H) and oxygen isotopes (δ

18O) in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, June 2004.............................................................................................. 75 

16. Deuterium (δ

2

H) and oxygen isotopes (δ

18O) in water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries, August /September 2004.............................................................................. 76 

17. Chlorophyll a in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004 ........ 78 

18. Chlorophyll a in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004 ........................................................................................................... 79 

19. Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation of water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries, June 2004........................................................................................................ 81 

20. Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation of water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries, August/September 2004............................................................................... 82 

v
21. Dissolved carbon gases and carbon isotopes in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, June 2004.............................................................................................. 84 

22. Dissolved carbon gases and carbon isotopes in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, August/September 2004..................................................................... 85 

23. Mercury in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004................. 87 

24. Mercury in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004 ........................................................................................................... 88 

25. Uranium and 234Uranium/238Uranium activity ratios of water samples from the 

Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004 ................................................................................. 90 

26. Uranium and 234Uranium/238Uranium activity ratios of water samples from the 

Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 2004 ........................................................ 91 

27. Nutrients in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004 ............... 93 

28. Nutrients in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 

2004............................................................................................................................................... 94 

29. Carbon isotope composition of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon in water 

samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 2004 ........................ 96 

30. Sediment mineralogy of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

2004............................................................................................................................................... 98 

31. Relative percent difference for replicate samples............................................................ 101 

32. Statistics for relative percent difference in replicate samples....................................... 110 

33. Concentrations in process blank samples.......................................................................... 111

vi
Conversion Factors 

Multiply By To Obtain

Length

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile

meter (m) 3.281 foot

centimeter (cm) 0.394 inch

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch

micrometer (μm) 0.00003937 inch

nanometer (nm) 0.00000003937 inch

Area

square kilometer (km2

) 0.3861 square mile

square meter (m2

) 10.76 square foot

Volume

liter (L) 0.2642 gallon

milliliter (ml) 0.03382 ounce, fluid

microliter (μl) 0.00003382 ounce, fluid

Mass

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois

milligram (mg) 0.00003527 ounce, avoirdupois

microgram (μg) 0.00000003527 ounce, avoirdupois

Flow

cubic meters per second (m3

/sec) 35.31 cubic foot per second (ft3/sec)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: 

°F= (1.8×°C) +32 

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows: 

°C= (°F-32)/1.8 

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the “North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88)” 

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the “North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)” 

Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum. 

Abbreviations 

The following terms are also used in this report: 

ADCP Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler 

AES Artic Environmental Strategy 

CaCO3 Calcium Carbonate 

CH4 Methane 

vii
viii

CO2 Carbon Dioxide 

DIAND Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development 

DIC Dissolved Inorganic Carbon 

DOC Dissolved Organic Carbon 

E Estimate 

EC Environment Canada 

EDI Equal Discharge Increment 

Hg Mercury 

L Liter 

m3/s cubic meters per second 

MDL Method Detection Limit 

mg/L milligrams per liter 

mm millimeter 

NAD North American Datum 

NASQAN National Stream Quality Accounting Network 

nm nanometer 

ppm parts per million by volume 

QA Quality Assurance 

QC Quality Control 

RPD Relative Percent Difference 

SUVA Specific Ultraviolet Absorbance 

TU Tritium Units 

μg/L micrograms per Liter 

μmol/L micromoles per Liter 

μS/cm micro Siemens per centimeter 

USGS U.S. Geological Survey 

WSC Water Survey Canada 

YT Yukon Territory 
Water and Sediment Quality in the Yukon River 

and its Tributaries, Between Atlin, British 

Columbia, Canada and Eagle, Alaska, USA, 2004 

Edited by Douglas R. Halm and Mark M. Dornblaser 

Abstract 

 The Yukon River basin is the fourth largest watershed in North America at 855,300 

square kilometers (km2

). Approximately 126,000 people live within the basin and depend 

on the Yukon River and its tributaries for drinking water, commerce, subsistence and 

recreational fish and game resources. 

 Climate warming in the Arctic and Sub arctic regions encompassing the Yukon 

basin has recently become a concern because of possible far-reaching effects on the 

ecosystem. Large amounts of carbon and nutrients are stored in permafrost and have 

potential for release in response to this warming. These changes in carbon and nutrient 

cycling may result in changes in stream chemistry and productivity, including salmon 

populations, and ultimately changes in the chemistry and productivity of the Bearing Sea. 

 To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a 5-year 

comprehensive water-quality study of the Yukon River and its major tributaries starting 

in 2000. The study included frequent water-quality sampling at a fixed site network as 

well as intensive sampling along the Yukon River and its major tributaries. 

 This report contains observations of water and sediment quantity and quality of the 

Yukon River and its tributaries in Canada during 2004. Chemical, biological, physical, 

and discharge data are presented for the reach of river between Atlin, British Columbia, 

Canada, and Eagle, Alaska, USA. 

1
Introduction 

 The Yukon River basin covers 855,300 km2 inBritish Columbia and Yukon Territory, 

Canada, and Alaska, USA (fig. 1). The basin includes 20 ecoregions and is of prime 

importance to the ecology of the Bering Sea, contributing most of its fresh-water runoff, 

sediment load, and dissolved solutes (Lisitsysn, 1969). 

 Figure 1. Location of the Yukon River Basin in Canada and Alaska, USA. 

 The Yukon basin is located approximately between 60 and 68 degrees north. Much of 

the Yukon River basin is underlain by continuous or discontinuous permafrost. Air 

temperature records from 1961 to 1990 show a warming trend of about 0.75 °C (degrees 

Celsius) per decade at these latitudes (Chapman and Walsh, 1993). This warming is 

expected to affect permafrost depth and distribution, glacial runoff, and biogeochemical 

fluxes within and from the basin. Because the effect of this warming is unclear, the 

USGS National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) began a 5-year study of 

the basin in 2000. The main objective of this study was to develop a baseline 

characterization of water quality in the Yukon basin that will serve as a benchmark for 

future studies of the river and its tributaries. 

2
3

Intensive Sampling 

 In 2001, a plan was developed to sample along the entire length of the Yukon River, 

including its major tributaries. The river was divided into three study sections. The 

middle section of the river was sampled in 2002, the lower river section was sampled in 

2003 (see, Dornblaser and Halm, 2006), and the upper section of the river within British 

Colombia and the Yukon Territory, Canada, was sampled in 2004. The 5-year study 

sections were undertaken by the USGS Central Region National Research Program with 

the aid of the USGS Field Headquarters in Fairbanks, Alaska. The 2004 study section of 

the upper Yukon River was accomplished with the collaboration of the Water Survey 

Canada (WSC) in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and Environment Canada (EC) out of 

Vancouver, British Colombia. 

 The 1,800-km Canadian reach of the Yukon River was sampled twice in 2004: once 

in June near peak flow conditions and again from late August to early September during a 

lower flow regime. Figure 2 shows the study watersheds and sampling sites along the 

main stem and tributaries. Table 1 references the locations of the sampling sites on figure 

2 and provides location, drainage area, and elevation. Three boats were outfitted to 

conduct discharge with acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and water-quality 

sampling by the equal discharge interval (EDI) method (U.S. Geological Survey 1997-

1999). 

 Samples were collected at four main-stem locations, all major tributaries, and below 

the mixing zone of the major tributaries for a small number of water-quality 

characteristics. A mobile lab followed the sampling crews down river so that samples 

could be processed in a timely manner. Sampling was conducted for a broad range of 

characteristic, including sediment concentration and mineralogy, major ions, nutrients, 

dissolved and sediment associated trace elements, mercury, biological indicators, various 

forms of organic carbon, dissolved carbon gases, and stable isotopes. In conjunction with 

the intensive sampling, NASQAN sampled five Yukon River basin fixed stations within 

Alaska approximately seven times a year from 2001 through 2004 (Schuster, 2003, 

2005a, 2005b, 2006).
Figure 2. Study watersheds and sampling sites. 

4
5

Table 1. Summary of site characteristics with station numbers. [NAD 83, North American Datum of 1983; km2, square kilometers; m, meters; NA, not applicable; --, not available] 

Identification 

number on 

figure 2 Site name

U.S. Geological Survey 

station sumber

Water survey 

Canada station 

number

Latitude 

(NAD 83)

Longitude (NAD 

83)

D

61 Nares River 600954134422900 09AA004 60o 09' 50.7" 134o 42' 26.0" 60 Atlin River 15304600 09AA007 59o 36' 01.6" 133o 48' 53.4" 62 Yukon River above Takhini River 605008135104100 09AB001 60o 50' 18.9" 135o 10' 55.3" 63 Takhini River 15305050 09AC001 60o 50' 26.0" 135o 11' 42.1" 65 Teslin River 613417134540000 09AF001 61o 34' 11.4" 134o 53' 60.0" 67 Big Salmon River 15305300 09AG001 61o 52' 57.8" 134o 54' 23.7" 69 Little Salmon River 620322135395300 NA 62o 03' 25.4" 135o 39' 55.9" 71 Yukon River at Carmacks 15305350 09AH001 62o 06' 40.9" 136o 16' 01.0" 72 Nordenskiold River 15305352 09AH004 62o 06' 12.6" 136o 18' 17.2" 73 Pelly River 15305420 09BC001 62o 49' 42.7" 136o 34' 11.3" 75 Yukon River above White River 15305450 09CD001 63o 08' 21.5" 139o 32' 20.6" 76 White River 631020139395400 NA 63o 10' 19.9" 139o 39' 56.1" 78 Stewart River 15305650 09DD033 63o 18' 13.4" 139o 19' 53.5" 80 Sixtymile River 633327139463400 09EB004 63o 33' 51.5" 139o 45' 48.1" 82 Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 15305698 09EA003 64o 02' 42.0" 139o 24' 08.5" 83 Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 640305139260900 NA 64o 03' 14.7" 139o 26' 27.4" 85 Fortymile River 15355000 09EC002 64o 25' 32.6" 140o 32' 31.1" 87 Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 15356000 09ED001 64° 47' 22.3" 141° 11' 52.2" 

Main stem grab sites

64 Yukon River below Takhini River NA NA 60o 51' 24.0" 135o 11' 10.5" 66 Yukon River below Teslin River NA NA 61o 38' 32.4" 134o 50' 25.5" 68 Yukon River below Big Salmon River NA NA 61o 54' 53.9" 134o 55' 57.6" 70 Yukon River below Little Salmon River NA NA 62o 01' 29.0" 135o 50' 50.3" 74 Yukon River below Pelly River NA NA 62o 49' 43.1" 138o 30' 44.9" 77 Yukon River below White River NA NA 63o 17' 10.4" 139o 26' 07.2" 79 Yukon River below Stewart River NA NA 63o 25' 45.3" 139o 37' 28.6" 81 Yukon River below Sixtymile River NA NA 63o 39' 36.6" 139o 45' 01.7" 84 Yukon River below Klondike River NA NA 64o 06' 53.7" 139o 28' 02.8" 86 Yukon River below Fortymile River NA NA 64o 31' 26.7" 140o 29' 04.8" 
Purpose and Scope 

 This report summarizes water and sediment quality of the Yukon River and its 

tributaries in British Columbia and Yukon Territory, Canada, and Eagle, Alaska, USA. 

Environmental and flow characteristics also are described. The purpose of this summary 

is (1) to provide current information on the water quantity and water quality 

characteristics of the Yukon River and its major tributaries and (2) to provide baseline 

information needed for future studies in the Yukon River basin. 

Acknowledgments 

 The USGS National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) and the 

Central Region National Research Program would like to thank the USGS Alaska 

Science Center in Anchorage and the USGS Water Resource Office in Fairbanks Alaska. 

This work would not have been possible without their field expertise and continuous 

logistical support. Additional thanks go to Ank Webbers and Amy Dawson of the USGS, 

Boulder, Colorado for their geographic-information-systems contributions. 

Thank you to Beverly McNaughton and Andrea Ryan of Environment Canada (EC), 

Vancouver, British Colombia, for their work in coordinating USGS and EC efforts, Bob 

Truelson of the Yukon Department of Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and 

Blair Thorson, Scott Palfreyman, Wade Hanna, Patrick Maltais, and Brian Forsyth of 

Water Survey Canada (WSC), Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, for the use of their facilities 

and their field assistance. 

6
Historical Background of Canadian Water Quantity and Quality 

Programs in the Yukon River Basin 

A Brief History of Hydrometric Monitoring Stations in the Yukon River Basin 

By Blair Thorson and Lynne Campo 

Water Survey Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. 

There have been 83 hydrometric monitoring stations operated within the Yukon 

River basin. The oldest hydrometric station is the Yukon River at Whitehorse, which has 

records going back to 1902. This site was operated for navigational purposes of the 

steamship traffic between Whitehorse and the Klondike gold fields. The Yukon and 

White Pass railway maintained these records from 1902 to 1940. In 1944, hydrometric 

stations were established on Teslin Lake at Teslin and the Teslin River near Teslin during 

the construction of the Alaskan highway and were maintained by the U.S. Public Roads 

Administration. 

Between 1945 and 1950 hydrometric stations were established on the Yukon 

River at Dawson, the Mayo River near Mayo, the Takhini River near Whitehorse, the 

Stewart River at Mayo, and Bennet Lake near Carcross. In 1950, a road to Atlin Lake 

was completed and four southern lake hydrometric stations were established. 

The 1950s saw the use of fixed wing aircraft for the construction and operation of 

hydrometric stations. Fixed wing aircraft enabled 25 stations to be added between 1951 

and 1956. In the 1960s eight more hydrometric stations were added as the network 

expanded north. This expansion included two stations on the Porcupine River and two 

new stations on the Stewart River. The 1970s brought 13 more stations to the network 

and by 1995 there were 80 stations operating in the Yukon River Basin. Funding for 

WSC was cut in 1995 and of the 80 stations in operation in 1995, only 37 remained after 

this funding reduction. 

Records for all hydrometric monitoring stations were originally processed and 

maintained at the regional level in Vancouver, British Columbia. Records presently are 

processed and maintained at the local level in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Today, 

7
hydrometric information for any station in Canada can be accessed on the web at 

www.wsc.ec.gc.ca. 

A Brief History of Environment Canada’s Water-Quality Monitoring Program in the 

Yukon River Basin 

By Andrea Ryan, Environment Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 

 In the 1970s, an intergovernmental study was commissioned by the governments of 

Canada, the Yukon Territory, and British Columbia, in response to a surge of resourcedevelopment proposals in the Yukon. It was determined that there was insufficient 

information to assess the impacts of these potential developments on the resource base in 

the Territory. One key component–information on baseline water quality–was missing 

altogether. Little water-quality work had been carried out in the Yukon Territory 

between 1970 and 1980. Water-quality data during this early period were collected 

infrequently on a site-specific basis for assessment of environmental impacts and 

effectiveness of pollution control methods. The Yukon River Basin Study (1980-1984) 

focused on a number of areas, including water quality and hydrology. The study included 

the initiation of 21 monitoring stations that were operated for one year to provide a basinwide assessment of water quality. Six key stations (three on the Yukon River, and one 

each on the Liard, Teslin, and Wheaton Rivers) continued after the Yukon River Basin 

Study was completed. This network formed the basis for a longer-term federal waterquality monitoring network in the Yukon, which was operated by Environment Canada in 

partnership with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND). 

 The ongoing stations in the territory were sampled routinely (monthly, every 2 weeks, 

or weekly) for a range of water-quality variables, and continued into the 1990s. In 1991, 

the Canadian federal government launched a 6-year program known as the Arctic 

Environmental Strategy (AES) to promote sustainable development in Canada’s north. A 

key component of the strategy was water, which allowed for expansion of the existing 

monitoring network, in addition to other water-quality programs. Another component of 

AES, the Northern Contaminants Program, targeted concerns about human exposure to 

8
elevated levels of contaminants in fish and wildlife. At the height of AES, a total of 38 

routine water-quality monitoring stations were being jointly operated in the Yukon by 

Environment Canada and DIAND. Funding for the AES program ended in 1997 and this, 

coupled with the DIAND’s desire to focus more on issue-related monitoring, led to the 

reduction of the federal network in the Yukon to four stations. 

 These four stations continued for the next decade, at which time a new Environment 

Canada initiative, the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators initiative, was 

launched. Funding is being provided under this program to expand the water-quality 

monitoring network in Canada, particularly in areas that are underrepresented, like the 

Yukon Territory. Four new stations were added to the federal network in the Yukon in 

2006. The addition of three more stations is anticipated in 2007, eventually bringing the 

total to11 stations. All of these new stations will be operated in partnership with the 

Yukon Territorial Government (Yukon Environment). Environment Canada and Yukon 

Environment are negotiating a joint Federal/Yukon Territory Water Quality Monitoring 

Agreement that would encompass all of these stations, provide some support for their 

continued operation into the future, and serve as a framework for potential growth of the 

Yukon monitoring network. 

 All of the current stations are sampled on a routine basis (in most cases monthly or 

every 2 weeks) for a range of water-quality variables, including trace metals, nutrients, 

major ions, and bacteriology. These data are used for a range of purposes, including 

reporting on status and trends in water quality, detecting emerging issues, formulating 

water-quality guidelines and objectives, and environmental impact assessments. Waterquality sampling also has been conducted on a more infrequent basis at these stations for 

mercury and trace organic compounds. All of the information on current and historic 

stations can be accessed at Environment Canada’s Water Quality Website, at 

www.waterquality.ec.gc.ca. The data collected can be accessed and downloaded in 

several different formats, or viewed graphically on-line. 

9
Site Descriptions and Hydrology 

 Sites for intensive sampling were initially determined by drainage-basin size. 

Other determining factors included heavily mined areas such as the Klondike River and 

the Fortymile River, possible large sources of dissolved and particulate carbon, glacial 

terrain drainage, subsistence use, and logistics. 

 All of the main-stem sites and 11 of the 13 sampled tributaries have or have had 

gaging stations. Many of the basins have or had mining for major metal commodities, 

with some coal, oil, and gas extraction. For an environmental and hydrologic overview of 

the Yukon basin, see Brabets and others (2000). Hydrologic information and site 

descriptions were compiled from U.S. Geological Survey (2006c), (stream discharge), 

Natural Resources Canada (2006), (permafrost, ecozones, soils, rock ages and categories, 

and surface materials), Yukon Environment (2005), (snow pack), Environment Canada 

(2006), (water quality), Water Survey Canada (2006), (stream discharge), and Oregon 

Climate Service (2006) (precipitation). 

10
Nares River 

Figure 3. Nares River. 

 The Nares River (fig. 3) connects Bennet Lake to Tagish Lake at Carcross, Yukon 

Territory. The two largest tributaries to Bennet Lake are the Watson and Wheaton rivers, 

both draining the Boundary Range. The Nares River basin is mostly snowmelt fed with 

some glacial input. Water Survey Canada has a lake elevation gage on Bennet Lake (fig 

4), but does not have a stream gage on the Nares River. Environment Canada had a 

water-quality monitoring station on the Watson River from March 1993 to September 

1996 and on the Wheaton River from May 1989 to September 1996. Discharge at the 

time of sampling was 96 m3

/s in June and 71 m3/s in August. 

11
BENNETT LAKE

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

METERS, ABOVE ABBITRARY DATUM

LAKE LEVEL 2004

SAMPLING DATE

 ANNUAL MEAN (1947-2001)

 

Figure 4. Bennett Lake water level and sampling dates. 

 Precipitation in the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 2,000 mm at the 

upper reaches in the Boundary Range. Snow pack in the basin in May 2004 was 111 to 

130 percent of normal based on records for the period 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within 

the basin is sporadic-discontinuous (10-50 percent coverage) with low ice content. The 

basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone, which includes the Yukon Southern 

Lakes, Yukon Stikine Highlands, Boreal Mountains and Plateaus, and a small area in the 

Northern Coastal Mountains ecoregions. Rock ages in these ecoregions include 

Mesozoic-Cenozoic and Paleozoic. Major rock categories are intrusive with some 

sedimentary and volcanic. Surficial materials are alpine complexes with smaller areas of 

till blanket and till veneer. Soils are dominantly Eutric Brunisols. 

12
Atlin River 

 Figure 5. Atlin River. 

 In this study, the Atlin River, (fig. 5) is considered the headwaters of the Yukon River. 

It is a short river of about 4 kilometers between Atlin Lake and Tagish Lake. The Atlin 

River drains the Boundary Range and is largely influenced by glacier melt from the Juneau 

Icefield. 

 WSC has operated a stream-gaging station near the outflow of Atlin Lake since 1950. 

Mean annual discharge for the period of record (1950-2001) is 95.7 m3

/s with recorded 

extremes of 310 m3

/s occurring on September 14, 1981 and 17.6 m3/s on May 9, 1956. 

Discharge at the time of sampling was 65 m3

/s in June and 306 m3/s in August (fig. 6). 

13
ATLIN RIVER

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

CALENDER YEAR 2004

SAMPLING DATE

 ANNUAL MEAN (1950-2001)

 

Figure 6. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Atlin River. 

 Precipitation in the basin ranges from 300 mm in the valleys to 7,000 mm on the 

Juneau Icefield. Snowpack in May 2004 was 91 to 110 percent of normal for the eastern 

side of the basin and 111 to 130 percent for the western side of the basin, based on 

records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadic-discontinuous (10-50 

percent coverage) with generally low ice content. The basin lies within the Boreal 

Cordillera ecozone that includes Boreal Mountains and Plateaus, Yukon Stikine 

Highlands, and Northern Coastal Mountains ecoregions. Rock ages in these ecoregions 

include Paleozoic-Mesozoic and Precambrian-Paleozoic with major rock categories of 

sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive. Surficial materials include alpine complexes, till 

blankets, and till veneer. Soils are dominantly Eutric Brunisols. 

14
Yukon River above Takhini River 

Figure 7. Yukon River above Takhini River. 

 The Yukon River above the Takhini River sampling site (table 1, fig. 7) was chosen 

to incorporate the headwaters of the Yukon River, including the previously described 

Atlin and Nares River basins, and drains an area of about 20,000 km2

. The Yukon River 

at this site is glacially influenced, with the greatest flows usually occurring in August. 

 WSC has operated a stream-gaging station approximately 19 km upstream in 

Whitehorse since 1943 and EC has operated a water-quality monitoring station south of 

Whitehorse at Marsh Lake dam since 1980. Mean annual discharge in Whitehorse (1943-

2001) is 242 m3

/s with extremes of 646 m3/s on August 9, 1953 and 32.6 m3/s on May 21, 

1964. Discharge at the time of sampling was 264 m3

/s in June and 572 m3/s in August 

(fig. 8). 

15
YUKON RIVER at WHITEHORSE

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

SAMPLING DATE

 ANNUAL MEAN (1943-2001)

Figure 8. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River at Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. 

 Precipitation in the Yukon River headwaters basin ranges from 250 mm in the 

valleys to 7,000 mm on the Juneau Icefield. Snowpack in May 2004 was 91 to 110 

percent for the southern parts of the basin and 111 to 130 percent for the Whitehorse area 

for the period of record from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadicdiscontinuous (10-50 percent coverage). The basin is within the Boreal Cordillera 

ecozone and includes the Yukon Southern Lakes, Yukon Stikine Highlands, and the 

Boreal Mountains and Plateaus ecoregions. Basin characteristics for this site are a 

composite of those described for the Nares and Atlin basins. 

 

16
Takhini River 

Figure 9. Takhini River. 

 

 The Takhini River (fig. 9) originates in the Boundary Range and has a moderate 

glacial influence. The 6,993- km2 basin includes the 75-km-long, glacier-fed Kusawa 

Lake. WSC has operated a stream-gaging station on the Takhini River since 1948. Mean 

annual discharge for the period of record (1948-2001) is 62.3 m3/s with recorded 

extremes of 487 m3

/s on September 2, 1949 and 4.33 m3/s on February 19, 1951. 

Discharge at the time of sampling was 91 m3

/s in June and 130 m3/s in August (fig. 10). 

EC operated a water-quality monitoring station at this site from 1992 through 1996. 

17
TAKHINI RIVER

0.0

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

ANNUALl MEAN (1948-2001)

SAMPLING DATE

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

 Figure 10. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Takhini River. 

 Precipitation within the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 2,000 mm along 

the Boundary Range. Snowpack in May 2004 was 111 to 131 percent of normal in the 

southern areas of the basin and 131 to 150 percent in the northern areas of the basin based 

on records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadic-discontinuous (10-

50 percent coverage) for most of the basin with a small area in the isolated patches (0-10 

percent coverage) category. The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone, which 

includes the Yukon Southern Lakes, Yukon Stikine Highlands, and a small area of the 

Northern Coastal Mountains ecoregions. Rock ages in the basin are largely Cenozoic 

with some in the Mesozoic. Major rock categories are intrusive and sedimentaryvolcanic. Surficial material in the lower valleys is mostly fine-grained glaciolacustrine 

with other areas in the till blanket, till veneer, and alpine complex categories. Soils are 

primarily Eutric Brunisols with some Podzolic and scattered Cryosolic great groups. 

18
Teslin River 

 Figure 11. Teslin River.

 The Teslin River (fig. 11) originates in the Cassiar and Big Salmon Mountains and 

is influenced primarily by snowmelt. The 35,014 km2 basin includes the 120-km-long 

Teslin Lake. 

 WSC operated a stream-gaging station near the confluence of the Teslin River with 

the Yukon River from 1956 to 1973. EC sampled near the confluence October 28, 1992 

and operated a water-quality monitoring site at Johnson’s Crossing from 1982 to 1994. 

Mean annual discharge for the period of record (1955-1973) is 331 m3

/s with recorded 

extremes of 1,860 m3

/s on June 8, 1962 and 50.5 m3/s on March 1, 1972. Discharge at the 

time of sampling was 1,073 m3/s in June and 252 m3/s in August (fig.12). 

19
TESLIN RIVER

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

SAMPLING DATE

 ANNUAL MEAN (1955-1973)

 Figure 12. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Teslin River. 

 Precipitation within the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 1,200 mm in the 

Cassiar Mountains. Snowpack in the basin in May 2004 was 91 to 110 percent of normal 

in the south to 131 to 150 percent of normal in the north, based on records from 1971 to 

2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadic-discontinuous (10-50 percent coverage) 

with low ice content. 

 The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone, which includes the Southern 

Yukon Lakes, Pelly Mountains, and the Boreal Mountains and Plateaus ecoregions. 

Rock ages include Mesozoic-Cenozoic, Paleozoic-Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and some 

Precambrian-Mesozoic ages. Major rock categories are sedimentary, sedimentary and 

volcanic, and small areas of intrusive. Surficial materials are mostly till veneers and till 

blankets with less coverage of coarse-grained glaciolacustrine and glaciofluvial 

complexes. Soils in the basin are predominantly Dystric and Eutric Brunisols with 

scattered Turbic Cryosolic. 

 

20
Big Salmon River 

 Figure 13. Big Salmon River. 

 The Big Salmon River (fig. 13) originates in the Big Salmon Range and drains parts 

of the Pelly Mountains. The 6,760-km2 basin is snowmelt dominated. WSC operated a 

stream gage near the confluence with the Yukon River from 1953 to 1996. Mean annual 

discharge for this period of record is 67.6 m3

/s with recorded extremes of 685 m3/s on 

June 23, 1965 and 11.0 m3

/s on April 2, 1972. Discharge at time of sampling was 524 

m3

/s in June and 58 m3/s in August (fig. 14). 

21
BIG SALMON RIVER

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1953-1996)

SAMPLE DATE

 

Figure 14. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Big Salmon River.

 Precipitation within the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 800 mm along 

the Big Salmon Range. Snowpack in May 2004 ranged from 131 to 150 percent of 

normal based on records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadicdiscontinuous (10-50 percent coverage) with high ice content associated with finetextured valley deposits. 

 The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone and includes the Pelly Mountains 

and the Yukon Plateau Central ecoregions. Rock ages in the basin are predominantly 

Mesozoic and Paleozoic with rock categories of sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive. 

Surficial materials are till blanket, glaciofluvial complex, and alpine complex. Dystric 

and Eutric Brunisols are co-dominant in the basin with Turbic Cryosolic soils in the 

alpine areas. 

22
Little Salmon River 

 Figure 15. Little Salmon River. 

 The Little Salmon River (fig. 15) drains the Pelly Mountains and is a snowmeltdominated basin of about 3,626 km2

. There are no present or historic stream-gage 

records. Discharge at time of sampling was 86 m3

/s in June and 15 m3/s in August. 

 Precipitation within the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 800 mm in the 

Pelly Mountains. Snowpack in May 2004 was 131 to 150 percent of normal based on 

records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadic discontinuous (10-50 

percent coverage) with generally low ice content except for high ice content in the finetextured valley deposits. 

 Little Salmon River lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone and includes the 

Yukon Plateau-Central and Pelly Mountains ecoregions. The basin is composed of 

Mesozoic and Paleozoic strata with rock categories of sedimentary and volcanic. Surficial 

material is predominantly till blanket and veneer with some alpine complexes. Soil great 

groups are predominantly Dystric and Eutric Brunisols with some Turbic Cryosolic soils. 

23
Yukon River at Carmacks, Yukon Territory 

Figure 16. Yukon River at Carmacks, Yukon Territory. 

 The Yukon River at Carmacks, YT. (table 1, fig. 16) sampling site was chosen 

because it is a historic WSC stream-gaging station and EC water-quality monitoring site. 

WSC operated a stream gage at this site from1951 to 1995. EC sampled at this site from 

1980 to 1996. Mean annual discharge for the period of record (1951-1995) is 756 m3

/s. 

Extremes recorded over this period were 2,890 m3/s on June 23, 1964 and June 23, 1992 

and 136 m3

/s on March 15, 1952. Discharge at the time of sampling was 1,993 m3/s in 

June and 1,022 m3

/s in August (fig. 17). Basin characteristics for this site are a composite 

of the previously discussed basins. 

24
YUKON RIVER AT CARMACKS

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1951-1995)

SAMPLE DATE

 

Figure 17. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River at Carmacks, Yukon Territory. 

Nordenskiold River 

 Figure 18. Nordenskiold River. 

25
 The Nordenskiold River (table 1, fig 18) is a snowmelt-dominated river with a basin 

area of about 6,371 km2

. The river drains the Sifton range and parts of the Miners range. 

WSC has operated a stream gage, approximately 8 km upstream from sampling site 72 at 

the confluence with the Yukon River since 1982. Mean annual discharge for the period of 

record (1982-2001) is 15.4 m3

/s. Extremes for this period of record are 98 m3/s on May 

27, 1985 and 1.19 m3

/s on January 16, 1999. Discharge at time of sampling was 36 m3/s 

in June and 7 m3/s in August (fig. 19). 

NORDENSKIOLD RIVER

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1982-2001)

CALENDAR YEAR

SAMPLING DATES

Figure 19. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Nordenskiold River. 

 Precipitation within the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 500 mm along 

the Miners Range. Snow pack in May 2004 was 131 to 150 percent of normal based on 

records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is sporadic-discontinuous (10 to 

50 percent coverage) in the southern part of the basin and extensive-discontinuous (50 to 

90 percent coverage) for the rest of the basin. Permafrost ice content is generally low 

except in fine-textured valley deposits where it is high. 

26
 The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone and includes the Yukon Plateau 

Central and the Yukon Southern Lakes ecoregions. Rock ages are Mesozoic and 

Paleozoic with rock categories of mostly volcanic and intrusive. Soils are Eutric 

Brunisols, and some Turbic Cryosols. 

 

Pelly River 

 Figure 20. Pelly River. 

 The Pelly River (fig. 20) is one of the larger river basins sampled (48,951 km2 ), is 

snowmelt fed, and drains the Pelly and Selwyn Mountains. EC operated a water-quality 

monitoring station at Pelly Crossing from August 1992 to September 1996. WSC has 

operated a stream gage at Pelly Crossing since 1951. Mean annual discharge for the 

period of record (1951-2001) is 391 m3

/s. Extremes for the period of record are 4,160 

m3

/s on June 11, 1964 and 28.0 m3/s on February 26, 1982. Discharge at the time of 

sampling was 1,829 m3

/s in June and 199 m3/s in September (fig. 21). 

27
PELLY RIVER

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

 ANNUAL MEAN (1951-2001)

SAMPLING DATE

 

Figure 21. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Pelly River.

 Precipitation in the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 1,200 mm in the 

Pelly and Selwyn Mountains. Snowpack in May 2004 was mostly in the 131 to 150 

percent range with some of the upper reaches in the 111 to 130 percent range. Permafrost 

within the basin is mostly extensive-discontinuous (50 to 90 percent coverage) with some 

of the basin in sporadic-discontinuous (10 to 50 percent coverage). 

 The basin lies largely within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone with the upper reaches in 

the Taiga Cordillera. Ecoregions include Yukon Plateau Central, Yukon Plateau North, 

and Selwyn Mountains. Rock ages are Mesozoic and Paleozoic. Rock categories include 

sedimentary and volcanic with some intrusive. Surficial materials are till blankets and 

veneers, alluvial deposits, and alpine complexes. Dystric and Eutric Brunisols are 

dominant in the basin with Static and Turbic Cryosols on upper elevations. 

28
Yukon River above White River 

Figure 22. Yukon River above White River. 

 The Yukon River above White River (fig. 22) was chosen as a main stem sampling 

site because of the WSC stream-gaging station established in 1956. This site has been 

sampled once by EC on February 15, 1993. This site also was chosen, as it is just 

upstream from the White River, which is a large, sediment-laden river that has a 

noticeable sediment influence on the Yukon River below the confluence. Mean annual 

discharge for the period of record (1956-2001) is 1,190 m3/s. Extremes recorded were 

5,560 m3

/s on June 22, 1992 and 227 m3/s on March 29, 1959. Discharge at the time of 

sampling was 3,823 m3/s in June and 1,257 m3/s in September (fig. 23). Basin 

characteristics for this site are a composite of the previously discussed basins. 

29
YUKON RIVER ABOVE WHITE RIVER

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1956-2001)

SAMPLING DATE

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

Figure 23. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River above White River. 

White River 

 Figure 24. White River. 

30
 The White River (fig. 24) is a large glacier-fed river with a basin area of 

approximately 48,000 km2

. The White River originates in the Wrangell-St Elias 

Mountains and drains an area with icefields and many large valley glaciers. As a result, 

the White River has the highest median suspended-sediment concentrations of any of the 

Yukon River tributaries. WSC has operated a stream gage near its headwaters at the 

Alaska Highway since 1973. Discharge at the time of sampling was 971m3/s in June and 

742 m3

/s in September. 

 Precipitation in the basin ranges from 250 mm in the lower valleys to 12,000 mm on 

the icefields of the Wrangell-St Elias Mountains. Snowpack in May 2004 was 111 to 130 

percent of normal for the northern half of the basin and 131 to 150 percent of normal for 

the southern half of the basin based on records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the 

basin is mostly extensive-discontinuous (50 to 90 percent coverage) in the north and 

mountains and sporadic-discontinuous (10 to 50 percent coverage) in the south. 

 The basin lies mostly in the Boreal Cordillera ecozone with a small portion in the 

Pacific Maritime ecozone. These ecozones include the Klondike Plateau, St Elias 

Mountains, and the Ruby Ranges ecoregions. Rock ages are Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and 

Precambrian. Rock categories include volcanic, intrusive, sedimentary, and metamorphic. 

Surficial materials are icefields and valley glaciers, glaciofluvial plains, alpine 

complexes, and alluvial deposits. Soils are dominantly Eutric Brunisols with Turbic 

Cryosols associated with permafrost. 

31
Stewart River 

 Figure 25. Stewart River. 

 The Stewart River (fig. 25) is a snowmelt-fed river originating in the Selwyn 

Mountains. Draining an area of 51,023 km2, the Stewart River is the largest tributary of 

the Yukon River in the Yukon Territory. WSC has operated a stream gage just above the 

confluence with the Yukon River since 1963. Mean annual discharge for the period of 

record (1963-2001) is 468 m3/s with extremes of 5,640 m3/s on June 13, 1964 and 35.4 

m3

/s on March 12, 1974. Discharge at the time of sampling was 1,580 m3/s in June and 

224 m3

/s in September (fig. 26). EC operated a water-quality monitoring station upstream 

at Stewart Crossing from August 1992 to September 1996.

32
STEWART RIVER

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1963-2001)

SAMPLING DATE

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

Figure 26. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Stewart River.

 Precipitation for the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 1,200 mm over the 

higher elevations. Snowpack in May 2004 was 131 to 150 percent of normal for the 

western portions of the basin and 111 to 130 percent of normal in the east, based on 

records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost with in the basin is mostly extensivediscontinuous (50 to 90 percent coverage) with low to moderate ice content. 

 The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone, with the eastern parts of the 

basin in the Taiga Cordillera ecozone. Ecoregions include the Klondike Plateau, Yukon 

Plateau Central, and the Yukon Plateau North. Rock ages are Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and 

Precambrian. Rock categories are mostly sedimentary and intrusive. Surficial materials 

include till blankets and veneers, alluvial deposits, alpine complexes, and glaciofluvial 

plains. Eutric Brunisols, Turbic Cryosols, and pockets of Dystric Brunisols make up the 

soil great groups. 

33
Sixtymile River 

Figure 27. Sixtymile River.

 The Sixtymile River (fig. 27) flows through an area of historic and active mining and 

is one of the smaller basins sampled (3,719 km2

 ). The river is snowmelt-fed from low 

mountains of the Klondike Plateau. WSC has operated a stream gage at this site since 

January 1996. Mean annual discharge for the period of record (1996-2004) is 15.2 m3/s. 

Extremes in discharge since 1996 are 386 m3

/s on June 10, 1997 and 0.025 m3/s on 

December 17, 1996. Discharge at the time of sampling was 22 m3/s in June and 12 m3/s in 

September (fig. 28). 

34
SIXTYMILE RIVER

0

50

100

150

200

250

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DIECHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1996-2004)

SAMPLING DATE

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

 Figure 28. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Sixtymile River. 

 Precipitation in the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 600 mm in the 

mountains. Snowpack in May 2004 was 111 to 130 percent of normal based on records 

from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is extensive-discontinuous (50 to 90 

percent coverage) with moderate ice content. 

 The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone and is in the Klondike Plateau 

ecoregion. Rock ages are predominantly Mesozoic and Paleozoic with some Cenozoic. 

Rock categories of the basin include sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive. Surficial 

materials are mostly colluvial blocks and colluvial rubble with a small percentage of 

alpine complex. Turbic Cryosols and Eutric Brunisols are the major soil great groups 

with some Regosols on sandy floodplains. 

 

35
Klondike River 

Figure 29. Klondike River.

 

 The Klondike River (fig. 29) is snowmelt-fed and drains the Ogilvie Mountains. 

The 8,044-km2

 basin has been extensively mined for gold since 1899. WSC has operated 

a stream gage on the Klondike River since 1965. Mean annual discharge for the period of 

record (1965-2000) is 63.9 m3/s. Extremes in discharge for the period of record are 679 

m3

/s on May 31, 1998 and 4.48 m3/s on April 5, 1997. Discharge at the time of sampling 

was 188 m3/s in June and 40 m3/s in September (fig. 30). EC has had an active waterquality monitoring site near the confluence with the Yukon River since May 1993. Two 

sampling sites were chosen for the 2004 study (table 1): one above Bonanza Creek at the 

streamflow gage and one below Bonanza Creek to include this heavily mined basin. 

36
KLONDIKE RIVER

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

 ANNUAL MEAN (1965-2000)

SAMPLING DATE

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

 

Figure 30. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Klondike River. 

 Precipitation in the basin ranges from 250 mm in the valleys to 800 mm in the 

mountains. Snowpack in May 2004 was 131 to150 percent of normal for most of the 

basin with a small area in the 111 to 130 percent of normal based on records from 1971 to 

2000. Permafrost within the basin is extensive-discontinuous (50 to 90 percent coverage) 

with medium ice content. 

 The basin lies mostly within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone with the northern reaches 

in the Taiga Cordillera ecozone and includes the Klondike Plateau, Yukon Plateau-North, 

and the Mackenzie Mountains ecoregions. Rock ages are predominantly Cenozoic, 

Paleozoic, and Precambrian, and include sedimentary and intrusive rock categories. 

Surficial materials include colluvial blocks and rubble, till blankets, alluvial deposits, and 

some alpine complexes. Turbic Cryosols and Eutric Brunisols are the major soil great 

groups. 

37
Fortymile River 

Figure 31. Fortymile River. 

 The Fortymile River (fig. 31) drains a 16,602-km2 basin and has been extensively 

mined. The Fortymile River is a snowmelt-fed river that has most of its drainage area in 

Alaska, USA, and drains the Glacier Mountains. WSC operated a stream gage near the 

confluence with the Yukon River from 1982 to 1996. The U.S. Geological Survey has 

discontinuous discharge records upstream from the US-Canadian border dating back to 

1911 and water-quality data dating back to 1953 (U.S. Geological Survey 2006c). Mean 

annual streamflow from WSC’s records is 75.6 m3

/s with streamflow extremes of 1,900 

m3

/s on May 18, 1988 and 0.005 m3/s on March 16, 1996. Discharge at the time of 

sampling was 99 m3/s in June and 65 m3/s in September (fig. 32). 

38
FORTYMILE RIVER

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

SAMPLING DATE

 ANNUAL MEAN (1982-1996)

 

Figure 32. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Fortymile River. 

 Precipitation ranges from 250 mm to 800 mm. Snowpack in May 2004 was 111 to 

130 percent of normal based on records from 1971 to 2000. Permafrost within the basin is 

extensive-discontinuous (50 – 90 percent coverage) with moderate ice content. 

 The basin lies within the Boreal Cordillera ecozone and is in the Klondike Plateau 

ecoregion. Rock ages are Mesozoic and Paleozoic with rock categories of mostly 

sedimentary and intrusive. Surface materials are predominantly colluvial blocks and 

rubble with some alpine complexes. Soils are Eutric Brunisols and Turbic Cryosols. 

 

39
Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, USA 

 

Figure 33. Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, USA. 

 

 The Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, (fig. 33) is one of the fixed-site sampling stations 

of the USGS NASQANs 5-year study. The basin at this point encompasses 

approximately 294,000 km2

. The USGS has operated a stream gage at this site since 

1950, and has water-quality data dating back to the same time period (U.S. Geological 

Survey 2006c). Mean annual streamflow (1950-2004) is approximately 2,400 m3/s. A 

peak discharge of 14,923 m3

/s was recorded on May 30, 1957, and minimum discharge of 

approximately 198 m3/s typically occurs in February or March. Discharge at the time of 

sampling was 5,804 m3

/s in June and 2,393 m3/s in September (fig. 34).

40
YUKON RIVER at EAGLE, ALASKA, USA

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

1/1/2004

2/1/2004

3/1/2004

4/1/2004

5/1/2004

6/1/2004

7/1/2004

8/1/2004

9/1/2004

10/1/2004

11/1/2004

12/1/2004

DATE

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC METERS PER SECOND

CALENDAR YEAR 2004

SAMPLE DATE

 ANNUAL MEAN (1950-2004)

 

Figure 34. Hydrograph and sampling dates, Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska, USA. 

41
Methods

Sample Collection and Processing 

 For a detailed description of sample collection and processing, see Schuster (2003). 

Standard USGS protocols, described by Edwards and Glysson (1988), were used for the 

collection of Equal Discharge Increment (EDI) samples at all major sites. A minimum of 

two-person field teams collected samples to reduce the chance of contamination of lowconcentration analytes, following the protocols of Horowitz and others (2001). Samples 

were processed according to established USGS protocols (U. S Geological Survey, 1997-

99). In addition to the main-stem sites chosen for full sampling, 10 main-stem sites were 

chosen for quick centroid surface grab samples (table 1). These sites were located below 

the confluence of tributaries with the Yukon River. Grab samples were analyzed for 

major ions, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultraviolet (UV) absorbance, and dissolved 

carbon gases. 

Laboratory Analyses 

 For a complete description of laboratory analyses, see Schuster (2003). Major anions 

and cations, dissolved organic carbon, ultraviolet absorbance, specific ultraviolet 

absorbance (SUVA), dissolved organic carbon fractionation, dissolved carbon gases , 

nitrite, ammonium, phosphate and sediment mineralogy were analyzed at the USGS 

laboratories in Boulder, Colorado. Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen were 

analyzed at the Chesapeake Bay Laboratories in Solomons, Maryland. Mercury was 

analyzed at the USGS Mercury Research Lab, Middleton, Wisconsin. The Cascades 

Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington, analyzed total suspended-sediment 

concentrations and the percent fines (<0.063mm). Total suspended-sediment 

concentrations, as well as suspended-sediment chemistry, were analyzed at the USGS 

laboratories in Atlanta, Georgia. Tritium was analyzed at the USGS laboratories in 

Menlo Park, California. Deuterium and 18O, as well as uranium isotopes, were analyzed 

at the USGS laboratories in Reston, Virginia. 13C-DIC was analyzed at Florida State 

University, Tallahassee, Florida. Chlorophyll a, total dissolved nitrogen, total dissolved 

phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, and particulate phosphorus were analyzed at the 

42
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Isotopic composition of organic and inorganic 

carbon was analyzed at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Data obtained from 

laboratory analysis are presented in tables 2 through 30. 

43
44

Water and Sediment Quality and Water Discharge 

Water Discharge and Field Water Quality 

 Discharge was measured by using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) 

(Oberg and others, 2005). In streams too small to use the ADCP, a wading discharge 

measurement was conducted (Rantz and others, 1982). Water temperature, pH, dissolved 

oxygen, and specific conductance were measured at the sampling sites approximately 30 

cm below the water surface by using a calibrated HydrolabTM Minisonde water-quality 

multi-probe. Field alkalinity was determined by incremental titration (U. S. Geological 

Survey 1997-99). 
Table 2. Water discharge and field water quality of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 200

[°C, degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; m3/s, cubic meters per second; --, not available

calcium carbonate] 

Site Date

Discharge 

(m3/s)

Water

temperature 

(°C) pH

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

Specific 

conductance 

(μS/cm)

Alka

(mg/

CaC

Nares River 6/5/2004 96 5.7 7.2 12.0 39 2

Atlin River 6/6/2004 65 4.7 7.7 12.2 99 4Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 264 13.0 7.8 10.1 96 4Takhini River 6/7/2004 91 12.5 7.7 10.0 59 2

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Teslin River 6/9/2004 1,073 9.0 7.7 10.8 139 6

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 524 6.6 7.7 11.5 89 3Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 86 8.6 7.9 10.8 242 10

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 1,993 9.8 7.8 11.0 128 5Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 36 10.5 7.8 10.7 165 7Pelly River 6/12/2004 1,829 11.8 7.7 10.2 187 5

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 3,823 12.2 8.0 10.1 149 5

White River 6/13/2004 971 13.3 8.1 10.3 222 8Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Stewart River 6/14/2004 1,580 12.4 7.9 9.6 234 6Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 22 14.0 7.6 10.5 202 5Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 188 9.0 7.6 -- 198 5

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 186 9.6 7.6 12.3 199 5

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 99 15.0 7.5 9.7 134 3

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 5,805 15.0 8.0 10.1 205 6

45
46

Table 3. Water discharge and field water quality of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004. 

[°C, degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; m3/s, cubic meters per second; --, not available

calcium carbonate] 

Site Date

Discharge 

(m3/s)

Water

temperature 

(°C) pH

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

Specific 

conductance 

(μS/cm)

Alka

(mg/

CaC

Nares River 8/25/2004 71 13.0 7.7 9.7 63 -

Atlin River 8/26/2004 306 14.1 7.8 10.0 100 3

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 572 15.4 7.8 9.8 65 3Takhini River 8/27/2004 130 13.2 7.4 9.4 32 1Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -Teslin River 8/29/2004 252 13.4 8.0 10.0 157 5Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 58 8.6 8.1 10.8 164 7

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 15 12.9 8.4 10.9 203 9

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 1,022 13.5 7.8 9.8 98 4

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 7 10.1 8.0 11.3 224 10

Pelly River 9/1/2004 199 11.1 8.0 10.5 332 9Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 1,257 12.7 8.0 10.2 158 5

White River 9/2/2004 742 10.4 8.0 11.6 308 8

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Stewart River 9/3/2004 224 10.7 8.1 10.9 340 8Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 12 8.4 7.7 11.8 245 7

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 38 7.9 7.8 12.4 290 7

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 40 8.0 7.7 11.6 291 7Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 65 7.1 7.7 11.9 218 5

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 2,393 9.3 7.8 -- 225 7
Suspended Sediment 

 Timothy P. Brabets 

U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, Alaska 

 A description of sample processing for suspended sediment concentration can be 

found in Guy (1969). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47
Table 4. Suspended sediment in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

2004. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; mm, millimeters; --, not available; <, less than] 

Site Date

Suspended1

sediment 

(mg/L)

 Suspended sediment 

(percent < 0.063 mm)

Nares River 6/5/2004 -- --

Atlin River 6/6/2004 -- --

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 13 62

Takhini River 6/7/2004 67 86

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 66 78

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 346 70

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 41 78

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 36 84

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 128 74

Pelly River 6/12/2004 208 80

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 218 65

White River 6/13/2004 1,750 67

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- --

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 106 83

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 16 44

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 1 33

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 383 53 1

 Sediment sample taken from 1-L bottle from churn splitter.

48
Table 5. Suspended sediment in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; mm, millimeters; --, not available; <, less than] 

Site Date

Suspended1

sediment 

(mg/L)

 Suspended sediment 

(percent < 0.063 mm)

Nares River 8/25/2004 -- --

Atlin River 8/26/2004 -- --

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 11 59

Takhini River 8/27/2004 34 79

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 7 77

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 7 70

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 3 45

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 10 77

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 6 65

Pelly River 9/1/2004 9 91

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 8 50

White River 9/2/2004 1,040 61

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 6 65

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 15 89

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 7 72

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 19 81

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 314 72 1

 Sediment sample taken from 1-L bottle from churn splitter 

49
Particulate Carbon and Particulate Nitrogen 

 Paul F. Schuster and Michael M. Reddy 

U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for particulate carbon 

and particulate nitrogen concentrations is given in Schuster (2003). 

50
Table 6. Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, June 2004. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Total particulate 

carbon

Particulate 

inorganic 

carbon

Particulate 

organic carbon

Total 

particulate 

nitrogen

Site Date (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)

Nares River 6/5/2004 0.15 -- -- 0.01

Atlin River 6/6/2004 1.59 -- -- 0.03

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.41 -- -- 0.04

Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.70 <0.08 0.67 0.05

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 0.97 <0.08 0.94 0.07

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 5.20 0.44 4.76 0.01

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 1.62 -- -- 0.10

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 2.20 0.14 2.07 0.19

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 1.19 -- -- 0.09

Pelly River 6/12/2004 4.80 0.18 4.62 0.28

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 3.22 0.14 3.08 0.13

White River 6/13/2004 27.90 15.20 12.70 0.58

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 2.51 <0.08 2.49 0.15

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.68 -- -- 0.04

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.65 -- -- 0.05

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.58 -- -- 0.04

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.35 -- -- 0.02

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 3.88 1.00 2.88 0.14

51
Table 7. Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, August/September 2004. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Total particulate 

carbon

Particulate 

inorganic 

carbon

Particulate 

organic carbon

Total 

particulate 

nitrogen

Site Date (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.13 -- -- 0.01

Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.15 -- -- 0.01

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.17 -- -- 0.02

Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.40 <0.08 0.37 0.03

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 0.27 <0.08 0.27 0.03

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.33 <0.08 0.33 0.30

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.20 -- -- 0.02

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 0.26 <0.08 0.26 0.02

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 0.46 -- -- 0.03

Pelly River 9/1/2004 0.34 <0.08 0.30 0.02

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 0.30 <0.08 0.29 0.02

White River 9/2/2004 14.60 7.33 7.27 0.25

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.27 <0.08 0.25 0.02

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 0.22 -- -- 0.02

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.14 -- -- 0.02

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.14 -- -- 0.01

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 1.15 -- -- 0.09

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 6.21 2.20 4.01 0.13

52
Suspended Sediment Chemistry 

 Arthur J. Horowitz 

 U.S. Geological Survey, Atlanta, Georgia 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for suspended sediment 

chemistry is given in Schuster (2003). 

53
Table 8. Suspended sediment chemistry of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 2004 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; ppm, parts per million; <, less than; --, not available; %, percent] 

Site Date

Suspended1

Sediment 

(mg/L)

Silver 

(ppm)

Copper 

(ppm) Lead (ppm) Zinc (ppm) Cadmium (ppm) Chromium (ppm) Coba

(ppm

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 150 <0.5 35 89 110 0.4 130 14 Pelly River 6/12/2004 213 0.6 61 62 320 2.3 120 14 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 203 <0.5 37 70 200 1.4 120 13 White River 6/13/2004 1,799 <0.5 35 18 98 0.3 99 16 Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 7 <3.0 35 91 120 <0.6 86 10 

Pelly River 9/1/2004 6 4.6 38 75 180 1.5 150 <6 

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 6 7.3 56 170 250 1.5 370 16 White River 9/2/2004 1,059 <0.5 37 11 88 0.2 86 15 

Site Date Vanadium (ppm) Lithium (ppm) Beryllium (ppm) Molybdenum (ppm) Phosphorus (ppm) Strontium (ppm) Arsenic (ppm) Antim

(ppm

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 120 29 1.8 5 1,000 250 9.9 1.5 Pelly River 6/12/2004 200 36 1.9 6 1,400 160 18 2.9 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 160 30 1.7 5 1,100 200 14 2.2 White River 6/13/2004 120 21 1.4 2 1,000 360 10 1.6 

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 68 16 0.8 16 640 630 8.2 1.4 

Pelly River 9/1/2004 56 17 0.6 12 480 620 7.2 1.4 

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 110 21 1.3 30 1,100 390 10 2.0 White River 9/2/2004 120 20 1.2 2 930 390 11 1.4 

Site Date Thallium (ppm) Uranium (ppm) Iron (%) Manganese (ppm) Aluminum (%) Titanium (%) Total Organic Carbon (%) Tot

Carbon 

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 <50 <50 3.6 800 6.7 0.39 1.6 1.7 Pelly River 6/12/2004 <50 <50 3.6 950 6.3 0.38 1.9 2.6 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 <50 <50 3.3 830 6.2 0.37 1.5 2.3 White River 6/13/2004 <50 <50 4.3 800 7.2 0.50 0.5 1.7 

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 <300 <300 2.2 610 3.4 0.24 -- -- 

Pelly River 9/1/2004 <300 <300 1.5 560 1.9 0.13 -- -- 

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 <50 <50 4.2 740 6.7 0.48 0.5 2.5 

White River 9/2/2004 <350 <350 3.1 940 4.6 0.32 -- -- 

1 15-L sediment sample taken directly from depth integrating sampler. 

54
Tritium 

 Robert Michel 

U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 

 A description of processing of samples for tritium concentration is given in Thatcher 

and others (1977). 

55
Table 9. Tritium in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004. 

[TU, tritium units; --, not available] 

Site Date Tritium (TU)

 ±1 sigma 

uncertainty

Nares River 6/5/2004 5.5 0.5

Atlin River 6/6/2004 8.0 0.5

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 7.2 0.7

Takhini River 6/7/2004 7.5 0.5

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 8.8 0.6

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 10.2 0.6

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 16.6 0.7

Yukon River below Little Salmon River6/10/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 9.0 0.6

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 11.8 0.6

Pelly River 6/12/2004 9.0 0.6

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 9.3 0.6

White River 6/13/2004 10.5 0.6

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 10.3 0.6

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 11.2 0.7

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 10.2 0.6

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 10.0 0.6

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 11.4 0.6

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 9.8 0.6

56
Table 10. Tritium in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004. 

[TU, tritium units; --, not available] 

Site Date Tritium (TU)

±1 sigma 

uncertainty

Nares River 8/25/2004 5.5 0.6

Atlin River 8/26/2004 8.2 0.6

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 6.9 0.6

Takhini River 8/27/2004 6.0 0.7

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 7.7 0.6

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 11.2 0.6

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 12.1 0.8

Yukon River below Little Salmon River8/30/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 8.5 0.5

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 12.9 0.8

Pelly River 9/1/2004 10.9 0.7

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 6.8 0.8

White River 9/2/2004 9.5 0.6

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 10.5 0.6

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 11.6 0.6

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 8.4 0.6

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 11.1 0.6

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 12.0 0.8

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 8.8 0.6

57
Major Cations and Dissolved Trace Elements 

 Howard E. Taylor, David A. Roth, and Ronald C. Antweiler 

U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for major cations and 

trace elements is given in Schuster (2003). 

58
Table 11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Aluminum Arsenic Boron Barium Beryllium Bismuth Calcium Ca

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (

Nares River 6/5/2004 4.5 0.23 0.7 15 <0.01 0.015 10 0Atlin River 6/6/2004 12 0.25 1.9 32 <0.01 0.003 14 0Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 21 0.42 1.7 25 <0.01 0.003 14 0Takhini River 6/7/2004 26 0.19 < 0.6 14 <0.01 0.004 9 0Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 6/9/2004 23 0.40 3.1 30 <0.01 0.004 19 0Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 35 0.45 <0.6 18 <0.01 0.007 14 0Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 8.8 0.38 1.9 66 <0.01 < 0.003 33 0Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 47 0.42 1.5 28 <0.01 0.004 18 0Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 37 0.64 5.4 32 <0.01 0.004 22 0Pelly River 6/12/2004 69 0.61 2.2 47 <0.01 0.005 24 0Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 40 0.49 3.0 38 <0.01 0.004 22 0White River 6/13/2004 36 0.69 31 31 <0.01 0.005 30 0Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Stewart River 6/14/2004 49 0.49 2.5 47 <0.01 0.003 29 0Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 48 0.56 2.9 42 0.02 0.005 22 0Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 9.0 0.53 4.0 40 <0.01 < 0.003 26 0Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 8.9 0.55 4.3 42 <0.01 < 0.003 26 0Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 6/16/2004 77 0.46 3.0 29 0.029 0.010 17 0Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 62 0.54 10 41 <0.03 0.003 27 0

59
Table 11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Chromium Cesium Copper Dysprosium Erbium Europium Iron Galliu

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L

Nares River 6/5/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.25 0.0029 0.002 < 0.0007 5 0.006 Atlin River 6/6/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.23 <0.001 < 0.001 < 0.0007 6 0.024 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 <0.2 < 0.02 0.39 0.0023 0.001 < 0.0007 32 0.01Takhini River 6/7/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.39 0.0052 0.003 0.0014 39 0.012 Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 6/9/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.83 0.0114 0.007 0.0034 63 0.007 Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 <0.2 <0.02 1.3 0.0425 0.027 0.013 108 0.016 Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 <0.2 <0.02 1.4 0.0038 0.003 0.0019 31 0.004 

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 <0.2 <0.02 1.0 0.0163 0.011 0.0052 91 0.015 Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 <0.2 <0.02 2.1 0.0314 0.022 0.0097 141 0.008 Pelly River 6/12/2004 < 0.2 <0.02 1.8 0.0177 0.011 0.0084 183 0.020 Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 <0.2 <0.02 1.5 0.0141 0.008 0.0038 84 0.014 White River 6/13/2004 <0.2 <0.02 3.0 0.0175 0.012 0.0036 67 0.042 Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Stewart River 6/14/2004 <0.2 <0.02 1.3 0.0100 0.005 0.0051 92 0.015 Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.2 <0.02 2.9 0.0702 0.042 0.014 190 0.012 Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.79 0.0047 0.002 0.0021 32 0.004 Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.78 0.0048 0.003 0.0022 32 0.003 Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.6 <0.02 3.4 0.0820 0.049 0.018 257 0.010 Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 <0.3 <0.02 1.6 0.0106 0.007 0.0049 98 -- 

60
Table 11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Potassium Lanthanum Lithium Lutetium Magnesium Manganese Molybdenum So

Site Date (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (m

Nares River 6/5/2004 0.45 0.0105 0.51 0.0002 1.2 1.00 2.0 0Atlin River 6/6/2004 0.61 0.0032 0.63 <0.0002 2.7 0.17 1.1 0Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.64 0.0100 0.55 0.0002 2.5 1.25 1.5 Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.78 0.0259 0.73 0.0005 1.1 2.06 1.6 1Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Teslin River 6/9/2004 0.64 0.0503 0.81 0.0012 5.1 1.9 0.78 

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 1.1 0.2565 1.00 0.0038 2.7 12 0.71 0Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.84 0.0143 1.52 0.0006 9.0 5.0 0.89 

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 0.77 0.0853 0.87 0.0015 4.4 4.6 0.88 

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 1.1 0.1320 1.33 0.0035 5.8 6.2 0.87 

Pelly River 6/12/2004 0.72 0.0794 2.22 0.0014 7.4 8.9 0.93 0

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 0.75 0.0516 1.48 0.0012 5.9 2.8 1.0 

White River 6/13/2004 2.3 0.0456 5.17 0.0019 8.0 3.7 1.9 Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 6/14/2004 0.52 0.0423 2.64 0.0007 9.5 5.9 0.58 

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 1.0 0.2725 3.56 0.0064 8.9 21 0.65 

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.42 0.0130 2.08 0.0003 7.3 8.3 0.39 Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.40 0.0139 2.02 0.0005 7.2 7.6 0.40 Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.79 0.3252 3.54 0.0077 5.6 3.7 0.41 

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 0.97 0.0471 2.30 0.0010 7.7 3.5 0.99 

61
Table 11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Phosphorus Lead Praseodymium Rubidium Rhenium Sulfur Antimony Se

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (

Nares River 6/5/2004 <10 0.012 0.0021 0.61 0.0008 2.4 0.071 Atlin River 6/6/2004 <10 <0.005 0.0005 0.71 0.0011 2.3 0.144 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 <10 0.018 0.0022 0.78 0.0012 2.4 0.094 Takhini River 6/7/2004 <10 0.020 0.0059 0.69 <0.0005 1.2 0.022 Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Teslin River 6/9/2004 <10 0.027 0.012 0.62 0.0012 3.2 0.069 0Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 <10 0.068 0.067 1.0 0.0014 2.4 0.073 0Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 <10 0.024 0.0033 0.56 0.0023 7.6 0.100 0Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 <10 0.059 0.021 0.82 0.0015 3.2 0.081 0Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 <10 0.038 0.033 0.71 0.0022 3.2 0.054 Pelly River 6/12/2004 <10 0.17 0.021 0.50 0.0040 12 0.243 0Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 <10 0.074 0.013 0.60 0.0023 7.4 0.161 0White River 6/13/2004 <10 0.025 0.012 2.2 0.0042 13 0.317 0Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 6/14/2004 <10 0.099 0.010 0.39 0.0031 18 0.170 0Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 <10 0.083 0.075 0.84 0.0050 14 0.171 Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 <10 0.026 0.0034 0.24 0.0023 15 0.150 0Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 <10 0.018 0.0035 0.24 0.0017 14 0.152 0Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 <10 0.038 0.087 0.93 0.0024 8.6 0.110 0

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 <7 0.080 0.012 1.1 0.0028 12 0.197 0

62
Table 11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Strontium Terbium Tellurium Thorium Thallium Thulium Uranium 

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Nares River 6/5/2004 67 0.0004 0.006 0.032 0.009 0.0002 0.84 Atlin River 6/6/2004 69 <0.0003 <0.005 0.014 < 0.005 <0.0001 0.55 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 74 0.0004 <0.005 0.015 < 0.005 0.0001 0.67 Takhini River 6/7/2004 41 0.0007 <0.005 0.037 0.006 0.0004 0.44 Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 6/9/2004 75 0.0018 0.005 0.044 < 0.005 0.0011 0.79 Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 49 0.0076 <0.005 0.20 < 0.005 0.0036 0.77 Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 122 0.0006 <0.005 0.020 < 0.005 0.0004 1.2 Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 74 0.0027 <0.005 0.076 < 0.005 0.0014 0.79 Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 167 0.0048 <0.005 0.059 < 0.005 0.0033 0.47 Pelly River 6/12/2004 111 0.0033 <.005 0.061 < 0.005 0.0014 0.67 Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 93 0.0023 <0.005 0.052 < 0.005 0.0010 0.75 White River 6/13/2004 147 0.0026 0.006 0.070 0.007 0.0016 0.89 Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Stewart River 6/14/2004 139 0.0018 <0.005 0.038 < 0.005 0.0007 0.66 Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 163 0.012 <0.005 0.17 < 0.005 0.0059 1.5 Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 154 0.0006 <0.005 0.030 < 0.005 0.0004 0.37 Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 152 0.0008 <0.005 0.023 < 0.005 0.0004 0.35 Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 6/16/2004 105 0.013 <0.007 0.26 0.014 0.0070 0.62 Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 122 0.0021 < 0.01 0.063 0.004 0.0010 0.80 

63
Table 11. Major cations and dissolved trace elements water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

June 2004 – cont.[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Yttrium Ytterbium Zinc Zirconium

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L)

Nares River 6/5/2004 0.024 0.002 0.76 0.06Atlin River 6/6/2004 0.007 <0.001 0.31 0.05Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.016 <0.001 0.23 0.03Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.036 0.004 0.19 0.05Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- --Teslin River 6/9/2004 0.082 0.007 0.25 0.10Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- --Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.267 0.024 2.6 0.14

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.033 0.002 1.4 0.11Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- --Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 0.113 0.009 0.43 0.10Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 0.228 0.021 0.62 0.36Pelly River 6/12/2004 0.122 0.009 2.9 0.15

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 0.093 0.007 1.2 0.10

White River 6/13/2004 0.121 0.012 1.0 0.31

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 0.064 0.004 2.5 0.08Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.466 0.042 2.3 0.76Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.035 0.003 1.5 0.07

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.036 0.003 1.4 0.07

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.523 0.046 1.7 1.41

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- --Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 0.073 0.006 1.3 0.17

64
Table 12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Aug

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Aluminum Arsenic Boron Barium Beryllium Bismuth Calcium Ca

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (

Nares River 8/25/2004 12 0.27 3.3 15 <0.006 0.004 9.7 0Atlin River 8/26/2004 13 0.28 2.6 34 <0.006 0.009 14 0Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 8 0.41 1.3 24 <0.006 0.008 12 0Takhini River 8/27/2004 32 0.14 < 0.6 13 <0.006 0.003 6.3 0Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 8/29/2004 4.7 0.45 2.7 33 <0.006 0.006 21 0Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 3.2 0.37 4.2 35 <0.006 0.013 31 0Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 2.3 0.56 2.4 79 <0.006 0.003 35 0Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 8.4 0.40 1.8 28 <0.006 0.003 16 0Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 5.0 0.86 12 44 <0.006 0.009 33 0Pelly River 9/1/2004 7.7 0.45 3.4 76 <0.006 0.003 43 0Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River above White river 9/2/2004 11 0.39 4.6 37 <0.006 0.003 21 0White River 9/2/2004 46 0.58 37 35 <0.006 0.008 35 0Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Stewart River 9/3/2004 15 0.53 7.3 65 <0.006 0.002 43 0Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 18 0.78 3.5 53 0.010 0.007 28 0Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.89 0.46 5.1 61 0.007 < 0.001 38 0Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 2.3 0.41 5.2 63 <0.006 0.003 38 0Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 9/5/2004 52 0.49 3.2 39 0.030 0.011 25 0Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 65 0.51 14 40 <0.03 0.002 29 0

65
Table 12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Aug

cont. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Chromium Cesium Copper Dysprosium Erbium Europium Iron Galliu

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.3 <0.02 0.27 0.0044 0.0025 0.0010 11 0.009 Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.3 <0.02 0.21 0.0007 < 0.0006 0.0006 <3 0.024 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.28 0.0012 < 0.0006 0.0006 11 0.01Takhini River 8/27/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.30 0.0047 0.0029 0.0009 40 0.013 Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 8/29/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.67 0.0031 0.0019 0.0008 15 0.003 Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.42 0.0017 0.0012 0.0007 18 0.004 Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.60 0.0021 0.0015 0.0024 17 0.005 

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.41 0.0015 0.0011 0.0007 8 0.01Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 <0.2 <0.02 1.3 0.0091 0.0062 0.0024 71 0.004 Pelly River 9/1/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.77 0.0013 0.0011 0.0022 7 0.005 Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River above White river 9/2/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.45 0.0020 0.0011 0.0004 12 0.008 White River 9/2/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.67 0.0046 0.0025 0.0010 59 0.040 Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.2 <0.02 0.69 0.0024 0.0020 0.0012 11 0.007 Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 0.3 <0.02 1.7 0.0383 0.024 0.0068 120 0.007 Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.53 0.0011 < 0.0006 0.0005 <3 0.003 Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 <0.2 <0.02 0.57 0.0026 0.0021 0.0017 8 0.004 Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 9/5/2004 0.5 <0.02 2.6 0.0593 0.037 0.013 217 0.010 Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 <0.3 <0.02 0.85 0.0061 0.004 0.0027 94 -- 

66
Table 12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Aug

cont.

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Potassium Lanthanum Lithium Lutetium Magnesium Manganese Molybdenum So

Site Date (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (m

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.45 0.0163 0.51 0.0004 1.2 0.73 2.1 0Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.67 0.0024 0.65 < 0.0002 2.8 0.22 1.2 0Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.67 0.0047 0.52 0.0003 2.1 1.1 1.5 

Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.70 0.0248 0.62 0.0003 0.8 1.9 1.5 0

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Teslin River 8/29/2004 0.61 0.0107 0.86 0.0004 5.7 0.38 0.94 Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 1.0 0.0081 1.81 0.0002 6.9 2.4 1.4 Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.93 0.0046 1.65 0.0002 9.7 2.6 0.93 

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 0.72 0.0065 0.76 0.0003 3.5 0.45 1.4 Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 1.7 0.0228 2.14 0.0014 9.4 6.9 1.3 

Pelly River 9/1/2004 0.91 0.0041 3.84 0.0002 14 1.7 1.3 

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River above White river 9/2/2004 0.75 0.0070 1.29 0.0002 5.3 0.58 1.4 White River 9/2/2004 2.5 0.0210 5.56 0.0005 9.3 5.7 2.3 

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.68 0.0077 4.11 0.0004 14 3.4 0.80 

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 1.2 0.1028 4.16 0.0045 11 37 0.92 

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.56 0.0009 2.44 0.0002 11 5.7 0.67 Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.58 0.0044 2.49 0.0004 11 14 0.56 

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 9/5/2004 1.0 0.1921 4.26 0.0062 8.7 11 0.45 Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 1.4 0.0316 2.84 0.0006 7.9 3.2 1.5 

67
Table 12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Aug

cont.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Phosphorus Lead Praseodymium Rubidium Rhenium Sulfur Antimony Se

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (

Nares River 8/25/2004 <10 0.014 0.0038 0.65 0.0010 2.3 0.074 0

Atlin River 8/26/2004 <10 0.016 0.0005 0.75 0.0011 2.5 0.156 0Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 <10 0.017 0.0010 0.83 0.0009 2.4 0.104 Takhini River 8/27/2004 <10 0.028 0.0062 0.87 <0.0005 1.00 0.020 <Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Teslin River 8/29/2004 <10 0.024 0.0024 0.66 0.0012 3.8 0.071 0

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 <10 0.012 0.0018 0.93 0.0038 6.5 0.126 0Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 <10 0.011 0.0010 0.63 0.0030 7.3 0.097 0Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 <10 0.013 0.0014 0.78 0.0014 3.0 0.085 0Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 <10 0.028 0.0060 0.92 0.0036 4.8 0.083 0Pelly River 9/1/2004 <10 0.009 0.0007 0.59 0.0055 22 0.179 0Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River above White river 9/2/2004 <10 0.014 0.0016 0.73 0.0019 6.2 0.111 0White River 9/2/2004 <10 0.024 0.0049 2.3 0.0055 18 0.486 0Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 9/3/2004 <10 0.019 0.0019 0.59 0.0038 26 0.160 0Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 <10 0.028 0.029 0.86 0.0049 17 0.144 0Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 <10 <0.004 <0.0002 0.33 0.0033 23 0.229 0Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 <10 0.011 0.0010 0.33 0.0033 22 0.193 0Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 <10 0.027 0.055 1.1 0.0036 15 0.135 0Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 <7 0.031 0.0085 1.5 0.0041 13 0.275 0

68
Table 12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Aug

– cont.

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available; <, less than] 

Strontium Terbium Tellurium Thorium Thallium Thulium Uranium 

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Nares River 8/25/2004 67 0.0008 <0.007 0.051 0.003 0.0004 0.86 Atlin River 8/26/2004 72 <0.0002 <0.007 0.065 0.003 <0.0002 0.57 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 69 0.0002 <0.007 0.035 0.005 <0.0002 0.59 Takhini River 8/27/2004 32 0.0007 <0.007 0.052 0.004 0.0003 0.23 Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 8/29/2004 89 0.0004 <0.007 0.030 0.004 0.0003 0.66 Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 114 0.0004 <0.007 0.030 0.013 0.0002 2.3 Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 141 0.0003 <0.007 0.019 <0.003 0.0003 1.3 Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 81 0.0003 <0.007 0.015 0.004 <0.0002 0.71 Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 271 0.0014 <0.007 0.048 0.011 0.0010 0.76 Pelly River 9/1/2004 200 <0.0002 <0.007 0.020 0.008 0.0002 1.4 Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River above White river 9/2/2004 105 0.0003 <0.007 0.019 0.004 <0.0002 0.84 White River 9/2/2004 180 0.0006 <0.007 0.023 0.009 0.0005 1.0 Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Stewart River 9/3/2004 214 0.0003 <0.007 0.020 0.006 0.0002 1.1 Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 225 0.0058 <0.007 0.13 0.008 0.0036 2.1 Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 217 <0.0002 <0.007 <0.003 <0.003 <0.0002 0.53 Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 217 0.0004 <0.007 0.020 0.006 0.0002 0.76 Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fortymile River 9/5/2004 145 0.010 0.007 0.25 0.005 0.0053 0.73 Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 147 0.0012 <0.01 0.038 0.006 0.0006 0.92 

69
Table 12. Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

70

 August/September 2004 – cont. 

[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available] 

Yttrium Ytterbium Zinc Zirconium

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L)

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.037 0.0030 1.4 0.08

Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.005 0.0005 1.1 0.11Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.008 0.0007 1.3 0.05

Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.032 0.0036 1.0 0.05Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 0.026 0.0024 1.6 0.13

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.017 0.0012 1.3 0.03

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- --Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.017 0.0015 1.1 0.05

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 0.014 0.0011 1.5 0.04

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 0.071 0.0074 2.0 0.25

Pelly River 9/1/2004 0.020 0.0013 1.7 0.05

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- --Yukon River above White river 9/2/2004 0.017 0.0010 1.5 0.04White River 9/2/2004 0.028 0.0027 7.7 0.13

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.025 0.0017 2.0 0.08Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 0.255 0.027 2.2 0.64Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- --Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.009 0.0008 0.9 0.09

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.018 0.0018 1.5 0.07Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 0.403 0.038 2.2 1.63

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 0.041 0.004 2.7 0.15
Anions 

 Paul F. Schuster and Michael M. Reddy 

U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado 

 A description of processing of samples for chloride, sulfate, and nitrate can be 

found in Fishman and Friedman (1989). For a description of laboratory alkalinity 

analyses see U.S. Geological Survey (1997-99). 

71
Table 13. Anions and laboratory alkalinity in water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, June 2004. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; E, estimate; --, not available; <, less than] 

 Site Date

Chloride 

(mg/L)

Nitrate 

(mg/L)

Sulfate 

(mg/L)

Lab alkalinity 

(mg/L as CaCO3)

Nares River 6/5/2004 0.24 0.12 5.5 27

Atlin River 6/6/2004 0.13 0.02E 5.5 44

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.22 <0.01 5.7 45

Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.23 0.04E 2.9 27

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.1 <0.01 4.7 37

Teslin River 6/9/2004 0.06E 0.04E 7.5 64

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 0.03E 0.04E 7.2 61

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.04E 0.02E 5.6 41

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.03E 0.03E 6.2 48

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.28 0.29 18.8 104

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.18 0.04E 7.1 56

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 0.04E 0.03E 7.5 57

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 0.54 <0.01 7.3 74

Pelly River 6/12/2004 0.06E 0.04E 30.4 63

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 0.05E 0.06E 12.1 61

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 0.05E 0.04E 18.2 61

White River 6/13/2004 1.64 0.20 33.0 85

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 0.52 0.09E 21.4 69

Stewart River 6/14/2004 0.15 0.25 48.3 66

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 0.05E 0.08E 21.2 66

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.05E 0.09E 37.8 60

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.66 0.14 31.3 --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.18 0.23 38.7 60

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.05E 0.24 39.7 61

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 0.06E 0.15 31.4 70

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.59 <0.01 22.1 43

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.41 0.15 30.9 70

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 0.45 0.03 29.9 --

72
Table 14. Anions and laboratory alkalinity in water samples from the Yukon River and 

tributaries, August/September 2004. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; E, estimate; --, not available; <, less than]

Site Date

Chloride 

(mg/L)

Nitrate 

(mg/L)

Sulfate 

(mg/L)

Lab alkalinity 

(mg/L as CaCO3)

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.2 0.13 5.5 26

Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.13 <0.01 5.9 44

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.16 <0.01 5.7 36

Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.18 0.11 2.6 19

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.16 <0.01 4.9 32

Teslin River 8/29/2004 0.06E <0.01 9.1 70

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 0.23 <0.01 6.6 48

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.08E <0.01 16.3 92

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.16 <0.01 6.9 49

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.46 <0.01 18.7 116

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.2 <0.01 6.9 --

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 0.79 <0.01 11.9 122

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 0.17 <0.01 7.1 51

Pelly River 9/1/2004 0.1 <0.01 58.3 113

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 0.06E <0.01 14.3 62

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 0.09E <0.01 15.6 64

White River 9/2/2004 1.99 0.23 53.5 109

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 1.99 0.23 53.5 109

Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.09 0.07E 67.3 105

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.88 0.10 32.9 79

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 0.55 <0.01 42.6 79

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/4/2004 0.75 0.09E 34.3 80

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/3/2004 0.39 0.14 58.2 86

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.37 0.14 59.0 81

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 0.91 0.11 34.3 79

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 1.17 0.22 41.1 63

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 0.79 0.11 35.6 72

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 0.92 0.02 35.0 --

73
Deuterium and Oxygen Isotopes 

 Tyler P. Coplen 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 

 A description of sample processing for deuterium (2

H) can be found in Coplen and 

others (1991), and a description of sample processing for oxygen isotope (18O) analysis 

can be found in Epstein and Mayeda (1953). 

74
Table 15. Deuterium (δ

2

H) and oxygen isotopes (δ

18O) in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, June 2004. 

[

2

H, deuterium; 18O, oxygen isotope; δ, delta; --, not available] 

Site Date δ2H (per mil) δ18O (per mil)

Nares River 6/5/2004 -142.5 -18.69

Atlin River 6/6/2004 -142.7 -18.40

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 -143.8 -18.55

Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- --

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 157.5 -20.18

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -162.8 -21.36

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -161.1 -20.38

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 -156.4 -20.24

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 -160.6 -20.26

Pelly River 6/12/2004 -168.1 -21.66

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 -163.5 -20.89

White River 6/13/2004 -180.2 -23.29

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 -171.0 -22.16

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -172.1 -21.99

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 -170.6 -21.84

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/15/2004 -- --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -171.5 -21.90

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 -166.1 -21.42

75
Table 16. Deuterium (δ

2

H) and oxygen isotopes (δ

18O) in water samples from the Yukon 

River and tributaries, August/September 2004. 

[

2

H, deuterium; 18O, oxygen isotope; δ, delta; --, not available] 

Site Date δ2H (per mil) δ18O (per mil)

Nares River 8/25/2004 -143.5 -18.78

Atlin River 8/26/2004 -142.4 -18.36

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 -147.2 -19.03

Takhini River 8/27/2004 -142.1 -18.33

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 -153.7 -19.61

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -161.2 -20.65

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -161.0 -20.28

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 -147.5 -18.92

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 -161.2 -20.15

Pelly River 9/1/2004 -163.5 -20.79

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 -150.0 -19.20

White River 9/2/2004 -180.1 -23.24

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 -166.5 -21.38

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -166.9 -21.24

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/5/2004 -167.2 -21.56

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -164.0 -20.98

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 -162.7 -20.84

76
Chlorophyll a

 Jacques Finlay 

University of Minnesota 

 A description of sample processing for chlorophyll a analysis can be found in 

Welschmeyer (1994). 

77
Table 17. Chlorophyll a in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

 June 2004.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not available] 

Site Date 

Chlorophyll a 

(μg/L)

Nares River 6/5/2004 0.37

Atlin River 6/6/2004 0.52

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.58

Takhini River 6/7/2004 1.15

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 2.56

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 1.48

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.73

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 --

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 2.24

Nordenskiold River at mouth 6/11/2004 1.37

Pelly River 6/12/2004 0.76

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 1.42

White River 6/13/2004 1.15

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 0.35

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.22

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.24

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.29

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.35

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 1.01

78
Table 18. Chlorophyll a in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

 August/September 2004. 

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not available] 

Site Date 

Chlorophyll a 

(μg/L)

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.50

Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.20

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.48

Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.63

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/29/2004 --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 1.36

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/30/2004 --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.52

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 0.84

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 0.86

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 0.88

Pelly River 9/1/2004 0.35

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/2/2004 --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 0.89

White River 9/2/2004 0.52

Yukon River below White River 9/3/2004 --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 0.66

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 0.82

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/4/2004 --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.64

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.60

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 3.48

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 0.64

79
Dissolved Organic Carbon and Fractionation 

 George R. Aiken 

U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for dissolved organic 

carbon, ultraviolet absorbance spectroscopy, specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), and 

dissolved organic carbon fractionation analyses is given in Schuster (2003). 

80
Table 19. Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 

[mg C/L, milligrams carbon per liter; nm, nanometer wavelength; SUVA, specific ultra violet absorbance; (L/mg C/m), liters per milligpath length; %, percent; --, not available] 

Site Date

Dissolved 

organic 

carbon 

(mg C/L)

Ultraviolet 

absorbance @ 

254nm

 SUVA (L/mg 

C/m)

Hydrophobic 

acid SUVA 

(L/mg C/m)

Hydrophobic 

acid (%)

Hydrophobic 

organic matter 

SUVA (L/mg 

C/m)

Hydrophobic 

organic matte

(%)

Nares River 6/5/2004 1.1 0.020 1.8 2.8 41 -- -- 

Atlin River 6/6/2004 0.8 0.009 1.1 1.9 27 -- -- Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 1.4 0.024 1.7 2.4 33 -- -- 

Takhini River 6/7/2004 1.4 0.029 2.1 2.9 37 -- -- 

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Teslin River 6/9/2004 4.2 0.129 3.1 3.9 43 2.0 14 

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 6.1 0.231 3.8 4.6 50 1.9 16 

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 3.9 0.104 2.7 3.5 39 1.3 19 

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 4.8 0.147 3.1 -- -- -- -- 

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 13.4 0.474 3.5 4.1 49 1.9 15 

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 4.5 0.134 3.0 4.1 44 1.8 15 

Pelly River 6/12/2004 5.1 0.155 3.1 4.2 46 3.5 15 

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/13/2004 5.1 0.145 2.8 -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 4.9 0.158 3.2 4.0 51 4.2 20 

White River 6/13/2004 7.1 0.223 3.1 4.0 53 2.0 18 

Yukon River Below White River 6/14/2004 4.7 0.154 3.3 -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 6/14/2004 3.2 0.089 2.8 3.7 45 -- 20 

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 4.8 0.176 3.7 -- -- -- -- Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 13.1 0.437 3.3 4.1 56 3.9 15 

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 4.3 0.134 3.1 -- -- -- -- 

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 2.8 0.072 2.6 3.7 44 2.1 17 

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 2.7 0.073 2.7 3.7 47 2.0 20 

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 4.1 0.133 3.3 -- -- -- -- 

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 20.6 0.734 3.6 4.3 55 2.3 15 

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 4.5 0.136 3.1 -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 4.1 0.124 3.0 3.7 48 1.3 20 

81
82

Table 20. Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Augu[mg C/L, milligrams carbon per liter; nm, nanometer wavelength; SUVA, specific ultra violate absorbance; (L/mg C/m), liters per millmeter path length; %, percent; --, not available] 

Site Date

Dissolved 

organic 

carbon 

(mg C/L)

Ultraviolet 

absorbance @ 

254nm

 SUVA (L/mg 

C/m)

Hydrophobic 

acid SUVA 

(L/mg C/m)

Hydrophobic 

acid (%)

Hydrophobic 

organic matter 

SUVA (L/mg 

C/m)

Hydrophobic 

organic matte

(%)

Nares River 8/24/2004 1.3 0.022 1.7 2.7 52 -- -- 

Atlin River 8/25/2004 1.1 0.009 0.9 2.0 31 -- -- 

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 1.1 0.016 1.5 2.2 39 -- -- 

Takhini River 8/26/2004 1.0 0.022 2.1 2.7 39 -- -- 

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/26/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Teslin River 8/30/2004 3.3 0.077 2.4 3.2 43 1.7 26 

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 1.8 0.035 1.9 -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 3.2 0.073 2.3 3.2 41 1.2 24 

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 1.9 0.034 1.7 -- -- -- -- 

Big Salmon River 8/29/2004 1.8 0.032 1.8 2.6 39 1.3 31 

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 2.1 0.030 1.4 -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 2.0 0.039 2.0 2.8 41 1.2 25 

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 6.9 0.183 2.7 3.3 48 2.4 16 

Pelly River 9/1/2004 2.5 0.052 2.1 2.8 39 1.2 25 

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

White River 9/2/2004 1.7 0.035 2.0 3.0 42 -- -- 

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 9/3/2004 2.4 0.050 2.1 2.9 43 -- -- 

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 2.1 0.041 2.0 -- -- -- -- 

Sixtymile River 9/2/2004 11.3 0.332 3.0 3.5 53 1.9 16 

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 2.1 0.041 1.9 -- -- -- -- 

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/3/2004 2.1 0.042 2.1 2.7 37 -- -- 

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 2.2 0.043 2.0 2.9 38 -- -- 

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 2.4 0.045 1.9 -- -- -- -- 

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 15.7 0.521 3.3 3.9 54 1.9 16 

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 2.6 0.067 2.6 -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 2.4 0.057 2.3 3.2 41 -- -- 
 Dissolved Carbon Gases and Carbon Isotopes 

 Robert G. Striegl 

U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for carbon dioxide 

(CO2), methane (CH4), and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is given in Schuster (2003). 

A description for the processing of samples for carbon isotopes (13C-DIC) can be found in 

Chasar and others (2000). Equations for temperature and altitude correction of PCO2 and 

PCH4 can be found in Plummer and Busenberg (1982). 

83
Table 21. Dissolved carbon gases and carbon isotopes in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Jun

[CO2, carbon dioxide; μmol/L, micromoles per liter; PCO2, partial pressure of CO2; ppm, parts per million; CH4, methane; PCH4, partial pre

of CH4; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; Corrected, adjusted for temperature and altitude; --, not available] 

Site Date

CO 2 

(μmol/L)

Corrected PCO2 

(ppm)

CH 4 

(μmol/L)

Corrected P CH4 

(ppm)

DIC 

(μmol/L)

13C-DIC 

(per m

Nares River 6/5/2004 5.8 85 0.09 2.1 612 -2.6

Atlin River 6/6/2004 21.5 303 0.1 2.2 1,011 -1.3

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 13.4 255 0.26 5.7 976 -2.9

Takhini River 6/7/2004 2.9 54 0.08 1.9 613 -4.4

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 9.2 180 0.23 5.2 808 -3.4

Teslin River 6/9/2004 43.7 731 0.13 3 1,485 -7.5

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 31.7 541 0.12 2.6 1,555 -6.5

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 36.9 566 0.18 4 848 -7.7

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 21.3 340 0.17 3.8 1,124 -7.1

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 53.6 887 0.15 3.4 2,392 -6.7

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 44.2 749 0.13 2.9 1,332 -6.4

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 62.3 1,105 0.18 4 1,718 -8.0

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 31.3 543 0.13 2.9 1,329 -6.5

Pelly River 6/12/2004 20.5 382 0.12 2.6 1,443 -7.5

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 18.5 355 0.12 2.7 1,439 -6.5

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 23.4 446 0.13 3 1,390 -6.7

White River 6/13/2004 39.7 782 0.12 2.6 1,874 -3.7

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 25.6 511 0.11 2.5 1,540 -6.0

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 56.8 1,156 0.22 5.1 1,263 -7.0

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 36.3 732 0.11 2.5 1,506 -6.2

Stewart River 6/14/2004 39.1 757 0.1 2.4 1,544 -6.4

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 24.4 481 0.07 1.7 1,506 -6.5

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 39.4 694 0.13 2.9 1,369 -7.6

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 25.6 523 0.09 2.1 1,629 -6.4

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 79.9 1,692 0.18 4.2 962 -7.3

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 39.6 852 0.11 2.6 1,626 -6.1

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 30.3 645 0.1 2.1 1,620 -6.3

84
Table 22. Dissolved carbon gases and carbon isotopes in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, Aug

Site Date

CO 2 

(μmol/L)

Corrected P CO2 

(ppm)

CH 4 

(μmol/L)

Corrected P CH4 

(ppm)

DIC 

(μmol/L)

13C-D

(per 

Nares River 8/25/2004 10.6 203 0.14 3.2 605 -2.

Atlin River 8/26/2004 15.8 312 0.1 2.3 1,068 -1.0

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 19.2 397 0.37 8.4 878 -1.8

Takhini River 8/27/2004 13 250 0.17 3.8 486 -4.

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 6.1 126 0.31 7 632 -1.9

Teslin River 8/29/2004 34.2 664 0.15 3.5 1,744 -6.

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 12.1 239 0.14 3.2 1,147 -3.8

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 37.2 618 0.12 2.8 2,215 -7.3

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 13.8 268 0.16 3.6 1,169 -4.7

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 43.8 830 0.19 4.3 2,757 -6.3

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 26.3 522 0.13 2.9 1,159 -4.

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 54 942 0.18 4 2,787 -7.8

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 28.9 574 0.16 3.5 1,197 -4.3

Pelly River 9/1/2004 56.5 1,039 0.14 3.3 2,736 -6.6

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 26 514 0.14 3.1 1,399 -4.8

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 36.9 722 0.14 3.2 1,467 -5.0

White River 9/2/2004 47.4 855 0.19 4.3 2,261 -3.4

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 76.5 1,295 0.34 7.5 1,861 -6.7

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- 1,560 -4.3

Stewart River 9/3/2004 56 1,022 0.16 3.6 2,468 -6.3

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 23.1 426 0.15 3.3 1,899 -5.2

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 62.6 1,046 0.13 2.8 2,008 -7.

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 37.9 675 0.14 3.1 1,612 -4.

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 80.3 1,309 0.17 3.9 1,506 -4.

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 39.9 718 0.15 3.3 1,860 -4.

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 53.5 981 0.12 2.8 1,834 -4.

[CO2, carbon dioxide; μmol/L, micromoles per liter; PCO2, partial pressure of CO2; ppm, parts per million; CH4, methane; 

PCH4, partial pressure of CH4; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; Corrected, adjusted for temperature and altitude; --, not available] 

85
Mercury 

 John F. DeWild and Mark L. Olson 

U.S. Geological Survey, Madison, Wisconsin 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for filtered methyl 

mercury, filtered total mercury, particulate methyl mercury, and particulate total mercury 

is given in Schuster (2003). 

86
Table 23. Mercury in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004. 

[Hg, mercury; ng/L, nanograms per liter; <, less than; --, not available] 

Site Date

Filtered 

methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

Filtered 

total-Hg 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

total-Hg 

(ng/L)

Nares River 6/5/2004 <0.04 0.35 <0.02 <0.12

Atlin River 6/6/2004 <0.04 2.05 <0.01 <0.06

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 <0.04 0.30 <0.01 0.36

Takhini River 6/7/2004 <0.04 0.53 <0.04 2.77

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 <0.04 1.24 0.02 3.95

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 <0.04 2.55 0.07 12.20

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 <0.04 0.63 <0.04 2.15

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- --

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 0.09 3.64 0.02 2.18

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 <0.04 2.64 <0.04 6.00

Pelly River 6/12/2004 <0.04 3.94 <0.04 8.93

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 <0.04 3.01 0.01 15.51

White River 6/13/2004 <0.04 1.94 <0.05 26.30

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 <0.04 2.67 <0.04 16.17

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 0.07 3.63 <0.04 0.74

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 <0.04 1.50 0.01 1.82

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 <0.04 1.75 0.02 1.91

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.11 4.54 <0.01 0.27

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 <0.04 2.20 <0.04 20.84

87
Table 24. Mercury in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

August/September 2004. 

[Hg, mercury; ng/L, nanograms per liter; <, less than; --, not available] 

Site Date

Filtered 

methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

Filtered 

total-Hg 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

total-Hg 

(ng/L)

Nares River 8/25/2004 <0.04 0.27 <0.01 0.07

Atlin River 8/26/2004 <0.04 0.37 <0.01 0.08

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 <0.04 6.35 <0.01 0.45

Takhini River 8/27/2004 <0.04 0.54 <0.01 1.02

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 <0.04 0.72 <0.01 0.40

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 <0.04 0.44 <0.01 0.29

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 <0.04 0.62 <0.01 0.19

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- --

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 0.04 1.18 <0.01 0.45

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 <0.04 0.41 <0.01 0.57

Pelly River 9/1/2004 <0.04 0.87 <0.01 0.85

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 <0.04 0.39 <0.01 0.79

White River 9/2/2004 <0.04 0.70 <0.06 22.00

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 <0.04 0.88 <0.01 0.76

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 0.05 1.35 <0.01 0.12

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 <0.04 0.98 <0.01 0.12

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 <0.04 0.89 <0.01 0.25

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 <0.04 0.89 <0.01 0.25

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 <0.04 0.67 <0.03 8.22

88
Uranium 

 Thomas F. Kraemer 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for uranium 

concentrations and uranium activity ratio is given in Schuster (2003). 

89
Table 25. Uranium and 234Uranium/238Uranium activity ratios of water samples from the 

Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not available] 

Site Date

Uranium 

(μg/L)

234 Uranium/ 238 Uranium 

activity ratio 

Nares River 6/5/2004 0.90 1.141

Atlin River 6/6/2004 0.57 1.173

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.70 1.136

Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.46 1.202

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- --

Teslin River 6/9/2004 0.84 1.287

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 0.83 1.122

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 1.33 1.477

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 0.82 1.218

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 0.48 1.626

Pelly River 6/12/2004 0.67 1.427

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 0.78 1.282

White River 6/13/2004 0.90 1.494

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- --

Stewart River 6/14/2004 0.66 1.394

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 1.56 1.517

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.37 1.700

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 0.39 1.751

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- Fortymile River 6/16/2004 0.66 1.653

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 0.89 1.376

90
Table 26. Uranium and 234Uranium/238Uranium activity ratios of water samples from the 

Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 2004.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not available] 

Site Date

Uranium 

(μg/L)

234Uranium/ 238 Uranium 

activity ratio 

Nares River 8/25/2004 0.91 1.146

Atlin River 8/26/2004 0.61 1.170

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.65 1.142

Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.24 1.176

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 0.72 1.327

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 2.44 1.263

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 1.39 1.487

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 0.77 1.245

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 -- --

Pelly River 9/1/2004 1.49 1.458

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 0.94 1.320

White River 9/2/2004 1.23 1.347

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- Stewart River 9/3/2004 1.12 1.433

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 2.21 1.531

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.79 1.714

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 0.82 1.753

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- Fortymile River 9/5/2004 0.84 1.732

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 1.06 1.362

91
Nutrients 

 Howard E. Taylor1 and Jacques Finlay2

1

U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado, and 2University of Minnesota 

 A description of processing of samples for nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate is 

found in Antweiler and others (1996). A description of processing of samples for total 

dissolved nitrate and total dissolved phosphorus is found in Valderrama (1981). A 

description of processing of samples for soluble reactive phosphorus is found in Eaton 

and others (1995). A description of processing of samples for particulate phosphorus is 

found in Strickland and Parsons (1972). 

92
Table 27. Nutrients in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, June 2004.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg N/L, milligrams nitrogen per liter; mg P/L, milligrams phosphorus per liter; <, less than; --, not availab

Total 

dissolved 

nitrogen 

Total 

dissolved 

phosphorus 

Soluble 

reactive 

phosphorus 

Particulate 

phosphorus Nitrite Ammonium 

Site Date (μg/L) (μ g/L) (μ g/L) (μg/L) (mg N/L) (mg N/L) 

Nares River 6/5/2004 103.93 19.20 1.42 1.43 < 0.001 < 0.00

Atlin River 6/6/2004 47.04 15.86 1.11 2.29 < 0.001 < 0.00Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 57.07 15.82 1.60 7.58 0.001 < 0.00

Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- 14.88 1.38 60.70 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Takhini River 6/7/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Teslin River 6/9/2004 123.90 16.98 1.60 70.45 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Teslin River 6/9/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 148.10 20.32 2.48 271.61 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 6/10/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 183.30 24.54 1.42 18.64 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 6/10/2004 64.29 -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Carmacks 6/11/2004 125.90 13.10 1.85 125.20 < 0.001 < 0.00

Nordenskiold River 6/11/2004 346.40 18.51 1.80 34.33 0.001 < 0.00

Pelly River 6/12/2004 146.90 19.09 3.57 248.42 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Pelly River 6/12/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River above White River 6/13/2004 129.80 12.46 3.76 168.23 < 0.001 < 0.00

White River 6/13/2004 200.20 14.88 2.13 1318.57 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below White River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Stewart River 6/14/2004 141.20 23.38 3.56 129.56 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Stewart River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 348.30 20.98 1.78 6.28 0.002 < 0.00

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 6/14/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 120.20 22.10 1.64 4.50 < 0.001 < 0.00

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 6/15/2004 142.60 26.47 1.72 9.82 < 0.001 < 0.00

Yukon River below Klondike River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Fortymile River 6/16/2004 425.35 24.72 1.67 2.54 0.002 < 0.00

Yukon River below Fortymile River 6/16/2004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 6/17/2004 133.80 20.52 2.25 239.26 < 0.001 < 0.00

93
94

Table 28. Nutrients in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 2004. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg N/L, milligrams nitrogen per liter; mg P/L, milligrams phosphorus per liter; <, less than; --, not availab
Carbon Isotope Composition of Dissolved Organic and Inorganic Carbon 

 Peter Raymond 

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for carbon isotope 

composition and apparent age is given in Raymond and Hopkinson (2003). Samples for 

carbon isotope composition were collected during August / September 2004 only. 

95
Table 29. Carbon isotope composition of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon in water 

samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, August/September 2004.

[C, carbon; DOC, dissolved organic carbon; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; --, not available] 

Site Date

13C-DOC 

(per mil)

14C-DOC 

Fraction 

modern

14C-DOC Apparent

age before 

present (years)

13C-DIC 

(per mil)

14C-DIC 

Fraction 

modern

14C-DIC 

Apparent 

age before

present 

(years)

Nares River 8/25/2004 -25.91 0.78 1,972 -2.51 1.00 --

Atlin River 8/26/2004 -27.45 0.55 4,800 -1.59 0.99 22

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 -25.82 0.82 1,545 -1.99 1.00 --

Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Yukon River below Takhini River 8/27/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Yukon River below Teslin River 8/29/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -26.02 0.90 805 -7.8 0.81 1,734

Yukon River below Big Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Yukon River below Little Salmon River 8/30/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Carmacks 8/31/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Nordenskiold River 8/31/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Pelly River 9/1/2004 -26.33 0.91 799 -7.13 0.76 2,195

Yukon River below Pelly River 9/1/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 -26.05 0.88 1,676 -5.23 0.89 955

White River 9/2/2004 -27.84 0.90 806 -3.51 0.60 4,099

Yukon River below White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 -20.83 0.92 704 -6.59 0.75 39

Yukon River below Stewart River 9/3/2004 -20.75 0.93 603 -- -- --

Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -7.27 0.83 1,510

Yukon River below Sixtymile River 9/3/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Klondike River above Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Klondike River below Bonanza Creek 9/4/2004 -- -- -- -8.26 0.77 2,059

Yukon River below Klondike River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -27.47 1.01 post-nuclear era -5.14 0.79 1,910

Yukon River below Fortymile River 9/5/2004 -- -- -- -- -- --

Yukon River at Eagle, Alaska 9/6/2004 -24.10 0.94 478 -5.12 0.75 2,274

96
Sediment Mineralogy 

 Dennis Eberl

U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado 

 A description of sample collection and processing of samples for quantitative X-ray 

mineralogical analysis is given in Schuster (2003). 

 

97
Table 30. Sediment mineralogy of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries, 

2004

Site Yukon River 

at Eagle

Yukon River 

at Eagle

White River White River

Date 6/17/2004 9/6/2004 6/13/2004 9/2/2004

MINERALS: Non-Clays

Percent by 

weight 

Percent by 

weight 

Percent by 

weight 

Percent by 

weight 

Quartz 28.3 18.4 15.0 16.9

ordered Microcline feldspar 0.4 1.0 1.4 0.8

intermediate Microcline feldspar 5.7 5.3 5.3 4.8

Sanidine feldspar 0.2 0.7 0.3 0.0

Orthoclase feldspar 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Anorthoclase feldspar 15.7 18.0 20.8 19.6

Albite feldspar (Cleavelandite) 6.8 7.0 7.5 7.8

Oligoclase feldspar (Norway) 1.2 1.3 0.1 1.2

Andesine feldspar 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

Labradorite feldspar 5.6 6.5 8.0 8.7

Bytownite feldspar 2.3 4.4 3.9 3.0

Anorthite feldspar 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.0

Calcite 6.3 10.4 10.3 11.2

Mg-calcite 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.5

Dolomite 2.9 3.6 3.4 3.8

Amphibole (ferrotschermakite) 0.9 1.3 1.5 1.7

Pyroxene (diopside) 0.3 1.1 1.3 1.6

Magnetite 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Hematite 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

Goethite 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0

Maghemite 0.9 1.3 1.0 1.3

Apatite 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.3

Total: non-clays 79.4 81.8 81.1 83.5

MINERALS: Clays

disordered Kaolinite 1.2 0.9 1.1 0.6

Ferruginous smectite 6.9 8.0 7.7 7.2

1Md illite (+ dioct mica & smectite) 6.6 3.9 3.7 4.4

Chlorite CCa-1 1.9 2.4 2.7 1.8

Chlorite CCa-3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Chlorite CMM 2.5 2.7 1.9 2.3

Chlorite CO 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3

Mg-Chlorite (A) 0.0 1.6 1.4 1.4

Muscovite (2M1) 5.4 5.4 5.0 2.8

Total: clays 24.5 24.9 23.5 20.7

98
Quality Assurance and Quality Control 

 Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures were an integral part of 

the study to ensure accuracy, precision, and completeness of the data. QA was achieved 

by adhering to standard USGS protocols (Edwards and Glysson, 1988) and detailed 

protocols for the collection and processing of environmental samples from the Yukon 

River basin specifically (USGS, 2006a, b). QA also required the collection of QC 

samples for the testing of field and laboratory methodologies. 

 QC samples included sequential replicates and process blanks. Sequential replicate 

samples are used to identify and quantify possible bias and variability introduced from 

the field equipment preparation, sample collection, and field processing. Process blanks 

are used to identify and document any systematic contamination induced from cleaning 

and preparation of the sampling and processing equipment and the handling of samples 

by field personnel. 

 Relative percent differences (RPDs) are used to describe variability found in replicate 

samples (table 31) and were computed with the follow equation: 

RPD = ( ) 100

2

21

21

×

⎥

⎥

⎥

⎦

⎤

⎢

⎢

⎢

⎣

⎡

+

−

CC

CC

where 

 C1 is the concentration for aliquot 1, and 

 C2 is the concentration for aliquot 2. 

 Table 32, statistics for relative percent differences, indicates that the highest RPD of 

169.5 occurred in the mercury sample analysis category. An arbitrarily defined RPD 

bracket of 0-15 contains 17 percent of mercury sample analyses and had the lowest 

percent of samples within the RPD bracket. All other analysis categories contain a larger 

percent of samples in the 0-15 RPD bracket with uranium and 234uranium/238uranium 

activity ratios, tritium, and deuterium and oxygen isotopes at 100 percent. The results 

indicate that confidence in reported concentrations is highest for uranium and

99
234uranium/238uranium activity ratios, tritium, and deuterium and oxygen isotopes and 

somewhat lower for other analyses. 

 Process blanks (table 33) were obtained by processing a volume, similar to an 

environmental sample, of inorganic and organic free water, with the same procedures and 

equipment used during sample processing. Concerns should be raised when the minimum 

concentration of a sample constituent is lower than the maximum concentration detected 

in the field equipment blank. Concentrations of constituents detected in the process 

blanks, with a few exceptions, were all at or near detection levels and generally were 

much lower than the concentrations in the environmental samples. 

100
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples. 

Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen in water samples from the 

 Yukon River and tributaries.

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not available] 

Total 

particulate 

carbon 

Total particulate 

nitrogen 

Site Date (mg/L) (mg/L)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.45 0.05

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.37 0.04

RPD 19.5 20.0

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.19 0.02

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.16 0.02

RPD 17.1 0.0

Tritium in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries. 

[TU, tritium units] 

Site Date Tritium (TU)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 7.1

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 7.2

RPD 1.4

101
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont. 

Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries.[μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; nc, not calculated; <, less than] 

Aluminum Arsenic Boron Barium Beryllium 

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 6.1 0.41 1.5 24 < 0.01 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 35 0.42 1.8 25 < 0.01 < RPD 140.6 2.4 18.2 4.1 nc 

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 8.2 0.42 1.3 25 < 0.006 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 7.8 0.39 1.3 23 < 0.006 RPD 5.0 7.4 0.0 8.3 nc 

Calcium Cadmium Cerium Cobalt Chromium 

Site Date (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 14 0.004 0.0064 0.015 < 0.2 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 14 0.004 0.028 0.052 < 0.2 RPD 0.0 0.0 125.6 110.5 nc 

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 12 0.004 0.0083 0.011 < 0.2 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 12 < 0.002 0.0067 0.017 < 0.2 RPD 0.0 nc 21.3 42.8 nc 

Copper Dysprosium Erbium Europium Iron 

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.35 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.0007 10 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.42 0.0023 0.001 < 0.0007 54 RPD 18.2 nc nc nc 137.5 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.29 0.0012 < 0.0006 0.0006 12 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.27 0.0011 0.0009 < 0.0002 9 RPD 7.1 8.7 nc nc 28.6 

102
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont. 

Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries-cont.[μg/L , micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; nc, not calculated; <, less than] 

Gadolinium Holmium Potassium Lanthanum Lithium L

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.0013 < 0.0003 0.65 0.0047 0.54 < Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.0033 0.0005 0.63 0.016 0.55 RPD 87.0 nc 3.1 109.2 1.8 

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.0015 0.0003 0.67 0.0049 0.52 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.0008 0.0002 0.66 0.0044 0.53 < RPD 60.9 40 1.5 10.7 1.9 

Magnesium Manganese Molybdenum Sodium Neodymium 

Site Date (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 2.5 1.2 1.5 0.92 0.004 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 2.5 2.3 1.5 0.93 0.016 RPD 0.0 62.9 0.0 1.1 120 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 2.1 1.1 1.5 0.79 0.0045 

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 2.1 1.1 1.5 0.79 0.0043 RPD 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 

Phosphorus Lead Praseodymium Rubidium Rhenium 

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 < 10 0.015 0.0008 0.76 0.0012 Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 < 10 0.020 0.0035 0.80 0.0012 RPD nc 28.6 125.6 5.1 0.0 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 < 10 0.022 0.0010 0.83 0.0009 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 < 10 0.012 0.0010 0.83 0.0010 RPD nc 58.8 0.0 0.0 10.5 

103
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont 

Major cations and dissolved trace elements in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries-cont.[μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; nc, not calculated; <, less than] 

Antimony Selenium Silica Samarium Strontium T

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.093 < 0.1 2.8 < 0.001 74 < Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.094 < 0.1 2.9 0.003 73 RPD 1.1 nc 3.5 nc 1.4 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.10 0.16 2.4 0.001 69 < Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.11 0.13 2.4 0.001 69 RPD 9.5 20.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 

Tellurium Thorium Thallium Thulium Uranium V

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 < 0.005 0.013 < 0.005 < 0.0001 0.67 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 < 0.005 0.016 < 0.005 0.0002 0.68 RPD nc 20.7 nc nc 1.5 

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 < 0.007 0.042 0.004 < 0.0002 0.61 Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 < 0.007 0.028 0.006 < 0.0002 0.57 RPD nc 31.1 40.0 nc 6.8 

Thungsten Yttrium Ytterbium Zinc Zirconium

Site Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.016 0.0094 < 0.001 0.26 0.031Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.026 0.018 < 0.001 0.21 0.026RPD 47.6 62.8 nc 21.3 17.5

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.020 0.0085 0.0008 1.6 0.043Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.018 0.0075 0.0005 1.0 0.051RPD 10.5 12.5 46.1 46.2 17.0

104
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont 

Anions in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; <, less than; nc, not calculated] 

Site Date

Chloride 

(mg/L)

Nitrate 

(mg/L)

Sulfate 

(mg/L)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.17 <0.01 5.65

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.22 <0.01 5.74

RPD 25.5 nc 1.5

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.16 <0.01 5.68

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.16 <0.01 5.69

RPD 0.0 nc 0.2

Deuterium and oxygen isotopes in water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries. 

[

2

H, deuterium; 18O, oxygen isotope; δ, delta] 

Site Date δ2H (per mil) δ18O (per mil)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 -143.7 -18.61

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 -143.9 -18.48

RPD 0.1 0.7

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 -142.3 -18.32

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 -141.9 -18.34

RPD 0.3 0.1

Chlorophyll a in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries. 

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not available] 

Site Date

Chlorophyll a 

(ug/L)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.41

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.58

RPD 33.7

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.48

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.47

RPD 2.1

105
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont. 

Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation of water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries.[mg C/L, milligrams carbon per liter; nm, nanometer wavelength; SUVA, specific ultra violet absorbance;  (L/mg C/m), liters per milligram carbon per one meter path length; %, percent;] 

Dissolved 

organic 

carbon 

Ultraviolet 

absorbance 

Whole 

water 

SUVA 

Hydrophobic 

acid SUVA 

Hydrophobic 

acid 

Site Date (mg C/L) at 254 nm (L/mg C/m) (L/mg C/m) (percent)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 1.4 0.024 1.7 2.4 33.0Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 1.4 0.023 1.7 2.8 30.0RPD 0.0 4.3 0.0 15.4 9.5Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 1.1 0.016 1.5 2.2 39.0Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 1.2 0.017 1.4 2.3 34.0RPD 8.7 6.1 6.9 4.4 13.7

Dissolved carbon gasses and carbon isotopes in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries. [CO2, carbon dioxide; μmol/L, micromoles per liter; ppm, parts per million; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

 Corrected, adjusted for temperature and altitude] 

Site Date

CO2

(μ moles/L)

Corrected 

P CO2 (ppm)

CH4

(μ mol/L)

Corrected 

P CH4 (ppm)

DIC 

(μ mol/L)

13C-DIC (per

mil)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 15.9 303 0.25 5.5 970 -2.78

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 10.9 207 0.26 5.9 982 -3.03

RPD 37.3 37.6 3.9 7.0 1.2 8.6

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 20.3 420 0.39 8.9 854 -1.97

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 18.1 374 0.34 7.8 901 -1.74

RPD 11.5 11.6 13.7 13.2 5.4 12.4

White River 6/13/2004 35.2 692 0.12 2.8 1885 -3.56

White River 6/13/2004 44.3 871 0.11 2.4 1862 -3.92

RPD 22.9 22.9 8.7 15.4 1.2 9.6

106
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont. 

Mercury concentrations in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries. 

[Hg, mercury; ng/L, nanograms per liter; <, less than; nc, not calculated] 

Site Date

Filtered methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

Filtered total-Hg 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

Particulate total-Hg 

(ng/L)

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 <0.04 0.30 <0.01 0.36

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 <0.04 1.87 <0.01 0.29

RPD nc 144.7 nc 21.5

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 <0.04 6.35 <0.01 0.45

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 <0.04 0.34 <0.01 0.47

RPD nc 169.5 nc 4.3

White River 6/13/2004 <0.04 0.70 <0.06 22.00

White River 6/13/2004 <0.04 0.58 <0.07 12.30

RPD nc 18.7 nc 56.6

Uranium and 234Uranium/238Uranium activity ratios of water samples from the Yukon River 

and tributaries.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter] 

Site Date Uranium 

(μg/L)

234 Uranium/ 238Uranium

activity ratio 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.70 1.154

Yukon River above Takhini River6/7/2004 0.70 1.118

RPD 0.0 3.2

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.65 1.150

Yukon River above Takhini River8/27/2004 0.65 1.134

RPD 0.0 1.4

107
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont. 

Nutrients in water samples from the Yukon River and tributaries. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg N/L, milligrams nitrogen per liter; mg P/L, milligrams phosphorus per liter; <, less than; nc, not calcula

Site Date

Total 

dissolved 

nitrogen 

(μg/L)

Total dissolved 

phosphorus 

(μg/L)

Soluble 

reactive 

phosphorus 

(μg/L)

Particulate 

phosphorus 

(μg/L)

Nitrate 

(mg N/L)

Ammo

(mg 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.04 -- 0.05 7.71 0.001 < 

Yukon River above Takhini River 6/7/2004 0.06 15.82 0.05 7.58 < 0.001 < RPD 40.0 nc 0.0 1.7 nc n

Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.07 5.81 0.18 7.39 < 0.001 < Yukon River above Takhini River 8/27/2004 0.08 6.76 0.08 6.40 < 0.001 < RPD 13.3 15.1 76.9 14.4 nc n

108
Table 31. Relative percent difference (RPD) for replicate samples-cont. 

Carbon isotope composition of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon in water samples 

from the Yukon River and tributaries.

[DOC, dissolved organic carbon; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; --, not available] 

Site Date

13C-DOC 

(per mil)

14C-DOC 

Fraction 

modern

14C-DOC 

Apparent 

age before 

present

13C-DIC 

(per mil)

14C-DIC Fraction 

modern

14C-DIC Apparent 

age before 

present (years)

Yukon River above Takhini River8/27/2004 -25.75 0.8 1772 -- -- --

Yukon River above Takhini River8/27/2004 -25.89 0.85 1319 -- -- --

RPD 5.4 5.3 29.3 -- -- --

-- -- --

Stewart River 9/3/2004 -23.66 0.94 543 -6.76 0.75 39

Stewart River 9/3/2004 -18 0.9 865 -6.42 0.76 39

RPD 27.2 4 45.7 5.2 0.3 0

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -5.76 0.89 933

Yukon River above White River 9/2/2004 -- -- -- -5.29 0.89 977

RPD -- -- -- 8.5 0 4.6

109
Table 32. Statistics for relative percent difference in replicate samples. 

.[Q25, 25th percentile; Q75, 75th percentile; Bracket, percentage of samples ≥ 0.0 and ≤ 15 relative percent difference; N, number of sa

Analysis category Mean Q25 Q75 Minimum Maximum 

Particulate carbon and particulate nitrogen 14.2 12.8 19.6 0.0 20.0 Tritium nc nc nc 1.4 1.4 Major cations and dissolved trace elements 25.9 1.1 37.8 0.0 140.6 Anions 6.8 0.15 7.5 0.0 25.5 

Deuterium and oxygen isotopes 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.7 Chlorophyll a 17.9 10.0 25.8 2.1 33.7 

Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation 6.9 4.3 9.3 0.0 15.4 

Dissolved carbon gasses and carbon isotopes 13.6 7.4 15.0 1.2 37.6 Mercury 69.2 18.7 122.7 4.3 169.5 Uranium and 234Uranium/238Uranium activity ratios 1.2 0.0 1.9 0.0 3.2 

Nutrients 23.1 7.5 27.6 0.0 76.5 Carbon isotope composition of disolved organic and inorganic carbon 11.3 3.1 13.2 0.0 45.7 

110
Table 33. Concentrations in process blank samples.

Particulate carbon. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; MDL, method detection limit; 

 <, less than] 

Total particulate 

carbon MDL 

Date (mg/L) (mg/L)

6/4/2004 0.151 0.08

6/15/2004 0.260 0.08

8/24/2004 <0.08 0.08

9/6/2004 0.148 0.08

111
Table 33. Concentrations in process blank samples-cont. 

Major cations and dissolved trace elements. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; <, less than; MDL, method detection limit] 

Aluminum MDL Arsenic MDL Boron MDL Barium 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.94 0.01 0.06 0.02 < 0.6 0.6 0.071 8/24/2004 1.6 0.01 0.03 0.02 4.9 0.6 0.13 

9/6/2004 2.7 0.01 0.03 0.02 0.7 0.6 0.053 

Beryllium MDL Bismuth MDL Calcium MDL Cadmium 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 < 0.006 0.006 0.014 0.001 0.026 0.010 < 0.002 8/24/2004 < 0.006 0.006 0.008 0.001 0.039 0.010 0.005 

9/6/2004 < 0.006 0.006 0.005 0.001 0.035 0.010 0.014 

Cerium MDL Cobalt MDL Chromium MDL Cesium 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.0010 0.0002 0.43 0.003 < 0.2 0.2 < 0.02 

8/24/2004 0.0011 0.0002 0.11 0.003 < 0.2 0.2 < 0.02 

9/6/2004 0.0032 0.0002 0.11 0.003 < 0.2 0.2 < 0.02 

Copper MDL Dysprosium MDL Erbium MDL Europiu

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.06 0.02 < 0.0004 0.0004 < 0.0006 0.0006 < 0.0002 

8/24/2004 0.07 0.02 < 0.0004 0.0004 < 0.0006 0.0006 < 0.0002 

9/6/2004 0.04 0.02 < 0.0004 0.0004 < 0.0006 0.0006 < 0.0002 

Iron MDL Gallium MDL Gadolinium MDL Holmium 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 3 1 < 0.001 0.001 < 0.0007 0.0007 < 0.0001 8/24/2004 5 1 < 0.001 0.001 < 0.0007 0.0007 < 0.0001 

9/6/2004 6 1 0.002 0.001 < 0.0007 0.0007 < 0.0001 

112
Table 33. Concentrations in process blank samples-cont.

Major cations and dissolved trace elements-cont. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; <, less than; MDL, method detection limit] 

Potassium MDL Lanthanum MDL Lithium MDL Lutetium 

Date (mg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.010 0.01 0.0006 0.0002 0.03 0.02 < 0.0002 8/24/2004 < 0.01 0.01 0.0005 0.0002 < 0.02 0.02 < 0.0002 

9/6/2004 < 0.01 0.01 0.0014 0.0002 < 0.02 0.02 < 0.0002 

Magnesium MDL Manganese MDL Molybdenum MDL Sodium 

Date (mg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.006 0.0001 0.74 0.01 0.18 0.03 0.012 

8/24/2004 0.011 0.0001 0.23 0.01 < 0.03 0.03 0.009 

9/6/2004 0.005 0.0001 0.27 0.01 < 0.03 0.03 0.009 

Neodymium MDL Nickel MDL Phosphorus MDL Lead 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 < 0.001 0.001 0.17 0.01 < 10 10 0.021 

8/24/2004 < 0.001 0.001 0.058 0.01 < 10 10 0.037 

9/6/2004 < 0.001 0.001 0.055 0.01 < 10 10 0.016 

Praseodymium MDL Rubidium MDL Rhenium MDL Sulfur 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) 

6/15/2004 < 0.0002 0.0002 0.0097 0.0010 < 0.0005 0.0005 < 0.02 8/24/2004 < 0.0002 0.0002 0.0065 0.0010 < 0.0005 0.0005 < 0.02 

9/6/2004 0.0003 0.0002 0.011 0.0010 < 0.0005 0.0005 < 0.02 

Antimony MDL Selenium MDL Silica MDL Samariu

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.028 0.002 0.07 0.05 < 0.03 0.03 < 0.001 

8/24/2004 0.026 0.002 < 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.03 < 0.001 

9/6/2004 0.045 0.002 < 0.05 0.05 0.07 0.03 < 0.001 

113
114

Table 33. Concentrations in process blank samples-cont.Major cations and dissolved trace elements-cont. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; <, less than; MDL, method detection limit] 

Strontium MDL Terbium MDL Tellurium MDL Thorium 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.13 0.01 < 0.0002 0.0002 < 0.007 0.007 0.029 8/24/2004 0.02 0.01 < 0.0002 0.0002 < 0.007 0.007 0.021 

9/6/2004 0.09 0.01 < 0.0002 0.0002 < 0.007 0.007 0.027 

Thallium MDL Thulium MDL Uranium MDL Vanadiu

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 0.024 0.003 < 0.0002 0.0002 0.004 0.001 0.10 

8/24/2004 0.003 0.003 < 0.0002 0.0002 < 0.001 0.001 < 0.07 

9/6/2004 < 0.003 0.003 < 0.0002 0.0002 < 0.001 0.001 < 0.07 

Tungsten MDL Yttrium MDL Ytterbium MDL Zinc 

Date (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

6/15/2004 < 0.002 0.002 0.0004 0.0002 < 0.0004 0.0004 1.2 

8/24/2004 < 0.002 0.002 0.0004 0.0002 < 0.0004 0.0004 1.8 

9/6/2004 < 0.002 0.002 0.0011 0.0002 < 0.0004 0.0004 3.6 

Zirconium MDL

Date (μg/L) (μg/L)

6/15/2004 0.038 0.0058/24/2004 0.043 0.005

9/6/2004 0.018 0.005
Table 33. Concentrations in process blank samples-cont.

Anions. 

[mg/l, milligrams per liter; E, estimate; MDL, method detection limit] 

Date

Chloride 

(mg/L)

MDL 

(mg/L)

Nitrate 

(mg/L)

MDL 

(mg/L)

Sulfate 

(mg/L)

MDL 

(mg/L)

6/4/2004 <0.03 0.03 0.06E 0.01 0.67 0.03

6/15/2004 0.04E 0.03 <0.01 0.01 0.70 0.03

8/24/2004 <0.03 0.03 <0.01 0.01 <0.03 0.03

9/6/2004 <0.03 0.03 <0.01 0.01 <0.03 0.03

Dissolved organic carbon and fractionation. 

[mg C/L, milligrams carbon per liter; nm, nanometer wavelength; 

 MDL, method detection limit] 

Date

Dissolved 

organic 

carbon 

(mg C/L)

MDL 

(mg C/L)

Ultraviolet 

absorbance @ 

254nm

MDL @ 

254nm

6/4/2004 0.5 0.2 0.004 0.0001

6/15/2004 0.9 0.2 0.003 0.0001

8/24/2004 0.8 0.2 0.005 0.0001

Mercury. 

[Hg, mercury; ng/L, nanograms per liter; <, less then; MDL, method detection limit] 

Date

Filtered 

Methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

MDL 

(ng/L)

Filtered 

Total-Hg 

(ng/L)

MDL 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

Methyl-Hg 

(ng/L)

MDL 

(ng/L)

Particulate 

Total-Hg 

(ng/L)

MDL 

(ng/L)

6/15/2004 <0.04 0.04 0.10 0.02 <0.04 0.04 <0.13 0.13

8/24/2004 <0.04 0.04 0.25 0.03 <0.01 0.01 <0.07 0.07

9/6/2004 <0.04 0.04 0.13 0.02 <0.01 0.01 <0.08 0.08

Uranium.

[ug/L, micrograms per liter; MDL, method detection limit; 

 <, less than] 

Date

Uranium 

(μg/L)

MDL 

(μg/L)

6/4/2004 <0.001 0.001

6/15/2004 <0.001 0.001

8/24/2004 <0.001 0.001

115
Table 33. Concentrations in process blank samples-cont.

Nutrients.[μg/L, micrograms per liter; mg N/L, milligrams nitrogen per liter; mg P/L, milligrams phosphorus per liter; <, less than; --, not availab MDL, method detection limit] 

Date

Soluble 

reactive 

phosphorus MDL 

Total 

dissolved 

nitrogen MDL Nitrite MDL Ammonium MDL Phosphate 

(μ g/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μ g/L) (mg N/L) (mg N/L) (mg N/L) (mg N/L) (mg P/L) (

6/4/2004 <4.03 4.03 <60.0 60.0 -- -- -- -- -- 

6/15/2004 <4.03 4.03 <60.0 60.0 -- -- -- -- -- 8/24/2004 -- -- -- -- < 0.001 0.001 < 0.008 0.008 < 0.02 

9/6/2004 4.24 4.03 65.8 60.0 < 0.001 0.001 < 0.008 0.008 < 0.02 

116
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