A Synoptic Survey of Trace Metals 

in Bottom Sediments of the 

Willamette River, Oregon 

By David A. Rickert, Vance C. Kennedy, Stuart W. McKenzie, 

and Walter G. Hines 

RIVER-QUAliTY ASSESSMENT OF THE WILLAMETTE RIVER BASIN, OREGON 

G E 0 L 0 G I CAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 715-F 

1977 
United States Department of the Interior 

THOMAS S. KLEPPE, Secretary 

Geological Survey 

V. E. McKelvey, Director 

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data 

Rickert, David A., 1940-

A Synoptic survey of trace metals in bottom sediments of the Willamette River, Oregon. (Riverquality assessment of the Willamette River Basin, Oregon) 

(Geological Survey Circular 715-F) 

Bibliography: p. 21-22 

Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.4/2:715-F 

1. Trace elements-Analysis. 2. Sediments (Geology)-Oregon-Willamette River. I. Rickert, 

David A., 1940- II. Series. III. Series: United States Geological Survey Circular 715-F. 

QE75.C5 no. 715-F[QD139.T7] 557.3'08s[551.4'83'097953] 76-608335 

Free on application to Branch of Distribution, U.S. Geological Survey, 1200 South Eads Street, Arlington, VA 22202 
FOREWORD 

The American public has identified the enhancement and protection of river 

quality as an important national goal, and recent laws have given this commitment considerable force. As a consequence, a considerable investment has been 

made in the past few years to improve the quality of theN ation' sri vers. Further 

improvements will require substantial expenditures and the consumption of 

large amounts of energy. For these reasons, it is important that alternative 

plans for river-quality management be scientifically assessed in terms of their 

relative ability to produce environmental benefits. To aid this endeavor, this 

circular series presents a case history of an intensive river-quality assessment 

in the Willamette River basin, Oregon. 

The series examines approaches to and results of critical aspects of riverquality assessment. The first several circulars describe approaches for providing 

technically sound, timely information for river-basin planning and management. Specific topics include practical approaches to mathematical modeling, 

analysis of river hydrology, analysis of earth resources-river quality relations, 

and development of data-collection programs for assessing specific problems. 

The later circulars describe the application of approaches to existing or potential 

river-quality problems in the Willamette River basin. Specific topics include 

maintenance of high-level dissolved oxygen in the river, effects of reservoir 

release patterns on downstream river quality, algal growth potential, distribution of toxic metals, and the significance of erosion potential to proposed future 

land and water uses. 

Each circular is the product of a study devoted to developing resource information for general use. The circulars are written to be informative and useful to 

informed laymen, resource planners, and resource scientists. This design stems 

from the recognition that the ultimate success of river-quality assessment 

depends on the clarity and utility of approaches and results as well as their basic 

scientific validity. 

Individual circulars will be published in an alphabetical sequence in the 

Geological Survey Circular 715 series entitled uRiver-Quality Assessment of 

the Willamette River Basin, Oregon." 

J. S. Cragwall, Jr. 

Chief Hydrologist 

III 
Cover: Willamette River as it winds through Portland, Oregon. Photograph taken by 

Hugh Ackroyd. 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Abstract ____________________________________ --- _ ---- F1 

Introduction__________________________________________ 1 

The Willamette River basin __________________________ 2 

Geologic overview _ _ _ _____ __ _ _ __ ___ _ _ _ _______ _ _ _ __ 2 

Willamette River morphology -------------------- 2 

Possible sources of trace metals____________________ 5 

Sampling -------------------------------------------- 7 

Sampling medium-------------------------------- 7 

Sampling approach ------------------------------ 7 

Sampling locations ------------------------------ 8 

Laboratory procedures and analytical results ---------- 8 

Physical procedures ______________ ---------------- 8 

Analysis of metals _________________ --------------- 8 

Analytical results -------------------------------- 9 

Examination of study approaches---------------------- 10 

Sampling from the visual center of flow ____________ 10 

Page 

Examination of study approaches-Continued 

Fractionation of samples at 20~-tm __________________ F11 

Distinction between natural background and rollution __ 13 

Zinc -------------------------------------------- 13 

Lead -------------------------------------------- 13 

Copper ------------------------------------------ 16 

Chromium ______________________________________ 16 

~ercury ---------------------------------------- 16 

Cadmium ________________________________________ 17 

Fourth Lake ------------------------------------ 18 

Comparison of results to trace-metal concentrations in 

rocks and soils______________________________________ 18 

Summary and conclusions ____________________________ 20 

Acknowledgments ____________________________________ 20 

Glossary of selected terms ---------------------------- 20 

References ------------------------------------------ 21 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

FIGURE 1. ~ap of the Willamette River basin, Oreg., showing mining areas and sediment-sampling sites in the Upstream Reach ____________________________________________________________________________________________ F3 

2. ~ap and diagram representing the Willamette River, Oreg., showing distinctive hydrologic reaches and elevation profile ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4 

3. ~ap showing sediment-sampling sites in the Tidal Reach and the Newberg Pool -------------------------- 9 

4. Graphs showing the relation of trace-metal concentrations in <2-mm materials to the percentage b:r weight of 

<20-~-tm materials, (A) copper, (B) lead, (C) zinc ---------------------------------------------------- 12 

5. Normal-probability plots of zinc concentrations in <20-~-tm materials, (A) all Willamette River basin samples, 

<B) unpolluted samples _______________________________________________________ -------------- _ ------ 14 

6. Normal-probability plots of trace-metal concentrations in <20-~-tm materials, (A) lead, <Bl copper ---------- 15 

7. Normal-probability plots of trace-metal concentrations in <20-~-tm materials, (A) chromium, (B) mercury---- 17 

TABLES 

Page 

TABLE 1. Selected physical characteristics of the main stem Willamette River, Oreg -------------------------------- F5 

2. Possible sources of trace metals in the Willamette River system------------------------------------------ 6 

3. Concentrations of trace metals in bottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent water3 ________ 10 

4. Geographic distribution of trace-metal concentrations in the <20-~-tm materials of bottom sediments from the 

Willamette River and adjacent waters ______________________________________________________________ 11 

5. Comparison of trace-metal concentrations in center-of-flow samples to cross-sectional samples for tl ~ <20-~-tm 

materials ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 

6. Concentrations of trace metals in Fourth Lake ---------------------------------------------------------- 18 

7. Summary data from normal-probability plots of trace-metal concentrations-------------------------------- 19 

8. Trace-metal concentrations in bottom sediments, rocks, and soils ---------------------------------------- 19 

9. Site descriptions and physical characteristics of bottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent 

waters ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 

10. Particle-size composition ofbottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent waters ______________ 24 

11. Checklist of element names and symbols---------------------------------------------------------------- 25 

v 
Page 

TABLE 12. Concentrations of major elements in bottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent waters _____ F25 

13. Trace elements having concentrations in all sediment samples below detection limits of the emmissionspectrographic method ____________________________________________________________________________ 26 

14. Concentrations of trace elements in <20-/Lm materials of bottom sediments from the Willamette River and 

adjacent waters ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 

15. Uses and sources of selected trace metals -------------------------------------------------------------- 27 

CONVERSION FACTORS 

[Factors for convertmg Enghsh units to the International System of Umts 1SI1 are g1ven below to four significant figures Howe,.-et". in the text the metric equivalents 

are shown only to the number of s1gmficant figures consistent with the values for the Enghsh units] 

Englzsh 

ft (feet I 

ft/s tfeet per second! 

ft/mi (feet per mile I 

ft 3/s (cubic feet per second! 

mi (miles) 

mi2 (square miles I 

ton (short, 2,000 lbi 

Multzply by 

3.048x 10.1 

3.048x 10-1 

1.894x 10-1 

2.832x 10-2 

1.609 

2.590 

9.072x 10-1 

VI 

llfetnc 1SJ1 

m (metres! 

m/s (metres per second) 

m/km (metres per kilometre) m3/s (cubic metres per sec1ndl 

km (kilometres) 

km2 (square kilometres) 

t (tonne) 
A Synoptic Survey of Trace Metals in Bottom Sediments 

of the Willamette River, Oregon 

By David A. Rickert, Vance C. Kennedy, Stuart W. McKenzie, 

and Walter G. Hines 

ABSTRACT 

During September 1973, 44 bottom sediment samples were 

collected to assess the concentration and distribution of trace 

metals in the Willamette River, Oreg. The specific objectives 

were to provide (1) baseline information for future comparison 

and (2) a basis for determining whether the analyzed metals 

were present in high enough concentrations to represent an 

ecological threat. 

Aliquots of the 44 samples were size separated at 2 millimetres to exclude gravel-sized materials and at 20 micrometres (p,m) to obtain fractions containing the clay and fine 

silt materials. The <20-p,m fractions and aliquots of each 

whole sample were then analyzed by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry and colorimetry for arsenic, cadmium, 

chromium, copper, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc. A separate 

aliquot of each <20-p,m fraction was investigated by 

semiquantitative emission-spectrographic analysis to detect 

possible anomalous concentrations of 50 elements. 

Trace-metal concentrations in the Willamette were generally indicative of a clean environment. The exceptions were a 

moderate enrichment of zinc, a slight enrichment of copper 

and lead, and pollution by several metals in an industrial 

slough. The zinc enrichment resulted primarily from zinc 

hydrosulfite used as a brightening agent in ground-wood pulp 

and paper mills. Upon orders from the Oregon Department of 

Environmental Quality, all mills will cease using zinc hydrosulfite by July 1977. The lead enrichment appeared to result 

directly from urban drainage, but causes of the elevated copper levels were not apparent. Fourth Lake, an industrial 

slough near Albany, showed enrichment of 15 elements including uncommon metals such as zirconium, hafnium, yttrium, ytterbium, and tin. However, none of these metals was 

present in enriched concentrations at any of the downstream 

sites. 

INTRODUCTION 

Many materials discharged into river systems 

are toxic to aquatic organisms when present in 

critical concentrations. These materials include 

numerous trace metals (see HGlossary of Selected 

Terms") and manmade organic compounds such 

as insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls 

(PCB's), herbicides, and certain industrial orF1 

ganics. Even though such materials are usually 

discharged to rivers at subtoxic levels, many 

are capable of being concentrated at successive 

steps in aquatic food chains in a pro~ess called 

Hbiological magnification." 

Review of industrial-discharge permits for the 

Willamette River basin indicates that there is 

very little possibility of toxic industrial organics 

entering the Willamette River. Furthermore, 

over the last 10 years, hard pesticides (such as 

DDT) have not been used in the basin for 

disease-vector control nor for widespread plantpest control. In contrast, there are several industrial sources of potentially toxic tracE. metals in 

addition to the metals that undoubtedly enter the 

river in urban runoff. Thus, if a toxicity problem 

occurred, it would probably result from the accumulation of trace metals. 

Prior to this study, few data existed on the content of trace metals in the water, sediment, and 

food chains of the Willamette River. D2ta were so 

sparse as to preclude even a preliminary assessment of whether metal concentrations were low, 

moderate, or critically high. To par+ly fill the 

void, this report presents information on the concentration and distribution of trace metals in the 

river-bottom sediments. 

The objectives of this trace-metal reconnaissance were to provide (1) baseline information for 

future comparison and (2) a basis for determining 

whether the analyzed metals were present in 

high enough concentrations to rerresent an 

ecological threat. 

The first goal was fully attainable, the second 

only partly, because scientists presently lack the 

ability to relate with confidence the concentrations of trace metals in river sediments to the 

potential for aquatic organism toxicit~ • The abil-
ity to define such relationships will require intensive research on the modes and chemical forms of 

metal transport and on the processes of metal uptake and release by sediments and organisms. In 

addition, definitive information will be needed on 

the life cycles of aquatic organisms and on their 

physiological tolerances. 

In the absence of definitive information on toxicity relationships, this circular presents a procedure for identifying those trace metals in bed sediments that are present in concentrations indicative 

of pollution. The procedure involves (1) physical 

separation of materials <20-J..tm in size from 

bulk sediment samples, (2) trace-metal analysis 

of the <20-J..tm materials, (3) examination of determined metal concentrations through use of 

probability plots, and (4) comparison of the concentrations with the metal contents of soils and 

rocks. 

To establish a basis for collecting and assessing 

trace-metal data, the following section provides 

background information on the Willamette River 

basin. 

THE WILLAMETTE RIVER BASIN 

The Willamette River basin, a watershed of 

nearly 11,500 mi2 (29,800 km2 ) (fig. 1), is located 

in northwestern Oregon between the Cascade and 

Coast Ranges. Within the basin are the State's 

three largest cities, Portland, Salem, and Eugene, 

and approximately 1.4 million people, representing 70 percent of the State's population <1970 census). The Willamette River basin supports an 

economy based on timber, agriculture, industry, 

and recreation and contains extensive fish and 

wildlife habitats. 

The Willamette River forms at the confluence 

of the Coast and Middle Forks near Eugene and 

flows northward for 187 mi (300 km) through the 

3,500-mi2 (9,100-km2 ) Willamette Valley floor. 

Tributaries of the Willamette include the Long 

Tom, Marys, Luckiamute, Yamhill, and Tualatin 

Rivers, which flow eastward from the Coast 

Range, and the McKenzie, Calapooia, Santiam, 

Molalla, and Clackamas Rivers, which flow westnorthwest from the Cascade Range. (See fig. 1.) 

GEOLOGIC OVERVIEW 

On the basis of physiography and geology, the 

Willamette River basin can be divided into three 

F2 

north-south provinces: the Cascade Range, the 

Coast Range, and the interlying Willmnette Valley (Willamette Basin Task Force, Aroendix A, 

1969). 

The volcanic rocks that compose th~ Cascade 

Range can be divided into two major groups. The 

older group consists of basalt and ar1.esite together with volcanic debris. These r'lcks have 

been folded, faulted, and extensively altered. The 

younger rocks, which form the High Cascades, 

are derived from more recent basaltic and andesitic lava flows. 

The mountains and foothills of the Cc ast Range 

are formed largely by volcanic rocks and by 

marine sedimentary rocks derived from them. 

The older volcanic rocks, consisting of basaltic 

flows and volcanic debris, are interbedded with 

continental sedimentary rocks. The marine 

sedimentary rocks consist of sandstone, shale, 

and mudstone. 

The Willamette Valley is an alluvid lowland 

framed by the upland volcanic and sedimentary 

rocks. Much of the valley is covered by sandy to 

silty terrace deposits that settled fr,1m water 

ponded in a great glaciofluvial lake. Most of the 

materials in these deposits originated from upstream areas of the Columbia River bas1.n (Glenn, 

1965). The alluvial deposits that border existing 

rivers were derived largely from the surrounding 

mountains. These deposits consist of interbedded 

layers of clay, silt, sand, and gravel. 

WILLAMETTE RIVER MORPHOLOGY 

The bed of the Willamette River drors from an 

altitude of 435 ft (133 m) at Eugene to slightly 

below mean sea level at Portland (fig. 2). The 

river comprises three distinctive reacl'o.s whose 

physical characteristics govern the hyc1raulics of 

flow and therefore the patterns of d~position, 

channel scour, and sediment transport. 

The Upstream Reach (fig. 2 and tal'le 1), extending for 135 mi (217 km) from Eugene to 

above Newberg, is characterized by a meandering 

channel. The river is shallow and the bed is composed almost entirely of cobbles and gravel which 

during summer are covered with biological 

growth. During low-flow conditions, average 

stream velocity in the Upstream Reach is more 

than 7 times that of either of the two downstream 

reaches (table 1 ). During floods, velo~ities are 
INDEX MAP OF OREGON 

l 

N 

I 

w 

lii 

<( 

0 

(.) 

EXPLANATION 

~jjjj A~e~:e~;::io~~~::i~ve~~r 

43• 

Areas once mined for 

mercury. 

Sediment sampling 

site. 

0 

I I 0 10 

10 

I 

20 MILES 

I I 

30 KILOMETRES 

w 

0 

<( 

(.) 

U) 

<( 

(.) 

FIGURE 1.-Map of the Willamette River basin, Oreg., showing mining areas and sediment-sampling sites in 

the Upstream Reach (above the Newberg Pool). 

F3 
(A) 

i 26.5 mi (43 km) 

2 : 25.5 mi (41 km) 

187 mi (301 km) 

3 135 mi (217 km) 

I 0 30 M ILES 

1-/ ---r-'-r' I -,'---,-',II 

0 50 KM 

300 200 100 0 

DISTANCE, IN RIVER KILOMETRES ABOVE MOUTH 

FIGURE 2.-Willamette River, Oreg. A , Distinctive hydrologic reaches. B, Elevation profile. 

sufficiently high to transport large quantities of 

cobbles and gravel as bedload. Morphologically, 

this upstream section of the Willamette is an 

"eroding" reach. 

The Newberg Pool extends for 25.5 mi 

(41.0 km) from above Newberg to the Willamette 

Falls. The deep, slow-moving pool can be characterized hydraulically as a large stilling basin 

behind a weir (Willamette Falls). The pool is a 

depositional reach, as evidenced by the elevation 

profile (fig. 2), average low-flow velocity (table 1), 

F4 

and the presence of fine bottom sediments. 

The Tidal Reach, covering the lower 26.5 mi 

(42.6 km) of the river, is affected by tides and during spring and early summer by backwater from 

the Columbia River (Velz, 1961). The Tidal Reach 

is extensively dredged to maintain a 40-ft (12-m) 

deep navigation channel from the mouth to about 

river mile (RM) 14, or river kilometre (RK) 22. 

During the summer low-flow period, net 

downstream movement is relatively slow, but 

tidal effects cause flow reversals twice daily and 
TABLE I.-Selected physical characteristics of the main stem Willamette Riuer, Oreg. 

[Characteristics refer to summer low-flow conditwns of 6 103 !Pis at Salem] 

Representative Approximate 

Approximate midchannel Average tra\·eltJme 

Reach Length bed slope water depth velocity m reach 

1seefig.21 lm11 1ft/m11 Bed matenal lftl tft/sl 1days1 

Tidal Reach (1) 26.5 <0.1 Intermixed clay, sand, and gravel ____ 40 1 0.16 10.0 

Newberg Pool (2) 25.5 .12 Intermixed clay, sand, and gravel with 25 1 .40 3.9 

some cobbles. 

Upstream Reach (3 l 135 2.8 Mostly cobbles and gravel ---------- 7 2 2.9 2.8 

'Calculated by volume displacement method usmg channel cross-sectional data. 2Calculated from dye study by U.S. Geological Survey tHan·is. 19681. 

large changes in velocity. Low-flow hydraulics 

are most complex in the lower 10 mi (16 km) 

where, depending on hourly changes in tide- and 

river-stage conditions, Willamette River water 

may move downstream or Columbia River water 

may move upstream. Owing to morphological 

characteristics and the hydraulic conditions, the 

subreach between RM's 10 and 3 is the primary 

depositional area of the Willamette River system. 

POSSIBLE SOURCES OF TRACE METALS 

Besides natural geological background, the 

possible sources of trace metals in the Willamette 

River basin include industrial activities, urban 

runoff, municipal waste-water discharges, and 

old mining areas. Table 2 shows the river-mile 

location on the Willamette of most known or potential sources of metals. The table also indicates 

the discharge locations of tributaries. 

In the Portland metropolitan area, the land 

corridor along the Willamette is used for many 

industrial and shipping activities which represent possible direct sources of metals (table 2). In 

addition, the city of Portland is served by a combined sewerage system that during intense rainfall overflows into the Willamette carrying metals from raw sewage, various industries, and 

street runoff. (Dry weather flow is diverted via 

the municipal treatment plant to the Columbia 

River.) Moreover, between RM's 17 and 27.5, 

street runoff periodically enters the Willamette 

through a separate storm-drainage system. 

Farther upstream, storm drainage and municipal secondary effluents represent additional 

trace-metal sources in other urban areas. 

Pulp and paper production is a major industry 

of the Willamette River basin. For many years, 

zinc hydrosulfite has been used as a brightening 

agent in the ground-wood pulping process at 

three large mills (table 2). The three plants and 

their 1973 zinc loadings to the Willamette were 

Publishers Paper Co. at Newberg (I\M 49.2), 71 

tons (64 tJ (Zenon Rozycki, Publisherf Paper, oral 

commun., 1975); Publishers Paper Co. at Oregon 

City (RM 28.0), 89 tons (81 t); and Crown Zellerbach Corp. at West Linn <RM 27.6), 74 tons (67 t) 

(Herman Amberg, Crown Zellerbacl', oral commun., 1975). In compliance with orders of the 

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 

Publishers Paper switched to a nonzinc brightening agent at both plants in spring 1974, and 

Crown Zellerbach will switch by July 1977. 

There are seven mineralized areaF in the Willamette River basin which at one tim~ or another 

were commercially mined (Oregon Department of 

Geology and Mineral Industries, 1951; Willamette Basin Task Force, Appendix A, 1969). 

Mercury was once mined from the Black Butte 

area on the Coast Fork above Cottage Grove Reservoir and from the Oak Grove Fork area in the 

headwaters of the Clackamas River. 

The five other areas were minec. at various 

times for copper, gold, lead, silver, and zinc. 

The areas and their drainage tril'utaries are 

(see fig. 1 ): 

1. North Santiam district; tributary to the Santiam River. 

2. Quartzville district; tributary to the Santiam 

River. 

3. Blue River district; tributary to th~ McKenzie 

River. 

4. Fall Creek district; tributary to the Middle 

Fork Willamette. 

5. Bohemia district; tributary to the Coast Fork 

Willamette. 

No natural deposits of cadmium or chromium 

are known to exist in the Willamette River basin. 

No commercially exploitable sourc~ of arsenic 

exists, but high concentrations of this metal do 

occur in the ground water of Lane County at the 

southern end of the basin (Goldblatt and others, 

1963). 

F5 
TABLE 2.-Possible sources of trace metals in the Willamette River system 1 

Locatwn2 

Industries and industrial 

waste-water effluents 

MumClpal. secondary 

waste-water effluents3 

0-6.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Columbia Slough Calcium carbide and related 

(L2l. products. 2.5-12.0 __________ Shipping terminals. 

3.0-8.0 ------------ Oil tank farms. 

3.3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7.0 -------------- Agricultural organic chemicals 

<Cr, Cu. Pb, Ni, Zn>. 

7-17 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7.4 ____________ Chlorine and related products 

Swan Island Channel 

(8.n 

<Cr, Zn>. 

Dry docks and ship repairs. 

11.0 ____________ Cement plant. 

13.7 ------------ Ship salvage yards. 

17.0-27.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.4 -------------------------- _____________ _____ Milwaukie-L9 Mgal!d 

20.1 

20.3 

24.1 

25.2 

27.6 

27.8 

28.0 

28.5 

33.0 

35.6 

48-51 

49.2 

50.3 

54.8 

78.2 

80.5-87 

____________ Ground-wood pulp and paper 

mill-13.5 Mgal/d (Znl. 

Ground-wood and magnesium 

sulfite pulp and paper mill12.9 Mgal!d <Zn>. 

Ground-wood and magnesium 

sulfite pulp and paper mill11. 7 Mgal!d <Zn> 

(Cr, Ni, and Zn from plating 

wastes). 

Oak Lodge-L8 Mgal!d. 

Tryon Creek-3.7 Mgal/d. 

West Linn-0.7 Mgal!d. 

Oregon City-2.8 Mgal/d. 

West Linn-0.5 Mgal/d. 

Canby-0.3 Mgal!d. 

Newberg-0.7 Mgal/d. 

Salem-22 Mgal!d. 

84.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 85.2 ____________ Ammonium sulfite pulp and 

paper mill. 

107.7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 108.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fourth Lake <117.0). Metal extraction and processing, 

Kraft pulp and paper mill, 

resin plant, wood flour mill, oil 

tank farm <Zr, Hf, Ta, Nb, V, 

W, Mo, and others). 4 

117.9 ----------- ____________ _____________________ Albany-5 Mgal/d. 118-120 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 

119.6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 130-134 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 

130.8 ---------------------- ______________________ Corvallis-6 Mgal!d. 

132.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 132.2 ____________ Hardboard mill. 

147.5 ____________ Kraft pulp and paper mill. 

148.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 174-187 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 

174.9 

178.6 

184.3 

187.0 

Eugene-13 Mgal/d. 

Springfield-5 Mgal!d. 

'Specific metals associated with specific sources are identified in parentheses by their chemical symbols. !See table 11.1 2River-mile locatiOn or nver-m1le interval unless specifically named. 3Approximate flows for summers of 1973 and 1974. 4See table 14, samples 33-35. 

F6 

Tnbutanes anc' urban 

runoff 

Intrusion of Columbia River 

sediments. 

Multnomah Channel. 

Combined sewer overflows 

from Portland < Pb and 

others). 

Urban storm drainage from 

Portland metropolitan area <Ph and others). 

Tualatin River. 

Molalla River. 

Urban storm drainage from 

Newberg <Ph and others). 

Yamhill River. 

Urban storm drainage from 

Salem <Ph and ethers). 

Boise Cascade Slo'Jgh. 

Luckiamute River. 

Santiam River. 

Urban storm drainage from 

Albany <Ph and others). 

Calapooia River. 

Urban storm drainage from 

Corvallis <Ph ard othersl. 

Marys River. 

Long Tom River. 

Urban storm drainage from 

Eugene-Springfield (Pb 

and others): 

McKenzie River. 

Confluence of Coast Fork and 

Middle Fork. 
Fourth Lake, near Albany, is worthy of special 

mention. The lake, which is actually a slough, 

receives drainage from 11 industries, including 

the metal-extraction and processing operations at 

Teledyne-Wah Chang. Wah Chang extracts zirconium and hafnium from imported ores and produces various alloys from these metals and from 

tantalum and niobium, which are purchased in 

purified form (Tom Nelson, Teledyne-Wah 

Chang, oral and written communs., 1975). The 

imported ores also contain scandium, yttrium, 

lanthanum, and ytterbium. Additional metals 

used in production of alloys include molybdenum, 

tungsten, tin, chromium, and nickel. At one time, 

Wah Chang also used silver in the production of a 

special tungsten alloy. 

From the information in table 2 and figure 1, it 

can be seen that the potential sources of trace 

metals to the Willamette River are generally 

known. To determine the effect of these sources 

on trace-metal occurrence, it was necessary to 

develop approaches for the collection and preparation of samples. 

SAMPLING 

SAMPLING MEDIUM 

tions that exist at a single instant in time. If the 

discharge of metal wastes is intermittent (as is 

often the case), periodic water samples collected 

downstream may show no pollution. Moreover, 

even if metal discharge is constant, water samples collected at distant sites may sYow little or 

no pollution because the metals could well be 

adsorbed onto sediment particles during downstream passage. 

Suspended sediment can be an eYcellent medium for determining trace-metal occ'Irrence during specific runoff events. However, suspended 

sediment is too transitory to provide a sound 

sampling basis for synoptic basinwidP. surveys. 

Aquatic organisms, although tl'e focus of 

toxicity studies, represent a poor medium for 

determining the basinwide occurrence of trace 

metals. The major drawback to thiE medium is 

the improbability of finding enough o:f specific life 

stages of selected organisms at all predetermined 

sampling sites. 

Therefore, for this study, bottom sediment was 

selected as the preferred sampling medium. 

SAMPLING APPROACH 

Sampling sites were selected to provide (1) genBottom sediments have two major characteris- eral coverage of the entire main stern of the Wiltics that make them the best sampling medium lamette and (2) specific coverage of locations 

for conducting a synoptic basinwide study of below possible trace-metal sources (table 2). 

trace-metal occurrence. First, fine sediments can River-velocity data and low-altitude aerial phousually be found and sampled from most reaches tographs (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1973) 

of most large rivers. Second, because trace metals were used to determine areas wher~ fine mateassociate strongly with particulate materials, rials were likely to be found under low-flow 

bottom sediments can act as metal accumulators conditions. 

during periods of low velocities when the riverbed The objective of field sampling was to obtain 

is not being scoured. During such periods, the sufficient fine-grained material from each site for 

riverbed is a depository for incoming sediments, the laboratory analyses. In the Tidal Reach, satisand these, as well as the sediment already in factory samples were obtained witl' a Petersen 

place, can serve as scavengers of dissolved metals dredge by com positing two or three bites at the 

from the passing water. Bottom sediments col- visual center of flow. At two special sites (see 

lected during a stable low-flow condition thus ~·sampling from the Visual Center of Flow"), adprovide the opportunity to obtain information on ditional samples were collected at predetermined 

the presence and distribution of metals over an cross-sectional points. 

extended period of time. Such information can be The visual center of flow was used in preference 

used to delineate areas of anomalously high con- to the center of the cross section because, in many 

centrations and possible sources. subreaches, the channel and most of the flow is 

Water, suspended sediment, and aquatic or- near one bank. At each location, the specific samganisms (in contrast to bottom sediment) are less pling site was determined by combining informadesirable as sampling media for a synoptic tion provided by aerial photographs (U.S. Army 

trace-metal reconnaissance. In some ways, water Corps of Engineers, 1973) with information atis the least desirable becaus~ a water sample col- tained by visually estimating the water discharge 

lected from a flowing river represents the condi- at various points in the cross sectior. 

F7 
In many upstream subreaches, the riverbed is 

almost completely covered with gravel. In these 

locations, the sampling approach consisted of 

searching with an Ekman dredge for small areas 

of fine-grained sediments. The intent was to determine the relative occurrence of metals in each 

subreach by using the fine materials in bottom 

sediments as a natural trace-metal concentrator. 

SAMPLING LOCATIONS 

Bottom-sediment samples were collected from 

44 sites (figs. 1 and 3) in late September 1973 

after a period of more than 4 months of steady low 

flow. Thirty-one samples were taken from the 

Willamette River, and 13 from tributaries, 

sloughs, and other adjacent waters. Site descriptions and gross physical characteristics of the 44 

samples are presented in table 9. (Tables 9-15 are 

presented at the end of this report.) 

Geographically, 19 of the sites were associated 

with the 26.5-mi (42.6 km) Tidal Reach (see fig. 2 

and table 1), 7 with the 25.5-mi (41.0-km) Newberg Pool, and 18 with the 135-mi (217-km) Upstream Reach. The sampling density was designed to be greatest in the Tidal Reach because 

this section of the river is the most highly urbanized and, as previously noted, the subreach 

between RM's 10 (RK 16) and 3 CRK 5) is the 

primary depositional area of the Willamette 

River system. 

LABORATORY PROCEDURES AND 

ANALYTICAL RESULTS 

PHYSICAL PROCEDURES 

The 44 samples were sieved through a plastic 

2-mm (millimetre) sieve to exclude the coarse 

materials. The weight, texture, and visual nature 

of >2-mm materials were recorded; the materials 

varied from sample to sample but included 

gravel, wood, paper, and snails. (See table 9.) 

Aliquots of air-dried <2-mm materials were size 

fractionated to determine the percentages of 

sand, silt, and clay and to obtain a <20-~.tm fraction for analysis of metals. A special air-jet device 

(Chu and Davidson, 1953) was used to physically 

disperse the sediments and thereby avoid the 

metal contamination that would result from use 

of standard pretreatment chemicals (Jackson, 

1956). Particle-size analyses were made by the 

pipette method (Jackson, 1956) and the fractionations at 20 ~.tm by sedimentation and decantation. 

The <20-~.tm materials contain the clay and 

fine-silt fractions from each whole s!lmple. In 

grain size, these materials are roughly comparable to claystones and shales, and also to the fine 

fractions of soils. Fractionation at 20 ~.tm therefore provided a basis for comparing the tracemetal results to existing geochemical rata. 

ANALYSIS OF METALS 

Fifty elements were investigated using a sixstep semiquantitative emission-spectrographic 

method developed for geochemical exploration 

(Myers and others, 1961). Emission spectroscopy 

determines elements within the structure (crystal 

lattice) of minerals in addition to those l'eld at the 

surface in exchange sites, oxide coatings, and organometallic complexes. Thus, the method yields 

trace-metal results higher than the concentrations available to aquatic organisms (biologically 

available) or those determinable by simple acid 

extraction. The bulk of many trace metals in sediments is associated with iron and manganese 

hydrous oxides that coat the sediment particles 

(Jenne, 1968). However, in uncontaminated sediments, 25 percent or more of certain trace metals 

could be present within crystal lattices. 

Because of the inclusion of crystal-lattice 

metals and the semiquantitative analyses, the 

emission-spectrographic method was used 

primarily for the scanning of trace-metal occurrence. The intent of its use was to determine if 

any of the wide array of investigated rr8tals was 

present in anomalously high concentrations. 

Only the <20-~.tm fractions of samples vrere analyzed by this method. 

Atomic-absorption spectrophotometry was used 

to determine more quantitatively the concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc; colorimetry waf used for 

arsenic. These eight metals were specifically 

selected for intensive analysis because they are 

widespread byproducts of man's activities (table 

15) and are potentially toxic to aquatic organisms. The wet chemical methods used to determine the metals were developed for geochemical prospecting (Ward and others, 1963 E'.nd 1969). 

These methods are less sensitive than others 

presently available but are adequate fo"' a reconnaissance. Both whole samples ( <2 mm) and the 

prepared <20-~.tm fractions were analyzed for the · 

eight metals. 

F8 
II INDEX MAP OF OREGON 

0 

I 

0 

I 

5 

5 

I 

I 

10 

I 

10 MILES 

I 

15 KILOMETRES 

CITY 

FIGURE 3.-Sediment-sampling sites in the Tidal Reach and the Newberg Pool. 

ANALYTICAL RESULTS 

Results obtained by the wet chemical methods 

are presented in table 3 for both the <2-mm and 

<20-~-tm materials. For easier inspection, the 

I <20-~-tm results are geographically summarized 

as averages and ranges in table 4. 

Emission spectroscopy was used to investigate 

10 major elements (table 12) and 40 trace eleF9 
TABLE 3.---Concentrations of trace metals in bottom sediments from the Willamette Riuer and adjacent wcters 1 

[Concentrations in parts per milhon"] 

Sample 

number 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

Site 3 

Columbia River ______________ _ 

Columbia Slough _____________ _ 

1.5 --------------- ------------

1.5 ----------- ----------------

1.5 ------------- --------------

1.5 --------------------------- Multnomah Channel ___________ _ 

6.0 ---------------------------- Swan Island Channel _________ _ 

8.5 ------- -----------------

8.5 ----------------- 8.5 ------------------

8.5 -------------- 11.7 ___ ----------------

13.7--

17.0 ______ _ 

21.1 __ -------------------------- Clackamas River _______________ _ 

25.6 

27.9 ____________ -----

Tualatin River ________ _ 

34.1 __ ------------ ------------ 34.9 _________ ------------

45.8 __ --------

48.6 __ ---------------------

50.2----------------------- 54.0 _______________ --

69.0----------------------------

Boise Cascade Slough 

86.7--------- ----------- Santiam River ______ _ 

112.6 ----------- -------------- Head-Fourth Lake _____________ _ 

Middle-Fourth Lake ___________ _ 

Fourth Lake near confluence ___ _ 

117.0 ----------------

120.0 -----------------

130.1 ------------------ Marys River_ _________________ _ 

141.3 ----- ------------

1612 ----- -------------------- 178.1 ----- ------------

185.3 ------------------- Coast Fork ____________ _ 

As 

10 

10 

10 

<10 

<10 

20 

20 

10 

20 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

<10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

40 

60 

<10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

Cd 

1 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

1 

.15 

.5 

1 

.5 

.5 

1 

.5 

.• 5 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.. 5 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

1 

.• 5 

1 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

1 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

<2-mm matenals 4 

Cr 

65 

80 

85 

90 

100 

90 

55 

55 

70 

80 

75 

65 

70 

55 

65 

70 

60 

90 

65 

70 

65 

75 

70 

65 

75 

65 

80 

70 

65 

60 

60 

80 

95 

75 

80 

75 

70 

85 

135 

75 

80 

65 

65 

75 

Cu 

5 

10 

10 

10 

15 

1.5 

5 

5 

25 

15 

15 

10 

15 

5 

10 

10 

10 

5 

5 

5 

5 

10 

5 

10 

10 

15 

15 

5 

10 

10 

5 

5 

30 

30 

15 

10 

5 

10 

10 

5 

5 

5 

5 

15 

Ph 

5 

5 

20 

20 

10 

10 

5 

10 

35 

10 

30 

20 

20 

5 

15 

20 

10 

5 

10 

5 

15 

10 

5 

10 

10 

20 

15 

5 

60 

5 

5 

5 

65 

100 

15 

5 

10 

5 

5 

5 

10 

5 

10 

35 

Hg 

0.15 

.17 

.10 

.27 

.09 

.08 

.08 

.14 

.11 

.11 

.08 

.13 

.20 

.10 

.10 

.19 

.16 

.07 

.08 

.08 

.17 

.26 

.15 

.13 

.16 

.12 

.25 

.14 

.14 

.08 

.14 

.08 

.12 

.80 

.16 

.20 

.08 

.12 

.18 

.08 

.26 

04 

.11 

.08 

Ag 

<05 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

<.5 

Zn 

75 

140 

195 

210 

215 

215 

150 

145 

215 

185 

225 

205 

180 

155 

175 

225 

215 

70 

180 

140 

85 

155 

110 

130 

120 

130 

125 

85 

145 

80 

80 

80 

190 

185 

110 

110 

90 

95 

100 

100 

85 

60 

80 

140 

As 

20 

20 

10 

10 

10 

20 

20 

20 

20 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

20 

10 

20 

10 

10 

10 

20 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

20 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

20 

20 

Cd 

4.5 

2 

2.5 

') 

1 

2 

1.5 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

.5 

1 

1 

1 

.5 

1 

.5 

1 

1.5 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

1 

.5 

.5 

1 

1 

.5 

.5 

1 

1 

1 

.5 

1 

1 

1 

1 

.5 

<20-fLm matenals 

Cr 

60 

60 

80 

50 

70 

60 

60 

60 

50 

50 

50 

50 

60 

50 

60 

50 

60 

60 

50 

50 

60 

50 

60 

50 

50 

50 

50 

50 

50 

60 

40 

60 

80 

80 

50 

50 

50 

50 

100 

.50 

60 

50 

50 

50 

Cu 

95 

35 

40 

40 

45 

40 

35 

45 

60 

40 

40 

35 

40 

50 

50 

45 

55 

30 

70 

35 

40 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

40 

35 

30 

95 

95 

45 

35 

30 

30 

55 

35 

30 

30 

40 

40 

Pb 

70 

35 

40 

40 

40 

35 

35 

40 

35 

25 

35 

40 

35 

90 

40 

25 

40 

20 

80 

20 

70 

20 

20 

20 

30 

35 

30 

20 

80 

40 

25 

10 

80 

120 

25 

20 

15 

15 

15 

35 

45 

25 

70 

40 

Pg 

0.90 

.11 

.13 

.09 

.10 

.03 

.07 

.14 

.12 

.03 

.03 

.S2 

.:31 

.34 

.18 

.05 

.20 

.19 

.16 

.11 

.31 

.26 

.16 

.27 

.24 

.05 

.26 

.29 

.08 

.09 

.05 

.09 

.12 

.09 

.02 

.38 

.31 

.25 

.10 

.29 

.13 

.30 

.17 

.10 

Ag 

1.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

4.5 

3 

1 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

.5 

Zn 

460 

270 

340 

350 

340 

340 

370 

310 

315 

260 

315 

335 

260 

445 

395 

470 

1215 

135 

475 

295 

245 

215 

210 

175 

185 

145 

140 

130 

165 

140 

125 

135 

185 

185 

130 

145 

130 

115 

130 

160 

175 

145 

120 

120 

'Samples collected September 18-29, 1973. Analyses by Kam W. Leong using atomic-absorptiOn spectrophotometry and colonmetry. 

"Concentrations in parts per million lppml by weight are eqmvalent to milligrams of metal per kilogram dry sediment. 3Numbers refer to river-mile locations. Site descriptions are presented in table 9. 4The <2-mm matenals include the <20-fLm fraction 

ments. Of the latter, 19 were not detected in any 

of the 44 samples (table 13), whereas 21 were detected in at least some of the samples (table 14). 

The emission-spectrographic data agree with the 

wet chemical data (table 3) and, with the exception of the Fourth Lake and Marys River samples 

(table 14), indicate the lack of anomalously high 

concentrations of the less common trace metals. 

Certain emission-spectrographic data are described in the text, but the following discussions 

focus primarily on the more quantitative results 

obtained by the wet chemical methods (table 3 ). 

EXAMINATION OF STUDY APPROACHES 

SAMPLING FROM THE VISUAL CENTER OF FLOW 

As previously described, the reconnaissance 

approach to sampling the Tidal Reach was to collect one sample at each site from the visual center 

of flow. However, at both RM's 1.5 and 8.5, three 

additional samples were collected at the crosssectional quarter points. (See table 9.) Data for 

the <20-p.m fractions of these sample:;- are presented in table 5. 

For each location, the concentrations of the 

eight metals in the visual center-of-flow sample is 

compared to the range and average of the three 

quarter-point samples. The largest differences between the averages and the center-of-flow samples were for arsenic, cadmium, chron1ium, and 

mercury at RM 1.5 and for lead, mercury, and 

zinc at RM 8.5. However, if each of these relative 

differences is examined in relation to sample-tosample variation among the 44 sampler (table 3), 

the only values that seem anomalous ar~ for mercury at RM 8.5 and possibly for chromium at RM 

1.5. Mercury concentrations were the most variable of the eight metals (table 3); ther~fore, the 

wide variation in mercury levels at RM 8.5 are 

consistent with basinwide results. 

FlO 
TABLE 4.--Geographic distribution of trace-metal concentrations (parts per million) in the <20-JLm materials 

of bottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent waters 1 

Main stem Willamette River 

All Main T1dal Newberg Upstream Willamette stem. Reach, Pool, Reach, River basin river miles river miles river miles river miles Off-river samples (}_187 (}_26.5 26.5-52 52-187 sloughs and Fourth Metals 14312 13112 11412 1612 11112 Tributaries" channels4 Lake5 

Arsenic: 

Range ________ 10-20 10-20 10-20 10-20 10-20 10-20 10-20 

Average ______ 13 12 13 12 12 12 18 10 

Cadmium: 

Range ________ 0.5-2.5 0.5-2.5 0.5-2.5 0.5-1.0 0.5-1.0 0.5-1.0 1.0-2.0 0.5-1.0 

Average ______ 1.0 1.0 1.2 0.7 0.9 0.8 1.4 0.7 

Chromium: 

Range ________ 40-100 50-80 50-80 50-60 50-60 40-100 50-60 50-8') Average ______ 57 55 57 52 53 62 55 70 

Copper: Range ________ 30-95 30-70 35-70 30-40 30-55 35-60 45-90:: 

Average ______ 42 39 45 35 34 40 41 78 

Lead: 

Range ________ 10-120 10-90 25-90 20-35 10-70 15-70 35-80 25-120 

Average ______ 

Mercury: 

38 35 43 24 30 34 46 75 

Range ________ 0.02-0.38 0.03-0.38 0.03-0.34 0.05-0.27 0.09-0.38 0.05-0.31 0.07-0.12 0.02-0.12 

Average ______ 0.16 0.18 0.14 0.18 0.23 0.15 0.10 0.10 

Silver: 

Range ________ 0.5-4.5 0.5-1.0 0.5-1.0 0.5-1.0 0.5-1.0 1.0-4.5 

Average ______ 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 2.f 

Zinc: 

Range ________ 115-1295 115-1295 260-1295 145-295 115-175 120-245 165-370 130-185 

Average ______ 249 269 419 204 140 151 280 167 

1Individual values reported in table 3. 4Samples 2, 7,'9, and 29. 2N umber of samples. 5Samples 33, 3 4, and 35. 3Samples 19, 21, 31, 39, and 44. "Sample 1. 

TABLE 5.--Comparison of trace-metal concentrations (parts per million) in center-of-flow samples 

to cross-sectional samples for the <20-JLm materials 1 

River Mile 1.5 River Mile 8.5 

Columbia 

River" 

20 

4.5 

60 

95 

70 

0.90 

1.5 

460 

Center 

sample2 

Cross-section samples3 

Center 

sample4 

Cross-section samples5 

Metal 

Arsenic ----------------------------

Cadmium -------------------------- Chromium _________________________ _ 

Copper ----------------------------

Lead Mercury ------------------------------ ___________________________ _ 

Silver _____________________________ _ Zinc _______________________________ _ 

10 

2.5 

80 

40 

40 

.13 

.5 

340 

Range Average 

10-20 

1-2 

50-70 

40-45 

35-40 

0.03-0.10 

340-350 

13 

1.7 

60 

42 

38 

.07 

.5 

343 

1For specific locations and physical data, see tables 9 and 10. Trace-metal data are compiled from table 3. 2Sample 3. 3Samples 4-6. 4Sample 10. 5Samples 11-13. 

10 

1.0 

50 

40 

25 

.03 

.5 

260 

Range Average 

0.5-2.0 

50-60 

35-40 

35-40 

0.03-0.31 

260-335 

10 

1.2 

53 

37 

37 

.19 

.5 

303 

Although based on limited data, the comparisons in table 5 suggest that the sampling approach for the Tidal Reach (one composite sample 

from the visual center of flow) provided a reasonable basis for describing trace-metal distributions. A similar examination of data from RM's 

8.5 and 1.5 was made using the <2-mm results. 

For most metals, the concentrations showed a 

greater degree of cross-sectional variability than 

was observed in the <20-~.tm materials. This 

greater variability was consistent with measured 

cross-sectional differences in particle-size composition. (See table 10.) 

FRACTIONATION OF SAMPLES AT 20 JLID 

One reason for obtaining <20-~.tm fi·actions was 

Fll 
to m1n1mize variations in metal concentrations · 

that normally arise from sample-to-sample differences in the proportion of fine-grained materials. (See above.) This section examines whether 

or not this objective was achieved. 

Table 3 provides a general comparison of metal 

concentrations in the <20-~-tm materials (clay 

plus fine silt) with those in the <2-mm materials 

(combined clay, silt, and sand-sized fractions). 

The concentrations of chromium, copper, lead, 

mercury, and zinc are sufficiently above the respective analytical detection limits to permit 

further comparisons through the computation of 

ratios. Using all 44 samples, the ratios of the average concentrations in <20-~-tm to <2-mm mate- z 

rials are copper 4.3, lead 2.4, zinc 1.8, mercury ~ 

1.2, and chromium 0.8. These ratios suggest that __~ 

sample-to-sample variations in the proportion of ::?:: 

ex: <20-~-tm materials could largely determine the ~ 

30 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

measured concentrations of copper, lead, and zinc 

(ratios appreciably different from 1.0), while having little effect on mercury and chromium (ratios 

~ 100 

close to 1.0). 

ex: 

<( 

0.. 

~ 80 

60 

To investigate this hypothesis, scatter plots ~­

(fig. 4) were prepared to show the metal concen- § 

trations in the <2-mm samples as a function of the ~ 

weight percentage of <20-~m materials in each ~ 40 sample (table 10, column 6). As anticipated, the ~ 

copper, lead, and zinc concentrations show ten- 6 

u dencies to increase with increasing percentages of __~ 20 

<20-~-tm materials. The scatter of data suggests ~ 

that the relationship is most definite for copper ~ 

and somewhat less for lead and zinc. In contrast, i5 

similar plots (not shown) for both chromium and ~ 

mercury showed a random scatter of points. The tcombined results indicate that sample surface 

area, as represented by the weight percentage of 

<20-~-tm materials, was an important control on 

the measured concentrations of copper, lead, and 

zinc but an insignificant control on the occurrence 

of chromium and mercury. 

200 

150 

100 

50 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(A) COPPER 

0 

0 

0 

(C) ZINC 

CD 

0 

1 0 20 30 40 50 60 

0 

0 0 

WEIGHT PERCENTAGE OF FINE SEDIMENT 

70 

As further verification, a second set of scatter 

plots was prepared to relate the concentrations of 

copper, lead, and zinc in each <20-~-tm fraction to 

the weight percentage of <20-~-tm materials in 

each <2-mm sample. As expected, the plots (not' 

shown) showed a scatter of the 44 points and ' 

hence no correlations such as observed for the 

<2-mm plots (fig. 4). This indicates that the approach of using <20-~-tm fractions successfully 

standardized the variations in metal concentra-' 

tions that otherwise would have resulted from 1 FIGURE 4.-Relation of trace-metal concentrations in <2-mm 

sample-to-sample differences in the percentages materials to the percentage by weight of <20-JLI"l materials. A, 

of fine-grained materials. This- means that the copper, B, lead, and C, zinc. 

F12 
<20-J.Lm data can provide a sound comparative 

basis for detecting trace-metal pollution. 

In addition to investigating the effect of particle size, a brief assessment was made of the relationship between selected metals and organic 

carbon. Scatter diagrams indicated that copper 

and lead concentrations had some tendency to increase with increasing contents of organic carbon. 

In contrast, the levels of zinc, mercury, and chromium were not related to organic carbon content. 

DISTINCTION BETWEEN NATURAL 

BACKGROUND AND POLLUTION 

If trace n1etals in Willamette River sediments 

represented only natural or unpolluted conditions, the concentrations might be expected to follow either a normal or a log-normal distribution 

(Levinson, 197 4). Furthermore, because the fine 

bottom sediments are derived primarily from the 

weathering of two chemically related rock types 

(andesite and basalt), the natural concentrations 

of the metals might be expected to be distributed 

as one statistical population. 

To test these assumptions for the purpose of 

distinguishing polluted from unpolluted conditions, the concentrations of chromium, copper, 

lead, mercury, and zinc in the <20-J.Lm materials 

were plotted on probability papers according to 

the method described by Velz (1970, p. 522-542). 

Plots were not prepared for arsenic, cadmium, nor 

silver because the determined concentrations 

were uniformly low. (See table 3.) In preparing 

the plots, the Columbia River sample was 

excluded, providing a total of 43 data points (concentrations) for each metal. 

Examination of completed plots showed that 

the metal concentrations more closely conformed 

to a normal rather than a log-normal distribution. Normal-probability plots were thus used as 

the basis of the interpretive approach. 

ZINC 

samples collected downstream from the pulpmill 

at RM 49.2 would show higher concentrations 

than those taken from farther upstrean.. This is 

confirmed by figure 5A, because the 1f samples 

represented by the lower segment were collected 

above RM 50. The concentrations of tr~se samples were replotted in figure 5B, and a welldefined normal distribution was formed, as evidenced by the straight-line fit. 

Spatially, the increased level& of zinc in the 

Newberg Pool and the Tidal Reach corr~sponded 

to the locations of the three ground-wood 

pulpmills (compare tables 2 and 3). The especially 

high concentrations between RM's 25.6 to 11.7 

were below the outfalls of the two mills located 

between RM's 27 to 28. 

The combined knowledge of zinc sources and 

concentrations indicates that the lower segment 

in figure 5A represents natural backgr1und conditions, whereas the upper segment represents 

polluted conditions. The spatial distribution of 

concentrations precludes the possibility that the 

two-stage curve results from areal differences in 

geochemistry. 

LEAD 

Lead concentrations (in <20-J.Lm n1aterials), 

like those of zinc, define a two-stage curve when 

plotted on normal-probability paper (fig. 6A). The 

lower curve includes concentrations frmn 10 to 40 

ppm and the upper curve concentratiors from 45 

to 120 ppm. As with zinc, the levels on the upper 

segment seem to repre.sent pollution. 

In contrast to zinc, the enriched lead concentrations occurred at discrete locations (se~ table 3) 

rather than in a large downriver zone.l\ifost of the 

lead-enriched sites were in urban areaf'. suggesting that the pollution resulted largely from storm 

drainage from streets and roads. (See table 2.) 

The high-concentration site at RM 185.3 was 

within the storm-drainage zone of the EugeneSpringfield area, and the sample at RM 161.2 was 

collected near the highway bridge at Harrisburg. 

In the Tidal Reach, the samples at both RM's 25.6 

The normal-probability plot of zinc concentra- and 11.7 were collected just below bridges which 

tions ( <20 J.Lm materials) defines a two-stage cross the Willamette. 

curve with a sharp break at 145 ppm (parts per Other lead-enriched samples were collected 

million) (fig. 5A). The lower segment of the curve from Fourth Lake, Boise Cascade Slough, and the 

represents 15 samples, and the upper segment 27 Tualatin River. Boise Cascade Slough receives 

samples; the concentration of 1,215 ppm from garbage-dump leachate which may account for 

RM 21.1 (table 3) stands by itself far off the upper the elevated lead concentration. Alsc.. the eleend of the scale. vated lead content of the Tualatin River sample is 

From foreknowledge of the potential sources of consistent with the high degree of urban dezinc pollution (see table 2), it was expected that velopment in the basin. 

F13 
z 

0 

_J 

_J 

~ 

a: 

UJ 

a.. 

en 

Ia: 

<( 

a.. 

z 

z' 

0 

i= 

<( 

a: 

Iz 

UJ 

u 

z 

0 

u 

u 

z 

N 

500 

400 

300 

200 

100 

160 

140 

120 

100 

1215 PPM (RM 21.1) 

(A) All WILLAMETTE RIVER BASIN SAMPLES 

River mile locations are identified 

for polluted samples. 

(RM 25.6) 

0 (Multnomah Channel) 

.(RM 48.6, Head-Fourth Lake, 

Middle-Fourth Lake) 

(B) UNPOLLUTED SAMPLES 

80 ~--~------~-------L---L~L-L-L-J-J-~--~--------J-----------~ 

0.01 0.1 10 50 90 99 9-:1.99 

PROBABILITY (PERCENT) EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN 

FIGURE 5.-Normal-probability plots of zinc concentrations in <20-~-tm materials. A, All Willamette Riv~r 

basin samples. B, Unpolluted samples. 

Comparison of data in table 3 with possible pol- receive either urban runoff or storn1 drainage 

lution sources shown in table 2 indicates that all from roads. Thus, although the probability plot 

lead concentrations >25 ppm are from sites that suggests that lead concentrations frmn 10 to 40 

F14 
z 

0 

...1 

...1 

~ 

a: 

UJ 

a.. 

C/) 

1-

a: 

<( 

a.. 

z 

...1 

<( 

1-

UJ 

~ 

w 

u 

<( 

a: 

1-

110 

100 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

River mile locations are identified 

for polluted samples. 

(A) LEAD 

(RM 25.6, Boise Cascade Slough, 

Head-Fourth Lake) 

River mile locations are identified 

for polluted samples. 

(B) COPPER 

(RM 185.3, Tualatin River) 

0 (RM 161.2) 

(Swan Island Channel) 

(RM 21.1, Marys River) 

(RM 1 .5, 6.0, 17 .0, 

Fourth Lake near 

confluence) 

10 L---~--~~------~---L~~L...I~--L_~ __ L_ ______ L_ ________ ~ 

0.01 10 50 90 99 99.99 

PROBABILITY (PERCENT) EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN 

FIGURE 6.-Normal-probability plots of trace-metal concentrations in <20-~-tm materials. A, lead, and B, 

copper. 

F15 
ppm are from one population, the comparison 

suggests that concentrations >25 ppm might constitute pollution. Moreover, as described in a following section (see "Comparison of Results to 

Trace-Metal Concentrations in Rocks and Soils"), 

such a delineation is more consistent with lead 

concentrations in Willamette River basin soils. 

Geographically, if we use the 25-ppm value as a 

breakpoint, zones of lead enrichment occur 

around Newberg (samples 25 to 27) and in the 

Tidal Reach (all Tidal Reach samples except RM 

17.0). As noted in table 2, the Willamette receives 

street runoff below RM 27.5, either in the form of 

urban storm drainage or combined sewer overflows. Samples 25 and 26 from near Newberg 

were collected in a subreach that receiv~s urban 

runoff. In addition to the two zones, lead enrichment would also be designated at RM 86.7 (sample 30), which is adjacent to a highway, and at 

RM 141.3 (sample 40), which is just below the 

village of Peoria. 

Further discussion of the threshold concentration for lead enrichment is presented in "Comparison of Results to Trace-Metal Concentrations 

in Rocks and Soils." 

COPPER 

The plot of copper concentrations on normalprobability paper is best fitted by a two-stage 

curve (fig. 6B). The geographic locations (identified in fig. 6B) of samples on the upper curve are 

suggestive of pollution. The locations include 

Fourth Lake (3 samples), the Marys River, a zone 

between RM's 11.7 and 25.6 (samples 14, 15, 16, 

17, and 19 in table 3), and Swan Island Channel , 

plus the immediate downstream site (RM 6.0). 

The Marys River sample also contained relatively 

high concentrations of cobalt, nickel, and vanadium (table 14), as well as chromium. (See 

"Chromium".) The high copper concentrations between RM's 11.7 and 25.6 coincide with the zone 

of high zinc concentrations (fig. 5) and with elevated levels of lead. The cause of the elevated 

copper concentrations in this zone is unknown, 

but possible sources include municipal secondary 

effluents (table 2) in addition to the urban drainage and the pulp and paper mill effluents. 

CHROMIUM 

Chromium concentrations also define a twostage curve on normal-probability paper (fig. 7 A). 

Two of the three 8Q-ppm samples were from 

Fourth Lake, and the ~00-ppm sample was taken 

from the Marys Rive~. As previously noted, the 

Marys River sample I also contained relatively 

high levels of cobalt,ropper, nickel, and vanadi urn. There is no kn wn cause for the elevated 

levels of these metals. 

In addition, enriche concentrations of 70 and 

80 ppm were determined in two of the samples 

from RM 1.5. 

MERCURY 

Mercury concentrations (fig. 7B) tend toward 

one normally distributed population, but there 

are erratic variations above and below a good 

straight-line fit. Examination of geogr'=~ohical distributions (table 4) indicates that average mercury concentrations in the <20-J,Lm materials increased slightly in an upriver direction. It was 

initially considered that the increase might have 

resulted from enrichment by the old Black Butte 

mining area (fig. 1). However, the one sample 

(number 44) collected below Black Butte on the 

Coast Fork Willamette had low mercury concentrations in both the <2-mm and <20-~tm samples 

(table 3). Resolution of whether the Flack Butte 

area is polluting the Willamette nust await 

further study. 

Mercury was once used for slime cortrol by certain pulp and paper mills in the basir. However, 

this use was discontinued in the late 1960's 

(A. Caron, Regional Director, Natioral Council 

for Stream and Air Improvement, personal commun., 1975). 

Although none of the <20-J,Lm fracti0ns showed 

definite mercury pollution, the <2-rnm sample 

from site 34 (Fourth Lake) was unquestionably 

enriched (0.80 ppm). The mercury was associated 

with the coarse solids of the sample, but the 

source is unknown. Because the sediments sampled from Fourth Lake may have accumulated 

over many years, it is also unknown vrhether the 

pollution resulted from waste discharges during 

1973 or from a previous time. 

In summary, based on the lack of a two-stage 

probability plot and the lack of proven sources, we 

conclude that mercury concentrations in the 

<20-J,Lm materials are probably representative of 

unpolluted conditions. The relatively poor fit of 

the concentrations to a straight line (in fig. 7B) 

suggests some possible pollution, but if it exists, it 

is apparently not very great. 

F16 
(A) CHROMIUM 

90 

80 

z 70 

0 

....J 

....J 

~ 60 

a: 

w 

a.. 50 en 

1-

a:: 

<! 

a.. 40 

z 

~ 30 

0 

~ 

<! 

a: 

1-

z 

River mile locations are identified 

for polluted samples. co 0 

(RM 1.5, Head-Fourth Lake, 

Middle-Fourth Lake) 

w 

~ 0.4 (B) MERCURY 

0 

(.) 

....J 

<! 

1-

w 

~ w 0.3 (.) 

<! 

a: 

1-

0.2 

0.1 

0.0 ~--~------~----~~--~--~~~-L~--~--~--------~----------~ 

0.01 0.1 10 50 90 99 99.fl~ 

PROBABILITY (PERCENT) EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN 

FIGURE 7.-Normal-probability plots of trace-metal concentrations in <20-ILm materials. A. Chromium, 

and B, Mercury. 

CADMIUM 

Cadmium concentrations did not show enough 

variability to warrant plotting. However, there 

was a slight increase in cadmium concentrations 

( <20-~tm materials) in the lower 3 mi (5 km) of 

the river (table 3). Upstream from this point, 

cadmium concentrations were reported as either 

0.5 or 1.0 ppm in all but one sample (Tualatin 

River). In contrast, in Multnomah Channel 

(RM 3.3) the cadmium concentration was 

1.5 ppm, at RM 1.5 it averaged 1.9 (four samples), 

and in the Columbia Slough it was 2.0 ppm. 

One possible cause of the increase is admixture 

of Columbia River sediments which might move 

F17 
upstream into the Willamette during periods of 

flow reversal. (See ''Willamette River Morphology.") The one sample analyzed from the Columbia had a cadmium content of 4.5 ppm in the 

<20-JLm materials. However, the Columbia River 

sample also had elevated contents of copper, lead, 

and mercury, and no corresponding enrichment 

of these metals was detected in the lower 

Willamette. 

FOURTH LAKE 

The sediments from sites 33 and 34 in Fourth 

Lake were black, oily, odorous (table 9), and composed entirely of clay and silt-sized materials (table 10). In contrast, sample 35, collected near the 

confluence of Fourth Lake with the Willamette, 

showed indications of mixing with coarse river 

sediments. In reporting the trace-metal data 

(table 6), the concentrations at sites 33 and 34 are 

averaged, and the values at site 35 listed separately. For comparison, table 6 also lists the average and modal concentrations of each metal in the 

other Willamette River basin samples. 

Table 6 indicates that the Fourth Lake samples 

were polluted by a large number of metals. Of the 

total list of enriched metals, the following 11 can 

be associated with processes at Teledyne-Wah 

Chang (see section entitled ''Possible Sources of 

Trace Metals"): chromium, hafnium, lanthanum, 

molybdenum, niobium, scandium, silver, tin, ytterbium, yttrium, and zirconium. 

Arsenic, copper, lead, and mercurv were also 

enriched, but the sources of these metals are unknown. The arsenic and mercury enrichments occurred only in the <2-mm samples. 

Although Fourth Lake was heavily polluted, 

the sample collected just downstr~am at RM 

112.6 (table 3) showed no enrichment of any of the 

noted metals. Moreover, none of the s-,ecial metals 

discharged by Teledyne-Wah Chang was determined at enriched levels in any downstream 

sample. Thus, it seems that metals discharged 

into Fourth Lake precipitate and stay within the 

slough, at least under low-flow conditions. If the 

metals do flush from the slough at high flows, 

they must (1) flush entirely from the basin, (2) be 

diluted to background levels, (3) be annually 

buried at depths greater than those sampled in 

the study (improbable), or (4) be affeded by some 

combination of these possibilities. Further work 

is needed to determine if Fourth Lake is actually 

a year-round sink of incoming metals and, if so, 

whether the capacity for storage is still very large 

or possibly nearing its limit. 

COMPARISON OF RESULT:; TO 

TRACE-METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN 

ROCKS AND SOILS 

The approach of using normal-prol'!ibility plots 

<figs. 5, 6, 7) provides a means for estimating the 

natural background concentrationr of certain 

TABLE 6.--Concentrations (parts per million) of trace metals in Fourth Lake 

Atomic-absorptiOn spectrophotometry and colorimetry' 

Average for 

other Willamette River basin Metal 

Average of samples 

33 and 34 Sample 35 samples3 

<2-mm materials 

Arsenic ___________________ _ 

Cadmium _________________ _ Chromium _________________ _ Copper ___________________ _ Lead _____________________ _ 

Mercury ___________________ _ Silver _____________________ _ Zinc _______________________ _ 

50 

1.0 

85 

30 

83 

'.46 

<.5 

188 

<10 

.5 80 

15 

15 .16 

.5 110 

<20-J.tm materials 

Arsenic ___________________ _ Cadmium _________________ _ 

Chromium _________________ _ Copper ___________________ _ Lead _____________________ _ 

Mercury ___________________ _ 

Silver---------------------- Zinc _______________________ _ 

'Data from table 3. 2Data from table 14. 

10 

.8 80 

95 

100 

.10 

3.8 185 

10 .5 60 

45 

25 .02 

1.0 130 

12 

.6 

74 

10 

16 

.15 

.5 142 

13 

1.0 

57 

42 

38 .16 

.8 249 

Emission spectroscopy• 

Modal value for other Willamette River basin Metal 

Range of samples 

33 and 34 Sample 35 samples3 

<20-J.tm materials 

Hafnium ------------------ 500-700 Lanthanum ________________ 50 

Molybdenum ______________ 7-10 Nickel ____________________ 50 

Niobium __________________ 200 

Scandium__________________ 50-70 Tin ________________________ 150-200 

Ytterbium__________________ 20-50 Yttrium____________________ 200-300 Zirconium __________________ 15,000-20,000 

3Forty samples !excluding Columbia River samplel. 

150 

<50 

3 

50 

70 

50 

20 

15 

70 7,000 

<100 

<50 

<3 

30 

<10 

30 

<10 

3 

30 

200 

4This value is dominated by the concentration of0.80 ppm in sample 34. 

F18 
trace metals in Willamette River sediments. Figure 5B shows the distribution of zinc concentrations in the 15 samples designated as unpolluted. 

The figure shows that a well-defined normal distribution is formed, which, by graphical analysis 

(see Velz, 1970, p. 522--542), yields a mean of 133 

ppm and a standard deviation of 12 ppm. Similar 

plots were prepared (not shown) for the graphically defined natural background concentrations 

of lead, copper, and chromium ( <20-J,Lm materials). The summary data for the four metals are 

presented in table 7. 

Because no definite breakpoint occurs in the 

mercury plot (fig. 7B ), the data are considered as 

representing unpolluted conditions. The mean of 

the 43 concentrations is 0.17 ppm, and the standard deviation is 0.11 ppm. 

Column 2 of table 8 shows the mean of the mercury samples together with the means (from table 

7) of the unpolluted samples of chromium, copper, 

lead, and zinc. These values represent our initial 

estimates of the natural background concentrations of the five metals in the <20-J,Lm materials. 

Table 8 compares these estimated background 

concentrations to levels for the five metals in 

rocks and soils of the Willamette Basin and to 

worldwide averages in claystones and shales. The 

values shown for Willamette Basin rocks represent uncontaminated consolidated specimens, 

most of which were basaltic or andesitic in 

character. The soils data represent "natural" conditions (Shacklette and others, 1971) and were 

determined on fractionated materials roughly 

comparable in size to the <20-J,Lm materials of the 

present study. The data for claystones and shales 

represent worldwide averages for uncontaminated samples and were calculated from the values reported by Parker (1967). Claystones and 

shales are fine-grained rocks which have formed 

primarily from consolidation of the sediments 

carried by ancient rivers. Thus, the chemical 

composition of these rock types would be expected 

to resemble that of the finer sediments transported by unpolluted present-day rivers. 

Average concentrations for the soils are in remarkable agreement with the mean values for 

claystones and shales. In comparison to these two 

sets of values, the concentrations from the Willamette Study are low for chromium, copper, and 

mercury and somewhat high for lead and zinc. 

However, as previously discussed (see <(Lead"), 

I 

TABLE 7.-Summary data from normal probability plots of 

trace-metal concentrations (<20-f.J,m materi'Lls) 

Breakpomt 

Trace concentration 

metal I ppm I 

Chromium ------------- 60 

Copper ---------------- 43 

Lead ------------------ 43 Zinc __________________ 145 

Summary data for concentrations 

below the breakpoint !indicative of 

unpolluted or natural background 

conditions I 

Standard 

Number Mean deviation 

of samples I ppm I I ppm I 

38 53 6 

31 35 9 

35 30 10 

15 133 12 

TABLE 8.-Trace-metal concentrations (in parts per million) in 

bottom sediments, rocks, and soils 

Source 

Willamette 

Study' 

Willamette 

Basin 

<20-~-tm 

Metal materials Rocks2 

Chromium__________________ 53 <1-500 Copper ____________________ 35 &--300 

(301 Lead ___ ____ _____________ __ 30 <10--15 

1<101 Mercury______ _____________ .17 

Zinc________________________ 133 <2&--159 

(<251 

Clavstones 

and Soils3 shales4 

70 95 

50 51 

15 20 

.2 .4 

68 88 

1 Average concentratiOns for" unpolluted'' samples I table 71. See te:vt for discussion 

of lead in "unpolluted" samples. 2 Values represent concentration ranges and modes in 36 rod samples from 

throughout the Willamette River basin 1R. Mendes, U.S. Geol. Survey, written 

commun., 19751 3Values for chrommm, copper, and lead represent modal concentrations of 50 soils; 

values for mercury and zinc represent the average concentratio'1 of 3 soils I R. 

Mendes, written commun., 197.5; T. H. Shacklette,- U.S. Geol. Survev. wntten 

commun., 19751. · 4Values represent averages from Parker 11967, table 191. 

the upper end of the range for unpolluted lead 

concentrations may be 25 ppm. On the basis of 

this breakpoint, the average concentration of the 

unenriched lead samples is 20 ppm. This value is 

consistent with the data for soils and claystonesshales. It therefore supports the selection of 25 

ppm as the breakpoint concentration. 

The average zinc concentration in table 8 for 

Willamette sediments is considerably greater 

than the averages for soils and for the claystones 

and shales. We previously noted that olrl mining 

areas represent possible sources of zinc pollution 

in the upper Willamette (see ((Possible Eources of 

Trace-Metal Pollution"); however, examination 

of table 3 indicates that above RM 50 zinc concentrations varied randomly and were unaffected by the discharge of tributaries (fig. 1) which 

drain the mineralized areas. We therefore believe that the average zinc concentration of 133 

ppm ( <20-J.Lm materials) represents the natural 

background level for Willamette River s~diments. 

F19 
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 

This study developed and applied a procedure 

for identifying trace metals in river-bottom sediments that are present in concentrations indicative of pollution. The procedure involves (1) physical separation of materials < 20 11-m in size from 

bulk sediment samples, (2) trace-metal analysis 

of the < 2011-m materials, (3) examination of the 

determined metal concentrations through use of 

probability plots, and (4) comparisons of the concentrations with the metal contents of soils and 

rocks. The procedure could be used intact or in 

modified form for the study of other rivers. 

Use of the procedure in the Willamette River 

basin revealed a clean environment with the exception of a moderate enrichment of zinc, slight 

enrichment of copper and lead, and pollution by 

several metals in Fourth Lake. 

The zinc enrichment resulted primarily from 

use of zinc hydrosulfite as a brightening agent in 

three ground-wood pulp and paper mills. As aresult of orders from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the mills will cease using 

zinc hydrosulfite by July 1977. The lead enrichment appeared to be related directly to urban 

drainage, but no specific source was identified for 

copper. Fourth Lake, an industrial slough, 

showed enrichment of 15 elements including uncommon metals such as zirconium, hafnium, yttrium, ytterbium, and tin. However, none of these 

metals was present in enriched concentrations at 

any downstream site. 

The study results suggest that no metals were 

accumulated in Willamette River sediments at 

concentrations which might represent an immediate ecological threat. However, from a resource management standpoint, further studies 

are needed to determine (1) how zinc concentrations in the Tidal Reach respond to the ban on 

zinc hydrosulfite, (2) how much lead is annually 

reaching the river from urban drainage and combined sewer overflows, and (3) the ultimate fate of 

metals discharged to Fourth Lake. Answers to 

these questions still will not define the relationship of trace-metal concentrations in Willamette 

sediments to possible long-range potentials for 

toxic effects. It is hoped that basic knowledge of 

aquatic ecosystems will advance rapidly in the 

near future so studies can be initiated in the Willamette and in other United States rivers to assess this critical relationship. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We wish to acknowledge the aid and encouragement of the Non-Federal Advisory Committee 

on Water Data for Public Use. Our special thanks 

go to the members of the Advisory Committee's 

Ad Hoc Working Group on River Quality Assessment. During the Willamette Study, the group 

included Howard B. Brown, Robert A. Canham, 

Edward J. Cleary, Laurence R. Ja hn, John E. 

Kinney, Walter A. Lyon, John A. Roller, and 

Clarence J. Velz. The report could n':lt have been 

prepared without the careful chemical analyses 

provided by Kam W. Leong and the spectrographic analyses by Raymond G. Ha,.rens. The authors also acknowledge the aid of Warren C. 

Westgarth during the design ar1 fieldwork 

phases of the study and the helpful review suggestions of Glen D. Carter, Robert C. Averett, and 

John H. Feth. 

GLOSSARY OF SELECTED TERMS 

Aliquot. A known exact part of a whole sample. 

Alluvial. Deposited by a stream or running water. 

Andesite. A dark-colored fine-grained rock 

formed by the cooling of extruded volcanic 

magma. 

Background. The abundance of an element or 

substance in an area in which tl'o. concentration is not anomalous. 

Basalt. A dark- to medium-dark-colored rock 

commonly formed by the cooling of extruded 

volcanic magma. 

Baseline information. Information that describes an environmental condition or parameter at the time of study that will permit future 

comparisons to be made as changes occur. 

Bedload. The part of the total sediment of a 

stream that is moved on or near tb e streambed. 

In many streams sand is the main component of 

bedload. 

Bottom sediment. The sediment deposited at 

the bottom of a water body. 

Claystone. An earthy fine-grained sedimentary 

rock formed by the consolidation of primarily 

clay-sized particles. 

Clay sized. Soil or sediment particles having a 

diameter of less than 0.002 mm (2 !J-ill). 

Detection limit. The lowest concentration of a 

substance that can be measured by a given 

F20 
analytical method. The term is synonymous 

with sensitivity. 

Enrichment. An increase in the concentration 

of a substance over the natural background 

concentration. As used in this paper, the term 

is synonymous with pollution. 

Geochemistry. The study of the distribution, 

amounts, and circulation of the chemical elements in minerals, rocks, soils, water, and the 

atmosphere. 

Glaciofluvial. Pertaining to the melt-water 

streams flowing from wasting glacier ice and 

especially to the deposits produced by such 

streams. 

Gravel. An unconsolidated natural accumulation of rounded rock fragments resulting from 

erosion, consisting predominantly of particles 

having a diameter of greater than 2 mm. 

Micrometre (J.tm). A conventional unit for expressing the diameter of small particles. One 

micrometre is equal to one thousandth of a millimetre, or 1/25,400 inch. 

Modal. Pertaining to the predominant or most 

frequent magnitude. 

Normal probability. A distribution of different 

values of a variable which follows the Gaussian 

or ~tbell shaped" curve. 

Organic. Pertaining or relating to a compound 

containing carbon. 

Organometallic complex. A special form of 

chemical combination between a metal and organic molecules. 

Parts per million (ppm). A conventional unit 

for expressing concentration. For describing 

the concentration of metals in sediment, the 

unit expresses the number of parts by weight of 

the metal per million parts of dry sediment 

weight. This is equivalent to milligrams of 

metal per kilogram of dry sediment. 

Pollution. Any substance introduced into water 

that changes the natural quality of the water or 

associated aquatic system. As used in this 

paper, the term is synonymous with enrichment. 

Reconnaissance. A type of sample or program 

designed to determine the present status of 

something; a preliminary survey. 

River morphology. The pattern and geometry 

of a river channel, including the network of 

tributaries within the drainage basin. 

Sand sized. Soil or mineral particles having a 

diameter in the range of 0.05-2 mm. 

Sediment. Fragmental material, both mineral 

and organic, that is in suspension or is being 

transported by the water mass or has been deposited on the bottom of the aquatic environment. 

Sensitivity. The term is synonymous with detection limit. 

Shale. A fine-grained sedimentary rock formed 

by the consolidation of clay- and silt-sized particles and characterized by a fine parallel structure along which the rock breaks into thin 

layers. 

Silt sized. Soil or sediment particles having a 

diameter in the range of 0.002-0.05 rnm (2-50 

J.tm). 

Slough. A section of an abandoned river channel 

containing stagnant or slowly moving water. 

Synoptic. The distribution of conditions over a 

wide area at a given time. 

Toxicity. The ability of a substance to cause injury to living tissue once it reaches a susceptible site in or on the organism. 

Trace metal. A metal present in minor amounts 

in the Earth's crust; that is, less than about 

0.01 percent. 

REFERENCES 

Chu, T. Y., and Davidson, D. T., 1953, Simplifiec air-jet dispersion apparatus for mechanical analysis of soils: Highway Board Proc., v. 32, p. 441-457. 

Glenn, J. L., 1965, Late Quaternary sedimertation and 

geologic history of the north Willamette Valley, Oregon: 

Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Oregon 

State Univ., Corvallis, Oreg., 231 p. 

Goldblatt, E. L., VanDenburgh, A. S., and Marslland, R. A., 

1963, The unusual and widespread occurrence of arsenic 

in well waters of Lane County, Oregon: Eugene, Oreg., 

Lane County Dept. Public Health, 24 p. 

Harris, D. D., 1968, Travel rates of water for selected streams 

in the Willamette River basin, Oregon: U.S. Geol. Survey 

Hydrol. lnv. Atlas HA-273. 

Jackson, M. L., 1956, Soil chemical analysis-advanced 

course [published by author]: Madison, Wisc·msin Univ., 

991 p. 

Jenne, E. A., 1968, Controls on Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn 

concentrations in soils and water: the significant role of 

hydrous Mn and Fe oxides: Trace inorganics in water, in 

Advances in chemistry series No. 73, p. 337-387. 

Levinson, A. A., 1974, Introduction to exploratior geochemistry: Calgary, Canada, Applied Publ. Co., Ltd., 612 p. 

Myers, A. T., Havens, R. G., and Dunton, P. J., 1961, A spectrochemical method for the semiquantitative analysis of 

rocks, minerals, and ores: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1084--1, 

p. 207-229. 

Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, 1951, 

Oregon metal mines handbook-northwest<'~rn Oregon: 

F21 
Oregon Dept. Geology and Mineral Industries Rept. 14-D, 

166 p. 

Parker, R. L., 1967, Composition of the earth's crust, in 

Fleischer, Michael, tech. ed., Data of geochemistry (6th 

ed. ): U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 440-D, 19 p. 

Shacklette, H. T., Hamilton, J. C., Boerngen, J. G., and 

Bowles, J. M., 1971, Elemental composition of surficial 

materials in the conterminous United States: U.S. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 545-D, 71 p. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1973, Aerial mosaics, Willamette River, May 2, 1972: Portland, Oreg., U.S. Army 

Engineer Dist., 57 p. 

Velz, C. J., 1961, Supplementary report on lower Willamette 

River waste assimilation capacity: Natl. Council for 

Stream Improvement of Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Industries, Inc., School of Public Health, Michigan Univ., 

Ann Arbor, 28 p. 

---1970, Applied stream sanitation: New York, John 

Wiley & Sons, Inc., 619 p. 

Ward, F. N., Lakin, H. W., Canney, F. C., and others, 1963, 

Analytical methods used in geochemical exploration by 

the U.S. Geological Survey: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1152, 

100 p. 

Ward, F. N., Nakagawa, H. M., Harms, T. F., and Van Sickle 

G. H., 1969, Atomic-absorption methods of analysis useful 

in geochemical exploration: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1289, 

45 p. 

Willamette Basin Task Force, 1969, Willame~te Basin comprehensive study of water and related land resources, Appendix A, Study area: Pacific Northwest River Basins 

Comm. rept., 103 p. 

F22 
TABLES 9-15 
TABLE 9.-Site descriptions and physical characteristics of bottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent waters 

Sample 

number 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

H 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

H 

Site description• 

Columbia River; •;. mi below Portland sewage treatment plant Columbia Slough; 1

•:, mi from Willamette River_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

1.5; opposite G. Grebe's house~~~~~~~---~~ 

do-~~~~~~-~~ ~~~~~~~~~~-~ ~~~~~~~~~~-~ 

do -~~~~~~ --~-~ ~~~~~~~ ---~ 

do~~-~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~--~ ~~~~~-~ 

Multnomah Channel; ~4 mi below Gray's Moorage 

6.0;just below St. Johns Bridge~~-~~~~~~~~~~~- ~~~~~~~~~~~--~ 

8.1; 300 vards mside Swan Island Channel ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~--~ 

8.5; off s'wan Island ~ -~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

do ~ 

do -~~~~~~~-~ 

~~~~~~~~ do ~~~~~~~~~~- ~~~~~-~~~~~~~ 

11.7; below Broadway Bridge~~~~~~~-~~~~ ~~~~~~~-~-~~~~~~~~~ 

13.7; above Marquam Bridge ~~~~~~~--~ -~~~~~~~~~~~ 

17.0; 1 o mi above Sellwood Bndge -~-- ~~~-~ ~~-~~~~~~--~ 

21.1; 200 yards above Lake Oswego confluence~~-~-~~~~~~~-~~~ 

Clackamas River; 1000 ft below bndge on State Hwy. 99 E ~~~~ 

25.6; opposite Sportcraft Landmg ~~~~~~-~ ~~-~~~~~~~-

27.9; just below Oregon City Manna ~~-~~~~~~~- -~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Tualatin River; 500ft from Willamette River ~~~~-~~~~--

34.1; 1•'> mi below Canby ferry~~- ~~~~~~~-~~~~~~ 

34.9; '" mi above Canby ferry~~~~~~~--~ ~~~~~--~~~~~~~~~~~ 

45.8; just below Champoeg Park ~~~--~ ~~~~~~~ -~~-~~~~J-~ 

48.6; 500 ft above New Newberg Bridge ~~~~~--

50.2;just above Publishers Paper outfalL~~~~~~~~~~~-

54.0; about 1 mi below confluence of Yamhill River ~~~~~~~~---

69.0; near Tompkins Bar~-~~~~~~~~~-~~ ~~~~~~-~-~~~~~~~~-~­

Boise Cascade Slough; 500ft from Willamette River ~-~--~~~~ 

86.7: above Boise Cascade outfall ~~~~~~~~~~-­

Santiam River; at railroad bndge ~~-~~~~~-

112.6; Spring Hill Rocks near Conser Road Head of Fourth Lake~~~~~~~~~~~~-

Center of Fourth Lake-~~~~~~-~~~~~~-~~~~~-~-~~~~~~~-~~ 

Fourth Lake near confluence with Willamette River ~~~--

117.0; below Albany sewage-treatment plant_~~--

gg;t~el~;~~~~ths Ri~~~ ========= ====================~~~ -~ Marys River; beneath highway bridge near Willamette River ~~ 

141.3; just below Peona ~~~-~~~~~~~-~-~~~~~~~~~~-~~~-~ 

161.2; near highway bridge at Harrisburg~~-~~~~~-~-

178.1; near Beltline Bridge below Eugene ~~~~~~~ -~~~~~--~~~~ 

185.3; near bridge on State Hwy. 126 ~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~­

Coast Fork near bridge on State Hwy. 58 ~~~~~ ~~~~~-~~~~~~~~ 

Location in cross section2 

114 

112 

113 

1/4 

112 

3/4 1/3 and 112 1/2 

112 

112 

114 

1/2 

3/4 

112 

113 

112 

112 

1110 

1/2 

113 

1120 

113 

114 

114 

1/4 

2/3 

4/5 1110 and 9/10 112 

9/10 

5!6 

1110 and 9/10 

112 

112 

112 1110 and 9/10 1110 and 4/5 9/10 112 and 4/5 9/10 

415 

9/10 

1110 

9/10 

Water 

depth 

(ftl 

33 

10 

43 

40 

40 

40 

20 

43 

36 

60 

30 

60 

30 

42 

22 

66 

60 

1 

15 

27 

3 

60 

25 

30 

15 

33 

22 

5--10 

14 

6 

7 

2--3 

3 

10 

10 

2 

3-12 

6 

&-8 

2 

12 

3 

4 

4 

Field observations 

Sandy-~~~~~~~~~~-~--~~~~~~~ 

Fine materials, dark color ~~ 

Fine materials 

~~-~ do~~- ~~~-~~~~~~~~ 

do ~~~~~~~--~-~ 

~~~~~--~ do~ ~~-~~--~-~-~~~ 

Sandy, some gravel ~-~~ 

~~~~~~-- do~~~~~~~--~---~-~ 

Fme rnatenals~~~~~-~~-~~--~ 

do ~~~~ -~~-~~-~~~-~ 

do~ ~~~~~-~~~~~~~~ 

do~~~~~--­

do~~--~~--~ 

Sandy-~~~~~~~-~-~~-~ 

Sand and fine rnatenals Fine materials, odorous Gravelly and sandy ~ 

Sandy~~~-~~ ~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~ 

Very gravelly ~~~~~~~~-~~~~~ 

Gravellv ~~~~~~~-~-~~~-~ 

Sandy~~~-~-~~~~--~ 

Very gravelly ~~~~~~~~ -~-~-~ 

Sandy, black, gas bubbles -~ 

Fme matenals~~~~~~~~~~~-~~ 

Fine materials, odorous ~~~~ 

Sludgy, fine materials -~-~-~ 

Fine materials, odorous Sandy-~~~~~-~ ~~~~~~~~~~-~~ 

Fine materials. black, 

gas bubbles. Gravelly and sandy ~-~----~ 

do-~~~~~~~~~~~~-~-

~~~~~~~~ do -~--~~-~~ 

Black and oily, gas bubbles~ 

do~ ~~~~~~~~~~~-~~ 

~~~~~~~- do~--~-~~~~~-~~~-~ 

Sand and fine materials ~~~~ 

do~ ~~~~~-~~~~~~~~ 

Fine materials~~~~~--~~~~~~­

Sandy-~~~~~~~~~-~~-~~~~~~~~ 

~~~~~~-~ do~--~~-~--~~~~--~ 

~~~~~~-~ do~~~~-~~--~~~~~-~ 

Gravellv and sandv _ Very gr'avelly ~ ~~~-~~~~~~~~ 

do~~~~~~~-~-~-~~~-

1River mile locations in Willamette River according to revised U.S. Army Corps of Engineers index system. 2From left bank. 

Weight 

percentage 

>2rnm 

Description 

>2-mm 

materials 

2 Gravel. 

1 WJod. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

10 Gravel. 

8 Do. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

<1 Gravel. 

2 Gravel and wood. 

<1 W'lod. 

<1 Wood. 

54 Gravel. 

1 Do. 

76 Do. 

49 Do. 

18 Gravel and wood. 

81 Gravel. 

0 

0 

1 Gravel and wood. 

0 

<1 Gravel. 

1 Wood. 

<1 Wood and paper. 

29 Gravel. 

7 Do. 

13 Do. 

0 

0 

<1 Wood. 1 Gravel and wood. 

1 Wood. 

3 Gravel and wood. 

3 Do. 

2 Do. 

Do. 

8 Gravel. 

56 Gravel, some snails. 

79 Gravel. 

TABLE 10.-Particle-size composition of bottom sediments from the Willamette River and adjacent waters 

Particle-size composition 1 

Sand Silt Sample 12 mrn- 150 f.LID- Clay Sample number Site 50 !Lilli 2f.Lml 1<21-'ml <20 !-'ffi2 number Site 

Columbia River -------- 96 3 1 2 25 48.6_ ------------------

2 Columbia Slough ------ 39 56 5 34 26 50.2 -~~-~----

3 1.5 ------------------ 22 70 8 46 27 54.0~--~ ---------------

4 1.5 -------------------- 30 64 6 39 28 69.0 ~ ~ ~-- ~ -~ -~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

5 1.5 -------------------- 30 62 8 44 29 Boise Cascade Slough-~-~ 

6 1.5 13 78 9 59 30 86.7 ~~~-~~-~~~~~~ 

7 Mult~~~;h~ci{~~~;l~==== 91 8 1 5 31 Santiam River~~-~~~~--~ 

8 6.0 89 10 1 8 32 112.6 ------------------

9 Swa~ ~ Isl~~d Ch;;~~el ~ ~ ~ ~ 5 84 11 66 33 Head of Fourth Lake _ 10 8.5 ----------------- 22 71 7 45 34 Middle of Fourth 11 8.5 -------------------- 3 89 8 63 Lake. 12 8.5 --------------- 24 69 7 45 35 Fourth Lake near 13 8.5 -------------------- 37 58 5 36 confluence. 14 11.7 -~~~-~~~~~~~~-~~~~~ 88 11 1 6 36 117.0 ------------------

15 13.7 ------------------- 67 30 3 18 37 120.0 ------------------

16 17.0 -~~~ ~-~~~~~~~- ~~~--~ 28 65 7 40 38 130.1 ------------------

17 21.1_~~~~~-~~~~~~-~~~--~ 81 18 1 12 39 Marys River~~~~~~~~-~~~ 

18 Clackamas RiveL -~~~~~~ 93 7 0 4 40 141.3 ------------------

19 25.6 ~-- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 94 6 0 6 41 161.2 ------------------

20 27.9 ~- ~- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~- ~ ~- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 80 18 12 42 178.1 ------------------

21 Tualatin River-~-~~~~~~~ 84 15 1 5 43 185.3 22 34.L~ ~ _ -~~~~~ ~~~-~- 43 52 5 37 44 Coast F~~k~~t~~~~~~~---~ 

23 34.9~ ----------- 77 21 2 14 Highway 58. 24 45.8~~~- ~~~~~~~~-~~~ -~~~ 44 50 6 39 

•Percentage by weight of dry sediment. Size analysis and separation by Charles Ollery, Oregon State University. 2The <20-f.Lm materials contam the clay fraction plus part of the silt I fine siltl fraction of each sample. 

F24 

Particle-size composition• 

Sand Silt 12 rnm- 150 f.LID- Cl~y 

50 /LID) 2!-'ml 1<21-'ml <20 f.LID2 

63 33 4 25 

23 67 10 57 

37 56 7 47 

86 13 1 9 

12 77 11 65 

75 23 2 17 

82 16 2 11 

89 10 1 7 0 85 15 70 

0 85 15 70 

10 82 8 60 

67 30 3 22 

65 31 4 21 

52 43 5 28 

72 24 4 16 

81 17 2 13 

87 11 8 

94 5 1 2 

91 8 1 2 

61 34 5 27 
TABLE H.-Checklist of element names and symbols 

Element Symbol Element Symbol Element Synbol 

Aluminum __________ Al Indium ______________ In Silicon ______________ Si 

Antimony __________ Sb Iron ________________ Fe Silver ______________ Ag; 

Arsenic ____________ As Lanthanum __________ La Sodium ______________ ~Ta 

Barium ____________ Ba Lead ________________ Ph Strontium __________ Sr 

Beryllium __________ Be Lithium ____________ Li Tantalum __________ Ta 

Bismuth ____________ Bi ~agnesium __________ ~g Tellurium __________ Te 

Boron ______________ B ~anganese __________ ~n Thallium ____________ Tl 

Cadmium __________ Cd ~ercury ____________ Hg Thorium ____________ Th 

Calcium ____________ Ca 

Cerium ______________ Ce ~olybdenum ________ Mo 

Nickel ______________ Ni 

Tin ________________ En 

Titanium ____________ Ti 

Chromium __________ Cr 

Cobalt ______________ Co 

Niobium ____________ Nb 

Palladium. __________ Pd 

Tungsten ____________ Vl 

Uranium ____________ U 

Copper ______________ Cu 

Gallium ____________ Ga 

Phosphorus __________ P 

Platinum ____________ Pt 

Vanadium __________ Y 

Ytterbium __________ Yb 

Germanium ________ Ge Potassium __________ K Yttrium ____________ Y 

Gold ________________ Au Rhenium ____________ Re Zinc ________________ Zn 

Hafnium ____________ Hf Scandium __________ Sc Zirconium __________ Zr 

TABLE 12.-Concentrations (percentage by weightl of major elements in bottom sediments from the 

Willamette River and adjacent waters 1 

Emission spectroscopy2 

Sample 

Number 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

Site 

Columbia River ---------------------------- Columbia Slough _________________________ _ 

1.5 ----------------------------------------

1.5 ---------.----------------------.-------

1.5 ---------.------------.---------.-------

1.5 ---------------------------------------- Multnomah Channel _______________________ _ 

6.0 ---------.----------------------.------- Swan Island Channel _____________________ _ 

8.5 - --------------------------------- -

8.5 ----------------------------------------

8.5 ------.------------.--------------------

8.5 -------------------.--------------------

11.7----------------------------------------

13.7-------------------.-------------------- 17.0-------------------.--------------------

21.1 __ ---- ---------------------------------- Clackamas River ___________________________ _ 

Tualatin 

~~:~ == == = River = == = = == == = = = = = = == = = == ==== == == = = == == _____________________________ _ 

34.1 __ --------------------------------------

34.9---------------------------------------- 45.8---------------- ------------------------

48.6---------------- ------------------------

50.2----------------------------------------

54.0----------------------------------------

69.0----------------------------------------

Boise Cascade Slough _____________________ _ 

86.7----------------------------------------

Santiam River------------------------------

112.6 -------------------------------------- Head-Fourth Lake _________________________ _ 

Middle-Fourth Lake _______________________ _ 

Fourth Lake near confluence _______________ _ 

117.0 --------------------------------------

120.0 -------------------------------------- 130.1 -------------------------------------- Marys River _______________________________ _ 

141.3 --------------------------------------

161.2 --------------------------------------

178.1 --------------------------------------

185.3 -------------------------------------- Coast Fork --------------------------------

Si 

>10 

>10 

(5) 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

>10 

AI 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

>10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

>10 

10 

10 

10 

7 

7 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

7 

7 

Ca 

3 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1.5 

1.5 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1 

2 

2 

3 

1.5 

1.5 

2 

2 

1.5 

2 

1.5 

2 

2 

3 

1 

.7 

<20-!Lm materials 

Mg 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.0 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

.7 

.7 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

2 

1.5 

1.5 

1.5 

1.0 

.7 

Na 

2 

1.5 

1.5 

1 

1 

1.5 

1 

1 

.7 

.7 

1 

.7 

1 

1 

1 

1 

.7 

1 

1 

1.5 

1 

.7 

.7 

1 

1 

1 

.7 

.7 

1 

1 

.7 

1 

1.5 

1 

.5 

.5 

3 

3 

K 

2 

1.5 

2 

1.5 

1.5 

2 

1.5 

1.5 

1 

1 

1 

1.5 

1 

1 

1.5 

1.5 

1 

.7 

1 

.7 

1 

1.5 

.7 

.7 

1 

1 

1 

.7 

.7 

.7 

1 

1.5 

1 

1 

.7 

< .7 

< .7 

'To obtain concentrations in parts per million, multiply weight percentages by 10,000. 2Emission spectroscopy includes metals contained in crystal lattices. Analyses by Ray G. Havens. 3Analyses by Kam W. Leong. 4The <2-mm materials contam the <20-!Lm fraction. 5Not determined. 

F25 

Ti 

0.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

1.0 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

1.0 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.3 

.3 

.5 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.7 

.5 

.5 

p 

<0.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

<.2 

Fe 

7 

10 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

5 

5 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

3 

3 

5 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

5 

Mn 

0.15 

.1 

.1 

.1 

.3 

.15 

.15 

.1 

.1 

.1 

.15 

.15 

15 

15 

.15 

.15 

.15 

.15 

.15 

.1 

.15 

.1 

.15 

.1 

.07 

.15 

.1 

.15 

.07 

.07 

.05 

.1 

.1 

.07 

.2 

.1 

.15 

.15 

.15 

.2 

Atomic absorption 

spectrophotometry" 

<2 mm4 <20!Lm 

Fe 

0.8 

1.9 

2.3 

2.3 

2.7 

2.6 

1.5 

1.4 

3.1 

2.8 

3.0 

2.4 

2.8 

1.4 

1.8 

2.5 

1.9 

1.7 

1.7 

2.2 

2.0 

2.6 

2.1 

2.9 

2.3 

2.8 

2.6 

2.0 

2.6 

2.1 

2.0 

.93 

.19 

.69 

1.5 

1.8 

1.5 

1.1 

1.5 

1.4 

1.4 

1.3 

1.3 

1.9 

Mn 

0.012 

.040 

.048 

.042 

.054 

.062 

.045 

.027 

.062 

.072 

.059 

.044 

.053 

.022 

.034 

.075 

.050 

.029 

.037 

.044 

.045 

.066 

.034 

.073 

.049 

.080 

.097 

.036 

.046 

.051 

.040 

.023 

.070 

.037 

.020 

.030 

.039 

.021 

.090 

.021 

.028 

.027 

.034 

.120 

Fe 

3.6 

2.4 

2.5 

3.0 

3.6 

3.6 

4.4 

4.4 

2.7 

3.0 

2.7 

3.1 

3.4 

3.9 

3.7 

3.4 

3.6 

3.8 

2.6 

4.2 

3.5 

4.1 

3.6 

3.7 

3.2 

3.6 

4.8 

3.5 

4.3 

4.1 

3.9 

3.9 

3.1 

2.9 

3.9 

3.1 

6.0 

2.9 

3.9 

4.2 

2.8 

3.3 

Mn 

0.087 

.062 

.069 

.062 

.065 

.073 

.260 

.110 

061 

.086 

.065 

.068 

.067 

.096 

.086 

.110 

.130 

.120 

.130 

.120 

.110 

.089 

.089 

.110 

.092 

.120 

.076 

.056 

.120 

.089 

.110 

.052 

.052 

.026 

.062 

.084 

.300 

.037 

.071 

.970 

.022 

.250 
TABLE 13.-Trace metals having concentrations in all sediment samples below detection limits of the 

emission-spectrographic method 1 

Metal 

Dectwn hmit !parts per million! 

1\ntinnony ------------------------------ Bery lliunn _____________________________ _ Bisnnuth _______________________________ _ 

Ceriunn -------------------------------- (}ernnaniunn ---------------------------- (}old ----------------------------------

Indiunn -------------------------------- Lithium _______________________________ _ 

200 

1.5 

10 

200 

10 

20 

10 

100 

Metal 

DetectiOn limit 

!parts per million! 

Palladiunn ------------------------------ Platinunn _____________________________ _ Rheniunn _____________________________ _ 

Tantalunn ------------------------------ Telluriunn ------------------------------ Thallium _____________________________ _ Thorium _______________________________ _ 

T_ung~ten ------------------------------ Uramunn _____________________________ _ 

2 

50 

50 

500 

2,000 

50 

200 

100 

500 

1Arsemc and cadmium were below the detection hmits but were later determmed by wet chemical methods. I See table 3.1 Spectrographic analyses were by 

Ray G. HavePs. 

TABLE 14.-Concentrations (in parts per million) of trace elements in <20-J.Lm materials of bottom sediments from the 

Willamette River and adjacent waters 

Sample 

number Site Ba 

[All analyses by emission spectroscopy]' 

B Cr Co Cu Ga Hf La Ph Mo Ni Nb Sc 

Columbia 

River. 

1,000 700 70 30 150 15 <100 <50 100 <3 50 <10 30 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

Columbia 

Slough. 

1.5 

1.5 ------------ 1.5 ------------ 1.5 ------------ Multnomah 

Channel. 

6.0 ------------ Swan Island Channel. 

8.5 

8.5 ------------ 8.5 ------------ 8.5 --

11.7-----

13.7----------

17.0------------

21.1.-----------

Clackamas 

River. 

25.6.-----------

27.9------------

Tualatin 

RIVer. 34.L __________ _ 

34.9------------

45.8_ --------- 48.6_- ----------

50.2------------

54.0------------

69.0------------

Boise Cascade Slough. 86.7 ___ __ 

Santiam 

River. 

112.6 --- Head-Fourth 

Lake. Middle- Fourth Lake. Fourth Lake near confluence. 

117.0 ---------- 120.0 --- 130.1 ----- Marys 

River. 

141.3 ------

161.2 ---------- 178.1 

185.3 ---------- Coast Fork ___ _ 

700 50 70 

(21 

700 20 70 

700 <20 70 700 150 70 

700 100 70 500 <20 70 

500 <20 70 700 20 70 500 30 70 500 150 70 500 50 70 

500 20 70 500 50 70 700 300 70 

500 150 70 500 100 70 700 300 70 

500 70 70 500 20 70 500 20 70 500 <20 70 500 <20 70 

500 70 70 500 <20 70 

500 30 70 300 50 50 

500 150 70 500 <20 100 

500 <20 100 

500 20 70 

500 30 70 500 30 70 500 20 70 700 50 150 

500 70 70 500 100 70 500 200 70 300 <20 30 300 30 50 

20 70 

20 70 

20 70 50 70 

30 70 20 100 

20 70 20 70 20 70 20 70 20 70 

20 70 20 100 30 70 

20 50 30 70 30 70 

20 70 20 70 

20 70 15 70 15 70 

20 70 20 70 

30 70 20 70 

30 70 10 150 

10 150 

15 100 

30 70 30 70 20 70 70 100 

30 70 30 70 20 70 15 70 20 100 

15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 < 100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 700 50 

15 500 50 

15 150 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 15 <100 <50 

70 

70 

70 

70 

70 

70 

70 

70 

70 

150 

70 

50 

70 

30 

150 

20 

100 

50 

20 

50 

50 

50 

30 

150 

70 

30 

20 

100 

150 

30 

20 

20 

15 

20 

70 

70 

50 

100 

70 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

10 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

<3 

30 <10 

30 <10 

30 <10 50 <10 

30 <10 30 <10 

30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 

30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 

30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 

30 <10 30 <10 

30 <10 50 200 

50 200 

50 70 

30 <10 30 <10 30 <10 70 <10 

50 <10 50 <10 30 <10 30 <10 20 <10 

'Emisswn spectroscopy includes metals contained m crystal lattices. Analyses by Ray G. Havens. 2N ot determined. 

F26 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

50 

70 

50 

50 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

20 

30 

Ag Sr Sn V Yb 

3.0 700 <10 150 

<.5 500 

.5 500 

.5 700 <.5 300 

.5 300 .5 500 

.5 500 .5 500 .5 700 1.5 500 1.0 300 

1.0 300 1.5 200 

1.0 300 

1.0 300 

<.5 300 .5 300 

1.5 500 .7 300 1.5 200 1.5 300 1.5 300 .5 500 <.5 300 

.5 300 <.5 300 

<.5 500 10 150 

10 150 

2 300 

.5 300 .5 300 .5 300 <.5 150 

.5 300 <.5 500 

<.5 500 <.5 200 

<.5 150 

<10 150 

<10 150 

<10 150 <10 150 

<10 150 

<10 150 

<10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 

<10 150 3 

15 150 

<10 150 <10 150 

<10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 

<10 150 <10 100 

<10 100 3 200 70 20 

150 70 50 

20 100 15 

<10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 150 3 <10 200 3 

<10 150 3 15 150 3 

<10 150 3 <10 100 3 <10 150 3 

y Zn Zr 

50 700 200 

30 <300 150 

30 300 150 

30 300 150 30 500 200 

30 300 200 30 <300 200 

30 300 150 50 300 200 

30 <300 200 30 500 200 30 500 200 30 700 200 30 700 200 30 <300 200 

30 <300 200 30 <300 200 30 <300 150 

30 <300 200 30 <300 200 30 <300 200 30 <300 150 

30 <300 200 30 <300 150 

30 <300 150 

30 <300 200 

30 <300 150 

30 <300 150 200 <300 20,000 

300 <300 15,000 

70 <300 7,000 

30 <300 200 

30 <300 200 30 <300 150 30 <300 150 

30 <300 150 30 <300 150 30 <300 200 30 <300 200 30 <300 200 
TABLE 15.-Uses and sources of selected trace metals 

Metal 

Arsenic 

Use or source 

Coal, petroleum, detergents, pesticides, 

dyes and pigments, pottery and porcelain, wood preservation, glass industry, 

dye and tanning industry, various chemical production industries. 

Cadmium ______ Batteries, tires, motor oils, heating oils, 

paints, plastics, coal, water mains and 

pipes, photography, various chemical 

production industries. 

Chromium ______ Alloys, refractories, catalysts, photogCopper 

Lead 

raphy, paints, bacteriocides, electroplating industry, pulp and paper mills, dye 

and tanning industry. 

Ink manufacturing, dyes and pigments, 

electroplating industry, pharmaceutical 

industry, textile industry, tanning industry, various chemical production industries. 

Batteries, dyes and paints, auto exhaust, 

photography, textile plants. 

Mercury-------- Coal, fungicides, electrical batteries, em- balming, ink manufacturing, electroplating industry, pharmaceutical industry, pulp and paper mills, dye and 

tanning industry, textile plants, various 

chemical production industries. ----~-

Silver __________ Photography, alloys. 

Zinc ____________ Embalming, wood preservation, water 

mains and pipes, paints, electroplating 

industry, pulp and paper mills, dye and 

tanning industry, various chemical 

production industries. 

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